Mayuri Kurotsuchi

"Researcher with killing intent." - Tite Kubo

is Captain of the 12th Division in the Gotei 13 and 2nd president of the Shinigami Research Institute. He gained his position after Kisuke Urahara, the former captain and president, was sentenced into exile by Soul Society. His lieutenant is Nemu Kurotsuchi, his artificially-created "daughter". He is often considered to be Uryū Ishida's nemesis due to their conflicting views on life and the fact that Mayuri vivisected and killed Uryū's grandfather, Sōken Ishida.

Appearance
Mayuri's appearance has a very skeletal look to it with a skull-like visage. His fingernails are blue and, with the exception of the fingernail on his right middle finger, are all short. The one long fingernail is as long as the finger itself. Mayuri is revealed to have blue hair and golden brown eyes when without make-up. He also wears a white hat with two ends that point to his right and a large purple scarf around his neck. His whole body, even his face and hands, has been painted black and white. He repaints his make-up every morning, as he always removes it before going to bed.

Mayuri has performed various experiments on himself, some of which include upgrading certain body parts to function as weapons or giving him otherwise useful abilities. To escape situations in which he risks defeat, Mayuri uses a technique in which he stabs himself with his Zanpakutō, transforming his body into a liquid blob-like entity, which is incapable of fighting but impervious to harm. He is later able to reconstitute himself, at which point his wounds are healed. His physical modifications also appear to be undone each time he reconstitutes himself, although he is heavily scarred and his ears appear to be permanently removed. Reconstituting himself from a liquid also requires him to repaint his make-up.

Mayuri's looks have changed since his last appearance: his ear attachments have become shorter and rounder, his chin has a longer attachment (much like the beard of an Egyptian Pharaoh), and he no longer wears a hat. His hair is also styled into "horns," which when viewed from the front looks much like a Pharaoh's crown, and his face paint has been patterned differently.

Personality
Mayuri Kurotsuchi is a researcher and personifies the stereotype of the mad scientist. By his early actions during the Ryoka Invasion, he is displayed as one of the most sadistic and cruel Shinigami. He sees everyone and everything not as a living being, but as an object to be researched—including himself. He has little respect or regard for most others, and was even willing to turn his own men (who were not aware of his plans) into living bombs in an attempt to capture Uryū Ishida and Orihime Inoue for experimentation. He also withheld vital information about the Bounts from the other Shinigami in order to capture one as a research subject for himself.

It is known that Mayuri's favorite food is pike fish, while he does not like onion. One of his free-time activities is reading every character published in Seiretei Communication. He himself publishes a serialization in the journal, titled "Effective Medication for the Brain", which apparently contains detailed instructions on preparation of medicine and their application. Surprisingly it is highly popular among the readers.

In battle, Mayuri likes to play with his opponent, torturing them little by little until they can hardly stand. This was shown with both Uryū and his Espada counterpart Szayel. Every time he fights he uses it as an experiment testing himself and his opponent little by little. He also uses it to transplant microbes or other things in case they get away. Before engaging, though, he will make extensive research on his possible opponents to tilt the chance of winning to his side. It is seen that, before the Winter War, he is busy reading in the library with a note on the door saying, "Enter and Die." He's been doing this every time he fights, against the Bounts and Espadas.

History
Little is known about the early history of Mayuri, except that he was the only prisoner in the Maggot's Nest who was considered dangerous enough to necessitate confinement in a small prison cell, chained to the wall by his ankle. He would however one day be visited by Kisuke Urahara who was seeking his genius to become vice-president in the newly thought-of Research and Development Institute, something that would automatically get him out of there. At first Mayuri refused, until Kisuke began teasing him with the fact that he had nothing to tinker with down there and that as vice-president he would inherit everything should something happen to Urahara. Thus 9 years later, he became the third seat of the 12th Division. After an incident that got Urahara and Tessai Tsukabishi banished and several captains and seated officers Hollowfied, he later succeeded Urahara in leading the Research and Development Institute as well as somehow becoming captain of the 12th Division of the Gotei 13.

