Characters dying are a staple in action anime. Whether their deaths mean anything, though, is the question. Kimetsu no Yaiba is no exception to this, as it is a series revolving around demon slaying. Deaths would happen regardless of importance. In this case, we will be talking about one of the Hashira. Who is Gyomei, and how did he die? Gyomei’s death will be revealed to you in this article! Spoilers ahead, you’ve been warned.
Who is Gyomei?
Admittedly, the character of Himejima Gyomei is unknown. Compared to other characters in the series, he is the least popular. There are barely any mentions of him across the series, and we never see him fight. Each of his appearances always showed him being calm and mysterious. So, it comes as no surprise that fans don’t feel much about the guy. The one thing they do remember is his “sympathizing” for Tanjiro and Nezuko’s situation.
So, let’s go over what we know! Himejima Gyomei is KNY’s Stone Hashira. He has mastered the Stone Breathing technique and uses it to teach his students. One of the side characters, Shinazugawa Genya, learned from him. The reason why Gyomei doesn’t appear as often is because of his nature. Despite his constant tears, he is rather judgmental. He has doubts about everyone, and it takes a long time for him to trust anyone again.
The reason for his doubtful nature is explained in a hurried fashion by the author. As a child of the temple, he lived in peace with nine other children. Unfortunately, this would not last! One of the nine children he lived with chose to throw the temple under the bus. A demon would come to beset them and kill most of them. Only one child remained other than him, which he protected. Discovering his powers, he beat the demon until the sun rose.
A misunderstanding would erupt between the youngest child and Gyomei. The poor child was a mess and wanted to inform everyone that a demon had arrived. Unfortunately, she chose her words poorly. This led to Gyomei being falsely accused of being the murderer of the seven children. It was only through Ubuyashiki Kagaya’s intervention that Gyomei was declared innocent.
Is Gyomei Dead?
You know how it works in Shounen. If a character dies, they aren’t dead unless it is confirmed. The bodies of the characters aren’t enough, but that isn’t the case here! Gyomei is officially dead in the series after the battle against Muzan.
Who Killed Gyomei?
Gyomei’s death can be attributed to Muzan. After all, it was from the latter whom he received the most critical injury. He lost his leg from Muzan’s shockwave attack and was bleeding out. However, this wouldn’t have been enough to kill him. Breathing could have stopped the blood flow on his stump, and he could’ve been treated. No, there was a different cause that killed Gyomei.
It is Gyomei’s awakening, his Demon Slayer Mark, that killed him. His advanced age would prove to be detrimental. Kokushibo even calls this out to Gyomei, stating that the man only had a few hours left to live. True to the demon’s word, Gyomei would die once the day broke.
How Does Gyomei Die?
The events for Gyomei’s death happened during Chapters 169 to 176 and 185 to 200. He died from an accumulation of injuries on top of the Demon Slayer Mark.
Gyomei vs. Kokushibo: The Battle of the Strongest (Chp. 165 to 176)!
Gyomei’s death would start with a battle. He and the other Hashira scrambled around to find Muzan. Like others, he would stumble upon an Upper-Rank Demon that he would have to fight. In this case, it was Kokushibo. As the two engaged, Kokushibo would remark his surprise at the man’s strength. He was matching him, the strongest of Muzan’s demons! Through the use of “Transparent World,” he saw that Gyomei’s physique was incredible.
However, Gyomei would note that then wasn’t enough. So, he decided to awaken his Demon Slayer Mark early. He mentioned that it was a shame he had to use it. He had been saving it to beat Muzan’s face in, after all! But, against Kokushibo, he couldn’t risk it. Awakening the mark gave him enough strength to fight Kokushibo at even grounds. Unfortunately, it came at a cost that Kokushibo pointed out. Gyomei only had a few hours left to live, and he was going to die that same night.
Setting idle chatter aside, the two engaged in battle. The others, like Sanemi and Genya, would join in to defeat Kokushibo as fast as possible. However, this would prove to be a difficult task. Kokushibo was already strong by using his Moon Breathing Technique. Every time the group would have the upper hand, Kokushibo would double down on them. This would turn into a cycle as they fought and fought until, finally, Genya was able to turn the tides. With a lot of work alongside Muichiro’s and Genya’s sacrifice, they would defeat Kokushibo.
From One Fire to the Next, Holding Back Muzan (Chp. 185 to 200)!
Gyomei had already exerted himself in his battle against Kokushibo. It had been a long affair full of twists and turns, but it wasn’t the end. Together with Sanemi, they rushed their way to where Muzan was. He is late in joining the battle but contributed rather significantly! The Hashira kept Muzan fighting. Unfortunately, their collective efforts would not be enough. Gyomei would incur a nasty injury after being thrown back by Muzan’s shockwave. His leg is lost and turned into a stump from the attack.
The Stone Hashira wouldn’t be able to get back up after that for a while. Tanjiro and the Serpent Hashiro would buy the group some time. Gyomei is one of the few to recover late and used the wall as a crutch. Limping his way, he contributed once again to keeping Muzan down. Using the chains from his morning star and axe, he strangled Muzan and kept him from moving. Like a dog on a leash, he wrestled control into making sure he stayed on the surface. Doing all this while bleeding out and on one foot!
Finale – Gyomei’s Death
Eventually, Muzan would be defeated. Through the collective efforts of the Demon Slayer Corps, the menace was finally gone. The remaining members gathered around to treat the wounded, but Gyomei refused. He knew he didn’t have much time left and that medication should be given to those that needed it. The Demon Slayer Mark was asking for the price, and he gave it willingly. He hallucinates one last time about the eight children he used to live with. They all made amends, and Gyomei passed away with a smile on his face.
