Gaignun Kukai

Gaignun Kukai, whose real name is Nigredo is a supporting character in the Xenosaga series. He is chairman of the Kukai Foundation.

History
Gaignun is one of the few remaining U.R.T.V.s. While he is officially the first son and heir to the industrialist Soze Kukai, this is a fake cover story. He was a designer child specifically designed along with the other U.R.T.V.s to be an anti-thesis to U-DO. Gaignun was U.R.T.V. number 669, a number that can be seen in the palm of his hand. He has the ability to telepathically communicate with Junior and use his voice to hypnotically manipulate people. His real name is Nigredo. Flashbacks in Episode I show a young Nigredo having to shoot at another U.R.T.V. as well as being attacked by a young Albedo. In Episode II we see Gaignun spending time with Junior and Albedo, including them visiting Sakura Mizrahi. We also see Canaan and chaos recovering him during the Miltian Conflict. Along with the others he meets Citrine for the first time. Citrine later talks with him alone, saying their duty is to manage and subdue the violent nature of the Red Dragon (Junior). Another flashback reveals that Nigredo shot and killed his "father" Dmitri Yuriev.

Gaignun was born in T.C. 4741 and is presently 26 years old. He holds the role of Chairman for the Kukai Foundation, a special foundation based out of the Miltian star system. He has a good reputation for helping to protect victims in the days before the Species Preservation Act.

Episode I
Gaignun first appears in the game when the party heads to the Kukai Foundation. He comes to personally meet Shion and the others. Gaignun was in communication with Juli Mizrahi and tells MOMO that they'll ensure she gets to Second Miltia safely. Gaignun and Junior speak in private a little later and Gaignun believes Shion to not be as ordinary as Junior thinks. He provides Junior with a special gun as a present he won at a recent auction. Later, Gaignun speaks with Representative Helmer, with whom he has a long standing relationship. Gaignun tells him about their recovery of the Zohar Emulator and MOMO.

When the U-TIC Organization frames the Kukai Foundation for the destruction of the Woglinde, Gaignun is arrested along with the others. However the Federation Officer in charge, Lapis Roman, is an agent of Helmer's and arranges for Gaignun to be able to speak with him. He is eventually freed once Shion and the others are able to find evidence of their innocence within KOS-MOS' Encephalon. With the arrival of the Song of Nephilim and a large amount of gnosis, Gaignun and the Kukai Foundation have their hands full fighting off the gnosis while Junior and the others head to the Song of Nephilim, and after that Proto Merkabah. Gaignun's last scene in the game is a conversation with Helmer about U-TIC's target being on Miltia and him revealing to him that Albedo is still alive.

Episode II
Junior contacts Gaignun when they are chased through the streets of Second Miltia, but Gaignun finds himself a bit out of it, wondering what he was doing. He later meets with Helmer who asks him to do some reconnaissance. Gaignun and Albedo are able to communicate with each other through their mind. Albedo says Gaignun's true form is an executioner and taunts him over hanging around Junior while waiting to carry out his mission. Gaignun cuts the communication causing Albedo's arm to vanish, although he immediately regenerates it. Gaignun heads to the U.M.N. Control Center when they are about to investigate the Y-Data in MOMO.

It is later revealed that Dmitri Yuriev has the ability to restore his consciousness, using Gaignun as a vessel, which he does. Gaignun eventually regains control back over his body. He says for Junior to not trust his words.