That was another good episode of Jigokuraku. Still, I can’t shake the vibe that this show has more than a whiff of death porn about it. Build up a character, kill them off. It can have an impact if done well (and this week was) but it dulls over repeated use. You know, like a sword. For me, once a series has established that plot armor doesn’t exist (with a few obvious exceptions in this case), I’d rather it not revel in demonstrating it ad nauseam. But that’s just me.
We didn’t see Tenza and Nurugai at all last week, but this time around they got the entire episode. Tenza and Nurugai were a winning pair, which is a good thing as this ep would have sunk like a stone otherwise. I find it a bit jarring that Nurugai is so totally at odds with everyone else on the island – she seems to be a bundle of pure innocence. But she and Tenza had developed quite a nice rapport. It was just a shame that our Tensen friend had to show up and spoil the party.
I’m hopeful that the Tensen display some weaknesses soon, as at the moment they make kind of a boring antagonist. Tenza is smarter than he acts, which is what allowed him to at least buy a few moments to flee with Nurugai. His master, a blind Asaemon named Shion, shows up to help, but even as a pair they can do little more than slow the Tensen down (and not for long at that). A whole lot of backstory follows, very credibly done. But at this point it’s pretty clear that one or both of them are done for – that’s just how Jigokuraku rolls – so it’s hard to get too wrapped up in it.
One of the shortest engagements ever, that, but at least Tenza went out with an act that would make Shion proud. It’s up to Shion to protect Nurugai now, which despite his earlier words I have no doubt he’ll do to the best of his ability. But there are obviously limits to that, especially where the Tensen are concerned, so I wonder if the pair of them end up allied with the Gabimaru group at some point soon. It should be clear to all that this whole pardon business is a complete red herring, and the only chance any of them have is to combine their strength.
SeijiSensei
May 22, 2023 at 1:54 amI found this episode rather boring to be honest. The Tensen are so over-powered that battles against them have no drama. With no hints of how Tenza’s crew relates to Gabimaru’s team, I was left wondering why we had this episode at all.
Guardian Enzo
May 22, 2023 at 6:53 amLike I said, as they are they’re a pretty boring antagonist. They need either a weakness or a more nuanced nature.
Ryan
May 22, 2023 at 11:02 amAt its best, this series has thoughtful takes on topics like beliefs, redemption, and gender. The violence works best when it’s secondary.
Guardian Enzo
May 22, 2023 at 12:17 pmAs I’ve said, it really feels like it has a split personality to me. That makes it a frustrating watch at times.
Nicc
May 22, 2023 at 12:05 pmLast week, I was wondering what the other groups were up to when Gabimaru and company were at the abandoned village. We meet up with Tenza and Nurugai and… they’re still at the coast. They made no attempt to go inside the island as they keep trying to find a way out. They started talking about marriage and that’s when I figured that something was about to go down. “If we get through this…” is a classic deathflag. The monsters don’t seem to go out to the coast and so it seems that the coast is indeed clear until a Tensen shows up.
It’s a different one from previous episodes, but just like with the Aza brothers, Tenza is quickly overpowered and they have to retreat inside the island. So far their only “weakness”, if it can even be called that, is that they cannot regenerate instantly. If enough damage can be done in a short amount of time, it can buy enough time to escape. But, all that does is to delay the inevitable and they still can’t win.
Tenza’s master, Shion, enters the fray, but it doesn’t change the situation in the slightest. Tenza’s fate is sealed, but he fights to the last breath. Even the Tensen was impressed by his tenacity. We get his backstory along the way, which was well-done, as you mentioned. Nurugai and Shion escape, but I wonder how much time Shion has left and considering his injuries. In the meantime, he also now has to contemplate losing a second pupil who was under his tutelage.
I also agree that a weakness for the Tensen can be found soon too as they are boring villains so far. Cutting them with a sword or punching them isn’t working out and so perhaps the abilities of the convicts may make the difference.