Like with the first volume, the fight sequences and artwork by Yuji Kaku are the stand-out feature of Hell’s Paradise. Highlights in this volume are not just the battle with Rokurota the giant, but a less gory tussle between Sagiri and Genji which is strangely captivating.

As well as this, this second volume also has a fair number of flashback sequences as it tries to detail the pasts of all the characters, the reasons why the felons are condemned, and why the executioners got their skills and relate to each other.

Read the full review at Anime UK News: https://animeuknews.net/2020/05/hells-paradise-jigokuraku-volume-2-review/

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Volume 2 follows the story of Gabimaru as he continues to search for the elixir of life while battling other ninjas for the right to a pardon of his crimes. Once again, lots of action, and I love to see the way that the ninjas interact with each other. I particularly love Sagiri.

Another great volume. The action picked up right where it left off. The mystery of the island is depending. There appears to be no way off the island, as swimming to the boats proved to be nearly fatal to one pair. Another pair, consisting of two siblings, came across some inhabitants that appear to be some sort of Gods. Sagiri finally finds her resolve after witnessing the death of one of her fellow clansmen. Gabimaru is also adapting and learning to allow people to help him. I'm really interested in seeing who the two God-type people end up being in the next volume.

I'm really loving Hell's Paradise so far!

Volume two introduced us to quite a few new characters criminals and handlers so far my new favorites are the Aza Brothers Bandits.

The only issue I have with the series is that they keep saying that only one criminal can receive a pardon so they need to quit bringing in more characters for me to get attached to!

I was super excited to read the second volume of Hell's Paradise after Netgalley allowed me to review/read the first. And let me say, I wasn’t disappointed. Gabimaru was still as badass as ever, but he wasn’t the main character for the whole book. In fact, no one was because everyone had a story to tell this time.

The theme of Volume 2 is Strength. What makes you strong? Who makes you strong? How are you strong? Everyone left on the island gave an answer. One group had a strong brotherly bond while another group had strong reaction or survival instincts. One woman showed she was a very strong kunoichi while another proved she was a strong swordsman. One inmate told the reader how he’d been physically strong all his life, which is how he ended up on the island, while Gabimaru proved his mind was as resilient as his body in a fight (thus proving again why he’s still Kakashi & Danzai’s lovechild).

Now, with all of these stories to tell, normally I would get whiplash from jumping back and forth. However, the author makes smooth transitions from story to story, making sure they fit together. The storyline keeps moving forward as well. The group isn’t stalled in their initial objective to get the elixir they came for and/or leave the island. Also, the author considered that the reader wants to know what happened to everyone else. It’s such a dangerous bloody island that curiosity at the others’ fate is a lot. Introducing the varying stories now is brilliant because it gives the author the ability to change direction whenever they want or need to and can create many different stories for what happens to the others from now on.

It’s fantastic, horrific and I have already recommended it for my collection.
PS. Is anyone else getting a Battle Royale vibe?

While I would love to review this one in full, my copy was very strange and I couldn't completely read it so I gave up halfway.
I will be reading this in the future though when I get my hands on a readable copy.

I asked for this manga because I loved Vol 1. I got accepted, but apparently it went straight to archived, not download. I just blinked. And now I have to review something I couldn't read... Thank you NetGalley...

More death, more questions, we're getting somewhere!

Volume two picks up right were we left off with Gabimaru and Sagiri forming an alliance, albeit a fragile alliance. with another criminal and her guards. We get more back stories for the criminals who will be key players in the coming volumes. The quest to find the elixir gets bloodier and more muddled with each fight.

Although we get a few answers in this volume, readers are left with more question, as to be expected. The art continues to bolster the visualization for the series. This volume addresses gender roles and pokes fun at characters needing having a dramatic backstory that gives a will to live. There was less nudity in this volume, however there is a questionable minor scene with a character who may be a minor...

The build up is definitely leading to some consistent action and the plot keeps expanding beyond what I anticipate. I look forward to the next volume!

Thank you so much to Netgalley for providing this e-arc!

I previously read the first volume through the same publisher so kudos to them for providing these wonderful books. I once again like it very much. The theological side of it intrigues me. Although the pace is somewhat moving in a strange way. AS strange as the island the're in i must say.

