Hell Girl: Three Vessels
Synopsis
Following the events of Jigoku Shoujo Futakomori, Ai Enma, the Hell Girl, has disappeared. Her former companions decide to lead normal lives, until their absent mistress returns to them with a new companion, and in a way that none of them anticipated. Yuzuki Mikage is a normal schoolgirl who soon comes to understand the Hell Girl on an intimate level. During a dream-like trance in the bathtub, Ai kisses Yuzuki and possesses her. So when Yuzuki's friend decides to type in the name of their teacher in the Hell Correspondence website, Ai makes use of Yuzuki's body to accomplish her own task of ferrying the teacher's soul to hell. Yuzuki is disturbed by her new circumstances and wonders why she was chosen to continue Ai's work. Unfortunately for her, the Hell Girl and her assistants resume operation of Hell Correspondence, and she is dragged along for the ride towards hell itself. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Audience Consensus
Audience reception to Jigoku Shoujo: Mitsuganae is mixed, with many finding it a disappointing sequel due to repetitive plots and weak reasons for characters being sent to hell. While some appreciate the consistent art and sound, the lack of a compelling overarching story and inconsistencies in character behavior are major drawbacks. The season is often viewed as inferior to its predecessors, with many suggesting it should be skipped to avoid tarnishing the overall experience of the franchise.
Strengths
- Strong OST and sound design enhances the atmosphere.
- Art and animation quality are generally consistent and appealing.
- Some viewers appreciate the exploration of hatred and revenge themes, remaining faithful to the original material.
- The ending and climax are viewed as satisfying by some viewers.
- Introduction of new characters and backstories, particularly Yamawaro.
Weaknesses
- Repetitive plot structure and episodic nature lead to boredom.
- Many consider the reasons for sending people to hell to be weak or trivial.
- The main plot is slow to develop, with many filler episodes.
- Inconsistencies in character behavior and morality compared to previous seasons.
- Poorly explained resurrection of Ai Enma and plot holes.
- Degradation of torment scenes, making them less impactful.
- The introduction of Yuzuki as a character is controversial.
- Subversion of expectations often leads to nonsensical twists.
- Some felt that changes to characters and plot goes against previous seasons.