#minazuki

[yabbergoth]

| Retsu Unohana

| Bleach

[distinguishedshoeduckdonut]

仕事

[matchadobo]

UNOHANA; kenpachi

it's an understatement to say that i'm obsessed with her. just did a stress reliever to color her before i write a shit ton of hcs 🥺

[helio-art]

Hello 👋 can I have an art request?

Ummm maybe Retsu Unohana with a daughter who looks exactly like her and has this scary sadistic side of her like her mother and also Shunsui and Ukitake interacting with her but getting scared at her sadistic side. Her daughter is a Shinigami and a healer but a deadly fighter like her mother.

☀️hello☀️ so here she is 😁

☀️ heres the little interaction ☀️ lecture sense left to right

[danmeigirl]

[recurring-polynya]

I have been thinking about Minazuki lately for a variety of reasons. One interesting fact about Minazuki is that, while that's the name of both their shikai and bankai, it's spelled differently. Shikai Minazuki is 肉雫唼 (Flesh-Drops' Gorge, per the Bleach Wiki). The Bankai version is 皆尽, All Things' End. (For more translation notes, see this excellent Name Games post from @littleeyesofpallas). However, there is another homonym for Minazuki: 水無月, month of water, aka the old-fashioned name for June. Additionally, there is a wagashi called minazuki wagashi, a triangular rice cake topped with red bean. It is traditionally eaten in June, and according to this Kyoto regional cuisine website, it is used in a Shinto ritual at the end of June "to purify the 'sins and impurities' of the six months from January to June."

What makes this interesting to me is that in Bleach, shinigami are a mixed bag insofar as how open they are about the names and abilities of their zanpakutou, but I think that Unohana's would be among the more commonly known since it's used for healing. But is the spelling common knowledge? It's not like she's going to stand in front of the blackboard on the first day of class and spell it for everyone. (I assume this is how Aizen's obligatory shikai-reveal goes).

Furthermore, the assumption that her zanpakutou uses a slightly archaic/poetic name for a late spring month goes right along with Unohana's whole paragon-of-traditional-womanhood deal. It also would be yet another example of Kubo's love of hiding things in plain sight.

I want to get back to the wagashi, tho! For starters, the idea of "wiping away sins from the first part of the year" to me goes along with both the whole idea of Unohana "turning over a new leaf", so to speak, and maybe also with some of the morning vs. night shift change stuff mentioned in the Name Games post above. Maybe I'm going out on a limb here, but Minazuki's shikai even bears a superficial resemblance to a minazuki, in the sense that Minazuki is a) vaguely triangular, and b) darker colored on top and lighter on the bottom. (This recipe post suggests you can dust your minazuki with matcha powder, if you wanted to make it green).

Unohana already has some associations with tea ceremony, and she publishes a guide to sweet shops in the Seireitei Communication. I guess I just think it would be really funny if everyone thought her zanpakutou was named after a dessert--like if you met some nice, mild-mannered lady with a cute little purse dog named "Cookie", but then, several years later, you find that "Cookie" is short for "Cook My Enemies in the Scorching Hot Oil of Vengeance."

[pastanebula]

had to dim her mewing powers by 50% for everyones safety

based on this (Jean Louis Scherrer Haute Couture Purple Velvet Evening Dress)

[deavyweavy]

YEY art

I tried my best ok.. HEMK the hair is so bad @yumedachi

[gallusrostromegalus]

ok I need elaboration on pretty much all of those bankais that you haven't already talked about but for now i'm probably most curious about ichigo and hanataro? please, a measly few crumbs of context

The short version of Ichigo's sword situation is that he is D'artanigan to Zangetsu's Three displaced-during-the-fuckery-surrounding-his-parent's-meet-cute-slash-manslaughter-thing Musketeers. We got his dad's half-starved family Zanpakuto, The Family Ghost from his Mom's side, and a guy made in an evil instapot that wandered in here on accident and precipitated the whole enfuckening. They are untied in their goal of "Keep Ichigo Alive" but unfortunately they also have a collective IQ of Negative Four.

Reader: Gee Ichigo, why does the author let you have THREE Zanpakuto spirits?

Ichigo: That's nothing! Orihime has SIX!

Ichigo and Orihime's nonsense is connected to how The Almighty operates:)

Meanwhile, short summaries of Unohana and Byakuya's Bankai under the cut:

Unohana:

Minazuki is a sword primarily about the manipulation of flesh- healing injury, making better fighters by pushing the flesh to it's limits- This is a spirit that is distinctly VISCERAL in nature. It has mass. It has a very distinct body.