I love horror comic books, and in that same vein, I love horror manga. This is largely because of the art on the pages, and how much skill it takes to craft pages that are as beautiful as they are disturbing and in some cases violent. Beautiful and disturbing are the two best words to describe mangaka Yuji Kaku’s Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku. Published for English-speaking audiences by VIZ Media and serialized in Shonen Jump, Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku is an 18+ title that is filled with action, bloodshed, monsters, body horror, religious symbolism, and characters you immediately latch on to.

In the first volume, we met Gabimaru the Hollow, one of the most vicious ninja assassins ever to come out of the village of Iwagakur. We learn about him, the world he inhabits, and the executioners set to take the heads of people like him. But, instead of facing execution, Gabimaru is given one hope of returning to his wife and possibly living a normal life: finding the Elixir of Life. If he can travel to a long-hidden island and recover the elixir that will make the shogun immortal, he will regain his freedom. But if he doesn’t, he dies.

In Hell’s Paradise: Jigouraku Volume 2, chapters 11 through the dangers of the island become even more apparent and as he and his executioner, Sagiri, are hit with attacks from the environment and convicts alike. As Gabimaru and his executioner explore the island, they come under attack from creatures that resemble gods but behave like devils, causing them and other convicts/executioner pairs to question if the island is the paradise they were promised or if its hell.

Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku Volume 2 is devastatingly beautiful. The monster designs present the holiness while the dynamic action sequences showcase their capability of intense violence. Additionally, the corpses that have turned into flowerbeds remains one of the most beautiful elements of body horror in any series. Kaku’s artwork is unparalleled as he creates a hostile and beautiful world filled with uniquely drawn characters with elements that cause them to stick in your mind.

Beyond their images, Yaku’s character writing is top-notch, weaving a story by adding backgrounds to the remaining convicts and showing the pressures they’re under. From being the last member of their tribe, a woman in a man’s profession, to two brothers reconnected, each character has become multifaceted, the criminals have the depth and the executioners have sins.

But its perhaps Sagiri’s story that has gripped me, as we see more of the prejudice she faces for wielding a blade, even on an island of death. The only thing the samurai around her see is her gender. While she holds herself up, she also draws strength from her relationship with Gabimaru. While the blade reflects the soul, he has helped reflect hers.

Finally, the closing act of Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku Volume 2 is top tier action. As one of the last remaining convicts, Rokurota, the Giant of Bizen, turns his eyes to eating those remaining, we get to see our protagonist truly up against an unbeatable foe. After watching Gabimaru quickly kill humans and monsters alike, this volume allow us to see his vulnerability and the depth of his skill. It’s a fast-paced and intense battle that kept me at the edge of my seat.

If I were to describe Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku to people, I would compare it to Gantz in terms of competition, violence, and monsters. That said, this title is unlike what I’ve seen before in terms of style, which makes its recognizable themes all the more interesting. Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku Volume 2 seals the deal on this incredible story. While the first volume caught my attention, the second one has hooked me so much, I’ve pushed the series to the top of my Shonen Jump reading queue.

Thank you to Viz Media and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

Let me start by what a fun ride volume 2 was and how I look forward to volume 3. In this volume we get to see the mysterious island and the "monsters" who inhabit it. And in addition we get to spend time getting to know the rather large cast even as their numbers begin to dwindle (did I mention there is some violence in the title). The pull for me in this series is the mystery of the island and what it is and what is going on there. This is, in part, due to the main characters being very similar to many Shonen Jump characters. I would definitely recommend this title to any fan of Psyren, Attack on Titan, or High-Rise Invasion.

<i>arc provided by the publisher and netgalley in exchange for an honest review</i>

I wasn’t sure if I was going to continue with this series after volume 1 but I got my hands on this one so I thought I would give it a try.

My overall feelings are pretty much the same as book one. The plot is sort of interesting but relatively slow, the monsters are creepy and some of the characters are likeable while others were just irritating.

There’s also a really weird scene with one of the characters being naked and I’m pretty sure they’re a minor so I didn’t like seeing that.

I most likely won’t be continuing on with this series.

2/5 ⭐️


tw: death, gore, nudity, violence

ARC Copy...hmm promising so far, starting on the second volume might be late to the part however the art style is very lavish and...oh yes this will be violent!