He also experimented on Quincy, including Sōken Ishida, Uryū's master and grandfather, in his studies. He believed that upon Sōken Ishida's death the Quincy had been entirely wiped out, and was disappointed to learn that Uryū was a Quincy because he considered his study of the Quincy complete and did not want any further Quincy specimens.

Soul Society arc
During the the Ryoka Invasion of Soul Society, Mayuri attempts to search for the Ryoka and use them as test subjects. During the search, Mayuri amongst others tries to interrogate Ikkaku Madarame while he is healing in the 4th division and eventually meets up with Uryū Ishida and Orihime Inoue, whom he tries to capture using his own squad members as bombs.

After a short fight with Uryū, where he paralyze his arm with his Shikai, Mayuri offhandedly reveals that he was the one who orchestrated the death of Uryū's grandfather, Sōken Ishida and even shows him a image of his grandfather. Uryū is angered by the truth of his grandfather's death and removes his Sanrei Glove to gain the power to defeat Mayuri, though Mayuri escapes using his Zanpakutō's final ability. Shortly after he uses this particular ability, Nemu thanks Uryū for not shooting Mayuri through the head (a chest wound being the prompt for her remark), implying that anything less would be incapable of killing him. Alternatively, she may have simply been referring to the quickest method of death he could inflict, as any wound preventing him from stabbing himself would prevent use of the ability.

Later, he hears of Isane Kotetsu's announcement of Aizen's treachery after reforming, but upon being asked by Nemu he refuses to get involved, saying that he is not interested.

Bount arc
Mayuri appears again during the Bount invasion of Karakura Town, in his office when he is approached by 8th Division Captain Kyoraku in reference to having any information on the Bounts. Mayuri flat out refuses to share any information with the inquisitive captain. Not long after Kyoraku leaves Mayuri finds that all his files on the subject have been erased. Mayuri later calls a meeting of the Captains and informs them that there is a traitor amongst them who has erased information from his database, not realizing it was former 11th Division member Maki Ichinose. Mayuri explains to the captains the history of the Bounts. Telling a story about a war between the Quincy and the Bounts, which ended in a Bount defeat. The biggest incident to come out of this defeat is the Bounts consuming living souls to increase their power. Mayuri then deduces that the number of people will increase as the Bounts become more active.

Mayuri finds the information on the Bounts and wanting a Bount test subject, he sends Nemu to give Uryū an artifact that will temporarily restore his Quincy powers in exchange for helping the Bount to reach Soul Society (which he assumes will occur). Meanwhile General Yamamoto begins suspect Mayuri of treason and send Byakuya to search in his families archives for information on the Bounts.

When the Bounts attack Soul Society, Mayuri decides to prove his loyalty by defeating one of the Bount, Sawatari. Sawatari attacks Mayuri with his doll, Baura, and manages to rip Mayuri's left arm off. Mayuri regenerates his arm with his medicine, and uses his Zanpakutō to paralyze Sawatari's doll, Baura. Mayuri then stabs Sawatari in the right arm, and Baura manages to overcome the paralysis to retreat with Sawatari into another dimension. Sawatari surfaces in another location in Sereitei, and Mayuri appears, revealing that he made a scanner to track the Bount. Sawatari attacks Mayuri with the power of other Soul Reapers that Baura absorbed in previous battles. Mayuri is forced to use his Bankai, and kills Sawatari. The confrontation leaves him severely injured afterwards, largely due to his persistence in trying to capture the Bount alive at first.

Hueco Mundo arc
Mayuri later appears in Hueco Mundo to assist Renji Abarai and Uryū Ishida in dealing with Szayel Aporro Granz alongside his lieutenant Nemu.

