Akira Hiroshi

Akira Hiroshi (晃洋, Hiroshi Hotaru), known strictly as Akira Shiba, is a time displaced who currently sides with the Gotei 13 as a member of the 9th Division. Akira served firstly under Captain Kazuya Kuchiki, followed thereafter by acting-Captain Shūhei Hisagi, and finally Captain Sajin Komamura; during this time he served specifically as the 10th Seated officer of his Division. Whilst his brother made it his singular goal to return Akira and he home, Akira does not share his brother's destructive vision; as such Hotaru did not inform his brother of his true allegiance to The Coven, or his plan to seek the. Whilst Hotaru has adopted Averian's role as a harbinger of chaos, Akira has adopted the role his father played as a counter-force; he has since adopted his father's lesser known moniker as the Morning Prince (朝王子, Asaōji) to showcase his resolve.

Appearance
As nearly identical twins Akira and Hotaru share the same basic appearance; Akira, however, is noted to be less rough than Hotaru, for he sports neatly trimmed hair and no stubble. Akira is noted to look more like Ino than Hotaru. Like almost every member of the Ninth Division past and present, Akira wears a sleeveless kosode.

Personality
Kenji described Hotaru and Akira as being as different as night and day in their core aspects.

As a child Akira proved to be quite mischievous; he frequently tormented his younger sister, often necessitating some manner of threat from his father for him to behave himself, though the differing level between Akira and Hotaru was clearly apparent because Akira was never cruel. When Kenji seemingly attacked his family and friends, including Ino and three of his children, Hotaru was the sole child of Kenji with the skills required to defend himself; Akira himself was knocked unconscious, and came to greatly respect Hotaru for protecting Kay and he. Whilst Hotaru was a keen manipulator whose allegiance to the Gotei 13 was feigned, Akira genuinely came to respect Captain Kuchiki and happily attended an impromptu meeting to toast the man's memory.

History
Hotaru and Akira where born mere minutes apart during a lull in the First Spiritual War, with Hotaru as the elder twin. He would eventually become the brother to a sister who was named after Kei Yume.

Synopsis

 * Main articles -- Bleach (Kenji Hiroshi).

Pre-Collapse

 * Main article -- Bleach: War of the Worlds.

Impostor arc

 * Kenji gone Mad?
 * Betrayal!?

Post-Collapse

 * Main article -- Bleach: Cataclysm.

Peri-Collapse Events

 * Second Battle of Grat

The Coven War

 * Main article -- Bleach: The Coven War.

Prologue

 * Dawn of the Coven (unseen)
 * Towards the Future: Kenji's Resolve

Powers and Abilities
Of the three children who where seemingly attacked by Kenji, Hotaru was the sole one capable of defending himself; this shows clearly that Akira is not as strong as his twin. Like Hotaru he constantly holds himself back though

Enhanced Speed: Even as a child Kenji noted that Hotaru and Akira zipped around the house like the wind.

Kidō Expertise: True to Kenji's statements that the twins are as different as night and day in their core aspects, Akira diligently studied Kidō at the expense of his other skills; particularly the style invented by his father and Van Satonaka which, due to its origins being rooted in another world, gives him something of a surprise element. Akira improved his already advanced abilities considerably under the Captaincy of Kazuya Kuchiki; the man advocated the study of Kidō amongst the members of the 9th Division, and Hotaru studied under him with fervour before his death.

Zanpakutō
Taiyōshin (太陽神, Sun God).

Hollowfication
Hotaru and Akira underwent voluntary ; who carried out the procedure, and whether or not Kenji knew, is currently unknown. The Gotei 13 are currently unaware of his Hollowfied state.


 * Hollow mask: Akira's Hollow mask is a simple white covering with a lightning bolt running through the right eye, with none of the scratches that cover Hotaru's and a slight red-lined opening around his mouth. His eyes are obscured by a thin sheen. Whilst Hotaru dons his own mask as a means of safeguarding his identity, Akira only dons his as a last resort when everything else has failed; this is due to him being unable to hold the mask for the extended periods demonstrated by his father and brothers.


 * Power Augmentation: The original intent behind Hollowfication was to bring about an enhanced being whose power alone was greater than either a Shinigami or Hollow would be capable of reaching on their own. With his mask donned Akira experiences heightened ceilings of power, whilst expressing a unique duel-type spiritual signature not unlike that of an.

Behind the scenes

 * Whilst Hotaru is based somewhat on Indra Ōtsutsuki, Akira is based somewhat on Asura Ōtsutsuki.

References & notes
