Shinigami (Bleach)
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Shinigami (死神, lit. God(s) of Death), in the anime and manga series Bleach (Soul reapers or Death gods in English translations), are a group of enforcers and psychopomps. They are pure-spirit beings; their bodies are composed of ectoplasm (reishi).
To beings who are not spiritually aware (including most humans), a shinigami is imperceptible. However, if a shinigami were to move or otherwise affect a physical object, it would be noticeable. They are based in their own world, Soul Society, but can travel to the human world and back. Travel to the human world is extremely limited and monitored, and it is a crime to stay in the human world longer than necessary. A shinigami's duties include leading Pluses to Soul Society in a practice called soul burial, and the cleansing of hollows. Later in the series, more clarification is given and it is revealed that the shinigami also govern the flow of spirits between the two worlds (human and Soul Society).
A rogue group of shinigami has also acquired hollow powers. The group is called the vizard.
Government and law
The main authority of the shinigami are the , who serve the shinigami royalty (the ruling class of all Soul Society). The Central 46 Chambers are made up of 40 wise men and 6 judges. They are sealed into an enclave in Seireitei called seijōtōkyorin (清浄塔居林) and no one else may enter it, regardless of their military or civilian status. The decisions of the 46 Chambers are final, must be carried out, and may not be questioned by any person, regardless of status, even if they require the mobilization of the shinigami army.
The only shinigami force which does not answer to the Central 46 Chambers is the , which is said to have considerable power and tactical knowledge. The Shinigami Academy also does not answer to the Central 46 Chambers.Bleach databook; page 98.
Judiciary
The Central 46 Chambers also act as the shinigami judiciary and are responsible for judging and sentencing shinigami who have committed serious crimes such as murder or treason. Punishments for less serious crimes may be given by other authorities, such as shinigami captains.It is implied that the Central 46 Chambers mostly deal with executions. There are several forms of executions in Soul Society, although only two have been revealed:
- Spirit-sealing pit - an ancient form of execution which is no longer used, in which shinigami criminals were thrown into a pit which was made of deathstone - a rare type of stone that did not let the spirits inside use their spiritual power (reiatsu). Hollows were then placed in the pit along with the shinigami, who would battle them till his death.Bleach manga; chapter 87, page 5.
- Sōkyoku (双殛) - a form of execution used only for shinigami captains and Rukia Kuchiki, it involves placing a shinigami on an execution stand and releasing a giant halberd called Sōkyoku on them. When released, Sōkyoku takes on the form of a phoenix, its true form, called KikōōBleach manga; chapter 150, page 15.. The Kikōō has the destructive power of a million zanpakutō, and that power is increased by more than 10 at the moment it pierces its victimBleach manga; chapter 131, page 2..
Army
The shinigami army has three corps: Gotei 13 (Thirteen Court Divisions), Demon Arts corps, and the Onmitsukidō (Covert/Special Ops corps).Demon Arts Corps
There is currently little information on the , except that it takes students from the Shinigami Academy that excel in demon arts, and that its operations are absolute secrecy. Bleach databook; page 98.The demon arts corps is responsible for opening the between the Human World and Soul Society.Bleach manga; chapter 231, page 4.
Covert Ops Corps
Also called Special Ops and Secret Mobile Unit/Corps (the latter being the more accurate translation), the has five divisions. The top rank is the and the fifth division is called the Reversal Counter Force or .Bleach databook; page 98. Other division names or functions are unknown.Formerly headed by Yoruichi Shihouin, the current leader of the Covert Ops is Captain Soifon of the Gotei 13's 2nd Division. There is little other information about the Covert Ops' operations.
Ranks
A , the real-life equivalent being Lieutenant General, heads the Covert Ops Corps.Although it is unknown how other ranks work in the corps, like in Gotei 13, the leader of the corps generally also commands its top division, which is the Executive Militia, but unlike in the Gotei 13, the corps commander has several bodyguards.
