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- "You won't outrun the Kikkashō."
- —Suitai to Kentaro Hiroshi.[src]
| Name | Kikkashō |
| Kanji | 菊花章 |
| Leader(s) | Unknown |
| Headquarters | Unknown |
| Purpose | Unknown |
The Kikkashō (菊花章, Order of the Chrysanthemum) was a secretive criminal organization first alluded to by Suitai Shiba towards the end of his battle with Kentaro Hiroshi.[1]
History[]
The Kikkashō was the first criminal organisation encountered by Kenji, Kusaka and Kazuma after leaving the Soul Society. In the beginning it was only brief skirmishes with their low-ranked thugs, leading Kenji and company to discount them out-of-hand. Anika Shihōin tasked Kenji and his friends with the destruction of the group as she lacked the evidence needed to mobilise the Onmitsukidō, which initially surprised Kenji. After hearing what his godmother had to say about the group however Kenji and his friends agreed to the request. The group was ultimately put to the sword and thought to have been destroyed utterly.[2]
However, prior to the return of Averian, Suitai Shiba warned Kentaro Hiroshi that he would not outrun the Kikkashō; hinting at a possible survival or perhaps resurgence.[1] This possibility was then lent some credibility by Kenji himself who not only hesitated to say he and the others had stomped them out completely, but also warned Kentaro to "sleep with one eye open" and that "the Kikkashō made the Collective Vices of Kōhai Tochi look like children playing at crime". He also discounted the possibility that Suitai was merely messing with Kentaro's head and urged his son to be careful as the Kikkashō weren't to be underestimated.[2]
Just before The Collapse the Kikkashō where actively recruiting promising talent and had set their sights on Garrett Sheppard and Tiffany Henderson, but their attempts where foiled by Kenji, Kusaka and Shinrei.[3] The Kikkashō where also thought to have infiltrated into the highest levels of the Gotei Remnant, for Blake Shihōin was a known member who also ranked highly in the Remnant. It was also discovered that Averian, through the gift of Sōjirō Kusaka, also had connections to the secretive organisation.[4]
Membership[]
Behind the scenes[]
- The chrysanthemum is symbolic of death in some European countries.
- The Kikkashō are loosely based on HYDRA from the Marvel universe; specifically the film-version.