KIGAN
キガーン · Kigān
“Your toys can’t defeat me!”
– Kigan to Sailor Moon
While I’m only now getting to Sailor Mars’ debut, I’m also doing so in October. The month for all things eerie and otherworldly is perfect for the Sailor Senshi who’s most predisposed to fight against evil. And after seeing how Mars handled herself here, I asked myself, “Why couldn’t have Luna awakened her first?”
As with Mercury’s introduction, this Sailor Moon episode follows the corresponding manga act somewhat closely. Naturally there are differences along the way, with one of the biggest being the presence of a monster. In the manga, Mars’ first opponent was none other than Jadeite.
WHEN AND WHERE
In Episode 10, The Cursed Bus: Enter Mars, the Senshi of Fire, a rash of disappearances leads Usagi, Ami and Luna to the Hikawa Shrine near Sendai Hill. Rumors have been flying around about that place, plus the young shrine maiden, Rei Hino, who works and lives there. Could she somehow be responsible for all the missing girls? Or is the shrine’s mysterious new employee, one who bears a striking resemblance to Sailor Moon’s blonde adversary Jadeite, really to blame?
ETYMOLOGY
Yōma Kigan, a.k.a. Kigaan or Kigarn, is named after a kigan (祈願), a type of special prayer or blessing performed at shrines. However, the spelling of her name includes a long “ga,” which is indicated in the katakana spelling. And as far as I know, this monster’s name wasn’t said on screen in either the original Japanese episode, or in DiC’s English adaptation (An Uncharmed Life). Tokyo Pop/SMILE Books’ novelization of the story, from the third volume titled Mars Attacks, also doesn’t mention an official name.
Something else of note: the picture book version of Episode 10 called the monster “Gigan” or “Gigarn” (ギガーン). That’s not to be confused with Gigan, the Godzilla kaijū whose name is spelled as Gaigan (ガイガン) in Japanese.
DESIGN
Kigan’s motif, if she even has one, is unclear. Appearance-wise she’s in line with other early Yōma, who were all fierce, demonic, and, in most cases, creepy. Kigan’s limbs are especially gaunt and withered with a face to match.
The more I look at Kigan’s birdlike legs, taloned feet and black ensemble, I wonder if she was ever meant to resemble a crow. Her arm warmers (?) and shoulders come across as feathery as well. This avian design would make sense, given how Rei’s shrine is home to many crows, including Phobos and Deimos. There is also the crow deity Yatagarasu from Shinto mythology. In my headcanon, an original draft of the script had Kigan disguising herself as a crow to get Rei’s confidence.
THE BATTLE
The episode’s third act is where it largely diverges from the source material. First of all, there was no Yōma in Act 3 of the manga; Jadeite was the only opponent. And in the same chapter, Sailor Mars killed the first Shitennō, using Akuryō Taisan, after Sailor Moon trapped him with her tiara. More or less, this is what happened in the picture book adaptation (see below). Both the anime and picture book, by the way, didn’t bother to have Luna remotely activate the tiara’s trapping ability via computer. I still don’t quite understand how she did that.
Sailor Mercury directly aided her fellow Senshi in the manga, whereas in the anime, she was absent from the other-dimensional encounter with Kigan. Instead, Ami stayed behind and used her Transformation Pen to keep the rift open long enough for everyone to escape. The picture book, on the other hand, shows Mercury using her Bubble Spray to free Rei from Kigan’s grasp. I imagine these illustrated companions operated the same way as film novelizations; they sometimes drew from an earlier draft of the script.
EPILOGUE
Sidelining Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Moon to an extent, allowed for Sailor Mars to shine in her first outing. And with one roaring inferno, Mars was the first supporting Senshi to destroy a monster by herself. So, right from the beginning, the anime established Mars as a force to be reckoned with.
It’s safe to assume Kigan was created so the anime could keep Jadeite around for a few more episodes. Yet, giving an underling like Kigan the ability to withstand Moon Tiara Action was an odd choice. We hadn’t even reached that portion of the anime where the tiara was no longer fatal! Here, though, Kigan took hold of the tiara and wasn’t instantly vaporized. That sort of feat would make sense for an upper-level bad guy, such as Jadeite, but a basic Yōma? That’s one area where the manga-to-anime translation got murky.
Subbing in a minion to avoid killing off Jadeite too soon raises a question. Are Moon and Mars equal, in terms of power? In Sailor Moon’s current state, and before she acquired the Moon Stick and Silver Crystal, I reckon they are on the same level. Keep in mind, Mars was even stronger in the manga, considering how she singlehandedly offed a Shitennō.
Next time on Sailor Moon, we get to see all three Sailor Senshi in action, and they run afoul of one of my favorite Yōma. 🌙
Tales from the Paulside 
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