Hell’s Paradise Director Dishes on Anime’s Next Big Hit

The newest anime season has begun, and all eyes are on the spring to see what we’ve got in store. Returning champions like Demon Slayer promise to keep fans entertained starting this month while newcomers such as Skip & Loafer are drawing in new eyes. We can see this as well with Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku as the Studio MAPPA series just dropped its premiere. And now, its director is stepping out with a new interview breaking down anime’s next big hit.

The update comes from RealSound as the publication spoke with Kaori Makita about Hell’s Paradise. The animator stepped in to direct the anime for Studio MAPPA which premiered on April 1st. When asked about their first impression of the job, Mikata said they were very grateful to be trusted with a project like Hell’s Paradise.

“I am an employee of MAPPA, so I was honestly grateful for the opportunity. Moreover, it’s a popular work on “Shonen Jump+” (Shueisha), so I was happy to be entrusted with it,” they shared.

Continuing, Mikata said they were drawn to Hell’s Paradise as a story because of its ensemble. The manga is more than just its lead, and Mikata said they wanted to make sure the anime focused on more than just Gabimaru the Hollow as such. “I thought it was a work like an ensemble drama. While there are characters that each reader can recommend, Gabimaru and Sagiri are at the center of it. And with Gabimaru’s strong desire to “see his wife” as the main axis of the story, there was a feeling that the ensemble drama would converge there, and I could easily get into it.”

However, Hell’s Paradise did not move forward without any difficulties. Mikata said the manga’s visuals were difficult to capture in motion, but after trial and effort, their team was able to nail an aesthetic. “It was difficult to animate the battles because the movements are quite fantastical and alien. But I think that’s why it’s meaningful to do it in anime,” the director shared.

As Hell’s Paradise moves forward, all eyes will be on Mikata and their direction. The dark fantasy has become a popular read with fans globally. Gabimaru and his fellow convicts have tons of followers who want to see their journey brought to life on screen. So if you want to follow their journey, you can catch new episodes weekly on Crunchyroll!

What do you think about Hell’s Paradise so far? Is the anime living up to the hype…? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.