Hell’s Paradise Season 2 Episode 2 Review – Elite Shinobi Assassin Gabimaru Returns and Continues the Quest for the Elixir of Life!

Hell’s Paradise Season 2 Episode 2, one of the most highly anticipated episodes of the Winter 2026 anime season, finally aired on January 18, 2026. Although it is just the beginning of the story, it has already become a must-watch episode for the series. This installment is surprisingly important; not only does it have a major impact on the plot, but it also helps us better understand the characters and the current situation.

After the premiere of Hell’s Paradise Season 2, the situation in Shinsenkyo has become incredibly confusing and chaotic. Our protagonist, Gabimaru, has lost his memories and essentially become a different person, while Aza Chōbei has lost his mind and started acting like a monster. With the existence of the Elixir of Life becoming increasingly uncertain and the mysterious actions of the Lord Tensen, the plot has become so frantic that it’s not just the characters who are confused—it’s getting hard for us viewers to keep up with the story, too.

This is why Episode 2 is so vital to the second season. It provides the information and explanations we need, while the characters finally begin to move the story forward. Personally, I feel Episode 1 served more as a "refresher" episode; since it has been two years since the end of Season 1, we needed a way to reconnect with the series. From that perspective, Episode 1 did a great job, as it helped every viewer remember the previous season's events to a certain extent.

I feel Episode 2 served as the true “starting” episode; now that viewers have been reminded of what happened last season, the story can finally begin and the characters can start moving again. In fact, the scenes in Episode 2 change more frequently, and there is much more dialogue compared to Episode 1, since everyone has started to recall more details.

After watching Episode 2 myself, I feel like there are a lot of things to talk about and many thoughts to share. However, before diving deep into the episode, please note that the following content contains spoilers. If you haven’t watched it yet or don't want anything to ruin your viewing experience, please stop reading now!

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Gabimaru & Sagiri & Tao:

Hell’s Paradise Season 2, Episode 2 featured many different scenes and significant plot progression. Among them all, one of the biggest highlights of the episode was the interaction between Gabimaru and Yamada Asaemon Sagiri. Gabimaru and Sagiri are the two most important characters in Hell’s Paradise. Although they don’t have an intimate romantic relationship, they share a beautiful sense of trust and care for one another. Because of this, the story really shifts once they are back together.

Of course, since Gabimaru had forgotten everything, he couldn't just regain his memories the moment he saw Sagiri; that would be too unrealistic, even for a shonen anime. They needed a process. After being reunited, Sagiri used her actions to help Gabimaru restore his memories—specifically by attacking him and using her physicality to force him to remember.

Unlike the other characters who didn’t really know or interact with Gabimaru, Sagiri had observed him closely. Because of this, she knew his true nature and was able to understand him deeply. Even though Gabimaru lost his memories and reverted to being a "monster ninja," causing others to abandon him as a troublesome threat, Sagiri still trusted him. She truly wanted to help him from the bottom of her heart.

Sagiri’s intentions are great, and helping Gabimaru could be a huge benefit for everyone. Since he understands Tao to a certain degree and is an elite ninja, he is incredibly useful—but how to help him is the main question. Even in a world filled with monsters, gods, and other strange phenomena, helping a human regain their memories still seems unrealistic.

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Luckily, two miracles occurred. The first is that Gabimaru’s body still remembers Sagiri. If both his mind and body had truly forgotten her, he might have killed the only person in Shinsenkyo who genuinely cared for him, especially since Sagiri was triggering his instincts. Fortunately, because his body remembered her, he didn't kill her; instead, he allowed Sagiri to bring about the second miracle.

The second miracle is the power of Tao in Shinsenkyo. Unlike other places, Shinsenkyo greatly amplifies the effects of Tao; if you can balance Yin and Yang, the power increases significantly and leads to incredible results. The key to the Lord Tensens' strength is also the combination of Yin and Yang, which boosts their Tao and grants them various powers. Even though Gabimaru and Sagiri didn’t combine their Tao through any "adult actions," simply touching each other allowed their Tao to merge, which eventually helped Gabimaru recover both his body and his memories.

Although this may still seem a bit unrealistic, considering that mastering Tao can make you immortal in Shinsenkyo, recovering memories seems like a small feat by comparison. Sagiri did an amazing job for the group by helping Gabimaru recover. Once he was back to himself, Gabimaru quickly set a clear goal for the rest of the characters, gained a better understanding of Tao, and decided to push the story forward.

Source: 『地獄楽』公式 Official X account

The Elixir of life & The real journey: 

Even though the techniques they use and the training they received are different, a kunoichi and a ninja are basically the same; that’s exactly why Yuzuriha has always failed to understand Gabimaru. Yuzuriha, one of the key characters in Hell’s Paradise, is a realist. She couldn’t believe in the existence of an immortal human like the Iwagakure Chief, nor could she understand how a ninja—who is supposed to be used as a human weapon for life—could actually have a wife.

