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Gin Ichimaru
| Gin Ichimaru | |
|---|---|
 "...Grinning, an act of intimidation" - Tite Kubo | |
| Age | ??? |
| Gender | Male |
| Bloodtype | ??? |
| Birthday | September 10 |
| Zodiac | Virgo |
| Height | 185cm(6'1") |
| Weight | 69kg(152lbs) |
| Zanpakuto | Shinsō (Divine Spear) |
| Shikai Release Command | Shoot to Death (Ikorose) |
| Bankai | Kamishini no Yari |
| Occupation | Former Shinigami captain of the 3rd Division |
| Former Subordinate(s) | Izuru Kira |
Gin Ichimaru (市丸 ギン Ichimaru Gin) was the captain of the 3rd Division of the Gotei 13 until his betrayal against Soul Society with alongside fellow captains Sōsuke Aizen and Kaname Tōsen. Before his defection his lieutenant was Izuru Kira. Despite being one of the main antagonists of the series, he also provides some comedy, often appearing somewhat randomly at the end of episodes Arrancar, Hueco Mundo, Captain Amagai, Fake Karakura, and Zanpakuto Unknown Tales arcs in which he shares facts about Arrancar.
Appearance[edit]
From the way he dresses, he doesn't seem to have a distinct look. But his overall appearance is anything but normal. His eyes are always slitted, earning him the nickname "foxface". He's abnormally thin, and he bears silver hair, hence his name "Gin" which is Japanese for silver. He always wears a wide smile on his face, which is he's only wiped off on rare occasions, most notably when he fought Tōshirō Hitsugaya. He has also been known to open his eyes only twice, once in a flashback when he and Aizen rescued Momo Hinamori and other students from Hollows and again during a battle with 10th Division Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya. He also opens them during the ending theme for episode 27 and the opening theme for episode 91. His eyes are light green/blue in the manga, as seen on the cover for volume 20; however, in the anime they are shown as blood red, this could have been due to that fact that the volume wasn't out at the time and the true color had yet to be revealed.
After betraying Soul Society he changes his dress code to match Aizen and Tōsen. He now wears a long white robe over his standard Shinigami hakama. The hilt of his Zanpakutō can be seen at his waste through an opening. Later he changes his Black hakama to a white one, similar to that of the Arrancar. Gin wears his robe opening with a large 'V' shaped collar, which is mimicked further down at the end of his robe. This 'V' shape reaches from his waist to the ends of the robe. It has long, bell shaped sleeves into which he hides his hands, similar to he style in which traditional Japanese Kimonos are worn. The lining of his sleeves and in fact his entire robe is a dark black.From other examples, it is likely he is also wearing black tabi with white waraji. IN these examples his Zanpakutō cannot be seen.
Personality[edit]
Gin has a mysterious personality; he doesn't seem to show any emotion, as he always speaks in a sarcastic manner. He doesn't appear to be trustworthy, and from his facial expressions he looks to have a ominous demeanor--because of this many found it hard to trust him, even before he became a traitor to the Soul Society. Rukia once commented on how she felt like snakes were wrapping around her neck whenever Gin spoke. Kaname Tōsen notes that Gin has a similar effect on just about everyone when explaining Wonderweiss Margera's frightened reaction to Gin. In the anime, Gin is shown to speak in a particular Kyoto Dialect, which is polite but indirect. In the English Dub of Gin, he has a polite and calm dialect, but it has a mocking, facetious undertone to it. (To Rukia) "Would you like me to save you?... Just kidding."
Ever since he was a child he has had a particular fondness to dried persimmons, and because of this taste he has planted many Persimmon tress around the Squad 3 barracks. He picks the persimmons from the trees and distributes them to other Squads, as well as keeping some for himself. When Ichimaru has free time he likes to take long walks around Seretei. However, his hobby is people-watching, possibly so he can find and observe the next victim of the mischief he creates. Shinigami of the 3rd squad have grown accustomed to Gin's sense of humor and often enjoy his shenanigans even if they're directed at one another. Gin also shows an advanced skill in needle sewing.