Uniforms
Although the general Covert Ops corps uniform appears to be the standard shinigami uniform, the Executive Militia uniform is different from the Gotei 13. Overall, it resembles a ninja uniform. It has no visible white undergarments and the sash is dark as opposed to white. A headpiece covers the bottom part of the face and sometimes the top, but not the eyes; they wear no sandals, but only socks, and tight bands are on the legs and arms to keep the clothes from moving too much, which both are presumably for silence of movement.
Note: In the anime, members of the Executive Militia also wear their head covering on the top, not just the bottom (see image). Also, the sash is black.
The leader of the militia wears the same uniform, except that the shoulders and back are exposed, because they can use shunkō (瞬閧), an advanced technique that combines hand to hand combat and demon arts, which causes high spiritual pressure to accumulate at the shoulders and back, blasting away fabric at the shoulders and back.Bleach manga; chapter 158, pages 15-16.
The Correctional Force uniform is radically different. The soldiers wear a white uniform, a long piece of headgear, and a backpack.Bleach databook; page 98.
Gotei 13
The Gotei 13 (護廷十三隊 goteijūsantai) has 13 divisions (hence the name). Although each of the division could have a specialization, there is too little information to reveal most of them. Notably, the 4th Division is the medic/supply division, the 11th Division is the battle division (specialization in swordsmanship), and the 12th Division is the research/scientific division.
Ranks
As with any other army, the Gotei 13 has ranks. There are 21 ranks for officers but no ranks for non-officers. The ranks and their descriptions are below, from highest to lowest.Sōtaichō (総隊長, lit. General commander or Commander-General) - this rank is the Commander-General of the Gotei 13 and the Captain of the 1st Division; the implication is that this is an ex officio. The current holder of this title is Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai.
- Note: some fansub and scanlation groups have translated it as Captain-Commander, probably to avoid confusion.
Captains are the most respected shinigami (with the Central 46, Demon Art Corps, and Covert Ops Corps leaders possibly being on equal status), and are undisputably the most prominent shinigami. Every captain in Gotei 13 history has been able to use the final release of the zanpakutō (bankai), except Kenpachi Zaraki, who won his status through sheer strength. Knowing the final release gives captains a default strength advantage of 5 to 10 times over shinigami who are not able to perform it. However, knowing it is only a fraction (although a large one) of a captain's power. They have also extensively trained, if not mastered, their final releases, allowing them to actually use the enormous power and size of their final releases effectively in battle. Most captains are also skilled in the use of flash steps, demon arts, and generally have excellent knowledge of shinigami history and battle tactics. All of these factors create a huge power-gap between captains and the next highest level; a captain can generally defeat several lieutenants at once without even needing to release his bankai.
There are three ways to become a Gotei 13 captain:Bleach manga; chapter 146, page 1.
- To take the captain proficiency test (隊首 taishu), which requires the knowledge of the final release (bankai). Presumably, most shinigami become captains using this method. At least three existing captains, including the Commander-General, have to witness the test.
- To have personal recommendations from at least 6 captains, and approval from at least 3 of the remaining 7.
- To defeat a captain one-on-one with at least 200 witnesses from the captain’s division. Kenpachi Zaraki is the only known captain who achieved his rank using this method.
Lieutenants function as executive officers for their division and take care of day-to-day operations as well as supervise them. They (along with their captain) are not assigned to one specific squad.[#endnote_squad] They generally only know shikai, but are the second strongest in their division. Some have gained bankai; this is natural seeing as they would be the most seasoned and skilled shikai users. However, these lieutenants are still not fully at the level of a captain for previously mentioned reasons, namely their relative lack of battle experience. In the case of a division captain's death, departure, or other circumstances making him unable to perform his duties, the lieutenant acts as the substitute captain in his place, until another can be assigned.
