bleach

"Division Zero doesn't have any ordinary soldiers. It has only five members, all of them Captains. And what's more... The combined power of those five is greater than that of the entire Gotei 13."

— Shunsui Kyōraku in "THE FIRE"
Royal Guard
517Zero Division Insignia
Kanji 王属特務
English Royal Special Task Force
Romaji Ōzokutokumu
Organization
Founder(s) Unknown
Headquarters Soul King Palace
Leader(s) Ichibe'e Hyōsube
Senior Member(s) Kirio Hikifune, Senjumaru Shutara, Tenjirō Kirinji, Ōetsu Nimaiya
Affiliation Soul King, Soul Society
Purpose Protecting the Soul King and the Royal Palace

The Royal Guard (王 (おう)属 (ぞく)特 (とく)務 (む), Ōzokutokumu; King Subordinate Secret Service; Viz "Royal Special Task Force"), also known as the Zero Division (零 (ゼロ)番 (ばん)隊 (たい), Zerobantai; Viz "Squad 0"), is a Shinigami organization that is dedicated to the protection of the Soul King and the Soul King Palace.

Overview

The Royal Guard is a special organization that performs services for the Soul King. It has a considerable amount of fighting, organizational, and executive power compared to other organizations.[1] It serves as guardians with the primary responsibilities of protecting the Soul King, the Royal Palace,[2] and slaying Menos Grande-class Hollows.[3] Due to their status as a secret organization, the history and very existence of the Royal Guard is not commonly known.[4]

Since protecting the Soul King, whose existence serves as the linchpin of the Three Worlds,[5] is the primary purpose of the Royal Guard, they do not interfere in Gotei 13's affairs and the defense of Soul Society, even against major threats like Sousuke Aizen and his Arrancar army.[6] They are known to do whatever is required by order of the Soul King.[7]

The Royal Guard's authority supersedes the authority of all within Soul Society.[8] Each member of the Royal Guard also has the Ōken imparted into their bones by the Soul King,[9] as well as a city of their own at the Soul King Palace.[10]

Organization

All the members of the Royal Guard are Shinigami acknowledged by the Soul King to have made significant contributions to the history of Soul Society.[11] The Royal Guard is known to promote captains of the Gotei 13 to their ranks, such as Kirio Hikifune.[4] The Royal Guard has no soldiers, only having 5 members, all of whom are captains, whose total power far surpasses the power of the entire Gotei 13.[12] Ichibe'e Hyōsube is the commanding officer of the Royal Guard.[13]

Members

Royal Guard
Name Rank Title Creation
Ichibe'e Hyōsube Leader of the Zero Division (零番隊筆頭, Zerobantai Hittō; Viz "Zero Division Commanding Officer") "Monk Who Calls the Real Name"
(真名呼和尚, Manako Oshō; Viz "High Priest")		 Names
Tenjirō Kirinji "Divine General of the East"
(東方神将, Tōhō Shinshō; Viz "Holy Guardian of the East")
First Officer of the Zero Division (零番隊 第一官, Zerobantai Daiichikan; Viz "Zero Division 1st Officer")		 "Hot Spring Demon"
(泉湯鬼, Sentōki)		 Kaidō
Kirio Hikifune "Divine General of the South"
(南方神将, Nanpō Shinshō; Viz "Holy Guardian of the South")
Second Officer of the Zero Division (零番隊 第二官, Zerobantai Dainikan; Viz "Zero Division 2nd Officer")		 "Ruler of Grain"
(穀王, Kokuō; Viz "Grain King")		 Gikon
Ōetsu Nimaiya "Divine General of the West"
(西方神将, Seihō Shinshō; Viz "Holy Guardian of the West")
Third Officer of the Zero Division (零番隊 第三官, Zerobantai Daisankan; Viz "Zero Division 3rd Officer")		 "God of the Sword"
(刀神, Tōshin; Viz "Blade God")		 Asauchi
Senjumaru Shutara "Divine General of the North"
(北方神将, Hoppō Shinshō; Viz "Holy Guardian of the North")
Fourth Officer of the Zero Division (零番隊 第四官, Zerobantai Daiyonkan; Viz "Zero Division 4th Officer")		 "Great Weave Guard"
(大織守, Ōorigami; Viz "Great Weaver")		 Shihakushō


