Karakuri Circus
Season 1
Narumi is certain that Masaru will be kidnapped by wooden puppets with supernatural strength after fighting them with all his strength. Masaru inherited his father's wealth which has brought many enemies out of the shadows, too many for Narumi to defend him alone. When Narumi is feeling discouraged, Masaru's watcher, Shirogane, arrives with a powerful weapon, the puppet Arlequin.
Where to Watch Season 1
36 Episodes
- The Curtain Rises
E1The Curtain RisesEleven-year-old Masaru Saiga inherited a vast fortune after his father died in an accident. These riches make Masaru a target for kidnappers, who send fearsome puppets to abduct him. Masaru escapes with the help of circus employee Narumi Kato, but the kidnappers soon catch up with them. All seems lost until a mysterious woman named Shirogane appears. - Promise
E2PromiseAfter the briefest of respites, Masaru, Narumi and Shirogane are plunged into peril once more. Assassin Eiryo Ashihana has tracked them down and attacks with the evil clown-like marionette Pulcinella. Shirogane unleashes her own marionette Arlequin in response, but while she is distracted, Ashihana's henchmen seize Masaru. - Swirling Tiger
E4Swirling TigerMasaru determines that overcoming his own weakness is the only way he will escape from his uncle Zenji. He comes face to face once more with his would-be assassin Ashihana, but chooses not to run and makes Ashihana a counter-offer to work for him instead. While attempting to rescue Masaru, Narumi and Shirogane are themselves captured by Zenji's puppeteers and seem to have no way out... - Circus - Departure
E5Circus - DepartureAfter having rescued Masaru numerous times, Narumi got caught in the blast that destroyed Zenji's mansion and has not been seen since. Masaru's sense of loss is profound, but he is determined to be strong as Narumi had taught him. He decides to go back to school in an effort to return to a normal life. Shirogane also enrolls in the adjacent high school so she can continue to watch over Masaru. - Memories
E9MemoriesThe members of Nakamachi Circus rescue the injured Guy, who turns out to be Shirogane's marionette teacher. This unexpected reunion leads Shirogane to open up about her past to Masaru, who in turn sets out alone on a journey to solve the mysteries surrounding his own upbringing. Narumi also reunites with a figure from his past as he and Lucille meet his old martial arts master, Liang, in China. - Fanfare
E11FanfareThe events in China allow the location of the Midnight Circus to be traced to the Sahara Desert. There, Narumi encounters desert-specialist Fatima, as shiroganes from around the world converge to annihilate the automata. Also gathering for the fight are the bionically enhanced shirogane-Os, led by Commander Faceless. - By the Sea, in the Dead of Night
E14By the Sea, in the Dead of NightOne life after another is extinguished in the fierce fighting. Narumi also teeters on the brink of death as Rockenfield attempts emergency surgery. Meanwhile, Arlequino and Pantalone regain their freedom after having been forbidden to move by Doll Francine's exact lookalike, Doll Angelina. As the situation grows bleaker, Narumi opens his eyes, his body now infused with the hopes of his friends. - Back to the Starting Point
E15Back to the Starting PointHaving set out alone to seek answers to the mysteries surrounding his birth, Masaru visits the apartment where he lived with his mother. There he remembers being taken in by the Saiga family after her death, but can't seem to remember his father Sadayoshi's face. As his thoughts turn to conversations with his grandfather Shoji, Masaru then heads for the place he was reborn, the Karakuri mansion. - Encounter
E16EncounterMasaru has been captured by the Kuroga puppeteers. When he regains consciousness, he sees in front of him his grandfather Shoji, who Masaru had thought dead. However, the once kindly Shoji is now hostile and calls Masaru by his father's name, Sadayoshi. Forced to drink Shoji's Aqua Vitae-infused blood, Masaru begins to experience Shoji's memories of working as a town doctor in Tempo-era Nagasaki. - Visitor
E17VisitorShōji tells Masaru that Sadayoshi was not his son, and that he and Angelina started to create their own marionettes. The shirogane, Dean Maistre arrived to pick up the marionettes for Lucille, and they later adopted Dean as their son, naming him Sadayoshi. However some time later, Angelina became pregnant. Back in the present, Guy arrives at the underground room and tells Masaru the story of how he contracted Zonapha and was abandoned by his mother and how Lucille turned him into a shirogane. Years later, Lucille sent him on a mission to see Angelina at Kuroga village and extract her "Soft Stone" to convert Zonapha sufferers into shirogane. Angelina refused to give up the stone and used Arlequin to fight Guy's Olympia, defeating him, but then welcomed him into her household. Then, another Shōji memory shows Masaru how Shōji encountered the Francine automaton whose creator abandoned her because she could not laugh. Shōji adjusted her to make her less powerful and took her home to meet Angelina who welcomed her. Shortly thereafter, Angelina gave birth to Éléonore. - A Smile
