The following content will contain spoilers of the first episodes of Hell's Paradise, The Dangers In My Heart, and My Home Hero, which are not recommended for young or sensitive viewers. Trigger warning.
The opening weekend of Spring 2023 has gotten off to a rather dark and twisty start with some thought-provoking, yet macabre series setting the scene at the forefront of the season. Amidst the numerous anime debuts, three series stand out in particular, for their unique bloodsoaked storytelling that drives a weighty message home.
The Dangers in My Heart (HIDIVE), My Home Hero, and Hell's Paradise (Crunchyroll) have little claim to the lighthearted content department, as the depth of their content coupled with all that death and destruction simply prohibits it. Anyone who enjoys meaningful shows that bring light to current, real-world issues should not pass up on these anime sensations.
Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku
Hell's Paradise has an almost-Demon-Slayer quality to it, featuring a shinobi named Gabimaru desperately trying to save his damsel in distress. His parents were slaughtered before his very eyes; however, his natural-born, coldhearted nature leaves the babe unfazed. This blase approach to bloodshed makes Gabimaru the perfect assassin, earning him the title of "Hollow," but leaving him with rather limited social skills.
"I've grown too accustomed to terrible, ugly things... I am hollow."
Luckily, Gabimaru's stellar reputation grants him the opportunity of marrying the Iwagakure Village Chief's daughter; an arranged marriage that turns into something much more meaningful.
Sadly, The Hollow soon discovers the brutality of abuse Yui has suffered at her father's hand, and, hoping to reduce her exposure to his traumatic lifestyle, he plans to leave the shinobi life for good. The Chief is less-than-pleased to lose his prized assassin and proceeds to put a hit on his head; however, the executioners seem incapable of killing him. They try stabbing, beheading, dousing him in scalding hot oil, pulling him apart with bulls, burning him at the stake, and even getting the elite Edo executioner in, to no avail. And all the while, Gabimaru is basically begging for a swift death. Hell's Paradise kicks off with a sensationally violent premiere, setting the tone quite effectively and preparing the audience for much more foreboding things to come. This whole Shinsenkyo business is unlikely to be all sunshine and daisies, despite how festive the returning corpses may look!
The Dangers In My Heart
This new addition to the Spring 2023 line-up may look like any other rom-com slice of life, but that is hardly the case, as Kyōtarō Ichikawa gives a new, warped definition to the term chuunibyou. He is certainly the main character in his twisted reality; however, his heroic intent has been replaced by a serial killer's bloodlust, with the stunning Anna Yamada firmly set in his headlights.
"All I want to see is that beautiful face writhing with pain...I bet she looks just as beautiful as a corpse."
Much like Gabimaru, Kyōtarō finds himself drawn to the macabre (although, in stark contrast, his scenarios are all homicidal fantasies!) This menacing bookworm often finds himself daydreaming about different methods of murder and prefers to be left well alone, so that his sinister secrets remain undiscovered. However, Anna unwittingly bursts his bubble of solitude, luring her potential killer to start thinking about... other things instead. And although a romantic outcome seems inevitable for this pair, it is unlikely that Kyōtarō will suddenly lose interest in his obsession with butchering those who dare get in his way. And now that he realizes that Anna is being backhandedly bullied by her peers, he may just have his work cut out for him.
My Home Hero
Not unlike Hell's Paradise, the first episode of My Home Hero has a lot of emotional trauma to unpack, as a doting dad discovers his precious baby girl is being beaten by her boyfriend, on what seems to be a regular basis. Matori Nobuto certainly deserves no mercy, as he jokes about knocking his women around and openly admits to murdering (at least) two unlucky ladies with his bare hands, retelling the story as if he is boasting about a night out on the town. And this vile disgrace of a man now has his hands on Hibiki!
"But who knew that was all it took for her to go belly-up? I only hit her, you know?" [chuckle, chuckle] "...Kuzuko had the fractured skull. Yumi had the ruptured organs."
Tetsuo Tosu just so happens to be at the monster's house when the realization strikes, so he quickly takes advantage of their solitude (and his concealment.) Things escalate quickly as Nobuto gets a taste of his own medicine, and is beaten to death with what looks to be a rice cooker. Recognizing much too late that his victim is connected to the yakuza, Tetsuo has now put his own life in peril; thankfully, his wife unknowingly rocks up at the perfect time and immediately begins helping with their cover-up mission. But can they dispose of the corpse and eliminate suspicions efficiently, or will the entire Tosu clan have to fight for their lives, presumably spilling more blood along the way?
"Life Has To End. Love Doesn't."
As bloodsoaked and gory as the launch of the Spring 2023 season may be, none of the aforementioned series relies on mindless violence to attract an audience. Although these storylines are certainly not for the faint of heart, Hell's Paradise, The Dangers in My Heart, and My Home Hero all have a powerful heartwarming element to them, as these protagonists are all fighting in the name of love (Kyōtarō just doesn't quite know it yet!) Moreover, none of these heroes are interested in defending their own honor or flattering their egos; their goal is to protect the innocent women in their lives. And while these damsels in distress are certainly struggling, they are each strong, self-assured individuals (and not merely two-dimensional manic pixie dream girls.) This Spring trio is certainly ticking all the boxes!
Fact-Based Fiction
The theme of gender-based violence is strong throughout each of the forenamed series, bringing light to this under-acknowledged, life-threatening issue that has impacted the globe for centuries. Tragically, advocating against abuse seems to fall on deaf ears more often than not, with horrifying stories dissipating into mere statistics, making them more manageable and therefore easier to sweep under the rug. But when thought-provoking sensations connect the audience to these stories on a more personal and genuine level, such as with Hibiki, Yui, and Anna, the stark reality of what these (and many, many other) women face, on a regular basis, becomes increasingly hard to ignore. 30% of women aged 15 and older, that's roughly one in every three girls, have been subjected to some form of physical violence in their lifetime. And these statistics don't even touch on the sexual harassment figures.
Considering the content, Hell's Paradise, The Dangers in My Heart, and My Home Hero could all technically take a more action-packed or horrifically disturbing approach to storytelling; however, they each take the time to flesh out the emotive nature of the underlying themes. As a result, viewers can empathize with the cause with a greater understanding of what goes on behind the scenes of domestic abuse, or recognize that they are not alone in this wretched fight against gender-based violence. And the fewer people that turn a blind eye, the closer society comes to irradicating this harrowing hornet's nest.
Domestic Violence Hotline (Toll-Free)
1-800-799-7233 (US and Asia)
116 016 (EU)
Statistics Source: UNwomen.org