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| This article, Asuka Natsume (FC), is part of Bleach: War for the King's Seal, which continues on from the opening segments of the site's former Fanon Canon project. Use of this page's contents is determined by the author of this page, unless otherwise specified. |
- "So yeah, I've got a potentially vengeful chick hounding my steps who happens to be loyal to the brother who tried to kill me. Soul King preserve me! I came to the Forest to get away from this shit."
- —Akira's initial view of Natsume.[src]
| Asuka Natsume | |
| |
| Race | Soul |
| Gender | Female |
| Professional Status | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Ryū Order |
| Previous Affiliation | Soul Society, Hotaru's Witches |
| Profession | Shinigami |
| Partner | Akira Hiroshi |
| Previous Partner | Airi Natsume |
| Base of Operations | Forest of Menos |
| Personal Status | |
| Relatives | Airi Natsume (twin) |
| Mentors | Hotaru Hiroshi (former) |
| Education | Shin'ō Academy |
| Magical Focus | |
| Magical Specialty | Nigendō |
| Zanpakutō | |
| Shikai | Unknown |
| Bankai | Not achieved |
| First Appearance | |
| Story Debut | Bleach Renascence |
| Roleplay Debut | Sakae's Descent |
Asuka Natsume (明寿花 奈爪) is a rogue Shinigami formerly aligned with Hotaru Hiroshi and his followers. As such, she was supportive of his mission to secure the Ōin. Her twin sister is Airi. During a failed attempt to kill Gundinger Drelairn in the World of the Living, Asuka ended up trapped in the Forest of Menos, where she was subsequently defeated by Akira Hiroshi. In the years that followed, she resolved to place her trust in Akira, rather than Hotaru, and was the first to join Akira's Ryū Order.
Appearance[]
Asuka and Airi are nearly identical twins, with only minor differences. Asuka has the appearance of a teenage girl, is lithe of build, sporting black hair, black eyes, and a cute face. Akira described her as a "chick", noting her to be very attractive.[1] Even after defecting from the Kidō Corps, she continued to wear the standard Shinigami attire, with the addition of a hooded cloak.[2]
Personality[]
Asuka is an impressionable young woman; this trait, privately noted by Akira, has been used against her by people like Hotaru, who was capable of manipulating her thinking and recruiting her to his cause.[3] She was aware of the "Original Sin", for example, having been informed by Hotaru, and became the first of Hotaru's followers alongside her twin sister.[2] She initially identified strongly with Hotaru's ideals, joining him in his quest to secure the Ōin, but defected from his cause shortly after meeting and being spared by Akira.[4] She was the first to join Akira's group, supporting her new companion in his struggle to stop her former leader, and only asked that he help her open her sister's eyes.[5]
Her lithe appearance, and quiet personality, belie an incredible will and strong core. She survived for almost a decade in the Forest of Menos without relying on the experience of Ashido, without complaint or trouble, asking only that Akira come around occasionally to chat with her.[3] At the same time, she worked through her differences with Gundinger, with whom she was originally at odds.[1] She harboured regrets over attacking him, explaining it was done at Hotaru's direction after Gundinger refused to join their cause, and was noted by Gundinger to look very sad whenever he approached her. In fact, he described her thusly: "the second kid gives me a look like I’d drowned her favourite pet whenever I came to speak to her". Gundinger later admitted that he would give his life for her, and vice-versa.[6]
History[]
Asuka grew disillusioned with the Soul Society under unknown circumstances and joined Hotaru shortly before Sakae alongside her sister, Xiuying, and Ayumi Ise.[2] She was a former member of the Kidō Corps, and participated in an internal conflict between feuding factions of the Kidō Corps in the lead-up to an assault on the 9th Division.[7] Additionally, Hotaru trained Asuka and her colleagues in the school of Kidō taught in his own world,[4] as well as the advanced Nigendō branch.[8]
Synopsis[]
Renascence Beginning[]
- Main article -- Renascence Beginning.
Assault on the 9th Division arc[]
Intervening Years[]
Bleach: War for the King's Seal[]
- Main article -- Bleach: War for the King's Seal.
Hueco Mundo chapter[]
- Reaper Abroad: Monitoring the Balance (mentioned)
- Hunger and Greed: Unveiled (mentioned)
- Hunger and Greed: Herding Wolves (mentioned)
- Hunger and Greed: Cat Amongst the Pigeons
- Vampiric Entry
- Hunger and Greed: Doubling Down (mentioned)
- Hunger and Greed: Rallying Ants
Soul Society chapter[]
Powers and Abilities[]
High Spiritual Energy: Asuka's spiritual power is considered entry-level Lieutenant-class, for she is noted to be weaker than Sakae, whose power upon recruitment was said to sit in the gulf between a Lieutenant and a Captain.[4] Although her spiritual energy was not as high as Gundinger's was, she was nevertheless capable of pressuring the former Espada when the latter was in an injured state, with the former Espada outputting reiatsu close to that of a Captain.[1]
Kidō Expertise: Hotaru's followers are identified both as "witches" and "mages", suggesting significant skill in the magical arts, with spells from two distinct Kidō variations: that taught in their own world, and those taught in Hotaru's world.[4] In addition, she undertook training from Hotaru in the Nigendō branch of Kidō, which was finalized by Akira within the Forest.[8] As a former member of the Kidō Corps, and one who survived an internal conflict between feuding factions immediately prior to her defection, Asuka's skills are notably high.[7] She survived in the Forest of Menos, with limited aid from Ashido, Gundinger, or Akira, for almost a decade, and has been described as "powerful" by Akira.[3]
Hohō Expertise: Asuka was capable of following Gundinger's movements during their short one-on-one battle, and later keep pace with Akira.[1]
Enhanced Endurance: Despite her lithe frame, Asuka possesses magnificent staying power. She had the physical and mental fortitude to survive for almost a decade in the Forest of Menos, without relying on the experience of Ashido, as Akira had.[3] Additionally, she fought back for an extended period before succumbing to the heat exhaustion generated by Akira's Zanpakutō.[1]