Ritsuke Tenshu-[Approved]- John

Basic Information

Name:Ritsuke Tenshu

Age:Appearance:29 Actual Age:513

Gender:Male

Division:Division 10

Seat:Captain

Looks:
Ritsuke looks like the everyday Shinigami, in that he looks as if he died in the feudal era of Japan. This just happens to be Ritsuke's case, as a matter of fact. On to his physical traits. The man is not exactly the most muscle bound person that one would ever lay eyes on, but at the same time he isn't a stick. He has found a good equilibrium with his size. This being so that he can move around swiftly without all the extra weight of bulky muscle slowing him down and he can take physical damage without getting bones broken on the first shot. Ritsuke does just fine with his weight of 187 lbs. Height wise, he stops just short of 6 foot 9, meaning that he looks down on a lot of people...literally. Ritsuke's pale skin complection is rather strange for somone who prefers to be outside most of the time. Some believe that he has some sort of skin altering disease, but he is quick to assure them that that is not the case.

On his face is the only thing that shows that he acknowledges the passing and changing of times. A thin pair of spectacles. This isn't because he has poor eyesight, for Ritsuke actually has extremely keen vision. It is more of sign that he, grudingly, accepts the fact that the times of the olden days have moved on and that he needs to move on as well. The glasses often end up falling down his nose, during which time he will push them back to their proper position with his middle finger. This is due to his thin face, which is partially covered by his two bangs that come to the mid section of his nose. His raven colored hair is pulled back into a warrior's tail, except for the aftermentioned bangs and a couple of loose strands. The tail itself comes to the end of Ritsuke's neck. Past the bangs and the spectacles, one can see that the man has dark turqouise eyes with a touch of hazel somewhere in the mix.

Now his clothing isn't too much different from the clothing of his fellow Shinigami, but he still retains a bit of originality. Under his Captains robes, one can see yet more robes but witha more traditional Japanese look. The robes themselves are a dark hue of purple with two diamond shaped white embrodiery on the front and on his sleeves. Continuing down, you can see that he wears the standard Shinigami bottom, but instead of it connecting with the rest of his out fit, he has it tied up on his waist with a red rope that acts like a belt. Although it may not look it, these garments are very airy and aren't that difficult to move around in. Ritsuke's appearance isn't too out of the ordinary for Shinigami, but he still stands out to a certain degree.

Personality:Ritsuke is a very strict, but at the same time, a very forgiving, calm, and polite individual. He believes that things like incompetence and ignorance can be cured so long as the person that needs it is willing to make a change. He is the kind of Captain and person, in general, that somebody could come to for advise and consolment. He is generally soft spoken and rarely says much, but when he does decide to speak it is usually so profound and philosophical that many put him on par with the likes of Socrates and sages of times passed. Now sometimes what Ritsuke says maybe a bit beyond the comprehension of some, so if he is asked elaborate, you'd better be prepared for a full lecture or sermon for the man can delve so deep into matters that it is believed that he could figure out the meaning of life if he kept thinking for 48 hours straight without stopping. Needless to say, the raven haired Shinigami has a high I.O..
It is speculated that it is somewhere around 200 or 250.

Although, the Captain of Squad 10 is a highly intelligent and generous being, when it comes to social matters(parties and the like)he doesn't have a clue. If he is invited he will show up out of common curtousy, but he will feel extremely out of place. He tries to stay up to date so that he can properly communicate with the younger generation of the 13 Guard Squads, but he usually ends up sounding like a complete idiot. Since Ritsuke is from the feudal era he still believes in chivalry. He is always kind to females and will always fight fair under any circumstance. The man believes that those that don't fight fair are complete trash and don't deserve to breathe the same air as himself. As a result, his entire Squad has been nicknamed "The Knights of The Round Table" for The knights during King Arthur's reign were expected to follow the knight's code of honor a.k.a Chivalry.