Seated officers - all Gotei 13 officers who hold lower ranks than the above, are referred to as seated officers. Captains have the rank of 1st Seat and lieutenants are 2nd Seat. Next to that, there are 18 more seats (3rd to 20th). 3rd seat officers are ranked higher than 4th seat, etc. There seems to be a distinction between senior and junior seated officers, just like in real-life armies. In Gotei 13, only one person can hold a senior officer rank (such as 3rd or 5th seat), but there are several holdiers of junior officer ranks (e.g. 20th seat). This may vary from division to division however, as there are two 3rd Seats in the 13th Division. In Japanese, the rank is usually spelled using the seat number followed by the word 'seat' (席 seki), e.g. (三席 sanzeki), although sometimes the word 'No.' (第, dai) is used, e.g. (第三席 daisanzeki).
Each seated officer apparently leads a squad, although this is not certain.
Uniforms
Most Gotei 13 personnel wear the standard shinigami uniform, called shihakushō (死覇装) - a white undershirt, a black kimono and hakama, and a white sash. Lieutenants sometimes also wear an armband, which carries their division symbol and its number. They are required to do this when they are summoned to a meeting.
Captains wear a white haori over the usual black shinigami clothes, with the number of their division on the back, inside the Gotei 13 symbol (a rhombus).
Gotei 13 officers, particularly captains and lieutenants, often customize their personal appearance or that of their uniform. Some of these modifications include:
- Captain Retsu Unohana of the 4th Division wears an obi sash rather than a standard one.
- Captain Byakuya Kuchiki of the 6th Division wears an extremely expensive scarf named Ginpaku Kazahana no Uzuginu around his neck and shoulders.
- Captain Shunsui Kyōraku of the 8th Division is probably the most flamboyantly dressed of the captains, always seen wearing a straw hat and a gaudily-colored kimono over his uniform.
- Lieutenant Chōjirō Sasakibe of the 1st Division wears a jinbaori over the shihakushō.
- Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto of the 10th Division wears a top that is deliberately loose. It hangs open, revealing her ample bosom. She also wears her lieutenant's badge around her waist with her sash, tied in a bow.
- Lieutenant Nemu Kurotsuchi of the 12th Division has a very abbreviated outfit: the hakama is absent, leaving her in something of a mini-skirt version of the kimono that is belted at the waist.
Insignia
Each of the 13 divisions in Gotei 13 have their own symbol that represents the division's primary role, and in turn, each symbol has a meaning. For instance, the 11th Division symbol is a rhombus with 7 stars and means 'fight' while the camellia symbol of the 6th Division means 'noble reasoning'. Not all symbols and meanings have been clearly revealed. However, the ones that have been are in the illustration to the right (click the image to enlarge). All of them seem to have their basis in flowers.
Captain and lieutenant listings
- The main listings for each division can be found on the Characters in Bleach series page.
| Division 1 | Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai Chōjirō Sasakibe | Division 8 | Shunsui Kyōraku Nanao Ise |
| Division 2 | Soifon Marechiyo Ōmaeda | Division 9 | formerly Kaname Tōsen Shūhei Hisagi |
| Division 3 | formerly Gin Ichimaru Izuru Kira | Division 10 | Tōshirō Hitsugaya Rangiku Matsumoto |
| Division 4 | Retsu Unohana Isane Kotetsu | Division 11 | Kenpachi Zaraki Yachiru Kusajishi |
| Division 5 | formerly Sōsuke Aizen Momo Hinamori | Division 12 | Mayuri Kurotsuchi Nemu Kurotsuchi |
| Division 6 | Byakuya Kuchiki Renji Abarai | Division 13 | Jūshirō Ukitake formerly Kaien Shiba |
| Division 7 | Sajin Komamura Tetsuzaemon Iba |
Combat
The shinigami have four forms of combat: zanjutsu (swordsmanship), hakuda (hand-to-hand), hohō (foot combat) and kidō (demon arts).Zanjutsu
Probably the most common and well known of the four forms of shinigami combat is zanjutsu (斬術, lit. cutting technique; translated as swordsmanship). In this form of combat, a shinigami fights with the shinigami's zanpakutō. The zanpakutō (lit. soul cutting sword; translated to soul cutter in the American version) is the shinigami's weapon and the measure of the shinigami's power and ability. Although it looks similar to a katana, it is actually a living part of the shinigami. In addition to its basic form, each zanpakutō has two enhanced forms: shikai ("initial release") and bankai ("full release"); the shape of the sword varies radically to suit the shinigami's needs. Senior shinigami usually master the shikai; only the strongest of the shinigami, usually captains and above, are able to use bankai.Hakuda
