Bleach: Chronicles of the Nights

Bleach (ブリーチ, Burīchi; romanized as BLEACH in Japan) is an ongoing manga series authored by Tite Kubo that has appeared in every Weekly Shonen Jump magazine since August 2001. This particular spin-off, identified as Bleach: Chronicles of the Night (ブリーチ: 泊の年代記, Burīchi Tomari no Nendai-ki) follows a young Fullbringer named Shin Kurosaki, who discovers an ancient struggle between the two races Shinigami and Hollow.

Main Characters
Shin Kurosaki


 * The primary protagonist of the spin-off. Initially appearing as stubborn teenager, Shin is the second oldest son of Yuzu Kurosaki and the late Giichi Kurosaki. Ever since his childhood, he has been capable of seeing spirits and perform superhuman tasks. It was not until his adolescence however, that he learned his true potential. As his mother learns that he possesses extra-ordinary powers, she beseeches training from Kisuke Urahara, the Kyouon of the Human World. He is accepted and soon learns of an ancient conflict.

Haruka Kurosaki


 * Shin's older sister and the deuteragonist of the spin-off. Haruka is rather capricious and used to be just as stubborn as her brother, but has matured considerably. Just like her brother, she has been spiritually aware since early childhood, but was not capable of seeing them as clearly as he was. When her brother enters the Spiritual World, he learns that Haruka is already a full-fledged Fullbringer on her own and a member of the revived organization Xcution.

Karin Kurosaki


 * The twin-sister of the main characters mother Yuzu, Karin is the tritagonist of the spin-off. She alongside her brother Ichigo Kurosaki and Orihime Inoue died in a car crash 28 years ago and departed to Soul Society. After several years of training, Karin became the Lieutenant of 5th Division under her brother, who attained captaincy without need to attend the Shinō Academy. Karin has regularly been assigned tasks in Karakura Town, such as patrolling or assisting Urahara when he requests help. During an evening patrol, Haruka and Shin noticed and recognized her. Although one of her tasks is to "neutralize" Fullbringers, Karin couldn't bring herself to kill anyone in her family. As a form of punishment, the Captain Commander demoted her.

Keikō Kuchiki


 * The son of Rukia Kuchiki and Renji Kuchiki. Keikō is very dynamic and impatient with a heart of gold. Being the sole child of two Shinigami-Captains, Keikō was somewhat neglected by his parents seeing as they both were too busy to raise him. He compensated by rebelling against them and their ethical values. Infuriated by the young man, his parents enrolled him into the Shinō Academy without his consent. After graduading, he became the protégé of Karin Kurosaki and remained with her in Karakura Town. He eventually befriends Shin after co-operating in a fight against an Adjuchas-class Menos.

Takeo Arisawa


 * The son of Tatsuki Arisawa and an unknown man. Despite it being seen as disgraceful, he took his mother's surname seeing as he is proud of her raising him alone. Perhaps even brasher and more aggressive than his mother, Takeo is very protective of his classmate Haruka. Why he is so protective of her is largely unknown, but both Karin and Shin suspects that he might have a crush on her. He is not nearly as insightful or observant as his mother, but Takeo is brighter than he lets on apparently. Just like Haruka and Shin, Takeo is a Fullbringer.

Supporting Characters
Kisuke Urahara
 * The Kyouon of the Human World. Kisuke Urahara is an immensely powerful individual who insists on only being a "the poor owner of a small time candy store". He runs the Urahara Shop, which sells supplies for Shinigami. While Shin has encountered him various times before he became his student, Urahara made no particular impression on him. Before exiling himself to the Human World 140 years ago, he was the Captain of 12th Division. Since then, he has become some sort of ally of Soul Society, but prefers to remain neutral.