Szayel attempts to use his Resurrección's voodoo ability, but to no effect -- Mayuri had taken precautions against this ability by implanting himself with fake organs, having studied the technique beforehand using data from bacteria he implanted within Uryū during their last battle (much to Uryū's annoyance). Szayel takes Nemu captive, but Mayuri releases his Bankai and devours Szayel with it. Szayel uses the rebirth power of his Resurrección to recreate himself inside Nemu, but in doing so is affected by chemicals contained in Nemu's body. Mayuri is highly intrigued by this new power, but wonders if there is more than that. To give him what he asked for, Szayel uses his possession ability to control Mayuri's Bankai, but Mayuri already had countermeasures set in place for just that possibility; his Bankai self destructs, reverting back to its sealed state.

Mayuri, disappointed at Szayel's lack of any further abilities, explains that by recreating himself inside Nemu, Szayel is now dosed with a sense-enhancing chemical that he instantly names -- a 'superhuman drug', as it were. The drug increases Szayel's senses to the point that his body falls grossly behind and cannot move, paralyzing him as minutes become centuries. Mayuri then berates Szayel for his statement as a scientist that he was the perfect beeing. He then proceeds to pierce Szayel hand and stabs Szayel's heart with his Zanpakutō, wishing him a pleasant eternity, before breaking off the blade as the ultimate torture for Szayel and also as punishment for his Zanpakutō striking at its master.

After searching for Szayel's laboratory throughout the rubbles, he realizes that he cannot ask Nemu for help. Mussing that she is such a "pain in the ass" he revives Nemu with rather odd and possibly very explicit means and has her dig out Szayel's laboratory, within which are a pair of bodies suspended from the ceiling. After this he continues to to heal Uryu and Renji, the latter being healed first so he could go and help the fight. After he is finished healing Uryu he gives him an anti-arrancar mine that he invented.

Zanpakutō Unknown Tales arc
Captain Kurotsuchi was in attendance on Sōkyoku Hill when an emergency meeting of many ranking Shinigami was called. However, he openly complained about the Captain-Commander ordering the meeting at such a late hour. When Muramasa finally made himself known to the Shinigami, he announced that Captain Yamamoto was no longer there. Captain Komamura was disturbed by this news and attacked Muramasa, only to see his own bankai go rogue and attack him instead. Witnessing this disturbing turn of events, many captains and lieutenants attempted to release their own Zanpakutō, but failed. Upon inspecting his own katana, Kurotsuchi noted that he could no longer feel its reiatsu. As President of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, he was joyfully intrigued by the arch-villain's powers and eagerly asked what he had done to accomplish such a feat. Muramasa flatly explained that he had cast a spell which "freed" the Zanpakutō spirits from their "prisons." Shortly thereafter, Ashisogi Jizō seemingly materialized out of thin air in front of a dumbfounded Mayuri. But after a brief inspection of the Bankai-like critter, the captain apparently relaxed, wearing a contented smile, a feeling not shared by any of the others present.

Research and Inventions
Unlike the inventions of Kisuke, those of Mayuri are not as well known yet.

Gigai Specialization: However, one major invention is present, which is Mayuri's lieutenant and so-called "daughter," Nemu Kurotsuchi, who is the ultimate result of his Gigai and Modified Soul research. The fact that Nemu can survive toxic poisons, a pierced lung, and having all of her nutrients robbed from her, is a testament to Mayuri's own skill in Gigai creation and modification.

Bount Sensor: He also creates a simple Bount sensor in the Bount arc of the anime. Though not as powerful as Kisuke's equivalent mod soul versions, it is far more effective once properly calibrated.

Zanpakutō Reassignment: In an Arrancar arc Shinigami Cup Golden, Kurotsuchi is shown as having the ability to change a Zanpakutō's race and gender, and presents a catalogue to Hisagi and Renji, resulting in Renji's immediate desire to have Zabimaru's form altered to that of a busty red-haired woman.

Data Gatherer: He also implants opponents that escape from battle with data-gathering bacteria so as to monitor them afterwards, as was the case with Uryū during their fight. This was how he was able to counter Szayel's Voodoo Doll technique -- Using the information gleaned from the bacteria he had implanted within Uryū, Mayuri was able to quickly conceive and carry out an operation to safeguard himself and his Lieutenant beforehand.

