Hohō (Waterkai)

Hohō (歩法, Agility; Viz "Fast Movement"; lit. step method) is the name given to one of the four combat skills of the and relates initially to footwork only, but eventually incorporates which improve the functions to the entire body when a certain level of mastery is reached.

Overview
Hohō (歩法, Agility; Viz "Fast Movement"; lit. step method) is an important skill for most. The agility and speed of Hohō can be enhanced and improved through mastery of it, concentration, and training. The foremost practitioners of this technique are those assigned to the. Shunpo (瞬歩, Flash Steps) is the most commonly used Hohō technique. However, there are variations even within Shunpo and other Hohō techniques that only master Hohō practitioners can use.

was given the title "Goddess of the Flash" (瞬神, Shunshin), as she was the foremost Flash Steps Master in the Bleach Universe during her time.

Applications


Shunpo (瞬歩, Flash Steps), a movement technique that allows the user to move faster than the eye can follow. The focal point that determines the basis of this technique is speed. As speed is the main point of the technique the method is best characterized by how fast one can get from point A to point B in the least amount of steps. Training and skill are what determines how fast a user of Shunpo can move; those of little skill in the technique or those who haven't used it an extended amount of time would obviously be out of practice, causing those individuals to be considerably slower, which requires the use of more steps to move the same distance and become winded far easier in a shorter amount of time. The variation of Shunpo is  and the  variation of is.

Enhanced Physical Abilities: Hohō literally translates into "Agility", which requires a combination of balance, coordination, speed, reflexes, strength, endurance and stamina to be employed as efficiently as possible. Henceforth, well-trained masters of Shunpo exhibit a natural strengthening within these fields. This was masterfully demonstrated by Shunpo legend during her fight against, where her concentrated blows proved to be highly destructive, capable of destroying an entire city block.

Acrobatics: An art few actual Shunpo masters have portrayed, seeing it as useless ostentation, yet one that proves highly advantageous in battle when utilized correctly. It can be used to dodge attacks even when falling or in mid-air or to outmaneuver slower, more clumsy adversaries.

Techniques
Senka (閃花, Flash Blossom): a special Shunpo technique where one moves to their opponents back. Directly attacking and sealing one's "' (鎖結, Chain Binding)" and "' (鎖結, Soul Sleep)" in one strike. The movement is so fast that an opponent may not be able to tell whether he was attacked from the front or the back and even an outside observer may find it impossible to tell what the movements are. It is said to be derived from two ancient techniques, namely the technique Senken (閃剣, Flash Sword) and the Hohō technique Fuha (浮花, Floating Blossom).

Kanmuru (神速, Godspeed): An ancient, forbidden shunpo technique developed during the formation of. Normally, the soul of a shinigami or shinigami-esque being is reflected in the form of a zanpakutō, which shares various traits and characteristics with the wielder. They are able to develop a bond together, with both having the potential of becoming stronger in this way and ultimately reach a perfect synchronization known as. However, it is possible for one who has knowledge of Kanmuru to disregard this bond, instead reflecting their soul on the whole area round them. The bond the user and the environment share is similar to the aforementioned, being able to effectively "communicate" with reality surrounding the user and make it part of their soul. Doing so allows the user to instantly move around in this area, exceeding any kind of movement enhancement or space/time manipulation, as it is nearly the same as moving around in their own body. It is even more accurately to say that the user can chose where he "exists" as a certain moment, granting them a nigh-invincibility in battle. The strain on the soul that accompanies the technique, however, is to great for any spiritual being to bear, causing them to revert into a human form without hope for a return.

Onmitsu Shunpo
The Onmitsu Shunpo (隠密歩法, Way of the Secrecy) techniques are forms credited to the and thus are generally privileged to it's members, although certain persons who have the ability to infiltrate/and or make contact with the corps have access to them too. They are widely regarded as the most difficult and intriguing Hohō techniques. The techniques are named after insects and other arthropods.

There are two branches within Onmitsu Shunpo: Shihō (死楓, Withering Maple) and Haehō (栄え楓, Flowering Maple). The former focuses on high-speed techniques meant to surprise and kill an opponent, and is the most practiced form of Onmitsu Shunpo, while the latter is used to trigger the user's bodily systems, enhancing their performance or hindering their opponent in a non-directly lethal way.

Shihō
Shihō no Saisho - Tonbo (四楓の最初•蜻蛉; First of the Shihō - Dragonfly, referencing their flying): This technique allows the user to appear at several places at the same time, generating a set number of "speed-clones" depending on their level of mastery. These are indistinguishable from the user's true self and mimic his movements, but generally do not last very long. It is a basic technique, known by all Onmitsukidō members, and has been portrayed namelessly by both Yoruichi Shihōin and during their age.



Shihō no San - Utsusemi (四楓の三•空蝉; Third of the Shihō - Cicada, referencing their molting): This technique allows for a movement at great speed, leaving at least one tangible afterimage behind. The afterimage may even appear to have taken damage. More advanced users may possess the ability to leave several afterimages behind and have them momentarily act as independent bodies.

Shihō no Go - Hanmyōka (四楓の五•ハンミョウ科; Fifth of the Shihō - Tiger Beetle, referencing their running): Speeding up the spiritual flow within their bodies drastically, the user enhances their speed to a point where they become invisible to the naked eye. Motions can only be performed in a straight line and when the user comes to a standing-still, their pathway is torn apart. Visiblity for the user during the technique is reduced to near zero, requiring running in short bursts to re-orient themselves as they chase down their target.

Shihō no Jū - Kurumushi (四楓の十•車虫; Tenth of the Shihō - Wheel Bug, referencing their way of killing): A particularly cruel technique, which is advised against within the Onmitsukidō due the possible grievous backlash. It consists of a single long "step" extending way past the opponent, yet performed inches near the latter, with the dominant hand held in tegatana position. The said hand cleaves through the air as the movement is performed, and when the user comes to a hold, causes an enormous shockwave to ripple through the pathway in it's wake. Because the hand is designed to be next to the opponent when the technique is utilized, the latter receives the full brunt of this force, capable of completely ripping open the chest area and exposing the vital organs. However, should the opponent side-step in time or the technique simply be performed to far away from the intended victim's body, the user himself receives the impact, although in his back and thus less lethal, but still enough to render him incapable of fighting for a serious period of time.

Haehō
Haehō no Saisho - Nukaka (四楓の三•ヌカカ; First of the Haehō - Biting Midge, referencing their winging): A technique famed as the "motion breaker", which has yet to be demonstrated in the field.

Behind the Scenes
Although the name was kept, the kanji of Shihō was slightly modified to fit the author's personal opinion.