Episode 2

## Episode Chronology

**Screening and Choosing** (選別と選択, *Senbetsu to Sentaku*) is the second episode of the Jigokuraku anime series.

## Synopsis

Gabimaru and the dead row convicts are gathered by the shogunate to obtain the Elixir of Life. What awaited them was a sorting process in the form of a killing spree to see who were the most qualified. On the bloody battlefield, Sagiri tries to determine whether or not Gabimaru is truly a villain who should be slain.

## Plot

Sagiri flashes back to her childhood to when she became inspired to emulate her father's sword skills after witnessing him execute a convicted storyteller whose decapitated body did not realize it was already dead after finishing his tale. Flashing forward to an execution, Sagiri is praised by the magistrate's men for performing well for a woman. Although she accepts their praise, Sagiri finds herself burden with the life she has taken. This fear becomes apparent to Yamada Asaemon Eizen who reprimands Sagiri since the condemned will suffer if she possesses fear and doubt. Despite telling him that she will strive to work on this flaw, Sagiri fears again after beheading her next convict and questions as to how she can overcome the fear and doubt that is within her heart. In the present, while placing a mask on Gabimaru, Sagiri believes that her answer would possibly be a life that she could easily take without question.

At Edo, the death row convicts recruited for the expedition are gathered for a briefing with the shogun Tokugawa Nariyoshi and his retainers present. Sagiri recognizes a few criminals amongst the crowd and hears Gabimaru complaining to take his mask off to breathe easily and see the shogun, which she denies. After explaining to the criminals on how they will be pardon for their crimes if they manage to return back with the Elixir of Life from Shinsenkyō, Sagiri notices and recognizes a criminal named Adachi Matagorō as he becomes pleased to know that he can continue killing without consequence if he receives the pardon and wonders to herself if he would be the perfect person for her to cut down without fear or hesitation. After letting out a yawn, Gabimaru is recognized by a kunoichi named Yuzuriha sitting behind him and hears her expressing her disappointment with his appearance and apprehension despite his infamous reputation. Gabimaru then gives a shallow apology in response. Seeing him unenthusiastic, Sagiri wonders if Gabimaru is as dangerous as the rumors credit him and looks towards her blade for an answer. She then becomes spooked upon seeing her blade reflecting Gabimaru's bloody visage.

Rather than go over the details of the island, as the criminals start to complain, a retainer gives permission for the criminals to remove their masks to show them a sergeant blooming with flowers, explaining to them that this was a result of the island after he became the only survivor out of the 60 men who were sent on the last expedition. This causes the criminals to worry that the island is dangerous. A retainer then reprimands them since he believes that the expedition to paradise is a courtesy from the shogun despite them being on death row. After one of the criminals named Nurugai questions the possibility of the Elixir of Life not existing on the island, the retainer tells them that they are allowed to leave if they do not wish to take part in the mission, which becomes favorable for one of the criminals who chooses to walk out. However, the criminal is beheaded by Eizen as a consequence of this choice. The retainer informs the criminals that if they wish to partake in the expedition then they will be constantly monitored by one of the Yamada Asaemons present and will be execute if they do anything irrational. He also tells them that they must keep their monitor alive in order to step foot on the return ship and avoid execution. Hearing this, Gabimaru asks Sagiri, as she holds her blade down on his neck, if this was true and is reassured. Although he accepted this, Sagiri becomes confused on whether Gabimaru was acting brave or was just simple minded.

After being called over by the shogun, the retainer follows his orders in demanding that the criminals reduce their numbers to the limited number of people the ship can board and the few Asaemon that are available. While the other criminals become confused by what he meant, the criminal Aza Chōbei makes it clear to them, by struggling a convict next to him, that they have to kill one another until only a few are left standing, as evidence by the fact that the retainers not batting an eye to this action. The retainer tells him that he is right but that they must do so while keeping their hands restrained at all times. As the massacre begins, the retainer sees the shogun entertained by the spectacle and criticizes him in his head on how pointless the massacre is since they will all be useless by the time the brawl is over. The shogun then wonders as to who the elite criminals are among the skirmish and is informed by his retainer that they are the "Bandit King" Aza Chobei, the kunoichi Yuzuriha, the "Blade Dragon" or "Eight Provinces Unparalleled" Tamiya Gantetsusai, the giant Rokurōta, and the "Hollow" Gabimaru, who confuses the retainer as to why he isn't moving from his spot.