Fake Karakura Town: One of his greatest achievements is the creation of an exact replica of Karakura town, as he and his division are the ones responsible for its creation.

Anti-Arrancar Mine: After rescuing Uryū from Szayel, he gives Uryū a landmine he designed which is meant to be effective against Arrancar. Once its sensors pick up an Arrancar's reiatsu, it detonates violently. Uryū had recently used it on the Espada Yammy Rialgo, with the effect of critically injuring the Arrancar in his sealed state; the explosion was very powerful.

Powers & Abilities
Master Scientist/Inventor: As the head of the Shinigami Research Institute, Mayuri is a talented inventor and scientist, having created a number of devices or techniques to aid him in battle or otherwise. As Mayuri is the mad scientist archetype embodied, he has no morals or empathy in everyday life and apparently his work is devoid of it as well. He is willing to go to any lengths he feels are necessary to achieve his goals, and apparently cares very little for morals or the value of human life. He often takes no interest in the issues of Soul Society and prefers to engage in his research when such issues arise, unless personally ordered to do otherwise by General Yamamoto.

Master Strategist: Mayuri has a talent for being well prepared. He takes various precautions before engaging in personal combat with an adversary, usually studying them through his various methods in order to gain a clear advantage. He seems to always have a contingency plan if something doesn't work out the way he expects.

Body Modification Expert: It is implied that Mayuri has done extensive research on modifying bodies, and he has upgraded a variety of his own body parts to function as weapons or otherwise provide him with useful abilities.


 * Extension Arm: His left arm can extend out like a grappling hook. When the arm is attacked it explodes on impact, but with his regenerative serum, this is not a problem (though it does cause him serious pain.)


 * Hidden Kusarigama: He is able to pull part of his ear out to form a scythe attached to a rope-like ligament for use as a kusarigama. It is easily as sharp as a standard Zanpakutō, and he is quite skilled in it's use.


 * Environment Melding Technique: Another one of Mayuri's abilities likely achieved scientifically is his ability to meld with the color and texture of the environment. It was shown when he was attempting to track the Ryoka in Soul Society. When he reveals himself the topical camouflage flakes away.


 * Organ Replacement Surgery: Most impressively, he has demonstrated the ability to replace functional internal organs with false ones, a feat he performs on himself and his lieutenant to safeguard them from injury. This particular operation is conceived of and carried out in the span of less than an hour.

Master Chemist: Being the current head of the Research an Development Institute, Mayuri has otherwise been shown to be an adept chemist; the results of which are listed here:


 * Superhuman Drug: Mayuri has manufactured a "superhuman drug" that can slow down a person's perception of time. The drug is kept in a bottle by him, but also inside Nemu's body, which is blue in appearance. It is able to make one second seem like 100 years for the unfortunate victim to whom it is administered. An undiluted dose of the drug causes the senses to speed up trillions of times while the relatively "slow" body fails to keep up, resulting in paralysis; on the other hand, it is implied that a diluted dose of the drug can greatly enhance the user's reaction speed. He even stated that a single droplet would have to be diluted 250,000 times to be suitable for use.


 * Hojiku-Zai (Regenerative Serum): Mayuri has also developed a "regenerative serum," which can regrow limbs upon injection, and looks like some sort of green chemical. Of course, it can be used to restore less major injuries as well, as seen with Uryū and Renji.


 * Tracking Expert: He expresses the fact that he merely needs a strand of a person's hair to find them. By using a simple chemical process he can discern the location of the person in question using their DNA is a reference.

Expert Swordsmanship Specialist: While not masterful in swordsmanship as some other Captains, Mayuri is skilled enough to hold his own in a fight. His expertise with his Zanpakutō lies in his effective use of its abilities while its in either its Shikai or Bankai release states, rather than his swordsmanship skill. As he relies on those abilities or his pre-planned strategies rather than actually engaging in melee combat with his opponent. Mayuri seems to be ambidextrous, as he wields his Zanpakutō in his right hand and his scythe-ear in his left (often simultaneously). In the anime's Bount arc, he briefly wields his Zanpakutō left-handed as well.

