Shirogane Saiga (才賀 しろがね, Saiga Shirogane), real name Éléonore (エレオノール, Ereonōru), is a young French woman who came to Japan to protect Masaru Saiga and repay the debt she feels from Shoji Saiga (Masaru's grandfather) for helping her family. She is a circus artist and the puppeteer of Harlequin.[1]
Appearance[]
Shirogane is a young pale-skinned woman with neck-length silver hair that has bangs swept to the left side, silver eyes, and a slender body with large breasts.
Her basic circus attire consists of a yellow sequin catsuit with red polka dots and a black bow tie.
Despite being well over 90 years old, because of the Soft Stone in her, she has only aged for a fifth of her actual age.
Personality[]
At first glance, Shirogane seems to be a cold person, but she is delicate, empathic and careful towards those she cares the most (such as Masaru Saiga or Narumi Kato). The same isn't applicable to anyone who would try to hurt them. Most of this sterns from her strict education as a Shirogane meant to hone her heart to be an effective Automata killer.
Due to her interactions with Narumi and the Nakamichi Circus members, her heart begins to warm as she can accept the kindness of others and return it in kind. Although still largely quiet, she expresses her emotions much more and shows concern for others, even at her own peril.
History[]
Shirogane was raised in a manor which stood in by the sea, near Quiberon, a town in the Northwest region of France. Since her early childhood memory, she was taught how to manipulate puppets. Three old women were there to take care of her, feed her, dress her and teach her the art of puppetry. They would always recite a single phrase to her, asking her "Are you feeling pain, Éléonore?". Along with being told to forget her true name, she was told to forget all human feelings and emotions as she was just a puppet and that puppets were to learn to master the art of manipulating other puppets.
It was revealed by Shoji Saiga, Masaru Saiga's adoptive grandfather, that she is his daughter, along with Angelina Saiga's, who was Lucille Bernouille's daughter. It is speculated that she is the reincarnation of the original Francine. The scene where Francine swore she would be cold and insolent to Bai Yin in another time and place (aka another life), heavily suggests that Shirogane is her reincarnation, whereas Narumi Kato is Bai Yin's reincarnation.
Etymology[]
- Shirogane's surname Saiga means "talent, genius, years old, cubic shaku" (才) (sai) and "congratulations, joy" (賀) (ka/ga).
Real Name[]
- The name Éléonore means "shining light" in Greek and French.