Ichibē Hyōsube/Expanded Universe

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Overview

Expanded Universe

Image Gallery

Ichibē Hyōsube
Race	Soul
Gender	Male
Professional Status
Affiliation	Soul Society, Soul King, Noble Houses
Profession	Shinigami
Position	Protecting the Soul King
Division	Royal Guard
Base of Operations	Soul King Palace
Personal Status
Education	N/A
Zanpakutō
Shikai	Ichimonji
Shin'uchi	Shirafude Ichimonji
First Appearance
Manga	Chapter 516
Video Game	Bleach: Brave Souls

Ichibē Hyōsube (兵主部 一兵衛, Hyōsube Ichibē) is the commanding Shinigami of the Royal Guard, holding the title "Monk Who Calls the Real Name" (真名呼和尚, Manako Oshō; Viz "High Priest").

Personality

Not much is known about Ichibē's own characteristics, as he appears to be driven solely by an unquestionable loyalty and obedience towards the ancestors of the five Noble Houses. Ichibē seems to be indifferent to the status of the three worlds by themselves, caring only about maintaining the status quo as he was ordered to do by the Five Ancestors, as evidenced by him berating Ōetsu Nimaiya for suggesting that the Royal Guard interfere more.

Ichibē is noted to be extremely apathetic, almost to the point of sociopathy, towards the horrifying and degrading existence of the Linchpin. People such as Tier Harribel, Sōsuke Aizen, his fellow members in the Royal Guard, Tokinada Tsunayashiro, and even Yhwach, have all expressed a disgust towards the nature of the Linchpin and the Soul King's inhuman mutilation. Ichibē, meanwhile, is noted to discuss the subject as if he were merely conversing about the weather. Indeed, when Shunsui Kyōraku expressed a genuine relief that Ichigo Kurosaki did not need to be sacrificed as the new Linchpin, Ichibē callously brushed off the subject, noting that he would only have missed conversing with the Human boy.

Regardless, Ichibē has shown a rather enigmatic conviction towards the Soul King, expressing his belief that everything that happens does so only according to the Soul King's wishes.

History

Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World

Millions of years prior to the Quincy Blood War, Ichibē Hyōsube came into being in a chaotic, primordial world. By his own admission, he was one of the few "exceptional" beings born during that time, alongside the ancestors of the five Noble Houses and the Soul King.

Ichibē was personally present as the Five Ancestors sealed an unresisting Soul King inside a crystal and used his omnipotent powers to split their world into three new ones: Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, and the Human World, and in the process created the cycle of life and death. Ichibē likewised witnessed the Soul King's degrading mutilation at the hands of the Five Ancestors, a process he was unfazed by. For the following millions of years, Ichibē dutifully protected the linchpin and the status quo as he was instructed to do by the Five Ancestors.

At some point in the primeval days of Soul Society, a powerful Hollow attacked Soul Society and even defeated a young Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto before attempting to devour the Soul King himself. However, the Hollow was defeated by Ichibē, who used his Ichimonji to erase the Hollow's name. Since the Hollow contained too many consumed Souls to purify at once, Ōetsu Nimaiya sealed the Hollow inside a Zanpakutō, and Ichibē used Shirafude Ichimonji to rename the Hollow as Ikomikidomoe.

Plot

Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World

Shortly after Yhwach's final defeat at the hands of Ichigo Kurosaki, Ichibē Hyōsube is silently staring at the former Soul King's shrine when he is approached by Captain-Commander Shunsui Kyōraku. The two Shinigami have a cryptic conversation about the state of the current Soul King, and Ichibē is confronted by Shunsui about the his's decision to potentially sacrifice Ichigo to become the new Soul King. While Shunsui makes it clear that such a decision would have weighed heavily on him, as well as Ichigo's companions, Ichibē nonchalantly says that he would merely have missed talking to the young boy.

When Shunsui voices his relief that Ichigo did not have to be cut down, Ichibē responds that it was mere luck. He never expected Ichigo to defeat or even survive against Yhwach, but the latter's decision to absorb the former Soul King's powers was an unexpected fortune. When Shunsui tries to steer the conversation towards the Five Noble Families, the two are interrupted by the arrival of Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck, and Tier Harribel. Ichibē assures the Espada that they are free to leave, or even be escorted, back to Hueco Mundo. When Grimmjow remains suspicious, the Royal Guard commander adds that killing three Menos-class Arrancar would be too much trouble due to how disruptive their deaths would be to the balance of Souls.

