Junsui Kirei

"Age is but a number. Look upon me. Do you judge my abilities by accessing my age? Well? It is well that you should not. My zanpakutō is my ally, and a powerful ally it is."

- Junsui instructing Seireitou and Kamui in Seijin teachings

Junsui Kirei (奇麗純粋, Kirei Junsui) is one of the most respected and powerful Shinigami in the Order of the Seijin, as well as it's leader and one of it's three Seijin Grandmasters, who is known for his fierce mastery of swordsmanship and seijō reiryoku. He is the first Shinigami known to assume the title of Seijin, though he had a master in his youth that taught him what is now considered Seijin techniques and teachings. He is one of the ranking members of the Seijin Council, as well as one of it's three permanent members. He has had his hand in training every member of the new Order, including Seireitou, Kamui, Renge, and Haruko in the ways of the Seijin.

It is known that at some point during his young life, he served in the Gotei 13, though what division he served in as well as when he left the Gotei 13 is completely unknown. After his departure, he was trained in the ways of the Seijin and later would become known as the Father of the Order (父の其の体制, chichi no sono taisei). He is also called "-ojiichan" by the younger members of the Order, and Feared One (予想通り一, Yosōdōri hitotsu) by his enemies.

Appearance
Junsui appears as an old man with long white hair, turned that color by age, grey eyes, and a white mustache. He wears a form fitting tunic, along with a blue-hooded cloak, and a haori over the top of them. He also wears a blue band around his forehead. He is very muscular for his old age and appears quite physically fit.

During his flashbacks, he is shown to have worn the standard Shinigami garb during his time in the Gotei 13, along with short, light-blue hair. In another flashback showing his time as a Seijin trainee under his unknown master, he wore a red tunic with a blue undershirt. His hair remained light-blue and his hair was also longer then.

Personality
"Be careful, my pupils. The path to anger, greed, and self-indulgence is an easy one; one that many have fallen to. But to you, I teach the right path. A path of selflessness. A path of light. To walk upon it, self-sacrifice must be your goal, and a hard goal it is to achieve."

- Junsui speaking words of wisdom before the Council.

To the Initiates in the Order, Junsui is a very strict instructor, but is far more lenient than some of the younger Masters; almost appearing grandfatherly to the children at times. This difference in personality usually depends on the situation he is placed in. When training students, he remains strict, testing their mental and physical limits at all times. Outside of training and during leisure times he is very warm and compassionate to all of his comrades.

His fellow Masters in the Order know him as a loyal and powerful comrade, as his mere presence on the battlefield can boost the moral of his men. He also appears to be rather mischievous, as he likes to play pranks on the initiates quite often during thier off time. His leadership skills are undeniable. As a former member of the Gotei 13 and the current leader of the Order, he has had much experience in commanding large groups of Shinigami both for combat purposes and for peacemaking, which is the primary mission of the Order. He is one of the few Seijin that believe that beings consumed by evil cannot be brought back to the light. When challenged by his early students over these views, he replied; "You speak foolishness. Lies, deception, greed, power, these things all lead one down the dark path. Friendship can only save one from starting down the dark path, but once one has taken his first steps down that path, they have abandoned friendship for their lusts. Remember that."

Junsui is never cocky in battle. He always sizes up his opponents before entering combat and only fights at the level he sees fit to deal with a situation. He very rarely releases his full power or even half his full power, as he believes it to be disgraceful.

Background
Details about his past are scarce. What is known is that around the age of nine, he decided to venture to the Seireitei to see the Shinigami in action. A mere poor boy from the Rukongai at the time, he knew full well that he would not just be able to walk up and enter the Shinigami's base of operations, but he felt it his duty to find some way in. While on his way, he ran out of most of his food and supplies and was beaten half to death by ruffians in the outer districts of the Rukongai. He was then found by a much younger Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, who sensed his large reiryoku reserves and took him to be trained at the Shinō Academy.

