Džigokuraku - Season 1

I wouldn't have expected that my favorite of the "modern dark fantasy shonen trio" (Jigokuraku, Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man) would be Jigokuraku, but it is. It takes me back to the time when the big trio One Piece, Naruto, Bleach was heavily debated among anime fans, and I firmly stood by Bleach. Even though I sometimes felt like I was pulling the shortest string, I still thought I was cool and everyone else had no taste, and that Bleach was amazing (minus the fillers). I might favor the least popular anime based on MAL, but I can easily justify why I like Jigokuraku and why I (currently) prefer it over the other two. Jigokuraku has the most distinct and unique setting. The strange island bursting with colors, where various ideas from different religions and philosophical schools are mixed together, looks original and interesting - it immediately caught my attention, and I want to know more about it. I also like how the series works with power levels and Tao. It reminds me of Nen in Hunter x Hunter. It may not be as developed at the moment, but you can see that the author is trying to give some rules to the superpowers. I'm interested in the villains, who are sufficiently bizarre but also terrifying, plus they have their big secrets that I want to uncover. The story is also well-written; the twists are great, nobody in the story can be sure of anything, and the story sometimes makes me doubt things that I think I already know. I have liked the main protagonist ever since he gained his main motivation. Like John Wick, he wants his gravestone to say "Loving Husband." Plus, he is not your typical loud and dumb shonen hero; Gabimaru thinks during fights and can quickly adapt to the situation. I'm also interested in Sagiri and Yuzuriha, as well as most of the supporting characters, because each has a past and an exciting or peculiar personality. I liked characters like the nerd Senta, even though such characters usually don't catch my attention. Animation-wise, it's standard for MAPPA, so it's an above-average anime. It also has something to offer musically, and in the last episode, the accompanying music is really on point. If I have any criticism, it's more about whether the absence of nipples on Tensen members is a form of censorship or it was intentional, and what the manga is like in this regard, but I can easily find the answer to this question. I'm looking forward to the already-announced second season. I give the first season 9/10, and I'm going to switch back to Jujutsu Kaisen, which should bring me the best parts of the manga, so maybe in a few months, my ranking of the "modern dark fantasy shonen trio" will be completely different... (2023.12.17)