Byakuya Kuchiki/Earth-10

## Byakuya Kuchiki

* Present
* 2003

**Byakuya Kuchiki** (朽木 白哉, *Kuchiki Byakuya*) is a variant of a man from the **Prime Universe**, the captain of the 1st Division, and the Captain-General of the Gotei 13. He was previously the captain of the 6th Division. He simultaneously serves as the 28th Head of the Kuchiki Clan, which counts him among the Five Great Aristocrats.

## Appearance

Byakuya Kuchiki is a noble and regal Shinigami, a fact marked by the three *kenseikan* he wears in his jet black hair. The picture of prim and proper, Byakuya has always taken his role as a captain in the Gotei 13 seriously and brings that same seriousness to the office of Captain-General. He also brings his reverence to the office into the wardrobe he wears: a sleeveless captain's *haori*, marked with the insignia of the 1st Division on its back, and a traditional *shihakushō* underneath. His *haori* is modified with blue accents on the shoulder and collar, another symbol of his nobility, though not the gaudy modifications made by his fellow captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi.

## Powers & Abilities

### Zanpakutō

**Senbonzakura** (千本桜, *Thousand Cherry Blossoms*): It exists as an ordinary *katana* with a bronze, open frame with four window-like panes for a guard. Its hilt wrappings are lavender and its scabbard is white.

* **Shikai**: Its Shikai command is "**Scatter**" (散れ, *chire*).

***Shikai Special Ability***: Upon the release of Shikai, **Senbonzakura** separates into thousands of petal-shaped blades that reflect the light, causing them to resemble cherry blossoms. Byakuya can control the blades telekinetically by conducting them with the remaining hilt of his weapon. The blades can also be summoned defensively to stop attacks from reaching Byakuya's body and are strong enough to stop a sword strike. Because using **Senbonzakura** can risk Byakuya's own safety, the Shikai and Bankai possess a "Woundless Zone" (無傷圏, *Mushōken*) where its blades cannot cut anything within 85 cm of Byakuya unless he consciously allows the blades to enter the zone. By the time of the Second Quincy War, Byakuya had gained such skill with his Shikai that it was often mistaken as his Bankai.

* **Bankai**: **Senbonzakura Kageyoshi** (千本桜景厳, *Vibrant Display of a Thousand Cherry Blossoms*): To activate Bankai, Byakuya turns his blade upside down and drops it. As it phases through the ground, two rows of many large blades emerge and shatter, producing an effect similar to his Shikai on a far grander scale. It is not necessary for the Zanpakutō to be intact to activate Bankai, as Byakuya merely needs to drop the broken pieces to initiate it. In Bankai, the blades of **Senbonzakura Kageyoshi** is so great that he can use them simultaneously for defense or attack. He can also condense his Bankai into waves of blades that utterly pulverize anything unfortunate enough to be in their path. He can also wrap the blades around him in a defensive cone that entirely protects his body from attack. In Bankai, Byakuya's telekinetic control of his blades is far more refined, allowing them to move faster. Though they still move faster when directed by his hands.

***Bankai Special Ability***: Byakuya's Bankai is extremely versatile. This is because **Senbonzakura Kageyoshi'**s abilities revolve around arranging its tens of thousands of blades into a variety of patterns that can be used for defense or offense.

* **Shukai**: **Senbonzakura Kyōgahakuteiken** (千本桜矜雅白帝剣, *Thousand Cherry Blossoms of the White Imperia Sword of Graceful Pride*): By temporarily merging with his Zanpakutō, Byakuya is able to briefly push beyond Bankai. Byakuya's Shukai is an advanced form of his **Shūkei: Hakuteiken** technique. The technique dyes his Zanpakutō and the thousands of blades of **Senbonzakura Kageyoshi** white. The blades now circle his Zanpakutō and appear behind his back as both a halo and a pair of angelic wings. They also modify his captain's *haori*, adding a collar that appears to be made of snow white fur. According to Byakuya, this technique is he and **Senbonzakura'**s true form and is what he looks like when he wears his power. The petal-like blades of Byakuya's Shukai are much sharper than in Shikai or Bankai, allowing him to cut through even the strongest Quincy's **Blut Vene**.

## Trivia

* Byakuya's promotion to Captain-General is a nod to Shunsui Kyōraku suggesting that Byakuya was next in line should something happen to him in the canon light novel series *Can't Fear Your Own World*.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 *Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War* episode 4
2. ↑ Databook: Timeline of Events
3. ↑ *Bleach* chapter 116
4. ↑ *Bleach* chapter 141
5. ↑ *Bleach* chapter 464
6. ↑ *Bleach* chapter 469
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 *Bleach* chapter 472
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 *Bleach* chapter 163
9. ↑ *Bleach* episode 230
10. ↑ Databook: Shukai