Ōko Yushima


 * This page is about the Shinigami. For the Modified Soul character from episode 338, see Ōko Yushima (Modified Soul).

is a Shinigami of the 12th Division and worked in the Shinigami Research and Development Institute. He was the developer of the Mod Souls.

Appearance
Yushima bears a great resemblance to both Nozomi and Kagerōza Inaba, having long green hair and brown eyes, but no yellow hair and a more narrow jawline with less-define cheekbones. During his time with the Tenth Division, he wore the standard Shinigami shihakushō. After he was transferred to the Twelfth Division, however, he donned a long yellow robe that buttoned up in the front and protruded upwards from his neck, covering the entirety of the back of his head, in the same fashion as Kagerōza Inaba's attire.

Personality
Yushima comes across as shy around others. Despite this shyness, Yushima cared little about being with others, believing that if he relies on others they will only get in the way. Ironically, he wanted greatly to prove himself to others, despite not caring for anyone in the first place. When he became a researcher, he took great pride in his work, becoming deeply enraged when the Central 46 canceled Project Spearhead, screaming at them while demanding a reason for why they shut down the project, and in turn he retaliates in order to save his life's work.

History
Yushima had a difficult time graduating the Shin'ō Academy. During which, his combat skills were poor, causing him to feel that others looked down on him. When he eventually graduated, he was placed in the 10th Division. However, ninety-six years before Inaba's uprising, he was transferred to the Twelfth Division and the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, because his superiors thought that he was not cut out to fight, but as he was smart and a hard worker, he was a better fit with the S.R.D.I.

He was the leader of Project Spearhead, but Central 46 discontinued the project, leaving Yushima enraged, demanding an explanation. In an attempt to preserve his research, Yushima tossed the data on Mod Souls into the Dangai, and transferred some of his memories to Kagerōza Inaba, a mod-soul he had created, just as the Shinigami came to arrest him. This left him in a seemingly catatonic state. He was subsequently placed in the Nest of Maggots.

Gotei 13 Invading Army arc (anime only)
Note: Events occurring in this arc are only in the anime and do not constitute canon material.

Yushima is confined to a cell in the Nest of Maggots where he sits in a chair, immobile. When Kagerōza returns to Soul Society from Karakura Town. Kagerōza visits his cell, commenting that it is useless to run from him. Kagerōza then laughs wildly.

Later, after his confrontation with Retsu Unohana in the Institute, Kagerōza returns to the cell. He reassures Yushima, stating that Nozomi will return to Soul Society without fail.

Once the Reigai defeat the captains, Inaba returns yet again, after having a disturbing dream. He goes to Yushima and asks him why he is worried. He tells him that everything is going to plan. Inaba asks if he is worried about Nozomi, saying that it is only a matter of time. Coughing up blood, he explains that he expected to be injured by the originals as they are not fools. He tells Yushima that he will see to it that the world will learn of his wish.

Later, Kisuke Urahara and Kon find him in the Nest of Maggots. Kon attempts to make him speak, but Urahara states that he may never regain consciousness.

Inventions
Kaizō Konpaku: Yushima created the mod souls that were manufactured under Project Spearhead, including Kagerōza Inaba and Nozomi Kujō.

Powers & Abilities
Master Scientist and Inventor: While as a Shinigami he was inept in combat, he was noted for being very intelligent, ultimately getting him transferred to the 12th Division's Research and Development Institute. There he was responsible for creating the Mod Souls.

Zanpakutō

 * His Zanpakutō takes the form of an ordinary katana with a golden hilt with a red cloth-wrapping and maroon sheath. It has a rectangular tsuba with a cross shape embossed on it. Yushima wore it on his sash.


 * Shikai: When released, the katana turns into a double-headed voulge with red markings on it. With the combined powers of Inaba and Nozomi, Yushima's Zanpakutō becomes a combination of both their swords, having Raikū's form but with more blade protrusions on the back end of both blade tips similar to Arazome Shigure.


 * Shikai Special Ability: Duplicating an adversary's attack and reproducing it is the power of "Raikū". Absorbing an adversary's spiritual pressure and turning it into one's own is the ability of Nozomi's "Arazome Shigure". Sumitsukigasa possesses the power of both. "Raikū" consumes a great deal of Yushima's spiritual pressure and entails a risk when reproducing an adversary's attack, but with the power of "Arazome Shigure", he is now able to absorb the attack and continue to counterattack indefinitely.


 * Spatial Displacement: His Zanpakutō takes slices of space and recreates them. While it appears that he is manipulating time that is not what he does at all. He uses his Zanpakutō to recreate a space that didn't exist before and shifts his location in space in that instance.


 * By using the release command, Sumitsukigasa glows yellow and transforms further, gaining a large hoop with multiple bladed protrusions along the outside of it. The hoop is set into the middle of the voulge bar where the weapon is commonly held and twirled.


 * Attack Duplication/Reiatsu Absorption: By spinning Sumitsukigasa to the right the central hoop glows pink allowing Yushima to absorb any attack that his Zanpakutō comes into contact with. When he spins Sumitsukigasa to the left the central hoop glows pink and fires the absorbed attack back. This is the true power of his Zanpakutō.


 * By striking Sumitsukigasa into the ground, an elegant fortress wall of purple reishi is formed. The wall transforms all energy around it into reishi, condensing it into a green ball before getting launched as a considerably powerful wave that decimates everything in its path. The wave can dispel even after it is launched.


 * A more powerful variant of Hajō Kūri, in which Sumitsukigasa surrounds Yushima in an elegant fortress of green reishi. There are also various tendrils around the fortress which latch onto the ground beneath it. A huge green light shoots into the sky, casting a Celtic-designed symbol above the fortress. This symbol then proceeds to absorb the reishi that makes up Soul Society, and can fire concentrated green blasts of energy able to destroy a large area within its blast radius. It can also block most external attacks.


 * Bankai: Not Achieved

Quotes

 * "Loneliness is not a sin, no matter what the circumstances, I don't need help from others. Other people only get in the way. To help is mere pity. It is jealousy towards the strong. An insult to a noble spirit. To be alone is to be the only one. The privilege of a superior soul."