Gokurakugai (Japanese: 極楽街 Hepburn: Gokurakugai, lit. "Paradise Street" or Gokuraku District) is a Japanese manga series in the action-supernatural genre, written and illustrated by Yuto Sano. It made its official debut in the pages of Jump SQ.Rise (ジャンプ SQ.RISE) on July 4, 2022.
Initially introduced as a one-shot, known as Gokurakugai: Trouble on Third Avenue, it later evolved into a regularly published series within the monthly Jump SQ Magazine, starting from July 4, 2022. This transition happened because of the positive response it received from readers when it was featured in the Jump SQ RISE Winter 2020 Issue on January 27, 2020.[1]
Premise[]
Alma, a teenager known for his insatiable appetite and candid nature, pairs up with Tao, a reserved yet trigger-happy adult woman. Together, they operate the "troubleshooter agency," an entity purportedly capable of resolving any predicament. Behind the scenes, Alma, who possesses both human and maga lineage, teams up with Tao, a skilled hunter armed with weapons forged from Alma's unique blood. Their mission: to combat magas, former humans transformed into demons, whom they view as malevolent entities requiring eradication.
While the premise may seem familiar, drawing parallels to works like Chainsaw Man, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Demon Slayer, Gokurakugai joins the ranks of demon-hunting narratives featuring protagonists with mixed human-demon heritage. However, Gokurakugai differentiates itself by portraying magas as individuals who were once human before undergoing demonic transformation. This narrative choice adds layers of complexity to the ethical landscape. In other series, demons are unequivocally evil, with minor exceptions. Yet, Gokurakugai blurs the lines by humanizing magas, prompting a nuanced examination of the morality behind their eradication.
Main Characters[]
Major Characters[]
Alma[]
The protagonist with red, curly hair and streaks of dark blue. He has sharp canine teeth. His eyes are a light shade of blue. Alma, born from the union of a Maga and a human, is a "Half-Maga" child. He was on the verge of succumbing to Maga when Tao rescued him and made him an employee of the Troubleshooter Agency. With Tao's permission, he can remove the "Karmic Stake" from his chest, allowing him to fight Magas using a knife-like weapon resembling a Chinese cleaver. He fights humans with fists and kicks. He lives with Tao in the agency's residence, assisting with chores like laundry. He is a member of the Maga-fighting organization "Saragi" along with Tao. In the one-shot version, he has marine-blue hair and eyes resembling a sunset. He has a keen sense of smell and can tell if someone is lying. Alma claims he can "see it in their eyes." Tao calls him "Al."
Tao[]
A tall woman with a braided center-parted hairstyle and round blue-tinted sunglasses. Her eyes are lavender. She has a dry personality and can be intimidating when angry, but she also has a kind side that helps people in need. Tao operates the Troubleshooter Agency, taking care of Alma as an employee. Behind the agency's facade, she runs a specialized "killer for Magas" service. While her agency charges exorbitant fees for ordinary jobs, she takes on Maga-related requests for free. She's always seen smoking, which has affected her taste buds. She doesn't eat as much as Alma but still has a hearty appetite. Her weapon is a gun, and she uses bullets made from Alma's blood to fight Magas. She's a member of Saragi Anti-Maga Organzation and fondly calls it "Home." In the one-shot, her hair is salmon-pink with a gradient, and her eyes are sky-blue. Alma addresses her with the honorific "-san."
Other Characters[]
Tatsuomi[]
A man with messy hair that obscures his eyes. He has a distinct Kansai accent. He sells information to Saragi Anti-Maga Organization and the Troubleshooter Agency. He usually charges high prices for information but harbors a crush on Tao, leading to occasional discounts or free information. He's known to be quite flirtatious.
Nei[]
A girl with long hair tied into a ponytail and the same light peach-colored eyes as her hair. She refers to herself with "boku." She wields a sword as her weapon and has the strength to cut Magas in half. Her blood has a special effect that attracts Magas, allowing her to lure them into battles. She's confident and seeks constant praise, motivating her to improve continuously. She's also a member of Saragi Anti-Maga Organization.
Yoki[]
A beastman who resembles a mix between a dog and a wolf. He refers to himself with "washi." He has a friendly personality and is part of Saragi, working from its headquarters. He specializes in crafting weapons for fighting Magas.
Dara[]
A woman with long hair wearing goggles. Like Yoki, she's also part of Saragi Anti-Maga Organization and crafts weapons for them.
Yaya[]
A young girl working at the Hourai Restaurant, a Chinese eatery beneath the Troubleshooter Agency. She runs the restaurant with Auntie. While she maintains the same hairstyle with buns on the sides in the one-shot, her hair is down and differently colored. She's a helpful and diligent character.
Terminology[]
Disaster Beasts (Maga)[]
These creatures, known as "Magas," are made by combining human and animal corpses. They have no faces but sport mouths that look like human teeth and long tongues. They take on different shapes, like beings with several heads on a four-legged body or upright two-legged creatures. Some are smart enough to use their past memories and communicate. They usually show up through gate-like structures that resemble torii gates. These creatures derive their strength from a unique type of blood. Alma has this special blood in his veins from birth.
Locations and Organizations[]
Gokurakugai District[]
A downtown area where vibrant activity and deep darkness intertwine. It exudes an atmosphere similar to a Chinatown.
