L’homme à la cicatrice, also known as the Man with the Scar, is a supporting character in Millennium Actress. He is an elderly man defined by the prominent facial scar that gives him his name. In his younger years, he served as a military policeman during the pre-war era, a role that placed him in direct opposition to the political dissident artist whom Chiyoko Fujiwara met as a young girl. His primary motivation in that period was to pursue and capture this painter, representing the cold and authoritarian hand of the state. This pursuit made him a figure of fear for the young Chiyoko and a recurring antagonist in her memories.

In the story, he functions both as a real historical figure and as a symbolic presence that appears within the films Chiyoko acted in, often cast as a villain chasing her. Later in life, he undergoes a significant transformation. Haunted by his past actions, he embarks on a journey of atonement. He seeks out Chiyoko and presents her with a letter from the artist, an act that provides her with a final clue in her lifelong search. It is also revealed that he was responsible for the artist’s death, having tortured him to death after Chiyoko’s unsuccessful trip to Hokkaido. This confession, made to Genya Tachibana, provides the definitive resolution to the central mystery of Chiyoko’s life.

His key relationship is with the painter, the man of the key, whom he hunted. His interaction with Chiyoko is limited but pivotal, as he is the bearer of the letter that reignites her hope and later the source of the painful truth. His notable ability lies not in physical prowess but in his role as a bearer of truth and a figure of historical consequence. His development moves from an oppressive enforcer to a remorseful old man seeking forgiveness, making him a complex character whose actions have a profound impact on the film’s emotional conclusion.