So it follows that, in order to supply injured patients with blood and drugs and new flesh and everything else, Minazuki is giving up some of her Mass. Consequently, the Stingray form of Minazuki is the SECOND one- she cannot create her elixirs and make new flesh from nothing. First she must FEED.

Which is why Minazuki's liquid format is acidic blood that devours anything organic. It's why Kenpachi!Unohana's bloodthirst was so bloodthirsty: she was literally starving for biomass to complete her sword's two forms and finally put her Soul in Balance.

In the fic, Ukitake is one of a handful of people old enough to remember "Yachiru" Unohana, and until Zaraki's arrival, probably the closest to understanding her. That Unohana and Retsu both understand the horrors of the flesh he lives with every day more intimately than anyone else in his life, and it's the basis of an almost sacred friendship between them. He knows perfectly well where the emergency transfusions and drugs she creates come from, and they have a standing agreement that if he predeceases her, she is to feed his body to Minazuki so he can pay forward at least some of the debt given to him.

He will not be the first of Unohana's friends that have been willingly devoured by her sword.

Byakuya:

Senbonzakura has been with the Kuchiki family for generations, passed from one head of the clan to the next in a sacred ritual that allows the Zanpakuto to bond to its new weilders and grant them the power accumulated with generations.

But for course, everything has it's cost.

Byakuya was not the head of the Kuchiki clan when his father Sojun died prematurely and make Byakuya the orphan heir apparent as an adolescent. He was not the head when he met Hisana in a grove of cherry trees in the middle of harvest, and fell in love with her He was not the head when he had a terrible row with his grandfather Ginrei and the rest of the clan elders about his elopement. He was not the head five years later, when on a cold spring morning before the plum trees had blossomed, Hisana died of a miscarriage.

One week later, when the plum trees bloomed and the cherry trees had budded, Byakuya came to his grandfather, head bowed and heart broken, and agreed to take up the mantle of Clan Head. His soul had already been torn in half, what was another half?

Everything has it's cost, and the price of Senbonzakura's power is the sacrifice of the weilder's own original Zanpakuto spirit, and by transference, the imminent death of the previous head.

He had known this day was coming, ever since his own native Zanpakuto spirit failed to awaken at the academy. At the time, he'd thought it a mercy that the poor thing wouldn't awaken and be aware of being devoured. But now, as he held the tiny, warm body of the spirit out to Senbonzakura, he could only think of the child he never got to hold.

...with Senbonzakura, at least, she'd be at rest with something beautiful that loved her.

Because Senbonzakura loves it's family, and in particular it adores Byakuya. It has, ever since Byakuya fearlessly climbed it's branches as a small boy, since he partook of the sword's fruits as a young man, and now, when Byakuya offered the most precious parts of himself to the sword with a sense of peace and profound trust. And Senbonzakura repays that trust in kind.

The sword's shikai release is the same, or at least similar for all it's wielders, but long-term friends of the family note that that is a LOT MORE blades than the sword ever summoned for Ginrei or any other head.

The Bankai is different every time. Senbonzakura is ready to give Byakuya whatever Bankai he wants immediately, but it's not until after he adopts Rukia and sees her fooling around in the family orchards when she thinks he isn't watching that he realizes the shape it should be.

It's name is "Senbonzakura: Sakura no Kaju-en" and it is beautiful and terrible.

Sakura no Kaju-en requires only that Byakuya pierce the flesh of his enemy or the terrain around him with one or more of his petal-blades. Once in the ground or embedded in flesh, the blade is transformed into a seed and an entire magical cherry tree grows from it, converting the Reishi and spiritual energy around it into its own mass. Since Byakuya is effectively wielding somewhere around 10,000 petal blades in his shikai alone, he can summon up to 10,000 devouring cherry trees, which will radically alter the landscape of battle and blossom into millions and millions of new petal-blades.

That is, unless his foe is unfortunate enough to have the blades penetrate their flesh. Then the trees will devour them as they grow. Even a truly massive opponent like Yammy can be mulched in minutes.

The trees initially blossom almost white, but as his enemies are felled and Senbonzakura drinks, the blooms grow pinker and then redder until they transform into deep crimson fruits.

It's a brutal Bankai, but a beautiful one. When Byakuya looks out upon the blooming landscape and tastes the sweet fruits of his efforts, it brings him peace to know the small, sleeping spirit he had to sacrifice is playing somewhere within, they way he saw Rukia playing in the family orchards that day.

