Kaname Tōsen



Kaname Tōsen (東仙 要, Tōsen Kaname) was formerly the blind Captain of the 9th Division of the Gotei 13. He was revealed as a co-conspirator working for Sōsuke Aizen and left Soul Society along with him and Gin Ichimaru. He then became a Commander in Aizen's Army of Arrancar. The Soul Society ordeal put him at odds with his formerly closest friend Sajin Komamura, as well as his former Lieutenant in the 9th Division, Shūhei Hisagi.

Appearance
Tōsen has dark skin and dark brown braids. He has pupil-less eyes that are a pale lavender, and has been blind since birth. Tōsen, like Sōsuke Aizen and Gin Ichimaru, has changed his outfit after defecting from Soul Society. He now wears clothing similar to the Arrancar, with a sleeveless coat, black hakama, longer gloves, band-like visor, an orange rope coming from his right shoulder running across his chest to under his left arm, and his braids let down. He is usually seen carrying his Zanpakutō in his hand, but has also been seen with it suspended from a string-like attachment on the side of his clothes.

While a captain he wore the traditional Shinigami uniform with the sleeves rolled up to the shoulder and his captain's haori over it; the uniform is tied with a purple obi sash. He also wore an orange scarf around his neck, white boots (instead of the normal sandals), and black, fingerless gloves. He usually wore clear goggles, although this was not always the case. He kept his hair tied back in a ponytail.

Around 100 years ago, he wore the standard Shinigami uniform with a long-collared white jacket over it. His hair was held backwards and up (somewhat resembling Love Aikawa's current hairstyle), while a mask obscured his mouth and nose, while large goggles covered his eyes and forehead, completely hiding his face.

Personality
Tōsen's creed in life is to "take the path with the least bloodshed"; it was for this reason that he felt it necessary to follow Sōsuke Aizen. Despite this, he knows of Aizen's plan to create the King's Key, which will require the deaths of thousands of innocent people. He was also willing to attack and kill members of his own division while acting as the 5th seat, including Hollowfying his own captain. Tōsen, along with Gin Ichimaru was identified by Kenpachi Zaraki as being afraid of death, this is later confirmed with him saying he only feared being assimilated into the Shinigami culture and dying a pointless death. His own description of himself as a "pure being" when explaining why Wonderweiss Margera likes him shows degrees of pride and arrogance as well. Also, despite stating many times how much his friend loved the world, he himself never said so, and in fact hated the world that took away his friend.

As Captain of the 9th Division, which is charged with the editing of Seireitei Communication, Tōsen was the chief editor of the journal. He himself wrote a serialization titled "The Path of Justice", which was not very popular, until he began to publish cooking recipes in his articles, which made them more popular among female Shinigami. This also indicates that his speciality is indeed cooking, his favorite dishes being chicken stewed with carrots and other sophisticated ones. He does not like pickled food.[3]

Tōsen also has several unique relationships with the Arrancar. Tōsen thinks of Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez in the same manner as Kenpachi Zaraki; a killing machine that will cause only more bloodshed in the world.[4] Wonderweiss Margera seems to have a large affection towards him. Tōsen explains that this is because they are both pure spirits, and that pure spirits tend to attract and follow each other.

Powers & Abilities
Master Swordsmanship Specialist: Though he has a personal philosophy that would question the need for violence, Tōsen is highly proficient in the use of his Zanpakutō, which is further impressive from his blind status. During his days as merely the 5th seated officer of the 9th division, he was able to fight at a captain's level as shown when facing Shinji Hirako (Though Shinji was focused on halting his Hollowfication process at the time).[47] Tōsen's swordsmanship mastery is even further emphasized by his being able to hold his own against Kenpachi Zaraki, one of Soul Society's foremost experts in swordsmanship, even if it was only for a short time.[48]

Shunpo Expert: Tōsen was fast enough to sneak up behind Grimmjow (when he attacked Karakura Town) before he realized it. Tōsen was also able to cut off Grimmjow's arm before he received any pain and obliterate the arm with a mid-level Kidō before it hit the ground, a testament of his speed.[49] [50] He could quickly protect Aizen from Shinji's attack. [51]

Kidō Expert: Tōsen has been shown to use high level Kidō spells without incantation.[52] [53] Immense Spiritual Power: As the former Captain of the 9th Division of the Gotei 13, Tōsen boasts a great amount of spiritual energy. His skill in the use of his spiritual power is evident as he uses his spiritual sense to "see". It is augmented further after Tōsen's Hollowfication.
 * Garganta: This is how Hollows move to, and from, Hueco Mundo. Tōsen has demonstrated the ability to use the technique. It literally tears open the dimensional fabric separating the worlds, revealing a tunnel of whirling, torrential energy that must be focused and solidified to create a discernible pathway.[54] [55]

[edit] Zanpakutō
Suzumushi (清虫, Cricket; Viz "Bell Bug"): In its sealed state, Suzumushi looks like a regular katana. The tsuba is in a tear-drop shape, with the base of the drop arcing over the top of the blade, and the point of the drop pointing below the cutting edge. A row of several tiny tear-drop shaped holes decorates the bottom of the curve, and a small ring, approximately 2" in diameter, dangles off the tip of the tear-drop. The ring itself plays a vital role in the activation of Tōsen's Bankai. It is unknown whether this is the Zanpakutō of Tōsen's own soul or the one he took from the grave of his friend.
 * Shikai: Unlike most Zanpakutō, Suzumushi has two Shikai commands, each producing a unique automatic effect.
 * Shikai Special Ability: Suzumushi maintains its form of a regular katana. Suzumushi's release command is "Cry" (鳴け, nake), which has the automatic effect of projecting a high-pitched tone over a wide area, overloading the hearing of anyone in range and knocking them unconscious. This comparatively humane and painless technique fits with Tōsen's self-presentation as a proponent of justice.[56] The ring tone is produced by the vibration of Suzumushi, which Tōsen used to free his sword from the chains of Hisagi's Kazeshini.[57]


