Hanako Yamada [Shinigami] 2-5+

Coding In Template By: [THEFROST]

» Name: Hanako Yamada
» Alias: Hana
» Age: approx. 80 - 85, appears around 25 - 30
» Height: 1,92m/6.3ft
» Gender: female
» Bust size: C
» Sexual Orientation: bi
» Reiatsu color: icy-blue

» Association: Gotei - 4th Division: Combat (Lieutenant), Kenpachi Foundation, Soul Society

» Appearance Written: Hanako does stand out a little bit. She is really tall for a woman, standing at 1.92 m, and visibly well trained. She's not a bodybuilder, still looking very feminine, but you see the muscle strands on der arms and shoulders move under the skin. She also does have a light six pack, for example and her thighs give you the distinct impression that she could crack melons or, alternatively, skulls with them.
Her hair is originally black, but dyed in a dark red. It's a little longer than her shoulders but she likes to wear it in two tight braids, braided down the back of her head and a little to the sides, so they may lay on her shoulders.
As if her slightly intimidating physique wasn't enough, nature has given her two bright and clear eyes that have the color of fresh ice and spread about as much warmth (usually).
On top of that there are a few, quite cute freckles on her cheeks that don't seem to be natural on the usually stern face Hanako wears, but there they are.

Hanako doesn't wear any jewelry and almost no makeup, except a little bit for the eyes. Her shihakusho is standard, except that she wears it sleeveless.

If she's not in uniform she will choose something sporty, most of the time. A pair of tight sport pants (long or short, depending on weather), a crop top, light shoes and fingerless gloves.

» Appearance Image:




» Personality: Hana carries a lot of frustration and anger inside her, mainly because of an injury that led to a memory loss of most of her life prior (see story). This results in a typical defense mechanism:
The outer shell is that of a badass. Hana pretends to be cold and distant, sometimes she is even outright rude, pushing people away. Although never disobedient towards superiors, she is described by fellow shinigami as 'difficult to work with'. When cornered she tends to lash out.
The inner core however is that of a deeply insecure and frustrated girl. She basically knows nothing about herself prior to a certain moment, where she comes from or even why she can't remember. Whatever she tries, nothing worked so far. This frustrates her. More so, it frightens her. And because of that insecurity and fear she has developed a lot of anger. Mainly focused on herself, simply because she doesn't know who or what else could be responsible for her memory loss. However, since this is a coping mechanism this inner anger tends to get out and is used as a shield, so no one could see her true feelings and maybe discover what she thinks of as a weakness.
Her intense physical training is, by the way, also in part for coping with the frustration, anger and insecurity.

Since she joined the Gotei she has opened up a lot. She is still quite private about her past and the insecurities are still there (probably will be forever). But she has made new acquaintances and even friends. It has cracked her shell open a little bit. Not much, but enough that even Hanako can see that someone is underneath the shell and not only a hollow void. She is far better at socialising than before, for example, sometimes even a pleasant person to be around.
What really made a deep impression was for one getting in touch with some of her more basic, more animalistic, needs, and second meeting some female role models that inspired her to find a purpose in her existence. If she wanted to get stronger for the sole purpose of becoming strong, so her shell couldn't be broken, she now seeks strength to contribute her part in the mission of the Shinigami and Sould Society, namely keeping the balance of the worlds.

» Likes and Dislikes:
+ martial arts
+ sportive challenge and competition
+ jasmine tea
+ curry in different variations
+ ropes

- arrogance
- memory loss
- disloyalty
- rain
- latex




» History:

Spoiler:

Her earliest, conscious memories are her awakening in a hospital room. Somehow she had managed to wander all the way to one of the gates to Seireitei, despite her severe injuries, where she collapsed. With a little research it was found out that she wandered from one of the outer districts, a fact that proved to the shinigami her strength and potential. Apart from multiple bruises and lacerations the girl had suffered a heavy blow to the head and her right arm was literally hanging by a thread. The arm couldn't be saved and had to be replaced by a cybernetic prosthetic. With artificial skin it now looks just like the original arm.
The head wound was a completely different story. It was really touch and go for a while and chances were fifty-fifty at best. But the young woman managed to pull through. Only that, when she finally opened her eyes again, she couldn't remember what had happened, where she came from or who she was.

