Iron Maiden Jeanne
Summary
Iron Maiden Jeanne is a fictional character from the anime series Shaman King, voiced by Yui Horie in the Japanese version. Born on March 2, 1990, in Mont Saint-Michel, France, she is an 11-year-old shaman with AB blood type and serves as the leader of the X-Laws. Her title reflects her method of increasing strength by remaining in a near-death state within an iron maiden, a device she rarely leaves unless absolutely necessary, believing her suffering brings justice to the world. Although her iron maiden was eventually crushed beyond repair, she remains known for her red eyes, pale hair, and fragile appearance. She possesses immense charisma, described as a "princess" by Tamao Tamamura upon first hearing her speak. Jeanne’s backstory suggests she is named after Jeanne D’Arc and was originally a French country girl who received a divine revelation at age ten. A cross of light appeared while she prayed in a Catholic church, and a mysterious voice warned that the world would be destroyed unless purged of evil. Recognizing Hao Asakura as this evil force, she chose to become a shaman. Her passionate hatred stems from viewing Hao as the ultimate evil, though this has detached her from humanity and blinded her to moral nuance. Despite being soft-spoken and compassionate toward her followers, particularly the young Lyserg Diethel whom she defended against Marco’s harshness, she indiscriminately kills anyone who does not surrender to her pleas for peace. In this regard, Jeanne mirrors Hao, as both believe their actions are justified by the end results and that they are helping the world. The key difference lies in their self-awareness: Jeanne genuinely believes she is stopping conflict and that her fighting is beneficial despite the casualties, whereas Hao is fully aware of his evil nature. When in her armored form, she wears spiked sandals that pierce her feet without causing pain and a large lock on her abdomen resembling a chastity belt, symbols of self-flagellation. Although she appears emotionless, her eyes well up with tears when sad, and the eyes on her iron maiden weep blood to reflect her own sorrow.