History[edit]
Not much is known about Gin's past prior to the onset of the series, other than the fact that he once saved Rangiku Matsumoto's life. Whilst eating, Gin asks Matsumoto when her birthday is, and she replies that she doesn't know because she never really counted the days until they had met. So Gin announces that her birthday will be on the day they met. Since that moment the two have been very close friends, and it seems that Rangiku is the only person Gin truly cares about.
Approximately 110 years ago, Gin graduated from the Shinigami academy after serving only 1 year there and was immediately given a seated position within the 5th Squad. Upon meeting Aizen for the first time, Gin had already killed and belittled his 3rd seat, showing that even as a child he could reach the power of a lieutenant, and that he could kill in cold blood, whether it served his best interests or was simply for fun. Aizen immediately gave Gin the 3rd seat position after this event, which was kept a secret.
9 years after this event, Gin was involved in a plot with Aizen, assisting him in the Hollowification of high ranking Shinigami. He was also present at the Hollowification when the investigation team, send by Captain-Commander Yamamoto, arrived. At this time, he did nothing but watch the conversation between Shinji Hirako and Aizen before the Hollowification took place. He also doesn't seem to be phased or surprised at the arrival of Captain Kisuke Urahara and Tessai Tsukabishi. Aizen starts to leave the scene in which the Hollowification had taken place stating "there's nothing more we can do here". To stop them from leaving Tessai uses Hadō #88 Hiryugekizokushintenraiho, which was countered by Aizen using Bakudō #81 Danku, allowing them to escape.
Some time later, Gin became lieutenant of the 5th Squad under Captain Sōsuke Aizen, they arrive to save a group of young recruits who were under attack from a swarm of Hollow during a routine field exercise. He must have seen some potential in the recruits present, some of which were Momo Hinamori, Izuru Kira and Renji Abarai. All of which he took into his division. Momo sometime later became Vice-Captain after Gin was promoted to Captain of the 3rd Squad. Both Momo and Kira proved to be loyal Shinigami and were respectively promoted to Lieutenant under both Aizen and Gin, whereas Renji was seen as too rebellious and was transferred to the 11th Squad under captain Kenpachi Zaraki. (He was later transferred to the 6th Squad to become Lieutenant under Byakuya Kuchiki)
Eventually - Around 46 years ago at the same time as Byakuya Kuchiki became Captain of the 6th Squad - Gin became captain of the 3rd Squad. Although now a Captain, Gin remained a loyal Sub-Ordinate of Aizen.
At some point during their respective times as Captains, Gin, Tōsen and Aizen go to visit Barragan Luisenbarn, King of Hueco Mundo and Lord of Las Noches. Aizen and Barragan converse as Gin and Tōsen look on. After some time Aizen releases his Shikai and Barragan look on as his army is decimated by the captains.
Powers & Abilities[edit]
- Genius Intellect: Ever since he was a child, he has been labeled as a genius. He was highly proficient in his classes and graduated after only a year of attending. Not long after graduation he was given the seat of an officer, surpassing that of the previous child prodigy Kaien Shiba, who was already an adult and had taken him 5 years to attain a seated position. When the occasion calls for it, Gin has shown himself to he highly manipulative and deceptive, usually coming out unharmed because of the calm confusion he portrays, which is a testament to his overall strategy. During his battle with Tōshirō Hitsugaya he was able to manipulate the position of 3 people so Hitsugaya would have to choose between saving his own life, or that of his childhood friend, Momo.
- Master Swordsmanship Specialist: Gin is a highly proficient combatant. During his battles he doesn't show any look of surprise or awe for techniques that his opponent might use, even if they appear to have the advantage. He fights with a look of no effort behind his attacks. His ability as a combatant was evident from a young age when he killed the 5th Squads 3rd seat with relative ease as an infant. He is commonly seen using his Zanpakutō's special ability, allowing him to be quite deadly at a distance, which is capable of killing multiple targets in one shot. He has shown the ability to use extreme speed mixed with a calm composure and precise attacks.