Yuzuriha has teamed up with Gabimaru for a while and with Sagiri for quite a long time, yet she still couldn’t understand why Gabimaru is so different from other ninjas. She was confused by his constant hope of reuniting with his wife and why he appeared so "human" from Sagiri’s perspective. To answer all her questions, Yuzuriha came up with a possible explanation: she believed Gabimaru had been under a powerful illusion from the Iwagakure Chief for so long that he could no longer distinguish between reality and fantasy.

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Yuzuriha’s explanation may seem harsh, but it actually makes sense. It is indeed quite difficult to believe that a killing machine could have a heart and a wife, or that an old man could possess an immortal body and survive every attack. Whether Gabimaru is living under a powerful illusion or truly has a wife is the biggest question for both the characters and the viewers. After all, if Gabimaru is really under an illusion, it would be a tragedy for him to go through all this suffering just to find another illusion: the Elixir of Life.

If Gabimaru is truly living under a powerful illusion, it would be absolutely meaningless for them to search for the Elixir of Life. As Yuzuriha suggests, instead of hunting for an illusory item, it would be better for them to find a boat and a way back to the mainland. After all, it makes no sense for everyone to risk their lives finding something that might not exist—especially if it means fighting the monstrous Lord Tensen.

Yuzuriha makes a fair point; giving up would be a logical choice for everyone. Personally, I agree that they probably should, since fighting the Lord Tensen is an act of madness where anyone could die easily. In fact, most of the other characters don't even need to strike a deal with the Shogun, so in a way, everyone is considering giving up. However, Gabimaru is about to show us exactly why he is the protagonist of a shonen anime.

Gabimaru is determined to fight the Lord Tensen and obtain the Elixir of Life, as he needs that deal with the Shogun to reunite with his wife. Yuzuriha is shocked and even more confused as to why Gabimaru is willing to go so far, especially when there is a possibility that he is living under a powerful illusion. True to his role as a shonen protagonist, Gabimaru’s determination never wavers, even with the knowledge that his life might be based on a lie.

He cannot provide any physical proof that his wife exists, but he carries countless memories of her. Even if there is a chance she isn't real, he is still willing to fight for the warmth and sweetness of those memories. With just a few sentences, Gabimaru has reignited everyone’s will to fight. Now, everyone is focused on the same goal and preparing for the next stage of their journey.

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Aza Chōbei & Lord Tensen:

Aza Chōbei is a very unique character in Hell’s Paradise. He is wild and unpredictable; since Season 1, he has consistently done things that a normal person wouldn't understand. By now, his body has even transformed into something that can no longer be called human. While he has a very problematic personality, it’s understandable given his tragic childhood. Having lived in a constant "fight or flight" state for so long, it isn’t surprising that he developed such a volatile nature.

What sets Aza Chōbei apart from the other characters isn't just his problematic personality, but his unique position in the series. Despite his volatile nature and the fact that he is no longer human, he remains one of the most vital characters in Hell’s Paradise. As we saw throughout Season 1 and in the premiere of Season 2, he isn't part of Gabimaru’s group, yet he hasn't exactly betrayed them either.

Aza Chōbei did have an intense battle with Gabimaru, but he never truly betrayed him since they were never teamed up in the first place. Since entering Shinsenkyo, every action Aza Chōbei has taken has been for one simple goal: survival. While Gabimaru and the other characters are also focused on staying alive, they still think about morality, benefits, goals, or even dreams. Aza Chōbei is completely different. He constantly puts himself into such dangerous situations that every action he takes is reduced to pure survival.

Aza Chōbei is definitely not part of Gabimaru’s group; it’s quite obvious that they can’t really work together. However, the question we need to ask is: will he work for the Lord Tensens? By the end of Hell’s Paradise Season 2, Episode 2, Aza Chōbei has once again survived an extremely dangerous situation, only to come face-to-face with the strongest Lord Tensen.

Without giving away too many more spoilers—even though I’ve already shared quite a few in this post—the relationship between Aza Chōbei and the Lord Tensens isn't that simple. Aza Chōbei’s actions follow a very straightforward logic: he only cares about himself and his beloved younger brother. Therefore, if helping a Lord Tensen benefits them, he will do it.

However, if stabbing a Lord Tensen in the back offers a greater advantage, Aza Chōbei will try to kill them just like anyone else. Having lived in a "fight or flight" state for so long, he has abandoned conventional morality and no longer thinks like a normal human. Yet, his logic remains simple: as long as it benefits him and Aza Tōma, he will do anything.

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Conclusion:


Personal Rating: 8/10

After Episode 1 helped us recall all the information we needed, Episode 2 officially kicked off the journey to find the Elixir of Life. In this episode, not only has our protagonist Gabimaru been restored, but the other characters have also agreed to continue the mission, which means there is much more to come in the future.

As the real journey finally begins, there is a lot to look forward to: the clash between Aza Chōbei and the Lord Tensens, Mei’s massive transformation, and the ongoing adventures of Gabimaru’s group. The upcoming episodes are sure to be even more interesting! Although my review of Episode 2 is over, I am incredibly excited and curious about what happens next. Please stay tuned, as I’ll be back to share more thoughts with you soon!

Where to watch: Crunchyroll

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