Hanako's Shikai

» Name Of Character: Hanako Yamada
» Link To Character: Hanako Yamada [Shinigami] 4-2

» Upgrading: Shikai:

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

Zanpakutô Spirit Summary: 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 (guard) is only a slightly oval disk with four oval holes in it, made from wrought iron. So is the kashira (pommel cap). Fuchi, seppa and habaki (three small pieces as spacers between grip and guard and guard and blade) are made from copper, but it has a dull and a little bit used look to it. The grip is wrapped with a leather tsuka-ito (band to wrap the grip) that has almost the same dark red color as Hanako's hair, but it also looks old and worn. The saya (sheath) 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 (decoration) under the tsukamaki (wrapping on the grip) are missing. It is just plain material, doing what it is supposed to, but nothing more. Everything looks a bit worn down, gives the impression of a generations old weapon, made for war, passed down in a family.

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 (fuller) and hamon (the fine line on the blade from hardening) can be seen. It really looks like it just left the shop of a master polisher.

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.




II. Shikai


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. Obe 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, being through movement of Hanako, from normal blows or usage as a flail, it draws in air, it '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 für 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 the present Zanjutsu skill of Hanako (Beginner). 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)


» Why: Hanako has been working hard in training with her Zanpakuto and has already had first contacts with her spirit world. With the help of some friends she comes too accept that she really has a Zanpakuto and is none different from the other Shinigami. She will visit her spirit world more frequently and on purpose and as she regains some of her memories, so will the spirit regain his ability to speak and tell her his name.

» Extra: Yes, I am aware, that Hanako is 'only' 4-2. But I'd like to get the Shikai approved now, so that I know in what form it will be approved and can integrate it into my thoughts. Also I hope to reach the needed level soon