- Immense Spiritual Pressure: Gin, without putting out any effort, easily incapacitated Chad, Orihime, Uryū, Makizō, and Ganju with his Reiatsu just by facing the direction they were coming from.
- Flash Steps Expert: Although never really seen in combat, during his fight with Tōshirō Hitsugaya, he was shown to be proficient with it when he used it to retreat.
- Enhanced Durability: He is able to take on a fully powered Getsuga Tenshō and only obtaining a light wound to the head.
Zanpakutō[edit]
Shinsō (神鎗, God Spear; Viz "Sacred Spear"), it looks like a Wakizashi with a light-blue with a tsuba made of two slim swirls of metal looping around the blade to make an open oval, resembling an "S".
- Shikai It is triggered by it's release command "Shoot to Kill" (射殺せ, Ikorose). However in the English dubbed version it's command varies, usually referring to the stabbing or piercing, followed by a person pronoun such as 'Him', 'Her', 'Them', etc, as some sort of definition of the target.
- Shikai Special Ability: When in Shikai, Shinsō's blade glows and extends to impale and slice opponents from a distance. As the blade extends it carries with it a tremendous amount of force, being able to knock both Ichigo and Jidanbō to their feet, despite Jidanbō being firmly locked between the floor and the gate. In addition to this Gin can keep the blade extended and swing the blade in large arcs, slicing multiple foes quickly and simultaneously. Shinsō's blade can reach the length of 100 times it's own blade length.
- Bankai: Kamishini no Yari (神殺鎗, God-Killing Spear) In Bankai Shinsō retains it's original shape and size, keeping it's wakizashi form. However Kamishini no Yari's blade is capable of extending and retracting to 13km at 600 times the speed of sound. Gin has stated that it's speed and power aren't as great as he makes out but has not elaborated on exactly what he refers to.
- Bankai Special Ability: Gin's Bankai's main ability and power lies within the speed it can extend and retract. As Kamishini no Yari it's cutting power is greatly increased and it's speed and length are augmented tremendously to the point where Gin can decimate an entire town in half with a single sing of his blade whilst standing at a distance from the target.
- Poison: While Kamishini no Yari is stated to be able to be the fastest Zanpakutō, it's deadliest trait lies within it's ability to turn into dust for a second upon expanding and contracting. As it dissipates, it releases a deadly poison capable of breaking down cells. Gin has mastered this ability of his Zanpakutō's Bankai to the extent where he can leave a fragment of his blade inside his opponent and leave it in there, leaving the life of his foe in the balance until he utters the command Kill, Kamishini no Yari while holding his hand up to his target. The resultant effect being that they break down from the inside out.
- Blade Extension and Retraction: This is an ability unbeknownst to most until the attack has already taken place, and the only ability that most foes are likely to see. While most would take note of it's destructive prowess, it's real power lies within the speed that it can extend and retract. Gin has claimed that the blade can extend to a length of 13km (8.1 miles) at 600 times the speed of sound, the same applying to it's retraction speed. Because of the speed of his Zanpkautō, Gin tends to pale it's actual power whenever he talks about this dangerous ability, focussing on the length and range of the attack, rather than the speed to gain a psychological advantage over his foe.
- Butō (舞踏, Dance (Step)) As Gin adopts a certain stands and tightly grips Kamishini no Yari with both of his hands and squarely holds it in front of his chest, he can unleash a tremendous extension and retraction to even more than it's normal state, and happens to the extent where the movements of the Zanpakutō become completely merged and the individual movements become impossible to determine even to the most diligent of observers.
- Butō: Renjin (舞踏連刃, Dance (Step) Serial Blade): This repeats the actions of Butō multiple times in rapid succession. The entirety of this process is completed in a mere moment, resulting in the individual steps involved in this technique becoming virtually indistinguishable from each other, generating an apparent mass of numerous blades that leaves little opportunity for the intended victim to evade successfully.