Shunsui Kyōraku is the Captain of Squad 1 and Head Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, having taken over the position from his deceased mentor, Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto. He istheCommander of the Alliance's 1st Division, Commander of the Alliance's 1st Fleet and Regimental Commander
of the Fighting Divisions.
Personality
History (Bleach Manga)
Shunsui during his days at the academy
Shunsui was born as the second son of the noble Kyōraku family. His older brother married a woman that eventually would become his niece Nanao Ise's Mother. Though Shunsui and his brother did not really get along, living with his brother became more comfortable, and Shunsui would visit him often. At one point, Shunsui found his brother receiving a hairpin from Nanao's mother and noted that he has mellowed out in his old age, only to be informed that this was the kindness of Nanao's mother at work. After his brother passed away he was given those hairpins he was then trusted Zanputako of the Ise Clan by his sister-in-law and the one he already created a created a second spirit to store it. While she informed him the Shinken Hakkyōken would no har him and that he was one of the few can trust him.
Shunsui in his youth flirting with the ladies
At some point in his youth he was forced by his family to enter the new Soul Reaper Academy. This greatly annoyed him cause despite being from a noble old and prestigious lineage he hated studying and training and preferred to flirt with the ladies instead. However Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto could see through façade and saw despite his character flaws was quite smart. He was also personally by him trained along with Jushiro Ukitake who would later become his best friend.
As his proxy Shunsui trusts him immensely and frequently shares information with him on their strategies. The two are also to hang out in their spare frequently joking or getting drunk and comparing stories on their past romances. The two are known to have very perverted personalities and will often flirt with female members of the alliance. Despite not knowing for he trust him immensely thus he made in charge of one of the 1st Division during the Battle of Anemones Plains.
Powers and Abilities
As the Head Captain of the 13 Court Guard Squads, Shunsui has authority over every Soul Reaper. He is also clearly a powerful fighter, who's abilities were later recognized by the Allied Forces, naming him the 1st Division Commander and the Regimental Commander of every Fighting Division in the Allied Forces. In the past he was able fight on pair with many high ranking enemies, as he was able to defeat the 1st EspadaCoyote Stark using only his Shikai and was able to pressure Lille Barro the leader of the Schutzstaffel. During the war he was able to fight on pair with DIamante an an Executive Officer of the Donquixote Pirates and a Commanding Officer of the Worth Woodsea Coalition Unit. Then was able to fight on pair and pressure one the three legendary Sannin, Orochimaru then later able to fight on with 5th Division Commander Jellal Fernades against Orochimaru and one of the former Seven Warlords of the Sea, Crocodile and in the process was able to bypass the pirates Logia intangibility through the use of his Shikai. He was even able to fight and pressure Kimimaro Kaguya the strongest member of the Kaguya Clan and former level of the Sound Five with ease, while he was in Version 1 state, and only got a bit more seriously after he went into Version 2, then later defeated him after releasing his Shikai. The World Government consider him a huge threat they placed a 1,100,000,000 beri bounty on him
Master Swordsman: While hating the concept of having to engage in a fight, Shunsui is one of the most proficient swordsmen in all of Soul Society. He is a highly adaptable combatant, as his two swords have allowed him to become ambidextrous, letting him switch them between his hands. Kyōraku usually swings with more strength in his left hand than his right, however, he can easily switch or balance the strength between his two hands, allowing him to surprise his opponent. Kyōraku states that he only uses his wakizashi in situations where his katana is too difficult to use. He claims that he does not use them together on a regular basis. The best example of Shunsui's prowess is his ability to fight on even grounds with an unreleased Starrk, the 1st Espada, with only his sealed Zanpakutō, while other captain-level Shinigami have required at least their Shikai to fight against an Espada. Shunsui's fighting style involves evasion and attacking an opponent either in the front or back, using the element of surprise to overwhelm them. His two swords move at a different pace, something he takes advantage of while fighting. While the enemy is at the mercy of his wakizashi's speed, his tachi swoops in for the final blow, which is the most common use of swords like his
Hakuda Combatant: While rarely observed performing hand-to-hand combat, instead preferring to rely upon his skills in other areas, Shunsui has at least some proficiency in this area, which he briefly displayed during his confrontation with Yasutora Sado.
