List of Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku characters
The Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku manga series features an extensive cast of characters created by Yuji Kaku. The story follows ninja Gabimaru and the executioner Yamada Asaemon Sagiri as they search for the elixir of life.
Concept and creation
Manga creator Yuji Kaku developed the characters of Hell's Paradise, exploring how conflicted human relationships and modern ethics would function in the setting of Japan's Edo period with themes of the supernatural and violence. The central characters were designed with backstories that make them relatable to modern audiences, despite being criminals and executioners, in order to make them feel unique within the historical time frame. The character creation for Hell's Paradise stemmed from a simple, core framework: "several pairs of people whose interests aren't aligned thrown into an enclosed space and forced to work together". With that concept in mind, Kaku had thought of multiple ways to implement that idea, such as through having lawyers defend a group of kids in a youth detention center. Ultimately, he settled on having convicts and executioners trapped on an island. Kaku deliberately made Gabimaru a rare married protagonist in shonen manga. The creator explained that he needed a strong, immediate motivation for his hero to fight to survive, making Gabimaru's wife his core driving force.
Death-row criminals
Criminals that the Shogunate chose to embark on the journey to Shinsenkyo and find the Elixir of Life with an assigned Yamada Asaemon executioner.
Yamada Asaemon
The Yamada Asaemon is a prestigious kenjutsu dojo in Edo. It trains sword testers to become fully-fledged executioners for the Shogunate. Once fully trained, each swordsman has their name preceded by the title "Yamada Asaemon".
Kiyomaru
Shinsenkyo
Shinsenkyo, also known as Kotaku, is an island located within the southwest seas that is far beyond the Ryukyu Kingdom. The island is inhabited by monsters and had been said to possess the legendary Elixir of Life, which had been sought out by humans for centuries.
Iwagakure
Iwagakure, meaning Village Hidden in Stones was a well-known shinobi village in Japan until its termination by the shogun.