Post by Mike on Apr 9, 2009 9:05:05 GMT -5
Shinigami
What is a Shinigami?
Shinigami are departed human souls that have gained supernatural powers. They can only be seen by other spiritually aware entities, which excludes most humans. Additionally, they can be injured and die like regular humans, though it takes considerably greater injuries for the latter to occur than it would in regular humans.
All Shinigami possess a zanpakutou ("soul-cutting sword"), a sword that has a spirit created by their powers. By learning the name of the sword's spirit, Shinigami can unlock more powerful forms of their zanpakutou. The first form, known as shikai ("initial release"), changes the sword's appearance to better facilitate its special abilities. The second form, known as bankai ("final release"), can only normally be achieved when a Soul Reaper trains with their zanpakutou for decades. Once achieved, the Shinigami can unlock their zanpakutou's full potential, increasing their own power several times over.
Many Shinigami are able to use kidou, a form of magic that can be performed by reciting a specific incantation (in time with a high skill level the incantation may not be needed). Most of the kidou spells seen in the series have been used as attacks, defensive measures, or to bind others, though they can also serve more specialized needs such as healing wounds or communication over long distances. Spells are ranked on a scale of 1 to 99, indicating their complexity and overall power.
Shinigami operations are based out of Soul Society, which is an afterlife in Bleach. Travel between the human world and Soul Society is extremely limited and monitored, but some Shinigami are stationed in the human world to carry out their duties. In addition, it is a crime for a Shinigami to remain in the human world longer than directed. There duties include leading pluses (good spirits) to Soul Society in a practice called soul burial (konsô), and the cleansing of hollows (evil spirits).
13 Division Imperial Guards; Gotei 13
The Gotei 13 ("goteijuusantai"), is the central organization which most Shinigami join. It is split into thirteen divisions, some of which have certain specializations. The 4th Division, for example, is the medical/supply division, while the 12th Division is the research/scientific division. Other military-forces exist apart from the Gotei 13 and serve more specialized capacities. The Kidou Corps ("kidoushuu") is a reclusive group that specializes in kidou and is left in charge of the gateway connecting Soul Society to the human world. The Stealth Forces ("onmitsukidou"), typically led by the captain of the 2nd Division, are tasked with surveillance, covert operations, and imprisoning potentially problematic Soul Reapers. The Zero Division, a secret group composed only of former captains, protects the royal family.
The Captains ("taichou") are the leaders of the thirteen divisions. Each controls a specific division with the exception of the Commander-General ("soutaichou"), who acts as both captain of the 1st Division and the leader of the Gotei 13; the implication is that this is an ex officio position. With one exception (Kenpachi Zaraki), all captains are able to perform the bankai of their zanpakutou. To achieve the position of captain a Shinigami must display great expertise with Shinigami abilities and battle tactics, and must be approved by either their fellow captains or the members of their division.
Lieutenants ("fukutaichou") are the adjutants to the captains in each division. In terms of rank, they hold the 2nd Seat in the division. In the case of a division captain's death, departure, or other circumstances making them unable to perform their duties, the lieutenant acts as the substitute captain until another captain can be assigned. The Seated officers ("sekikan") hold ranks from 3rd Seat to 20th Seat. While the single digit ranks are usually only assigned to a single officer, the lower ranks will often be held by several. Higher digit ranks may also lead secondary teams within the division; for instance, Hanatarou Yamada is the 4th Division's 7th seat and leader of the 14th Advanced Relief Team therein.
Kidou
--- Binding ("bakudou", literally "way of binding")
#1. Restrain ("sai") -- Locks a target's arms in place behind their back.
Incantation: unknown/none.
#4. Crawling Rope ("hainawa") -- An energy rope entangles a target's arms.
Incantation: unknown/none.
#8. Repulse ("seki") -- Creates a round shield that seems to temporarily paralyze and repel whatever strikes it.
Incantation: unknown/none.
#9. Strike ("geki") -- Engulfs a target in red light, completely paralyzing them.
Incantation: "Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini! Look upon yourself with horror and then claw out your own throat!"
#26. Curving Light ("kyakko") -- Hides the target from sight, presumably by bending light.
Incantation: unknown/none.
#30. Beak-Stab Triple Beam ("shitotsu sansen") -- Shoots three beams of light that pin the target to one place on a surface, slamming into his/her body in three places in a shape of a perfect triangle.
Incantation: unknown/none.
#37. Suspending Star ("tsuriboshi") -- Creates a star-shaped cushion of Spiritual Energy, which anchors it to nearby objects with "ropes" of spirit particles. It can stop falling objects, acting like a safety net.
Incantation: unknown/none.
#39. Arc Shield ("enkosen") -- Summons a shield of condensed Reiatsu to block opponents' attacks.
Incantation: unknown/none.
#58. Summoning of the Tracking Sparrows ("kakushitsuijaku") -- Tracks and locates any spiritual force the user focuses on. To activate it, the user must draw a circle on the ground, cut into four parts with a specific character in each. The incantation animates the circle, causing various numbers to appear within until the specific set is found. The number set seems to be a variation on longitude and latitude.
Incantation: "Heart of the south, eye of the north, finger of the west, foot of the east, arrive with the wind and depart with the rain."
#61. Six Rods Prison of Light ("rikujoukourou") -— Summons six thin, but wide, beams of light that slam into a target's midsection, holding them in place.
Incantation: "Carriage of Thunder. Bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide this into six!"
#62. Hundred Steps Fence ("hyapporankan") -— A rod formed of energy is thrown towards the target before it disintegrates into numerous short rods which are used to pin the target to the surroundings and render them immobile.
Incantation: unknown/none.
