Kara Dennison
May 27, 2023 
Sad news for fans of Hell’s Paradise, the surreal gore-fest taking the spring anime season by storm: no new episode this weekend. Those of us who are all in on the anime adaptation have a week to wait until we get to see what’s next in this otherworldly journey. But we can still make good use of this time in the meantime!
Here’s a trio of weird, nasty, wonderful anime to watch while you wait. Depending on what attracts you to the series, one of these will likely scratch that itch. Let’s dive in!
Revenger: Vintage Violence
For all its paranormal worldbuilding, Hell’s Paradise gets pretty down-to-earth when it comes to the violence. Our “heroes” are teams of criminals and executioners searching for the Elixir of Life. Whoever finds it gets a reprieve. The rest die. If you step out of line… you die. And now these unlikely duos are defending themselves against even more unlikely monsters.
If the retro style and epic battles are what does it for you, check out Revenger. Gen Urobuchi’s action-packed drama series follows a group of men (and a terrifying kid) committing acts of revenge. For the price of one bitten piece of gold, the wronged can keep their hands clean. The high-octane battles and unique weapons are a must-see.
Devilman Crybaby: Good Boys in Bad Places
Hell’s Paradise stars Gabimaru, a killer who’s much more than he seems. Deep down, he just wants to go home to his wife. And he’s constantly interrogating his own actions… as is his executioner, Sagiri. In a weird way, it reminds us a bit of Akira Fudo in Devilman Crybaby. This sweet boy gets in over his head when his friend Ryo gets him deviled up at a Sabbath party.
While bonding with Amon and becoming Devilman does change Akira, his sweet nature tempers his demonic influence. That, combined with Masaaki Yuasa’s surreal visuals, gives us a similar vibe to Gabimaru’s adventures on that mysterious island.
Angel’s Egg: Beautiful Confusion
So you’ve come this far, but your Hell’s Paradise hunger still hasn’t been sated. Time for Angel’s Egg.
This Mamoru Oshii masterpiece may not have much in common plot-wise. It will, however, reel viewers into a world of creatures and stakes bigger and weirder than our imaginations. If your main pull to the series is the beautiful, impossible surrealism and the larger-than-life influences, you may get something out of this anime Rorschach test.
Check out more beautiful anime concealing hidden darkness.
