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The following contains spoilers for Hell's Paradise Episode 5, "The Samurai and the Woman," now streaming on Crunchyroll.

Hell's Paradise is a stunningly brutal anime that delivers on all fronts -- from its jaw-dropping fight scenes to its intricate worldbuilding. The first few episodes of the anime are proof of that. After all, each episode showcases multiple characters being mutilated in various ways. However, Hell's Paradise isn't just an action-packed franchise. It also offers interesting interaction between the characters, especially the ones between the Yamada Asaemons and their respective prisoners. And this is only made possible because they have granted the executioners the liberty of choosing their criminals.

There are two major groups of human fighters in Hell's Paradise. The first one is the group of criminals who have been sentenced to death. Given that their crimes have a wide range, they have different fighting styles and abilities. The other is the Yamada Asaemon, the executioners assigned to eliminate the criminals should they have any weird thoughts. Their goal is to find the Elixir of Life, which is said to grant immortality. The criminal who succeeds in finding it is then granted a pardon for their crimes. This dangling prize and the Asaemon's choices are what make their respective relationships compelling.

RELATED:Hell's Paradise Just Added the Perfect New Ally to Gabimaru's Team

The show's narrative benefits from the Asaemons' ability to choose their prisoners because it creates more opportunities for character development and exploration. This allows a dynamic and diverse set of relationships between characters, further adding depth to the otherwise shallow motivation of simply wanting a pardon.

As Hell's Paradise main characters, Gabimaru and Sagiri obviously benefit from this treatment. Sagiri has personally sought Gabimaru after hearing of his remarkable feats of survival. She experiences them firsthand and confirms Gabimaru's extraordinary abilities. After confirming and affirming his will to live, she extends the offer for a pardon. She tells him the mission of going to Shinsenkyo and fetching the Elixir of Life. However, that is not necessarily how Sagiri is saving Gabimaru.

The main reason Gabimaru can't accept death is his wife, who has taught him how to be human. He originally trained to be a stoic assassin incapable of feeling emotions, but ever since he met his wife, he slowly learns what it means to be human. However, his training isn't something to be completely forgotten. There are still instances where his dark persona comes out, and the one who reliably manages to reel him back to his senses is Sagiri. Similarly, Sagiri's choice isn't a mere act of goodwill. She chooses him in order to prove herself as an executioner and clear herself from her doubts. Albeit mostly unconsciously, Gabimaru offers her wisdom that clears Sagiri's doubts and also strengthens her resolve.

RELATED:Why Some of My Hero Academia's Anime Scenes Appear to Be Darkened

Another pair who has benefitted from this setup is the bandit leader Aza Chobei and his executioner Aza Toma. While their relationship at present is that of a death row criminal and his executioner, the two shares a long history. The two are actually brothers who eventually became bandits. Unfortunately, Chobei is eventually captured. He sacrifices himself so that his brother can escape. Even so, he hasn't lost hope yet. He has instructed his brother to do his best to rescue him from captivity just as he is being captured -- and that's what Toma did.

Toma infiltrates the esteemed Yamada Clan and hones himself to become a fine executioner. Interestingly, he does so in just a mere one month. Toma is then eventually allowed to do an execution, and he chose his brother Chobei as his subject. However, it isn't a mere execution. He shows him the pardon that is being offered by the shogun to whoever finds the Elixir of Life. Naturally, that equates to Chobei being freed. And after eliminating other criminals, Chobei ultimately gains the right to head toward Shinsenkyo.

Chobei and Toma's greatest edge over the other pairing is their shared history. They have not only gone through numerous hardships together, but they are also blood brothers. Needless to say, they have each other's backs, which is definitely a very important asset as they traverse the dangerous island of Shinsenkyo. Even still, that's not all they have to offer. Toma is shown to have some sort of overdependence on Chobei as well as a hint of envy. Chobei, on the other hand, is headstrong but caring. This combination opens the path to numerous possibilities, like tests of brotherhood, sacrifices, and perhaps betrayal.

RELATED:These Anime Are Perfect for People Interested in Money and Economics

One partnership that is arguably one of the most interesting ones -- even more than Gabimaru and Sagiri -- is Tenza and Nurugai. They have just been introduced in Episode 5, yet their stories already offer a new perspective on the show's narrative. While the show has already established a clear hierarchy of power between the Yamada Asaemons and the death-row prisoners, Tenza and Nurugai's introduction sheds light on the societal injustices that exist beyond that system. After all, Tenza doesn't just see Nurugai as a criminal he ought to slaughter. He actually wants to save the death row prisoner. And he has a good reason for it.

