Saigo Murakami

"For a combat soldier, the difference between success and failure is your ability to adapt to your enemy. The people that I deal with, they don't care about your rules. All they care about is a result. My job is to stop them from completing their objective, at all costs. I simply adapt. In answer to your question, 'Am I above the law?', no sir. I am more than willing to be judged by the people you claim to represent. I will let them decide what price I should pay. But please sir, do not sit there with that smug look on your face and expect me to regret the decisions I have made. Because, sir, the truth is I don't."

- In response to a question asked by a member of the Central 46.


 * "Only with strength can one endure suffering and torment." - Shadow Rage

Saigo Murakami (西郷村上, Murakami Saigō) formerly known as Kenpachi Murakami (剣八村上, Murakami Kenpachi) is the 12th Kenpachi. He was the former captain of the 11th Division and Kenpachi Zaraki’s successor.

Saigo was a shinigami who worked for the Soul Society and during that time he was promoted to the rank of Captain of the 11th Division. After aiding the former 6th division Captain Takashi Kosuda during his escape, Saigo was arrested and sent to prison on charges of treason. After his release from prison, Saigo worked for the Onmitsukidō on a provisional basis.

This was later changed and Saigo was recruited by the Onmitsukido as a full fledged member, he took a leadership role in various covert and undercover missions, and served as Corps Commander of both the Executive Militia and Patrol Corp in the Onmitsukidō. His dedication to keeping the Soul Society and its citizens safe has led him to make some impossible decision and personal sacrifices. Saigo had lost his job, his friends, and, for a period of ten years his freedom.

During the battle between the Gotei 13 and rebel factions of Soul Society, Saigo was critically injured by a rogue agent and was believed to be dead. Saigo survived, however, was once again being charged with treason, as he was framed by the very people who were responsible for the coup. After brutally murdering many of the conspirators, Saigo was forced to leave his life in the Soul Society behind to avoid being tracked down by the Gotei 13 and Onmitsukidō who wanted him dead.

Appearance
Saigo is a tall, muscular man, with neck-length red hair, which is kept in a swept back style. The way he styles his hair, gives it a fuller and thicker appearance. He has thin facial hair around his mouth and on his cheeks. Saigo has a large number of scars on his body, most of which he received from previous battles. The most prominent ones are on his chest, both large scars on the left side of his chest marked with black stitches. He has brown coloured eyes. As a result of intense training, he has developed a strong and muscular body; he is strong enough to carry a large broadsword on his back, without much difficulty.

His standard attire consists of a black tattered cape with three leather straps on each shoulders, a plain white shirt with bandages underneath to cover the numerous scars on his body, black pants, dark grey boots, and metallic armour below his waist. When first introduced, he wore a black bandana with a silver forehead protector and a green mask that covered the bottom half of his face. Except for his eyes, all his facial features were obscured for a while before he decided to remove the mask and the bandana.

When he was still serving as a Captain, he wore the standard Shinigami shihakusho, along with a tattered Captain's haori, worn like a sash and fastened over his right shoulder. There are two long red strips of cloth tied around each upper arm, so that their ends dangled in four long tails, almost like stylized wings.

Equipment

 * Karasu (烏, "Crow"): A uniquely designed kunai made from a special metal that can be only be found in the Soul Society. Due to the unique properties of the metal, karasu can be infused with the user’s spiritual energy. In addition karasu can also absorb spiritual energy from any source, including the user as well as the opponent and as a result, the more energy it absorbs the tougher it becomes. There is a limit to how much spirit energy can be stored within the kunai, although the exact limitations are unknown as of now. Karasu takes the form of a large kunai-style dagger that can be used as a long range projectile weapon or for close range combat purposes similar to a katana. Unlike traditional kunai, karasu is slightly longer with a silver edge, while the middle of the kunai is black and symbols are inscribed on it. Saigo Murakami is a user of the kunai and makes use of it by adding his spiritual energy to it, thus increasing its range and cutting power. According to Saigo, karasu is slightly heavier than a standard kunai, but with enough time and practice, the user can use the kunai without much difficulty.


