Candice Catnipp

Candice is referred to as Candice in the following description. Candice Catnipp is a Quincy and a member of the Wandenreich's Sternritter with the designation T: The Thunderbolt. Appearance Candice is a tall and well-endowed young woman with long, light-green hair. She has blue eyes, prominent eyelashes, and thin, lightning-bolt shaped eyebrows. Her attire is a heavily modified and revealing variation of the regular Sternritter's white uniform, consisting of the typical double-breasted jacket, which she keeps tied up to reveal her midriff and unbuttoned, as well as removing the fabric on the sides, to display her cleavage, and a pair of short-shorts which are held up by a black belt with a green heart-shaped buckle attached to the side. Her jacket does little to hide her chest, which jiggles with nearly every movement. She also wears a white cap on her head with gold trimmings, which features a black peak and the Wandenreich insignia emblazoned on its front, and a pair of bulky, shaft-heeled boots. After being zombified by Giselle, Candice' skin takes on a darker hue and her eyes turn red. Her Vollständig now takes on the form of yellow blades on her arms and skulls on her ankles. She also gains a pair of horns that emit from the sides of her head. Race:Quincy Birthday:June 7 Gender:Female Pronouns:She/Her Height:166 cm (5'5 3/4") Affiliation:Wandenreich Epithet:T:The Thunderbolt Team:Sternritter/Bambies Base of Operations:Silbern Spirit Weapon:Heiling Bogen Signature Skill:Electrokinesis Vollständing:Barbarriel The Bambies are a group of female Sternritter. The Bambies include Bambietta Basterbine as the leader, Meninas McAllon, Candice Catnipp, Liltotto Lamperd, and Giselle Gewelle. Personality Candice has a very short temper, as shown when she got annoyed at Bambietta for her habit of killing attractive male soldiers when irritated and then proceeded to get angry at Giselle for teasing her about her supposed tendency of having "fun" with her subordinates. She cares a great deal for her appearance, going as far as to get up hours before everyone else to do her hair, and cannot stand having it ruined in battle. Candice is also very shortsighted, reckless, and impatient; this volatile nature coupled with her horrible judgement of the situation causes her to make foolhardy decisions when engaging stronger opponents. Plot The Thousand-Year Blood War arc Following the Wandenreich's first invasion of Soul Society, Candice is present alongside other Sternritter when Yhwach announces Uryū Ishida will be his successor. After Bambietta Basterbine kills a Wandenreich soldier, Candice, Liltotto, Meninas, and Giselle enter her room, with Candice saying they should do something about Bambietta killing attractive men when she is annoyed. When Giselle states Candice likes to have "fun" with her subordinates, Candice says she never said this and asks Giselle if she wants to fight before being interrupted by Bambietta blasting a hole in the wall. When Bambietta asks them to remain quiet because she is worried about something, Candice asks her what she is worried about, prompting Bambietta to state she is worried about the future of the Wandenreich. Afterwards, Candice attends a meeting with the other Sternritter, in the Wörtlich hall of Silbern. Jugram Haschwalth informs them they have been ordered to defeat the captains whose Bankai they stole. Candice then listens as Haschwalth explains that the order is to strike them down by crushing their hope. Candice's Vollstandig appears:Candice notices her Quincy: Vollständig wings popped out. Later, Candice arrives for the second invasion, walking down with the other Sternritter after the Seireitei was replaced with the Wandereich city. Later, Candice expresses surprise when the wings of her Quincy: Vollständig emerge by themselves. When Giselle states she will not activate her Vollständig because it tires her, Candice angrily says she didn't want to use hers either. After Bambietta is defeated by Captain Sajin Komamura, Candice and the other three members of her group approach the defeated Bambietta. She and the others later confront 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki after he defeats Gremmy Thoumeaux. Blasting the low-ranking Shinigami in the vicinity, she notes how convenient it was to have them all gathered in one place. As Candice prepares to attack the Shinigami again, Zaraki attacks her, but Candice dodges before electrocuting him. After blasting Zaraki with more lightning, Candice discusses how they should kill him with Liltotto, Meninas, and Giselle before being startled by an explosion in the air above them. As Candice and the others feel the Reiatsu of the individual falling from the sky, they turn around and look above, with Candice wondering who is coming down. She and the others watch as the individual smashes through a tower, leaving Candice and the