Kōga Kuchiki

is a former 3rd Seat of the 6th Division who later revolted against the Seireitei. He was also a member of the Kuchiki Clan, having married into it.

Appearance
Kōga is a well-toned man with piercing green eyes, shoulder-length black hair, and a long ponytail of red hair, with bangs hanging on the right side of his face to frame it. When he was a member of the Gotei 13, he wore a standard Shinigami shihakushō with the addition of a long red scarf, a light lavender obi sash, and a beaded necklace with a pendant. He also wore an intricate white headpiece called kenseikan, which symbolized his nobility, on the left side of his head to hold his ponytail in place with red tufts of hair sticking out, though he later cut it off to relinquish his status as a Kuchiki.

While originally his appearance was youthful and fit, after several hundred years sealed away, Kōga's physical form has been reduced to a withered and malnourished version of his former self. While he was imprisoned, he was adorned with a mouth mask and gauntlets around his wrists. These remained on him after his jailbreak, but the mask was cut, with only the part on the bridge of his nose remained. While his scarf and necklace remain, his shihakushō is torn, leaving him bare-chested.

Personality
Originally, Kōga is a very headstrong man, willing to rush headlong into battle at any moment in order to turn the tide. He has a habit of referring to his father-in-law, Ginrei Kuchiki, informally during battle, but is apologetic about it when Ginrei points it out. He is confident in his own power, and is confused by Ginrei reprimanding him for this, but is usually humble about his actions. Kōga believes strongly in his mission of achieving peace, and is willing to lay down his life in order to see his goal realized. He frequently goes to Muramasa for counsel on his affairs. Deep down, Kōga wishes for Ginrei to openly acknowledge his achievements, and is saddened and angered when he does not. Despite his pride, Kōga possesses enough self-control to listen to reason, surrendering to the Onmitsukidō instead of fighting back when he is framed for murder. However, his overconfidence eventually leads to Kōga being betrayed by allied officers, and his resulting imprisonment and announced punishment lead Kōga to believe Ginrei does not have faith in him. Kōga is convinced by Muramasa that he should use his power to change the world, but asserts that he is the master and will not be controlled by his Zanpakutō spirit, marking the start of his downward spiral into madness.

After being freed from prison, Kōga is much more ruthless, mercilessly attacking and killing the conspirators who put him in jail. However, he still retained enough morality to give them the benefit of the doubt and believe they may have been misguided, though he was proven wrong upon finding them laughing at his imprisonment. Additionally, Kōga initially regrets his violent actions because he realizes it did not change anything, and is horrified to learn he can no longer prove his innocence before a tribunal. However, Kōga's conversation with Ginrei proves to be the tipping point for his sanity, and he begins to believe everyone hates him and is jealous of his power, leading to him renouncing his ties to the Kuchiki Clan by cutting off his kenseikan. Initially, Kōga only kills those who attack him on a principle of kill or be killed, but eventually begins slaughtering helpless Rukongai denizens, which he justifies by claiming he is sending a message of hopelessness to Soul Society. Additionally, Kōga's paranoia and hatred lead to his bond with Muramasa slowly degrading over time, which is further worsened when Kōga physically abuses him over a perceived insult, leading to Kōga being unable to release his Zanpakutō at all. Kōga comes to enjoy despair, and claims it unleashes his true power by making him realize there are no ideals in the world. He believes power maintains all order in the world, and asserts that his evil will become good if he is the most powerful. Kōga firmly believes a Zanpakutō is simply a tool for killing, and should not be treated on an equal level to its master, a belief which he follows when he attempts to kill Muramasa.

Even after Muramasa frees him from his seal several hundred years later, Kōga is very disrespectful, making light of the event of Ginrei's death to his grandson, Byakuya Kuchiki, and frequently referring to Byakuya as "youngster". He holds a particular grudge against the Kuchiki Clan, agreeing to fight Byakuya solely because he is the current Head of the Kuchiki Clan and claiming the clan is full of arrogance. Additionally, Kōga's own confidence grows to the point where he intentionally severs his bond with Muramasa because he believes his own power is enough to handle Byakuya. He believes Zanpakutō are simply tools for which there are countless replacements. Kōga is incredibly proud of his own power; he claims his illusions are more than simple illusions, and believes that he is the most powerful Shinigami to ever live, which is why he does not need a Zanpakutō.

Zanpakutō Unknown Tales arc (anime only)
Note: Events occurring in this arc are only in the anime and do not constitute canon material.

