Masaru Fujibayashi

"A true swordsman becomes one with the blade."

- Masaru Fujibayashi

Masaru Fujibayashi (藤林勝; Fujibayashi Masaru) was a shinigami of Soul Society who was credited with high excellence in the zanjutsu techniques. As a master of many forms of zanjutsu, he was an extraordinary, but strict, teacher of generations of shinigami. It was said that he was capable of stopping a Gillian class menos in its tracks with a sealed zanpakuto.

Early Years
Born into the the minor noble family Fujibayashi, Masaru had his early life planned out for him by his parents. He attended the shinigami academy, showing early signs of natural talent in swordsmanship, though average in kidō. Upon graduation, Masaru was assigned to the Sixth Division.

Under the command of an unidentified Kuchiki, Masaru grudgingly followed the orders of the higher noble. After centuries of dissatisfaction with the other's leadership, Masaru left the hierarchy of the Gotei 13 and became a teacher in the shinigami academy he left in his previous lifestyle. There, he became an instructor of swordsmanship techniques. Through teaching, Masaru gained a notorious reputation of his extremely strict teaching style. It was extremely rare for even the most talented of a graduating class to receive any sort of laudable comment for performance under Masaru's guidance.

He was eventually challenged by another instructor to a duel with bokken, which Masaru easily won through the use of kendo techniques. In the process, the challenger's bokken was cracked and was noted that the other's hands were visibly shaking afterwards. The duel gave Masaru respect of different forms; it is worth noting that many Eleventh Division members praised Masaru's technique.

It was around this time that Masaru's brother introduced him to young Hotaru, his niece. He said little about her, but agreed that she was to be the heir of the Fujibayashi. He rarely interacted with Hotaru, focusing more on his job and studies.

Self-Exile
Despite his harsh attitude towards others, Masaru had several friends throughout the years. It was rare for them to ask him favors, but on one occasion, he was asked to check on a rural location in Japan's Hokkaidō prefecture, since the Hollow activity there increased, according to reports.

Doing what was asked of him, Masaru checked it out, finding nothing of interest there. That is, until he found a shinigami patrol under attack. He came to their aid, but it was too late. By the time he drove off the enormous Hollow attack, all of the patrolmen were beyond saving. Cursing his inability to protect others, Masaru did not return to Soul Society: he remained in the human world to hone his skills in a more hostile environment, effectively in self-exile.

Personality and Traits
A teacher who leaves little room for failure, Masaru has maintained a notorious, yet respected, reputation as an extremely strict instructor of zanjutsu. He has a habit of smoking, which could be traced back to his self-exile in the human world. Despite his overly demanding and cruel treatment of pupils, he cared for them, not wanting them to easily fall prey to Hollows.

Powers and Abilities
Master Swordsmanship Specialist: Being a swordmaster, Masaru can defeat most opponents in a purely zanpakuto-based battle without having to use shikai abilities. Because of this, his zanpakutō's name and abilities remain unknown.

Flash Step Master: Masaru has notable speed with the usage of shunpo, capable of catching up to fleeing foes in a heartbeat.

Wolf Self-Transfiguration: An unexplained mystery is Masaru's ability to transform into a wolf-like animal.

Zanpakutō
Littie is known about Masaru's zanpakuto, but it has been determined that it is an ōdachi. It may be a permanent shikai form, since it has been commented before that Masaru's reiatsu level was notable among shinigami. Because of the ōdachi's enormous length, Masaru carries it by hand. He occasionally carries it on his back.

Behind the Scenes

 * Masaru means "victory," referencing Masaru's stature as a skilled combatant who was never seen losing to an opponent.