others dumbstruck, but then are surprised when Ichigo Kurosaki appears behind them, leaving Candice and the others even more surprised. Candice attacks Ichigo. Candice attacks Ichigo while the latter is talking to Zaraki, but Ichigo merely throws her into a building before doing the same to Liltotto, Meninas, and Giselle. While her comrades discuss Ichigo's position as a Special War Power, an enraged Candice proclaims she will never forgive Ichigo for ruining her appearance and summons her bow before using Galvano Blast, which hits Ichigo with 5 gigajoules of electricity. However, Ichigo withstands the attack and notes he will not have as much trouble fighting the girls as he thought he would before preparing to engage in combat with them. When the girls' Heilig Pfeil fail to harm Ichigo, sending them all crashing into Candice with a powerful explosion, an enraged Candice claims the others did this on purpose and promises to kill all of them. Candice activates her Quincy: Vollständig, which surprises the others, and notes that Yhwach will grant all of her wishes if she kills Ichigo. Rushing toward Ichigo, Candice forms two lightning bolt-shaped blades and clashes with him, prompting Ichigo to note they are perfectly matched with two swords each. However, Candice reveals she actually has six swords and knocks Ichigo back before throwing her Galvano Javelin at him. When Ichigo offsets it with a Getsuga Tenshō from Zangetsu's shorter blade, the frustrated Candice charges up electricity and unleashes Electrocution, prompting Ichigo to fire a Getsuga Jūjishō. Seeing the oncoming blast, Candice charges up electricity in her left hand and attempts to counter it. She succeeds in doing so, but loses her left arm in the process. After having Giselle regenerate her arm with The Zombie, Candice prepares to attack once more, only to be pierced by Burner Finger 1 from Bazz-B. After PePe Waccabrada, NaNaNa Najahkoop, and Robert Accutrone show up, Candice gets to her feet and prepares to fight Ichigo 8-on-1. Soon afterward, Candice watches as several more Shinigami confront the Sternritter. After the other Sternritter activate their Quincy: Vollständig, Candice rushes toward the Shinigami alongside them. Together with Robert and NaNaNa, Candice fights against 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki. However, Candice's Quincy: Vollständig soon gives out due to a lack of stamina, leading to her prompt defeat. Shortly afterwards, the exhausted Candice is carried across the battlefield by Meninas when they are both hit by Yhwach's Auswählen. Powers & Abilities Great Spiritual Power: Candice's spiritual power is on a level comparable to that of a captain-level Shinigami. Reishi Manipulation: As a Quincy, she primarily absorbs spiritual energy from the atmosphere, and combines it with her own spiritual energy to form weapons. She has an easier time collecting this energy in environments with higher concentrations of Reishi such as in Soul Society or Hueco Mundo. Hirenkyaku (Flying Screen Step; "Flying Bamboo-Blind Leg") is an advanced Quincy movement technique, allowing the user to move at high speed by riding on the flow of Reishi created below their feet. Swordswoman: Candice has some skill in dual-wielding swordsmanship, having used her lighting wings as swords to briefly clash with Zanjutsu masters Ichigo Kurosaki and Byakuya Kuchiki, while the former was also dual-wielding. Enhanced Durability: Candice possesses considerable durability, withstanding Ichigo Kurosaki throwing her into a building with only minor injuries. Enhanced Endurance: Candice is considerably resilient to damage, quickly getting to her feet after being pierced by Bazz-B's Burner Finger 1. Schrift The Thunderbolt Candice uses The Thunderbolt. The Thunderbolt (: Candice can use her Schrift to create, control, and project lightning bolts. She commonly generates the lightning in her hands and points in the direction she wants to project it. She can also conjure lightning bolts of significant power from the sky to attack targets in groups, causing considerable damage to an area. The lightning is strong enough to kill multiple unseated Shinigami and effectively incapacitate an injured Kenpachi Zaraki. Lightning Jump: Candice can dodge attacks by shifting her body into lightning and moving a short distance to get around the attack and opponent. Spirit Weapon Candice's bow. Heilig Bogen (Hairihhi Bōgen; German for "Holy Bow", Japanese for "Sacred Bow"): Candice uses a bow as her primary weapon. She keeps the short bow in a collapsed state within a heart container on the side of her belt; when Candice clicks the heart, the bow pops out above her. There is a heart centered at the middle of the bow with the two arms branching out of it. The arms of the bow are shaped like lightning bolts. Candice grabs hold of the heart portion with one hand and pulls back on a Reishi string with