Sabame

Sabame is a samurai lord who manages a village. He wears traditional clothing that fits someone of his high social rank.

Sabame stands out because he is very polite and well-mannered compared to other samurai in the story. He tries to act as a good leader but is actually deeply troubled due to his secret deal with a yokai. He is torn between fear, guilt, and his love for his wife.

Sabame lives in a land called the Three Cedars. He rules one village and tries to keep it safe. Sabame’s wife is Maimai-onba, a moth yokai from another world. Men who are charmed by creatures like her often lose their spirit, looking lifeless and empty. Sabame’s humanity slowly slips away because of his connection to Maimai-onba.

Sabame’s most important relationship is with Maimai-onba, who is actually a moth monster disguised as his wife. His love for her leads him to make many bad choices. He also interacts with Hyakkimaru and Dororo, whom he tries to sacrifice to protect his village.

Meeting Dororo and Hyakkimaru

Sabame appears in two episodes of Dororo. When Dororo and Hyakkimaru come to visit, he greets them kindly at the site of the burnt temple. He invites them to his home and tells them stories about the temple and the yokai.

Planning a Sacrifice

That same night, Sabame secretly tries to feed both Dororo and Hyakkimaru to Maimai-onba to protect the village. But the plan fails.

Secret Deal with the Yokai

The next day, Hyakkimaru follows Sabame and learns his secret. Sabame tells him that his village’s peace depends on his deal with Maimai-onba. He lets the newly emerged Maimai-onba attack Hyakkimaru, but it fails again.

The Village Burns

There is a big fire when Maimai-onba crashes into the watchtower. The whole village burns down. Sabame remembers the nun he had killed at the temple and dies in despair.

Aftermath

Sabame becomes like an empty shell after Maimai-onba's true face is revealed and Hyakkimaru defeats her. He shaves his head, tries to atone for his sins, and helps rebuild the village.

Live Action Movie

In the movie, Sabame's backstory changes a bit. He takes in abandoned children and gives them to his wife’s monster daughters as food. He hates this but can’t stop because of his feelings for his wife. In the end, he is fatally wounded by Hyakkimaru in a fight as he desperately tries to protect Maimai-onba. He dies knowing his wife never loved him, but still yells that he loved her.

Modern Anime Version

This Sabame is more aware and willingly sacrifices not only outsiders but also orphan children from a temple to the monster babies for the village’s safety. The villagers all know and agree. When the tower burns and the village breaks into chaos, Sabame is reminded of the children he sacrificed and is overcome with guilt. He dies in the turmoil—a warning about what happens when you trade your soul to save what you care about.

"Ugh, that's disgusting! Stay away from me!"

• Sabame looks like a respectful samurai, but he is only human and is manipulated by his wife, who is actually a monster.
• Anyone under the influence of Maimai-onba loses their human emotions and becomes hollow and empty inside.

Sabame’s story shows how trying to protect something at any cost can lead to a tragic ending. He is an example of a good person who made terrible choices and lost everything in the end.