Hell’s Paradise: Does Gabimaru Die? The Hollow’s Will to Live Explained!

And while the recently-premiered anime adaptation of Hell’s Paradise promises to be a big hit, fans have, naturally, begun to ask questions about the series’ protagonist, Gabimaru. Gabimaru is a truly intriguing character with numerous aspects to his story and personality that could easily intrigue fans, which is why we have decided to dedicate this whole article to him. In this article, you will find out whether Gabimaru actually dies in the story and how his attitude towards death fits into the overall story of Gabimaru.

Gabimaru the Hollow does not die in Hell’s Paradise. Although he claims he wants to die and seemingly accepts any execution method with a smile, he is resisting death because he wants to return to Yui, his wife. This is why he accepted the Shogun’s offer and fought vehemently to return from the island, a feat in which he ultimately succeeded, later being reunited with his wife.

The rest of this article will focus on Gabimaru and his fate in the Hell’s Paradise series. Gabimaru was initially introduced as a character who loved no one and simply wanted to die, but as the story progressed, it was revealed that this was just a ruse, which is why we decided to talk about this specific topic. This article will contain some spoilers from the Hell’s Paradise manga, so be careful how you approach it.

Gabimaru said he wanted to die, but he refused to die

When we first meet Gabimaru, he is a young shinobi sentenced to death and awaiting execution. And while he says he does not care about living and that he wants to die, none of the execution methods work – the blade breaks on his neck, his skin does not burn, and so forth. While repeating to a female chronicler, Yamada Asaemon Sagiri, that he does not know why the executions keep failing and that he is not resisting them willingly, it becomes quite obvious that he is lying.

It is only later, when it is revealed that Yamada Asaemon Sagiri is actually a royal executioner and that she is able to execute Gabimaru, that the true reason behind the unsuccessful executions is revealed. We are going to elaborate on that in the next section, and here, we are just going to confirm that Gabimaru actually survived all the executions and his mission to the island and that he returned back home safely, surviving all the perils in the story.

Yui was the reason behind Gabimaru’s will to live

As we have said, the reasons behind Gabimaru’s will to live were revealed during his conversations with Sagiri and confirmed when she wanted to execute him. During the conversations between the two, we learned some additional details about his history and life. It is revealed that Gabimaru was a very skilled shinobi with a high kill count and that he was feared around Japan; his life was struck by tragedy when the chief of his village murdered his parents and took him in.

He professes to be utterly dispassionate and has no attachment to life, meaning that he wishes to pass away but cannot do so. From his perspective, he doesn’t really resist it; death just isn’t ready to accept it. However, despite his repeated denials, we notice that his acts don’t seem to be reflexes but representations of his will.

It is actually learned at one point that the reason he has survived every attempt at execution is that he has a great devotion to life and longs to see his wife, Yui, once more. Initially, Gabimaru acknowledged that his wife, the chief’s daughter, had betrayed him and that they had been married in an arranged union without his will. He admitted to Sagiri that he did not love Yui and that their relationship was difficult overall, and certain flashback scenes supported his claims.

However, Gabimaru’s lies were exposed when Yamada Asaemon Sagiri revealed herself to be the royal executioner and truly showed Gabimaru that she would be able to kill him, despite his magical powers. It was established that he not only cherished his relationship with Yui but that his desire to see her once again stood in the way of his being put to death.

As it turned out, their marriage was arranged and unpleasant at first, but that was only to be expected, given how odd they were as individuals. Due to her facial scar, which she suffered from her father because she refused to be an obedient child with no free will, Yui was handed to Gabimaru because no one actually wanted to marry her.

But it turned out that Yui was a very generous, polite, and wise person. Gabimaru liked her, and she liked him. It still took some time for her to get beyond his barriers and treat him with love and respect rather than as a monster. This was enough to get him to open up to her; he listened to her counsel, let her help him, and he was there for her.

After some time, the pre-arranged union became a true love affair, and Gabimaru yearned to renounce his shinobi status to be with Yui. He informed her father that although the chief had concurred, he had actually set up a trap for him because he had been given the death penalty.

Once his lie is discovered, he is offered an official pardon but under the condition that he goes to Hell’s Paradise and retrieves the Elixir of Life from there. Of course, he accepts, which is how the story of Hell’s Paradise begins.

So, how did this marriage end? Well, we know that Gabimaru ultimately accepted the assignment to search for the Elixir of Life and that he managed to survive the perils of Hell’s Paradise. After Yamada Asaemon Jikka informs Yui that Gabimaru survived, she is also told that he will meet her at a secret place. Gabimaru did show up at the designated place, and when Yui saw him, she started crying out of joy as the married couple returned to their home to live in peace. The shogun had, in the meantime, disbanded Iwagakure, which would allow the two to continue living in peace, free from the revenge of Yui’s father.

The two of them really did live out the rest of their lives in peace, being occasionally visited by Yamada Asaemon Sagiri and Yuzuriha, which gave both of them a deservedly happy ending.