Nurugai is the last member of the Sanka, a peaceful group of people living in the mountains. But since the Sanka don't pledge their allegiance to the shogun, they are labeled as criminals. The shogun's samurai set out to massacre them, and without knowing any better, Nurugai is the one who pointed them to their settlement. The samurai then massacre her tribe, leaving her alive as a death row prisoner in the hopes of her leading them to the other Sanka settlements. But before she does get executed, Tenza appears and shows her an out to her execution.

Given Tenza's adamance and perseverance to save Nurugai, it is likely that he knows the unfortunate lass' backstory. As to how he has come to such knowledge is yet to be known. Nonetheless, their relationship offers a breath of fresh air from the others' past, as they are not bound by the usual power dynamics between Asaemons and prisoners. Instead, they share a common enemy in the corrupt government that labels innocent people as criminals and uses their power to oppress them. With their dynamics, they may also be the rare shippable relationship among Hell's Paradise's rowdy cast.

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Hell's Paradise: The Criminal Asaemon Pair With Deepens the Story - CBR - Comic Book Resources

Joe Pavelski is going to be front and center in the Western Conference finals.

Forget the narrative of the old guy without a Stanley Cup victory, joyfully along for the ride. Pavelski is the old guy who could lead the Stars to a Cup.

Against the Seattle Kraken, he scored eight goals, three of them game-winners. For good measure, the clinching goal in the decisive Game 7 came from Wyatt Johnston, the 20-year-old tenant who since September has lived with the Pavelskis to learn what it means to be a pro.

When the Stars are in focus, Pavelski will be in focus. He is hockeys Benjamin Button, destroying aging curves and tipping pucks past goalies in the process.

If the Stars pull it all off, win the eight more games required for immortality, the Cup pass to the 38-year-old Pavelski will be shown in NHL commercials in perpetuity. Move over Ray Bourque. There would be a new standard for playoff excellence by an aging hockey star.

It would be a remarkable story. It also would overshadow the other old guy without a Cup, the one who would be completing the first pass.

Jamie Benn is 33. Thats young by human standards, but ancient by hockey standards because of the rigors of a physical game he plays, which had him in the discussion as one of the top five players in the world at his peak.

For years he lived in the spotlight. It was the Jamie Benn Show, co-starring, well, the rest of the Stars. But it was never enough to deliver the long-awaited championship. When Benn was at his peak, his teammates were mediocre. When they had true Cup potential in 2016, the goaltending faltered and Tyler Seguin went down with a slashed Achilles.

In 2020, when the Stars went on an improbable run through the COVID-induced bubble in Edmonton, injuries robbed them of a fighting chance against the Tampa Bay Lightning. What if Seguin wasnt playing on two bum hips? What if Ben Bishop was healthy enough to play? Sure, Tampa Bay was the favorite, but the deck was stacked against Dallas.

Benn took the series-ending Game 6 loss the hardest. In a clip that went viral, Benn sat in full gear even after all of his teammates had filtered out. Later, through a clunky Zoom interaction with the media, he struggled to find the words to explain what the run had meant.

Benn was only 31, but with his play seemingly diminishing and the Stars staring at the injury fallout from the bubble run, his silence in the postgame press conference spoke volumes about a player who deep down realized he may have just been the closest hed ever come to winning the Stanley Cup.

The next two seasons were tough for the Stars. They really never threatened to make the playoffs in 2021, and only Jake Oettingers heroics made last seasons first-round series against the Calgary Flames feel competitive.

Heading into the 2022-23 season the Stars needed a change, a refresh. And part of new coach Pete DeBoers deliverance on that mandate was allowing Benn to move into the shadows. His ice time dropped, his name was replaced on the marquee, and big stories out of Dallas no longer focused on No. 14.

And in the shadows, Benn thrived.

Micro-load management by DeBoer revitalized Benns game-to-game energy. His minutes dropped, but he was more effective in the time he was on the ice. Pavelskis line with Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz took top billing, drove the stories, grabbed everyones attention. But behind them, Benn quietly finished with 78 points, 32 more than he had the previous season and his most since he had 79 in the 2017-18 campaign. He played a full 82 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since his mid-20s. He set a career-high with a plus-23 and a career mark for face-off wins, taking more than 60 percent.

He hadnt found Pavelskis fountain of youth, but the Bennasaince is real.

The Stars are partly in the Western Conference final because Benn allowed himself to be overshadowed. He embraced the supporting role on the ice, but he never relinquished the leadership responsibilities off of it.