Shunpo Master: As a captain, Shunsui is exceptional in the art of Shunpo. During his battle against Yamamoto, he notably makes a massive leap in Shunpo to remove Nanao from the battlefield and return almost instantly, a feat commended even by Yamamoto prior to battle. Shunsui's skill is high enough for him to effortlessly dodge Starrk's attacks without mussing his hat or kimono.
Kidō Master: Shunsui possesses great skill in Kidō, having used Hadō #78. Zangerin to considerable effect without reciting its incantation during his battle against Lille.
Immense Spiritual Power: As one of the oldest and strongest captains in the Gotei 13, Kyōraku has tremendous spiritual power. He, alongside his best friend Jūshirō Ukitake, are said to possess Reiatsu unmatched by their peers or predecessors. He is not overwhelmed by the Reiatsu of Captain-Commander Yamamoto, though most people would be in such a situation. His power is further displayed in his ability to defeat Coyote Starrk's released form with only his Shikai. His might was also later recognized by being promoted to the status of Captain-Commander.
EnhancedEndurance: Shunsui possesses considerable stamina and endurance, remaining able to move around and fight as he usually does even after being shot multiple times by Lille Barro's Quincy: Vollständig.
Enhanced Strength: Shunsui possesses relatively high physical strength, calmly deflecting one of Sado's Reiryoku blasts with a single hand. Offensively, his blows are very powerful, demonstrated when he cracked a barrier, which Aizen had erected, with just a single attack from his Shikai.
Zanpakutō
Katen Kyōkotsu (花天狂骨, Bones of Heavenly Blooming Madness; Viz "Flower-Heaven Bone of Madness"): His Zanpakutō is unique in that it exists as a daisho sword pair, consisting of a tachi and a wakizashi. Their cross guards are rectangles, with the corners cut off, decorated by a pattern of cherry petals and lines, and each sports a dark-blue handle. He usually keeps them sheathed through his waist tie at his left side; however, during battle, the swords have been placed on both sides of his sash. Like other Zanpakutō, Katen Kyōkotsu has a personality of her own. However, unlike other Zanpakutō, this personality shines through in battle and prevents Shunsui from fighting at full power until Katen Kyōkotsu is in the mood for it. Because of this, Shunsui does not like to "play" with "her".
Shunsui's Shikai
Shikai: Its Shikai command is "Flower Wind Rage and Flower God Roar, Heavenly Wind Rage and Heavenly Demon Sneer" (花風紊れて花神啼き天風紊れて天魔嗤う, hana kaze midarete, kashin naki, tenpū midarete, tenma warau; Viz "When the Flower Wind Rages, the Flower God Roars, When the Wind of Heaven Rages, the God of the Underworld Sneers"). Kyōraku sets the two blades against each other in a cross, and then pulls after uttering the poem-like command. When the flash clears, Katen Kyōkotsu has become a pair of huge, black, heavily curved Chinese scimitars with silver edges. The hilt and tsuba of each are still the same as they were in Katen Kyōkotsu's sealed-form, but they now sport long red tassels dangling from the end. Despite the two swords becoming identical in this state, Shunsui has stated they still work the same way; one (the wakizashi) is used mainly for speed strikes, and the other (the tachi) is used mainly for power strikes. Thusly, they still exist as a daisho sword pair, with the wakizashi being slightly smaller in size than the tachi.
Shikai Special Ability: The power of Katen Kyōkotsu is to "make children's games real". The Zanpakutō makes the rules, and anyone who steps within the boundaries of its spiritual pressure is forced to play by those rules, including Shunsui himself. According to Shunsui, "You win, you live. You lose, you die. She's a fickle one, all right."
