Kaito Kuchiki

Kaito Kuchiki (海斗 朽木, Kuchiki Kaito) was the 4th Seat of the 6th Division in the Gotei 13, first under Captain and later Captain, and is now a member of the Gotei Remnant. He is a cousin of Ryan Kuchiki and Daisuke Kuchiki, as well as a subordinate of Blake Shihōin.

Appearance
Kaito is a lean-built man with black-coloured hair and eyes. He wears a protective high-necked white jacket with dark green lining over a black shirt and trousers, with his Zanpakutō strapped to his waist in the traditional style.

Personality
Kaito, like Blake, is a severely damaged being. He delights in causing pain and suffering to others simply because he derives a sick kind of pleasure from it. He remarked that Mizuko Hoshiko was to caught up in watching pictures of her "old dead dad" burn to help Yori Hisagi, whom Kaito then threw at the her feet.

History
Kaito, according to Sanada Shirono, was the one responsible for warping the events surrounding the Shirono Massacre, resulting in Sanada being declared a traitor by the Central 46 and Gotei 13. His reason for doing this has yet to be thoroughly explained but Kentaro Hiroshi theorizes that Kaito, who used to work alongside Shiki Shirono, done it to protect his partner. In addition to this he is responsible for the disappearance of many high-and-low-ranked throughout the years. These murders, carried out on the order of Blake Shihōin, began some twenty years before the Collapse, and are indicative of a deeper scheme on Blake's side to seize control of the Gotei 13.

Synopsis

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

Part IV

 * Main article -- Bleach: Cataclysm.

Braving the Waves arc

 * Changing Loyalties?

Powers and Abilities
The sheer quantity of spiritual power he possesses enables him to cast multiple high-level and taxing Kidō spells without tiring.


 * Spiritual Threads: Kaito has demonstrated the ability to create durable threads with his spiritual energy, which not only serve to impede his opposition, but also serve as a means to launch effective traps and ambushes. He remarks that this power is unique to him and is not generated by his Zanpakutō.

Master Assassin: Kaito is Blake's right-hand man and is trusted with tasks too dangerous or too sensitive to entrust to lesser individuals. His ability to strike from the shadows and retreat back into them to set up further traps and ambushes is remarkable.

Zanjutsu: Kaito possesses advanced swordsmanship skills, and is capable of extreme strength and lethal precision. Each attack is nothing short of a killing blow.

Kidō Mastery: Kaito is a proficient master of Kidō combat, second only to Myōga Hisamaru, who was formerly the Vice-Kidō Chief of the Kidō Corps. He skilfully combines his Spiritual Threads, Shikai, and Kidō abilities to shape the entire battlefield to his liking, using the maximum degree of lethality possible in every action.

Hohō Mastery: Kaito, as an experienced assassin, is masterful in the usage of Shunpo.

Zanpakutō
Kagenonaikaku (影の内閣, Shadow Cabinet). Kaito's Zanpakutō takes the form of a with black hilt wrapping and a circular guard.


 * : Kaito releases his Zanpakutō with the command "Showtime" (ショウタイム). In terms of appearance his Zanpakutō undergoes no change.


 * Shikai Special Ability: Kaito, in a similar manner to Kentaro Hiroshi and Shigeru Yūdai, manipulates shadows as an offensive, defensive and supplementary force, as the shadows he manipulates become solid and tangible objects. He can pull individuals down through shadows, attack with shadows, restrain his opponents, and even choke them into unconsciousness or beyond. His Spiritual Threads also bolster the range of his Zanpakutō; he can make these threads invisible, using the threads to connect his opponents shadow with his own, which removes the one weakness of his Zanpakutō: usually he can only manipulate his own shadows, but his Spiritual Threads enable him to "connect" with other shadows, vastly improving his range.


 * Ningyō (人形, Puppet): the most versatile technique in Kaito's entire arsenal. Using his own shadow to tag that of his opponent Kaito can wholly dominate their movements, essentially turning friends against one another on the field of battle.


 * : Jabuyō Kagenonaikaku (蛇舞踊, Snake Dance Shadow Cabinet): Kaito's Bankai creates eight large snakes from his own shadow which can either be directed via hand movements or allowed to roam freely. The snakes themselves are mostly impervious to damage; if cut in two, for example, they return to a nearby shadow before rising to attack once more.


 * Bankai Special Ability: Kaito's Bankai uses enhanced versions of its Shikai abilities in addition to the summoned snakes to dominate the battlefield. These snakes also contain a venom in their fangs that slowly eats away at the targets spiritual power until nothing remains.