her other hand to fire like a normal bow. Heilig Pfeil (Hairihhi Pufairu; German for "Holy Arrow", Japanese for "Sacred Destruction Arrows"): Candice can fire powerful, electricity-imbued Heilig Pfeil from her bow. These Heilig Pfeil have tips with jagged, lightning bolt-shaped edges. Galvano Blast: Candice fires a powerful, 5 gigajoule blast of electricity at her opponent. She claims this attack possesses enough power to turn a target to dust. Quincy: Vollständig Candice's Quincy: Vollständig, Barbarriel. Barbarriel (Barubarieru; Japanese for "Thunder of God"): Upon release, which is accompanied by an explosion of electricity in all directions, Candice gains six green lightning bolt-edged Heiligen Fliegen behind her shoulders, a Heiligenschein of electricity shaped like a star-like Quincy Zeichen floating above her head, and a thread of electricity crackling around her body. Flight: Using her wings, Candice can fly at high speeds. Lightning Swords: Candice can pull off her individual Heiligen Fliegen and use them as swords for close-range combat. She can wield one in either hand, and their strikes possess enough power to send a formidable opponent like Ichigo flying backward for several meters. Galvano Javelin: Candice can throw one of her swords as a javelin for long-range combat. However, it was proven it could be cancelled out by an attack of equal and opposite force as demonstrated by Ichigo who offset it with his line-drawn Getsuga Tenshō. Candice's Barbarriel after being strengthened by Sklaverei. Sklaverei (German for "Slavery", Japanese for "Holy Slave"): A technique that augments a Quincy's most basic ability to gather Reishi by forcibly absorbing all Reishi from their environment. Candice uses this ability to further empower Barbarriel and its abilities, changing its appearance slightly, gaining lightning bolt marks on her legs, boots, and chest. Electrocution (Japanese for "Electrical Destruction Punishment"): Candice points upward with her arm, causing a huge column of electricity to surge around her. She concentrates this electricity around her arm, with some of it radiating from her eyes as well, before throwing it at her opponent in the form of a massive blast of electricity. Candice using a partial Quincy: Vollständig like form after being Zombified. Zombie Form: After being zombified by Giselle Gewelle, Candice, like Meninas McAllon and Bambietta Basterbine, retains some partial version of her Quincy: Vollständig, with green Reishi accessories on her arms and legs, two skulls, and horns. Weakness Quincy: Vollstandig. Stamina: Barbarriel is very taxing on Candice's stamina, preventing her from using it for extended periods of time. In Ryōgo Narita's novel Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World, Candice and Meninas McAllon are revealed to have been captured by the Twelfth Division after being depowered by Yhwach's Auswählen and were turned into subjects alongside the captured NaNaNa Najahkoop by Mayuri Kurotsuchi. Mayuri then strikes a deal with her that if she helps him capture the Fullbringers living in the Rukongai, then he will let her and Meninas go free. Some of her fellow Sternritter address her as Candi. The color of Candice's lightning in the official digital colored manga is blue. The anime uses both colors, having her lighting be blue initially, but change to green upon activating her Vollständig. According to Q&A #525 by Tite Kubo on his fansite "Klub Outside", Kubo confirmed that Candice, in the Bambies, is the third best in regards to hand to hand combat after Liltotto and Meninas. However, her Blut proficiency is the weakest out of all Bambies. Candice has the ability to swallow people whole and keep them inside of her stomach. Candice's digestive system is incredibly powerful, able to digest full grown people easily given enough time. Candice's stomach is extremely tight inside due to her athletic build. Candice has the power to digest people. Candice enjoys having people inside of her stomach. If someone were to insult Candice or somehow damage her appearance, she will swallow them whole and digest them. Candice shows little mercy to people she has swallowed. Candice is arrogant, especially when she has someone trapped inside of her gut. Her mouth could be described as hot, wet, and steamy. Quincy Lore and Techniques and World Lore: Quincy are spiritually aware Humans able to absorb and manipulate Reishi into spiritual weapons. During the second major battle of the Quincy Blood War, Yhwach replaced the Seireitei with Silbern and the Wandenreich city in order to bypass the time constraint that ended the previous conflict and negate any traps that the Shinigami had prepared. After absorbing the Soul King, Yhwach brought Silbern and entire Wandenreich city to the Soul King Palace and drastically altered its appearance. Yhwach named this new stronghold Wahrwelt because it would be the