Players who have left Dallas, and Ive spoken to many, often talk about Benn as one of the best captains theyve ever played for. Hes an everymanhis nickname is Chubbs for both his physique and the way he carries himself. Benn, even in his superstar days, has never asked a teammate to do something he wouldnt.

When the Stars have needed a scapegoat, Benn has taken the public blame. As much as he dislikes any interaction with the media, he is often the one available when the team is at its lowest. He says little, but by wearing it each and every time, he often shifts the focus away from teammates who have been struggling, those who need to be protected. At his core, Benn believes the Stars are like a family; hes Dom Toretto on skates, sans the catchy one-liners.

But unlike Fast and Furious, the Stars never jumped the shark. For a time, Benns career aged poorly, and he was exposed as a human instead of the indestructible machine he seemed to be in his twenties. Instead of being forced into a starring role, he took a step back and embraced his position in the background. He thrived in a new standard of excellence, individual attention be damned.

As the Stars prep for Game 1 against the Golden Knights on Friday night, Benn will primarily be an afterthought. Even on his own line, Johnston and Evgenii Dadonov will be larger storylines. Johnston is the new stud, like Benn once was, and Dadonov will face the franchise that tried multiple times to trade him during the 2021-22 season, even violating his no-trade clause in the process.

Benn likes it that way. Its when he does his best work.

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Sean Shapiro covers the Stars for StrongSide. He is a national NHL reporter and writer who previously covered the Dallas

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Jamie Benn Is Still Here - D Magazine

This extraordinary achievement took place in November 1986 during the renowned Birdwatch Kenya 86 event.

To this day, Kenya proudly holds the Guinness World Record, a testament to the country's rich natural heritage and the remarkable dedication of its birdwatching community.

The record serves as an inspiration for future generations of bird enthusiasts and underscores the importance of preserving Kenya's diverse ecosystems for the countless bird species that call it home.

Kimani Ng'ang'a Maruge

In a remarkable chapter of human perseverance and lifelong learning, Kimani Ng'ang'a Maruge etched his name into the prestigious Guinness Book of Records in 2004.

At the astounding age of 84 years, Maruge became the oldest person to ever embark on the journey of primary education.

Undeterred by the passing years, Maruge fearlessly walked through the doors of Kapkenduiyo Primary School in Eldoret, Kenya, ready to embrace the transformative power of knowledge.

With an unwavering determination, he enrolled in Class 1, igniting a journey that would inspire generations to come.

Tragically, Maruge's dream of completing Class 8 was cut short when he passed away in 2009.

Maliha Mohammed

In the world of gastronomy, where flavors dance and dishes delight, Maliha Mohammed stands tall as a remarkable chef who has etched her name into the prestigious Guinness Book of Records.

With an unwavering passion for the culinary arts, she embarked on a remarkable journey, breaking the record for the longest continuous cooking sessiona staggering 75 hours.

Throughout the marathon cooking session, Maliha demonstrated her versatility, creativity, and mastery of diverse cuisines.

Eliud Kipchoge: Fastest marathon distance

In the realm of marathon running, one name shines brighter than the rest - Eliud Kipchoge.

With unparalleled speed, unwavering determination, and an unyielding spirit, Kipchoge has etched his name in the annals of sporting greatness.

His astonishing achievements have pushed the boundaries of human potential and redefined what was once thought impossible.

On that momentous day of September 16, 2018, at the Berlin Marathon, Kipchoge shattered records and propelled himself into the realm of legends.

With every stride, he propelled himself closer to immortality, crossing the finish line in a mind-boggling time of 2:01:39, earning him the title of the fastest marathoner in history.

But Kipchoge's relentless pursuit of greatness did not stop there. On October 12, 2019, in the beautiful city of Vienna, Austria, he embarked on a quest that would forever change the course of marathon history.

In a breathtaking display of determination and sheer human resilience, Kipchoge accomplished what was once deemed impossible, he became the first human to run a sub-2 hour marathon.

As the clock ticked, Kipchoge defied the limits of human endurance, covering the 26.2-mile distance in an astonishing time of 1:59:40.

Although his remarkable achievement did not qualify as an official IAAF record due to certain criteria, his sub-2 hour marathon will forever stand as a testament to human potential and the indomitable spirit of a true champion.

Largest desert lake

Nestled in the captivating landscapes of Northwest Kenya, Lake Turkana stands as a true marvel of nature, proudly claiming the title of the largest desert lake in the world.