Insignia

Like the divisions of the Gotei 13, the Royal Guard has a unique symbol that represents the division's primary role, which is in its case based upon the Winter Daphne (沈 (ジン)丁 (チョウ)花 (ゲ), Jinchōge). This symbol is placed inside the Gotei 13 symbol of a rhombus to form the division's complete insignia, which is displayed upon each member's haori.[14]

Blood Oath's Seal

Main article: Blood Oath's Seal Because each individual member of the Royal Guard possesses exceedingly vast amounts of Reiryoku, they can destabilize the Three Worlds by themselves should they unleash it all without restraint. Therefore, Kirio Hikifune, Senjumaru Shutara, Tenjirō Kirinji, and Ōetsu Nimaiya normally use each other's lives as seals to prevent their true power from being released; this also prevents them from being able to use their Bankai. To unlock this "Blood Oath's Seal" (血 (けつ)盟 (めい)の封 (ふう)印 (いん), Ketsumei no Fūin), three of the members have to take their own lives in order to enable the lone survivor to use their full power.[15]

Transportation

The Royal Guard commonly stays within the Soul King Palace, but when they do travel, their preferred method of transportation is a huge pillar called the Tenchūren (天 (てん)柱 (ちゅう)輦 (れん), Heavenly Pillar-Palanquin). This pillar enters from the inner dimension and lands with significant force upon its arrival.[16] The Tenchūren, however, does not have the ability to return to the palace on its own, and relies on Kūkaku Shiba's cannon to launch it back.[17] Ōetsu Nimaiya also has the ability to open a portal within the Soul King Palace that can send someone directly to the Human World.[18] Someone can be returned to the Soul King Palace if the Chōkaimon (超 (ちょう)界 (かい)門 (もん), Super World Gate) is opened, but it can only be opened by syncing the arrival and departure times.[19] They are able to take stairs down to the Seireitei, though it will take anywhere from half a day to a week of travel to get there depending on one's skill with Shunpo.[20]

Appearances in Other Media

Trivia

References

  1. ↑ Bleach: Official Character Book SOULs, page 98
  2. ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 223, page 7
  3. ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 48, page 8
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Bleach manga; Chapter -108, pages 15-16
  5. ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 421, page 20
  6. ↑ Weekly Shōnen Jump; Bleach section, Issue 8 (2012)
  7. ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 517, pages 10-13
  8. ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 517, pages 10-17
  9. ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 519, pages 2-3
  10. ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 519, page 7
  11. ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 521, page 18
  12. ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 516, pages 14-15
  13. ↑ Bleach - The Dagger #2
  14. ↑ Bleach manga; Volume 58, sketches
  15. ↑ Bleach anime; Episode 392
  16. ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 516, page 14
  17. ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 518, pages 14-15
  18. ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 527, page 17
  19. ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 538, page 6
  20. ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 555, pages 6-7
  21. ↑ Bleach: Spirits Are Forever With You, Chapter 2
  22. ↑ Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World, Prologue 1
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 23.5 Klub Outside official site
  24. ↑ Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World, Chapter 22

Navigation

Shinigami
Shinigami Skills
Combat Zanjutsu • Hohō • Kidō • Hakuda
Abilities Zanpakutō • Reiryoku • Reiatsu • Reiraku • Konsō • Shunkō
Organizations
Government Soul King • Central 46
Nobility Kuchiki Clan • Shihōin Clan • Noble Houses • Kasumiōji Clan • Ise Clan • Tsunayashiro Clan • Formerly: Shiba Clan • Ryōdoji Family • Dark Ones
Military Gotei 13 • Onmitsukidō • Kidō Corps • Royal Guard • Gatekeepers
Institutions Seireitei Communication • Shinigami Research and Development Institute • Shin'ō Academy
Recreational Shinigami Women's Association • Shinigami Men's Association • Tea Ceremony Club • Ikebana Club • Calligraphy Club
Related Articles
Locations Soul Society • Seireitei • Central 46 Compound • Nest of Maggots • Sōkyoku Hill • Gin Tonbo • Kuchiki Manor • Central Great Underground Prison
Items Shihakushō • Jigokuchō • Gigai • Reigai • Gikon • Modified Soul • Denreishinki • Ōken • Gokon Tekkō • Kan • Blood Oath's Seal