"Swift work is my biggest selling point, you understand. Do not underestimate the name of Senjumaru." |
Senjumaru Shutara (修多羅 千手丸, Shutara Senjumaru) is a member of the Royal Guard, holding the title "Great Weave Guard" (大織守, Ōorigami).[3] She holds the position of Fourth Officer of the Zero Division (零番隊 第四官, Zerobantai Daiyonkai), as well as "Divine General of the North" (北方神将, Hoppō Shinshō).[2]
Appearance[]
Senjumaru has the appearance of a slender and youthful woman with fair skin and long, black hair that is adorned at the back by a large golden ornament in the shape of a crescent moon with numerous small lines radiating outwards.
Senjumaru wears the standard Shinigami shihakushō beneath a white long-sleeved haori, over which she dons a further white robe fastened at the front near the center of her chest. Her height makes her the shortest among other members of Zero Division, but she wears a pair of extremely thick-soled okobo. She has six long, golden skeletal artificial arms attached to her back that she uses in place of her physical hands.[4]
Personality[]
Senjumaru is somewhat playful, providing a fanfare with several musical instruments upon the Royal Guards landing in Soul Society and taunting Mayuri Kurotsuchi. She is also focused on the mission they have been given, seeing it through while other Royal Guard members talk with each other and the Gotei 13.[5] She can be rather forceful as well, to the point of threatening, as she threatened to castrate Renji if he did not take off his fundoshi so she could fully measure his body for a new shihakushō.[6] When referring to herself, Senjumaru uses the archaic pronoun "warawa".[7]
Plot[]
The Thousand-Year Blood War arc[]
Senjumaru providing the fanfare for the Royal Guard's entrance.
After the death of Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, Senjumaru travels to Soul Society with the other members of the Royal Guard, where they are greeted by the surviving Gotei 13 captains and Ichigo Kurosaki.[8] As they emerge from the Tenchūren, she provides music for their procession by playing multiple instruments simultaneously.[9]
Senjumaru collects the injured Shinigami.
While the other members of the Zero Division discuss their plan to take Ichigo to the Royal Palace, Senjumaru leaves to retrieve Captain Byakuya Kuchiki, Lieutenant Renji Abarai, Lieutenant Rukia Kuchiki, and the broken Tensa Zangetsu. She carries them all back in large, translucent orbs, stating to those assembled that all of the ones on their list are present. She then points to Ichigo, stating that only he remains. Captain Retsu Unohana objects to her seriously injured patients being taken out of Seireitei, but is rebuffed by one of the other Royal Guard. Seeing Tensa Zangetsu, Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi asks Senjumaru if she broke into his laboratory to obtain it. Surprised by Mayuri's presence, she denies breaking into the lab, stating that she simply placed her hands on its door and it opened by itself. She then claims that the lock was easier to open than the last time she was there.[10]
As the Royal Guards, the injured Shinigami, and Ichigo Kurosaki finally arrive at the Soul King Palace, they leave the Tenchūren. While Ichibē Hyōsube is conversing with Ichigo regarding both the Ōken and Sōsuke Aizen, Senjumaru joins in and starts speaking to Ichigo with the fact that Aizen himself was scheming of creating life, defeating the Soul King, and become a god himself. She continues by stating that while Sōsuke Aizen is unmistakably the "personification of evil", the Quincy of the Wandenreich are even more wicked than him.[11]
Senjumaru in her palace.
After Renji and Rukia both fully recover, they eventually gather at her palace so she can take measurements of them. She forces them to strip down, and threatens to cut off Renji's "thing" if he doesn't willingly take off his fundoshi, causing Renji to reluctantly agree.[6] Later, Senjumaru helps Ichigo leave the Soul King Palace and travel to the Seireitei by manifesting a flight of spiral stairs for him to walk on.[12] The next day, when Yhwach, Jugram Haschwalth, and Uryu Ishida arrive at the palace, Senjumaru senses their presence.[13]
Senjumaru and her guards confront Yhwach.