Since none of the people she met in Seireitei had ever visited her special corner of Rukongai, and since, to her knowledge, no one else from there had survived, there wasn't much hope to get any information about her past. It was expected that her memories would return someday (they did not).

So what should be done with the young woman? She still could walk, eat, speak, but didn't even remember her own name. Since the potential was already there, in her, she was offered a place at the shinigami academy. She had nowhere else to go, so she accepted without much hesitation. This was also the time when she adopted the name of Hanako Yamada (the japanese equivalent of Jane Smith).

On the academy Hanako always felt alone. Isolated. Everyone else had a past. Had a real name. She had nothing. She had to make a new identity for herself. And it felt like it was written on her face, like everyone knew she was just an empty shell. So she hardened her shell in her belief that she had to protect herself.
Along with that she also began hardening her body. Physical training, to the point of complete exhaustion, was a wonderful way to keep the mind from wandering.

Wenn all the other students from the academy went home or for a drink with friends, Hanako stayed and pushed herself to do more, to work out harder. She trained her muscles with weights, ran parcours for endurance and even took lessons in ballet to become more flexible. She also took lessons in an additional martial art, an ancient art called Aikido. Every evening she could be seen running, practicing katas or fighting against training dummies with her sword. Sometimes until she was so exhausted that she literally crawled into her bed and fell into a coma-like sleep.

With time, nearing graduation, she connected a little bit more with the other students. However, she never fully opened up to anyone, never letting anyone too close. Maybe a friendly conversation in the hallway, a shared meal or a sparring match, but it all stayed superficial. Even when she was involved in missions with others, she was the rather quiet one, the ice queen, although she was never really shy.
Her skills were recognized and valued by most people who knew her, but a real friendship to someone else never really bloomed. How could it? Hana simply didn't know how to approach someone. She was much too insecure, deep down, to try and risk it. So she observed the others, building friendships and enjoying life, while she tried to numb the chaos inside her with another sword kata.

Even the academy had to come to an end. Hanako graduated in the top third of her class. Obviously her grades in everything physical were excellent. Her theoretical grades were good, but not outstanding. Kido was a bit of a problem. She managed to meet the minimum requirements to pass, but was never able to go beyond that. It was like something was blocking her efforts, throwing rocks in her ways. Due to her known psychological problems Hanako had a very hard time concentrating and focusing her energy. She had lots of it and she could use it to fight, but to control it enough for something intricate like a kido spell was almost unachievable. It required lots of hard work and she still almost failed her final exam because of it.
Hanako's skills with her sword were again excellent. The Asauchi she carried seemed to be a part of her body. But there was a problem: it was still an Asauchi. Many of her fellow graduates managed to achieve shikai a relatively short time after they left the academy. A few even learned the name of their zanpakutos while still at the academy. Hana still had a simple katana. No name. No release. No abilities. It was just steel. What Hana didn't know was that the whispering voices she heard since she had been a child were her zanpakuto trying to get through to her. But first she had been too young to understand, then there was too much chaos and anger in her mind. By the time she graduated from the academy she sometimes really didn't hear the whispering anymore, let alone make out the words or understand a name.

So there she was, out in the harsh reality of the seireitei, a full fledged shinigami, with duties to perform and a purpose to her life. At least now she had reached her first goal. Her only goal to this date. She had a future.

>>Timeline<<




» Equipment: Her right arm is a cybernetic prosthetic with artificial skin. It looks just like the original, only at the shoulder one can see a faint line of discoloration, where the artificial skin connects with the normal skin. No special abilities yet.



