{{{English}}} (キバ , Kiba) is the main protagonist of Wolf's Rain and the very first wolf to be introduced. He is destined to find the Lunar Flower and open the way to Paradise. He becomes a leader for the pack during their journey, always believing in a way to reach their destination. He always believes in Paradise.
Naming
In Japanese, Kiba's name is spelled with Katakana. The Kanji that would be used for "Kiba" would be "牙", meaning "tusk" or "fang".
This name is often given to various anime characters with animal or beast-like qualities. The name especially suits Kiba as he is a white wolf with large white fangs.
Appearance
Human
In his human form, he is a very handsome and very attractive young man with medium brown hair and icy, sky-blue eyes. His clothing consists of a white shirt, a grey/black jacket with rolled sleeves, blue jeans, and black and white sneakers. He usually is seen with his hands in the pockets of his jacket.
Wolf
In his natural form, Kiba is an arctic wolf with yellow eyes.
Personality
At first glance, Kiba seems to be an aloof and distant individual who always keeps his cool. He takes great pride in being a wolf, and dislikes humans for the mass hunting and killing of wolves. Constantly being hunted himself, Kiba is irritated when wolves use their human disguises, feeling as if they no pride.
Despite having a calm disposition, he can have a temper and tends to be impulsive; acting mainly on his instincts or his "heart", rather than his head. Kiba's mistrust early on in the series, and natural pride as a wolf makes him reluctant to disguise himself as a human. He changes when he meets Hige, who tells him that his "pride won't count for much when he's dead."
He is also shown to be very courageous, always willing to save and protect his friends when in danger. He becomes especially protective of Cheza, whom he remains utterly devoted to until the end of the series; often risking his life to rescue her from the Nobles and other abductors.
Background
When he was a pup, his pack and family burned in a dangerous forest fire caused by Lady Jaguara. He was then raised by a Native American shaman. The shaman told him, "The lunar flowers had sheltered him from the flames, because they knew he would find Paradise." He told Kiba that he had "A great journey ahead of him."
When Kiba begins his quest to find Paradise, he does it in the hope that he will "find a future." It is revealed later in the series that he is in fact the chosen one, who is destined to find and open Paradise.
Plot
Anime
Kiba first met Tsume when his gang found him resting among the roots of a tree. After warning them that "That's no dog." Kiba kills the member whom had reached their hand out to test Tsume's words, with a crushing bite to neck.
Although hurt, he challenges Tsume and the two run off at a break-neck pace; Later having to withdrawing when Gehl intervenes.
After his confrontation with Tsume, Kiba is grazed by a bullet in the streets from Quent Yaiden. Playing-dead, he's taken to a government facility where he meets Hige.
OVA
In the final episode, all except for Lord Darcia III, Cheza and Kiba are left in the place where Paradise is said to be opened. Kiba fights Darcia, but Darcia defeats him and injures Cheza; swallowing some of her poisonous blood in the process.
Kiba and Cheza reunite, but Cheza tells Kiba that the world will freeze over and soon she'll disappear too. She tells him that she's a forged Hanabito and that she can finally become her true form. She tells Kiba that "the world will close up" and that they'll be separated for a while. Because Kiba protected her, the flowers will bloom again in the new world. When Paradise opens in the next world, she tells him they'll meet again and that he should try to find her. She then disintegrates into seeds in front of him.
Kiba lets out a cry of anguish at the loss of his last living companion and begins to walk across the cold, desolate snow-plane; holding a broken and wilted Lunar Flower in his teeth. He walks until he collapses to the ground, knowing that his quest to find Paradise failed. He asks himself why he's so desperate to find it even when he knows there's no such place, and that he can hear someone's voice calling to him, "Search for Paradise."
As he lies dying in the snow, the world freezes over and the snow falling from the sky turns into rain; causing Cheza's seeds to sprout and grow into thousands of Lunar Flowers. The snow melts and morning comes, revealing Paradise. Kiba is the only one to catch a glimpse of Paradise, before falling through the now unfrozen pool of Paradise.
It is not until the last scene of the last episode that Kiba is seen again, walking through town before sprinting off; presumably to once again begin his search for Paradise.
Relationships
Cheza
Kiba's relationship with Cheza is not a romantic one; despite how it may appear. The relationship is that of a platonic-love. As the chosen wolf, Kiba is bound to Cheza by fate. He will protect her at any and all costs.
Hige
Tsume
Toboe
Blue
Lord Darcia III
Mew
Quotes
- "They say there's no such place as Paradise. Even if you search to the ends of the earth, there's nothing there. No matter how far you walk, it's always the same road. It just goes on and on... But in spite of that, why am I so driven to find it? A voice calls to me. It says, 'Search for Paradise'."
- "Why? Why do humans always look to the sky? Why do you try so hard to fly when you don't have any wings? We use what we've been given. We'll run - on our own legs for as long as it takes!"
- "Possibly. We're all going to die, it's a natural part of life. But if life has no purpose then you're dead already."
Gallery
Trivia
- Mamoru Miyano felt that Kiba was a "wolf of few words" and that his quiet nature made it hard to know what he might be thinking.
- In the end of the manga, Kiba becomes blind in both eyes after a long struggle against Darcia.
- In the manga, Blue is captured by Lord Darcia III in order to us her to force open Paradise. In the anime, Kiba is captured by Lady Jaguara for the same purpose.
- Unlike the rest of the wolves in his pack, Kiba is the only one who does not retain a feature from his wolf form while in his human-guise.