Hell’s Paradise is without question one of the coolest newer generation Shonen series out there, combining an intriguing plot, compelling characters, incredible action, and (a personal favorite) endless religious and spiritual iconography in its monsters and backgrounds. At this year’s Anime NYC, we had the opportunity to speak with the creator / mangaka of the series, Yuji Kaku, as well as Kirito Iwashita, who is a producer for the Hell’s Paradise anime. Our conversation covered some of Kaku-sensei’s inspirations and core thoughts going into the series as well as some tidbits about what made the anime as fantastic as it is.
Portions of this interview have been lightly edited for clarity. This interview contains spoilers for Hell’s Paradise Season 1.
Q: Kaku-sensei, Hell’s Paradise makes use of a lot of religious and mythological iconography in its backgrounds and monsters. Did you already have knowledge of these things before writing the series, or did you specifically do research into this for Hell’s Paradise?
Kaku-sensei: I took everything that I already enjoyed, loved, and appreciated and jam-packed it into the world. And so instead of really looking to add elements that were outside of my passion, everything in the world comes from a place of passion inside of me.
Q: Iwashita-san, in creating animated versions of these iconographic scenes, were there any difficulties in production?
Iwashita-san: One of the focus areas, less of a challenge but really a focus area of attention, is the Hiboshi, the Ascetic Blaze, because it was really important that it’s more than just fire. It had to go beyond the reality of fire. And so whether it’s movement or illustrations, all the elements that are enabled by anime, we really did a lot of testing to make that as uniquely special as possible.
Q: Kaku-sensei, what works would you say were formative for you or served as inspiration for your work?
Kaku-sensei: So this is really focused on Hell’s Paradise, but there’s an element of oddity, almost cultish, something that’s just off kilter, and that aspect is really influenced by another Japanese artist, Yamada Futaro.
Q: Iwashita-san, can you talk about the reasons behind the selection of some of the key members of the staff?
Iwashita-san: The selection of the studio, MAPPA, was based on their reliable high quality action and ability to consistently produce action of the highest quality. And from there, the producer selection of Kawagoe-san [Wataru Kawagoe] really drove the next phase of decisions. Really, everything fell into place upon Kawagoe-san’s decision for the director, Makita-san [Kaori Makita]. Makita-san himself is a huge fan of the Hell’s Paradise series, and so he really wanted to take on this project and be at the helm.
Q: Kaku-sensei, when crafting a story, its characters, its setting, and the like, what order do you create things in? Do the ideas typically come to you on their own or do you need to actively try and think of them?
Kaku-sensei: So that’s a really difficult question, because sometimes it goes very smoothly, and sometimes there’s a lot of struggle in terms of figuring out what should happen next. For example, when fight scenes are choreographed in my head, it’s not clear who’s going to win or how to win. But I feel like there’s an element of working with the character as the character is trying to figure out how to win. I synchronize with the character in order to figure out the strategy for defeating the opponent.
Q: Iwashita-san, what criteria did you all use when selecting the voice actors for main characters? Was it just a matter of who nailed the voice, or were there other criteria you were looking for?
Iwashita-san: In choosing the voice actors, of course the decision is shared between all members and all stakeholders — the studio, Kaku-sensei, and the teams that are involved in putting the production together. We generated a list of candidates, but then ultimately it was by audition. As far as the audition and what criteria were used there for the selection, of course acting has to be top quality. Not only acting, but also how the voice actors’ total package matches the character and complements the character to really synergize. So synergistic feel for the character was a driving factor.
Q: Kaku-sensei, you’ve spoken in the past about using both analog and digital methods to create your art. How did the balance between the two for you shift over time, and are you finding yourself leaning closer to one than the other lately?
Kaku-sensei: The decision of media hasn’t changed. Black and white has always been both analog and digital, and that continues. But when it comes to color, it’s all analog.
Q: Iwashita-san, when it comes to striking a balance between faithfully reproducing the original work and creating places for the anime to shine, what was your approach?
Iwashita-san: That’s a really good question, and absolutely a challenge we encounter every time. But the main focus is that the anime has to be loved by the fans of the manga. Being true to the spirit of the manga and maximizing the advantages and the wonderful aspects of the manga through what’s unique to animation is a sincere focus of the production team. One of the limitations is that airtime in anime is about 20 minutes, so we have to make everything understandable so that the audience can run with the content without being left behind. And so within that constraint of 20 minutes, making it as easy to understand while staying faithful to the manga and the spirit of the manga and taking advantage of what animation affords is a true focus.
Q: Kaku-sensei, both Gabimaru and Sagiri have morals and value life in ways unlike someone in the Edo period. How did you decide to create this sort of moral framework for them specifically?
Kaku-sensei: Both Gabimaru and Sagiri have very unique and different jobs, roles, and environments than where we live. So it’s possible that they become unrelatable. And so one of the most important things was to put them in the Edo period within that constraint, but make them relatable. Even for us, those of us living in the modern age, their fundamental self is relatable. And so those are the constraints and then the character evolution that makes them the true characters of the story.
Q: Iwashita-san, as a producer, what are you especially particular about when it comes to Hell’s Paradise?
Iwashita-san: One of the things that is a must is that this not end up being just another action sequence and not be just action-driven content. It’s really a human drama that drives the storyline. So making sure that the characters are as attractive as possible — that the characters themselves shine — is a very important component. And what leaves the deepest impression isn’t necessarily the action sequences but when the characters are really in their development of emotion. For example, whether it’s when Gabimaru realizes his love for his wife in the first episode or the moments before death for each of these characters, it’s really when there’s a human element that makes Hell’s Paradise so special and so we focus to ensure that element shines.
Q: Kaku-sensei, what are some horror movies you’ve enjoyed recently?
Kaku-sensei: I have so many favorites. Horror is my favorite movie genre so there are so many. But one that has always been a favorite since childhood is Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It’s amazing.
Q: Iwashita-san, when comparing Season 1 and Season 2, are any aspects of focus of the production process changing?
Iwashita-san: So between Season 1 and Season 2, I wouldn’t say anything is changing but it’s really evolving. Battle scenes are getting more intense and character relationships are also deepening. So we’re doing the same level of energy, effort, everything the best we can but there is definitely an evolution of content, focus, battles, relationships, and more.
Q: And my last question to both of you. What are some personal favorite scenes or sequences from Season 1 of Hell’s Paradise?
Kaku-sensei: So whether it’s Yamada Futaro or Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the blood and gore is a personal favorite. So anytime Gabimaru is soaked in blood fighting is a favorite scene. In particular, the last fighting scene of episode 2 is something that I feel is one of my top favorites.
Iwashita-san: So one that stands in my mind is Yuzuriha during Senta’s death. The scene in which she’s really showing compassion. She up to this point had appeared to be a self-centered character, but really at that moment you see her warmth, her kindness, and the compassion she holds inside. It really added depth to her character and made her a favorite of mine.
We’d like to thank Yuji Kaku and Kirito Iwashita for taking the time to speak with us during Anime NYC and give their insight into what makes Hell’s Paradise so incredible. You can stream Season 1 of the series on Crunchyroll. Season 2 is set to premiere in January of 2026.
©YUJI KAKU/SHUEISHA, TWIN ENGINE, MAPPA
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