Synopsis
Narumi Katou, a middle-aged man, suffers from the rare and unexplained ZONAPHA Syndrome, which causes random, severe seizures that can only be alleviated by witnessing someone laugh. While working a part-time job, he encounters a young boy carrying a large suitcase, fleeing from three adults. The boy, Masaru Saiga, reveals he is the new heir to the vast Saiga Enterprises after his father's recent death, and that other family members are plotting to kill him to seize the inheritance. Determined to protect the child, Narumi helps Masaru escape and battles their pursuers, only to discover they are sentient humanoid puppets with superhuman strength. As Narumi is on the verge of defeat, a white-haired girl appears and summons another puppet from the boy's suitcase, introducing herself as Shirogane, Masaru's guardian. Karakuri Circus follows three individuals from different walks of life whose fates become intertwined and diverge as they uncover the secrets of an ancient story of love and betrayal, and the long-standing conflict between humans and puppets.