Kidō Master: As the Captain of the Twelfth Division, Mayuri is known for his mastery of Kidō, during the bount arc Shunsui commented that Mayuri was the most proficient Kidō user in the Soul Society.

Flash Steps Expert: Mayuri was shown easily outrunning Uryū's Flying Screen Step technique after the latter stated it to be faster than flash steps. He could not, however, keep up with the Quincy when he entered the Final Form, making him at least an expert in the technique.

Great Spiritual Power: As the Captain of the 12th Division, Mayuri boasts a great amount of spiritual energy. Noted to having amazing spiritual pressure, that comes in waves.

Enhanced Durability: Mayuri has shown himself to have a high tolerance to pain as shown when battling Uryū Ishida, having almost half his body blown off but continued fighting.

Zanpakutō
Ashisogi Jizō redirects here. For the manifested spirit that appears in the Zanpakutō Unknown Tales arc see Ashisogi Jizō (spirit).


 * Ksitigarbha is a bodhisattva that watches over children and the underworld. In Japan, where he is known as Jizō, he looks rather like a baby dressed as a Buddhist monk. Mayuri's Zanpakutō's guard is wrapped in a cloth, and has several spiky protrusions sticking out right below the blade, which appear to resemble leaves. The hilt is pink. Unlike most Shinigami, his Zanpakutō's sheath hangs directly in front of him, instead of to his side as they are commonly worn, through a visibly modified hook on the end of the hilt of Ashisogi Jizō.


 * Liquid Form: When Mayuri's stabs himself with his Zanpakutō while in its sealed state, it has the ability to transform Mayuri into a liquid form. Doing so doesn't kill him, as it is a last resort technique, but instead simply leaves him unable to attack or be attacked, making it an effective escape tool. He commonly can move around in this form and speak as well. He reforms after a few days but without any of his previous body modifications. It's uncertain whether this ability is entirely the product of Ashisogi Jizō, since he specifically relates the ability to himself, not opponents. His various physical modifications may have something to do with the effect or it could be an effect of Zanpakutō modification.


 * Shikai: Ashisogi Jizō's Shikai command is . Ashisogi Jizō's blade glows and transforms into a deformed trident with curved, serpentine blades, the middle blade is straighter and longer then the side blades and appear to ascend from the guard which is shaped like a baby's head with hands clasped in prayer (as Ksitigarbha is depicted), all mounted on his sword's normal hilt which has more ornate spiky protrusions on either side, which resemble golden leaves right below the guard. The baby's mouth secretes a poisonous vapor in this form at various intervals.


 * Shikai Special Ability: The weapon works like the venom of a spider bite; when an opponent is stabbed by Ashisogi Jizō, it severs the brain signals controlling the neural impulses for movement in the limb's of the victim, regardless of where they were struck. But unlike regular paralysis, the pain receptors and nerve endings are unaffected by the weapon, so the victim can still feel pain, even in a paralyzed limb. During the Bount arc, it is shown that healing the stab wound does not immediately remove the inflicted paralysis.


 * Bankai: : The Baby's head on the guard opens its mouth as it produces a giant creature with the body of a caterpillar in a red cape with a grotesque golden baby's head and arms with a silver halo hovering around its head. It emits its own individual, red reiatsu upon release. When in this form his Zanpakutō returns to its sealed state. In this state the creature seems to follows Mayuri's verbal commands.


 * Bankai Special Ability: The creature breathes a poisonous derivative of Mayuri's blood which is lethal to anyone who breathes it, aside from Mayuri and Nemu. The poison spreads through such a wide area, and it is almost impossible to avoid it. Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō's poison is very potent, as Szayel Aporro's body started to break down immediately after it was introduced. The poison has an antidote, which Nemu keeps behind her lieutenant's badge, and which Mayuri keeps on his person. Mayuri can change the composition of the poison as well, ensuring that no foolproof antidote can ever be manufactured to cure it, and no immunity is developed against it.


