Sōgyo no Kotowari (Zanpakutō spirit)

This article is about the manifested spirit of Jūshirō Ukitake's Zanpakutō. For his Zanpakutō and its abilities, see Sōgyo no Kotowari.

is the manifested spirit of Jūshirō Ukitake's Zanpakutō that is seen during the Zanpakutō Unknown Tales arc.

Character Outline
Sōgyo no Kotowari's spirit takes the form of two young, light gray-haired, playful, twin boys with large, oval-shaped, light green-colored eyes and they have their short hair pulled back into ponytails. They are identical with light blue over kimonos, triangular-shaped hats, light beige hakama pants and blue shoes. Their clothing resembles those of traditional Japanese shinto priests. Reflecting their child-like appearance, both boys are first seen laughing and playing before facing Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryusai. They seem to frequently hold hands, much like Ukitake's swords, which are held together by a red rope. Their reason for leaving is currently unknown. They have not shown any resentment or dislike of their former master.

Synopsis
They first appear when several Zanpakutō spirits are in a cave waiting for Muramasa's return. They are later seen in Soul Society along with Minazuki and Katen Kyōkotsu as they approach the main office of the 1st Division. They are then confronted by Chōjirō Sasakibe and apparently take Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto as their hostage. They are last seen along with the rest of the Zanpakutō spirits appearing before the Shinigami that have gathered at the Sōkyoku Hill. According to Muramasa, their power, and the powers of Katen Kyōkotsu and Minazuki, were needed to seal Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto away.

Sōgyo no Kotowari is later seen with Minazuki and Katen Kyōkotsu, using their energies to keep Yamamoto sealed in a pyramid-shaped barrier. When a Shinigami rescue party enters the cave, Sōgyo no Kotowari note the party's presence and go to meet their owner. They playfully tackle Jūshirō Ukitake upon seeing him, asking him to play a game. Releasing him, they decide on a new game, settling on "Fetch the Fan." They produce a large folding scroll, out of which comes two elaborate fans made of energy. The fans begin to spin rapidly and dart toward Ukitake.

Powers & Abilities
Immense Spiritual Power: As one of the three Zanpakuto spirits used to seal away Captain-Commander Yamamoto, Sogyo no Kotowari possesses significantly high levels of spiritual energy.