» Racial Abilities: Due to her intense training, she is very proficient with the sword or in hand-to-hand combat. Her kido skills, however, are a bit below average.

Shigure Shinrin Ryu

First Form
Concentrating energy into the blade of the sword and releasing it through the tip while stabbing, which extends the reach of the blade to twice the length for the duration of the attack.

Third Form
Gathering energy in the blade of the sword and releasing it with a slashing motion, forming a crescent blade of energy that travels approx. 10 meters / 30 feet.

Both the First and the Third form don't have any extra effects or do extra damage compared to a hit with the normal sword.

Theoretically Hanako has also learned the Second Form, where she concentrates the energy into her skin and pushes it outward to form a shiel around her whole body for a brief moment. However, the intense mental picture she needs to perform this, is to her much more painful and uncomfortable than any injury would be, so she doesn't use the Second Form.




» Zanpakutô Name: Bakumusha (獏武者, Tapir Warrior; Tapir: a dream eating phantasy animal).

» Zanpakutô Spirit Appearance: This zanpakuto appears to take the form of an armoured individual from the warring period of Japan, their features are obscure and unable to made out but their size and proportions suggest that they are inhuman underneath the armour. Not that it could tell you if it wanted for it struggles to speak like it has forgotten how to. It finds a great deal of regret that the photos it could once see and bring happiness have been lost and there is nothing to look at but the mist.

» Inner World: A small home in a clearing, surrounded by misty forests. Inside the house it is old looking but humble, it is welcoming and cozy to stay in and the spirit supposedly lives there. There are a lot of photos and paintings on the walls but they are blank.

All these vague details will be filled in as Hanako reclaims her past. Her spirit being able to speak again, pictures and stuff etc etc.

» Zanpakutô Appearance: The sealed sword is a standard katana. It's design is very simple: the tsuba is only a slightly oval disk with four oval holes in it, made from wrought iron. So is the kashira. Fuchi, seppa and habaki are made from copper, but it has a dull and a little bit used look to it. The grip is wrapped with a tsuka-ito that has almost the same dark red color as Hanako's hair, bit it also looks old. The saya isn't even lacquered in any color. It's just plain, dark wood with a clear coat over it. Nowhere is any decoration, ornamentation or even a scratched-in rune to be found, even the menuki under the tsukamaki are missing. It is just plain material, doing what it is supposed to, but nothing more, maybe even a bit worn down.
With the exception of the blade. The steel of the blade shines clear and bright like a crisp winter morning. There is not a single flaw in the blade, the edge is hard and sharp and a beautiful bo-hi and hamon can be seen.

» Sealed Zanpakutô Power: Memory lapse: a weaker version of the real power of Bakumusha. With a small gesture of her hand she can influence a person in such a way that they forget for one moment what they wanted to say or do, or what they've just seen or heard(just like when you walk into a room and forget what you wanted there, or when you look on your watch and forget the time the instant you look away). It lasts only a moment and can only be used at one person at a time but may be enough to cause some confusion or conceal something really short like single spoken word or something similar.

Memory spark: basically the opposite of Memory lapse. Hanako can use it to help a person remember something. But: this ability can not be used to target a specific memory. It could work on what is needed, it could work on a different memory, it could work partially, or not at all.

This ability has a somewhat cynical taste to it, because "remembering" is, and probably always will be, a sore spot for Hanako and she is the only one this ability can't be used on (Memory lapse could be, though. But...why would she?)

(NOTE: these two abilities have no real application in a fight and, at this time, aren't planned to evolve in that way, either.)



» Shikai Release Phrase: Live, Bakumusha!

» Shikai Release Action: Hanako holds Bakunusha in her outstretched hand, pointing to the side, cutting edge downward. When the release phrase is spoken, light-trails crawl along the whole sword, starting from the tsuba, looking like really fast growing roots. One trail wanders over the back of her right arm, crosses her upper back, and encompasses her left arm. This all happens very fast.

