“Jigokuraku”. Understanding the meaning of a work’s title will help us reveal the secrets and understand the profound aspects. In the case of Hell’s Paradise, we will reveal the meaning of the title in Japanese, and uncover the mystery of the protagonist Gabimaru’s name.
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Table of Contents
- What is Jigokuraku about?
- What does Jigokuraku mean in Japanese?
- What does Gabimaru mean?
- What does Sagiri mean?
- What is the time period setting of Jigokuraku?
What is Jigokuraku about?
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Gabimaru the Hollow. A super powerful ninja assassin from Iwagakure.
White-haired protagonist, Gabimaru, is a young ninja condemned to death.
9 couples made up of criminals on death-row and executioners on a trip to an enchanted island. The Iwagakure (Hidden Rock Village) ninja named Gabimaru who possesses supernatural powers and a master swordsman Sagiri on a journey to Shinsenkyo, the place where the elixir of life is found. A battle royale begins in the paradise called Shinsenkyo.
The plot reminds us of the legend of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, who is said to have dedicated the remainder of his life looking for an elixir of immortality that may have influenced this work.
Jigokuraku, by Kaku Yuji, is set in an era of ninjas, the elite, and secrecy. The protagonist Gabimaru comes from a ninja background but the story does not describe the workings of ninja, nor the “sakoku (鎖国)” period when Japan imposed self-isolation from the rest of the world. More on this below.
Something that paradise shares with hell.
Gabiru’s supernatural condition prevents him from dying, this was shown to him by Sagiri. Dancing between life and death, the story presents us with Gabiru’s dilemma. A ninja who must travel to Shinsenkyo to obtain the elixir and life for executioner Sagiri in order to return to his beloved wife.
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The manga artist likes to draw the characters in hilarious situations. xD
A “journey” that you are led on. An excursion to paradise. Or perhaps hell. And the struggle to survive at a time when Japan was closed off from the world.
Summary : In Jigokuraku, a ninja called Gabimaru is condemned to death for killing over 20 people. Sagiri, a samurai of the Yamada Clan capable of killing in one stroke offers him amnesty to let him live. Together they venture to Shinsenkyo.
An island of paradise where, according to legend, the elixir of life can be found. Without thinking twice, Gabimaru accepts the deal. And it is then, at the signing of the Shogun’s contract, that the young white-haired shinobi’s journey of redemption begins. An epic tale full of adventure, mystery and beautiful flowers.
Jigokuraku Ninja Culture Appendix : The story introduces the existence of ninjas. Traditionally, ninjas are from the Iga and Kofu regions, but later, Oniwaban (御庭番), a group of ninja that work for the Shogunate came to exist. The culture of ninja (忍者) is shrouded in mystery, the lack of an organisation means there are no records, thus the expression “shinobi ashi (忍び足)” meaning “stealthy steps”.
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What does Jigokuraku mean in Japanese?
Jigokuraku Meaning
Jigokuraku (地獄楽) is a made-up word that combines hell (地獄 jigoku) and paradise (極楽 gokuraku).
Joined at “goku” that is shared by both words.
It can also be thought of as a reference to the weight of life, in which paradise can feel like hell, or vice versa.
In the manga, Jigokuraku can refer to 2 things:
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The journey in which events are happening and things are constantly changing.
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The incidents that Gabimaru becomes involved in.
What does Gabimaru mean?
Garan no Gabimaru (がらんの画眉丸), “Gabimaru the Hollow” in English, is an alias Gabimaru is known by due to his lack of emotions when killing. Gabimaru is only interested in his wife, the daughter of the village chief.
Let’s examine the Kanji of the name “Gabimaru”.
Gabimaru (画眉丸) can be broken down into two Kanji:
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画眉 Gabi meaning “pencilling eyebrows” or “drawing eyebrows”.
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丸 Maru meaning “perfect” or “complete”.
“The hollow man with perfectly drawn eyebrows” is the translation of Garan no Gabimaru (がらんの画眉丸) .
What does Sagiri mean?
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Sagiri’s father is a Kaishakunin (介錯人), that is an executioner who beheads those sentenced to death. This was an occupation that used to exist in Japan. This is why Sagiri receives the Kanji for “cut (切)” in her name.
In the case of “Sagiri”, there is a word with the same reading and meaning - 「狭霧 」that means “mist” or “fog”. However, Gabimaru’s partner’s name “Sagiri” is written in different Kanji as 「佐切」.
Let’s examine the Kanji of the name “Sagiri”.
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佐 Sa means “colonel”.
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切 from 切る Kiru means “to cut”.
“Colonel that cuts” is one of the possible translations of “Sagiri (佐切)”.
What is the time period setting of Jigokuraku?
Jigokuraku takes place in the Edo period, also known as the Tokugawa period in Japan. A time between 1603 and 1868, characterised mainly by “Sakoku (鎖国)”, Japan’s period of isolation.
Read more about the periods of Japanese history in <Summary of Japanese History, Introducing the Japanese Historical Periods>.
Fun Facts About Jigokuraku
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The opening theme song is by famous Japanese singer Sheena Ringo (椎名 林檎).
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Some parts of the story take place in Okinawa.
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Creator of Jigokuraku, Kaku Yuuji (賀来ゆうじ), is also the creator of other works such as Ayashimon and FANTASMA.
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The manga is published in English by Viz Media.
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There is a light novel adaptation titled “Jigokuraku : Utakata no Yume (地獄楽 うたかたの夢)”.