 * Tentōken (天踏絢, Heaven-Stepping Adornment): it is a brown mantle with a large draw string closure at the collar and a large brooch displaying the Shihōin family crest. The Tentōken requires no skill or previous experience to use and allows one to hover in mid-air. He obtained one from Akane Shihōin, when he was a member of the Onmitsukidō.

Power & Abilities
Master Swordsmanship Specialist: As the former bearer of the name of Kenpachi, Saigo is an extremely powerful swordsman with years of combat experience. He has trained with and fought against some of the most gifted swordsmen in the Soul Society. Through training and experience he has honed his skills to a level of mastery that allows him to fight nearly any opponent, this has made him into a highly adaptable combatant. He is able to perceive his opponents movement and keep up with them in terms of technique and power. When in combat, he uses a combination of swift movements and powerful strikes to land critical hits on to his opponents, as he prefers to finish his battle as quick as possible. He has also demonstrated insane cutting strength, as he is capable of cutting through materials even much stronger than steel. He has an exceptional aptitude for zanjutsu and swords in general. His polished skills and strength with his sword allows him to fight most of his battle with only a single hand. As the former Captain of the 11th Division, which specializes in sword fighting, he was one of the most, if not the most, proficient swordsmen in all of Soul Society.


 * Iaidō Master: Besides his regular fighting techniques, Saigo is also a master of Iaido, a style of swordsmanship which involves drawing the sword from its sheath, striking the opponent, and then replacing the sword in the sheath. Saigo has displayed considerable knowledge and skill in Iaido, though he rarely uses the skill, unless facing an opponent whom he cannot defeat using conventional means. He is capable of striking so fast that the opponent does not realize they have been slain until he sheathes his weapon.

Hakuda Combatant: While preferring to finish his fights as quickly as possible with his zanpakuto, Saigo has demonstrated from time to time that he can be just as dangerous when unarmed. As with his skills in swordsmanship, he has trained and honed his hand to hand combat skills to such a level that he is able to effortlessly catch a strike from the deceptively fast Espada level arrancar Muerte Guerrero. He is able to block a punch from a hollow much larger in size without difficulty and then attack with enough force to knock it down with a single punch. When fighting against an opponent with Hakuda, he uses close quarters combat, a type of fighting style that engages the enemy at close range with a weapon in hand, which in his case is his zanpakuto. He combines both sword and barehanded skills to simultaneously strike with his zanpakuto and punch opponents with great force. The main purpose of his fighting style is to get close to the enemy and take offensive action before they can react, this ensure that the enemy is taken down without the need for unnecessary or flashy movements.

Colossal Spiritual Power: Even by captain-level standards, Saigo has shown to have tremendous spiritual energy. Aoko described his spiritual power as colossal, and could be felt from enormous distances away. People in the immediate vicinity can be brought to their knees with its power, even potential Captain level shinigami. He has the ability to release his spiritual energy into a potent aura around him; this aura can apparently be used to further augment his physical abilities, such as enhancing the strength of his punches and kicks or using it to defend against attacks that would otherwise cause him harm. The aura can also acts as a sort of barrier to reduce the impact of attacks on him, if not negating them completely. He has also demonstrated the ability to use his spiritual pressure as a weapon with which to strike others. With a simple palm thrust, he is able to blast back normal enemies, without physically touching them. He is also one of the very few people not overwhelmed by the Spiritual Pressure of Captain-Commander Yamamoto as most people would be in such a situation. His strength is shown even further as he was able to defeat Roy Grimshaw, the quinto Espada, with only the use of his Shikai. As a captain level shinigami, Saigo is capable of exerting a vast spiritual pressure, which can cause severe physiological effects on the person afflicted with it. Because of this, his spiritual power is a valuable weapon that can be effectively used to take down those who are weaker than him. If not controlled, Saigo’s spiritual energy can destroy the area around him, such as the ground directly beneath him. His spiritual energy is purple.