Equipment

 * Halberds: After severing his bond with his Zanpakutō, Kōga uses the four halberds that were once used to stake him down for sealing him, claiming that his skills are not restricted to a single weapon. Kōga can use the hooked inside of the halberd's axe-blade joint to lock an opponent's sword and slash like a sword, while the opposite end has a sharp dagger-like point that he can use as well. Kōga can fire Kidō spells through the tip of his shaft. He picked up the first one to clash with Byakuya until it shattered against Senbonzakura, and used two more as throwing projectiles, imbued with his Reiatsu, to immobilize Byakuya, while wielding the last one as a replacement for the first. The last one eventually shattered when it clashed with Byakuya's Shūkei: Hakuteiken.

Powers & Abilities
Master Swordsman: Kōga is incredibly proficient in swordsmanship. During his days as the 3rd Seat of the 6th Division, he effortlessly cut down three unseated Shinigami with a single attack, and easily defended himself when several unseated Shinigami all attacked him at once. Kōga easily cut down all Shinigami who were sent to kill him, and clashed evenly with Ginrei and Yamamoto, both captain-level combatants, during their short battle, proving his mastery even further.

Halberd Master: After severing his bond with Muramasa by shattering the remnants of his sword, Kōga resorted to using the halberds used to keep him trapped in his seal, and proved his prowess by fighting evenly against Byakuya, a Zanjutsu master. He can perform powerful two-handed strikes, easily block sword attacks, and use the shape of his halberd to his advantage while wielding them.

Shunpo Master: Kōga is an extremely fast combatant. During his days as the 3rd Seat of the 6th Division, he cut down three unseated Shinigami with a single attack before any of them even noticed. He effortlessly kept up with Byakuya, a Shunpo master, during their battle, and even managed to dodge a point-blank attack from Byakuya at the last possible second on several occasions.

Kidō Expert: Kōga possesses great skill in using Kidō in battle. During his battle against Byakuya, he used three powerful, unique Kidō spells in rapid succession without incantation and to great effect.

Immense Spiritual Power: Despite having been only the 3rd Seat of the 6th Division, Kōga possesses an enormous amount of Reiryoku. Ginrei Kuchiki, the 6th Division captain at the time, admitted that Kōga's sheer power far surpassed his own, and Muramasa himself admitted that Kōga's power had not even reached its full potential yet. His Reiatsu is powerful enough to intimidate dozens of unseated Shinigami simply by being exerted, and Kōga can effortlessly kill unseated Shinigami without even releasing his Shikai. Occasionally, Kōga's Reiatsu will flow along the blade of his Zanpakutō when he fights. He is powerful enough to clash evenly with both Ginrei and Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, who were the only ones with enough power to confront him at the time. Several centuries after being sealed away, Kōga still possesses a huge amount of Reiryoku, and managed to blow Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki away simply by exerting his Reiatsu. Kōga is powerful enough to fight evenly against and wound Byakuya Kuchiki, one of the most powerful captains of the Gotei 13 and the strongest Head of the Kuchiki Clan to ever live, and nearly killed him at one point. Uniquely, because of his power, Kōga cannot be killed unless his attacker opens their heart to him; otherwise, he can only be sealed away. His Reiatsu is blue. Like Muramasa, Kōga can use his Reiryoku for two unique abilities, which he claims he gave to Muramasa:


 * Spiritual Threads: By pointing one of his halberds at his opponent, Kōga can create spiritual threads and manipulate them to immobilize his opponent. Though these spiritual threads are invisible to the naked eye, they can be seen in the shadows cast on nearby surfaces, and Kōga states they work by capturing his opponent's shadow instead of simply their reflection, preventing them from being easily destroyed by a reflection being distorted. However, their hold on an opponent can be nullified if they are cut apart with sufficient force.


 * Illusions: By sending his Reiryoku into his opponent, Kōga can confuse all five of their senses. This allows him to fake oncoming attacks, create clones of himself to avoid attacks, and make himself appear to be further away than he actually is in order to perform surprise attacks at close range. Kōga claims these are far more than illusions, which he considers "simplistic", and can infuse weapons with his Reiatsu in order to create illusory clones of them when attacking. However, the effects of this ability on an opponent can be nullified if another being acts as a victim's eyes and limbs, such as a Shinigami's Zanpakutō spirit. Additionally, Kōga can only use this ability if his opponent opens their mind to him or lets their guard down.

Enhanced Strength: Kōga possesses a considerable amount of physical strength. He sent four Shinigami flying back with a single slash of his sword, and sent Ginrei flying away with a single kick. Even in his physically withered state, Kōga is strong enough to shatter the remainder of his Zanpakutō with a single downward chop.

Zanpakutō
For the manifested spirit that appears in the Zanpakutō Unknown Tales arc, see Muramasa (Zanpakutō spirit).


 * Kōga's Zanpakutō takes the form of a normal katana with a dull red sheath, a purple hilt, and a guard consisting of a circle with a pentagon-like shape in the center and three evenly-spaced points protruding from the edges. Muramasa is an illusion-type Zanpakutō. As Kōga descended into insanity, his harmony with Muramasa deteriorated more and more, leading to him losing access to Muramasa's powers. Eventually, Kōga shattered the blade with his bare hand, permanently severing his bond with his Zanpakutō.


