Yachiru Unohana

Retsu Unohana (卯ノ花 烈, Unohana Retsu), formerly known as Yachiru Unohana (卯ノ花 八千流, Unohana Yachiru), was the former captain of the Fourth Division in the Gotei 13. She was one of the oldest and most experienced captains, and was Soul Society's best healer. Her lieutenant was Isane Kotetsu. She also formerly served as the first Captain of the Eleventh Division,[3] where she was the first person to wield the name "Kenpachi".[4] After she was cast into Hell, Unohana gained the epithet of "Death Sword" (死剣, Shiken).

Unohana has the appearance of a slender and very youthful woman with blue eyes and black hair. She wears the standard Shinigami captain shihakushō apart from using an obi instead of the normal sash, which hides her well-endowed bosom. Her hair is long and is always worn as a large braid down the front of her body. Over 100 years ago, she did not have the large braid, instead styling in front of her as a loose ponytail. While maintaining a kind and gentle look at most times, during her battle with Kenpachi Zaraki, her eyes appear gloomy and menacing. She also wears her hair down for the first time, exposing a notable scar in-between her collarbone, inflicted by Zaraki when the latter was young.[6] Before he inflicted that scar on her, she did not tie her hair in front of her, instead wearing it down at all times.[7]

Unlike most Shinigami who carry their Zanpakutō in their sash, Unohana has a large string attached to the sheath of her Zanpakutō and carries it over her shoulder, or has her lieutenant, Isane Kotetsu, carry it for her whenever they are together on the battlefield.

Unohana has a gentle and warm personality that augments her appearance. Unohana is a soft-spoken, polite, and caring woman who uses honorifics when addressing everyone, including her subordinates and the enemy. She rarely shows any signs of panic or distress, and has a great sense of duty, shown in the times that she orders Hanatarō Yamada’s imprisonment and Isane Kotetsu’s chasing of Renji Abarai when he runs away with Rukia Kuchiki. Despite her sense of duty, she will also heal almost anybody around her, including Renji after he was defeated by his captain, Gantenbainne Mosqueda when she arrived in Hueco Mundo, and the Visored, referring to them as allies despite Shinji Hirako's reluctance to do so. With her grace and kind manners, she lets others know quietly that while she may be soft, she is not to be taken lightly. Despite her gentle nature, several members of the Eleventh Division[9] and even her fellow Captains fear her.

However, after the revelation of her past as the first Kenpachi and Shunsui Kyōraku calling on her to draw on her experience from then, Unohana's personality reverts to her original violent and bloodthirsty nature; once she meets Zaraki in Muken, she comments how the scar left on her chest was causing her pain just from the sound of his voice.[11] Unohana herself says that she is infatuated with crossing blades,[12] and firmly believes in taking any actions necessary — even sleight of hands such as hidden daggers — to get ahead in battle.[13][14] According to Yhwach, Yachiru was infamous for being a brutal and cold-blooded killer,[15] which she demonstrated by massacring the Quincy of the Lichtreich when they first invaded Soul Society.[16]

Unohana likes strong-flavored food, preferring it to bland tasting dishes. In her free time, she climbs mountains throughout Rukongai; during these excursions, she collects medicinal herbs. Once a month, she holds an ikebana class for the members of her division[17] and she is also the President of the Ikebana Club.

At some point in the past, she named herself Yachiru Unohana[18] and was known as the most diabolical criminal to ever exist in Soul Society.[19] Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto sought her out and she joined him, becoming one of the founding members of the Gotei 13. Unohana laid the foundations of what would be known as the 11th Division and became its first captain, as well as the first Kenpachi. During this time, Unohana was taught medical techniques by Tenjirō Kirinji; she sought this knowledge in order to prolong fights.[20]

Approximately one thousand years before her death, Unohana fought alongside Yamamoto and the rest of the first Gotei 13 captains against Yhwach and his Quincy army.[16][21]

Some time after becoming a captain, Unohana undertook a mission to eliminate the warriors on the edges of Rukongai. Having lost interest in fighting, Unohana wandered from place to place in search of something that would please her sword, and came across a young boy who would one day be known as Kenpachi Zaraki. Attacking her on sight, the boy was able to injure her, causing the woman to once again enjoy fighting. However, despite being the one left standing at the conclusion of their battle, she realized he was stronger and was better suited to become Kenpachi.[22][23] Sometime later, Unohana left the Eleventh division and became Captain of the Fourth Division.

Approximately 110 years ago, Unohana was present for a promotion ceremony that took place at the 1st Division Headquarters, along with the rest of the assembled captains. She witnessed the arrival of the newly appointed Captain of the 12th Division, Kisuke Urahara. Her lieutenant at this time was Seinosuke Yamada.

9 years later, Unohana was present at an emergency meeting called by Captain-Commander Yamamoto where he decided to create an investigation team to locate the missing 9th Division members. When he gave out orders, Yamamoto ordered Unohana to prepare the relief stations for casualties, but she interrupted him and asked if it wouldn't be better for her to tend to the wounded there. Yamamoto plainly told her that he couldn't send healers out without knowing what the situation was like.[25]

Unohana was present when Isshin Shiba made his report about the mysterious Hollow known as White.