cornerstone of his new world. Having made a new, larger throne room within the relocated Silbern. The Wandenreich (Vandenraihi; German for "Walled Empire", Japanese for "Invisible Empire") was a hidden Quincy empire led by emperor Yhwach, serving as a successor state to the Lichtreich and continuing the emperor's thousand-year blood war against the Shinigami. Upon its emergence, the Wandenreich devastates both Hueco Mundo and Soul Society, but its true goal is to collapse the Three Worlds and create a new world for the Quincy by reaching the Soul King Palace and ending the Soul King: Yhwach's father, Adnyeus. The Quincy (Japanese for "Destroyer(s)") are a race of living, spiritually aware Human beings. They are notable for their ability to manipulate Reishi and completely destroy the existence of Hollows, and are considered the polar opposite of Shinigami. Most Quincy were exterminated by the Soul Society over 200 years ago to prevent the collapse of the worlds (brought upon by the mass culling of Hollows). In actuality, a "hidden" empire of Quincy has remained, the Wandenreich, which traces its origin back to 1,000 years ago as the Lichtreich. It is led by Yhwach, the son of the Soul King and the alleged "Father" of all Quincy. Reishi Manipulation: A Quincy uses the Reishi in the atmosphere and combines it with their Reiryoku to create weapons. They fight using a power from outside. They have an easier time collecting this energy in environments with higher concentrations of Reishi such as in Soul Society or Hueco Mundo. To a sufficiently powerful Quincy, there is no difference between Reishi and Reiryoku as a source of power. The ability to manipulate such energy allows for a variety of abilities offensive, defensive and supportive. Spirit Weapon: The weapon that Quincy create by gathering the Reishi in the air. The only limit to a Quincy's ability to create and fire arrows is their own stamina and ability to absorb ambient Reishi. In general, a Quincy Cross is the foundation of a Spirit Weapon. Enhanced Physical Capabilities: Like Shinigami, Quincy are far more physically capable than regular Humans. For example, Bazz-B is particularly strong and durable, being able to casually crush skulls and survive a combined Shikai assault almost completely unharmed. Spiritual Awareness: As a spiritual being, the Quincy can sense Hollows and other spiritual beings at a significant distance, and tell in what direction they are in. Quincy have an acute perception of Reiatsu. Sklaverei: Quincy: Vollständig allows the user to absorb large amounts of Reishi via their Heiligenschein, either to empower their Spirit Weapons, or to augment the form and capabilities of their Vollständig itself. Using Sklaverei, a Quincy's capability for Reishi absorption increases drastically. They can absorb the trees, sand, rocks, and the buildings in Hueco Mundo or Soul Society, and they can even absorb spiritual abilities such as Orihime Inoue's Santen Kesshun. Flight: Quincy: Vollständig users can use Heiligen Fliegen generated by the technique for high-speed flight. Spirit Weapon: With their Quincy: Vollständig activated, a Quincy can produce a Spirit Weapon, made entirely of Reishi, from the gauntlet on their wrist. They can use this weapon for both melee attacks and to fire Heilig Pfeil. Enhanced Schrift: The ability granted by a Sternritter's Schrift is greatly amplified. Its power and range are raised, and a Quincy gains access to new techniques which they can't use normally. Enhanced Spiritual Awareness: A Quincy using Quincy: Vollständig can sense Reiatsu to a far greater level, allowing them to surpass any ability which would hide one's presence if they are more powerful than the opponent in question. In the anime, the pillar of light generated by the activation of Quincy: Vollständig makes the sound of church bells tolling. The wings generated by Quincy: Vollständig are named Heiligen Fliegen. The Sternritter (German for "Star Knights", Japanese for "Star-Cross Knights' Order") are a group of powerful Quincy in the Wandenreich's army, formerly the Lichtreich's army, who play a pivotal role in the Quincy Blood War against Soul Society, being tasked with purging the Shinigami. The Sternritter, also referred to individually as just Ritter (German for "Knights", Japanese for "Member(s) of the Knights' Order"),[4] are an order of extremely powerful Quincy who serve as the Wandenreich's leading combatants. According to Akon, those Sternritter who participated in the first invasion of the Seireitei wield powers comparable to or greater than that of a Captain-level Shinigami. Each Sternritter is assigned a Schrift by Yhwach, which bestows them abilities; each Schrift is based off an English word and letter. Quincy The Wandenreich (Vandenraihi; German for "Walled Empire", Japanese for "Invisible Empire") was a hidden Quincy empire led by emperor Yhwach, serving