Gokurakugai Troubleshooter Agency[]
An agency that takes on any challenge for the right price. Behind its facade, it operates as a killer of Magas, dedicated to eradicating them. The agency's location is hard to find due to its origins as a mahjong parlor called "Mahjong Daisangen."
Saragi Anti-Maga Organization[]
An organization dedicated to fighting Magas. It operates underground through an elevator in an alley. They create weapons for battling Magas and share information among members.
One-Shot Version[]
"Gokurakugai: Trouble on Third Avenue" (極楽街三番通の件 Gokurakugai San Bandōri no Ken, alternatively known as The Gokuraku District's Third Avenue Incident) is a one-shot prelude to Gokurakugai published in Jump SQ. RISE 2020 WINTER. The character designs have some differences, but the foundational concepts remain unchanged.[2]
About[]
Yuto Sano is both the writer and illustrator of "Gokurakugai." Before the series commenced, there was a single introductory chapter called Gokurakugai Sanban-doori no Ken (極楽街三番通の件, alternatively known as The Gokuraku District's Third Avenue Incident), which was published in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Jump SQ.Rise on January 27, 2020. The series' ongoing serialization began in Shueisha's Jump Square on July 4, 2022.[3][4] Shueisha has compiled the individual chapters into volumes, with the first volume released on November 4, 2022. As of April 4, 2023, two volumes have been published.[5]
Viz Media initiated the digital English release of the manga on March 2, 2023, featuring the initial six chapters. In the second quarter of 2024, Viz Media is set to launch both printed and digital volumes for readers.
History[]
The manga Gokurakugai began with a one-shot named Gokurakugai Sanban-doori no Ken (極楽街三番通の件, alternatively known as The Gokuraku District's Third Avenue Incident), published in Shueisha's Jump SQ.Rise magazine in January 2020. The main serialization started on July 4, 2022. Following that, the initial Gokurakugai volume was published four months later on November 4, 2022. The first volume, comprising six chapters and an extra content, was officially released in English by VIZ Media on March 2, 2023. While the appearance of the characters has slightly changed, the foundational setting remains unchanged.
Reception[]
Awards[]
In August 2023, Gokurakugai ranked 9th in the Next Manga Award 2023 for print manga.[6] The following month, it placed 10th in the "7th TSUTAYA Comic Awards" as voted by the public.[7] Just before Volume 3 was released in December 2023, author Yuto Sano announced that the first two volumes had reached 500,000 copies in circulation.[8]
In February 2024, it was chosen as the 5th best comic in the "Recommended Comics of 2024 Chosen by Nationwide Bookstore Employees."[9] In April 2024, the first volume of *Gokurakugai* made it to 20th place on Circana BookScan's monthly top 20 adult graphic novels list in North America.[10]
Bibliographic Information[]
Yuto Sano's Gokurakugai is published by SHUEISHA which currently has 8 volumes available as of August 2023.
- Volume 1 was first published November 4, 2022, (released on the same day[11]) 978-4-08-882740-7
- Volume 2 was first published April 4, 2023, (released on the same day[12]) 978-4-08-883462-7
- Volume 3 was first published December 4, 2023, (released on the same day[13]) 978-4-08-883725-3
In the second quarter of 2024, Viz Media is set to launch the english physical copies for both printed and digital volumes for readers.
Trivia[]
- The term 極楽街 (Gokurakugai) can be translated as "Paradise Street" or "Gokuraku District." It often refers to an area associated with entertainment, luxury, or pleasure, reminiscent of a paradise-like place.
External links[]
Official Sites[]
- Official Website - Oneshot (in Japanese)
- Official Website - Serialization (in Japanese)
- Official Website - VIZ Media (in English)
- Official Website - MANGAPlus (in English)
Author's Social Media[]
References[]
- ↑ "Jump SQ RISE Winter 2020 Issue".
- ↑ "Jump Square RISE 2020WINTER". Shueisha. — Jump Square.
- ↑ "ジャンプＳＱ．（ジャンプスクエア）増刊 （２０２０年２月号） - ジャンプＳＱ． ＲＩＳＥ ２０２０ ＷＩＮＴＥＲ". Kinokuniya. Retrieved on March 3, 2023.
- ↑ "千錯万綜な街を舞台に、“解決屋”を営むコンビを描く新連載「極楽街」がSQ.で". Comic Natalie. Retrieved on March 3, 2023.
- ↑ "解決屋の2人には別の顔が？賑わいと深い闇が交錯する街を舞台に描くアクション1巻". Retrieved on November 4, 2022.
- ↑ "次にくるマンガ大賞2023、コミックス部門1位はむちまろ「生徒会にも穴はある！」". Comic Natalie.
- ↑ "荒川弘「黄泉のツガイ」が「みんなが選ぶTSUTAYAコミック大賞」の大賞に". Comic Natalie.
- ↑ "Gokurakugai Circulation Overall Count". Yuto Sano's Twitter Account.
- ↑ "Recommended Comics of 2024 Chosen by Nationwide Bookstore Employees". Comic Natalie.
- ↑ "U.S. Monthly Bookscan April List". Anime News Network.
- ↑ "極楽街 1 (in Japanese)".
- ↑ "極楽街 2 (in Japanese)".
- ↑ "極楽街 3 (in Japanese)".