During the massacre, Sagiri is approached by Eizen who believes that she is overwhelmed by the sight, which prompts him to warn her that what she will face on the island will be more brutal and asks if she was prepared to kill when the time comes. He also admits to her that he does not believe that she is suited for the job and that she should rather focus on living life quietly as a woman. While enduring his criticism, Sagiri tells Eizen that she would have chosen that life if she had the option but recalls from her childhood on how it is unavoidable that death centers around everyone in the Yamada clan regardless if they wield a sword or not. Sagiri is then targeted by three criminals who attempt to make an escape. Rather than have Eizen defend her, Sagiri steps forward to behead them herself while, in her mind, refuses to quietly accept her fate as an executioner. Having taken another life, Sagiri starts to feel her fear taking over and becomes conflicted with herself.

However, Sagiri regains her composure after hearing Gabimaru speak his mind to the retainers on how it is never okay to kill people and asks if there was any other way to select the qualifiers, with another reason being that not all the murderers present wanted to kill of their own free will. Seeing as how he is not willing to follow the order he has been given, the retainer tells Gabimaru that he can choose to forfeit his chance to receive the pardon and offers a criminal a spot on the expedition if he were to kill Gabimaru. Favoring this, a criminal goes up to Gabimaru to try and attack him with a rock. Gabimaru tries to reason with the criminal but hears him refusing to listen and that his only option is to die if he wasn't going to fight back. Having been left with no other choice but to kill and be burden with the lives he has taken, which catches Sagiri's attention upon hearing, Gabimaru murders the criminals standing before him. While the others become horrified by what they saw, Sagiri realizes based on Gabimaru's words from before that she needed the resolve to carry the burden of her fear and the lives she takes just like him, which brings a tear to her eye. Eizen notices Sagiri and interprets this as her not ready for the upcoming task. However, Eizen is corrected by her, as Sagiri states her resolve to kill him.

With ten criminals left standing, the retainer declares the massacre to be over and has each of them paired with an Asaemon as they head towards the uncharted island to find the Elixir of Life.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Yamada Asaemon Kichiji (flashback)
* Yamada Asaemon Sagiri
* Yamada Asaemon Eizen
* Yamada Asaemon Jikka
* Yamada Asaemon Shion
* Gabimaru
* Nurugai
* Tanio Seikichi
* Tamiya Gantetsusai
* Yamada Asaemon Kishō
* Tokugawa Nariyoshi
* Aoki
* Nikimaru
* Kido Shūkan
* Yamada Asaemon Genji
* Yamada Asaemon Tenza
* Yamada Asaemon Fuchi
* Yamada Asaemon Senta
* Yamada Asaemon Tōma
* Yuzuriha
* Moro Makiya
* Rokurōta
* Adachi Matagorō
* Warped Keiun
* Aza Chōbei
* Akaginu
* Hōrubō

## Anime Notes

* In the anime, Kichiji's face is revealed, while in the manga only his back is shown.
	+ Additionally, Kichiji's face is never fully revealed in the manga, as it is obscured by shadow in further chapters that only has his eyes shown.
* In the anime, Sagiri wears her corset during her execution flashbacks, while in the manga she wears the Yamada clan's common red waist cord.
* In the manga, Eizen and Sagiri are the only ones to witness Kichiji decapitate a condemned performer, while in the anime Yamada Asaemon Shion and Yamada Asaemon Jikka accompany them.
* In the manga, an Asaemon criticizes Sagiri for having doubt and fear after executing a codemned and another Asaemon asks for Sagiri to look at her blade to see her reflection. In the anime, both Asaemons are excluded and Eizen is the one to have Sagiri look at her blade.
* In the anime, Eizen wears the Yamada clan's black haori, while in the manga he is not.
* In the manga, Sagiri wears a black haori during the criminal selection up until she places a blade next to Gabimaru's neck with her tasuki holding her sleeves. In the anime, she continues to wear her black haori by the end up of the episode.
* In the manga, a few unknown Asaemons can be seen during the criminal selection, while in the anime only the known ranked Asaemons are presented.