Kisuke Urahara is the former captain of the 12th Division who resides in exile in the human world. He is currently a member of Team Maiden and also owner of the Urahara store.
After ten years since the events of Bleach, Kisuke will become the director of Karakura Prep and serve as Roland’s mentor.
PRESENTATION
Kisuke Urahara is an imposing, fair-skinned man with almost pale blond hair and gray eyes often concealed by his hat. He constantly wears traditional Japanese wooden sandals called “geta” and a bucket hat, earning him the nickname “Mr. Hat-and-Clogs”. He also wears dark blue pants with a shirt of the same color, and a grayish-green coat with large white diamonds on the bottom. Importantly, his coat is designed to be the opposite of the haori worn by a captain, being white with black diamonds. This outfit is a modified version of his original costume when he was assisting Ichigo Kurosaki.
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PERSONALITY
While generally perceived as relaxed and jovial, Urahara also reveals a deceptive, different, cunning and serious side to his personality when the situation calls for it. He often uses trivial conversations and external concerns to distract his opponents and hide his true intentions. Despite his carefree attitude, he always speaks politely, although he can sometimes be sarcastic. Yoruichi Shihōin even notes that he tends to exaggerate anything he’s passionate about. He once described himself as a “simple, honest, handsome and perverse businessman.”
About 110 years ago, Urahara’s personality was the opposite of what it is today, demonstrating the changes he experienced in the human world. In his early years as captain, he was considered nervous, restless and insecure. He lacked confidence in his ability to be a good leader. What’s more, he was often at a loss when it came to managing his team, and was easily outmaneuvered by his lieutenant, Hiyori Sarugaki. Although he felt uncomfortable in his role, he seemed relatively at ease in his previous position in the 2nd division. However, he eventually strengthened his resolve to take on his role as captain by becoming more serious and resolute.
Urahara often finds himself close to the scene of a major event, arriving either just in time or slightly late, but he rarely intervenes directly, preferring to remain in the background. He often tends to know more about most of the people he comes into contact with. Although he plays a key role, he usually presents himself as a catalyst, getting other people to do the work for him.
He takes pleasure in creating huge secret underground training spaces, housing his early achievements, both under Sōkyoku Hill in Soul Society and beneath his store in the human world.
CAPACITIES
As a swordsman emeritus
Despite his appearance, Urahara is an extremely skilled fighter, using a mixture of powerful attacks and deceptive subtleties. His abilities have been deemed highly dangerous by Ulquiorra Cifer, the fourth Espada. Although officially a member of the Special Forces specializing in unarmed combat, Urahara’s preferred fighting style seems to be swordsmanship. However, he is also very adept at combining his close-combat skills with his mastery of the saber.
In combat, he likes to take advantage of his great agility, attacking from a variety of angles to throw his opponent off balance. His fighting skills have been repeatedly demonstrated to be very high, as he was able to keep Ichigo constantly on his guard during their training, despite the fact that Ichigo is armed with a much larger blade. He rarely relies on his Shikai, as can be seen in his fight against Yammy, an Espada-level Arrancar. He also achieved Bankai status in short order, thanks to a process he devised, based on his great skill in wielding his Zanpakutō during his clash with his own mind.
Master of close combat
As the former corps commander of the Onmitsukidō detention unit, Urahara was not allowed to use weapons and therefore had to develop great skill in hand-to-hand combat. His skills in this area were so remarkable that he was able to goad the likes of Yoruichi into serious fighting, as evidenced by one of their regular training sessions. By the time he was a Shinigami and third-rank officer, he was competent enough to effortlessly eliminate several Shinigami deserters who were unarmed.
Master of quick steps
As the former third seat of the second division and commander of the Onmitsukidō unit, Urahara possesses exceptional understanding and skill in the use of Flash Steps. He moves so quickly that an opponent doesn’t even notice when he replaces himself with a portable Gigai to divert attention, as he successfully demonstrated when he used this tactic against Aizen. What’s more, the fact that he was always able to keep up with Yoruichi’s speed during their training sessions is further proof of his great mastery of this technique.