» Shikai Appearance: The blade turns into a long and big, curved blade, which grows over the hilt and connects with the pommel (as a handguard). Only that this blade looks like it is completely made out of tree roots, except for the steel edge and the leather wrapped hilt. The roots are packed so thickly, that there is no telling if the metal-edge is connected to a whole sword underneath, or if the roots have grown and solidified into steel. The wood itself is also as hard and durable as steel.
A chain connects to the pommel and wraps loosely around Hanako's arm until, behind her back, it connects with a complete sleeve of old style samurai-armor worn on Hanako's left arm (a "kote"). The armor parts are made from dark-red lacquered hardwood, which is also as hard as steel. She can use the chain to swing the sword like a flail. For that purpose the chain can be extended to up to three hundred meters.




» Shikai Abilities: Aside from being an effective weapon that can deal a lot of damage, especially swinging the sword like a flail is in reality only a preparation for Bakumusha's true ability. When the sword is moved through the air, be it through movement of Hanako, from normal blows or usage as a flail, it draws in air and 'charges up'. The more it is moved through the air, the better. This charging will soon cause lotus flower buds to form on the wooden part of the blade which will on command open and release a cloud of pollen-dust. The more air was collected before the greater the area will be over which the dust can be spread. This dust can be ignited for a thermobaric explosion. Everyone caught in the blast will have their memories altered to be unable to recall the moments that revealed the true purpose of Bakumusha thus making it hard to figure out what the shikai actually does if a person is consistently caught in the blast.

Shikai Weaknesses:
Charge Time: Bakumusha needs to gain air for the buds to open, if it cannot draw in air from the surroundings then the flowers cannot open and use that air to spread the dust cloud. However the longer it charges the further the dust will be pushed and cover a larger radius. (To be fair: Bakumusha can draw in air while being stationary, although an enemy would rather die from old age than from the ability, if charged this way.)
Theoretically, if an enemy would be able to create a bubble of vacuum around Bakumusha and keep it there, even when the sword is moved, it would be unable to suck in air and the ability would effectively be negated (However it would still be a huge sword that can hurt a lot on it's own).

Shikai Size: Given the size of the blade and the chain being able to be up to three hundred metres the size will be cumbersome and hard to use in confined spaces. Also: Since Bakumusha has no teleportation ability Hanako will be wide open for a considerable amount of time if she used the blade with a full-length chain.

Defense: Since the sword needs to be swung at some length of chain to gain maximum effect, Hanako has an opening in her defense while she does that. The armor-sleeve can compensate only so much and is meant to deflect an attack and give Hanako a chance to reposition herself and the sword, to gain a position from which she can counterattack.

Charge time (to maximum effect):
at least one post, if used with a maximum-length chain (at least 100m/328ft);
two to three posts if predominantly used at a more reasonable length (up to 50m/164ft);
at least four posts if only used as sword.

(For completeness: if kept totally stationary charge time would be about 50 posts;) )


Dust cloud radius/explosion

The governing skill is Zanjutsu, this being an integral ability of the Shikai. These values are assuming that Bakumusha is fully charged. Also, for convenience, the radius of the cloud is here given for a spherical cloud, expelled from a stationary Bakumusha. If moved, the cloud could also be, for example, stretched into a thin ribbon, to maybe catch multiple targets. That would diminish the damage from the explosion greatly, but not the memory altering effect.

Beginner: 10 meter / 33 feet
Adept: 25 m / 82 ft
Advanced: 50 m / 164 ft
Elite: 100 m / 328 ft

Explosion damage (memory altering aside) is strictly physical and follows the normal rules for that. Also, obviously: more dust, more boom.

The duration is instantaneous. Meaning: After Bakumusha is charged, it can stay charged and the ability doesn't necessarily have to be used (charge will be lost if resealed, though). However, if activated, the flower buds will open all at once, spew out the dust cloud, and the dust will ignite practically at once, creating the explosion. After that, Hanako could start over and recharge.