Shunpo Expert: Like most Captain-level Shinigami, Saigo has demonstrated the ability to use Shunpo, a skill in which he is well versed. He is able to run and move at speeds superior to those of an average Captain-level shinigami. Saigo is a regular practitioner of shunpo, as it is one of his primary forms of combat, used in conjunction with his swordsmanship. He is also proficient in evasion in close quarters as well as from a distance.


 * Utsusemi (空蝉; Cicada, referencing their molting): Way of Onmitsu, 3rd of the Shihō. It allows for a movement at great speed, leaving an afterimage behind. Saigo learned the technique when he was still a member of the Onmitsukidō

Master Strategist & Tactician: With his years of experience as a field agent and combat solider, along with being the Captain of the 11th Division, Saigo is a highly intelligent man. Saigo is an accomplished strategist and is widely considered one of, if not the greatest, tactician in the Soul Society, both on and off the battlefield. He is able to formulate battle strategies and his brilliant tactical sense allows him to alter any strategy to fit the changing need of the situation. He has an undeniable talent for thinking things well in advance as well; make decisive and accurate decisions quickly in battle. He is a crafty tactician, shown from his ability to always think two steps ahead of his enemies and three steps ahead of his friends. His prowess is such that he is able to out think and out maneuver individuals such as Takashi Kosuda, Touko Sonozaki and other geniuses. He is shown to be also a very perceptive man, as he is able to deduce a person’s true motives and actions by thoroughly observing their personality traits and characteristic.

Immense Strength: Due to his large build, Saigo possesses extraordinary physical strength, allowing him to easily overpower and manhandle being much larger in stature and size than himself. He is capable of stopping a Gillian class hollow’s cero with just one hand, further demonstrating his physical strength. Saigo’s strength is so immense that he was able to rip off the quinto Espada Roy Grimshaw's left arm with very little effort. During his fight with Kyosuke Kagami, Saigo is able to block the vizard's powerful punch and hurl him a great distance with considerable force, achieving both feats with only his bare hands.

Indomitable Will: Saigo is a very strong-willed person. Due to the years of experience in the battle field as a warrior, Saigo has incredible determination and strength of will that makes him an extremely formidable opponent. He is able to function while tolerating massive amounts of physical pain, and capable of resisting all forms of mind control; only the strongest willed individuals have a chance of enslaving him.

Zanpakutō
Tokoyami (常闇, "Everlasting Darkness") is the name of Saigo's zanpakutō. When sealed, Tokoyami takes the form of a shikomizue (a blade hidden inside a cane). Because it resides in a cane, its hilt is still the handle of the cane, so it looks different from most Zanpakutō. Both the handle and scabbard are sleek black, which gives the entire sword the appearance of an ordinary walking stick. The blade itself is normal in appearance and has a sharp edge, making it easier to use for cutting. It is also considered to be a very light sword. Even in its sealed state, Tokoyami is a formidable weapon, as it is capable of cutting through almost any defenses, although Saigo immense physical strength plays a part in it as well; nevertheless he has demonstrated the ability to slice through an Arrancar's Hierro with minimal effort. He can also imbue Tokoyami with his spiritual energy in order strengthen it even further; this makes the zanpakuto much more durable, as shown when he was able to block a powerful punch from a relatively large hollow. When sheathed, Tokoyami has the ability to form a protective barrier around Saigo’s body. The barrier is powerful enough to deflect or resist low-level kido spells and energy attacks such cero. However, it can only withstand a limited number of attacks. The protective barrier is capable of resisting any amount of offensive force; however, if that force is used continuously then the sheath will crack. When he was still serving the Gotei 13, Tokoyami was sealed in an ordinary katana-form with a rectangular-shaped crossguard and red hilt.


 * Shikai: Unlike most Zanpakuto, Tokoyami has two Shikai forms, each with their own unique set of skills and abilities.


