Grim Reaper

A Grim Reaper (死神, Shinigami) is a neutral supernatural being, whose primary duty is to review and collect souls.
==Overview==
===Background===
===General Information===
Grim Reapers must remain neutral between God and humans;Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 9, page 9 they are strictly forbidden from intervening in or influencing human affairs. Grim Reapers receive a soul retrieval list of those scheduled to die from their higher-ups.Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 26, page 30Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 35, page 16 The list contains substantial information on the human, including the person's name, parents, birth date, death date, cause of death, and any additional notes.Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 35, pages 11-12 Their principal job is to check each dying soul's Cinematic Record, or kaleidoscope of memories, one by one, to determine whether they deserve to die. For the human who receives the judgment, "this human should die," the Grim Reapers use their Death Scythes to sever their memories and souls from their bodies, resulting in the human's death.Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 10, pages 9-10 Afterward, they would promptly stamp "Completed" on the individual's file on the list. The human can be removed from the list only when they are judged to have been one "who has potential to be beneficial for this world"—notwithstanding, the number of humans who have that sort of value is few to none, according to William T. Spears. The Grim Reapers fundamentally work to confirm that the rare possibility of a "valuable" human is not the case each time, and they must do so as indifferently and level-headedly as they can.
If a Grim Reaper makes a mistake or breaks a rule during their mission, they must return to headquarters and submit a written apology and report.Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 35, page 17 The details of their punishment are unknown, though if the crime is severe, they may be suspended for some time.Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 35, page 15 On the other hand, if a Grim Reaper quits or retires, they would no longer have their soul retrieval list,Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 60, page 17 and their Death Scythe would be confiscated, unconditionally.Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 61, page 14
Grim Reapers, particularly those of the Retrieval Division, also inspect irregularities and tamperings with life and Cinematic Records.Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 53, pages 11-12Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 56, page 14Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 105, pages 10-11Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 142, pages 2-5 In rare cases, they infiltrate places and blend in with humans to investigate.Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 26, page 24Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 26, pages 26-27
===Characteristics===
Grim Reapers typically intend to eliminate anything that gets in their way.Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 26, page 33 They and demons have a long-standing and mutual distaste for one another. They consider demons vulgar and a nuisance; demons disrupt their structured, meticulous work of reaping souls, due to their tendency to devour souls indiscriminately and in great quantities.Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 26, page 30
Grim Reapers are similar to humans in strength and hearing. Unlike demons, Grim Reapers require sleep.Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 27, page 3Kuroshitsuji Character Guide, page 47 They also need to eat. All Grim Reapers have chartreuse phosphorescent eyes,Kuroshitsuji Character Guide, page 143Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 60, page 2 and wear glasses because they are extremely nearsighted.Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 61, page 2 Grim Reapers without their glasses are normally presumed to be "deserters."Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 60, page 18 Moreover, all Grim Reapers dress in black.
===Abilities===
* Enhanced agility: Grim Reapers are considerably more agile than humans; it is as though they are "defying gravity."Kuroshitsuji Character Guide, pages 143-144
* Enhanced endurance: Grim Reapers are appreciably tough, for they are able to endure attacks that could have killed a human.Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 12, page 14
* Invisibility: Grim Reapers can turn themselves invisible to humans.Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 144, page 7 However, humans close to death may still notice concealed Grim Reapers.Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 103, page 5
* Soul review and collection: By using their Death Scythes, Grim Reapers can review a dying soul's memories, via its Cinematic Record, and retrieve the soul, once the formal assessment is finished.
==Grim Reaper Dispatch==
The community of Grim Reapers is referred to as the Grim Reaper Dispatch (死神派遣協会, Shinigami Haken Kyōkai). The organization is divided into administrative departments or districts; each section is charged with a specific duty. The Management Division is responsible for overseeing the dispatch members, and ensuring that their conduct is proper and acceptable. They will apprehend whichever Grim Reaper violated their ordinances.Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 12, page 11 The Retrieval Division consists of members dispatched into the field to retrieve souls.Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 26, page 26 The Personnel Division sends out reinforcements to the field, when necessary.Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 35, page 13 The Administrative Division controls the use of Death Scythes; Grim Reapers must obtain permission to use their Death Scythes, and to modify them.Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 35, page 18 
There are different branches of the Grim Reaper Dispatch, separated by geographical regions. According to William, the London District, or the British Branch, is "perpetually understaffed." 
==Identified Grim Reapers==
===British Branch===
* Grelle Sutcliff
* William T. Spears
* Ronald Knox
* Undertaker 
==Identified Divisions==
* Headquarters
* Management Division
* Retrieval Division
* Personnel Division
* Administrative Division
==Known Rules==
* Killing those not on the list of the dead is prohibited.
* Using a Death Scythe without submitting an application for said use is prohibited.
* Interfering with life and death in the human world is prohibited.
==Trivia==
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General=
===Out of Universe===
* Grim Reapers possess things that belong outside of the Victorian era. For example, Ronald Knox uses a wristwatch, although at the time, pocket watches were the norm.Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 52, page 28 Furthermore, numerous custom Death Scythes resemble gas and electric gardening tools from the modern era.
* Grim Reapers have chartreuse phosphorescent eyes in references to onibi, a mysterious light born from the corpses of humans and animals in Japanese folklore. A possible scientific explanation for those lights is that they are the illumination of the phosphorus from decaying corpses."Grell: I wanted to choose a colour that looks supernatural, aside from red. I chose the phosphorescence colour (yellowish green) since it is said that 'Onibi', [*a mysterious light phenomenon] which is born from corpses, is in fact the phosphorus.""A detail from the movie. The reason why the eyes of all shinigamis are 'yellowish-green phosphorescence' is because it's said that 'the phosphorus that is contained in the buried bodies turn into 'Onibi' (aka 'will-o'-wisp' in Western world)'. Phosphorus emits yellowish-green light when burnt. All of the shinigamis in Kuroshitsuji are human beings who committed suicide, so that's why the phosphorus remained in their eyes as a reminder."Yana Toboso on Twitter"All reapers have lime green eyes! In Japan, there is a will-o'-the-wisps called '鬼火-haunted fire'. I'm referring to that color. Even overseas, when you think of ghosts, they have lime green lights【Yana】"
* One of Yana Toboso's old, scrapped mangas, "Hell-O", inspired the Grim Reaper Dispatch.Downstairs with Kuroshitsuji, Volume VI
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Anime=
* In the first season of the anime, Grim Reapers are not immune to human ailments, such as hunger and exhaustion. However, they are able to sleep without breathing.Kuroshitsuji anime; Episode 17
* In the first season, Grim Reapers possess a unique and powerful item called the Death Bookmark, that when placed into the book, is able to stop the events of someone's Cinematic Record.Kuroshitsuji anime; Episode 18
* In the sixth OVA The Story of Will the Reaper, Grim Reaper Lawrence Anderson is introduced.Kuroshitsuji OVA; The Tales of Will the Grim Reaper
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Musicals=
* The musical The Most Beautiful DEATH in the World introduces two more Grim Reapers: Alan Humphries and Eric Slingby.Kuroshitsuji musical; The Most Beautiful DEATH in the World Both are original characters of Yana Toboso's.
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==References==
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Category:Species
Category:Grim Reapers