Tier Harribel
 * The former Tres Espada of Sōsuke Aizen's Arrancar Army and currently an employee of the Urahara Shop. Harribel was betrayed by her master and left near death, but she was healed by Orihime Inoue. She then returned to Hueco Mundo along with her companions only to meet a wrecked Las Noches. The four of them left the fortress and traveled through the white desert for several decades before becoming an ally of Kisuke Urahara through unknown means. Though she rarely visits the Human World, she still plays a key role in This Second Cold War, as she is an informant for the Urahara Shop and thus indirectly, the Soul Society itself. Indeed, it was Harribel whom was the first to detect the changes in Hueco Mundo.

Yuzu Kurosaki
 * The Human mother of Shin, Haruka and Shingo Kurosaki and widow of Giichi Kurosaki. Yuzu is fully aware of the Spiritual World, but never mentioned it to her children or husband. Being a traditional housewife, she rarely leaves the Kurosaki Clinic. When her father retired from his job as a doctor, Yuzu closed the clinic temporarily while she studied medicine. It was during these studies she met her future husband. When they both finished their studies, they married. After 22 years of marriage, Giichi was killed by an unknown assailant. Stuck by grief, Yuzu tries as hard as she can to be a strong woman.

Ichigo Kurosaki
 * The Captain of 5th Division. He is famous for thwarting the villain Sōsuke Aizen's heinous plans of apotheosis. Ichigo's human body died 28 years prior to the start of the storyline, but he managed maintained his Shinigami powers. Upon sending both his sister and Orihime Inoue to Soul Society, he was fetched by Rukia Kuchiki and was appointed Captain of the 5th Division. He is widely regarded by allies and enemies alike as exceptionally powerful. Even the Captain Commander has considered promoting him into the Royal Guard. He made his first appearance when he fetched his lieutenant and sister, Karin, in the Human World.

Shingo Kurosaki
 * The youngest child of Yuzu and Giichi. Born only 6 years before the storyline, he is too young to assist his siblings in battle or even comprehend the spiritual world. Interestingly, he has shown the greatest potential of the three siblings though, as he is already capable of emitting relatively large amounts of spiritual pressure. Shingo is shy, clingy and somewhat sadistic. His sadism is generally concealed, but Yuzu expressed concern once she observed him attack a classmate.

Orihime Inoue
 * The Captain of 4th Division and one of Ichigo's closest friends. Dying in the same car crash as Ichigo and his sister Orihime has since succeeded Retsu Unohana as the Captain of 4th Division after the later's promotion into the Royal Guard. Orihime is gentle and mature, often having to calm down the more hot-headed Ichigo. While she rarely leaves the barracks, Orihime like her predecessor is feared by even 11th Division Shinigami. Her Zanpakutō is unique, seeing as it is permanently in the state of Bankai.

Sylvia Dalma
 * A Fullbringer and one of the original members of the resurrected Xcution. Sylvia is an ice-queen to a certain degree, preferring to read and spending time with her adopted daughter, Little Bee, rather than being around others. She dislikes Shinigami, due to the fact that they executed her mother and father for being Fullbringers. As the only second generation Fullbringer of the organization, Sylvia possesses at total of three abilities; the one of her mother, her father and of course her own. When Yūsuke is absent, Sylvia serves as the leader.

Little Bee
 * The eccentric adopted daughter of Sylvia and the youngest member of the Xcution Elite. Unlike her reclusive mother, Bee is cheerful and extroverted. Despite her childish qualities, Bee instinctively enters a robotic state whenever someone threatens her comrades. But she does just as easily switch back to her outgoing and open-minded self when the threat has ceased to exist. Much to her frustration, she is unaware of her own past. In truth she is the daughter of two Fullbringers, whom Sylvia killed. When she noticed the infantile cries, she couldn't help but feel bad and therefore adopted her.

Yūsuke Harada
 * The ever-so absent leader of Xcution. Yūsuke is unquestionably the most powerful Fullbringer in Japan, if not the most powerful on the entire planet. Some may describe him as both rude and carefree, which he is indubitably is. However, he can act more mature when the situation demands it. He is frequently absent due to his world travels where he recruits inexperienced Fullbringers. The majority of the members regard him as mysterious, due to the fact that he never speaks of his past nor about his intentions.

