Summary

• The "Shonen Dark Trio" consisting of Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, and Hell's Paradise have gained immense popularity due to their gritty aesthetic, cynicism, and subversion of shonen tropes.
• Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, and Hell's Paradise have had a significant influence on the overall tone and success of the genre, with their darker themes, violence, and realistic stakes setting them apart from traditional shonen stories.
• Jujutsu Kaisen's hiatus has led to increased interest in the other parts of the Shonen Dark Trio, further solidifying their status as beloved and influential franchises in the anime and manga industry.

Shonen manga and anime are easily some of the most popular. The rise in popularity of anime has been pushed by a few franchises in particular, with some actually surpassing the current hype of old stalwarts. Part of why they're doing so well is that they're noticeably far darker than many of the other shonen series out there, featuring more blood, gore, violence, and cynicism than the majority of shonen of the past.

The anime/manga dark trio of Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, and Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku share a similar gritty aesthetic and the same brand of cynicism. These elements, combined with their subversion of shonen tropes and refusal to be generic, have united them, making this unholy trinity a great example of what shonen manga and anime can and most assuredly will be going forward. In many ways, the tone of this Dark Trio has influenced anime and manga as a whole, seeing the three properties shape and tie into the success of completely unrelated works.

Updated by Timothy Blake Donohoo on February 4, 2024: The "Shonen Dark Trio" has continued to be incredibly popular, especially given the success of the Jujutsu Kaisen anime and manga. This has culminated in that series' current shocking hiatus, making some of the manga's readers seek out the other parts of the trinity. The success of these franchises has begun to influence shonen as a whole, which makes sense given that they're the face of the genre for a new generation.

What Is The Shonen Dark Anime Trio?

Hell's Paradise

All three manga titles considered part of the shonen dark trio debuted in 2018, but Hell's Paradise was the first of the dark trio. The series is based around protagonist Gabimaru, an unkillable assassin who is tasked with finding an elixir that will grant the shogunate similar immortality. The journey is destined to be arduous, with all the previous expeditions having resulted in numerous casualties. Nevertheless, the unlikely hero's drive to succeed hinges on the possibility of being reunited with his beloved wife.

Though the shonen genre hasn't always had the best track record when it came to meaningful romantic pairings, that's not the case with Hell's Paradise. Gabimaru's wife inspired his will to change from the hollow shell of a man who felt nothing to a compassionate warrior who protected others as he fought to get back home again.

Jujutsu Kaisen

Next in the Dark Trio came Jujutsu Kaisen, another spooky shonen series with an unconventional color palette. The protagonist, Yuji Itadori, joins the school's occult club, only to discover that the members have an actual cursed object in their possession. When he becomes entangled with a demonic presence, Yuji must learn to control his own sorcery and the demon within him, all while protecting his friends and fellow jujutsu sorcerers and staving off his own inevitable death.

Jujutsu Kaisen is immensely popular, both in its anime and manga forms. Discussion of the series and its plot developments has become the dominant discussion in the shonen anime fandom. That's especially due to the series' impressive fight scenes, which have wowed audiences in an increasingly competitive landscape within the demographic "genre." Thus, it's no wonder that it's essentially the "main" entry in the Dark Trio.

Chainsaw Man

Lastly comes Chainsaw Man, set in an alternate history where devils run rampant. The protagonist is a young man named Denji, who's killed by the Yakuza he's been working for to pay off his father's debts. Denji's constant companion, Pochita the Chainsaw Devil, bonds with him, allowing Denji to become the body-horror hero, Chainsaw Man. Brought into an organization of Public Safety Demon Hunters, Denji puts his new abilities to use against the horrific demons that threaten humanity, but behind the curtain, someone he thinks he can trust prepares an epic betrayal.

Not only did Hell's Paradise, JJK, and CSM start around the same time, but they're all receiving or have already received an anime adaptation from the once well-regarded studio MAPPA. This animation studio has had several hits on its hands, mostly notably Kakegurui, the prequel series Kakegurui Twin, and the final season of Attack on Titan. Ironically, the latter series is itself seen by some as being a contender to be in the shonen Dark Trio. Due to Attack on Titan being completed in both anime and manga, it's not part of this number. Chainsaw Man is included, however, and it makes sense as to why it's lumped in with the other entries in the Dark Trio.

Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, & Hell's Paradise Are the Anti-Shonen

Given the presence of devils, demons and loads of gore, it's easy to argue that the Dark Trio deserve their name. Compared to colorful and lighthearted shonen stories, these three manga are full of grittier fare. This extends to the violence, which really sets these series apart from their predecessors. Shonen manga have had demons and wanton brutality before, but not quite at the same level as something like Chainsaw Man.

An increase in leniency regarding violence in these stories has seen the mangaka take full advantage of said standards. This allows them to do things that would never happen in more lighthearted manga and anime like One Piece. The stakes feel higher and more realistic, making the dark stories feel almost like a seinen manga or anime at times. Reliance on the power of friendship is nowhere to be seen, with many of the characters having bleaker, harder lives. In many ways, these developments are throwbacks to the manga of the 1980s and 1990s, such as the brutal fantasy series Berserk. Thus, the rise of the Dark Trio is merely an example of shonen books returning to their dark, gritty roots.

The Dark Trio's Distinguishing Characteristics

• Grittier
• More violent
• Characters face bleak existence
• Higher stakes
• No structured battles/tournaments

Another way that the Dark Trio subverts shonen archetypes is that there's not much in the way of an immediate end goal. For instance, in One Piece and Naruto, the protagonists wish to become the King of the Pirates and the Hokage respectively. Though Jujutsu Kaisen and Hell's Paradise have endpoints that the plots build up to, it's much less of an adventurous journey like in more traditional shonen. The Dark Trio seems fully prepared to take their time determining an appropriate end goal, which, in its own way, could potentially do away with all those pesky filler episodes that anime fans have been complaining about for decades.

There's also a lot less focus on any sort of structured battles or tournaments, which is almost anathema to the demographic genre that was put on the map by the Dragon Ball franchise. Hopefully, the success of the Dark Trio will see shonen manga and anime begin to experiment more with their tones and narratives, resulting in more hellish success stories.

The Fallout of Jujutsu Kaisen's Hiatus Showcases the Influence of the Dark Trio

The latest chapter of the Dark Trio manga series Jujutsu Kaisen sent many fans reeling, with the plot point resulting in the book's hiatus. This chapter involved the final battle between Satoru Gojo and Ryomen Sukuna, with Gojo — despite his immense power — not being able to survive the experience. This was made more effect by the arguable lack of buildup to the change in status quo. It's unknown where the story will go from there when it returns from its hiatus, but it's confirmed that this is the end of that battle and the current storyline.

Many fans were absolutely shocked by the turn of events, especially considering the seeming finality of Jujutsu Kaisen's current developments. The situation had the series' fanbase reeling to the point where another franchise was affected by it. In response, mangaka Kenjiro Hata made it known that his manga Fly Me to the Moon will also be going on hiatus as an at of "recovery." Though likely comical, the statement shows the degree to which the Dark Trio manga have become popular and influential on the entire industry.

Why Isn't Demon Slayer Part of the Dark Trio?

Due to the similar tone, scope and content, many manga fans have wondered why the popular Demon Slayer series isn't part of the Dark Trio of anime and manga. After all, it's a lot more well known than Hell's Paradise and easily one of the most popular current anime and manga franchises in existence. The reason it's not part of the shonen Dark Trio, however, is all due to timing. Demon Slayer actually predates the shonen Dark Trio, and its manga came out in 2016. In short, Demon Slayer's bloody battles and dark narrative essentially set the tone for things to come.

On the other hand, the manga for Chainsaw Man, Hell's Paradise, and Jujutsu Kaisen all began publication in 2018. It was this similar release schedule and their vaguely shared themes that made fans lump them together as the Dark Trio. In many ways, the crowning of this Dark Trio of shonen manga and anime was really just a way for fans to have a new "Big Three" to look forward to. About 10–15 years prior, this space was occupied by One Piece, Naruto, and Tite Kubo's Bleach series, the latter of which was something of a predecessor for the Dark Trio. It's unknown how the hiatus of Jujutsu Kaisen will affect the three series as a whole, but as it stands, fans can't get enough of the Dark Trio.

Jujutsu Kaisen, including new Season 2 episodes, is currently streaming on Crunchyroll. Hell's Paradise is also available to stream on Crunchyroll, while Chainsaw Man can be found on both Crunchyroll and Hulu.