as a successor state to the Lichtreich and continuing the emperor's thousand-year blood war against the Shinigami. Upon its emergence, the Wandenreich devastates both Hueco Mundo and Soul Society, but its true goal is to collapse the Three Worlds and create a new world for the Quincy by reaching the Soul King Palace and ending the Soul King: Yhwach's father, Adnyeus. Additionally, one's Quincy: Vollständig can activate on its own when the user is surrounded by high concentrations of Reishi and does not possess full control over it, as evidenced when Candice Catnipp's Quincy: Vollständig briefly activated against her will. Reishi composes the spiritual bodies of Souls, including Hollows and Shinigami, and everything in Hueco Mundo and Soul Society. Reishi is invisible and intangible to mortals, with the exception of spiritually aware ones such as the Quincy or Fullbringers. There is also a certain amount of Reishi in the Human World. Free Reishi tends to be found in places closer to nature. Quincy collect this Reishi to use for combat in the form of Spirit Weapons. Reishi in the atmosphere is also able to be controlled freely, allowing a person to gather it under their feet so that they can stand on air,though it is difficult to do so in Reishi-thin areas such as Wahrwelt. In Soul Society, for most Souls that die, their entire bodies and clothes eventually degrade and become the very Reishi that makes up Soul Society. Blue Flames: Certain members of the Wandenreich including the Sternritter, possess the ability to produce blue flames composed of condensed Reishi. These flames are powerful enough to set fire to the rocks and sand of Hueco Mundo, which are usually incapable of burning. Shinigami (death god ("Soul Reaper(s)") are the spiritual guardians of the Three Worlds who protect and guide Souls going through the cycle of transmigration between the World of the Living and Soul Society. Having been called Balancers (Japanese for "Regulators") in ancient times, they purify Hollows who do evil in the World of the Living and ensure the safe crossing of souls — the Pluses who have lost their way after death — by giving them a soul burial. Shinigami are the opposite of the Quincy, as they cause imbalance between the Three Worlds by exterminating Hollows and their souls completely. The Soul Society (Japanese for "Dead Spirit World") is one of the spiritual afterworlds where deceased humans go to posthumously. This is also where the Shinigami live and operate from, and where most souls dwell until they are reincarnated into the Human World. Alongside the World of the Living and Hueco Mundo, Soul Society counts as one of the Three Worlds. The Sternritter and their subordinates reside in Silbern with their emperor, Yhwach. It is surrounded by a massive, similarly iced-up city comprised of seemingly abandoned buildings, which is approximately as large as the Seireitei. Silbern itself is a wide, two-tiered building. The bottom tier is supported by six thick columns, while the upper tier is roughly half as wide and long, instead being held up by pillars; it also features windows consisting of two thin slats in the wall on either side. The ground below it has a set of stairs leading up to the lower tier, and the entire complex is surrounded by an angular barrier with octagonal joints. Silbern is framed by two gutted, curving, tusk-like structures arching toward each other in front of it, and is dwarfed by a large, rectangular tower with a cross on each side rising up behind it; during the war with the Gotei 13, Yhwach uses this tower as a platform to enter the Soul King Palace. The entire area is covered in varying amounts of ice, giving every surface a jagged look with dozens of stalagmites. The rooms within Silbern vary drastically in size and purpose, ranging from spacious assembly halls to a medium-sized throne room where Yhwach operates as the emperor of the Wandenreich to personal and private rooms for the Sternritter themselves. A hall with a long, silver table that the Sternritter convene in is called Wörtlich Hall (German for "Literal Hall", Japanese for "Sacred Knight Order's Public Hall"). Sternritter Grandmaster Jugram Haschwalth's private quarters are located in the tower behind Silbern, while Yhwach resides within the lower tier of Silbern in a small room lit by torches and decorated with filigree, featuring only a small throne on a platform. There is a separate room in midair where Tier Harribel, the former ruler of Hueco Mundo, is imprisoned. During the second invasion of Soul Society, Yhwach oversaw the war from a large, open-air, torch-lit Throne Room, featuring the same throne, and slept in a barren, open-air room on a more ornate throne. These rooms are connected by wide hallways that are comprised of the pillars supporting the upper tier of Silbern on one side, allowing inhabitants to easily move between levels. Housed within