This article, Shigeru Kurohana, is property of LordGalvatron. |
Shigeru Kurohana | |
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Race | Sōzōshin |
Birthday | 30 August |
Age | 31† (Physical) |
Gender | Male |
Height | 189 cm (6'2½") |
Weight | 80 kg (176 lb.) |
Blood Type | AB- |
Professional Status | |
---|---|
Previous Affiliation | Royal Court |
Profession | Diplomat |
Previous Partner | Asuka Kurohana† |
Base of Operations | Reiōkyū (Formerly) |
Personal Status | |
Relatives | Asuka Kurohana† (Wife) Kaoru Kurohana (Son) |
Zanpakutō | |
Shikai | Sensasayaki |
First Appearance | |
Story Debut | Black Flower: Tainted Bud |
"Can't you see this is wrong!? We are all Balancers of Souls! Guardians of peace and order! Why don't we work together to maintain and secure this world!? Why do we slaughter each other as sworn enemies!?" |
Shigeru Kurohana (黒華茂, "Flourishing Black Flower") was a male Sōzōshin and the father of Kaoru Kurohana, the man who is known to history as the dreaded Zetsubō Usuguraiboshi.
Appearance
Shigeru was a tall mature man of rather "rough" appearance. He had a medium complexion. He had long, straight jet black hair he usually wore in a ponytail and with a thick fringe that partially stuck up above his forehead. His face had a rectangular shape. With thick eyebrows and a relatively large snub nose he tended to wear permanent stubble. The colour of his eyes was imperial red.
His usual attire consisted of fairly standard if somewhat tight-fitting white-and-black kimono complete with waraji and black tabi.
Personality
Stalwart and strict, Shigeru was a dutiful diplomat. He devoted most of his adult life to the maintenance of the balance of souls. His determination to secure peace and order prompted him to gradually, if reluctantly, abandon his non-conflicting ways and resort to violence whenever that was necessary to fulfil his goals. Still, in spite of his excellent training he was not fond of combat. Furthermore, he was prone to feel remorse even after disposing of particularly hostile renegades. Whilst capable of fighting fiercely, he always felt uneasy during battles.
Shigeru loved his wife, Asuka and their baby, Kaoru, greatly. That love was a major source of motivation for him to continue his increasingly futile attempts to protect the balance of souls. When the time of the Sōzōshin revolt came he hesitated to abandon his family. Even then, he thought of their safety and implored his wife to take their child and hide as far away from the Royal Palace as possible, since he suspected the revolution might be a failure and thus their lives would be endangered. During his final battle he fought to ensure their safe departure and protect other civilians that could be targeted by the loyalist forces.
Plot
Powers and Abilities
Expert Swordsman: Even though considered a diplomat first and a warrior second, Shigeru proved to be an adept swordsman many times during the latter days of his life. Somewhat unusually, he favoured the efficient and reserved bladework of the ketsugidō. Consequently, his approach was focussed on the generation of impenetrable defence with the least possible effort spent on blocking, parrying and evading the normally far more active enemy. Even though not one to charge and attack of his own volition, Shigeru was quite skilled at exploiting the openings that inevitably appeared whenever a more or less rash adversary seized the initiative. Many times he would attempt to merely incapacitate his opponent, though in the end he was capable of performing abrupt lethal strikes whenever the need arose. Hakuda Practitioner: In addition, he had undergone rudimentary training in unarmed combat. That served to not only condition his body and increase his agility but also to allow him to pacify weak rebellious Souls without the use of excessive violence. Shunpo Expert: Kurohana was a nimble combatant. In spite of his imposing and sturdy frame he could perform fairly impressive acrobatic feats and move at high speeds. That respectable proficiency often let him skilfully evade many attacks, sometimes even point-blank ones. Kidō Practitioner: Whilst he considered the art of spellcasting unnecessarily abstract and contrived, he was indeed capable of employing most of the low-level techniques without the use of an incantation. However, he never relied on them as anything more than a minor supplement to his other abilities. Disapproving of the offensive techniques, he preferred to employ the supporting spells of Bakudō. |
Enhanced Endurance: As a result of his physical conditioning and a requirement to deploy the defensive form of Zanjutsu properly, Kurohana boasted a substantial degree of stamina and mental resilience. High Intellect: Shigeru was a learned and astute individual. Sometimes obfuscated by his slightly immature and stubborn attitude, he did possess remarkable intellect. That ability to process stimuli quickly and effectively served him well during his time as a diplomat and then, a warrior. Great Spiritual Power: As a Sōzōshin Shigeru had a considerable amount of spiritual energy at his disposal. In fact, his spiritual power would have rivalled that of modern day Captains of the Gotei 13. However, rather surprisingly, he had never attained Bankai. When exerted, his spiritual pressure emanated subtle yet pervasive vibrations. The colour of his aura was imperial red. |
Sensasayaki (千囁き, "Thousand Whispers"): When in sealed state the Zanpakutō was a normal tachi with a rectangular guard and a jet hilt.
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Statistics
Offence |
| 60/100 | |||
Defence |
| 90/100 | |||
Mobility |
| 80/100 | |||
Kidō |
| 50/100 | |||
Intelligence |
| 80/100 | |||
Strength |
| 70/100 | |||
Total |
| 430/600 |
Trivia
Appearances
Bleach: Black Flower
- Black Flower: Tainted Bud (Mentioned only)
- Black Flower: Crooked Thorn (Flashback)