These good features about Ritsuke, such as fighting fair and his good natured personality, sometimes clash with his duty of of being a Soul Reaper, let alone a Captain of one of the Gotei 13. When such instances accure, Ritsuke will always follow his gut feeling. Wether or not it goes against orders or a person's own code, Ritsuke believes that your gut feeling can never lead you astray. To sum it up, Ritsuke is a Captain with morals and integrity, unmatched.

Zanpakuto Information

Zanpakuto Name:Kagutsuchi

Zanpakuto Looks:

Zanpakuto Description:When Kagutsuchi is in it's normal form it acts just like any other blade, although it does have a few advantages over other swords. For one, it isn't made like most other swords. Kagutsuchi was built with only the necessary parts, being the hilt and the actual blade. With there being no Guard on the blade, Ritsuke's wrist movements are no longer hindered and thus he can use Kagutsuchi's pure speed to it's fullest extent. Another reason that the blade has advantages over it's opponents is because of it's light build. With Ritsuke's unbelieveably fast hand movements and Kagutsuchi's light wieght, it is rare that the opposition will be aware that he drew it.

Released Zanpakuto Description:Upon the call of it's Release Phrase, Kagutsuchi will undergo a few noticable changes. One is that the blade is now completely black, opposed to its earlier coloration. Another thing that is brought to one's attention are the black tendrils that are clearly seen on the blade's grip. They apprently form into a cloth like material that stays wrapped around the blade's edge. Upon closer inspection, one can see that the bottom end of the sword has gotten bigger as well. This may be to give Ritsuke a better grip. When Kagautsuchi is in it's released form it's powers grow by a extremely large margin. It's "default" ability is that it can make large slashes energy that can be launched at the opponent. These slashes are made by cutting through the Reiatsu in the immediate area. This leaves a trail of energy that can be fired at the opponent. The power and speed of the slashes are determined by the strength of the Reaitsu in a given area. As mentioned before, this is Kagutsuchi's default ability. It's true ability..is that of it's opponent's own Zanpaktou. Kagutsuchi is also known as "The Copy Blade" in most areas. When Kagutsuchi clashes with another Zanpaktou, it can copy it's abilities to a "T". Unless Ritsuke knows the name of the move, these attacks will be a tad weaker than the originals. The moves that Kagutsuchi has copied will stick with it even after it copies them, meaning that it has a sizeable amount of attacks. It can only copy Shikai and lower abilities, leaving Bankai out of the question.

Zanpakuto Release Phrase:Duplicate and Sever Thine Enemies, Kagutsuchi.

Released Zanpakuto Looks:

Zanpakuto Spirit:
The spirit of Ritsuke's Zanpaktou takes on the appearance of a demonic looking samurai named Kagutsuchi. The two have met on several occasions and everytime that they do, they have a miniature spar to test Ritsuke's power. The Captain of the 10th Squad has not won a single time, but Kagutsuchi has deemed him worthy enough to wield him. Over the course of their meetings Ristuke made an astonishing discovery. That was that Kagutsuchi was an actual person and not only that, but the first samurai. He has watched over the way of the samurai for as long as the name existed and not once has he met anyone capable of wielding him to the extent of Ritsuke. At first, Ritsuke didn't understand for a Zanpaktou was born from the user's spirit. Kagutsuchi explained that Ritsuke has the true spirit of the samurai and therefore, it would be accurate enough to say that he was reborn through Ritsuke's spirit. Kagutsuchi has a number of traits that he passed on to his wielder. These include:Extremely keen reaction time(Almost to the point where it could be called Extrasensory), 20/20 Hearing, and Precise and speedy Handwork. These were gained by Ritsuke from their many spars.