Silbern are multiple ornate metal plates known as Gates of the Sun that can be quickly moved between using Keys of the Sun, one of these gates was used to invade Soul Society. Silbern and the city surrounding it reside in a dimension within the Seireitei known as the Schatten Bereich (Japanese for "Shadow Area"; "Shadow Area"), which the Quincy created after fleeing to Soul Society from the war with the Shinigami 1,000 years ago. This dimension cannot normally be seen or detected by the Shinigami, which is why the Quincy called their new army the "Invisible Empire." When leaving the Schatten Bereich, the Wandenreich does not need a method of bypassing the walls surrounding the Seireitei because they have always been inside the Seireitei; furthermore, the Wandenreich can decompose the Reishi particles that make up the Seireitei to reveal Silbern and its city. However, Yhwach cannot leave this area for more than a certain period of time before having to retreat. The Zanpakutō (Soul-Cutter Sword) is the main weapon of the Shinigami, used for battle and purifying spirits. The art of wielding a Zanpakutō is called Zanjutsu (Swordsmanship), one of the four Shinigami combat styles in the Zankensoki. Overview Zanpakutō are the trademark weapons of the Shinigami. Capable of cutting spiritual bodies, they are among the few weapons which can be used to combat Hollows. A Zanpakutō is different from a Quincy's Spirit Weapon; while a Shinigami channels Reiryoku from their soul into their blade, a Quincy does the opposite by gathering Reishi from the atmosphere to form a weapon and coat it with their Reiryoku. Each Shinigami carries a Zanpakutō, and each Zanpakutō is unique: far from mere weapons, the swords are reflections of a Shinigami's power and soul, and sentient beings unto themselves. Since they are sentient beings, this means that they are vulnerable to abilities such as PePe Waccabrada's Schrift, The Love, which otherwise does not affect non-living matter. Indeed, the very nature of the Zanpakutō is complex: they cannot simply be classified as weapons, powers, extensions of their wielders, or separate beings; they are all of those at the same time. The Zanpakutō's name is the name of the living spirit which empowers the sword and lends its strength to the Shinigami who wields it. These beings can vary greatly in appearance, and have their own distinct personalities, which are nonetheless similar to their owner's. A Zanpakutō's shape and abilities are based on their Shinigami's soul. Once a Shinigami learns their Zanpakutō's name, they can communicate with one another and grow stronger together. Zanpakutō are born with their Shinigami, and they die along with their Shinigami. Shinigami use them in battle as a reflection of their heart. When released, they can display a vibrant power. They are one with the Shinigami, and they share a Shinigami's conviction. However, if a Shinigami experiences mental instability, they can lose harmony with their Zanpakutō, making it impossible to hear the spirit's voice and rendering them unable to access their Shikai, even if they know its name. Abusing a Zanpakutō Spirit can further deteriorate this bond and may even permanently sever the connection between Shinigami and Zanpakutō. Every Zanpakutō has its own name, which the wielder must learn. Such weapons are unique swords generated from their owner's souls. Its shape, even in its sealed state, differs depending on its owner. Because they are part of their owner's soul, a Zanpakutō cannot be replaced, though it will slowly regenerate if it is broken. No Zanpakutō has a Shikai and a Bankai with completely unrelated abilities. A Zanpakutō can determine if its wielder is worthy of its power. If the wielder is deemed unworthy, the Zanpakutō may refuse to reveal its true Bankai name, thereby limiting its full potential. Conversely, a wielder can release a weaker form of their Shikai by using an incorrect release command. Additionally, a Zanpakutō Spirit or an external entity connected to it can suppress the wielder's power, leading to a significantly weaker Shikai and Bankai with altered forms, even if the wielder knows their true names. A Zanpakutō possesses a true form that resides within its Shinigami. As sentient beings, Zanpakutō have their own minds and bodies, which dictate their powers. A Shinigami can grow stronger through communication with their Zanpakutō. In rare cases, a Zanpakutō Spirit can even create another Zanpakutō Spirit with a unique name and appearance. Inside each Zanpakutō is an incarnation which manifests itself upon the Zanpakutō's transformation. The first step is to acquaint oneself with this incarnation. Every spiritual being and every Human has a certain amount of Reiryoku. If this amount is higher than a certain degree, it grants the person superhuman abilities. Those with such an above-average level of Reiryoku are very rare