Unveiling the Dark Secrets of Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku — Witness the Demise of Asaemon

Soon after Sagiri, Yuzuriha, Senta, and Hoko arrive in Horai, they find themselves in a life-or-death battle against the powerful Tensen Mu Dan. Some characters escape these encounters with the apex beings of Kotaku, the Tensen, narrowly, giving the illusion of hope.

However, for two Asaemon, the odds were impossibly against them. In episode 12 of Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku, Yamada Asaemon Senta sustains a fatal injury. Just like Tenza before him, Senta's circumstances shed light on the events that led him to his current state, including his affection for Yuzuriha, which ultimately led to his selfless sacrifice to save her life.

Tanuki and Fox

Senta and Yuzuriha – Hell's Paradise Jigokuraku Episode 4

Senta, like Sagiri, has recently been questioning his role in the Yamada Clan and his life as an executioner. Interestingly, becoming a samurai was not Senta's initial career choice. While Senta's relationship with Yuzuriha doesn't appear to be openly romantic, it becomes evident that he is not falling into the same trap as his deceased comrade, Genji, who succumbed to Yuzuriha's seductive ways. However, similar to Sagiri's growing trust in Gabimaru, we discover that Senta and Yuzuriha establish a mutual understanding rooted in something deeper.

Yuzuriha perceives a connection with Senta because he seems to be concealing his true intentions and emotions. It is apparent to her that he does not hold much regard for the Yamada Clan or his duties. This realization resonates with Yuzuriha, whose entire existence revolves around deception and betrayal.

For Senta, who yearns to embrace his true self but feels unable to do so, Yuzuriha's ruthlessness appears to represent authenticity and being grounded in one's truth. He believes these qualities to be foreign concepts to him. Furthermore, there is another layer to the bond between Senta and Yuzuriha: the use of animal metaphors. Gabimaru often refers to Yuzuriha as a "vixen," while during their journey to the island, Yuzuriha likens Senta to a tanuki. Tanukis, also known as "raccoon dogs," share playful attributes with foxes and are often associated with mischief in folklore. Although foxes are considered more powerful magical creatures, tanukis excel in transformations. This aspect is noteworthy when considering Senta's admiration for Yuzuriha's unapologetic nature.

The First Half

Senta Holds Mu Dan – Hell's Paradise Jigokuraku Episode 12

In the battle against Mu Dan, the Vanguard Party combatants were gaining the upper hand. Senta played a crucial role, physically restraining the Tensen to allow Sagiri's attacks to hit effectively. Thanks to Senta's contribution, Sagiri successfully dealt a critical blow, bringing an end to the conflict. They tended to their wounds, relieved that none of them were lost. During this time, Sagiri discovered more about Senta when he accidentally revealed his deep admiration for Yuzuriha.

Senta expressed his desire to possess the unapologetic self-expression that Yuzuriha embodies. He shared that as a member of the Yamada Clan, he had given up his childhood dream of becoming an artist to fulfill the expectations placed upon him as a male. This sacrifice of personal ambition has been a recurring theme in his life, and only on the island did he begin to question his existence, particularly after meeting a certain kunoichi. Soon after Senta's revelation, Yuzuriha noticed flowers blooming on what was believed to be Mu Dan's lifeless body. Suddenly, a barbed vine lunged towards her, but Senta swiftly pushed her out of harm's way, taking the hit in his chest. Meanwhile, Mu Dan seized the opportunity to unveil their trump card, the Kishikai State. Before Yuzuriha and Sagiri could react to Senta's untimely demise, their own lives were in danger. However, just in the nick of time, Shion arrived to rescue them from immediate doom.

La Muse

Senta's Drawing of Yuzuriha – Hell's Paradise Jigokuraku Episode 12

Senta's guilt and the obligations of duty take on the form of a mound of severed heads. However, when Yuzuriha enters his life, her presence diminishes the significance of his guilt. In Senta's vision, as his life slips away, Yuzuriha playfully kicks up the severed heads and dances beneath them, holding a traditional Japanese umbrella. The lighting shifts through various colors as this happens. Senta watches Yuzuriha from afar, captivated by her graceful movements. He accepts that he can only continue observing her and expresses his contentment with this arrangement as he sketches the scene. This statement implies a romantic affection for her, despite the realization that he can never be closer to her. As he finishes the drawing, we see the image from his perspective: Yuzuriha standing elegantly under an umbrella, with the heads replaced by beautiful peonies, symbolic of Mu Dan (or "peony").

This connection to peonies originates from the shifting colors during Yuzuriha's dance amidst the severed heads, reminiscent of a story in which the Chinese immortal Han Xiangzi, upon whom Mu Dan is based, could change the color of peony flowers. The visual representation of Senta's emotions for Yuzuriha, in the form of her standing gracefully beneath a rain of severed heads, may be morbid, but it conveys the intensity of his feelings, which flash before his eyes as his life fades away. Interestingly, peonies have been traditionally associated with "bashfulness" or "shame" in the language of flowers, which aligns with Senta's death as an individual who never lived the life he desired out of fear and self-deception, and who developed intense admiration for a criminal.