It was named after the 'red ogre' in an ogre-related legend surrounding the Oe-yama mountain range, which towers over the Miyafuku Line of Kitakinki Tango Railway Corporation, on which this train also runs.
走行路線の一つである北近畿タンゴ鉄道宮福線沿線に聳え立つ大江山の鬼伝説から取って、その中の「赤鬼」にちなんでいる。