Powers & Abilities Immense Spiritual Power: As one of the oldest captains in the Gotei 13 and therefore one of the most experienced, Unohana has a tremendous amount of spiritual power. Alongside Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, she is one of the first captains of the Gotei 13 who were noted to be the strongest generation of the organization's history, making her one of its most powerful combatants. Unohana has acknowledged that no one but Kenpachi Zaraki's power exceeds her own.[65] Unohana's power is reputable enough that even Sousuke Aizen, who just before had effortlessly cut down Tōshirō Hitsugaya in his Bankai and would go on to effortlessly defeat Sajin Komamura and Ichigo Kurosaki, preferred to retreat rather than even attempt to incapacitate her. Master Swordsman: Unohana's personal specialty is sword fighting, particularly in the art of Kendō.[2] She is said have mastered all the countless styles of swordsmanship that exist in the world, hence the meaning behind her previous name, "Yachiru".[19] Her skill level in swordsmanship is far superior to even the current Eleventh Division captain, Kenpachi Zaraki, as she is able to easily best him for a considerable amount of their fight after centuries of not engaging in melee combat. During their battle, Unohana easily overpowered and fatally wounded Zaraki several times,[23][68][69][70] only losing when Zaraki grew powerful enough to kill her.[71] Unohana is also adept in sleight-of-hand, able to seamlessly launch her concealed dagger blades with deadly accuracy.[64]

Hakuda Combatant: During her fight to the death against Zaraki, Unohana deflected his sword swing using the back of her free hand to create an opening for her own attack and subsequently blocked Zaraki's sword hand mid-swing with her foot, stopping his attack while simultaneously leaving him exposed.[72]

Shunpo Practitioner: Unohana is proficient enough in this skill to be as fast as the average captain. Kidō Master: Unohana has advanced knowledge of Kidō and the flow of spiritual energy. Her knowledge and mastery of healing Kidō are unrivaled within Soul Society. Unohana is well-versed in a variety of Kidō, highly masterful in healing Kidō and is able to easily use high-level Hadō and Bakudō spells without incantation.[73]

Kaidō (回道, Turn Way): As the captain of the 4th Division, Retsu is highly proficient in Kaidō, having taught the technique to the members of her division. Master Healer: Unohana learned healing techniques from Tenjirō Kirinji.[74] Though she originally learned healing Kidō to prolong her fights, Unohana since became the most knowledgeable on health-related matters in all of Soul Society,[75] highly proficient in conventional healing techniques and herbal healing. Her knowledge of anatomy is great enough that upon examination of Aizen's "dead body", she concluded it was not Aizen or even real.[76] She is also able to heal more than just Shinigami, as shown when she heals Yasutora Sado, a Human, as well as Gantenbainne Mosqueda, an Arrancar.[39]

Keen Intellect: Along with her general skill of healing, she is able to detect the smallest details in her patients. This aids her in her healing. She can detect anomalies and problems lesser healers would not. She can tell by a simple look what type of medical attention, if any, is needed.[39] She is also a keen analyst with great attention to detail, able to quickly determine how to counteract any ailments a person may have.[77] Her powers of perception were great enough to deduce that Aizen's elaborate illusion of a corpse doll wasn't real, and that Aizen was perpetuating a much larger scheme. Minazuki redirects here. For the manifested spirit that appears in the anime-only Zanpakutō Unknown Tales arc see Minazuki (Zanpakutō spirit). Minazuki (肉雫唼, Flesh-Drops' Gorge): In sealed form, Minazuki is slightly longer than an ordinary katana, and resembles a nodachi. The tsuba has an oval shape, and the handle is red. Instead of tying it to her obi, Unohana carries her Zanpakutō over her shoulder by a rope strap in "Tachi style", or lets Isane carry it for her. Shikai: Its release command and the process of its transformation is unknown. In its Shikai form, Minazuki becomes a giant, green, one-eyed manta ray-like creature that can be used for transportation, with the ability to fly and sprout a pair of legs to land upon. When Unohana decides to seal it, Minazuki melts into a slurry of flesh that enters her scabbard before returning to its sealed state.[78] Shikai Special Ability: Minazuki possesses the ability to heal; when wounded individuals are placed within its mouth, they are swallowed and stored inside its stomach. The stomach acids of Minazuki are strong healing medicines and ointments which gradually soak over the wounded, curing their injuries. It can carry at least six people within its stomach. At Unohana's command, Minazuki will regurgitate the people out of its mouth onto the ground.[2][79] Minazuki is also able to alter its size, becoming as small as a puppy at minimum. Bankai: Minazuki (皆尽, All Things' End): When initiating her Bankai's release, Unohana draws her left hand along Minazuki's edge, causing the blade to liquify into a thick, viscous, dark-red substance resembling blood. The same blood-like substance pours down from above Unohana,[80] in copious enough amounts to form a massive pool and completely cover the battlefield.[81] Minazuki's blade then re-coagulates into a solid state, albeit with the red liquid still covering and continuously seeping off it, and can consequently be used to clash against another Zanpakutō without losing its form.[82] If Unohana suffers a lethal blow, the blood-like liquid quickly disperses into nothing, leaving no trace. Bankai Special Ability: The blood-like liquid unleashed by Minazuki can be manipulated for potent offensive and defensive maneuvers. By swinging her sword, Unohana can send forth slashing waves of liquid to attack her enemy at range, even in rapid succession, and can seamlessly switch between such long-ranged and direct melee attacks. By rapidly swinging her sword in all directions, Unohana can create a loose sphere of small liquid blades around herself to fend off enemy attacks. Additionally, Unohana can use Minazuki to rapidly heal any injuries she sustains without requiring Kaidō, the blood-like liquid seemingly serving as a catalyst for such healing effect.

Yachiru Unohana Fights User