among living Humans. The most basic ability that Humans with a higher level of Reiryoku have is the ability to see ghosts: Pluses, Shinigami and Hollow alike. Shinigami are essentially Souls in Soul Society with very high levels of Reiryoku who receive special training to utilize their powers. Reiryoku is most quickly increased when a Soul is in a life-or-death situation. Sensing Reiryoku Another basic ability that beings with higher-than-average levels of Reiryoku possess is the ability to sense other spiritual beings without relying on their five basic senses. This is possible because every spiritual being emits a certain amount of his/her own Reiryoku in the form of Reiatsu, which can be sensed. This ability apparently requires some innate skill, but can be increased with training. Every spiritual being has a unique pattern to his/her emitted Reiryoku. One can recognize the pattern of their friends and acquaintances after some time, being able to sense their presence and their physical and mental state from relatively great distances. Sudden changes in Reiryoku pattern can mean that the person in question is in great stress (i.e. fighting) or has received a grave wound. Different types of spiritual beings have greatly different patterns, the Reiryoku pattern of Hollows for example is easily distinguishable from that of Pluses or a Shinigami. There are a few ways to block Reiryoku. One is the usage of Sekkiseki, a special kind of stone that completely blocks Reiryoku from both sides. The walls of Seireitei, and the walls of the Senzaikyū are built from this stone. As Sekkiseki blocks even the strongest Reiryoku emissions, it does not just inhibit the sensing of one's Reiryoku pattern, but effectively closes out most unwanted visitors in the case of Seireitei, and prevents the escape of even the strongest prisoner from the Senzaikyū. Any being with an extremely high Reiryoku will not have their Reiatsu be sensed at all by less powerful beings, without needing to conceal it; in a combat situation, this was shown by Sousuke Aizen during his second fusion with the Hōgyoku in his battle with Isshin Kurosaki, Yoruichi Shihōin, and Kisuke Urahara, and once again by Ichigo Kurosaki after his Dangai training against Aizen himself. When Yhwach confronted Ichibe'e Hyōsube, he noted that he could not sense any Reiatsu emanating from him nor his released Zanpakutō. Controlling Reiryoku The aforementioned emission of Reiryoku is a common and natural phenomenon, but a spiritual being can also control the degree of this emission, this usually requires a certain amount of skill and training. By completely blocking his/her Reiryoku "pouring out", one can completely hide his/her presence from other spiritual beings and spiritually aware humans. On the other hand, amplifying this emission is known as Reiatsu (Spiritual Pressure), is considered a show of force, a means of intimidation or can even be an attack in itself. It can indeed paralyze opponents and cause direct damage to the surrounding individuals and inanimate objects alike. Aside from controlling the amount of emitted Reiryoku, most spiritual beings and some of Ichigo's spiritually-aware Human friends are capable of performing many superhuman feats with the help of their Reiryoku. These feats usually require a certain level of concentration, and they tend to tire the person after some time, or after performing some of them in quick succession. It is also known, that after excessive usage of Reiryoku, Shinigami need food to replenish their strength, while on the other hand, the regular Souls that dwell in Soul Society that do not use their Reiryoku do not need to eat. For high-level Shinigami, such as Captains and Lieutenants, their Reiatsu is so high, they can cause undesirable ripples in the Human World. As such, a seal is automatically placed onto them whenever they pass through the Senkaimon from Soul Society to the Human World, limiting their strength to 20% of their maximum output. Quincy can also increase their mobility, and form a weapon (usually a bow) with their Reiryoku. In their usage of Reiryoku, however, there is a fundamental difference from spiritual beings – they primarily rely on collecting Reishi from the environment, and use this collected Reishi to fight.They can even collect and store Reiryoku in various special items. The Shikai ("Initial Release") is the second form (or first "upgraded" form) available to a Zanpakutō. To activate it, the Shinigami needs to learn the name of their Zanpakutō. This is not as easy as simply picking a name, as the living spirit of the Zanpakutō already has its own name. Therefore, the Shinigami must be able to communicate and harmonize with their Zanpakutō effectively, which requires being able to speak to the spirit within its world. A Zanpakutō can change size and shape depending on the spiritual strength of the owner. Achievement of the