The automata that appear in Karakuri Circus are enemies of humanity, attacking humans because they cannot function without consuming human blood and spreading the most terrible and rare disease, Zonaha disease. An organization of automata known as the Midnight Circus is portrayed as the nemesis of one of the main characters, Kato Narumi, and some of the automata ultimately meet a surprising end. We would like to introduce the main automaton characters.
About Automatons
Source: Karakuri Circus © Kazuhiro Fujita, Shogakukan / Twin Engine
These dolls are dolls with their own wills and actions. The driving force behind the Midnight Circus dolls' actions is to make the Francine doll laugh. As a result, they spread the Zonaha Disease, a condition that causes death if someone fails to laugh. They possess exceptional combat ability and durability, making conventional weapons insufficient in terms of firepower. Effective attacks include destruction using puppets and attacks using ki. Its original potential surpasses that of Shirogane, but it is bound by the Golden Rule, which means there are various restrictions.
[Karakuri Circus] The Francine Doll, the Heart of the Midnight Circus
Source: Karakuri Circus © Kazuhiro Fujita, Shogakukan / Twin Engine
The Francine Doll is the heart of the Midnight Circus and the reason for the existence of so many automatons. After the death of a person whom a certain person had a crush on, a Francine Doll was created in their likeness, using the person's hair. However, the finished doll, like her when she was alive, never laughs in front of a certain person, so it is discarded as a defective product. Afterwards, in order to find a way to make herself laugh, she creates the Midnight Circus and ends up spreading Zonaha Disease throughout the world.
Tired Francine Doll
Source: Karakuri Circus © Kazuhiro Fujita, Shogakukan / Twin Engine
After that, she travels the world searching for ways to make herself laugh, but at some point her movements and thinking speed slow down. She recognizes this as what humans call "fatigue," and appears before Shoji Saiga and Angelina to have them destroy her. Saiga Shoji was wary of the enemy leader's appearance, but decided from his behavior that it was not a lie and limited himself to weakening his functions for the time being. After that, he ended up living with Shoji and the others.
The Francine Doll Develops a Mind
Source: Karakuri Circus © Kazuhiro Fujita, Shogakukan / Twin Engine
Afterwards, living with them and witnessing Eleanor's birth, Francine's mind begins to develop. However, she is attacked by an automaton that would normally obey its commands. She tries to escape while protecting Eleanor, but her impaired body is unable to hold on and she falls into a well. At that moment, the soft stone dissolved from Eleanor's body transforms the well water into the Water of Life. Francine desperately shields Eleanor and dissolves into the Water of Life.
Funny Francine Doll
Source: Karakuri Circus © Kazuhiro Fujita, Shogakukan / Twin Engine
At the last moment, the Francine doll develops a heart, and at the very end, she dissolves into the Water of Life while laughing. That heart dissolves in the Water of Life along with Francine's hair, and is passed on to the memory of Eleanor, who drank it and became Shirogane.
[Karakuri Circus] The Fake Francine Doll, the Center of the Midnight Circus, Was a Fake
Source: Karakuri Circus © Kazuhiro Fujita, Shogakukan / Twin Engine
This fake was prepared by the Francine Doll when she realized she was "fatigued" and set out on a journey to be destroyed. Therefore, compared to the Francine doll, which is not much different from a human except for its inability to laugh, its movements are clumsy and more like a machine that faithfully carries out commands. However, for 100 years it has continued to deceive the eyes of Shirogane and the other automatons in the Midnight Circus.
She, too, was tired.
Source: Karakuri Circus © Kazuhiro Fujita, Shogakukan / Twin Engine
After making countless sacrifices to reach her, Narumi tells her the truth: she is a fake. But this truth is too cruel for Narumi. The fake Francine doll, which had served as the doll's substitute for 100 years, also recognized its fatigue and, satisfied that its guilt had been absolved, was destroyed by Narumi.
[Karakuri Circus] The Four Oldest Members of the Midnight Circus: Pantalone
Source: Karakuri Circus © Kazuhiro Fujita, Shogakukan / Twin Engine
One of the oldest automatons created by the alchemist Shirogane. He is the leader of the Four Oldest Members (Les Quatre Pioneers). He uses "Deep Green Hands" (Les Mains Verts Foncés), which shoots compressed air. He torments Shirogane many times during the battle in the Sahara, but after being unable to move due to the curse of the Angelina Doll, he destroys the doll on his own and attempts to escape, but is defeated by the resurrected Kato Narumi.
It was a fake!
Source: Karakuri Circus © Kazuhiro Fujita, Shogakukan / Twin Engine
Though it was thought that the head was burned by an optical weapon during the battle in the Sahara, in fact, Faceless had retrieved it. Although it was resurrected with a different body, Faceless saved the three people, including Pantalone, because he found it amusing and funny that they didn't realize that the Francine doll had been replaced by a double. Upon learning this truth, the three began to question their own reason for existence.
