Episode 12 ofHell’s Paradise: Jigokurakuwent straight into the thick of the action withthe Tensen Mu Dan accosting Sagiri’s groupat the gates of Hо̄rai. Mu Dan’s wanton displays of strength begin with his swift, contactless decapitation of Hо̄ko, who is still alive but powerless against an entity he regards a god. The triad consisting of Sagiri, Senta and Yuzuriha starts to gain the upper hand over the Tensen as they slowly come to understand Tao over the course of the encounter.
Despite their numbers, and overcoming the first hump that is understanding Sagiri’s specific kind of Tao as poisonous to the enemy, Mu Dan’s trump card fully destroys any hope they might have had, with Senta’s sacrifice for Yuzuriha being a critical blow to morale. At the last moment, when all seems lost, Yamada Asaemon Shion intervenes. Can he save the day?
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The Key to Victory
At this point, the only means of survival for everyone present is to defeat Mu Dan, or find a way to escape.The Kishikai State transformationunleashes a tremendous level of power and in this form, a Tensen’s aim is to obliterate the enemy, making escape a futile exercise. Gabimaru himself was only able to escape Kishikai State Zhu Jin because of Mei’s intervention, and in the case of Sagiri, Yuzuriha and Shion against Mu Dan, no such luxury exists. Sagiri’s Tao is shown to have adverse effects on Mu Dan, the reason for which is not yet fully explored but is directly related to the elemental nature of Tao.
Shion’s arrival on the scene translates to incredible combat support; however, his most important contributions to the fight may not necessarily be in direct combat, but rather the wisdom he brings to the fore especially because he has battle experience against a Tensen, and when it comes to reading the opponent’s next moves. To win this, the underdogs would have to be able to harness a substantial amount of Tao from Sagiri herself, find some way to augment her abilities, or find another combatant who has Tao of the same affinity as Sagiri. So far, all we’ve seen is that Shion was able to thwart Mu Dan’s fatal attack on Sagiri and Yuzuriha, which could point towards such an affinity within him, but it would be incredible luck if Shion hadthe exact affinity neededto take down Mu Dan.
“Just More Flies”
In the case of Mu Dan, his Kishikai transformation grants him thorny vines that he uses to inflict damage – the smallest scratch from the stingers on these vines causes the target to undergo arborification, as seen with the now-deceased Senta. It is also still possible for Mu Dan to call upon his minions in the battle, whittling down even the minimal effect numbers bring into this equation. Speaking of numbers, the battlefield is not fully accounted for yet: Shion’s presence necessitates Nurugai’s presence.
This means that there’s a whole other realm of possibilities presented to the situation again regarding Tao elemental affinity and combat experience. While she didn’t exactly fight Zhu Jin, the experience may have been enough of a catalyst to introduce Nurugai to the sensation of Tao usage, not to mention the fact that Nurugai was already somewhat familiar with the concept when Shion explained “the waves” to her, recalling the experiences of a deafperson who’d lived in her village. While numbers aren’t necessarily the key to victory against a Tensen (Tо̄ma and Chо̄bei Aza are proof), at this point in the story given the development of Tao as a concept, Shion bringing Nurugai may be a minimal addition, but in this situation, you take the help you may get.
Extra-Sensory Perception
Shion’s blindness forced him to develop his other senses; however, he also inadvertently gained the ability to perceive Tao, something he refers to as “waves”. He and Sagiri have unique experiences with the concept of Tao because of their respective experiences, but in the case of Sagiri, her very personality is highly compatible with Tao acquisition and eventual mastery, while Shion’s personal set of circumstances necessitated a level of Tao understanding, even if he didn’t know that’s what it was. If Shion does in fact possess Tao that is comparable to that of Sagiri’s, his innate understanding and increased perception of Tao could be the deciding factor.
Verdict?
There is a chance that if Shion manages to get them to regroup, that they may be able to come up with a plan of action. If they are lucky enough to have Shion’s Tao match the elemental affinity of that of Sagiri’s, then their chances of survival increase greatly. If Shion’s Tao is not of the right type, then it is not likely that any of them will be ableto leave Horai alive. The Kishikai State is the Tensen’s last resort in combat. As formidable as they are prior to transformation, the abilities that they gain go beyond the “godly” realm the Tensen had already inhabited.
To answer the question that incited this analysis of the situation faced by Sagiri and company, it may be possible for Shion’s arrival on the scene to be just the change needed to turn the tides of this battle; however, it would require immense luck: at its simplest level, there is a 1-in-5 chance that Shion has the exact elemental affinity in his Tao that can thwart Mu Dan’s own, not to mention the fact that he’d still be up against a Kishikai State Tensen regardless of his Tao. The chances are slim, but definitely not zero that Yamada Asaemon Shion can help Sagiri and Yuzuriha regain the upper hand.