E18A SmileShoji and Angelina's daughter Éléonore comes into the world. Her birth is the catalyst for a gradual change in the attitudes of Guy and Doll Francine. However, the sense of happiness that pervades the group proves fleeting, as eerie mechanical sounds signal an assault on Kuroga village by the automata. - The Truth Behind the Shadow
E19The Truth Behind the ShadowAfter regaining consciousness, Masaru manages to escape from his captors and resolves to prove he is not Sadayoshi. Pursued by Guy and the Kuroga clan, he unexpectedly runs into Shirogane, who had come to Kuroga looking for him. However, before they can get away, another vision floods Masaru's mind. In the vision, Angelina's hopes have been dashed as Éléonore has ended up drinking the Aqua Vitae. - Black Sun
E20Black SunTo download his brain's data into Masaru and thereby form an intimate bond with Éléonore. That was Sadayoshi's intent. Despite Masaru's tears at seeing so many people's hopes crushed within Shoji's memories, Shoji and Guy remain convinced he is Sadayoshi. Just as Guy is about to turn his knife on Masaru, one of the Kuroga clan unexpectedly interrupts to reveal a truth of which not even Shoji knew. - Silver Goddess
E21Silver GoddessOne man, in different guises and eras, manipulating the strings of fate to his own ends. That man is Bai Jin. After revealing himself in the form of Faceless, he kidnaps Shirogane and causes giant ZONAPHA-spreading silver goddesses to appear worldwide. Masaru attacks, but Jack-o'-Lantern has no effect as the goddesses have no solid form. Desperate, he teams up with Guy and Lise to pursue Faceless. - The Demon's Return
E23The Demon's ReturnThe fighting rages on at the research institute. George is overpowered by Schnurzi, a new type of shirogane-O, who then reveals why he has sided with Faceless. Meanwhile, Ashihana squares off against Pantalone, looking to settle an old score from the Sahara. Recalling Fou's advice, he analyzes Pantalone's attacks and manages to spot an opening. However, the automaton will not be easily defeated... - Escape
E24EscapeNarumi and Mingxia finally manage to reach the "Harry" ZONAPHA treatment machine. However, they find Dr. Banhart and the other researchers on the verge of death after having been attacked by the automata Blom Blom Low and Drill September. To try and give themselves enough time to save the researchers, Narumi and Mingxia tackle one foe each, but Mingxia is struck down by Blom Blom Low's blade. - At Mont Saint-Michel
E25At Mont Saint-MichelA guided tour of the Final Four's quarters leaves Shirogane feeling empty, prompting her to explain to Arlequino the true nature of "joy". Meanwhile, Masaru, Lise and Gryphon are pursing Faceless's airship, until a bolt of lightning sends them tumbling into a dense fog. When they come to, they are in front of Mont Saint-Michel, Faceless's main base. However, wild beast tamer Dr. Lao is also there. - Animal Show
E26Animal ShowColombine leads Masaru to the bunker where the original bodies of the Os lie in suspended animation. Enraged by the selfish nature of the Os' existence, Masaru resolves to fight them. Lise, on the other hand, realizes she has fled into a room full of creatures so ferocious that even Dr. Lao cannot control them. But just as she is staring death in the face, Masaru's words flash through her mind. - Download
E27DownloadGryphon finds Arlequin and manages to get it to Masaru, who uses the marionette to attack Faceless and the Final Four. However, Masaru is in danger of being overpowered by his numerically superior opponents, until he is joined by reinforcements in the form of Colombine and Lise. As the two of them tackle the Final Four, Masaru engages Faceless in one-on-one combat in an attempt to rescue Éléonore. - What Shirogane Did
E29What Shirogane DidÉléonore is reunited with Narumi and the others at Fou's chateau. However, Narumi accuses Éléonore of being one of Faceless's underlings and treats her harshly, as do the people taking refuge at the chateau. To prove her innocence, Éléonore decides to show everyone her memories. - Rearguard
E34RearguardAfter defeating Pantalone, Harlequin closes in on the train carrying Narumi and Éléonore. Narumi immediately squares up to him, but Éléonore steps between them. Armed with Arlequin, she engages Harlequin in a duel in order to protect Narumi. Meanwhile, Masaru is involved in his own airborne duel with Graziano. - The Curtain Falls
E36The Curtain FallsAfter boarding the space station, Masaru has a final showdown with Faceless, who wields his own version of Arlequin. Faceless persistently questions Masaru about why he handed Éléonore over to Narumi. As their battle heats up, the countdown to the extinction of the human race by ZONAPHA syndrome begins.