 * Shikai: Its release command is.


 * Shikai Special Ability: Upon release, Muramasa glows purple and releases a 360-degree wave of purple energy into the surrounding area, causing all Zanpakutō in the area to turn on their wielder. The Zanpakutō will move on their own against their wielder's will, attack their allies, or even turn against their own wielder. Additionally, Kōga can temporarily summon Muramasa to attack his foes by releasing his Zanpakutō. The only way to combat its power is by understanding how the Zanpakutō works and sealing one's heart against it. However, in addition to remaining able to fight in this state, one must have incredible Reiryoku and mental fortitude in order to block the attack itself.


 * Upon a large explosion of spiritual energy, Muramasa manifests himself into the real world. Muramasa has the ability to manifest in his true form, and can even manifest himself at a distance from his master because he can hear Kōga's call from wherever he is. Muramasa can also manifest his sealed sword form and engage his powers independently of Kōga's command.


 * Zanpakutō Spirit Manifestation: Muramasa generates a burst of energy that affects the Zanpakutō of all in the vicinity. When this takes place, the Zanpakutō of other wielders glow with a blue light as their Zanpakutō spirits manifest, typically as tangible shadowy figures from weaker Shinigami and with greater individuality and power from stronger Shinigami. Muramasa can break into the inner world of his targets and force their Zanpakutō spirits to bend to his will. This is done by removing the energy stability between Shinigami and Zanpakutō spirit, leaving the spirit confused and allowing Muramasa to forcibly release their negative emotions.


 * Bankai: Not Achieved.

Quotes

 * (To Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto) "I pledge my life in an effort to bring peace to this world."


 * (To Muramasa) "You're right. Trusting in myself is the answer, and that in turn will lead to peace."


 * (To Muramasa) "Let me make one thing clear, Muramasa. I am the master here, and as such I am in charge. I will not be ordered around by a Zanpakutō spirit!"


 * (To Ginrei Kuchiki) "I thought they were misguided. I assumed they had made a mistake about my intentions and were feeling guilty about their behavior. I was wrong! They knew what they had done, and were laughing about it! Killing them was the only option, but it didn't help! Even though it was just, it didn't make the empty feeling go away! I still feel like an outcast!"


 * (To Ginrei Kuchiki) "I get it now. You have the same attitude. You're just like those other men! You pretend you're on my side, you befriend me, put me off-guard! However, that's not how you really feel! The truth is, you hate me! You and the others are jealous of my power!"


 * "I'm surrounded by enemies. It's obvious everyone hates me. I'll have to kill them, all of them. I have to do whatever is necessary to survive. Why does everyone around here hate me so much? Is it because they're all jealous of my power? That has to be the reason. They want to bring me down. I'll just have to strike back at them first. There is only one way to deal with these people..."


 * (To Muramasa) "Our vision? What do you mean by the word 'our'? You've got a lot of nerve! Tell me something: do you actually consider yourself my equal? Let me remind you: you're my sword, so don't get too cocky! Just do as you're told and keep your mouth shut!"


 * (To Ginrei Kuchiki) "Ideals? Don't make me laugh. There are no ideals in this world. We're all left with only one thing: the despair of not being able to make those ideals come true. But I've now discovered that despair releases my true power. Despair is the force that breaks my shackles and frees my heart to do as it truly wishes!"


 * (To Ginrei Kuchiki) "Those with power are the ones who get to impose order on this world, and in the midst of chaos, that order prevails right or wrong! If that power is victorious, even if it's dark, black will become the color of what's right!"


 * (To Muramasa) "As a Shinigami and your master, I was the one who gave birth to your power! All you ever needed to do in your life after that was simply obey me! To me, you've always been nothing more than a sword, simply a mere tool of mine...and a mere tool shouldn't be so conceited!"


 * (To Muramasa) "You've become nothing more than a hindrance to me. I don't need to use a pathetic, unstable sword like you. My power alone is enough."


 * (To Ichigo Kurosaki) "A Zanpakutō is merely a tool. There are countless replacements."


 * (To Byakuya Kuchiki) "My enemies' skills are so irrelevant! Everyone falls to their knees before me, and it's all because of my own power! I don't need anything from a Zanpakutō! I'm the most powerful Shinigami to ever live!"


 * (To Senbonzakura) "No one acknowledged what I did despite all my successes. Instead, they branded me a traitor and tried to seal me away! If that was going to be the case, I had to create a place for myself somewhere! Order is created by power! With my power, I'm going to become king of the new world!"


 * (To Byakuya Kuchiki) "My power is like no other! It is an absolute power that has no equal, not here or anywhere else in the universe!"

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Kōga Kuchiki