Basic Information
Name: 伊藤 斑鳩 -- Itō Ikaruga
Gender: Female
Age: She appears to be either in her late teens or early twenties, but in actuality she’s two hundred and twenty-three.
Race: Shinigami
Appearance: (See image)
Theme: Ibuki -- Yoshida Brothers
Affiliation: Gotei Thirteen
Position/Rank: Lieutenant of the Thirteenth Division
Fears: Falling asleep. When she died, she was under the impression that she'd wake up right as rain. Now she's paranoid that if she falls asleep, she won't wake up again.
Personality: Ikaruga sports a regal elegance that she achieved through classes her mother had forced the young woman to take when she was still alive. She chastises others for shirking responsibilities much like an older sister would, while she gives ample respect to her superiors and those she deems "of noble standing": Which really could be anybody who acts with any sort of decency whatsoever. She never really got the whole "snob" thing down pat, but it wasn't for lack of trying. She simply loved people too much. She couldn't very well cast them aside if they displayed the most minute of uncouth mannerisms... It just didn't work that way for her.
As she went on in life she managed to pick up kendō at the request of her father (who was also her tutor), though she didn't make it all that far before the accident happened. As a Shinigami she's much less peppy than she used to be. Due to her sleeping habits she tends to move much more slowly and deliberately, often sporting a look of tired aloofness, but still using her same soothing and friendly tone with others should they deem her worthy of conversation. She isn't as angry as she appears to be, honest.
History: Ikaruga was born in a fairly average home. Her father was a samurai and her mother was a seamstress: both of whom cared for her deeply. That was, however, nothing to say of Ikaruga's little sister Aiko. If it was possible, Ikaruga was fairly certain Aiko would do anything for her if it was only to make her nee-sama smile. They spent much of their time together and Ikaruga even tried teaching her the delicate arts of being a 'refined noblewoman'. It didn't go that well, as was expected, but they had a lot of fun acting like posh Japanese nobles at court in some daimyo's castle.
As time passed and the family got on with their lives, the two sisters would become thick as thieves. The two would converse idly about the days events and Ikaruga often asked Aiko questions to make her flustered on purpose. Her reactions were so adorable that the young woman couldn't quite help herself.
This would continue on for weeks until one day, Aiko found a coin in the middle of the busy cobbled streets. Ikaruga had stopped holding Aiko's hand at her little sister's behest: she was growing too old for such things. Before Ikaruga could react, her sister had darted into the road.
Everything that happened afterward seemed to go in slow-motion. Ikaruga heard the thundering of hooves and the shouts of a frightened man. Before her brain could process what would happen next, she sprinted out into the road and dove into her sister, wrapping her arms around her and turning roughly to shield her from the oncoming rider. As Ikaruga was trampled, she heard a sickening cacophony of cracks and pops coming from within her chest. She wasn't quite sure how, but the pain wasn't so bad. Her vision began to fade and she felt tired... So very tired. The young woman's gaze drifted downward to the visage of Aiko. She was unharmed. That was good. As her vision faded to black, her eyes began to close. Why was she so tired? Ikaruga would be fine, right? She'd wake up from this nap to Aiko's bright smiling face and life would go on as normal.
If only that were true.
When the doctors arrived, Ikaruga had woken up. Well. She thought she had, anyway. When the young woman had stood from the ground where the horse had crushed her, she immediately became aware of the heavy chain protruding from where her heart would be. It wound its way along the ground and eventually came to Aiko's wrist where it was wrapped firmly. Ikaruga tried to ignore it but couldn't. She tried to communicate with her sister, but became painfully aware that Aiko couldn't hear her. Then, when she finally came to terms with what was going on, she turned her head to see the aftermath of the collision. There was her body; battered and broken. She shook her head in disbelief and tried to think that she would pull through, but there was no way. Immediately the realization that she would never see her family again hit her. She wouldn't see Aiko grow up. She wouldn't get to talk to her about the boys she liked or what she did in class anymore.
She stared at the wagon as it carted her body away. Aiko was sobbing behind Ikaruga into a policeman's shoulder. Wasn't she just going to sleep...? Dozens of questions followed suit before she felt a firm hand on her shoulder. A rather burly man clad in black, wielding a katana spoke to her in the gentlest way he possibly could. He explained what would be happening and how she had to let her sister go, lest she turn into a hollow and devour little Aiko's soul. Ikaruga, with one last fleeting glance at her sister, swallowed hard and accepted her fate, knowing that if anything happened to Aiko on her account she would never forgive herself, even if she would have the excuse of being a mindless beast.
The man gently bopped her on the forehead with the butt of his tsuka and she immediately felt a pleasant warmth spread through her body. She found herself in the middle of a crowded street with a new set of formfitting clothes draped over her body.
Within a few days she managed to land herself a position as an assistant to a tailor within the Rukongai. Her job was simple; patch clothing and keep out the riffraff. The latter, however, was harder than initially described. She had to keep a bokutō on her person at all times and even had to beat the living snot out of a few people. Eventually she started to gain an appetite, and after a few more days she was contacted by the same man who had allowed her passing into the afterlife. He told her to join the Shinigami Academy and learn how to properly use a sword. She agreed and is now a fairly respected individual amongst the Gotei Thirteen's ranks.