 * Retractable Blades: Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō can produce numerous blades which can also extend from its chest, allowing it to run through and skewer opponents. This, used simultaneously with its poison makes Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō particularly lethal to anyone that cannot keep a safe distance, which is also difficult due to its immense size. Instead of the blades, it can also apparently devour an opponent after it charges into them, killing them.


 * Self-Destruct Protocol: Mayuri has also physically modified Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō itself so that it will self-destruct and return to its sealed state if it were to attack him, implying that it is sentient as well as organic, reminiscent of Captain Retsu Unohana's Minazuki.

Nemu Kurotsuchi
Mayuri's "daughter" that he made himself from gigai and gikon technology. Since she is his daughter, they hold many similarities. He often abuses and mistreats her in many ways, such as using her as a human shield. Despite all this, Nemu seems to be very loyal to her father and has displayed this when she injured herself in order to give him an advantage in battle. In contrast to Mayuri's persona, Nemu is more kind and caring, shown when she thanked Uryū for not killing her father.

Trivia

 * Mayuri Kurotsuchi is the first captain to show his Bankai in the manga and anime. He is also the first Shinigami in general to reveal their Bankai.


 * Kurotsuchi's last name is one of the few Shinigami names in Bleach which uses kanji based on the meaning of the name and not the sound. "Kurotsuchi" means "black soil" (kuro - black; tsuchi - soil), as does the kanji (涅). However, the kanji's reading (pronunciation) is "ne" or "so".


 * Interestingly enough, Mayuri's Zanpakutō refers to Jizō (being his Japanese name), and might share many things, especially that Jizō, in the Japanese culture, watches over the children and those who suffered in the underworld (that could be a reference to Mayuri's torture with his Zanpakutō).


 * Mayuri's extension arm resembles the "rocket punch" attack which many anime robots have, particularly the chain-tethered "Boomerang Fist" technique from the anime Mazinger Z, which was also the first anime to use a "Rocket Punch" attack and the first to use that name for it.


 * Mayuri Kurotsuchi is the only Shinigami to fight and kill an Espada without getting hurt in battle.


 * Besides his encounter with the 8th Espada, each time Mayuri has been involved in combat, he has sustained grievous injuries.


 * As shown with Uryū and Sawatari, Mayuri seems to gain interest and then lose interest in various topics fairly quickly.


 * Mayuri is the only known captain who was once a prisoner of the Maggot's Nest.


 * Tite Kubo has stated in an interview that Mayuri is his favorite character to draw.

Quotes

 * "Tear off, Ashisogi Jizō."


 * "Bankai! Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō."


 * (To Uryū Ishida) "Didn't you know that Zanpakutō have two stages of release?! Ashisogi Jizō is the first stage of my Zanpakutō release, "Shikai". And this Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō is the second stage... in short, "Bankai". The deadly poison of this thing will exterminate you!"


 * (To Uryū Ishida) "It's unfortunate that I can't do research on an excellent specimen like you."


 * (To Uryū Ishida) "DAMN YOU, YOU QUINCY BASTARD!!!"


 * "I swear. Everyone here gets so worked up over the most minute details."


 * "Arrancar, Arrancar, Arrancar, Espada? How intriguing. Hueco Mundo is a treasure trove."


 * (To Szayel Aporro Granz) "Acquaintance? I don't know anybody from that primitive species. Despite the fact Quincy are an endangered species, I don't have the slightest interest in them."


 * (To Szayel Aporro Granz) "There is no such thing as perfect in this world. That may sound cliché, but it's the truth. The average person admires perfection and seeks to obtain it. But what's the point of achieving perfection? There is none. Nothing. Not a single thing. I loathe perfection! If something is perfect, then there is nothing left. There is no room for imagination. No place left for that person to gain additional knowledge or abilities. Do you know what that means? For scientists such as us, perfection only brings despair. It is our job to create things more wonderful than anything before them, but never to obtain perfection. A scientist must be a person who finds ecstasy while suffering from that antinomy. In short, the moment that foolishness left your mouth and reached my ears, you had already lost. Of course, that's assuming you are a scientist."

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