Shin'ō Academy

Shin'ō Academy
Kanji	真央霊術院
English	Spiritual Arts Academy
Location Statistics
Type	Educational Facility
Located In	Soul Society
Primary Function	Educating Shinigami
First Appearance
Manga	Chapter 98
Anime	Episode 32

Shinōreijutsuin (真央霊術院, Spiritual Arts Academy), sometimes called the Shinigami Academy, is an institution founded by Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto. Located in the Seireitei, the academy trains Souls with spiritual powers for each of the three military arms of Soul Society.

Overview

Academy Classroom

The academy was founded some 2,100 years ago, where it was known as Genji School (元字塾, Original Private School) with Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto as its grandmaster. It is not under the direct control of Central 46.

The Academy was once called the Shinigami Academy. It was then changed to the Spiritual Arts Academy when it developed into an institute for the next generation of the Kidō Corps and the Onmitsukidō, as well as the Shinigami of the Gotei 13. However, it is still referred to as Shinigami Academy in Rukongai.

The Academy is a sprawling, multiple story building with architecture similar to that of Seireitei. It has an open courtyard, many classrooms, dormitories and practice areas for Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō. According to Aizen, the commandment all Shinigami are taught at the Academy is "Do not seek beauty in battle. Do not seek virtue in death. Do not make the mistake of considering only your own life. If you wish to protect that which you must protect, slice the enemy you must defeat from behind." According to Tōshirō Hitsugaya, the Academy does not teach students to fight for the sake of their superiors or family. Instead he was taught that a Shinigami should give his life to protect his friends and humanity.

Uniform

Shinō Academy uniform.

The uniform of the Academy is similar to the standard Shinigami shihakushō uniform, but with a different color scheme. The women's style consists of a red shitagi (under shirt), a white kosode (shirt) with red stripes, red hakama (trousers), white socks and sandals. For the male version of the uniform, the red is replaced with blue. There is a circular symbol on both breasts of the outer shirt. This appears to be the emblem of the Academy.

Admission to the Academy

Applicants to the academy must pass an entrance exam in order to be admitted, and likely must demonstrate that they have some Reiatsu. The entrance exam seems to be open to any and all who wish to apply, resulting in a wide range of individuals of all ages joining. The social classes of the applicants range from nobles and residents of the more hospitable districts of Rukongai to its more barbaric outer regions. The results of the entrance exam are used to divide up the successful applicants into different classes, with those who obtain the highest grades being placed in the first class. At the start of the academic year, there is a welcoming ceremony for the new students. If an applicant fails the exam, it may be taken again. Shūhei Hisagi failed the entrance exam twice, only passing on his third attempt. Despite this, he went on to become a lieutenant in the Gotei 13.

Academy Curriculum

Zanjutsu Training Hall.

The Academy's curriculum is taught over six years, though exceptionally gifted students have been known to graduate from the academy in less time than this, such as Tōshirō Hitsugaya, Kaien Shiba and Gin Ichimaru. In addition to a more general education, the pupils are taught how to control and make use of their Reiatsu, as well as the four major Shinigami combat forms: Hakuda, Hohō, Kidō, and Zanjutsu. Students also learn how to perform Soul Burials, how to communicate with the spirit of their Zanpakutō, and are prepared for the general duties of a Shinigami. Upon completing the Academy's curriculum, a student will then apply to join a division of the Gotei 13, Kidō Corps or Onmitsukidō.

On occasion, extremely talented Shinigami may be admitted to a division, granted a seated position with a division before completing the full curriculum, or even partake in missions with a division, as Shūhei Hisagi did. The importance of the Academy is undermined somewhat by the influence of the Great Noble Houses, such as when Byakuya Kuchiki used his influence to have Rukia Kuchiki graduate immediately upon adopting her into the Kuchiki clan, and arranged an unseated position with the 13th Division for her.

The Academy no longer teaches its students regarding the history of the Quincy and the dangers they cause on the balance of souls, hence the newer generation of Shinigami do not know such facts.

Teachers & Students

The following is a list of the known teachers & students (past and present) at the Shinō Academy:

Teachers
Name	Role	Status
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto	Academy Founder & Teacher. Taught Shunsui Kyōraku & Jūshirō Ukitake personally.	Inactive
Gengorō Ōnabara	Chief Instructor for Class #1: the special accelerated class. He was the chief instructor for Renji, Hinamori and Kira.	Active
Sōsuke Aizen	Taught an optional calligraphy class at the academy, which was so popular that students had to sit in corridors for the lectures due to the numbers attending.	Inactive
Izuru Kira	Teaches a class on Haiku at the academy.	Active
Students
Shunsui Kyōraku	Alongside Jūshirō Ukitake, he was the first graduate of the Shinō Academy to become a captain in the Gotei 13	Graduated
Jūshirō Ukitake	Alongside Shunsui Kyōraku, he was the first graduate of the Shinō Academy to become a captain in the Gotei 13.	Graduated
Sajin Komamura	Known to have attended the Academy but nothing else is known about his time there.	Graduated
Kaname Tōsen	Known to have attended the academy after a special person to him died.	Graduated
Kakyō	Received an acceptance letter into the academy.	Graduated
Isshin Shiba	The only lectures he paid attention to was medicine, which allowed him to open a small clinic when he was forced to remain in the Human World.	Graduated
Kaien Shiba	He completed the six year course in just two years and because of this is considered a genius.	Graduated
Gin Ichimaru	He completed the six year course in just one year and because of this is considered a genius.	Graduated
Rangiku Matsumoto	She joined the Academy at the same time as Ichimaru.	Graduated
Nanao Ise	She attended the Academy, but could not utilize her Asauchi like the other Shinigami due to her family's lineage. Excelled in Kidō, which allowed her to graduate.	Graduated
Shūhei Hisagi	He succeeded in entering the academy after previously failing his first two entrance exams. However, once there, his talent came to be noticed and he was frequently given missions from the Gotei 13 even though he had not yet graduated. Because of this he was famous among the other students. He was a sixth year when Renji, Hinamori and Kira were first years.	Graduated
Aoga	He was a classmate of Shūhei Hisagi. He was injured by a group of Huge Hollows while leading an Academy training mission for first years to the Human World. However, he survived and graduated.	Graduated
Hotaru Kanisawa	She was a classmate of Shūhei Hisagi. She was killed by a group of Huge Hollows while leading an Academy training mission for first years to the Human World.	Deceased †
Renji Abarai	He was part of Class #1: the special accelerated program. Renji graduated in the 2066th year of the Academy. Excelled in Zanjutsu.	Graduated
Momo Hinamori	She was part of the Class #1, the special accelerated program with Renji and Kira. Excelled in Kidō	Graduated
Izuru Kira	He was part of the Class #1, the special accelerated program with Renji and Hinamori. Balanced Combatant.	Graduated
Rukia Kuchiki	She joined the academy at the same time as Renji but in the average class. She graduated early due to the influence of the Kuchiki Family.	Graduated
Tōshirō Hitsugaya	He was convinced by Rangiku to enter the Academy in order to learn to control his spiritual pressure, which was making his grandmother ill.	Graduated
Makoto Kibune	He was a student of Gengorō Ōnabara and claims that during his time at the Academy his grades were always at the top of the class. However, unlike the previous top students of the academy, the Gotei 13 never tried to recruit him.(Anime Only)	Graduated