Little is known about his time in the Gotei 13, including what division he was in or when he left. It is known that he was put in charge of a large number of men and that he obtained his Bankai while with the Gotei 13, eluding to the possibility that he was once a Captain or Lieutenant. Despite the few known facts about his Gotei past, it is known why he left them behind; he disliked their warmongering greatly. Furthermore, he hated the cockiness of the captains with their own abilities. Sometime after his leave, he came into contact with a man who offered to teach him how to become stronger. Junsui, of course, agreed and the man revealed himself to be a "sage". For twelve long years Junsui trained under this Sage, until finally his own training was done. He took upon the title "Seijin" and left his master, whom died a few years afterwards.

For many decades after his master's death, Junsui continued to train and refine his skills with Seijin arts. During the War with Aizen, Junsui comments that Soul Society is "black with revenge and war" and that he was glad that he removed himself from the battles. Soon after the battles with Datara Kawahiru, his ancestors, Seireitou and Kamui, were found by Junsui and the latter began to instruct the two in Seijin arts. Both surprised him by finishing their training in an astonishingly short, three year period. They then founded the Seijin Order and began to teach other Shinigami about their newfound powers. Junsui later became the leader of this new Order.

Powers & Abilities
"My battle style, Ataru, is the most acrobatic type of zanjutsu you will ever come across. I do not teach it to my students, it's secret shall die with me. For it relies on numerous elaborate moves such as jumps, flips, and spins, as well as complete harmony with one's zanpakutō and reiryoku. No one, but I, have ever achieved it."

- Junsui explaining his Ataru style.

As the leader of the Order, as well as the first "official" Seijin, Junsui is without doubt the most powerful Shinigami in the Order, as well as one of the most powerful Shinigami to ever live; rivaling even the likes of Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, Seireitou Kawahiru, and Hikaru "Shadow" Kurosaki. Grandmaster Swordsmanship Specialist: Junsui has been named by Renge Yamato, one of his students, as one of the most talented swordsman of all times. Junsui himself has said that only Seireitou, Kamui, and Yamamoto have skill enough to clash swords with him, though he believes that he could best Seireitou and Kamui rather easily if he tried hard enough. He has created a fighting style called Ataru (当たる, To strike), of which, he has mastered to the highest degree. Use of Ataru requires Junsui's full might and focus, as well as his manipulation of Seijō Reiryoku, to completely overwhelm and cut down a foe. The form, he says, was made to overcome the limitations of his old age, and succeeds at it very well. His strikes often prove quick and lethal. Junsui claims that a key factor in his growth in swordsmanship is his ability to enjoy any fight, no matter the importance, allowing him to think more clearly when fighting.

Tremendous Spiritual Energy: Junsui's spiritual energy has been noted to be exceedingly high. With his introduction to seijō reiryoku, Junsui's power supply grew tremendously and continues to grow as he adheres to the Seijin teachings. Though it is very large, Junsui's spiritual energy is not heavy, menacing, or thick; instead his energy is warm and compassionate, though on one occasion it was noted to be "fierce with passion". Several Shinigami who were sensing his spiritual power for the first time commented that the energy felt "bright and sunny" to them. For this very reason, Junsui's opponents tend to take him lightly, believing that one must have heavy and powerful-feeling spirit energy to be a notable threat. Junsui has been shown taking that thought process to his advantage in battle as well as in simple conversations with enemies and rivals. When manifesting, his spiritual energy is dark green.

Kidō Master: While not his preferred style of combat, he has been shown to use kidō to a masterful degree. He is capable of weaving many high level spells together, both Bakudō and Hadō, to create tremendously powerful kidō spells. He has been seen using spells up to level ninety-one without incantation and retain most of the spell's initial power.

Genius-level Intellect: One of Junsui's most noticeable traits is his intellect. He is considered a genius by most, and a master tactician. He can often be seen giving advice to both his allies and even his enemies when he sees that they need some guidance. Junsui has been shown to set up several plans before entering battle, as to always have a back up should one be needed. He has been shown to surprise both allies and enemies alike with his knowledge. It is said that he has memorized all of the teachings of his Seijin master as well as the history of the sages themself.