Maître du Kidō
As former director of the Shinigami Research Institute, Urahara possesses in-depth knowledge of the Kidō. During Uryū and Ichigo’s fight against a Gillian-class Menos, Urahara effortlessly restrained Rukia with a low-level Kidō spell, without incantation. Urahara demonstrated that he knows how to break the barriers erected by spiritually superior noble families, which even captains can’t break naturally. He also showed his mastery of Kidō by quickly stringing together level 61, 63 and 79 Bakudō spells without incantation, followed by a level 91 Hadō spell, although the latter required incantation to ensure the spell was powerful enough to achieve Urahara’s goal. He is also able to create high-level seals undetected until the trap is triggered. Even Aizen admitted that without the Hōgyoku’s help, Kisuke’s Kidō skills would certainly have defeated him.
Garganta
This technique allows you to pass from one dimension to another (from the world of the living to Hueco Mundo and vice versa). Urahara has demonstrated his ability to use this technique. He literally tears the dimensional fabric that separates worlds, revealing a tunnel of swirling, tumultuous energy that he must concentrate and solidify to create a discernible path. The incantation he uses is: “My right hand is the stone that links the worlds. My left hand is the blade that binds reality. The black-haired shepherd hangs from a chair. The clouds of Stratus arrive, and I strike the ibis.”
Intellectual genius
Urahara has proven himself to be the most intelligent being in Soul Society. Much of his intellect manifests itself through his scientific inventions, deductions about situations, combat skills and tactics. After Orihime accidentally revealed her powers to Ulquiorra, Urahara correctly deduced that Aizen would try to use Orihime against the Soul Society. Aizen recognizes that Urahara’s intelligence exceeds his own.
Master scientist / Inventor
As founder and former director of the Shinigami Research Institute, Urahara is a talented inventor and scientist, creating several devices and techniques to aid him in combat and other fields. His high intelligence is evident in this field, having created remarkable inventions throughout Soul Society’s history. Even before joining the 2nd Division, he was already involved in invention and creation. His knowledge gives him an innate understanding of the abilities of others and the impact of independent variables in an equation.
Master strategist and tactician
Despite his scruffy, detached appearance, Urahara has proved to be an extremely perceptive and cunning man on more than one occasion. He also possesses great intuition, capable of quickly detecting any danger and reacting promptly to it. Urahara has an undeniable talent for anticipating events, making decisive and precise decisions in combat, and having a keen perception of every situation. He has proven himself to be a cunning tactician, capable of deceiving both allies and enemies. His ability to quickly and perceptively analyze the power and attack patterns of his opponents enabled him to render them ultimately ineffective against him. He managed to deceive and outwit Aizen twice during their fight.
Increased strength
Urahara’s physical abilities far exceed what is apparent. When he was commander of the detention unit, he demonstrated that he could effortlessly stop a giant’s punch with just one hand. During his training with Ichigo, his attacks created large-scale craters and easily threw the young fighter several meters, knocking him through solid rock.
Increased speed
Kisuke showed extraordinary speed and reflexes in combat. Even when caught off guard by an enemy attack, he reacts quickly to dodge or deftly counter the assault. On the offensive, he maintains a rapid offensive that forces most of his opponents to defend, leaving them no opening in his attacks.
Improved agility
Despite his casual appearance, Kisuke is an extremely agile fighter. In combat, he uses his agility effectively to exploit the battlefield to his advantage, leaping from wall to wall to keep his opponents unsure of his attack patterns. Offensively, his agility gives him great dexterity in combat, enabling him to attack his opponent from different angles with precision and power.
Increased resistance
Although he doesn’t look imposing, Kisuke has proven he can take a lot of hits. During his years as commander of the 12th division, he was regularly attacked by his former lieutenant, Hiyori Sarugaki. Each time, he would take these attacks with indifference, even laughter, without being truly affected. His resistance even prompted Hiyori to be more careful about how she hit him, lest she hurt herself.