Zanpakuto Realm:
Vasto Vacio(Vast Emptiness):The realm of Ritsuke's Zanpaktou's is just as it's name implies. A large area of nothingness. It is inside the confounds of this world that Kagutsuchi and he have had numerous spars. The skies are covered by dark and ominous purple, black, and red clouds that seem to stretch on forever. The ground is extremely barren. It looks as if nothing has grown there in years. The air is filled with a haze that turns visibility to almost zero. It is in these conditions that Ritsuke has grown strong over the years. Situated in the middle of this torn world is Kagutsuchi's throne. It is actually a large Yin and Yang symbol which Kagutsuchi is located on. From this point, Kagutsuchi can locate any and everything that has entered his domain through the white half of the symbol. In this realm Kagutsuchi is God. Whatever he says happens the instant it leaves his lips, although he doesn't have the power to kill somebody just by speaking it.This plays a very large role in Ritsuke's Bankai.


Bankai Information

Bankai Description:To put things simply, when Ritsuke uses his Bankai, his Zanpaktou turns inside out. This means that his Zanpaktou's Spirit and it's Realm manifest and take physical form in the real world. All the same rules apply as they would as if they were inside Kagutsuchi's world. The point of this Bankai is that the opponent now has to deal with two opposing forces and of course the rough terrain of Vasto Vacio. The opponent will face off against Ritsuke and Kugutsuchi in a world that Kagustuchi controls, although his power is limited. He cannot alter anything about the foe and he certainly can't speak death upon the target, but anything else is free game. To begin the Bankai the Ritsuke's sword will float and hover in mid air. It will then look as if it multiplied itself 100s of times as blades will surround Ritsuke and the foe. They will begin to spin rapidly to the point where anything outside of the swirling swords can't be seen. They will gradually come to a halt and when they do Ritsuke and the foe will be inside Vasto Vacio where Kagutsuchi can clearly be seen sitting on his throne, fully prepared for combat. After this, Ritsuke's sword will return to him in it's Shikai state. There is only one way out of this world, and that is to break Kagutsuchi's throne(the Ying and Yang symbol).

Bankai Looks:See Zanpaktou Realm and Spirit

Alterations:None

Kagutsuchi's Moveset:
Name:Kousen no Omoi(War of the Mind)
Description:To begin this move, Kagutsuchi will first stare directly into the opponent's eyes. Using a large amount of Spirit Particles and Reiatsu, Kagutsuchi will "project" himself and everything on the battlefield into the foe's mind. These Mind Dopplegangers will do exactly the opposite of what their real life counterparts do and can be in the opposite direstion. For example, If Ritsuke jumped over a blow, to the foe, it would seem like he ducked, leaving them wide open for an unseen assault. This takes effect the moment Kagutsuchi stares into the eyes of the foe.

Name:Negativo Cero(Negative Zero)
Description:Negativo Cero was originally a move created by both Ritsuke and Kagutsuchi to counter Hollow's Cero, however it can still do sufficent damage to non-Hollow opponents. This move was desgined to counter Cero in that it is Cero's polar opposite. While Cero is highly concentrated amounts of negatively charged Spirit Particles, Negativo Cero is highly concentrated amounts of positively charged Spirit Particles. When the two meet it would most likely result in an equilibrium and cancel out one another. When Kagatsuchi uses this move, a blue sphere of concentrated Spirit Particles will form in front of his face. He will then proceede to eat and swallow it. After a few seconds the energy will work it's way back up in the form of a powerful shot of energy.

Kido Information

Name:1. Thrust (衝, shō?)
Description:Pushes the target away from the caster.

Name:4. White Lightning (白雷, byakurai?)
Description:Fires a concentrated bolt of white lightning from the caster's forefinger.

Name:33. Blue Fire, Crash Down (蒼火墜, sōkatsui?)
Description:Fires a column of blue fire at a target in a similar manner to 31, but over a wider area and with more power.

Name:54. Abolishing Flames (廃炎, haien?)
Description:Fires a blast of purple fire that will incinerate a target completely when it makes contact.

Name:58. Whirling Tempest (闐嵐, tenran?)
Description:A widening tornado-like blast is fired towards the target.