 * Tokoyami: The Shikai command for Tokoyami is "Descend" (下る, Kudaru). When released, the Zanpakuto takes the form of an oversized double-edged greatsword with a black blade and silver edge. The middle of the sword is inscribed with a set of runic alphabets which tend to glow whenever the sword is being charged with spiritual energy. The hilt of the sword consists of a rectangular-shaped crossguard with both sides of the edge extending upward, and a small skull like symbol in the middle of the guard perfectly aligned with the runic alphabets that are inscribed on the blade. The handle is covered in brown leather wrapping and the pommel at the top of the handle consists of curved spiky protrusions. Despite its large size, Saigo claims that it is neither heavy nor difficult to use. Tokoyami’s wide blade can also be used as a shield to defend from incoming attacks. The release of this Zanpakuto comes with an extreme release of spiritual pressure that affects the surrounds area, and can be felt from enormous distances away.


 * Shikai Special Ability: Tokoyami's ability lies in the manipulation of darkness and shadows. The darkness that Tokoyami generates is visually demonstrated as a black smoke-like fluid substance. When in its first form the darkness emanates from the runic alphabets that are inscribed on the blade, and in its Kokuei form, it emanates from the two jewels encrusted onto each gauntlet. In both forms, Saigo has shown high level of control over the darkness and has used its unique properties for a number of effects and abilities. The darkness can be given physical form and tangibility allowing it to interact with the surrounding. Tokoyami’s powers are divided between the two forms that it can assume when released, the first form allows him to manipulate the darkness to produce a variety of energy based techniques that can be used to attack an opponent head on. The darkness can also be shaped into the form shields and ghostly apparitions. In its Kokuei form, Tokoyami loses most of its offensive capabilities and is mainly used for defence. Kokuei allows him to use the darkness generated from the gauntlet to control and manipulate shadows to produce unique effects. Unlike most Zanpakuto’s, resealing Tokoyami does not deactivate any ability already used against an opponent.


 * Niban Yōshiki: Kokuei (二番様式黒影, Second Form: Dark Shadow): It is released by the command "Come Forth" (出る, Deru). Saigo holds his Zanpakuto up in front of him horizontally and calls out its release command. A hazy smoke-like substance emanates from the zanpakuto and surrounds Saigo, followed by a bright flash of light. The flash of light intensifies into a huge burst of spiritual energy that greatly affects the surrounding area. When the smoke from the resulting burst of energy clears out, it is revealed that his Zanpakuto has now taken on the form of a pair of gauntlets. The gauntlets are silver metallic in colour, decorated with brown markings and complex patterns. Both the gauntlets are encrusted with two pieces of jewellery each, a red one at the top and a blue one at the edge of the gauntlet. It is capable of withstanding even the strongest of attacks, making it quite effective for blocking and deflecting in coming attacks.


 * Bankai: Not yet revealed. Takashi warned Saigo not to release his Bankai "where others can see."

Hollowfication
Hollow Mask: To access his Hollow powers, Saigo must summon the mask on to his face, which is usually done by placing one of his hands over his face and concentrating spiritual matter on to it. The mask is summoned in a "ripping" fashion. Saigo’s Hollow mask manifests in the appearance of what could best be described as a menacing skull. It is a pure white Hollow mask with the brow ridge directly above the widened eye-holes extending outward towards the edge of the mask and becoming more curved. There are a total number of ten blue thick stripes covering the entirety of the mask. The first two strips appear to emerge from the middle of the mask, with one moving towards the very top of the mask and the second one descending towards the chin. The second pair of strips also emerges from the middle, and moves directly above the curved brow ridge of the mask. There are four more blue strips that cover the upper and lower parts of the wide eye-holes. The last two blue strips emerge from the eyes and disappears into both sides of the upper jaw. With the mask in place, his eyes irises become yellow, and he has black scelera and pupils, his voice also has a slight hollow echo to it.


