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Hell’s Paradise Season 2 Episode 14 – Quick Summary
In Hell’s Paradise Season 2 Episode 14, “Dawn and Confusion,” the shogunate, concerned that they have lost contact with the team on the island, turned to Shugen Yamada Asaemon to mount a followup journey. He chose a team who might be of interest to Gabimaru. Speaking of, Gabimaru has still not regained his memories. That’s a problem because the lack troubles him – making him less effective in a fight. That, in turn, becomes an even bigger problem. Can Gabimaru protect Mei in his current state? What’s it going to take to retain his memories? And what are the Tensen up to?
Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.
Favorite Quote from Hell’s Paradise Season 2 Episode 14
Talk about committed! Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
I’d forgotten that Choubei Aza was in that super-powered state. In my defense, the first season ended two and a half years ago, and I had no time to rewatch it. I appreciated the reintroductions in this episode.
Gabimaru can’t remember much. Nothing about the mission, in fact. But he remembered how to fight. So when Choubei Aza came after him, he acquired himself well. If by “well” I mean he bit out Choubei Aza’s throat, Achilles tendon,eye, and various other parts.
Ordinarily, those would have been effective strikes. But Choubei Aza had powered up, and he could use tao to regenerate pretty much any damage Gabimaru could deal. As the fight went on, Choubei Aza’s regen ability wore Gabimaru down.
On the verge of death, Gabimaru discarded his worry about his lost memories. He decided to deal as much damage as he could before he died. He went flame on and lunged at his opponent.
His flames began to overcome even Choubei Aza’s abilities. His eyes went wide with shock.
Gabimaru said (21:59), “Those who want to live cannot defeat the dead.”
Even in a show as brutal as this one, this quote stood out. Gabimaru is utterly committed to his move, and he wasn’t about to die alone.
Favorite Moment from Hell’s Paradise Season 2 Episode 14
Yuzuriha wasn’t quite ready for this. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Setup: A Brutal World with Brutal Characters
This is a show of brutality. And I love it for that. That might seem odd, given the times we live in. I see brutality every day on the news, whether that news has been sanctioned by the state or not. I see examples of humans gunning down other humans in cold blood, for no justification, in defiance of all laws. You might think this show would be the last thing I’d want to watch.
But did you notice? The brutality is far removed from the mundane. I’ve been having a hard time continuing to watch The Expanse, despite it being a great story told well (I actually prefer the novels, and that’s saying a lot). That said, The Expanse is a little too real. Its depiction of corporations too close to what’s right in front of me.
But the Tengen? Fights with tao-fueled beasts like Choubei Aza? Those things don’t exist in this world. So it’s fun to watch. Escapism is cool.
Don’t see scenes like this every day. That makes it more fun to watch! Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
The animation makes the brutality beautiful. But there’s another aspect that fueled my favorite moment. And that moment involves Sagiri Yamada Asaemon.
Just like I’d forgotten a lot about Choubei Aza, I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed Sagiri. But it came back quickly when she showed up on screen for the first time (around 10:06). She was her calm, focused self. And she had to deal with Yuzuriha and her boob window (that’s what Marin called it, anyway).
That reminded me immediately: Sagiri’s fairly modest. And she’s self conscious about it.
Delivery: But Not Only Brutal
She, Yuzuriha, Shion, and Nurugai tried to decide what to do next. Sagiri urged them to find Gabimaru and Mei. Yuzuriha wasn’t so sure they even had a mission anymore, given the state of things. She advocated for them leaving, saying it was for Sagiri’s sake.
Sagiri’s more than modest. She’s as sincere as they come. She called Yuzuriha on her lie. Sagiri had realized that Yuzuriha wanted Sagiri’s family on her side against the shogunate, because leaving the island empty-handed would otherwise be a death sentence.
Yuzuriha feigned embarrassment that Sagiri had seen through her ruse. That’s when Sagiri stepped forward and took Yuzuriha’s hands in hers. Yuzuriha wasn’t prepared for something like that; she appeared taken aback.
With all the sincerity of a woman who just doesn’t see the point of lying, Sagiri gazed into Yuzuriha’s eyes and said (11:26), “Regardless, I do want to leave the island together. I even consider your logical mind reassuring. If we leave, we’ll leave together. That includes you and Gabimaru.”
I did not know she could make that face. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
I kid you not: Yuzuriha blushed. All of her life, she developed a toughness against any threat. She’s learned to use her sexuality as a weapon and even tried to use it against Gabimaru. His affection for his wife made him immune. But all those experiences boiled down to one thing: Yuzuriha is strong against threats.
Against sincerity? She’s pretty much defenseless. And I thought it was a great insight into an already interesting character.
What did you think about the pace of reintroductions in this episode? What were your favorite moments? I’d love to hear your opinion in the comments!
Hell’s Paradise Season 2 Episode 14: Other Posts
Other Anime Sites
- Reddit: Jigokuraku Season 2 • Hell’s Paradise Season 2 – Episode 1 discussion
- Leisure Byte: Hell’s Paradise Season 2 Episode 1 Review: MAPPA Cooked In This One As Well
- Anime Rants: Hell’s Paradise Season 2 Episode 1 Review