After Yhwach passes Kirinji, Senjumaru confronts him with several soldiers, noting that it has been awhile. She scolds him for showing up without an invitation and wonders if he has gotten overconfident for defeating Yamamoto. She orders her soldiers to attack as Yhwach tries to pass her, but is shocked to see that they were unable to land a single blow before watching as Nianzol Weizol emerges from Yhwach's shadow.[14] When Nianzol explains how all attacks are useless because he can deflect any attack that he sees, Senjumaru surmises that he can only deflect attacks in his line of sight before having more of her guards appear from behind tapestries resembling the pillars and attack Nianzol from behind. However, Nianzol bends their swords and explains how he can deflect the attacks of anyone whose abilities he has seen before cutting the guards in half. Unfazed by this, Senjumaru points out how she never said that the guards were the only ones attacking before revealing that she has completely replaced Nianzol's outfit with one of her own design. When Nianzol states this is impossible, Senjumaru states that she does not have her name for no reason before warning Nianzol against taking it off before he dies as he is impaled by dozens of spikes from within.[15]
Senjumaru is seemingly shot in the head.
As Nianzol falls to the ground, dead, Senjumaru remarks that forgetting to remove the needles from her work after tailoring it is her own bad habit. Stating that blades can now reach Yhwach, she looks on as he uses his shadow to summon forth Soldat to counter the Soul King's soldiers, as well as his elite force, the Schutzstaffel, to face the Royal Guard. When Gerard Valkyrie attacks her, she attempts to block it but her sewing needle is destroyed. She calls forth a massive soldier to assist her, but it is promptly disposed of by Pernida Parnkgjas. Lille Barro takes aim and shoots a large hole through her head using his Spirit Weapon.[16]
The real Senjumaru reveals herself behind Lille.
Senjumaru's body crumples to the ground as large amounts of blood begin to pool from the large open wound in her head.[17] After Lille attacks the various constructs, seemingly causing their destruction, the landscape around him pulls back revealing elaborate cloth used to simulate the surroundings. Senjumaru appears alive and well and tells him that this was a fake Soul Palace created to welcome them, and that the real palace is hidden by Ichibē Hyōsube.[18]
Senjumaru briefly clashes with Uryū and incapacitates him.[19] After the Schutzstaffel and Haschwalth are respectively defeated by Ōetsu Nimaiya and Kirinji, they are revived by Yhwach's Auswählen.[19] Following her healing of Ōetsu after the latter is near-fatally shot by Lille, Senjumaru engages in combat with Gerard. Though initially having the upper hand, the Royal Guard are soon overpowered by the Quincy. As a last resort, Nimaiya, Kirinji, and Hikifune take their own lives in order to break the Blood Oath's Seal. Senjumaru explains that because each of the Royal Guards possesses vast amounts of Reiryoku, they can destabilize the balance of the three worlds if they unleash it all at once and thus have been forced to seal away their true power with their own lives. With the seal now broken, Senjumaru releases her Bankai, Shatatsu Karagara Shigarami no Tsuji, easily subduing the Schutzstaffel within.[20]
Soon afterward, Senjumaru is defeated by the Schutzstaffel.[21]
Equipment[]
Artificial Limbs: Senjumaru has six long, golden, skeletal arms attached to her back that she can move with great dexterity, seemingly with just her thoughts alone.[9] Each arm holds considerable strength despite its slenderness, being able to bear the weight of a full-grown Shinigami.[22] Senjumaru uses these prosthetic limbs in place of her normal arms, allowing her to wield her sewing needle to perform weavings at incredible speeds. She can greatly elongate each limb in terms of both arm and finger length, which helps her perform certain maneuvers, like forming the shaft and ribs of an umbrella that she weaves on the spot.[19]
Powers & Abilities[]
Senjumaru's explosively powerful Reiatsu, at full strength from the Blood Oath's Seal being broken.