Shikai is a mark of control of a Zanpakutō, and it appears to be a requirement for advancement within the Shinigami ranks, as presumably most seated officers are capable of Shikai. It is also required in order to achieve the rank of lieutenant; as it is a requirement most captains look for. After first learning the Zanpakutō's name, the Shikai can be performed at will simply by speaking a command followed by the Zanpakutō's name. The commands vary between users and range from a simple imperative verb to a short poem. They often relate to the Zanpakutō's signature ability, or hint at the nature of its spirit. This step may be bypassed by expert Shinigami who have learned how to use their Bankai. Shikai Forms: Once the Shikai is activated, the Zanpakutō will change form to access whatever special abilities it is capable of. They almost always take on the form of a weapon of some kind, though the type of weapon can vary greatly among different Zanpakutō Special Abilities: Once the Shikai is activated, the Zanpakutō will change form to access whatever special abilities it is capable of. The special abilities of the Zanpakutō, like the Zanpakutō itself, have specific names that usually must be announced to fully activate the effect. As Ichigo's Zanpakutō, Zangetsu, explains, knowing the name of an attack and not knowing it makes a very drastic difference in the amount of power that attack utilizes. Some special abilities are automatically activated upon release. The Bankai (Final Release) is the second and final upgraded form of a Zanpakutō. To achieve Bankai, one must be able to materialize and subjugate their Zanpakutō spirit. Materialization means the opposite of getting dragged into the Zanpakutō's inner world. Instead the wielder needs to summon the Zanpakutō's spirit into the physical world. It usually takes 10 years or more to achieve, plus the experience needed to master it. The power and forms of Shikai and Bankai are dependent on the Zanpakutō. They also vary according to the wielder's strength and training. But in general, one's power can grow 5 to 10 times greater. Only the strongest Shinigami can use it. It is also the ultimate technique of a Zanpakutō. Even the Four noble families, whose members are always exceptionally talented, have a member capable of Bankai only every few generations. Those who achieve Bankai always have remarkable roles in the history of Soul Society. Bankai Forms: After a Shinigami is able to materialize and subjugate their Zanpakutō's spirit, the Zanpakutō can assume its final and most powerful form. Unlike the Shikai, there is no command phrase to activate Bankai, though the user will usually say "Bankai" beforehand. A Zanpakutō's Bankai is often a manifestation of the spirit itself, usually creating a massive creature or a very powerful effect to aid the user in battle (Ichigo's Bankai is an exception, becoming more compact instead). The Bankai itself will receive a different name in addition to the ordinary Zanpakutō (for example Ichigo's Zangetsu becomes Tensa Zangetsu, Byakuya's Senbonzakura becomes Senbonzakura Kageyoshi). Certain Shinigami also change with their Zanpakutō, gaining clothing similar to what their Zanpakutō's spirit form looks like. Most Zanpakutō will also gain additional special abilities, or a more enhanced version of the usual one. Like with the Shikai, most of these abilities have an associated name. Maintaining the Bankai is taxing for the wielder, and it is difficult to maintain it for long periods of time for most Shinigami, with the exception of Ichigo, as it becomes more compact, thus allowing him to hold it for long periods of time. Special Abilities: The power that comes with Bankai tends to be similar to the Shikai's ability/theme, but amplifies it to much greater levels of power and effect. Some simply increase the original ability, such as Byakuya Kuchiki's blade count multiplies greatly, Ichigo Kurosaki's Getsuga Tenshō becoming faster, far more powerful, and its color become black, or Sajin Komamura's, who instead of only generating pieces of the giant, summons the whole giant itself. While other Bankai follow the theme of the sword, such as Renji's remains whip-like while containing baboon and cobra features, or Mayuri summons a monster with the same face (Jizō) on his trident-esque sword, but kept the theme of poison that came from the monster's breath. Weakness: A high enough level of spiritual energy can be used to disrupt the rhythm of a Bankai. The biggest flaw of Bankai lies in the overwhelming power it releases. Its power and form are often far beyond that of a normal weapon. This is the reason that in order for one to become capable of using it completely and effectively, one needs to train at least 10 years with Bankai. Any Bankai before that period of time has been reached should not be used in battle. Quincies can not use Zanpakutō, Shikai, or Bankai.