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This article, Relict, was added by Seireitou who determines its usage on this wiki. |
- "But you know, it's a strange thing. A new life came into being. As if the world itself naturally rejected it, he destroyed it and turned it into sands of reishi. Thus, circulation began once again. [That was the Soul King of the first era...?] That's right. Others, with special powers, including myself, appeared. But it is fair to say that the Soul King stood out; his powers very close to omnipotence and omniscience."
- —Ichibē Hyōsube[1]
| Relict | |
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| Name | Relict |
| Kanji | 元霊 (レリクト) |
| English | "Original Soul" |
| Additional Information | |
|---|---|
| Notable Members | Soul King, Ichibē Hyōsube |
Relicts (元霊 (レリクト), Genrei; Japanese for "Original Soul") are supernatural beings that originated in the Old World prior to the creation of the three worlds. Beyond those of Humans and Hollows, the Relicts first appeared with the birth of the Soul King, who possessed powers close to omnipotence and omniscience.[1] It is an umbrella term which refers to both individuals as well as the tribes born from many of those individuals. However, it was a term first conceived after the separation of the three worlds, whereas in the Old World, those beings with powers beyond human comprehension were collectively believed to be Gods (神, Kami); manifestations of the world's will and nature.
Overview[]
According to Sōsuke Aizen, gods are born when the desires of mankind seeking something to put their faith and hopes into are strong enough to impose a significant influence onto the world.[2] The Soul King, in that sense, could be said to have been born from the wishes of Humans that sought protection and the Hollows that sought salvation. The world wishes to be in equilibrium, and so, when one force rises, another rises to meet it. In this sense, all Relicts were born in response to some sort of phenomenon in the Old World. They are inherently tied to the causality of this world and are extensions of the world's consciousness.
Worship[]
- "When the infant's hearing had been fully restored, he realized that people called him by a curious name. He knew that it was the name of the god that the people had worshiped... but he decided to make it his own name."
- —Yhwach[3]
Throughout the Human World, Soul Society, and even other realms, gods are revered within different sects and mythologies. The Ise Clan of the Seireitei is known for their Shinto belief.[4] People of the Eastern Rukongai were known to believe in an old fallen god named Mimihagi, which was said to be enshrined as the right arm of the Soul King. In particular, there was a shine dedicated to the worshiped deity in the 78th District of the aforementioned region.[5] Within the region where Yhwach was born, the people who flocked to the infant because of the miracles he could perform called him by the name of the deity that they believed in, which the infant eventually took as his own name.[3] However, there are some that do not believe in the existence of such entities. Choe Neng Poww questions if the Shinigami even have a god, especially one in which to pray to, which leaves Ikkaku Madarame perplexed.[6] Hachigen Ushōda also makes mention that there is no being with 'god' in its name within the Soul Society other than the Shinigami, suggesting that even the Soul King itself is not considered a deity in their eyes.[7]
Deification[]
- "Honestly... the Hōgyoku is very aptly named. It has the power to destroy the wall that separates those who are gods... from those who aren't!"
- —Sōsuke Aizen[8]
There are methods that allow living creatures to achieve powers close in nature and degree to the Relicts of the Old World. Those individuals are referred to as Transcendents.[9] Sōsuke Aizen attempted such a thing when he used the Hōgyoku to realize his desires of godhood, but because it was not what his heart truly desired, the result was something entirely different, bordering on monstrous.[10]
Powers[]
- "Don't look so surprised. You did steal it. But the power you stole doesn't belong to you."
- —Ichibē Hyōsube to Yhwach.[11]
Divine Aspect: The Soul King was born as a being of omnipotence that could control and manipulate souls. Thus, he could be called a personification of 'souls' themselves. This was often expressed in powers such as Fullbring. Yhwach, an incarnation of the power that was stripped off of the Soul King, was able to grant pieces of his own soul onto others.[12] The Quincy, who also share in this power, derive their ability to destroy souls and manipulate reishi, which are themselves fragments of souls long since passed, from the Soul King as well.[1] Ichibē Hyōsube, on the other hand, was born as the personification of 'black'. More specifically, he represents the idea of 'marking' something with a definition or identity. As such, he was the person to name all things within Soul Society when it was first created. Because his ability is intrinsic to his existence, it cannot be stolen by another.[11]
Known Relicts[]
Notable Individual Relicts[]
- Astraia
- Five Noble House Ancestors
- Ichibē Hyōsube
- Soul King
- Sūn Wùkōng
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Bleach light novel; Can't Fear Your Own World III
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 383, page 17
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bleach manga; Chapter 565, pages 3-6
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 561, page 2
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 616, pages 8-10
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 319, pages 9-11
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 370, pages 18-19
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 401, page 18
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 419, page 17
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 419, pages 10-11
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Bleach manga; Chapter 608, pages 12-15
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 565, pages 11-12
Behind the Scenes[]
The terminology used for the namesake of this article is based on the usage of 'Relict' in the video game, The Witcher 3. While given a unique name, they are meant to parallel the Kami (神, "God") of Japanese mythology. They exist as beings that parallel certain aspects or phenomena in the world. This article was based on the subtle hints left by Tite Kubo in various character dialogues and volume poems to produce a working concept for deities in the Bleach universe. In addition, this page also borrows some inspiration from the concept of gods in the anime and manga series, Noragami, as well as the idea behind Altana Mutants in the anime and manga series, Gintama.