Immense Strength: Despite his old age, Junsui is incredibly strong. Junsui has been depicted lifting enormous objects up to twice his size. His punches are often deadly to those who are easily broken. He can easily catch the kick or punch of an oncoming enemy and deliver an even stronger counter-assault. He has been shown to easily rip a Menos Grande in two and demolish the entire upper part of a skyscraper in one punch.

Enhanced Durability: A noticeable trait of Junsui's is that his skin is incredibly tough, often compared with an Arrancar's hierro. This is demonstrated in how easily he can catch an opponents zanpakutō, only receiving a small cut or abrasion in the process. During his training of two of the most powerful Masters in the Order, Seireitou Kawahiru and his brother Kamui Kawahiru, he emerged without any sign of injury. He has also shown able to take directed attacks from others without being phased.

Immense Endurance: Despite his old age, Junsui is capable of fighting for long periods of time even when outnumbered with no visible signs of exhaustion.

Flash Steps Master: He is highly skilled and experienced in the art of Shunpo, being able to outstrip Seireitou and Kamui in terms of speed during a their initial Seijin training regiment. He has also been shown to surprise the likes of Haruko Shihōin with his speed. During his testing of Renge Yamato, when the latter asked to see Junsui's full speed, Junsui showed the ability to strike him six times before Renge could even perceive what had just occurred.

Zanpakutō
Sanze (三世, Past, Present, and Future Existences) takes the form of a thin, grey, staff which can be drawn to reveal a thin blade within the staff. He uses his zanpakutō as both a walking stick and a weapon. The staff itself has been shown to be used in combat without having to draw the blade, as the cane itself is extremely durable.
 * Shikai: Sanze's Shikai command is "Extinguish the Darkness" (消す其の暗闇, kesu sono kurayami). The resulting release releases a massive burst spiritual energy that can felt for several miles around and seems to boost the moral of Junsui's comrades, as well as striking fear into his enemies.
 * Shikai Special Ability: Upon the saying of the release command, Sanze and Junsui become engulfed in a transparent, blue aura that crumbles the ground beneath them. Junsui has said that Sanze's blade is a "reiryoku generator", meaning that it can defy the Law of Conservation of Energy and generate reiryoku for it's own use. This gives him access to a variety of techniques that have been deemed impossible to anyone else but him do to his unique zanpakutō power. The aura that surrounds his body can disintegrate anythings that gets too close to it and he can direct this aura through his blade at almost anything.
 * Yamiuchi (闇打ち, Attacking under the cover of Darkness): Junsui will generate an energy globe around his opponent and himself to completely enclose them. Once inside, he will cause the energy to strike from the walls of the globe, which can happen from any conceivable direction, thus killing the foe with relative ease. He has also shown to use this technique without trapping himself inside too. It should be noted that the energy does not harm him, as it he is it's master.
 * Yukiakari (雪明り, Reflected Light of the Snow): Junsui generates and focuses massive amounts of energy into Sanze's blade and then swings the blade, releasing a large slash-like blast. This slash takes the form of a crescent wave or in the shape of a wave of flames. Yukiakari is a powerful technique with great force, capable of causing large scale damage. Junsui has used this technique in several different manners, such as striking the ground to create an omnidirectional blast to knock away incoming attacks or slashing at the ground to upturn it and crush everything in its path. It can become more destructive if Sanze adds more energy to the attack itself.
 * Kudakero Ikkaku (砕けろ一角, Shatterpoint): A complex phenomena, created by Sanze, that allows Junsui to perceive "cracks" in events attacks and allows him to "shatter" them. Shatterpoints are perceived like faults in a rock or gem. In relation to events, a single "strike," or action, could cause events to transpire completely differently than they might otherwise have. Often, shatterpoints exist for only brief moments, as they can be affected by even the smallest actions. Shatterpoints could also be discovered in the physiology of living beings. Junsui was able to perceive shatterpoints in a large Menos Grande, whom had previously healed from mortal injury via it's Instant Regeneration. By focusing through the generated energy of Sanze on where the healing had taken place, Junsui was able to see where the large Hollow's old wounds were, and reopen them. When applied to physical items or attacks, shatterpoints worked much in the same manner. Junsui will view the attack or item through his reiryoku senses, noting where it came together and also noting weak points in it's composition. By allowing the energy from Sanze to surge through it's blade into the weak point, Junsui can effectively "shatter" the object or attack, causing it to break into multiple fragments. This ability is considered to be Sanze's greatest and most feared ability.