 * Power Augmentation: While wearing the mask, Saigo's Hollow powers supplement his Shinigami powers, giving him a vast increase in both strength and speed. The explanation for this is that since Hollows boost their natural abilities by obtaining spiritual power around them, either by absorbing it in its ambient form or devouring it directly from another living being, Saigo attains power from two separate sources: that from himself (drawn using his Shinigami powers), and that from his immediate environment (drawn with the help of his Hollow powers), allowing him to draw power from both sides.


 * Enhanced Spiritual Power: While wearing the mask, the colossal spiritual power that Saigo possesses becomes even greater than before.


 * Enhanced Speed: While wearing his Hollow mask, Saigo has demonstrated that he is capable of running and moving at speeds that are beyond the natural physical limits of an average Captain-level shinigami. With his enhanced speed, he is able to cross large distance within a short span of time, remain undetected, and even surprise enemies. He has honed his skills to such an extent that he can disappear in one instant and re-appear in the next. He is also fast enough to grab hold of an opponent before they even have the time to react or counter attack.


 * Enhanced Reflexes: While wearing his Hollow mask, Saigo possesses instantaneous reflexes. The speed at which he reacts allows him to dodge fast-moving projectiles such as cero and bala. He can usually out-react even the fastest beings, no matter how well-trained.


 * Enhanced Durability: While wearing his Hollow mask, Saigo's greatest attribute is his enhanced durability. He is now strong enough to withstand impacts that would kill an ordinary human, and critically injure an average Shinigami. His enhanced durability allows him to take on the full power of an Espada’s pre-release cero and only take one step backwards with no signs of major injury. He has been seen to even take being impaled on a sword without so much as flinching from the perceived damage, even when the blow was dealt by the likes of Kyosuke Kagami. According to Saigo, the amount of time that he can fight using his mask is 5 minutes, any more than that causes his mask to fall apart.


 * Cero: Saigo has demonstrated the ability to fire a potent crimson coloured Cero from his fingertips. The power of the Cero is extremely destructive and can be charged and fired relatively fast. The force of the blast is strong enough to hurl an opponent over long distances, and obliterate anything in its path at great range. His Cero is also powerful enough to neutralize the Cero of an Espada of at least rank five, even at minimal power. He is able to fire it from either hand.

Trivia

 * Saigo Murakami’s appearance is based off Gildarts Clive from the Anime/Manga series Fairy Tail.
 * His character theme song is Hope by Apocalyptica.
 * Murakami means (村上) "upper village."
 * Saigo favourite phrase is, "Only with strength can one endure suffering and torment."
 * According to the author
 * Saigo’s hobbies are falconry, archery, sightseeing, and training.
 * Saigo will fight against anyone strong enough to challenge him.
 * Saigo’s favourite foods are Gyoza, Chinese ravioli-dumplings (potstickers) and Kushiyaki, skewers of meat and vegetables. While his least favourite are Sashimi, raw fish and Fugu, sliced poisonous puffer fish. He is also known to enjoy the occasional sake.
 * Although regarded as one of the strongest fighters in Soul Society, Saigo has Arachnophobia, a fear of spiders and other arachnids such as scorpions. It is a manifestation of zoophobia, among the most common of all phobias. Several characters have commented on the fact that it is quite unsual for a man of his power and status to be afraid of such tiny creatures.

Quotes

 * "Courage is something not so easily defined by those who fight and do not fall, but it is defined by those who fight, fall, and rise up once again, to see a better future."


 * "Emotion can be ones greatest weapon and ally, but it can also be the cause of their downfall."


 * "...Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win."


 * "If the whole world is evil, then the tragedy that befell you is justified. “That would make it easier for you to accept the deaths of your friends and family. But if good people do exist, then, however much you deny it, your life will be unbearable; because fate set a trap for you, and you know you didn't deserve it. It isn't the light you want to recover; it's the certainty that there is only darkness."


 * "Eventually every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness."


 * "No matter how far you go or how deep you choose to sink. The world is just too small for a man like Takashi Kosuda to simply disappear."


 * "I'm a shadow, one that no light will shine on."