After Harribel interrupts them by asking if the "thing" enshrined behind them is what they call the Soul King, the core of Soul Society, Ichibē confirms this, asking her if she is able to tolerate such an existence. Harribel refuses to answer, saying only that she understands Sōsuke Aizen's motivations now before departing.

Ichibē then prepares to leave as well, saying that he should revive the remaining Royal Guard members. Ichibē explains that, since their bones are infused with the Ōken, the Royal Guard members' very life essence is fused with the Soul King Palace. As long as the palace remains intact, Ichibē can revive the others by calling their names. While Ichibē mentions that he will not allow the rest of his squad to die easily, as is their fate, he suddenly becomes distracted as he senses someone has entered the palace without permission.

Six months later, Ichibē confronts the revived Ōetsu Nimaiya in the Hōōden to discuss the current events. After the two share some banter, Ichibē asks Nimaiya if Ikomikidomoe is indeed in the Valley of Screams. Nimaiya replies that Ichibē already has seen it all, and Ichibē muses on the strangeness that a monster among Menos has now reached a different evolutionary path. While Nimaiya tries to mention Tokinada Tsunayashiro and Aura Michibane's unsanctioned entrance into the palace, Ichibē interrupts him and says that their purpose is simply to maintain the status quo, for it does not matter who rules over the world as long as the world itself stays the same.

When Nimaiya disagrees, Ichibē merely replies that he will not interfere in the matters of Soul Society because Shunsui is doing an admirable job and there is no reason for them to favor one descendant of the Noble Houses over another. Sitting, Ichibē notes that regardless of the Linchpin's free will, or lack thereof, as long as it maintains the worlds, the "ordinary peace" will remain. A laughing Ichibē turns his gaze towards the greater palace and wonders what the Soul King, Yhwach, has as their opinion.

Powers & Abilities

True Name Manipulation: Ichibē can manipulate true names - the metaphysical representations of sentient being - which grants him a certain amount of power over the target.

Limited Clairvoyance: According to Ōetsu Nimaiya, Ichibē has the ability to view events that happen inside the realms outside the Soul King Palace. This clairvoyance even extends to the Valley of Screams.

Ōken: As one of the Royal Guards, Ichibē has the Ōken imparted in his bones. According to Ichibē himself, he can feel the Soul King's will inside his Ōken.

Zanpakutō

Ichimonji (一文字, Straight Line; Viz "One Written Character"): Its sealed form takes the form of a large calligraphy brush which Ichibē uses to write calligraphic characters.

Ichibē releases his Shikai, Ichimonji.

• Shikai: Its release command is "Blacken" (黒めよ, Kuromeyo). Upon release, the brush transforms into a form of a somewhat short glaive, with the top portion taking the form of a short, single edged blade reminiscent of a tip of a chokutō, attached to the long brush handle.

Shikai Special Ability: Whenever Ichibē swings Ichimonji, its blade releases ink. Anything that this ink covers loses its name, and thus its powers.

Ichibē's Shin'uchi, Shirafude Ichimonji.

• Shin'uchi: Shirafude Ichimonji (しら筆 一文字, White Brush Straight Line; Viz "White Brush One Written Character"): Uniquely, Ichibē activates his Bankai by calling out "Shin'uchi" (真打, True Strike; Viz "True Blade") instead of Bankai, as Ichimonji was the first Zanpakutō to take on an evolved form long before the term "Bankai" existed. Upon activation, the blade of Ichibē's brush turns white and becomes a long, thick thread that coils in the air around him.

Shin'uchi Special Ability: With Shirafude Ichimonji, Ichibē can give and change the name of targets who have been struck by the ink of Ichimonji by writing kanji on their body; doing so gives his target the properties and powers of the name granted. By granting Ikomikidomoe its current name, Ichibē stripped the Hollow of most of its power and bound it into servitude.

Weaknesses

Zanpakutō

Soul King: While Ichimonji is an extremely powerful Zanpakutō, it seems to be less effective upon any being with the power of the Soul King in them. Yhwach was able to nullify Ichimonji upon activating The Almighty, and upon consuming a few of the Soul King fragments that composed Hikone Ubuginu, Ikomikidomoe was able to break free of Ichimonji's curse.