Anika's vanguard

Anika's vanguard (亜仁花先陣, Anika Senjin) was a team of Soul Society exiles hastily brought together by Anika Shihōin to face the threat posed by 's Privaron Espada. They fought the latter group of in Kagamino City whilst the Gotei 13 and Visored fought Aizen and the  proper in. Kei Yume was labelled as the teams de-facto leader whilst Kenji Hiroshi served as the primary recruiter on Anika's behalf, though Van Satonaka ended up assuming leadership towards the end of the conflict to free up Kenji.

Synopsis

 * Main article -- Bleach: Sun and Moon Chronicles.

Kagamino City arc
Anika's vanguard was the brainchild of Anika Shihōin. After learning of the existence of the Privaron Espada and 's plan to unleash them as a second force against the Gotei 13, Anika contacted Tadashi Kori and Shin Nagakura. She told them of her plan to put a force together to combat the Privaron Espada, with Shin partially guessing who she was going to call upon. Anika proceeded to give a vague list of exiles she could contact and noted her hope to get Sōritsu Kuchiki involved. The first recruit Anika reached out to was her godson Kenji and his friend Ino. She tracked the duo down in Atlantic City during a road-trip of America and explained the situation. She then told Kenji that his cooperation wasn't optional; he was going to help her, and that was that. She urged Kenji to recruit his friends for the battle as well and made it clear that she intended to talk to Kei Yume personally.

Shortly afterwards Kenji took advantage of the Gotei 13's focus on and slipped into the Soul Society's Southern  alongside Ino. Once there he approached the steps of Ōryū Temple before being greeted by Shiju Shūdō. Kenji introduced Ino and made the reason for his visit clear: Anika was putting together a coalition to supplement the Gotei 13's military strength, and Kenji wanted Shiju to be a part of that coalition. Shiju readily agreed and even put Ino's mind at ease by claiming it was psychologically favourable for them to be cheerful when she stated only men could wage war. Kenji would also gift Shiju with a Renkei he had forged. Meanwhile at the same time elsewhere, Anika, true to her word, set up a meeting with Kei Yume in the outskirts of the, with the latter being joined by Masaki Satō and Nerine Amamine, who waited outside as guards. Inside the safe-house Anika and Kei discussed the latter's exile, though Anika quickly brought him up-to-speed regarding the. She explained the existence of the Privaron Espada and how planned to unleash them on the  to harry the Gotei 13, and asked Kei for his assistance as leader of a coalition to oppose them. Kei doubted his use against the but Anika assured him, claiming she was aware of not only his strength but the bonds he had forged; Kei agreed to Anika's request as a favour to his "Auntie", and received a Renkei forged by Kenji.

In the World of the Living Kenji and Ino continued to recruit on Anika's behalf. As Anika had provided no details on potential candidates Kenji opted to pay Van Satonaka, who was a growing rival and a good friend of his, a visit. Van and Kenji quickly caught up over a friendly, albeit intense sparring match, before Van agreed to help his friend, though he admitted that he wasn't doing it for the Gotei 13, views which Kenji echoed. Van then introduced Talia Kurokiri and claimed that she too could help. Thankful for any extra assistance Kenji readily agreed though he jokingly claimed that Anna would be pissed off that Van was hanging around with another woman, which Van did not deny. The pair opted to spend the remainder of their time training together in preparation for the coming conflict, with Kenji finalizing Van's training in the Wan'nesu which he had begun sometime before. Elsewhere Anika personally recruited Mukuro, who was a skilled operative of the Onmitsukidō, whom Anika trusted. Mukuro spent his time after his recruitment in the company of Shiju Shūdō.

Organization & motivation
The group had no hierarchy whatsoever; Anika gathered the group together in haste (partially through Kenji), and secured their cooperation by providing potential pardons from the Central 46 should they do as she directed. At best the membership was filled with those gunning for their own interests. Kenji and Van, as exiles known to the Soul Society and still at large for their supposed crimes, wanted their slates swept clean. Kenji, though, wasn't given much choice either way. Shiju helped simply because Kenji asked him too, noting he would do it for a friend. Although also considered as exiles to Soul Society, Kei, Masaski, and Nerine did not necessarily care for the pardons, and merely accepted Anika's request as a favour to her. Ino, as the apprentice of Garian Shinjo, acted in her master's stead, though in the beginning she doubted their ability to succeed. Mukuro, as a member of the Patrol Corps of the Onmitsukidō, and an acquaintance of Anika besides, lent his blade to the cause as a favour to the Onmitsukidō's former Commander-in-Chief. Talia's recruitment occurred through Van though her reasons remained unknown to all save herself.

Membership

 * Kei Yume.
 * Masaki Satō.
 * Nerine Amamine.
 * Kenji Hiroshi.
 * Ino Choyo.
 * Shiju Shūdō.
 * Mukuro.
 * Van Satonaka.
 * Talia Kurokiri.

Trivia

 * Despite being given pardons, Kei Yume, Masaki Satō, and Nerine Amamine did not immediately return to . Instead, they chose to remain in the World of the Living for unknown reasons, up until they were forced to intervene in the Quincy Blood War several years later.


 * Kenji and Van, however, did not receive a pardon of any kind; the Central 46 reneged on their offer, furthering the resentment of both men. Kenji organized a similar group to Anika's vanguard which paved the way for the eventual formation of the Ryū Order, whilst Van would go onto form The Rogues.

Behind the scenes

 * This article was created to showcase the potential origins of the Ryū Order and The Rogues; both organizations would play a major role in the events surrounding Part II of Bleach (Kenji Hiroshi).

References & notes