Immeasurable Spiritual Power: As a member of the Royal Guard whose collective power far surpasses the combined might of the entire Gotei 13, Senjumaru possesses overwhelmingly vast amounts of spiritual power.[23] Should Senjumaru unleash it in full, the sheer pressure will be felt not only throughout the Soul Society, including down in the Seireitei, but also in the Human World and Hueco Mundo, or as Senjumaru put it "make heaven and earth across the three worlds tremble". Using her Bankai, Shatatsu Karagara Shigarami no Tsuji, Senjumaru was able to effortlessly defeat the entire Schutzstaffel by herself, even after they had been empowered by Yhwach's Auswählen. Her Reiatsu is golden-yellow.[20]
Ōken: As one of the Royal Guards, Senjumaru has the Ōken imparted in her bones, which grants her the ability to travel in and out of the Soul King Palace as she pleases, as well as grant permission to others simply by willing it.[24]
Weaving Proficiency: Senjumaru is a masterful weaver and seamstress, her swift handiwork being why she is called "Senjumaru" (千手丸, Thousand Hands; Viz "1,000 Arms").[25] She created the Ōken Clothing, woven from the bones and hair of the Royal Guard, as a special outfit designed to let someone safely return to the Seireitei from the Soul King Palace; given their makeup, these clothes possess incredible defensive power, allowing wearers to withstand the friction that results from breaking through the 72 barriers between Soul Society and the Soul King Palace without suffering damage.[26] Senjumaru can even alter an entire outfit within a matter of seconds, without the wearer being aware that she did anything at all,[27] as well as sew people to surfaces using multiple threads to immobilize them, by brandishing her Zanpakutō at blinding speed.[20] Alternatively and just as quickly, Senjumaru can form elaborate textile constructs, like a defensive umbrella[19] or a doll-like clone of herself.[20]
Shunpo Expert: Senjumaru has demonstrated incredible skill with Shunpo, being able to easily keep up with Uryū Ishida's level of speed.[20]
Zanpakutō[]
Senjumaru wields her Shikai, Shigarami.
Shigarami (刺絡, Piercing Entanglement):[20] Shigarami's sealed form is unknown.
- Shikai: The release command of Shigarami is unknown. It takes the form of a sewing needle. Senjumaru can wield it as a melee weapon with her skeletal arms, such as to try to puncture someone's heart, but she generally seems to favor using it for her sewing and weaving.[20]
Senjumaru weaves an umbrella between her mechanical arms within seconds to protect herself.
- Shikai Special Ability: Befitting its appearance as a sewing needle, Shigarami can create and manipulate any sort of cloth, as well as textile materials like threads, for a myriad of purposes. Through Shigarami, Senjumaru can, for instance, weave long tapestries that fall down to enclose a space, producing extremely realistic backdrops to simulate elaborate sceneries and scenarios while keeping her real self (and allies) hidden.[28][29] Senjumaru can also use her weaving offensively, by wielding Shigarami to discreetly modify the clothing worn by opponents, so fast that they do not notice it occurring, and subsequently deal fatal injuries to them (e.g. adding spikes beneath a foe's attire that spring forth to skewer them),[27][30] or even immobilize an enemy by sewing them to the ground.[20] Defensively, Senjumaru may use threads to weave an entire umbrella within seconds using her six arms, durable enough to withstand Uryū Ishida's Licht Regen and reflect it back at him,[19] or fill an ally's wounds with tufts of cotton and threads that, within moments, reconstruct any lost flesh.[20] She can even create a rag doll-like dummy of herself to act as a substitute and take attacks in her stead.[20]
Shatatsu Karagara Shigarami no Tsuji.
- Bankai: Shatatsu Karagara Shigarami no Tsuji (娑闥迦羅骸刺絡辻, Crossing of Sahā's Gate, Kāla's Corpse and Piercing Entanglements): Upon the Bankai's activation, the area around Senjumaru is engulfed by darkness while a torii-like structure rises from the ground. Senjumaru then extends her skeletal arms back towards the structure as if in prayer. Emitting iridescent light, the gate expands to form a massive, golden loom and produces endless swathes of red tanmono (narrow-loomed bolts of cloth): one rolls out like a carpet over other, smaller cloths connecting to multiple tapestry looms on the sides (with yet more red cloth enveloping the scene akin to a barrier), and more distinctively patterned bolts of cloth hang down from above. The Bankai's release brings upon noticeable tremors across multiple dimensions, including the Soul Society and the Human World.[20]
- Bankai Special Ability: Shatatsu Karagara Shigarami no Tsuji allows Senjumaru to manipulate the space enclosed by her Bankai with her clothwork—literally weaving and sealing victims' fates within. Her weavings are not only uniquely patterned but each possess different powers, which seem limited only by the concept of weaving and Senjumaru's skill in it.[20]
Shide no Rokushiki Ukimon no Hata.