For Eleanor
Source: Karakuri Circus © Kazuhiro Fujita, Shogakukan / Twin Engine
Later, he discovers that the captured Eleanor is a spitting image of Francine, and his loyalty to her begins to change as he interacts with Hideyoshi Asika and Nobuyasu Ikue. In the end, Pantalone, who became an ally of humanity, fought Harlequin but was defeated. However, the damage he inflicted in that battle would later cause Harlequin to be defeated by Narumi.
[Karakuri Circus] The Four Oldest Members of the Midnight Circus: "Arlecchino"
Source: Karakuri Circus © Kazuhiro Fujita, Shogakukan / Twin Engine
One of the oldest automatons created by the alchemist Shirogane. He uses the "Scarlet Hands" (Les Mains Scalatines), which shoot flames from his fingers. They are the first of the four to appear before Kato Narumi, and are unique in that they are immune to attacks that inject energy. After being defeated by Kato Narumi in the final battle with Sahara, they are recovered by Faceless.
Partially Destroyed
Source: Karakuri Circus © Kazuhiro Fujita, Shogakukan / Twin Engine
After becoming loyal to Eleanor, he becomes an ally of humanity and fights against the final four for the space shuttle launch. In his battle with Brighella, he keeps his distance and avoids close combat, but Brighella abandons close combat and attacks with a missile, destroying half of his body and resulting in his defeat. However, this would have a major impact on his later battle with Narumi Kato.
A long-cherished wish fulfilled
Source: Karakuri Circus © Kazuhiro Fujita, Shogakukan / Twin Engine
Afterward, Arlecchino retrieves Pantalone's head, despite its half-destroyed state, and arrives at the church, where he sees Francine, the automaton's reason for existence, smiling. After many years, Arlecchino, now worn out but still able to achieve his long-cherished dream, asks Pantalone, "Are you watching?" Pantalone laughs, and the automatons, satisfied with their fate, have completed their mission and cease functioning.
[Karakuri Circus] The Four Oldest Members of the Midnight Circus: "Columbine"
Source: Karakuri Circus © Kazuhiro Fujita, Shogakukan / Twin Engine
One of the oldest automatons created by the alchemist Shirogane. She uses her "Pure White Hands," which heat her palms to white heat and even melt blood. In the final battle at Sahara, she fatally wounds Dar, but is rendered inoperable by a suicidal attack from Timbavati. Her original mask resembles a woman wearing a turban, but after being reclaimed by Faceless, she is given a Gothic Lolita body.
Francine was a fake!
Source: Karakuri Circus © Kazuhiro Fujita, Shogakukan / Twin Engine
She is interested in human romantic feelings, and showed interest in Fatima's story during the battle in the Sahara. Her emotions seemed to change when she witnessed Faceless' assassination of Katsu. After Faceless revealed that the Francine doll was a fake, she, like the other two, began to question her reason for existence.
Columbine's Final Moments
Source: Karakuri Circus © Kazuhiro Fujita, Shogakukan / Twin Engine
After turning his loyalty to Eléonore, who looks just like Francine, he becomes Katsu's ally, but Katsu is skeptical of his actions. He then engages Diamantina in a battle that is evenly matched, but when he drops his defenses to save Katsu and Eleonore who fall from the rocket, most of his body is destroyed. Just before he tries to shut down in despair, Katsu appears and embraces him, causing him to shut down.
[Karakuri Circus] The Four Oldest Members of the Midnight Circus: "Dottore"
Source: Karakuri Circus © Kazuhiro Fujita, Shogakukan / Twin Engine
One of the oldest automatons created by the alchemist Shirogane. It was the automaton that murdered Lucille's son 200 years ago, and Lucille's lifelong desire was to drive Dottore to despair and kill him. During the battle in the Sahara, while the other automatons were immobilized by the Angelina Doll's curse, Dottore was the only one who could barely move.
The End of Despair
Source: Karakuri Circus © Kazuhiro Fujita, Shogakukan / Twin Engine
Provoked by Lucille, he completely escapes the Angelina Doll's curse by thinking, "Francine has nothing to do with me," and kills Lucille. However, this meant giving up her reason for existence, so she wiped the pseudo-bodily fluids from her body and, in despair, ceased functioning. Unlike the other three, she never recovered.
Midnight Circus Automata Main Character Summary
Automata were portrayed as enemies of humanity, spreading the Zonaha disease. While they were mortal enemies of Shirogane and Narumi Kato, they were actually able to understand each other. The final scene of the automaton, in which she lived as a doll and lost her reason for existence but ultimately achieved her goal, is one of the most memorable scenes in the series, so be sure to check it out!