Lake Turkana, in the Great Rift Valley, Kenya, has a surface area of 6,405 km2 and an average depth of 30.2 m.

It is the fourth largest salt lake in the world and is fed by the Omo, Turkwel and Kerio rivers. There is no outflow from Lake Turkana and the only method of water loss is by evaporation.

Alikhan Kazia

Alikhan Kazia holds three Guinness Book of World Records titles.

Notably, he holds the record for the most ping pong balls successfully bounced into a cup within a single minute, showcasing exceptional hand-eye coordination and precision.

Additionally, his agility and speed have propelled him to set the record for the fastest time in bouncing ping pong balls into five cups as an individual.

This accomplishment demonstrates his ability to swiftly navigate the playing field and achieve impressive results.

Furthermore, Alikhan has showcased his finesse in table tennis by setting the record for the most table tennis serves accurately landing into a cup within one minute.

This record not only highlights his accuracy and control but also reveals his dedication to pushing the boundaries of his abilities.

Most consecutive wins of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships by a country

Kenyan runners have achieved remarkable success in the realm of cross-country championships, holding notable Guinness World Records and leaving an indelible mark on the sport.

One particularly outstanding feat is the title for the most consecutive wins of the senior women's title at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, an impressive record held by Kenyan athletes between 2009 and 2019.

During this period, a talented group of Kenyan runners showcased their exceptional skills and endurance, contributing to the remarkable streak.

The title was secured by remarkable individuals such as Florence Jebet Kiplagat in 2009, Emily Chebet in 2010 and 2013, Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot in 2011, Agnes Jebet Tirop in 2015, Irene Cheptai in 2017, and Hellen Obiri in 2019.

In addition to the consecutive wins of the senior women's title, Kenya boasts other notable Guinness World Records in the field of athletics.

One such record is the most female team wins at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, highlighting the country's dominance in the sport.

Joseph Love

In 1992, Joseph Love, a remarkable individual associated with Kilifi Plantations Limited, accomplished an extraordinary feat by setting a world record as the first man to hand-milk an exceptionally high amount of milk.

During a grueling 24-hour period, Mr Love demonstrated his remarkable skill and dedication by hand-milking an astounding 531 liters of milk from a herd of 30 cows.

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8 Guinness World Records broken by Kenya - Pulse Live Kenya

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed below belong solely to the author.

Much of the talk about artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential impact is revolving around consequences it may have for jobs, with some predicting millions of people may be made redundant by ever improving digital bots.

Historically speaking, I think the odds are still on our side, given how we made it through several technological revolutions, becoming more prosperous than ever in the process.

However, for the first time, were up against a technology that isnt just good at doing a specific task, but one which can accurately mimic human behaviour to the point of near-perfect replication of someones appearance or voice.

An American influencer, Caryn Marjorie (boasting 1.8 million followers on Snapchat) put the capabilities of current AI tech to the test and ordered creation of a replica of herself or at least, her voice for the time being), which she then started selling as a virtual girlfriend lonely men can chat with via Telegram, paying US$1 per minute of interaction.

In the first week in business, her revenue hit over US$72,000.

The service was created by an AI training company with hours of videos and had them create a realistic audio chatbot, leveraging ChatGPT 4.0, that you can send your own voice messages and receive an audio reply on any topic.

Heres how it works:

While it seems to be a clever PR stunt, that benefits both the influencer and the company, Forever Voices, which also promotes its own chatbot allowing you to have a conversation with celebrities (and, I assume, may offer services that would preserve the voices of your loved ones), the bot itself is real and theres no reason why it should not continue to exist as a product, given the demand.

The question is, however, what impact is technology like this going to have on human interaction?

Caryn makes some bold claims here, but do they really make sense? How likely is it to be a harmful rather than useful service?

How many people are going to sink into the fantasy world of hyper-realistic, virtual AI partners, who never complain and are always available and supportive?

They dont age, never have headaches or bad moods, and if youre bored of them, you can just close the app.

Its going to take a few years before generative video is mastered to make the experience even more realistic (which can become very immersive when coupled with a VR headset), but should already be technologically possible for such a virtual persona to send you AI-generated selfies of whatever it pretends to be doing.

And while Caryns AI was programmed not to engage in sexually explicit talk (although it reportedly did when prompted), what stops any other company from offering just about anything that springs to mind?

Are we soon going to witness the birth of AI-commerce, with online storefronts displaying thousands of generated faces of partners of both genders and any combination of features, to keep us company whenever were lonely, bored or horny?

