In the anime Hell’s Paradise, the main characters are given the mission to the elixir of life from an island known as Shinsenkyo.
Enchanted by the prospect of obtaining immortality, Shogun Yoshinari Tokugawa sends a large number of death row criminals, including the main character, to the treacherous island as bait, using the promise of amnesty as an incentive.
Was Shogun Yoshinari Tokugawa based on a real historical figure?
Furthermore, Shogun Yoshinari Tokugawa is widely disliked among fans, alongside the foster parents of the Ishigakureshu.
Let’s consider why this character, despite not making many appearances, has become one of the most detested characters among the fanbase.
Hell’s Paradise: Did Shogun Yoshinari Tokugawa really exist?
In the anime “Hell’s Paradise,” the story revolves around an order given by the Shogun of that time, Tokugawa Yoshinari.
The Shogun believed that the island of Shinsenkyo held the legendary medicine of the elixir of life, and thus ordered it to be retrieved.
Initially, ordinary samurais were sent to the island, but none of them returned.
Convinced that the occurrence of such an inexplicable event must indicate the real paradise and the elixir of life, the desperate Shogun came up with the idea of sending death row criminals as a last resort.
If they could safely bring back the elixir of life, they would be granted amnesty and the privilege of living the rest of their lives under the protection of the Tokugawa’s Government, thus increasing the motivation of the death row criminals to embark on the perilous journey to the dubious island.
This is how Shogun Yoshinari Tokugawa is portrayed in the story.
However, it’s important to note that Shogun Yoshinari Tokugawa is a fictional character and not based on an actual historical figure.
Shogun Yoshinari Tokugawa is a fictitious character that does not actually exist
Although he is depicted as the 11th shogun in the work, he is not a real shogun.
Fifteen of the Tokugawa family held the post of shogun.
Those people are:
1st Ieyasu, 1603 – 1605: 2 years and 2 months
2nd Hidetada, 1605 – 1623: 18 years and 3 months
3rd Iemitsu, 1623 -1651: 27 years and 9 months
4th Ietsuna, 1651 – 1680; 28 years and 9 months
5th Tsunayoshi, 1680 – 1709: 28 years and 5 months
6th Ienobu, 1709 – 1712: 3 years and 5 months
7th Ietsugu, 1713 – 1716: 3 years and 1 months
8th Yoshimune, 1716 – 1745: 29 years and 1 months
9th Ieshige, 11745 – 1760: 14 years and 6 months
10th Ieharu, 1760 – 1786: 26 years and 4 months
11th Ienari, 1787 – 1837: 50 years
12th Ieyoshi, 1837 – 1853: 16 years and 2 months
13th Iesada, 1853 – 1858: 4 years and 8 months
14th Iemochi, 1858 – 1866: 7 years and 9 months
15th Yoshinobu, 1867 – 1868: 1 year
Tokugawa Yoshinari does not exist.
The actual 11th shogun was a person named Ienari.
What kind of shogun was Ienari Tokugawa, the 11th shogun who actually existed?
The 11th shogun Ienari Tokugawa.
What kind of leader was he?
The general opinion is that he is not a very good shogun at all.
The most famous anecdote is that he had 55 children with 17 concubines.
He was a leader who had so many children, so he spent most of his time in Ooku (shogun’s harem), indulging in luxury and focusing on expanding his progeny.
It is unlikely that politics would thrive under such a shogun.
His retainers were in charge of politics, but their engagement in bribery widened the economic disparity among the people.
Additionally, during this time, foreign ships that appeared in the waters near Japan were forcefully driven away without any question, and the government issued a ‘rejection order’, further increasing financial expenditures.
Ienari Tokugawa undermined the finances of the Tokugawa shogun through his excessive extravagance, unfair political practices, and prohibition of foreign ships.
However, he is also credited with fostering the cultural prosperity of townspeople in Edo during this period, not only being remembered for his negative aspects.
Why is he the most disliked character?
Among the characters that appear in the anime “Hell’s Paradise,” Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinori is one of the most despised characters.
What is the reason why it is hated so much even though there are not many appearance scenes?
He has no malice
The main issue is that Yoshinari lacks malice.
Even though I say ‘lack of malice,’ it’s not the kind of thing that’s endearing; rather, it’s more insidious.
As a hereditary Shogun, he has been able to do as he pleased.
Since childhood, he has lived a life where he could simply voice his desires to the servants around him and they would be fulfilled.
Living in such a manner, he has not developed a heart that cares for others.
He never wonder what kind of effort and difficulties the retainers go through to fulfill their own wishes, as he has lived a life where he cannot empathize with them.
I have no doubt that Yoshinari, other people risking own life on the island of Shinsenkyo to obtain what he desires, is an act that others take for granted.
No matter how much effort and struggle there may be, he find himself indifferent to such matters.
In other words, he does not feel remorse or gratitude for being entrusted with a life-or-death mission.
This implies that there is no malice whatsoever.
Because he is the reason for the death of my favorite character
The anime depicts the human drama of compelling characters.
In dangerous circumstances, many characters with unfulfilled ambitions meet their demise.
Some characters may sacrifice themselves to save their friends.
It is natural to feel disappointed if your favorite character meets such a fate.
I have heard that some viewers find it tiresome when too many main characters die in the second half of the story.
As I reflect on the reasons for the death of my favorite character, I have come to the conclusion that it was Shogun Yoshinari who sent him to a treacherous island with limited options.
Moreover, it is the lack of malice on the part of the Shogun, as mentioned earlier, that disgusts a lot.”
Despite the fact that my favorite character has to die, the Shogun shows no signs of gratitude or sadness.
The Shogun believes it is only natural for the character to die after completing the mission assigned by the shogun.
Such behavior can only be described as that of an indifferent senior figure who fails to understand the challenges of the field.
It is understandable why this character would be hated.
summary
Yoshinari Tokugawa, the shogun who appears in the anime Hell’s Paradise, is not a real historical figure, but a fictional character created for the anime.
The actual 11th Tokugawa shogun was a person named Ienari, who was the longest-serving shogun among the 15 Tokugawa shoguns.
However, Ienari’s evaluation is not very impressive, and if anything, he is known for having mismanaged the finances of the government.
He is best known for having had 55 children with 17 concubines during his tenure as shogun, and for neglecting politics in his later years, indulging in luxury, and focusing on his personal pursuits.
It seems that he was drawn parallels between the anime character Yoshinari and the historical figure Ienari, based on their shared negative traits.
It appears that Yoshinari’s lack of consideration for others, due to his privileged upbringing and sense of entitlement as a powerful Shogun, has made him a disliked character in the anime Hell’s Paradise.
You also feel anger towards Yoshinari for the deaths of other characters who sacrificed themselves for him. This perception of Yoshinari as a disliked character may be shared by many viewers, despite his limited appearances in the anime.
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