Hells Paradise sets the stage for a treacherous journey by explaining the processes of beheading. Meanwhile an executioner struggles to decapitate the main character with a swordGabimaru a seemingly invincible boy who just wants to die. What follows is a montage of failed attempts to execute him. He explains his history motivations and flaws to a stranger who randomly interviews him in prison. Almost all the information we learn about the protagonist is delivered lazily through forced exposition. Whether narration in nondiegetic form flashbacks or characters uttering their backstory its all forced. The quiet and enigmatic protagonist shows us his ninjutsu a superpower fighting technique that unleashes flames. Gabimaru and many other criminals have been sent to a monsterinfested island to find the elixir of life. Upon achieving their goal the nation would pardon their crimes. Every criminal has an executioner to monitor them. Gabimarus is Sagiri. She is a blank slate a hardworking disciplined rule follower known as an Asaemon. Sagiris internal monologue spoonfeeds Gabimarus character development. If they want us to understand how emotionless yet emotional he is she will tell us painstakingly. Lets just say neither of them will make any Best Character of the Year lists. Its not only Sagiri either. Half of the screen time is devoted to people dumping exposition onto one another or worse the viewers. For an anime with such mature content it treats us like children We can handle visual storytelling natural dialogue and context clues. Is that asking for too much? Aside from its overly literal nature the script is blander than an unseasoned boiled chicken breast. I like humor wit charm irony sarcasm or flavor. Theres none here If theres one thing Hells Paradise does better than its contemporaries its how it doesnt waste too much time on worldbuilding. It keeps its terms comprehensive. The monsters on the island are just called monsters. The energy that monsters harness to fight is called Tao. Ninjutsu basically ninja superpowersall pretty basic stuff. Aside from the Mcguffin storyline I didnt care about the generic world. Its an exciting anime for the violent death island and increasingly grotesque monsters. Theres some lore behind how the monsters came to be but its mostly an excuse for big bug battles and giant killer statues. Body horror lovers wont be disappointed. The most challenging enemies heroes encounter are the Tensenseemingly immortal flower/human hybrids. The Tensen control the islands monsters and use Tao to slice and dice human trespassers. Early in the series the writers establish that cutting off a Tensens heads doesnt kill them yet no one seems to share this information leading to predictable outcomes. One of the side characters chops off a Tensens head then it regrows and now theyre disadvantaged. Marvelous what else do you have for us? Hells Paradise embraces a recurring theme of womens empowerment. A significant moment occurs when one of Sagaris superiors tries to belittle her by suggesting her weakness as a woman. He also urges her to leave the island. However Sagiri courageously stands her ground and it is refreshing to see the show firmly supporting her stance. As one of the few female Asaemon she must demonstrate her combat prowess to silence misogynistic criticism. There are other female characters in the anime and the overall portrayal can be deemed feminist in its approach. Caring about Hells Paradise characters could be an Olympic sport. After a few minutes of development the series dispatches them so quickly that you may wonder whats the point. The supporting character development resembles Demon Slayers worst aspectthey develop right before dying. Usually in the form of a badlytimed flashback meant to make you pity or sympathize with the shortlived fighter. This first season offers plenty of unique faces with likable personalities. Its a shame its over right before you get to know them. Thankfully they dont do this with the Tensen monsters. Flashbacks work in moderation but their overuse here looks like lazy writing. The series only alternative to quick flashbacks is inserting a character whose sole purpose is to spew background information. Like Sagiri random people will appear just when we need to hear about the persons life story. Youd have to be blind not to see the playedout formula. Speaking of played out its no surprise the production is mediocre. As the compositing shows Hells Paradise was a less significant production for MAPPA. Whether their productions will come out well is a coin flip. One of the problems is overexposed art and excessive brightnessthis results in a loss of detail and a washedout appearance like a lowbudget anime. Additionally the characters seem alien to their surroundings due to a significant disparity between the background art and characters. Instead of seamlessly integrating the characters into the environment it looks like stickers haphazardly placed on wallpaper. The issue is made worse by slow fights. Combat constantly pauses for flashbacks basic observations or monologues. The battles arent particularly well choreographed relying on wild camera movements and closeups to avoid animation. Its a lot of buildup for a fight that ends up being lame. Hells Paradise falls short in many aspects especially character development scriptwriting and art. The forced exposition and dependence on flashbacks hinder the storys natural progression leaving little room for viewers to form a genuine connection with the characters. The lack of humor wit and charm further detracts from the overall enjoyment of the anime. However the series succeeds in concise worldbuilding and delivers on the promise of violent battles and grotesque monsters. The body horror elements and the Tensen enemies provide genuine excitement. Hells Paradise deserves credit for highlighting the strength and determination of the female deuteragonist Sagiri. Hells Paradise falls short in production quality and writing competence resulting in an irritating sense of disappointment.