There is currently little information about hakuda (白打, lit. white hits, refers to hand-to-hand combat). Covert Ops corps troops, especially those of higher ranks such as Soifon, are known to be well-trained in hand-to-hand combat.Hohō
Not much is known about hohō (歩法, foot combat). Flash Steps (shunpo), essentially moving faster than normal eyes can follow (so that one appears to teleport), is the only technique that has thus far been implied (in the anime) to belong to this type of combat.Kidō
The demon arts (鬼道 kidō) are a type of combat or healing sorcery used by shinigami. Demon arts spells are divided into two major groups: blast spells (破道 hadō), used for direct attack, and binding spells (縛道 bakudō), which are spells that restrain or involves restraining someone. To perform a demon arts spell, one must call out the incantation for the spell, similar to releasing a zanpakutō. It is also possible to bypass the incantation for spells, as with the shikai release, however, each level gets successively harder to cast with success or full effectiveness. Even experienced captains cannot bypass a level 90 spell while maintaining its full power.
Training
The majority of training for individuals wanting to become shinigami is done through the Shinigami Academy. This is a 6-year academy, training its students to fight hollows (see Combat) and do soul burial duties.
While it is not clear, this academy seems to have been founded by Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai about 2000 years before the main Bleach storyline.
Operations and mission aids
The shinigami undertake a multitude of operations, which include soul burial, battling hollows, etc. Most of these occur in the human world (outside of Soul Society). It should be noted that all shinigami captains and lieutenants have their spiritual energy reduced by about 80% when they enter the human world by use of a spiritual limit, represented by a seal resembling the symbol of their division, in order not to cause unnecessary influence on humans who are susceptible to spiritual power. In extreme cases in which their full power is needed, however, they can request a limit release.Faux body
Because some operations may take a long time, shinigami need a way to stay in the human world for long periods of time (which they can't do in spirit form), interact with the living, or recover their powers when need arises. Thus, the faux body was developed.A faux body (義骸 gigai) is an artificial body that allows shinigami to remain in the human world for an extended period (either due to temporary loss of powers or extended missions). While the body is synthetic, it appears and operates in every way to a natural one and is designed to perfectly mimic a living human body. Unlike the normal shinigami body, a faux body is detectable by humans who are not spiritually aware.
Modified souls
Because shinigami battle hollows, and there are likely more hollows than shinigami, they may require assistance in battling hollows. Thus, the modsoul (modified soul) project was born.Modified souls (改造魂魄 kaizō konpaku) were a short-lived experiment by the shinigami to create souls specialized in combat that could possess dead human bodies to be used as soldiers to combat hollows. These artificial combat souls could enhance parts of the body to achieve feats of superhuman ability such as super-speed or strength.Bleach manga; chapter 15, page 9. Modsouls were exterminated after the experiment proved to be a failure (due to ethical reasons). One out of a batch of these modsouls, for reasons unknown, made its way to the human world, where Rukia and Ichigo obtained it and unknowingly let it loose. Despite a standing order to dispose of all modsouls, they let this one remain, naming it Kon and placing it into the body of a lion plushie. Rukia and Ichigo use Kon to possess Ichigo's body (which technically becomes a corpse) when his soul is expelled from his body to fight as a shinigami.
Memory replacement
In some cases, a human witnesses a shinigami purify a hollow or affect his surroundings in a significant way. To keep the incident a secret, shinigami perform memory replacement with an item called kikanshinki (similar to the memory replacer in Men in Black). However, the new memory that the human acquires is random and often far-fetched.Notes
- ↑ Although they are sometimes used interchangeably in fansubs and scanlations, a squad in Gotei 13 should not be confused with a division. A captain (taichō) leads a division, while squads (units of 10 or so troops) are led by a seated officer, possibly as low as a 20th seat.
References
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