Hell’s Paradise Season 2 Episode 1 Review: MAPPA Cooked In This One As Well

Hell’s Paradise Season 2 Episode 1 Review: The 1st episode of Hell’s Paradise Season 2 was pretty good, as it furthers the storyline faithfully. Let us see how this episode turned out.

Hell’s Paradise Season 2 Overview

Hell’s Paradise Season 2 continues the anime adaptation of Yuji Kaku’s dark fantasy manga Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku. It picks up right where the first season left off, with Gabimaru and Sagiri getting separated. The new season is once again produced by Twin Engine and MAPPA, with Kaori Makita returning as director and Akira Kindaichi handling series composition. While the core creative team remains intact, Akitsugu Hisagi steps in as the new character designer, and Yoshiaki Dewa reprises his role as music composer.

The story once again centers on the deadly journey of ninja Gabimaru and executioner Yamada Asaemon Sagiri as they press deeper into their mission to uncover the mythical elixir of life. Season 2 adapts the manga’s intense “Lord Tensen” and “Hōrai” arcs.

The season premiered on January 11, 2026, on TV Tokyo and affiliated networks, with most of the original cast returning. For international viewers, Crunchyroll is streaming the series outside Asia as it airs. Musically, the season is backed with the opening theme “Kasuka na Hana” (“Faint Flower”) performed by Tatsuya Kitani featuring Babymetal, while the ending theme “Personal” is sung by Queen Bee.  

Hell’s Paradise Season 2 Episode 1 Review

The episode opens with Jikka being the only one surviving the hellish island and coming back in one piece. The people under the shogun try to understand how he managed to come back, but only get a vague answer from him. They know very well how difficult it is for anyone to survive the island, yet the shogun, again, wants the Yamada clan to send more people to the island to monitor those who are already there. And this time, the whole operation will be headed by Yamada Asaemon Shugen, who is supposed to be a legendary figure. But there is another twist; this time, there will not be convicts, but ninjas from Iwagakure, who will travel to the island.

After this, we also get to see the Tensen beings who take part in their usual carnal activities. But the most important fact is that the group of Sagiri is still separated from Gabimaru and Mei. Thus, Sagiri decides that they will go outside of the Tensen’s castle gate to regroup, while Gabimaru’s group is moving towards the Tensen’s castle themselves.

But before that could happen, Gabimaru came face-to-face with the Aza brothers. This interaction obviously did not result in a civil conversation, and they began an intense hand-to-hand combat. This segment was really good as it built tension about what might happen later because neither of these men is actually normal. The fight turns out to be pretty difficult for Gabimaru, specifically because he is missing a huge chunk of his memory, and as an incomplete man, it is impossible for him to get over the physical challenges.

The ending was unexpected, as it showed just how many villains there are in this anime. It will be far more difficult for Gabimaru and Sagiri to survive and actually go back.

Verdict

I liked today’s episode and how it sets up the stage for the second season. We do not get too much information, but the way Chobei’s transformation was showcased was brilliant. Other than that, as it is a project by MAPPA, the animation was obviously really good. Hopefully, the quality will be maintained in the later episodes as well.

Must Read: Fire Force Season 3 Episode 13 Review: Where Is The Hype?