Amearare (Zanpakutō spirit)

Amearare (雨霰 Amearare lit. "Rain") is the manifestation of Fune Kūseki's Zanpakutō and his Shinigami powers as a whole. Following his master's infection by the Hollowfication Virus, Amearare fuses with the resulting Hollow to protect him and restrain its power. As a result, he can also be considered Fune's Inner Hollow, now representing his most primal instincts and his power as a Visored.

Given Fune's origins, he is often referred to by others as the Artificial Zanpakutō Spirit (人工斬魄刀精神 Jinkō Zanpakutō Seishin) rather than by his proper name.

Trivia

 * His appearance is based on that of Asuramaru from the Owari no Seraph manga and anime series.
 * This appearance was chosen purely for its androgynous nature; in original drafts, Amearare was supposed to be a female Zanpakutō. However, wanting to change its role in the plot, the author chose a middle-ground and made him a male who looks like a woman.