Name:63.Thunder Roar Cannon (雷吼炮, raikōhō?)
Description:Fires a massive wave of yellow lightning at a target.

Name:88.Flying Dragon Striking, Heaven-Shaking, Lightning Cannon (飛竜撃賊震天雷砲, hiryūgekizokushintenraihō?)
[be]Description:[/b]Fires a massive blast of spiritual energy in a fashion similar to a laser.

Name:39. Arc Shield (円閘扇, enkosen?)
Description:Summons a shield of energy to block opponents' attacks.

Name:58. Summoning of the Tracking Sparrows (摑趾追雀, kakushitsuijaku?)
Description:Tracks and locates any spiritual force the user focuses on. To activate it, the user must draw a circle on the ground, cut into four parts with a specific character in each. The incantation animates the circle, causing various numbers to appear within until the specific set is found. The number set seems to be a variation on longitude and latitude.

Name:63.Winding Binding Chain (鎖条鎖縛, sajō sabaku?)
Description:The target is wrapped from the neck down in a thick chain.

Name:81. Splitting Void (斷空, dankū?)
Description:Creates an energy barrier in the form of a rectangular wall. According to Byakuya, it is capable of stopping destructive spells up to #89.

Name:Ceremonial Dance of Blades
Type:Hadou
Number:#81
Element:None
Incantation:The people cry upon the viewing of the blades of fallen warriors. The Sparrows and Swallows weep shrilly through the still night air. I say Rise again o' spirits of the fallen! Hadou number 81:Ceremonial Dance of Blades!
Description:After the needed Incantation has been recited the ground will begin to quake ever so slightly. In the next few seconds, hundreds of blades about 15 feet tall will erupt from the ground and pierce whatever comes into their path. They cover about 5 yards.

History and RP sample

History:
Living Arc:
On August 38, during Japan's feudal era, Ritsuke Tenshu was born. He was the son of Hitoru Tenshu and Shione Yasauda. Although the two didn't live long enough to marry, they did have a little time to bring up their son in the way they thought he ought to go. They way of the samurai. When Ritsuke was still very young, but able to hold a sword, his parents were summoned to fight for the Feudal Lord, Ozai, in a Gorilla War with the Chinese that was started because of political issues. Ritsuke never heard from them from then on. At a time like this most children would have gone into some sort of depression or something of that nature, but Ritsuke didn't. It was said that he didn't even shed a tear at their military funeral. He just went home and continued his swordsmanship, day in and day out. Days, months, and years passed and when Ritsuke had reached the age of 24 he was assigned to be the Feudal Lord's first hand guard. He accepted. One cold Winter morning, while the Feudal Lord was still in a deep slumber, Ritsuke made his way into the man's tent. A startled Feudal Lord woke up to see the spectacled samurai's sword against his throat. It is rare to see Ritsuke angry and this was such an occasion. He, of course, had a motive for doing this. It was a rumor that Ritsuke's father was to be the next Feudal Lord due to his wisdom, skills, and overall knowledge of politics. He had heard from fellow soldiers that there was indeed a Gorilla War with the Chinese, but they weren't the reason Ritsuke's mother and father didn't come back. When the battle had ended they were ordered to execute Hitoru and Shione on the spot. No plausable explanation was ever given, but Ritsuke knew that the current Feudal Lord didn't want his term to end, so it was pieced together that he had them executed to prolong his own reign. Now he had the murderer of his parents at the end of his blade. All it would have took was a simple swipe...but..he couldn't do it. This man was nowhere near as strong as he was..It wouldn't have been fair. The moment Ritsuke sheathed his weapon, the feudal lord called for his guards. He had about 200 at his disposal. Although the feudal lord wasn't strong Ritsuke had no problem cutting down as many guards as he could. In the end, there were simply too many of them and and Ritsuke Tenshu was cut down, but not before taking the lives of 115 of the said guards.