After all, how many times have your friends been unavailable when you wanted to chat about something? How many friendships have ended when your buddies moved, started families or became too busy with work?

But that hot bot is always there for you, like a faultless companion who always has your back, motivates you to do better, is a shoulder to cry on, or keeps you company without you having to even leave your couch.

While it can perhaps never attain the same directness of interaction as we experience between living humans, the barriers of entry are so low (compared to making new friends in real life) and benefits so huge, that I cant see how it would not become a multibillion dollar market very, very soon.

If not overnight, then at least a few years down the road.

After all, OnlyFans, the controversial, largely pornographic site where anybody can post explicit content for money, generated close to US$5 billion in revenue by the end of 2021, and likely more in 2022 (the numbers arent in yet).

But why rely on human creators, if you can generate thousands of realistic human avatars that will do whatever the audience wants at any time they want it (and pocket all the money yourself, without having to split it with anyone)?

Besides that, most of our social interactions even with living humans are already digital anyway so, if you cant really tell the difference, would that matter?

A knife is a very useful utensil, allowing us to prepare meals and cut things were about to eat. It can also, however, be used to stab someone to death.

The problem is hardly ever with the tool, but with how it is used and AI is no different.

The same technology that can further cement your status as a lifelong loser unable to speak to girls, resorting to virtual self-pleasure with an AI bot, could be used to immortalise your family: parents, grandparents, siblings and yourself for future generations.

Its the digital immortality I wrote about two months ago a remarkable way of not only dealing with grief over death of your loved ones, whose digital clones will remain with you forever, but also an immersive archive of humanity for centuries to come.

Someone from the year 3268 may be able to speak to anybody from year 2020 to learn about the Covid pandemic, Donald Trumps presidency, or how good a football player Lionel Messi was.

If used correctly, it can, indeed, help us heal trauma, improve our well-being, ease some of the loneliness and give us quasi-immortality, so we are never forgotten by our successors.

But stray just a little, and it might just as well become a schizophrenic nightmare where separating reality from fantasy becomes more and more difficult where your best friends are pay-per-voice chatbots and your family exists only on video, since you never got round to starting your own.

And if thats the case, there might not be anybody left around to ask our virtual clones anything in the future.

Featured Image Credit: Caryn Marjorie

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Forget jobs will AI replace us? AI girlfriend you can speak with makes US$72,000 in a week - Vulcan Post

Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Literacy Partners

Does a movie star ever really die? Not if Tom Hanks can help it. The Forest Gump actor wants to be the first human to cheat death by continuing his career long after his physical body fails him, in the form of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Is he crazy? Is it any crazier than the fact that were hurtling through space on a rock?

David S. Pumpkins himself appeared on an episode of The Adam Buxton Podcast and shared his thoughts on the possibility of digital immortality.

If I wanted to, I could get together and pitch a series of seven movies that would star me in them in which I would be 32 years old from now until kingdom come, he said.

Hes not wrong. First used 17 years ago in X-Men: The Last Stand on Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen in a flashback, using AI and de-aging an actor is practically standard practice now. Even Martin Scorsese used it on Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, specifically in the 2019 snoozefest The Irishman.

The technology has also been used on Harrison Ford, Samuel L. Jackson, and Carrie Fisher, in their respective blockbusters. Do we even need new movie stars, or will we be stuck with the batch we have now forever? Hanks said thats only going to get more prevalent.

Outside of the understanding that its been done by AI or deep fake, therell be nothing to tell you that its not me and me alone and its going to have some degree of lifelike quality.

Hanks said he knows that his AI ghost wouldnt be able to quite nail a performance like he can now, but he doesnt think anyone would really mind.

Without a doubt, people will be able to tell, but the question is, will they care? he said. There are some people that wont care, that wont make that delineation. Considering his likeness was recorded for perpetuity in the 2004 animated movie The Polar Express, theres already a digital copy of Hanks on some server somewhere.

That was the first time we did a movie that had a huge amount of our own data locked in a computer, he said. There are some legal issues to iron out, however, in terms of using someones likeness and making sure its protected.

I can tell you that there [are] discussions going on in all of the guilds, all of the agencies, and all of the legal firms in order to come up with the legal ramifications of my face and my voice and everybody elses being our intellectual property, he said. The future looks bright, on a movie screen anyway.

Hanks is currently on a press tour for his new book The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece, which also sounds very boring but hey, who knows. Reviews arent great, but Hanks can dry his tears with $100 bills, so hell be fine.

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'I could be hit by a bus tomorrow': Tom Hanks plans to continue his ... - We Got This Covered