- Shide no Rokushiki Ukimon no Hata (死出六色浮文機, Loom of the Six-Colored Floating Patterns of Death): Senjumaru weaves six tanmono tapestries to use against six opponents. One hank is unraveled at a time, conjuring a special environment that wears down each target as the cloth entraps them, before Senjumaru cuts and releases all finished pieces from her Bankai's loom, the victims sealed within. This ability is powerful enough to defeat and seal all the members of the Schutzstaffel, while seemingly bypassing the single-type restriction of elemental Zanpakutō.[20]
- Hitokase Tokaba: Banra no Me (一綛解かば 万朶の眼, Unravel One Hank: Eyes of Many Branches): A purple cloth with an intricate pattern, including rhombus and eye designs. The tapestry grows actual eyes while forming eight mirrors that reflect Senjumaru's image, as well as the victim's attacks back onto them. As the latter is damaged by their own power, Senjumaru chants, "The eyes be crushed, of those who stare back".[20]
- Futakase Tokaba: Hagane no Yoroi (二綛解かば 刃金のよろい, Unravel Two Hanks: Armor of Blade Metal): A golden cloth patterned with repeating rows of barbed scales. Senjumaru can use this tapestry like an iron maiden, turning it into actual spiked sheets of metal that are cut in her image, which wrap around the victim as Senjumaru chants, "There shall be nothing, to stand dressed in".[20]
- Mitsukase Tokaba: Kokusa no Harawata (三綛解かば 黒砂の腸, Unravel Three Hanks: Bowels of Black Sand): Rippling black cloth covered in gray, spiral fractals. This cloth can transform into a pit of whirling black sand that swallows targets whole, while Senjumaru chants, "To be pulled in so, shall be fatal".[20]
- Yotsukase Tokaba: Itetsuku Shitone (四綛解かば 凍てつく褥, Unravel Four Hanks: Freezing Bed Linens): Blue cloth patterned with interlinked snowflakes. Senjumaru can use the cloth to invoke an arctic environment, binding and freezing targets solid. With it, she chants, "To enter a place, in which never to wake again".[20]
- Itsukase Tokaba: Yakenohara (五綛解かば 焼野原, Unravel Five Hanks: Burning Field): A procession of red cloths picturing black trees aflame. Framing a hallway, they emit fire capable of reducing targets to ash, as Senjumaru chants, "Until turned to ashes, there shall be no escape".[20]
- Mutsukase Tokaba: Yamiyo no Hoshiyo (六綛解かば 闇夜の星よ, Unravel Six Hanks: Star of the Dark Night): Dark-blue cloth emblazoned with the Wandenreich emblem, surrounded by a pattern resembling siphoned-off energy particles. This piece seems to capture the act of Auswählen and can mimic its effects by draining targets of their energy, while Senjumaru concludes her chant with, "To be caught in the end, by the star of death".[20]
Weaknesses[]
Zanpakutō[]
Cross-dimensional Collateral Damage: Due to the overwhelming power of Senjumaru's Zanpakutō, her full power has to be sealed or the stability of all three worlds will be jeopardized. This is accomplished by Senjumaru linking her life with those of the other Royal Guard members, meaning that for her to be able to unleash her full power, at least three others must end their lives, thus breaking the Blood Oath's Seal.[20]
Appearances in Other Media[]
| Video Game Appearances | |||||
Promotional art of Senjumaru in Bleach: Brave Souls.
- Senjumaru makes her first appearance outside of the manga as a playable character in Bleach: Brave Souls as part of the commemoration for the Thousand-Year Blood War arc tie-in. In this form, Senjumaru is a melee strong attack character with the "Heart" Attribute and the "Arrancar Killer" ability who has a chance to inflict Lacerate with every attack other than her second Strong Attack, which is a barrier move; her third Strong Attack has her summoning a Second-Class Divine Soldier. Her unlockable skills are "Berserker +20%", "Bruiser +20%", "Damage to Lacerated Enemies +40%", "Debilitator +2 secs.", "Frenzy +1", "Havoc +20%", "Increased Status Ailment Chance Against Mind Attribute Arrancar +10%", and "Sprinter +1", while her Soul Trait is "Strong Attack Recharge Time -12%"; meanwhile, her Arena Traits are "Strong Attack Damage +13%" and "Focus +30", while her Arena Abilities other than "All Stats +5%" are "Strong Attack Damage +10%" at level 5 and "Strong Attack Damage +20%" at level 10. Senjumaru's special is Bad Habits (悪い癖, Warui Kuse), where she clothes her foe in a new garment that causes inflicts damage and Lacerate.