Soul Society Arc:
Ritsuke could feel a soft breeze twirl about his dark black hair and he could feel soft grass tickling the back of his neck. Not to far away he could hear the rustle of the trees as, they too, were being tossled by the soft wind. Ritsuke hadn't yet opened his eyes, but it all felt so serene, he felt like he didn't need to. This was bliss in itself. What did make him open his eyes were the voices of people nearby. "What's he doing in the middle of the forest?" He heard one man speak. Forest? Ritsuke's eyes shot open and sure enough, he was in a forest. People had crowded around him to see if he was alright, but they were smothering him with their closeness. The man soon made it to his feet, albeit it a bit awkwardly. He took another look around just to be sure that this wasn't some sort of mirage. No. This was far too....real to be a mirage. As he looked about, he saw a large tower in the distance. Ritsuke was so confused. He couldn't remember anything, He had awoke in some strange place, and it was all too much to take in. He soon calmed himself and decided that the first order of business was to find out where he was. Upon asking the people who had been crowding him, he found out that he was in a forest of the place called the Soul Society. Well that was taken care. Now he just needed to find a place to go. Thankfully, one woman allowed him to stay with her until he got things sorted out properly. Ritsuke stayed with the woman named Itsuki for weeks, during which time she taught him about the Soul Society. Of course, he was truly interested in the Gotei 13 seeing as how he was a top tier samurai. Itsuki told him of how the Gotei protects the real world from Hollows. From there she gave him the whole spill and by the time she had finished, Ritsuke already had his ambitions set.

Academy/Gotei 13/Captain Arc:
There were only two things Ritsuke remembered about himself. One was his name and the other was his training in the way of the sword, so it wasn't hard for him to resume his training, although he was already talented. When he felt that he had gotten back to his previous level, he enrolled into the Shinigami Academy. The courses were long and difficult for most, but for some reason, it all came naturally to Ritsuke. This may be due to fact that a large portion of the classes focused on how to wield a sword properly and how to attack enemies in different scenarios. The man knew this information and so it was somewhat dull in his opinion, although Kido and other arts, truly caught his interest. He would train with his blade and with Kido everyday from sunrise to sunset. A few years later, Ritsuke graduated from Shinigami classes with honors, specializing in Kido and use of his newly found Zanpaktou, Kagutsuchi. This would be a big achievement for some, but to Ritsuke this was a little more than a baby step. About two hundred or so years later, Ritsuke found himself in the 3rd seat of squad 10. His hardwork and natural talent had gotten him this far, but now was the time for skill to take over. When Ritsuke announced that he wanted to fight his captain for the title, many laughed, but allowed nonetheless. The ensuing fight was a dazzling sight to behold. It looked as if either one could have gained the upper hand at any given time, but Ritsuke eventually found victory and the title Captain of Squad 10.

RP Sample:The Captain of Squad 10, Ritsuke Tenshu, sat atop the Sokyokuu Hill, overlooking the vast world that is the Soul Society. His deep turquoise eyes surveyed the the landscape below, as a mother would survey her child from afar and to a certain extent, this was a very appropriate analogy. A mother looks over her child, to protect it from danger or any form of harm that could threaten it's young life, but this isn't the only reason. A mother watches her young grow not only to safeguard them, but to watch them grow, thrive, and live to their absolute potential. Shinigami were the mothers of the Soul Society. As Ritsuke sat alone with his thoughts, he pondered the link between Shinigami and the Soul Society. They were there to protect the Real World from the likes of Hollows, but nowhere in their contract did it say they had to protect this place. "Then why do we?" He asked himself silently."Do we have such a parental connection with this place that we would protect it without orders? Do some of us even care what happens to this place that we all call home?" He delved deeper into his topic for today."This place is as full with impurities as the Real World, yet we claim that we can protect them, because we are superior." Ritsuke gave a long drawn out sigh."It appears that we can be just as trivial as mere humans."

Approved