Gokuraku ni wa Mada Hayai

A story set in the Edo period follows Yukinari, an executioner, and those connected to him. During this time, many criminals were put to death. Saichiro, the son of a local physician, observes Yukinari carry out an execution and later sees him dismiss the pleas of the executed man’s family. When Saichiro questions Yukinari about his indifference, the executioner replies that he simply carries out the sentence. Saichiro is unsettled by the response, and a subsequent event changes his perspective. The narrative explores the life of a man whose duty involves taking lives.