A review by rereader33
Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku, Vol. 4 by Yuji Kaku

5.0

Wow, this volume was definitely...something. Honestly so much happened that my poor brain short circuited, but I'll do my best to discuss my thoughts.

First and foremost, I LOVE the theory that this island is house one "religion" that's really a mishmash of different religious beliefs and tales. I'm SO FUCKING CURIOUS to meet this person and discover their motivations for doing this. I only wish I knew more about Taoism and Daoism so that I would have a foundational understanding of the prayers and religious symbols.

Second, can I say how happy I am that I like/love basically all of the characters? Seriously, it's so rare for me to become this invested in practically the entire cast, but I do really like all of them. Granted, they're not the most deep individuals, but they're still fun and are full of character.

Third, the fight scenes were DOPE AS FUCK. I was drowning in action this volume and I don't want to be saved. Ever.

Finally, I'm interested in the discussions of sex, sexuality, and gender in this series. I know I brought this up a previous review, but the heavy emphasis on sex and gender is not something I was expecting and I'm starting to wonder whether Kaku's focus on it has to do with the religious themes and the time period. Regardless, it's piqued my interest and I'm already looking forward to going back and rereading certain volumes to analyze these themes.

That's all I've got for now, but I'm loving this series and can't wait for more. I'm so glad I decided to give this series a chance.