 * Suzumushi Nishiki: Benihikō (清虫二式紅飛蝗, Cricket 2nd Movement: Crimson Flying Locusts; Viz "Bell Bug Type Two: Flying Locust"): Suzumushi's technique which changes Suzumushi into its Benihikō form. Suzumushi vibrates momentarily and, after Tōsen moves the blade around him in a circle, a trail appears from the sword's path. The trail turns into hundreds of blades that rain down on his opponents.[58]


 * Bankai: Suzumushi Tsuishiki: Enma Kōrogi (清虫終式閻魔蟋蟀, Cricket Final Form: Devil Cricket; Viz: Bell Bug Closing Ceremony: Final Cricket): Suzumushi maintains its form of a regular katana, though without the small ring.
 * Bankai Special Ability: Tōsen holds up his sword in his right hand, and places his left palm against the ring on his crossguard. The ring begins to spin as it releases spiritual energy the faster it spins the circle then grows bigger and bigger until it's large enough to surround his body. The ring then splits into nine other glowing rings, of similar size, that encircle Tōsen.[59] With a slash of his sword, the circles go flying outwards and form a circular perimeter over a large area. Once in position, the ten rings begin to generate a black void that grows in size until it creates a large black dome that's centered around Tōsen's body and is anchored to the ground with the ten rings. The dome creates a vacuum that nullifies the senses of spiritual energy, sight, sound, and scent; what Tōsen calls Mumyō (無明, lit. "No Light", popularly defined as "Ignorance (of Buddhist teachings)"). The only sense the victim retains is that of touch. Unlike with some Zanpakutō's, Suzumushi does not convert itself into the massive dome that it materializes during Bankai. Instead, the dome serves as a separate extension of Suzumushi itself, allowing Tōsen to still wield its sealed form to be used as a weapon while inside the dome, but cannot use its abilities. The technique's main shortcoming is that anyone touching Suzumushi's hilt, not just Tōsen himself, is immune to the dome's effects, so anyone able to grab Suzumushi recovers their senses. The dome only exists as long as Tōsen wills it to, or if he happens to become seriously injured; in either circumstance the dome shreds apart and dissipates.[60]


 * Resurrección: Suzumushi Hyakushiki: Grillar Grillo (鈴虫百式狂枷蟋蟀 [グリジャル・グリージョ], Gurijaru Gurījo; Spanish for "Cricket Hundredth Ceremony: Chirping Cricket,"Japanese for "Cricket Hundredth Ceremony: Lunatic Shackles Cricket")<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-60">[61] The release causes Tōsen to become enveloped in darkness, transforming him into a bestial Hollow-like form. In this form, he becomes hunched-over and his entire body is covered in black fur, with a large Hollow hole in his torso. He also possesses four insect-like arms with clawed hands. Out of the hunch on his back are two large long spiral horns, each adorned near the points with two rings with chains hanging from them. His head takes the form similar to a cricket with a bilateral line running down the center, with large bulbous eyes (which allows him sight) and large rings hanging from the side protrusions. At the bottom of the head is a small opening where his mouth is, which he also has jagged teeth. He has a long bushy tail and a double pair of insect wings.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-61">[62]
 * Resurrección Special Ability: In this form, Tōsen has enhanced versions of his sound-based abilities.
 * Immense Strength: Tōsen's Resurrección grants him increased strength, as he could grab hold of Sajin Komamura's Bankai when it attacks him and crush a portion of its blade with one hand.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-62">[63]


 * Los Nueve Aspectos (九相輪殺 (ロス・ヌウェベ・アスペクトス), Rosu Nuwebe Asupekutosu; Spanish for "The Nine Aspects", Japanese for "Nine Pagoda Finials Kill"): Tōsen draws lime-green circles in the air with his claws, causing a massive burst of sound-based concussive force to reverberate out with crushing power. The strength of this technique is such that it is capable of dealing a fatal blow to Sajin Komamura's Bankai with relative ease.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-63">[64]


 * Cero: Tōsen gains the ability to charge a lime-green Cero in front of both of his eyes. The two Ceros are generated separately, but fuse together before firing, in a way similar to the Cero Sincrético.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-64">[65]

Hollowfication
Hollow Mask: Tōsen's Hollow mask covers most of his head, neck and throat with the exception of small hole in the back for his hair. It has a plain smooth white surface with the only feature being a bilateral line down the middle, separating the mask into two portions. Tōsen's outfit also changes: he loses the orange strap upon his shoulder and gains a chest plate and a pair of small slim shoulder guards with designs similar to his mask.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-65">[66] It is able to open up at the mouth area. When it does, vertical lines appear on the top and bottom, giving it the look of teeth.
 * Power Augmentation: While wearing the mask, Tōsen's Hollow powers supplement his Shinigami powers, giving him a vast increase in both strength and speed.
 * Enhanced Strength: While wearing his Hollow mask, Tōsen has shown that he has greater strength, which he uses to effortlessly block Tenken and kick Komamura, sending him crashing into the buildings below.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-66">[67]
 * Enhanced Speed: While wearing his Hollow mask, Tōsen has shown enhanced speed, which he uses to overwhelm Hisagi and Komamura.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-67">[68]
 * High-Speed Regeneration: While wearing his Hollow mask, Tōsen is able to heal his mangled arm to the point where it does not show any signs that it was injured.