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Log inShinigami Information
Shinigami Information
James on Wed Apr 16, 2008 5:56 pm
The Shinigami
Shinigami are departed human souls that have gained supernatural powers. As such, their bodies are composed of reishi and they can only be seen by other spiritually aware entities, which excludes most humans. In the series, shinigami, as well as most other types of spirits, are quite capable of influencing their environment. 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.
The most prominent power possessed by a shinigami is their zanpakutō, a sword generated from the shinigami's soul. Shinigami also naturally give off spiritual energy, which varies greatly in magnitude with the strength of a shinigami. A zanpakutō is a physical manifestation of this force concentrated into a blade.
Shinigami operations are based out of Soul Society, which is the 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 and therefore must often travel between the two. In addition, it is a crime for a shinigami to remain in the human world longer than a certain time limit. A shinigami's duties include leading Pluses (ghosts) to Soul Society in a practice called soul burial (konsō), and the cleansing of hollows (evil spirits). Later in the series, shinigami duties are clarified further, and it is revealed that they are also responsible for governing the flow of spirits between the human world and Soul Society.
Ranking System
The rankings of a Shinigami are simple, there are 13 squads known as Gotei 13 (13 Protection/Protectorate Squads), each one being headed by a Captain. Under the Captain is a Vice-Captain: they are the first and second seats of the squad (Captain 1st to Lieutenant 2nd), the other members of the squad are placed into seats according to their power, the most powerful after the Lieutenant would become 3rd seat, and so on.
The lower the squad number usually indicates the power of both the Captain and the squad, Squad 1 being headed by the Sotaichou (Captain Commander), the most powerful being in Seireitei, with Squad 13 being the weakest; but still powerful in comparison.
Many squads have a purpose. Squad 4 is the medical division, Squad 12 is the technological bureau, Squad 2 is linked - but is not part of - the corrections corps. These squads take very specific members, to compliment their position.
Gotei 1: All-round Shinigami's whose overall combat skills are superior to the other seats of other squad (excluding the Captains, Vice-Captains).
Gotei 2: Links to the corrections corps, as well as handling internal affairs akin to that of a police force.
Gotei 3: Release-form Zanpakuto specialists, whose reliance is most heavily placed on the Shikai forms of their Zanpakuto.
Gotei 4: Medical/supply squad who focus on the back-up, healing and supplication of the other squads, they are the glue which keeps the squads together in times of need.
Gotei 5: Kido specialist, they are most at ease using the abilities of Kido and rely on them more heavily than their Zanpakuto.
Gotei 6: Elemental-releases, the 6th squad is comprised of Shinigami whose Shikai releases focus mainly on an elemental transfusion - fire, water, lightning, water-and-ice.
Gotei 7: Hand-to-hand combat specialists, they are less skilled in Kido and Zanpakuto arts.
Gotei 8: Reconnaissance squad, often used as scouts in time of need and are the most frequently sent into the real world to monitor Hollow activity.
Gotei 9: Newspaper and magazine-related duties, they monitor the information of Hollows and Shinigami and keep the rest of Seireitei informed as such, they work closely with Gotei 8. In control of the Jigochou (Hell Butterflies, see below).
Gotei 10: Intrusion protection unit, if Seireitei is attacked/intruded they are the first squad to be loosed in order to contain it. They handle the prison system of Seireitei.
Gotei 11: Zanpakuto-based combat, focussing almost entirely on the arts of the sword and rely sheerly on brute strength. The most combat-effective squad.
Gotei 12: Technological and Information Bureau, they monitor the influx of data from the real world and are in charge of creating spiritual weapons, etcetera.
Gotei 13: Reinforcements squad, this squad is often used as reinforcements for the others in times of need, and are the least used squad in terms of missions.
Abilities
On top of their Zanpakuto releases, a Shinigami can use his/her reiatsu to use the ability of Kido (demonic spells), manipulating the reiatsu to give out large blasts of energy, offensive (Hadou, destructive arts) or binding (Bakudo, binding arts).
Shinigami are departed human souls that have gained supernatural powers. As such, their bodies are composed of reishi and they can only be seen by other spiritually aware entities, which excludes most humans. In the series, shinigami, as well as most other types of spirits, are quite capable of influencing their environment. 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.
The most prominent power possessed by a shinigami is their zanpakutō, a sword generated from the shinigami's soul. Shinigami also naturally give off spiritual energy, which varies greatly in magnitude with the strength of a shinigami. A zanpakutō is a physical manifestation of this force concentrated into a blade.
Shinigami operations are based out of Soul Society, which is the 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 and therefore must often travel between the two. In addition, it is a crime for a shinigami to remain in the human world longer than a certain time limit. A shinigami's duties include leading Pluses (ghosts) to Soul Society in a practice called soul burial (konsō), and the cleansing of hollows (evil spirits). Later in the series, shinigami duties are clarified further, and it is revealed that they are also responsible for governing the flow of spirits between the human world and Soul Society.
Ranking System
The rankings of a Shinigami are simple, there are 13 squads known as Gotei 13 (13 Protection/Protectorate Squads), each one being headed by a Captain. Under the Captain is a Vice-Captain: they are the first and second seats of the squad (Captain 1st to Lieutenant 2nd), the other members of the squad are placed into seats according to their power, the most powerful after the Lieutenant would become 3rd seat, and so on.
The lower the squad number usually indicates the power of both the Captain and the squad, Squad 1 being headed by the Sotaichou (Captain Commander), the most powerful being in Seireitei, with Squad 13 being the weakest; but still powerful in comparison.
Many squads have a purpose. Squad 4 is the medical division, Squad 12 is the technological bureau, Squad 2 is linked - but is not part of - the corrections corps. These squads take very specific members, to compliment their position.
Gotei 1: All-round Shinigami's whose overall combat skills are superior to the other seats of other squad (excluding the Captains, Vice-Captains).
Gotei 2: Links to the corrections corps, as well as handling internal affairs akin to that of a police force.
Gotei 3: Release-form Zanpakuto specialists, whose reliance is most heavily placed on the Shikai forms of their Zanpakuto.
Gotei 4: Medical/supply squad who focus on the back-up, healing and supplication of the other squads, they are the glue which keeps the squads together in times of need.
Gotei 5: Kido specialist, they are most at ease using the abilities of Kido and rely on them more heavily than their Zanpakuto.
Gotei 6: Elemental-releases, the 6th squad is comprised of Shinigami whose Shikai releases focus mainly on an elemental transfusion - fire, water, lightning, water-and-ice.
Gotei 7: Hand-to-hand combat specialists, they are less skilled in Kido and Zanpakuto arts.
Gotei 8: Reconnaissance squad, often used as scouts in time of need and are the most frequently sent into the real world to monitor Hollow activity.
Gotei 9: Newspaper and magazine-related duties, they monitor the information of Hollows and Shinigami and keep the rest of Seireitei informed as such, they work closely with Gotei 8. In control of the Jigochou (Hell Butterflies, see below).
Gotei 10: Intrusion protection unit, if Seireitei is attacked/intruded they are the first squad to be loosed in order to contain it. They handle the prison system of Seireitei.
Gotei 11: Zanpakuto-based combat, focussing almost entirely on the arts of the sword and rely sheerly on brute strength. The most combat-effective squad.
Gotei 12: Technological and Information Bureau, they monitor the influx of data from the real world and are in charge of creating spiritual weapons, etcetera.
Gotei 13: Reinforcements squad, this squad is often used as reinforcements for the others in times of need, and are the least used squad in terms of missions.
Abilities
On top of their Zanpakuto releases, a Shinigami can use his/her reiatsu to use the ability of Kido (demonic spells), manipulating the reiatsu to give out large blasts of energy, offensive (Hadou, destructive arts) or binding (Bakudo, binding arts).
James- Admin
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Join date: 2008-04-16
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