Hohō
English	Agility
Kanji	歩法
Information
Technique Type	Movement Technique
User	Shinigami, Visored

Hohō (歩法, Agility; Viz "Fast Movement"; lit. step method) is the name given to one of the four combat skills of the Shinigami and relates to footwork. Hohō is an important skill for most Shinigami, and is one of their four basic fighting styles.^[1] The agility and speed of Hohō can be enhanced and improved through concentration, training, and mastery of it. The foremost practitioners of this technique are those assigned to the Onmitsukidō. Shunpo (瞬歩, Flash steps) is the greatest expression of the Hohō technique. However, there are variations even within Shunpo which only master Hohō practitioners can use.

Overview

Shunpo (瞬歩, Flash Steps) is a movement technique, which allows the user to move faster than the eye can follow.^[2] The focal point which determines the basis of this technique is speed. As speed is the main point of the technique, the method is best characterized by how fast one can get from point A to point B in the least amount of steps. Training and skill are what determines how fast a user of Shunpo can move; those of little skill in the technique or those who have not used it for an extended amount of time would obviously be out of practice, causing those individuals to be considerably slower, which requires the use of more steps to move the same distance and become winded in a shorter amount of time.

Yoruichi Shihōin was given the title "Goddess of the Flash" (瞬神, Shunshin), as she is the fastest Shunpo user in all of Soul Society.

Way of Onmitsu, 3rd of the Shihō (隠密歩法　四楓の参, Onmitsu Shunpo Shihō no San) is a category of Shunpo skills, including the technique Utsusemi.

The Arrancar variation of Shunpo is Sonído, the Quincy variation is Hirenkyaku.

Techniques

Senka	Utsusemi	Speed Clones

Notable Users

Shunpo Masters

Shunpo masters are capable of maintaining high speed movements for extended periods of time while using the least amount of steps to achieve those movements. Masters are capable of using advanced steps, which are considerably harder to initiate. A master can possibly create new techniques but it is most likely a rare occurrence. (Note: only those who have trained and achieved mastery either stated or shown, outside any advantage they gain from Shikai, Bankai or otherwise are included in this listing).
Sōsuke Aizen	Suì-Fēng	Tenjirō Kirinji	Byakuya Kuchiki	Kōga Kuchiki	Shunsui Kyōraku
Yoruichi Shihōin	Jūshirō Ukitake	Kisuke Urahara	Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto

Shunpo Experts

Experts of the technique are considerably fast, and can maintain high speed movements for extended periods of time. While not as fast as a master, they can keep up quite effectively. Some holding the title are faster than others, but, nonetheless, their application of the technique is highly advanced.
Renji Abarai	Love Aikawa	Shūsuke Amagai	Shinji Hirako	Shūhei Hisagi	Tōshirō Hitsugaya
Tetsuzaemon Iba	Gin Ichimaru	Kagerōza Inaba	Nanao Ise	Ashido Kanō	Makoto Kibune
Ginrei Kuchiki	Rukia Kuchiki	Mashiro Kuna	Ichigo Kurosaki	Isshin Kurosaki	Mayuri Kurotsuchi
Kensei Muguruma	Marechiyo Ōmaeda	Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi	Kaname Tōsen	Retsu Unohana	Lisa Yadōmaru
Ōko Yushima

Shunpo Practitioners

Practitioners of the technique can maintain fast movements for a short period of time, by seemingly taking only a few steps to bridge what would normally be a large distances. Those who are practitioners commonly use their knowledge of Hohō while engaging in combat to close the space between combatants. Practitioners who maintain these high speeds for too long tend to become winded.
Yumichika Ayasegawa	Momo Hinamori	Ryūsei Kenzaki	Izuru Kira	Sajin Komamura	Isane Kotetsu
Ikkaku Madarame	Rangiku Matsumoto	Masayoshi	Hachigen Ushōda

Those Who Have Yet to Learn Shunpo

Those in this category, possessing no skill for Hohō, instead rely on walking to get where they need to be, or have trained extensively to enhance their natural speed to a level allowing them move considerably fast, though decidedly under that of Shunpo.
Hanatarō Yamada	Kenpachi Zaraki

References

1. ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 175, page 9
2. ↑ Bleach anime; Episode 61

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