Memory altering effect:
The normal effect would, as stated above, wipe out everything from Bakumusha spewing the dust onwards, so that the affected continue to believe that Bakumusha is only a physical combat type and not a kido type. (NOTE: the memory alteration does really only THAT).
Mental Deduction serves as a defense skill against this ability, limiting the effect.

Elite: Only a memory slip. Only memory altering effect will slip the attention of the affected (could be recovered, though. Consultation with me would be nice)

Advanced: Memory alteration effect is definitely erased. Memory of the explosion becomes hazy.

Adept: Memory alteration effect and explosion are definitely erased. Memory of dust becomes hazy.

Beginner: Memory alteration effect, explosion and dust are definitely erased.

Untrained: Every memory of the whole shikai form gets erased.

This is based on a Beginner Zanjutsu skill of Hanako. With every promotion in this skill, the effects would climb one step up until upon reaching Elite Zanjutsu Bakumusha would have the whole effect even on Elite Mental Deduction.

(NOTE: the effect against Beginner Mental Deduction is the normal effect and will remain the maximum effect, as long as an enemy is at least at Beginner skill level. The Untrained-effect can only affect characters with that skill level.
ALSO: Mental Deduction is only a defense against the memory alteration effect. The explosion, that causes it, is a normal explosion with normal, physical damage and would need of course the respective skills for defense)



» Bankai Release Phrase: -

» Bankai Release Action: -

» Bankai Appearance: -

» Bankai Abilities: -




» Shikokai Release Phrase: -

» Shikokai Release Action: -

» Shikokai Appearance: -

» Shikokai Abilities: -

Spoiler:

General Skills

• Durability: Elite/Advanced/Adept/Beginner/Untrained
  
• General Speed: Elite/Advanced/Adept/Beginner/Untrained
  
• Strength: Elite/Advanced/Adept/Beginner/Untrained
  
• Weapon Skill: Elite/Advanced/Adept/Beginner/Untrained
  

Shinigami Skills

• Hoho: Elite/Advanced/Adept/Beginner/Untrained
  
• Kidō: Elite/Advanced/Adept/Beginner/Untrained
  
• Zanjutsu: Elite/Advanced/Adept/Beginner/Untrained
  
• Hakuda: Elite/Advanced/Adept/Beginner/Untrained

Will Skills

• Willpower/Determination: Elite/Advanced/Adept/Beginner/Untrained
  
• Mental Deduction: Elite/Advanced/Adept/Beginner/Untrained
  
• Focus: Elite/Advanced/Adept/Beginner/Untrained
  

Tier: 2-5+
Hazard Rating: F




» Roleplay Sample:
The rain was pouring down as if it wanted to drown out the whole world. Not only this one but every world in existence. She could see how her bare feet sunk into the soaked ground a bit, before they were released again with an undignified sound, when she did another step. Step after step. She concentrated on each step. It was alle she concentrated on. One step. One step. One step.

Suddenly something stopped her. She looked up. It wasn't something, it was someone. A man was standing before her. His face seemed filled with horror.

"Oh my...girl, what happened to you?"

She looked at him. What did he mean?

"You're injured…"

She looked down at her body, at her arm. He was right. She really was injured. There was blood everywhere. Some of it dried. Even with the rain. It didn't hurt. It must have, but now it didn't. The man yelled something over her shoulder. She couldn't make it out. Her senses kept fading in and out.

"Who are you? Where are you from?"

Another question from the man. She didn't understand. It was the first time that she thought about that, right now. Thinking was hard, she realised. She had been wandering through darkness all the time. And it crept up to her, to consume her.

"I...I don't know. I think I...might...need...help."
With a slight look of astonishment she finally collapsed. The world shifted as she fell. Everything moved so slowly. A warm darkness surrounded her. She welcomed it. She hadn't even hit the ground when the last embers of her past vanished into the void.

END OF THE POST