TV-Series
Description
Giriko is a major antagonist from the anime and manga, known for his violent temperament and role as a Demon Weapon and Enchanter. He is a loyal servant of the witch Arachne Gorgon, serving as one of the most powerful members of her criminal organization, Arachnophobia. Following the organization's downfall, he later allies with the sorcerer Noah to seek vengeance.
Giriko's background is defined by an extraordinary wait. After Arachne was seemingly destroyed eight hundred years before the main story, she placed her soul into a powerful golem hidden in Loew Village. Giriko dedicated his existence to guarding her and awaiting her revival. To survive this immense span of time, he used his mastery as an Enchanter to implant his memories and soul into his own genetic code, effectively possessing the bodies of over thirty of his own descendants to live again and again. He lived these ordinary lives under the false name Saw until Arachne finally returned.
In terms of personality, Giriko initially presents a facade of politeness when encountered by students from the Death Weapon Meister Academy, but his true nature is revealed almost immediately. He is described as extremely rude, uncooperative, and quick to violence, driven by a powerful desire to prove his own superiority. He has a particular hatred for the academy, openly stating he prefers to follow his own destructive path rather than be used by a meister. His defining trait is a monumental, pent-up bloodlust from eight hundred years of feigned kindness and patience. Upon the revival of the Kishin, he unleashes this without restraint, indulging in gluttony, lust, and reckless violence. He is a heavy drinker and shows little regard for anyone other than Arachne, not even his own children, whom he used as vessels for his survival. His fighting style and demeanor are fueled by a Murderous Wavelength, a form of negative energy that enhances his power but takes a fatal toll on his soul over time.
Giriko's role in the story is that of a formidable recurring foe. He first confronts the protagonists in his hidden village, where he battles Crona and is interrupted by the Death Scythe, Justin Law. This encounter sparks a notable rivalry between Giriko and Justin, as both are weapons who fight independently without meisters. They clash multiple times, with Giriko often being provoked by Justin's calm and mocking demeanor. After Arachne's final death at the hands of Maka and her partner Soul Eater, Giriko joins Noah's group, his desire for revenge against Maka solidifying into his primary motivation.
His development reveals a tragic flaw. His hatred and bloodlust grow so immense that his soul begins to crack under the pressure. Despite inhabiting a new body, his soul is too small to contain such violent negativity, a weakness Maka identifies during their final confrontation. He ultimately meets his end not from a direct attack, but from his own soul spontaneously exploding due to the uncontrollable Wavelength generated by his eight centuries of rage and regret.
Giriko possesses several notable abilities. As a Demon Weapon, his primary weapon form is a large chainsaw, though he also demonstrates the ability to become a buzzsaw. However, he prefers to fight autonomously, rarely using a meister and instead relying on a golem or his own body to wield his power. His signature combat technique is Saw Leg, where he partially transforms his leg into a chainsaw and uses a gear-shift system to increase the power of his kicks. First Gear can knock back strong opponents, Second Gear can break through defenses like Crona's Black Blood, and Third Gear is capable of devastatingly powerful attacks, such as stopping an avalanche. He can also summon durable chains from his body for armor, attack, or mobility. As an Enchanter, he is highly skilled in creating and maintaining golems, as well as crafting clones of himself out of materials like snow. Later, after his original male body is destroyed, he transfers his soul into a new female body prepared from his own newborn daughter, where he retains all his abilities and adds new techniques like transforming his hair into small saws.
Giriko's background is defined by an extraordinary wait. After Arachne was seemingly destroyed eight hundred years before the main story, she placed her soul into a powerful golem hidden in Loew Village. Giriko dedicated his existence to guarding her and awaiting her revival. To survive this immense span of time, he used his mastery as an Enchanter to implant his memories and soul into his own genetic code, effectively possessing the bodies of over thirty of his own descendants to live again and again. He lived these ordinary lives under the false name Saw until Arachne finally returned.
In terms of personality, Giriko initially presents a facade of politeness when encountered by students from the Death Weapon Meister Academy, but his true nature is revealed almost immediately. He is described as extremely rude, uncooperative, and quick to violence, driven by a powerful desire to prove his own superiority. He has a particular hatred for the academy, openly stating he prefers to follow his own destructive path rather than be used by a meister. His defining trait is a monumental, pent-up bloodlust from eight hundred years of feigned kindness and patience. Upon the revival of the Kishin, he unleashes this without restraint, indulging in gluttony, lust, and reckless violence. He is a heavy drinker and shows little regard for anyone other than Arachne, not even his own children, whom he used as vessels for his survival. His fighting style and demeanor are fueled by a Murderous Wavelength, a form of negative energy that enhances his power but takes a fatal toll on his soul over time.
Giriko's role in the story is that of a formidable recurring foe. He first confronts the protagonists in his hidden village, where he battles Crona and is interrupted by the Death Scythe, Justin Law. This encounter sparks a notable rivalry between Giriko and Justin, as both are weapons who fight independently without meisters. They clash multiple times, with Giriko often being provoked by Justin's calm and mocking demeanor. After Arachne's final death at the hands of Maka and her partner Soul Eater, Giriko joins Noah's group, his desire for revenge against Maka solidifying into his primary motivation.
His development reveals a tragic flaw. His hatred and bloodlust grow so immense that his soul begins to crack under the pressure. Despite inhabiting a new body, his soul is too small to contain such violent negativity, a weakness Maka identifies during their final confrontation. He ultimately meets his end not from a direct attack, but from his own soul spontaneously exploding due to the uncontrollable Wavelength generated by his eight centuries of rage and regret.
Giriko possesses several notable abilities. As a Demon Weapon, his primary weapon form is a large chainsaw, though he also demonstrates the ability to become a buzzsaw. However, he prefers to fight autonomously, rarely using a meister and instead relying on a golem or his own body to wield his power. His signature combat technique is Saw Leg, where he partially transforms his leg into a chainsaw and uses a gear-shift system to increase the power of his kicks. First Gear can knock back strong opponents, Second Gear can break through defenses like Crona's Black Blood, and Third Gear is capable of devastatingly powerful attacks, such as stopping an avalanche. He can also summon durable chains from his body for armor, attack, or mobility. As an Enchanter, he is highly skilled in creating and maintaining golems, as well as crafting clones of himself out of materials like snow. Later, after his original male body is destroyed, he transfers his soul into a new female body prepared from his own newborn daughter, where he retains all his abilities and adds new techniques like transforming his hair into small saws.