Zanpakuto Information
Name: Amayako (The Rain Child)
Zanpakuto Element: Water
Sealed Appearance: Amayako looks to be an oil-paper umbrella with a very detailed mural of a swallow soaring amongst falling plum blossom petals on a blood red backdrop. The blade itself is twenty-five inches long and concealed within the bamboo handle of the umbrella.
Spirit Appearance: Amayako appears to be a small girl similar in appearance to Aiko: albeit with pitch black hair and crimson colored eyes instead of the normal blonde and blue. She wears a black silk kimono adorned with the pattern of three interlocked triangles (colored white) dotted around its surface. More often than not she covers her dour face with a red fan. Her favorite past time is watching the rain fall (a constant occurrence) from within the shrine she lives in within her realm.
Release Command: Cleanse the wicked, Amayako!
Shikai Appearance: Amayako's blade takes the shape of what appears to be a crashing wave with the tips of each wake curling downward; similar to that of a crude sawblade. The umbrella itself changes its motif to that of a swallow perched in a tree; a torrential downpour hampering its flight.
Shikai Power-Ups: Aside from increased defensive capability from the umbrella, the gnashing teeth of her blade tend to inflict more damage on her opponents as they rend muscle and bone alike.
Shikai Techniques/Abilities
- Ōkina Nami (probably an incorrect translation. It's supposed to be 'Great Wave'): Amayako dissolves and expands into a wave that collides with her opponent. Its main use is to throw her foe off balance. Its weakness is quite plain to see, however: the blade of Amayako is effectively gone at this point, and if her adversary gets within reach, she's virtually defenseless until the wave comes back and forms a sword-edge once more.
Bankai Status: Not Achieved
Bankai Name:
Bankai Appearance:
Bankai Power-Ups:
Bankai Techniques/Abilities
-
-
-
Combat Information
Specialization: Ikaruga specializes in the use of not only her blade, but the umbrella as well. Its 'paper' possesses the strength of steel and acts much as a shield would. She also has a natural affinity for Kido, she just hasn't had the patience (or drive) to learn a wider variety of techniques as of yet.
Qualification: Zanjutsu
Known Techniques:
Hakuda -- Ikaruga is no expert with hand-to-hand combat. On the contrary it's one of her worst skills; albeit only slightly below average. She uses something akin to the Drunken Fist style of martial arts along with the more traditional styles taught at the academy.
- Takigoi (滝鯉, Waterfall Carp)
- Gatling Mad-Stomping (地団駄 (ガトリング), Gatoringu Jidanda)
- Tornado Kick (トルネードキック, Torunēdokikku)
Zanjutsu -- This is where Ikaruga excels amongst her peers. Despite her rather "abysmal" hand-to-hand skills, she was asked to join the Eleventh Division more than once on account of her prowess with a blade. Not only is her offensive game fairly fantastic, but her defensive capabilities are astounding. She wields the umbrella as if it were an extension of her body and uses it to full effect whenever possible.
- Hōzuri (頬摺, Cheek Stroke)
- Shitonegaeshi (褥返し, Cushion Return)
- Suikawari (西瓜割, Watermelon Splitting)
- Onibi (鬼火, Oni Fire)
- Agitowari (顎割, Chin/Jaw Splitting)
- Senmaioroshi (千枚卸, Thousand-Page Wholesale)
Kidō -- Ikaruga possesses very basic knowledge of Kidō and only ever employs its use rarely; although it's been said her control over the magics is quite exceptional, bordering on perfection.
- #1. Shō (衝, Thrust)
- #4. Byakurai (白雷, Pale Lightning)
- #11. Tsuzuri Raiden (綴雷電, Bound Lightning)
Hohō -- Due to her rather small size, Ikaruga relies on fast movements to keep herself alive. Her skill with Hohō, in conjunction with her exemplary abilities with a blade, make for a devastating combination.
- Shunpo (瞬歩, Flash Steps)
- Idou Senkou
- Senka (閃花, Flash Blossom)
-As stated previously, Amayako functions much like a shield with reach because of its unusual hardness found in the paper that makes up the umbrella itself.
- Ikaruga's skill doesn't come from flashy Zanpakuto powers; but from her prowess and mastery of the basic skills taught in the Shinigami Academy. Her swordplay is exemplary, her Kidō usage (although a touch shallow) is terrifying if used against an opponent, and her use of various Hohō techniques used in conjuction with Amayako is a splendid sight to behold. She's living proof that the fundamentals can be just as deadly, if not more so, than a powerful Shikai.
Other Information
-Despite what she's been told, Ikaruga wears a haori similar to that of a captain, just without the insignia. It's no secret she dreams of being a captain some day.
- Ikaruga wears a red sash because it looks like a bigger version of the ribbon Aiko wore in her hair.
- The poor girl is usually seen with dark circles around her eyes thanks to her poor sleeping habits.
- When Ikaruga carries Amayako around, the umbrella is always open and shielding her from the sun.