Bushōgoma (不精独楽, Lazy Spinning Top): Shunsui rotates with both blades facing in opposite directions, creating large wind blades that fire toward an opponent from Katen Kyōkotsu. The wind blades join together, forming a spinning circle of wind that, upon contact with a target, envelopes the target with tornado-like intensity. The attack is not only dangerous, but can disorient an opponent trapped within it. The technique is powerful enough to counteract high-powered Cero blasts. The game this technique represents is a spinning top game.
Takaoni (嶄鬼, Mountain Demon): This move was used in Shunsui's battle with Starrk, but Starrk's attack hid the nature of the technique. However, Shunsui later explains that in this "game", whoever is higher up "wins."
Irooni (色鬼, Colorful Demon)
Shunsui using Irooni
: In this color-based game, you say the name of the color you want to cut with your sword, and you cannot cut anything else. If the color that you call does not exist on your body, the damage is minimal, even if the attack would normally inflict a much more severe wound. However, the opposite is also true; by calling out a color you're wearing and attacking, the damage given is proportional to the amount of that color on you. To maximize damage, you have to use a color that maximizes the risks to yourself as well as your enemy. For example, by wearing black robes and calling "black," one would inflict massive damage on an enemy if struck even if the actual blow itself was minor, but the caller could potentially be at risk of suffering major damage in return depending on how much of the enemy's skin or clothing is covered in black. It can even bypass the intangibility of the Logia Devil Fruits, as proven when he was able to cut Crocodile through Sand Sand Fruit, stating that everyone must follow the "rules".
Hanetsuki:
Kakurenbo (Hide & Seek):
Bankai: Katen Kyōkotsu: Karamatsu Shinjū (花天狂骨枯松心中, Bones of Heavenly Blooming Madness: Withering Pine Lovers' Suicide; Viz"Flower Crazed Heaven Bone Spirit Withered Pine Love Suicide"): While holding his Shikai out in front of him with the blades pointing down, Shunsui activates his Bankai, causing black, root-like tendrils to spread out from him as his Zanpakutō Spirit, Katen Kyōkotsu, appears behind him. Shunsui considers this his last resort, and will only use it if his allies are far enough away from him so that they do not get caught in its effects.
Bankai Special Ability: Upon release, an aura covers alarge area around Shunsui. This aura changes others' perception of the surrounding environment, making them perceive it as darkened, bleak and gloomy, and causes others to feel varying levels of melancholy and despair.
Ichidanme: Tameraikizu no Wakachiai (一段目 躊躇疵分合, Act the First: Hesitance and Apportionment of Wounds): Any wounds that Shunsui or his opponent inflict on each other's body will emerge on their body as well, as if shared. Shunsui compares this to the story of a man who suffers from the same wounds as his partner, but cannot die from them.
Nidanme: Zanki no Shitone (二段目 慚愧の褥, Act the Second: The Pillow of Shame): Black spots appear all over the body of Shunsui's opponent, causing them to bleed profusely. Continuing his story, Shunsui likens this to the man feeling shame after wounding his partner, causing him to collapse in shame and become incurably ill.
Sandanme: Dangyo no Fuchi (三段目 断魚淵, Act the Third: The Severing Abyss): A massive amount of water engulfs both Shunsui and his opponent, who remain within it until one of them runs out of Reiatsu and drowns. Shunsui compares this to the two characters from his story, who both hurl themselves into gushing waters.
Shime no Dan: Itokiribasami Chizome no Nodobue (〆の段 糸切鋏血染喉, Final Act: Thread-Cutting Scissors upon a Blood-Streaked Throat): After sheathing his swords, Shunsui winds a white thread around his opponent's throat multiple times before pulling it taut, leaving a deep cut in their throat that expands before blowing up their head. Completing his story, he likens this to the regretful man's partner ignoring his pleas and mercilessly shearing his throat.
Trivia
Shunsui's Japanese VA is Akio Ōtsuka, who also voices Marshall D. Teach in One Piece and Chiriku in Naruto.
Shunsui's English VA is Steve Kramer, who also voices Hiruzen Sarutobi in Naruto.