- In Ryōgo Narita's novel, Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World, it is revealed that Senjumaru was promoted to the Royal Guard for creating the Shihakushō (死覇装, Garment of Dead Souls) the Shinigami wear.[31]
Quotes[]
- (To Nianzol Weizol) "Swift work is my biggest selling point, you understand. Do not underestimate the name of Senjumaru."[32]
Trivia[]
- In the second best bout poll, Senjumaru's fight with Nianzol Weizol ranked 83rd.[33]
- In Chapter 480, members of the 12th Division mention a "Shutara Scale" (
修多羅等級 , Shutara Sukēru).[34] - Curiously, the various tapestries created by Senjumaru's Bankai to defeat the Schutzstaffel all seem to relate to the eventual fates of the Schutzstaffel in the manga. It is unknown if this is merely narrative foreshadowing or the Bankai is somehow able to predict the future.
- Lille Barro's tapestry sees his attacks being reflected back onto him by mirrors, corresponding to his eventual defeat through Shinken Hakkyōken. This reflection of the damage done by Lille's The X-Axis is also reminiscent of the damage reflection caused by a technique of Shunsui Kyōraku's Bankai, Ichidanme: Tameraikizu no Wakachiai.
- Pernida Parnkgjas's tapestry sees it being swallowed whole by black quicksand, corresponding to its eventual death by consuming and assimilating Nemu Kurotsuchi's abilities. It should be noted that Kurotsuchi can be translated to black soil, further foreshadowing their fate at the hands of Nemu Kurotsuchi and Mayuri Kurotsuchi.
- Askin Nakk Le Vaar's tapestry sees him being impaled by spikes before being crushed by three spiked sheets, corresponding to his eventual defeat by three individuals: Kisuke Urahara, Yoruichi Shihōin, and Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez.
- Gerard Valkyrie's tapestry sees him being frozen solid, corresponding to his eventual battle with Tōshirō Hitsugaya's matured Bankai.
- Jugram Haschwalth's tapestry sees him being burned alive, corresponding to his eventual fight to the death with his childhood friend, Bazz-B, The Heat.
- Uryū Ishida's tapestry sees his Reishi being absorbed by Auswählen, corresponding to his eventual fight with Jugram, which ended when Jugram was hit by Auswählen, and his eventual hand in defeating Yhwach through using an arrow made from Still Silver, a clot that forms in the hearts of those that are struck by Auswählen.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://bleach-anime.com/character/?chara=56
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 13 BLADEs, page 168
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 517, page 3
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 517, pages 11-12
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 517, pages 3-17
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Bleach manga; Chapter 545, pages 9-10
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 599, page 16
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 516, pages 14-17
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Bleach manga; Chapter 517, page 2
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 517, pages 15-19
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 519, pages 3-4
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 555, pages 4-5
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 588, pages 1-2
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 597, pages 8-14
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 598, pages 9-17
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 599, pages 1-17
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 600, pages 1-2
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 600, pages 8-10
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 Bleach anime; Episode 391
- ↑ 20.00 20.01 20.02 20.03 20.04 20.05 20.06 20.07 20.08 20.09 20.10 20.11 20.12 20.13 20.14 20.15 20.16 20.17 20.18 20.19 Bleach anime; Episode 392
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 611, page 3
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 517, page 12
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 516, page 14
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 519, pages 2-3
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 598, page 16
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 585, pages 3-4
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Bleach manga; Chapter 598, pages 15-17
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 598, page 12
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 600, pages 6-8
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 599, pages 1-2
- ↑ Bleach novel; Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World, Chapter 22
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 598, page 16
- ↑ 13 BLADEs., page 255
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 480, page 1
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 Klub Outside official site
[]
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| Soul King Hosts | Yhwach • Jūshirō Ukitake • Hikone Ubuginu • Aura Michibane • Rangiku Matsumoto • Fullbringers |
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| Royal Guard | Kirio Hikifune • Ichibē Hyōsube • Senjumaru Shutara • Tenjirō Kirinji • Ōetsu Nimaiya |
| Related Articles | Ōken • Ōin • Soul King Palace Residents • The Almighty |
