Highlights
- Shunsui Kyoraku is an incredibly powerful Shinigami in Bleach, with a reputation that is the stuff of legend.
- He is highly skilled in all areas of combat, including swordsmanship, Hakuda, Kido, and Shunpo.
- His Zanpakuto, Katen Kyokotsu, has unique abilities that can manipulate reality, and his Bankai has four different stages, each with devastating effects on his opponents.
Although he might not necessarily be the strongest Shinigami in the Gotei 13 by a large margin, there is no doubt that very few characters in Bleach would be able to last long against Shunsui Kyoraku. One of the longest-serving members of Soul Society's military wing, and its current Captain-Commander, Shunsui's reputation is the stuff of legend, having trained under the Gotei 13's previous Captain-Commander Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto.
Highly proficient in all arenas of Shinigami combat skills, Shunsui is the complete package, and most of his fights in Bleach have served to gradually showcase the full extent of his power when applied in appropriate situations. Furthermore, his experience, tactical acumen, and intelligence all serve to augment his raw power, which can match even the strongest in Soul Society. That being said, how strong is he when compared to some of the other monstrous allies and opponents the Gotei 13 has encountered over the years?
Trained By Yamamoto Himself
Well versed in virtually all Shinigami combat skills, to a degree where he could somehow keep up with his mentor Yamamoto, Shunsui's fighting style combines misdirection, efficient use of force, and adaptability. He is an extremely skilled swordsman, and can fight with either hand equally by virtue of being ambidextrous. Able to fight Espada level opponents on an equal footing with only his sealed Zanpakuto, Shunsui's laid back attitude often leads him to hold back in battles until he is really tested. However, on gauging his opponent's relative strength, he is efficient and measured with his attacks, constantly looking for openings in their guard to take advantage of.
He has also shown a fair degree of proficiency in both Hakuda and Kido, able to perform complex moves such as Tsukiyubi to send opponents flying with only his fingers, or use Hado up to #78 without incantation. Even among the Captains of the Gotei 13, Shunsui can exert a truly monstrous level of Reiatsu. He is one of the few who could withstand attacks from Yamamoto, and was not even fazed by his mentor's Reiatsu, which usually overwhelms all around him. Lastly, Shunsui is also an expert user of Shunpo, with even Yamamoto commending him on his speed.
Katen Kyokotsu's Dual Wield Style
In its sealed state, his Zanpakuto is actually a pair of blades, consisting of a tachi and a wakizashi, making him one of the few dual wielders in Soul Society alongside his old friend Jushiro Ukitake. One way he harnesses his ambidexterity is through the tachi and wakizashi pairing, where Shunsui swings both swords at different speeds. While his wakizashi keeps an opponent occupied with its speed, his tachi can be used to go for the kill with powerful strikes. Shunsui generally favors his left arm, which can deal heavier blows, but can switch up the relative force exerted by each arm to confuse opponents and gain an edge in battle.
When released, Shunsui's Zanpakuto transforms into a pair of curved black Chinese scimitars, with silver edges and red tassels dangling from their hilts. Even though the swords may appear to have become identical, he still wields them in the same way, where one sword is used for speed based attacks while the other is deployed in dealing powerful finishing blows. Hence, in this state, he does not have to change up his fighting style and gains an added boost in power after releasing his Zanpakuto.
Like all Zanpakuto, Shunsui's Shikai also has a special ability of its own, which is to make children's games become reality. Anyone who steps into the area of influence covered by his Reiatsu in its Shikai state, is forced to play by the rules, including Shunsui himself. From firing powerful bursts of wind pressure with Bushogama, or manipulating positional advantages with Takeoni, to manipulating shadows with Kageoni, there is a broad variety of techniques he can tap into with this ability. Aside from those mentioned before, he has three additional techniques named Irooni, which is based on colors, Daruma-san ga Karonda, which bears similarities to "Red light, green light," and Kageokuri, which can create afterimages with shadows.
A Bankai Honed Over Centuries
Unlike some of the other Bankai of the Gotei 13's Captains, Shunsui's is quite unique in that it has a number of different stages in its activation. On release, his Bankai, Katen Kyōkotsu: Karamatsu Shinjū, manifests as a dark aura that spreads out over a large area, changing the perception of his opponents to make them feel as if their environment is dark and gloomy, leading them to experience melancholy and despair. After this, the first of its four stages will commence, building up to a climactic finale.
The first stage, dubbed Ichidanme: Tameraikizu no Wakachiai, sees him and his opponent's bodies mirror each other in damage, where any wounds inflicted on the body of one combatant will be reflected on the body of the other. Next, Nidanme: Zanki no Shitone, the second phase, causes black spots to appear on their skin and make them bleed profusely. In the third stage, Sandanme: Dangyo no Fuchi, his Bankai's ability summons a massive amount of water that engulfs both Shunsui and his opponent, remaining in place until one of them drown and become drained of all their Reiatsu.
To conclude, the fourth and final phase, Shime no Dan: Itokiribasami Chizome no Nodobue, Shunsui sheathes his swords and winds a white thread around his opponent's throat, which makes a deep gash in their throat before blowing up their head. More than its complexity, the fearsome finality of this power is a terrifying proposition for anyone to contend with, which is why Shunsui's power is held in such high esteem by many. A worthy successor to Yamamoto, Shunsui is by far one of the most powerful characters in Bleach, with few Captain level Shingami who can really keep up or even gain the upper hand in a battle against him.
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