I saw seven birds

s2e6 showing off one of my favorite aspects of Hell's Paradise, namely how information and learning > power level. The tensen are stronger than any of the convicts or Asaemon and that's still true BUT! the fact that the tensen think they're all-powerful immortals has stymied their learning and made them stagnant. they're conducting tons of research on how to achieve immortality, with nooooo interest at all in these newcomers who are wreaking havoc on Shinsenkyo. They pay no attention to these humans beyond how they'll make great tan, meanwhile those same humans are taking in every bit of information they can, learning, adapting, so that they can take on these not-quite-deities. while the tensen think they can brute force their way through any conflict, the humans have been learning to perceive tao, learning to control it, learning to manipulate it to their own benefit in ways that the tensen have never had to think of, because they've never been challenged! The tensen's belief in their infallibility is their greatest weakness!!

And I love that Gabimaru takes a minute to make it clear exactly how and where he's learned his skills. The characters are not getting random power-ups. They're learning. They're exchanging information. None of them knew the word "tao" before arriving to Shinsenkyo, but the story takes care to show you that the concept is familiar to many of them: The shinobi use it to perform their ninjutsu. Shion has been unknowingly honing his understanding of tao for years, calling it "waves". Shion taught Shugen about the "waves", so he knows about tao as soon as he steps foot on the island. Sagiri's position as an Asaemon and her empathy for others has forced her onto the "middle path" (in terms of gender and strength/weakness), and even though it troubles her, it primes her for being able to control her tao. And the characters who don't have a prior understanding of tao continue to struggle with the concept -- the exceptions being the Aza brothers; which is reasonable, because their whole thing is that they adapt. They already exhibit the strength and weakness motifs through their relationship with each other. Chobe adapts to the flower tao. Toma is a quick study when it's for his brother (he became an Asaemon in less than a year for him!!!!). Meanwhile Gantetsusai (bull-headed, all strength, no weakness), Fuchi (science-minded, not suited to understand metaphysical/spiritual concepts like tao) and Nurugai (whose culture doesn't believe in things they cannot see) struggle with controlling tao. That doesn't change over night. They simply don't have the predisposition for it! But they can still be useful! They can still have a nominal understanding of it and operate around it now that they're aware of it!

Gabimaru isn't suddenly just "strong enough" to fight the tensen. He LEARNS how to fight the tensen, and we get to see him learn! But just in case you missed it, he states it clearly in this episode! Shion taught him how to concentrate tao in certain areas! Yuzuriha taught him how to suppress his tao! Sparring with Nurugai, Gantetsusai, and Toma taught him how to deflect and manipulate the flow of tao! Sagiri taught him how to walk the middle path!! His previous knowledge of tai-chi gives him the idea for how to combat enemies who hinder him! He has no idea if this will really work! They're desperate! They're just throwing whatever at the tensen until something hurts them!

🦴 anon (who you definitely don't know.)