#63. Locking Bondage Stripes ("sajo sabaku") —- Binds the arms of a target. According to Hachigen Ushouda, physical strength alone should not be enough to break out of a level 60 Bakudou, however Kensei Muguruma was able to free himself from this Kidou; while in his Hollow form.
Incantation: unknown/none.
#73. ("tozansho") -- Creates a pyramid-shaped barrier around the caster.
Incantation: unknown/none.
#75. Quintet of 1 kan Iron Pillars ("gochuutekkan") -— Summons five incredibly tall and thick pillars to pin a target to the ground.
Incantation: "Walls of ironsand, a priestly pagoda, glowing ironclad fireflies. Standing upright, silent to the end."
#77. Heavenly Rickshaws in Silken Air ("tenteikuura") —- Transmits messages to anyone within Soul Society. In addition to reciting the spell, the user must draw specific markings on their arms, which are animated by the spell to convey the messages.
Incantation: "Black and white net. Twenty-two bridges, sixty-six crowns and belts. Footprints, distant thunder, sharp peak, engulfing land, hidden in the night, sea of clouds, blue line. Form a circle and fly though the heavens."
#81. Splitting Void ("danku") -— Creates an energy barrier in the form of a rectangular wall. According to Byakuya, it is capable of stopping destructive spells up to #89. This is seen also when Aizen uses it to block Tessai's hado #88.
Incantation: unknown/none.
#99, Part 1. Seal ("kin") -- Binds the arms of a target with spiritual fabric and iron shafts.
Incantation: unknown/none.
#99, Part 2. Great seal ("bankin") -- This spell covers a target from head to toe with spiritual fabric (first song), stabs them with numerous metal blades (second song), and then smashes them with an immense metal cube (final song).
Incantation: First song: Halting Fabric ("shokyoku: shiryuu"). Second song: hundred linked bolts ("nikyoku: hyakurensan"). Final song: Great seal of 10,000 forbiddings ("shuukyoku: bankin taihou").
--- Destructive ("hadou", literally "way of destruction")
Thrust ("shou") -- Pushes the target away from the caster.
Incantation: unknown/none.
#4. White Lightning ("byakurai") -- The user fires a concentrated, powerful lightning bolt from their finger. Rukia Kuchiki and Byakuya Kuchiki both used this spell and rarely other shinigami as well.
Incantation: unknown/none.
#11. Reading Lightning ("tsuzuri raiden") -- Electric current flows through any object the user touches and is able to lead electricity, damaging any target that is in contact with the object the current runs through.
Incantation: unknown/none.
#31. Shot of Red Fire ("shakkahou") -- Fires a ball of red energy at a target.
Incantation: "Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south!"
#33. Blue Fire, Crash Down ("soukatsui") -- Fires a burst of blue spiritual energy at a target in a similar manner to 31, but over a wider area and with more power.
Incantation: "Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws."
#54. Abolishing Flames ("haien") -- Fires a blast of purple spiritual energy that will incinerate a target completely when it makes contact.
Incantation: unknown/none.
#58. Orchid Sky ("tenran") -- A widening tornado-like blast is fired towards the target.
Incantation: unknown/none
#63. Thunder Roar Cannon ("raikouhou") -- Fires a massive wave of yellow energy at a target.
Incantation: "Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle!"
#63. Twin Lotus Blue Fire, Crash Down ("souren soukatsui") -- Essentially a doubled version of #33, this spell fires two shots of blue fire with greater potency than the single-shot variety. Labeled as 73 in the anime.
Incantation: "Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus. In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens."
#88. Flying Dragon-Striking Heaven-Shaking Thunder Cannon ("hiryugekizokushintenraiho") -- Fires a gigantic blast of spiritual energy resulting in an truly enormous explosion.
Incantation: unknown/none.
#90. Black Coffin ("kurohitsugi") -- Forms a box of black energy around a target, which is then pierced by dozens of energy "spears", lacerating the one inside from head to toe. Its appearance and function is reminiscent of a common magician's trick, as well as certain torture devices used during the Spanish Inquisition.
Incantation: unknown/none.
--- Forbidden Spells
Temporal Stasis ("jikanteishi") -- A forbidden spell used by Tessai along with Spatial Displacement. It is a spell that halts time in a specific area.
Spatial Displacement ("kuukanten'i") -- A forbidden spell used by Tessai with Temporal Stasis to teleport a specified portion of space from one point to another, transporting even other active Kidou spells.
--- Other
These spells are not explicitly stated to be in one category or the other.
Ambush Flare ("fushibi") -- Momo Hinamori uses this spell in conjunction with Shot of Red Fire. Rangiku Matsumoto states that it is number 12, but does not specify whether it is a Destructive or a Binding Spell.
White Crawl ("hakufuku") -- Momo Hinamori uses this spell while imprisoned to knock out a guard and destroy everything within a certain radius of herself.
Mirror Door ("kyoumon") -- Toushirou Hitsugaya used this to seal Momo Hinamori's hospital room. It creates a glass-like barrier which is difficult to break from the outside, but quite simple to break from the inside.
Reverse Demon ("hanki") -- This technique nullifies an opponent's Kidô spell by hitting them with a perfectly opposite surge of energy. Yoruichi uses this against Soifon's Flash Cry.
Kidou Cannon ("kidouhou") -- As the name suggests, the Kidou Cannon is basically a high-intensity energy weapon powered by Kidou. It consists of a crystalline focus point attached to the top of a massive pole, with several smaller crystal structures circling up towards the main one. It is powered by hundreds of Shinigami working in concert, creating an energy blast capable of obliterating a small dimension. The blast forms into several animal shapes which roar just before contact. The power of the blast is such that, in addition to destroying its target, it also causes a small amount of damage to both the human world and Soul Society. Despite its power, it is not a reusable weapon, as it burns into a pile of scrap after being fired.
Info taken from wikipedia and modified by BPM Staff.