Master assassin
As a former elite member of the Special Forces, Kisuke is a master of the art of assassination. He has repeatedly demonstrated an impressive ability to conceal himself and remain invisible while moving towards his target. During his confrontation with Yammy, he managed to take his opponent completely by surprise on several occasions. Even people as perceptive and intuitive as Aizen were caught off guard.
An immense spiritual energy
As a former captain of the 12th Division, Urahara possesses a considerable amount of spiritual energy. His energy is so intense that it makes opponents who also possess a high level of energy sweat with fear. By releasing his spiritual pressure, he can cause a shockwave powerful enough to affect a wide area.
Zanpakutō
Kisuke’s Zanpakutō is called Benihime (紅姫, Scarlet Princess; Red Princess in English). Benihime takes the form of a shikomizue, a blade concealed inside a cane. During Kisuke’s time as captain in the Soul Society, it took the form of a katana with an oval hilt. The cane’s handle also features a skull and a flame mark at its base.
Shikai – Benihime’s Shikai command is “Awaken” (起きろ, Wake up).
Benihime’s Shikai transforms into a smooth, medium-sized sword. It has a crimson tassel hanging from the end of the hilt and features a slight decorative curve. Instead of a cross guard, a U-shaped decoration covers the first few centimeters of the blade, with a flower petal motif just above the cross guard. It is also decorated with a red string wrapped three times around the hilt, with a three-loop knot on one side and a folded paper decoration on the other. Benihime’s blade is straight and thin, if a little short, and its tip ends in a razor-sharp sloping edge rather than a tapered point.
.Special Shikai ability
Benihime is able to produce various crimson-colored energy techniques. Kisuke can execute these Benihime abilities by giving different verbal commands corresponding to his different abilities.
Nake, Benihime (啼け紅姫, Sing, Scarlet Princess; “Scream” in English dub): This technique is Benihime’s offensive ability. It projects discharges of energy of a particularly strong and destructive crimson color. He has also been shown to control these explosions, and can even modify their shape, size and intensity. This ability is powerful enough to rival Ichigo Tenshō’s improvised Getsuga without tiring Kisuke, and it easily nullifies Espada Yammy Riyalgo’s Cero and Bala explosions by hitting him head-on with this attack after studying the amount of power needed to use it.
Chikasumi no Tate (血霞の盾, Blood Mist Shield): Benihime’s defensive ability creates a hex-shaped “blood mist shield” in front of Urahara. The barrier is activated in the same order as the offensive attack. This shield is able to easily block a direct hit from the extremely powerful Yammy Riyalgo without causing damage to Urahara, and it is able to block Ichigo’s first use of Getsuga Tenshō without deteriorating significantly. After this, Urahara comments that he would have lost an arm without the shield.
Shibari, Benihime (縛り紅姫, Chaining, Scarlet Princess): This technique condenses the energy seen in Benihime’s previous abilities into a tangible net emanating from the tip of the blade. This net can be manipulated to bind and restrict the opponent’s movements.
Hiasobi, Benihime (火遊紅姫, Jeu de Feu, Princess Scarlet): The energy typically emitted by Benihime takes on explosive properties when this ability is activated, creating highly destructive explosions when they come into contact with a volatile target. This ability is used to “place” these explosive orbs like landmines, which can then be connected to each other.
Bankai – Not yet revealed, but was briefly mentioned.
Yoruichi comments that Urahara managed to learn Bankai using the same three-day method he created. When Yasutora Sado comes to Urahara’s house to train, Urahara instead entrusts Renji Abarai with the task, noting that Chad must face the strength of a Bankai to progress. When Renji asks why Urahara, who also owns a Bankai, doesn’t train Chad himself, Urahara declares that his Bankai is not apt to train or help others.
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