Antagonists
Aravin Nemo
 * The Kyouon of Hueco Mundo and the man to seize power after Sōsuke Aizen was captured and imprisoned. Going through some sort of apotheosis, Aravin is more acknowledged than Aizen himself due to the fact that he used to be like the rest of them; a mere Hollow. Despite the fact that he does not possess an intellect comparable to the 'ex-God', he is far more charismatic than the former. He has built an army of 'perfect' Arrancars, through how he managed to accomplish it is unknown. This has created an unsettling military balance between the Hollows and Shinigami.

Mei Youren
 * The first Perfect Arrancar to be created and Aravin's wife. Sly, devoted and fiercely protective of her husband, Mei is definitely his most dangerous subordinate. Whenever Aravin is absent, Mei takes command. Also, she is usually in charge of the most dangerous missions, seeing as Aravin desires a challenge for his army. Once upon a time, Mei belonged to a group of Vasto Lorde-class Hollows which attempted to create a structural society. Aravin discovered them and offered them to join him. She was the only one to accept. And alas, the sole to survive.

Tōshirō Hitsugaya
 * Although he can't be considered evil, The Captain Commander of the Gotei 13 antagonizes the Fullbringers and is forced to serve the corrupted Central 46. He has a rather cold nature, but is known to have a soft spot for Karin. Even so, he was forced to punish her for her refusal to kill her niece and nephew. He is the youngest Captain Commander to ever serve and accepted the position with reluctance after Yamamoto's death. After Momo Hinamori committed suicide, he secretly requested the 12th Division to clone her.

Organizations
Bandera Roja
 * The organization that succeeded the Espada as the rulers of Hueco Mundo and inhabitants of Las Noches. They are the main rivals of Gotei 13 as well as a threat to the Royal Guard. The Bandera Roja stands for supreme revolution and destruction of the Kyouon of Soul Society; The Spirit King. All full-fledged members are so-called "Perfect Arrancars" which can only be created by a Kyouon. Despite the fact that the organization only has been functioning for the last 25 years, all the generals are veterans of warfare and the soldiers disciplined to the core.

Gotei 13
 * The main force of the Shinigami and guardians of Seireitei. The majority of all Shinigami join this organization after graduating from the academy. Just recently, the founder of this military branch Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto passed away due to an unidentified virus infection. With a broken backbone, it was only a matter of time before the Hollows would invade. Thus, the Soul King was forced to appoint a new Captain Commander just a few months after the last one passing away. Even though they are stable, the entire entity is still severely weakened and on the verge of collapsing under the pressure of Central 46.

Xcution
 * Despite the fact that the Fullbringers decided to inherit the name of the organization which desired to steal Ichigo Kurosaki's powers, this Xcution is of a different nature than its predecessor. Hunted to the brink of extinction, the Fullbringers can only feel comfort around each other. Created by a council of 5, this Xcutions intention is to protect each and every Fullbringer from the Shinigami who hunt them. Almost each and every member has lost an acquaintance in the Great Purge. Despite this, their founder and leader insists on only wanting to co-exist peacefully with their bitter rivals. Due to the constant hunt of Fullbringers, the Kyouon on of the Human World, Kisuke Urahara, has created a barrier around Karakura Town, to prevent further deaths.

Royal Guard
 * Members of the Royal Guard are former Captains & Lieutenants of the Gotei 13 who were promoted and live to protect the Soul King from harm. The higher-ranking Royal Guards aren't allowed to leave the Royal Palace, unless the situation in the outside world is considered threatening to their King. The lower-ranking members are charged with slaying Menos Grande and are therefore granted the freedom to travel between The Royal Palace and Hueco Mundo. Some of the members are tasked with protecting certain members of the Royal Family. Most of the members remain unknown, except for Inori Hisha and Kirio Hikifune, who traveled to Seireitei to appoint the new Captain Commander.