 * Bankai: Not Yet Revealed. Junsui once said it's name was, Zennōsha Sanze (全能者三世, The Almighty Past, Present, and Future Existences) thought the nature of it's powers are unknown.

Shiro Nagare
""Every soldier knows that war is more than arms and armor, every warrior carries an image of impending victory in his heart. When the image shatters, to be replaced by defeat, he is beaten. But sometimes a warrior receives assistance from an unexpected source, an in-rush of light, blasting away his fear and despair, releasing new inner strength! Yes, a war is much more than arms and armor. Half of every conflict is the will to win. We are Seijin. We must recognize that the will to win, and the power of war, are given sometimes by the darkness. And sometimes, as dawn throws back the night, victory is given...by the light!""

- Junsui Kirei on the power of Moral Boosting

Shiro Nagare (白流れ, White Current) is the term used to describe the applied use of seijō reiryoku. Once a Seijin can access this power, he or she can shape it into various techniques that extend their Shinigami powers to the maximum, essentially creating "Perfect Shinigamification". This is achieved through a Training Method known as Control (管轄, Kankatsu). Even after learning how to access seijō reiryoku, a Seijin cannot fully control it, therefore it leaks out profusely. With meditation and practice, a Seijin can better control seijō reiryoku, effectively mastering it, though this require several years of work. Junsui is a master of Shiro Nagare. It provides him with the following enhancements;


 * Telekinesis: The most common use of Shiro Nagare practices among the Seijin is the power to lift objects according to concentration and move them, hovering the items in any direction. With it, Junsui can attract objects to them or repel objects with devastating effects, even to the point of neutralizing some energy techniques. He can also use it to call his zanpakutō back to his hands wherever he may be.


 * Enhanced Reiryoku Sensing: Through the use of Shiro Nagare, Junsui can sense reiatsu and reiryoku from all four dimensions; Soul Society, the Spirit King's dimension, Hueco Mundo, and the World of the Living. He can also sense presences hidden by kidō, zanpakutō, or even other Shiro Nagare-enhanced techniques.


 * Enhanced Flash Steps: By combining the practices of Shiro Nagare with Flash Steps, Junsui can reach speeds that dwarf those of the Shinigami in Onmitsukidō as well as most of the Shinigami within the Order.


 * Telepathy: Using Shiro Nagare practices, Junsui, like all Seijin, can communicate with other seijō reiryoku users via mental telepathy. This comes in handy during combat.


 * Moral Boosting: An ability unique to Junsui. Moral boosting is a Shiro Nagare ability which considerably boosts the morale, stamina, and overall battle prowess of Junsui's allies while simultaneously reducing the opposition's combat-effectiveness by eroding their will to fight. With his power, Junsui can coordinate entire squads of Shinigami, allowing them to perform at maximum efficiency, acting as a single entity with the ability to counter every enemy move quickly and effectively. Though ideal for meditating large-scale conflicts, this power is equally effective when employed for the benefit of Junsui's comrades in small skirmishes, attacks, and duels.

Behind the Scenes
Junsui is based on a number of characters. He is based on General Yamamoto from the Bleach universe as well as Grandmaster Yoda from the Star Wars universe.