| “ | Stick to your convictions in times of peace...Wear them proudly at times, conceal them at others...But never let go of the reins. For life is far, far longer than even the Battle of Kawanakajima. You're the general and I'm your tactician. So when I say "take it easy", that's strategic advice. | ” |
—Yui (Chapter 22) | ||
Yui (
Appearance
Yui is a young woman with hazel eyes and blonde wavy hair that goes down to her shoulder blades, with bangs on the left side of her face. She has a very distinctive scar on the right side of her face that stretches down from her forehead to her cheek. Early in her marriage, Yui initially wore her hair with her bangs covering the right side of her face where her scar is; though she stated that this was not because she was concerned about her appearance. Upon Gabimaru's misunderstood request to not worry about her blemish, she has since gladly tucked them behind her ears to allow her scar to be shown. After a year passed, Yui has let her hair flow straight.
Her attire mainly consists of wearing kimonos.
Gallery
Personality
Yui has a very kind, caring and gentle personality. As Gabimaru's wife, she truly loves him for who he is as a human being, believing that he is not a heartless monster as people make him out to be. As such, she is accepting of the fact that he kills people as an Iwagakure shinobi and is not terrified being around him. Yui is also shown to be wise, having gave Gabimaru words of wisdom on why he should relax his body while giving him a bath.
While accepting of the ways of Iwagakure, Yui desired to live a normal life as an ordinary woman. Despite her marriage to Gabimaru was nothing more than an arrangement that was only beneficial to her father, Yui implemented her sense of normalcy to the matter by introducing Gabimaru to basic customs that they should follow, believing that they should truly act like an actual married couple. Yui has also shown to be very strong willed. Though her father tried to discourage her from living out her dream by burning her face when she was young, Yui kept her hope alive by the time she was married to Gabimaru, believing that the human spirit could not be so easily shattered. She also kept her faith that Gabimaru would return to her after he was arrested and sent on the Shinsenkyō expedition.
Gabimaru also noted that Yui is not the type of woman who would be so petty as to become angry or jealous at her husband if he were to worry about another woman.
Relationships
Family
Father
Yui's relationship with the Iwagakure chief, her father, was strained. After finding out about Yui's desire to live a life as a normal woman, he responded with violent abuse by burning her face, as a reminder that her dream will never come to fruition. As a way to put her to use, the Iwagakure chief had Yui marry Gabimaru in order to have her produce offspring for Iwagakure. Having never been granted no free will of her own since her birth, Yui had no choice but to abide by her father's demands.
Gabimaru
Yui married Gabimaru as per her father's orders. At first, the two started off on an awkward track where they had not gotten used to being around each other, with Yui trying to hold on to her sense of normalcy while Gabimaru failing to understand her reasoning behind it all. It wasn't until she had learned of Gabimaru's guilt of killing people that she started to warm up to him and happily enjoyed being his wife. While living together, Yui puts in the effort to offer her husband a normal life that he felt that he did not deserve and sees pasts his murderous reputation, as she once happily welcomed him back home in spite of his face being covered in his victims blood from a mission. Gabimaru loves Yui dearly to the point where he can't help but feel flustered in her presence and wishes to honor her desire to live a normal life. When told about Gabimaru's arrest and willingness to embark on an dangerous mission in order to reunite with her, Yui waited patiently for his return. After completing his mission, Yui cried tears of joy upon seeing her husband alive and well and happily lived their life together in peace.
Friends
Yamada Asaemon Sagiri
Yui is on friendly terms with Sagiri and is grateful that she looked after Gabimaru during the struggles he had to endure on his mission. The two quickly formed a bond with each other to where Yui saw Sagiri as a sister, along with Yuzuriha.
Yuzuriha
Yui is on friendly terms with Yuzuriha and quickly formed a bond with her to where she saw Yuzuriha as a sister, along with Sagiri.
History
Past
Yui was born as the eighth daughter to the chief of Iwagakure. Being born a female, Yui was not trained in the ways of the shinobi and instead lived an abysmal life within the blood stained shinobi village. Having felt miserable, Yui developed a desire to live a peaceful, normal life, however, after her father found out, Yui’s face was burned by him to make sure that she had given up on this dream.
Married Life
After Gabimaru, Iwagakure's strongest shinobi, proved his worth to the chief, Yui was forced by her father to marry him. Though he was viewed as a monster by society, Yui saw past this and presented him with kindness and love that he never got to experience in his life. As the days went by, Gabimaru embraced his married life with Yui and wanted to give his wife a peaceful life she so desired by requesting to the village chief in abandoning his duties as a shinobi. However, Gabimaru ends up being captured by the authorities after the chief ordered his men to leave him behind on one final mission. Upon being notified of her husband's arrest, Yui went into a state of depression but soon learned that Gabimaru was temporarily set free until he completed a mission requested by the shogun. Yui then refused to speak to anyone or eat anything as she desperately waited for Gabimaru's return.
Departure Arc
Yui becomes notified by Yamada Asaemon Jikka that Gabimaru managed to survive the mission and plans to meet up with her at a designated spot in secret. After arriving, Yui spots Gabimaru and sheds tears as her husband rushes towards her. Having finally been reunited, along with Iwagakure being dissolved by the shogun, the two walk away together to start a new life.
Epilogue
After a year passed, Yui is visited by her husband's trusted ally, Yamada Asaemon Sagiri, with Yuzuriha as her traveling companion, and happily thanks her for looking after Gabimaru during the mission. Yui then goes to wake up Gabimaru from his sleep but decides to leave him be after noticing he was sleeping heavily and gets acquainted with her visitors.
Abilities and Powers
Physical Abilities
Though she is not categorized as a well-trained shinobi of Iwagakure, Yui has shown to possess strength that can be considered above average, as she was able to crush a chestnut with her barehand.[3] She also has the capabilities to use taijutsu, though her level of skill is unknown.[4]
Other Skills
Yui is shown to have proper skills in cooking, as she would usually be the one to cook for herself and Gabimaru.
Quotes
- (To Gabimaru) "Look at you. Blushing. That seals it. There's no way you're hollow inside!"[5]
- (To Gabimaru) "It's best to follow your heart. You're not the man you once were. In fact, following your heart will make you a true warrior. If you leave this place, I'll come with you."[6]
- (To Gabimaru) "Are any of us truly without sin? You seem to be suffering a great deal. But acts of regret and reflection...are part of atonement. If even a single person who accepts you should appear...then...is that not enough?"[7]
Trivia
- "Yui" (結) means "bond" or "connection", which is also the first kanji found in the word "marriage" (結婚).
- Yui ranked 7th place in the manga 1st Character Popularity Poll with 531 votes.
- Yui and Sagiri are the only known people alive who know Gabimaru's real name.
- Yui's favorite food is chestnut rice.
- Since she possesses the Wood attribute, Yui and Gabimaru are compatible with each other.
- According to the Q&A of Jigokuraku Kaitai Shinsho, Kaku stated that there may have been a possibility that Gabimaru had met Yui when the two were younger, due to being raised by the Iwagakure chief himself, but also added that it was kind of hard to say since the chief has nearly 20 half-daughters.[8]
References
- ↑ Jigokuraku Kaitai Shinsho, page 68
- ↑ Jigokuraku Kaitai Shinsho, page 181
- ↑ Jigokuraku Chapter 107, page 2
- ↑ Jigokuraku Kaitai Shinsho, page 74
- ↑ Jigokuraku Chapter 1, page 46
- ↑ Jigokuraku Chapter 5, page 7
- ↑ Jigokuraku Chapter 5, page 46
- ↑ Jigokuraku Kaitai Shinsho, page 181