Shunsui Souzousuke Jirou Kyouraku

Shunsui Souzousuke Jirou Kyouraku is a character from the Bleach anime and manga.

The current Captain Commander of Gotei 13 and former Captain of the 8th Division, he is best friends with Ukitake, both of whom were personally trained by Yamamoto himself. Shunsui was one of the first Academy graduates to become a captain, along with Ukitake. Though a pervert, he never goes too far in his attempts to hit on women, as Nanao can attest to on both accounts. He abhors senseless fighting, but he's not above underhanded tactics if it meant winning a fight quickly. Oh, and he wears a women's kimono and likes being showered with cherry blossom petals.

In the XP4 fics, Shunsui is allies with the Heroes Coalitions.

Appearance
Shunsui Kyouraku is a tall, light-skinned Shinigami with high cheekbones, grey eyes and long wavy brown hair. His hair is tied in a long ponytail and has long bangs that frame the left side of his face. He also has a noticeable amount of body hair on his chest, feet, and arms. He wears a Sugegasa straw hat and a pink, flowered lady's kimono, which he drapes across his shoulders and over his captain's uniform. Although his haori and obi sash are cheap, his pin-wheel hairpins are very expensive. He does not wear tabi with his sandals. He has thin facial hair around his mouth and on his cheeks. Over a hundred years before Sousuke Aizen's defection, Shunsui only had facial hair on his upper mouth. After the battle with the Wandenreich, Shunsui wears an eyepatch over his right eye that was damaged during the conflict. The top half of his right ear is sliced off at a slight tilt with a scar along his right temple.

As a child, Shunsui had shorter and messier hair. He wore a flower patterned kimono.

Personality
Shunsui is a laid-back and flamboyant man, evident in his style of dress and general attitude, and is usually smiling. In his off time, he often drinks sake in bars and naps. He likes steamed buns that go with sake, but dislikes powdered green tea. Other times, he likes to chase after women; particularly his lieutenant, Nanao Ise, whom he calls "my Nanao-chan" (Lil' Nanao in the English Dub) and his former lieutenant, Lisa Yadōmaru. Shunsui tends to use a more casual speech style than many other captains. He generally refers to his fellow captains and Shinigami by their first name followed by an honorific. He wrote a romance novel titled "Rose-colored Path", which runs in Seireitei Communication, but is very unpopular. Shunsui does not receive a single fan letter or gift for his birthday from his readers, but he is not bothered by this at all.

Shunsui is a peace-loving man who will always try to talk his way out of battles, though he does not wish to insult opponents by refusing to fight. He has a great distaste for fighting, telling Love Aikawa that "it doesn't matter whether you owe someone or they owe you; as soon as you start fighting, you are in the wrong either way." The slightly eccentric Shunsui also seems to like making an impression on opponents. Though Shunsui tries to talk his way out of a fight, he will fight when the situation demands it, such as in his battle with Coyote Starrk. When Starrk asked that they only pretend to fight, he declined the offer, though noted that he prefers to do the same. Shunsui maintains a level of honor and integrity when engaging in battle. He refuses to fight with children or even in the presence of a child. He also dislikes taking the life of innocent people, as he left Chad alive when Nanao offered to kill him. He always maintains a veil of respect for his opponent, is polite in combat situations and prefers to fight one on one. When fighting powerful opponents, like Starrk or Aizen, Shunsui rarely loses his cool, going as far as to make small talk and joke around with his opponents.

Despite being one of the strongest and oldest captains, Shunsui retains a level of humility and is not overly arrogant about his strength, acknowledging that Toushirō Hitsugaya has the potential to become stronger than himself given enough time.

However, Shunsui also harbors a deep sense of guilt over the misfortune that has afflicted those close to him, such as the death of his brother and the execution of Nanao's mother, and considers it a burden too heavy for him to carry alone.

Abilities
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.
 * Tsukiyubi (Thrust Fingers): A technique where the user simply extends the index and middle fingers of one hand in unison while they are in contact with an opponent. This gesture possesses enough physical force to effortlessly send someone of even Chad's stature flying several meters away.

Kidō Expert: Shunsui possesses great skill in Kidō, having used '''Hadō #78. Zangerin''' to considerable effect without reciting its incantation during his battle against Lille.

Master Strategist & Tactician: Despite his laid-back attitude, Shunsui has repeatedly shown himself to be a perceptive and insightful man. According to Yamamoto, even when he was younger, Shunsui has always had an eye for seeing the true character of anyone he meets. Shunsui easily saw through Kurotsuchi's attempt to hide being used by the Bounts. He was also one of the few people to suspect that Aizen was hiding something. In battle, Shunsui has proven to be very adept at noticing and understanding details in an opponent's skills or attack patterns. During his battle against Chad, he quickly determined the basics behind Chad's Reiryoku blasts, warning him about those kinds of techniques, and even explaining that his energy blasts would eventually use up his life energy. Shunsui has also proven himself very persuasive. Shortly after becoming Captain-Commander, he was able to convince Central 46 to agree to all his new requests.

