Kirigi

Kirigi is a fictional ninja assassin appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. After being resurrected by The Hand, he works as an operative for the group. He is extremely strong, and is both a weapons master and an accomplished martial artist with an ability to use a form of meditation that allows him to recover from otherwise-mortal wounds.

Publication history

Kirigi first appeared in Daredevil #174-176 (September-November 1981), and was created by Frank Miller.^[1]

The character subsequently appears in Daredevil #187-188 (October-November 1982).^[1]

Fictional character biography

While it is known that the ninjas of ancient Japan feared Kirigi, little else is known of his history.

Kirigi is an opponent of both The Chaste, a group commanded by Stick, and two of Stick's former pupils, Daredevil and Elektra Natchios. This hatred eventually prompts the Hand to resurrect him in order to destroy Elektra. This plot eventually reaches its climax as Elektra, walking into a trap laid by the Hand, attempts to kill the Hand's Jonin (ninja master) with the assistance of Daredevil. Instead of meeting the Jonin, she meets Kirigi. In response, she stabs him with two sai; however, he merely pulls them out effortlessly. He then dupes her into going for her sai, only to choke her with his rope knife. However, she manages to impale him with her blade, forcing him to break off the fight. A day later, however, he returns to attack Elektra again after recovering from his wounds using meditation and mystic ointments. Once again, a fierce battle ensues. Elektra flees into a semi-rig and smashes into him at a high speed. She then leaps out of the semi-rig before it explodes. In spite of this, Kirigi merely stands back up, though his skin is still engulfed in flames. Finally, Elektra simply decapitates him as he tries to regain his bearings, saying: "God or demon, Kirigi had a neck and that was human enough."^[2][3]

Several Hand ninjas soon clash with the Chaste and Daredevil and sacrifice their lives in order to resurrect Kirigi once again, to aid them in their battle against the Chaste and Daredevil. At the moment, Daredevil has temporarily lost control of his enhanced senses and is in an isolation tank with Stick, who is trying to help him regain control of them. The newly revived Kirigi attempts to ambush Stick, but he is no match for the Chaste warriors, who collectively are able to defeat him. Stick then orders Kirigi's body destroyed to prevent him from being resurrected once again.^[4]

Powers and abilities

Kirigi has a seemingly superhuman resistance to pain and injury. He is capable of lifting at least 1,000 pounds. Both a weapons master and an accomplished martial artist, his various areas of expertise include the use of the Katana, Shuriken, Kyoketsu Shogi (rope knife), and sai. In addition, the use of a form of meditation allows him to recover from otherwise-mortal wounds. As a result, he is virtually impervious to all but devastating wounds.

In other media

Film

Kirigi as portrayed in the film Elektra

• In the 2005 film, Elektra, Kirigi is portrayed by Will Yun Lee. In addition to being a master swordsman, Kirigi is able to move and attack at superhuman speed. Elektra challenged Kirigi in a final battle on who should get the Treasure, which was a girl named Abby. They fought but Kirigi got the upper hand, beating Elektra around until she realized he killed her mother when she was a child. Kirigi then ran up to her, but Elektra stabbed him in the chest with her sai and threw him into a well, where he disintegrated while falling.

Video games

• Kirigi is a boss in the Daredevil video game tie-in to the live-action Daredevil film. In the game, he believes that Daredevil was working for the Kingpin and he has sent the Daredevil to kill him, since the Hand was at war with the Kingpin's gang. Kirigi is seemingly killed by Daredevil after he defeats him.
• Kirigi appears as a villain in the MMO Marvel Heroes.

References

1. 1 2 Jeff Christiansen (1 May 2005). "Kirigi (Hand, Elektra foe)". Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe. Retrieved 22 November 2011. 
2. ↑ Daredevil Vol1 #175-176 (October November 1981)
3. ↑ "The Hand – The life and (first) death of Kirigi". The Other Murdock Papers. 14 March 2010. Retrieved 22 November 2011. 
4. ↑ Daredevil Vol1 #187-188 (October November 1982)

External links

• Kirigi at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe