Shinigami Template
Basic Information
Name: Kaneko Hironori
Age: 21
True Age: 250
Sex: Male
Personality: Hironori is a very quiet person, as most assassins of his calibur are. He is not boastful, he refuses contact with most people, and he chooses to be secure in meditation over going to meetings or sparring. His social skills are highly advanced, however. They are also forced. His pasttimes are meditation and writing; he remains an anonymous author, having written collections of poetry and assassination manuals.
In social situations, he seems very carefree with a calm and detached demeanour, very cool and collected. He shows legitimate concern in people's problems and will go out of his way to offer advice and wisdom where he can; whether or not they heed his words is something totally different. He enjoys anonymity, his name only known within the captains' circle. He is only known as Captain/Taicho by those under the rank of VC/lieutenant, as it further serves to protect his identity as an assassin; a captain and his lieutenant have the trust where a lieutenant would not reveal the identity of his captain, even under severe duress, such as torture.
In combat, his entire demeanour changes. The calmness remains, but he goes from carefree to calculating, inspecting an enemy's entire body and combat style to find holes in their offence and defence: a trait every assassin should aspire to have. His attitude becomes pessimistic in contrast to his carefree optimism. His wisdom and experience becomes a deadly weapon against any foe. The change is as quick, easy and simple as taking off his haori. Underneath are specially-designed ninja garments, to further obscure his identity. He has changed the combat appearance of the "common soldier" in 2nd Division to mock, if not imitate, this ninja wardrobe while on missions. Those who see him without his haori rarely survive to describe his appearance.
"Anger turns the strongest fighter into the smallest child." It is a quote from one of his assassination manuals. It refers to how anger clouds the mind and exhausts the body. If one is angry, concentration lacks, intelligence wanes and combat becomes hurried. Hasty decisions lead to fatal errors and lethal mistakes. For many hours at a time, in many different locations around the Seireitei and Rukongai, Hironori can be found in meditation. Usually these places are in secluded areas very rarely happened upon. He has also set up a network of threads in such locations that work to alert him of the presence of another person approaching him, giving him the perfect amount of time to escape without detection. He has only been seen once in meditation, under a waterfall and completely nude; he swore that it would not happen again.
Likes: The thrill of a successful kill is always a rewarding event for Hironori. Meditation and prayer refreshes both mind and spirit. Reading texts to enrich his mind and plant the seed of wisdom is something he has enjoyed as a child. His writing "career" has earned him a small fortune; he is the sole editor and publisher of his own books, although he is anonymous in each, working under the alias "Ando Fumio".
Fears: Becoming slower with age frightens Hironori the most, as does accepting the weakness that old age brings. Losing his physical and mental abilities are a minor fear, but they pressure him into meditation and training, even though meditation/jinzen is a favourite activity of his.
Character Appearance
Height: 6'1
Weight: 182 lbs
Physical Traits: - Spoiler:
Accessories: He carries generic kunai and shuriken, infused with natural reiatsu, for use in combat while sealed. His captain's haori include a hood that obscures his facial features, increasing his anonymity; it is usually not worn during combat.
Fighting Style
General Fighting Style: Hironori is purely an assassin. His focus is in stealth. He is also skilled at all ranges, long, medium and short range, through the use of his generic weaponry in conjunction with his zanpakuto. He does his best to avoid releasing his zanpakuto while in assassin mode, as the poison, or, as he prefers to call it, venom, is easily traced back to his weapon.
Strengths: Hironori is proficient in advanced zanjutsu/kendo, but prefers using his generic weapons for preliminary combat (feeling out the opponent) and for assassination contracts. He is also a scholar of Hakuda, mastering Ikkotsu, Soukotsu and Sandbag Beat (according to the Bleach Wiki), as well as being proficient in the Kazaguruma and Raioken; he finds the Oni Dekopin to be an embarrassing feat, but he has used it.
His optimum ranges are long, medium and short ranges while in Shikai, moving in closer (medium to short) in order to be more accurate and efficient, using shunpo to do so. Wisdom and intelligence are key factors that benefit Hironori's combat strategy. They supplement the rest of his abilities and hide his weaknesses from any and all opponents who come up against him.
Weaknesses: The only kido he knows are the ten listed below. He has no interest in others, so he abandoned the need to learn. His shunpo is advanced, but out of practice; he only uses it to move in close for assassinations. 60% of the time he uses shunpo more than once a fight, he trips and falls coming out of it, and recovery is slow. When he attacks, he commits everything he can to it and backs away; stamina is a slight issue but it is usually recovered through defending, his speed and intelligence able to deflect and block most strikes... MOST.
Zanpakuto & Kidou
Sealed Appearance: - Spoiler:
Spirit’s Name: Dokuekikiba
Spirit’s Appearance: 
Spirit’s Personality: Dokuekikiba is a domesticated venomous snake. The snake's skin that Hironori found as a child and kept all his life literally merged with his nodachi while in the academy. After that, the sword released and became a full-fledged zanpakuto. While in Jinzen for his very first time, Dokuekikiba found, stalked and struck at Hironori, the student barely getting away from the snake's fangs. Immediately, almost naturally, Hironori picks up the venomous snake and handles him deftly. Dokuekikiba does not attempt a second strike, as they telepathically share their expressions to each other. To this day, they are still close friends and allies. Dokuekikiba appreciates and enjoys all the colourful and vibrant stories that Hironori writes and tells him, as the spirit of the snake itself tells of darker things that exist in a snake's world.
Inner World: - Spoiler:
Bakudo: 26 (Kyakko), 30 (Shitotsu Sansen), 58 (Kakushitsuijaku), 77 (Tenteikura), 81 (Danku)
Hado: 1 (Sho), 4 (Byakurai), 54 (Haien, useful for cleaning up bodies)
Other Kido: Keikatsu, Unnamed Kido (Amagai's Flash Paper)
Shikai
Call Out Command: Infect
Appearance: - Spoiler:
It also comes apart.
Abilities: Each of these forms must follow the other, depending on the strength of the opponent and the number of opponents infected with the following abilities. Infection of the weaker forms (Muzumuzu and Muchuu) can take place over the span of three posts, whereas the next three forms must include one of the first two forms plus a cut while the third form and stronger is activated. Transmission types are divided between airborne (dust kicked up through blade-to-blade contact) and direct contact (blade comes in contact with blood or gets under the skin). Each boost stacks as each form is activated; the forms themselves activate a post immediately after the infection before it heals. The conditions cannot be healed conventionally UNTIL the effects of the poison become evident; healing abilities and regeneration do not affect the post countdown to the next form.
Ichibantai, Muzumuzu: First form, itch. The skin and airways become itchy, irritating the throat slightly and possibly forming a rash upon the skin. The itchy throat causes any incantations to be interrupted, as coughing and/or sneezing occurs. This pathogen is transmitted in both methods. If transmitted through airborne means, the itch lasts for two posts. If transmitted through direct contact, the itch lasts for five posts. While this form is active, the edge of Dokuekikiba's chakram blade(s) twinkle with yellow-gold specks. This form boosts defence, as the specks are knocked off the blade in order to infect the respiratory system.
Nibantai, Muchuu: Second form, daze (or trance). An airborne pathogen, the yellow-gold specks become ruby red on the blade. As soon as the specks infect the bloodstream and reach the brain (a period of two posts), speed drops. Reflexes become sluggish and Flash Step techniques become slightly more visible, making offence and defence virtually useless (against Hironori) for one whole post. The boost in this technique comes in the form of strength, allowing Hironori to inflict more damage while the opponent is unable to counterattack due to the lack of speed and concentration.
Sanbantai, Jaku: Third form, weakness. This form must ONLY be transmitted through direct contact with the blood. The red specks on the blade become speckles of white, like flakes of snow. Once the specks enter the bloodstream, the venom spreads through out the muscular system (over two posts), causing the person's strength to severely diminish. The person can still move and use all his/her techniques as if nothing had happened, BUT the attacks will do virtually nothing to Hironori; the sharpest blade will not cut him because of the lack of force behind the blade. This lasts for one post, with a hangover-like effect for one more post after that; this hangover doesn't count as part of the disease cooldown, where Hironori moves to the next form. The boost he gets when this form is activated is speed.
Yonbantai, Seki: Fourth form, cough. An airborne pathogen, it is an evolution from the Muzumuzu respiratory effect. The specks turn a light green, resembling the phlegm in a person's throat as they attempt to cough it out. Defence gets another little kick in an attempt to shake off the specks to allow for infection to occur. The coughing effect itself negates the use of all kido, as a violent coughing fit will interrupt any form of incantation. It also cuts down on the number of close-range attacks per post due to respiratory distress caused by the coughing fits, allowing the opponent to become vulnerable to counterattack. This lasts for two posts, the infection coming into effect after one.
Gobantai, Netsu: Fifth form, fever. The strongest of the five forms, this infection is an evolution of Muchuu and Jaku. The blade glows red and is only able to infect the opponent through direct contact. After three posts to incubate within the opponent, two posts are spent suffering through a hastened metabolism, overheating the opponent and increasing sweat production. As with most fever sufferers, dehydration is a real threat, and being in the middle of combat does not allow for very much liquid replenishment. Fatigue mode, in that regard, is accelerated by 150%. Strength gets another boost, in order to ensure a deep cut to allow the fever to infect the opponent.
Each form must be activated by incantation, saying which form it is and its effect, all in sequential order; it was once only activated through handsigns and incantation. In the past, no one has lived past Jaku.
Boosts: Moderate boost in all skills. Each of the five forms boosts a specific skill (speed, strength, etc). The only skill that increases the most, regardless of form, is stamina.
Bankai
New Name: Dokuekikiba: Saishuutai, Byoukinoryuukou
Appearance: - Spoiler:
Weapon's Bankai Form
- Spoiler:
Spirit's Bankai Form
Abilities: Final form, epidemic. With this form, Hironori is able to release a cloud of spores, similar to the specks, in each colour to the five forms in Shikai, increasing their effectiveness and contagiousness. If there are cuts in the skin (from any time, possibly even from before the fight), the spores will infect the opponent's body through direct contact. Each form's effect, whether airborne or direct contact, lasts twice as long as it did in Shikai. The requirements for each still apply; for example, Netsu still has to be direct contact as Seki must be airborne. The effects, as they enter the opponent's body, CAN compound on each other, similar to how each form's boost compounds with the others preceding it. Hironori must go through all five forms before he is able to activate Bankai.
Boosts: There is a further increase in stamina, as well as an increase in speed, strength and defence.
Toukai
Name: Dokuekikiba: Irounakutai, Katasutorofu
New Appearance: - Spoiler:
Complete with sword
Abilities: Complete form, catastrophe. The blade becomes invisible, only because the actual blade itself is only a nub on the sword, its full length revealed through careful technique-driven swings. The blade can either be small enough to nick the skin or robust and large enough to decapitate with one smooth strike. A regular katana blade is outlined by a faint white light, further hiding the sword's true form and abilities at this stage. This "complete" form will not strip Hironori of his power unless he releases his power further, turning his katana into this...
- Spoiler:
While carrying this sword, Hironori becomes nearly invulnerable for a short time, almost all of his reiatsu forced into the blade. This perfect form lasts three posts only, where all innate skills (strength, defence, etc) exceed calculable levels. After the 3rd post, the sword shatters, Dokuekikiba is broken in half, and Hironori is in a gravely-extended fatigue mode; he cannot recover for the rest of the fight. Only a visit to the 4th Division hospitals can restore his strength. Hironori must also enter Jinzen for six uninterrupted months in order to restore Dokuekikiba.
Boosts: Stamina, speed, strength and defence are boosted, as reiryoku is merged into the body and resembles only pure kinetic energy; use of shunpo is mastered while in this form; there is no tripping over his own feet like in his other forms. There is no reiatsu output whatsoever in his first stage (due to its masking as kinetic energy within the body itself), increasing Hironori's stealth capabilities.Back Drop
Background: Hironori was always a bright child. He followed in the footsteps of Izuru Kira, excelling in his Kido classes. However, Hironori felt a higher calling in observing the interactions of Captain Soi Fon and her senpai, Yoruichi. They were excellent combatants. Soi Fon was much weaker than her elder, but they were comparable in stature and strength.
What really caught his attention was their inner release, Shunko or Flash Cry. Hironori knew that he was too young to unlock such a powerful technique, so he turned to books: manuals, instructional texts, stories, poetry. He was one of the first ones to attend Kira's haiku classes. After graduating the academy, Hironori's path diverted away from becoming a full Shinigami. He went away to train, bringing his nodachi in case of bandits and robbers. He passes through the Rukongai and disappears. It is the last time his face is seen.
It is said in that time, Hironori became one with his zanpakuto, similar to how Baishin had done. It is also said that Hironori literally became a Hollow, only to change himself back, similar to how Kurosaki Ichigo had done times in the past. It would be a century until Hironori re-emerged from his solitude, armed to the teeth with ninja weapons, his zanpakuto, Dokuekikiba, sheathed on his back, no longer wearing his academy uniform.
What happened was that Hironori's reason for bringing his nodachi came to fruition. He was beset by a gang of robbers, led by a massive man who wielded a full zanpakuto. After killing half the group of 25 or 30, the leader stepped forward, releasing his zanpakuto's Shikai; its name was Shinnyuusha. The weapon became a large morningstar, similar to Lieutenant Omaeda's Gegetsuburi, but much larger and pointier. Avoiding the man's weapon, Hironori kills the remaining thieves by using his shunpo to get from one thief to the next, striking them like a snake with stabs to the heart, slashes to the throat and stabs in the back. In an attempt to do the same to the leader of the band, Hironori trips over a pebble, falling flat on his face. As he attempts to rise, Hironori's head is stomped on, knocking him unconscious.
The next thing Hironori remembers is a whizzing sound before waking up in a strange bed. The whizzing sound was that of a kunai dagger thrown through the air just over Hironori's head. A band of five ninjas, who had been watching his travels and intentionally attempting to guide him towards their "lair", was able to deflect the massive Shinnyuusha from crushing Hironori's skull into a pink mush. They then used their natural speed, not shunpo, to stab the massive man through the heart at five points, looking like a Quincy cross from overhead. Trained as a samurai, Hironori naturally rejected his hosts, in fear of his own death, but they were more interested in helping him become stronger.
The ninja clan itself was motley, a group of rogue Shinigami, Quincy and even Sinners, all bound together by the same credo. They looked to preserve the peace. Those they deemed unworthy were usually dispatched. They also had the technology to open Senkaimon, Garganta and Hell Gates; when they made an assassination contract, they sent one of the target's kind, in order to avoid outright war. Everyone within the gates of the community were trained as warriors: men, women and the young children. They would not admit Arrancars, however, due to their reiatsu being easily detected by passing Shinigami; the Sinners were easier to hide. In that time, they slowly began to coax Hironori out of his shell and train him in the skills he would need for combat: intelligence, wisdom, speed. He is also trained in the use of ninja weapons, specializing in the kusarigama and mastering the kunai and the shuriken, having already received kendo and zanjutsu training in the academy.
It is during this time that Hironori unlocks his zanpakuto, Dokuekikiba. After this, they begin to train him in his Shikai forms, learning their strengths and weaknesses, honing his skills with the chakram as well as the blades he can use when the chakram is broken in two. It is only when they break in two that the forms are able to best be used, said his teachers. He has taken this lesson to heart and, through training and meditation, was able to release these seals/forms without the necessity for handsigns.
His first contract was signed through the Kasumi-Oogi family. They asked that their princess, Lurichiyo, be killed as swiftly and discretely as possible. Hironori looked at this and refused it outright; he was specially requested, as the ninja clan's budding pupil. He was replaced by another, Ayumu, only to learn of his death through the use of a Bakkoutou. It is in this time that Hironori became a full-fledged author, under the alias Ando Fumio, the ninja clan acting as publisher under the guise "Dai Takahashi". The money from Hironori's story "Ayumu and The Kyuuketsuki (vampire) Katana" was used to finance the clan, buying and procuring better weapons, the book itself becoming a best seller in most of both the Seireitei and the Rukongai; the book never reached the human world. The rest of the money is used to finance Hironori himself, encouraging him to release many different volumes of haiku collections, rivalling the skills of his former teacher, Izuru Kira.
With a full bank account, a Japanese villa prepared on a far corner of the Seireitei, and his fighting style made into second nature, Hironori emerges from oblivion and back into reality. He re-enlists with the Gotei 13 and applies for the captain's chair of the vacant 2nd Division, the very seat Soi Fon held. He also submits a design for the captain's haori he wishes to wear: a high hood with a dark veil to protect his identity attached to the traditional haori. With this he wears a traditional Shinigami kimono on top of his full bodysuit and weaponry. He wears a bokken instead of Dokuekikiba at his side, the zanpakuto cleverly hidden under his robes. His fortune rivals that of the Kuchiki family and clan, but he shows no signs of his wealth outwardly, unlike the former Lieutenant Marechiyo Omaeda of 2nd Division. Once again involved with Soul Society life, Hironori carries his ties to the hidden ninja village secret, just as they have been for generations before him.
by 
Subject: Kaneko Hironori 