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.

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.

Enhanced Durability: Shunsui has proven that he is very durable, even by Shinigami standards. He was able to endure the attacks of Captain-Commander Yamamoto, whose Zanpakutō is the most devastating in all of Soul Society in terms of destructive power. He was also able to withstand a Cero at point-blank range from Starrk in his released form without any noticeable injuries.

Enhanced Endurance: 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.

Zanpakutou
Katen Kyōkotsu (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".

Shikai: Its Shikai command is "Flower Wind Rage and Flower God Roar, Heavenly Wind Rage and Heavenly Demon Sneer" (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." Bankai: Katen Kyōkotsu: Karamatsu Shinjū (Bones of Heavenly Blooming Madness: Withering Pine Lovers' Suicide; Viz "Flower Crazed Heaven Bone Spirit Withered Pine Love Suicide"):[185] 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.
 * Bushōgoma (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 (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."
 * Kageoni (Shadow Demon): The rule of this game is that whoever gets their shadow stepped on "loses". The game itself allows competitors to manipulate shadows to their advantage. For example, Shunsui has demonstrated the ability to hide himself in shadows when using this technique, and he can also control the shadows, using them to attack an opponent by attacking the shadow they are currently standing upon. In addition, Shunsui can make multiple shadow clones of himself that can attack his opponent from multiple angles.
 * Irooni (Colorful Demon): 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.
 * Daruma-san ga Koronda (The Dharma Doll Fell Down): After Shunsui or his opponent is marked as being "it", the other combatant travels toward them on a trail of Reiatsu left by their attack in order to catch them by surprise. However, if the combatant who is "it" sees their opponent while they are moving, that opponent loses and thus dies. The game this technique represents is Daruma-san ga Koronda, a children's game similar to red-light green-light.
 * Kageokuri (Shadow Sending): By staring hard enough at their shadow, Shunsui or his opponent can project an afterimage in a different location; the higher their opponent's Reikaku, the more realistic the afterimage appears to be. The game this technique represents is Chiichan no Kageokuri, where children stare at their shadow on the ground for several seconds before looking at another surface, allowing them to see an "afterimage" of their shadow.

Bankai Special Ability: Upon release, an aura covers a large 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 (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 (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 (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 (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

 * Kyouraku's name is sometimes romanized as Syunsui Kyoraku.


 * While Shunsui is his first name and Kyōraku is his last name, his full name is Shunsui Sōzōsuke Kyōraku no Jirō. Kyōraku no Jirō means "second son of the Kyōraku family" whilst Sōzōsuke means "assistant who conceals all" or "assistant who possesses all."


 * Kyōraku is the only Shinigami known to wield a Zanpakutō that exists as two completely separate blades in both its sealed state and its Shikai.


 * His theme song, as chosen by Tite Kubo, is Carlos Gardel's "Por una Cabeza".


 * His Zanpakutō and Jūshirō Ukitake's Zanpakutō have the longest release commands as of yet. Word-for-word, Ukitake's is the longer of the two, although the translation in the English manga drastically shortens it and lengthens Kyōraku's.


 * In the most recent popularity poll, Kyōraku was ranked 17th (he came 36th in the 2nd and 29th in the 3rd).


 * His Zanpakutō, Katen Kyōkotsu, was joint 33rd in the Zanpakutō poll, tying with Shun Shun Rikka and Gamuza.


 * The Shinigami Women's Association released a photo collection on Kyōraku, titled "Using Arms as My Pillow". It quickly sold out, partially due to there being less copies released than similar collections by the other captains. Kyōraku is unaware that it has not been re-printed.


 * In the Shonen Jump release of Chapter 559, Shunsui appeared with his right eye intact and with no eyepatch. However, this was corrected in the release of Volume 62. This error occurred a second time in Chapter 604, but was corrected in later chapters.


 * The name of Shunsui's Bankai was originally written as Katen Kyōkotsu: Kuromatsu Shinjū (Bones of Heavenly Blooming Madness: Black Pine Lovers' Suicide) when Shunsui activated it in chapter 647, and was subsequently changed to Katen Kyōkotsu: Karematsu Shinjū (Bones of Heavenly Blooming Madness: Withered Pine Pine Lovers' Suicide) in chapter 648 before being changed to its current version in chapter 649, which the volume versions of chapters 647 and 648 had their versions changed to as well.


 * When Shunsui is explaining the history of Nanao's family and her mother to her in chapter 651, Nanao's mother is wearing his flowery kimono.