[distinguishedshoeduckdonut]

M I N A Z U K I

[elreyrata]

So a lot of people have been saying that Unohana’s Bankai is either blood manipulation or an illusion of some sort so here’s my guess for it. So her Shikai basically turns into a manta ray who’s stomach acid heals wounds, so the only way for that to work is for the injured to be inside Minazuki. Now here’s my idea for what her Bankai really is. My guess is that she can manipulate the stomach acid of Minazuki, and not only can she manipulate it but it transports her and her opponent into the manta ray’s stomach, ALSO she can also heal herself with the acid like her Shikai. It makes sense because Shikais and Bankais are supposed to be similar to each other yet different, wherein Unohana’s Shikai can heal people with stomach acid, her Bankai kills people with the same thing. It would make sense for the whole belly in the beast kinda theme she has for her zanpakuto.

[paintedscales]

FFXIV Write 2023 :: Day 18

Prompt :: Fish Out of Water Characters :: Nomin tal Kheeriin, Minazuki, Koharu Mihata, Shiun Abumi, Rokka Iteya, Yozan Nagae, Slafborn Rhotweitzsyn (mentioned), F'lhaminn Qesh (mentioned), Hoary Boulder (mentioned), Y'shtola Rhul (mentioned), Y'mhitra Rhul (alluded to) Word Count :: 2,706

FFXIV Write 2023 Master List

A formal education had never really been granted to Nomin when she lived on the Steppe. So when she sat among the children as a guest at the Doman Enclave who were now able to attend their classes, Nomin felt rather out of her element. While she found fascination at the idea that there were so many educational materials around her, it was also quite overwhelming to a degree.

However, the children had been delighted that their friend and idol had been there to visit. Nomin found some sense of solace in that as she watched Yozan, Rokka, Shiun, and Koharu take their own seats and listen attentively as Minazuki took chalk to board and wrote out the names of the provinces and territories of Othard. Her tail curled with a sense of calm happiness at witnessing them take so eagerly to learning what they could -- and also sharing what they had learned back when they were in Revenant’s Toll when F’lhaminn took the time to teach them what she knew and had access to.

When it came to the lessons of geography and maths, Nomin found herself quite enthralled and familiar with the material. Though when it came to the lessons of written word, she found herself lacking. There were plenty of things taught by Minazuki that Nomin never really learned from Bayarmaa when Nomin had been younger. Nomin could only count her blessings that she was not asked to provide any insight nor examples for their sentence structure nor grammar like she had been for the geography portion of their lessons.

It was only when Minazuki asked the children to write of people or things that inspire them that all of them seemed to light up before leaving their desks to cluster around Nomin. For a moment, Nomin had looked at each of them, her tail stiffening at the perceived implication of why they all gathered around her.

“Miss Nomin!” Koharu spoke up. She had always taken a liking to Nomin after having been given some new flowers and seeds to take care of during her time in Revenant’s Toll. Especially as someone who had a shared liking of wearing flowers in their hair. “You have a lot of stories, being an adventurer, don’t you?”

“Erm…y-yes?” Nomin started, glancing once more between everyone. She felt the pressure, and none of them had even asked anything yet. In addition, her Echo seemed to indicate their probing and excited intrigue that bubbled within them.

“Do you have any stories that Mister Slafborn has shared with you? Ooh, ooh! Or even Miss F’lhaminn?” Shiun asked.

“O-oh…well…” and just like that, a part of Nomin had been deflated. She cleared her throat, having gone from feeling nervous about being asked anything that pertained to her and her history, to feeling like a fish out of water with no real knowledge of the other two that felt significant to share. Or…at least could have been okay for her to share without overstepping unspoken boundaries.

“Well…I can’t really talk about much, I’m afraid, thinking about it…” Nomin began, noting how expectant each of the children of the self-made Doman Adventurers’ Guild watched her. She would have felt terrible if she allowed the gleams in their eyes to sputter out into nothing with what little she had. Though, she did her best to search each nook and crevice in her mind for anything.

“You…see…um…” Nomin was really struggling, though gave thought to both Ul’dah and Revenant’s Toll -- the stories that both individuals had regarding their times there. “Slafborn…he sees everything in Revenant’s Toll. There must be a myriad of things he has borne witness to. Why…when the Scions of the Seventh Dawn had been targeted and prevented entry into most Eorzean territories, he had kept ever a vigilant watch over Revenant’s Toll and listened for any news regarding our whereabouts.

Nomin then recalled her discussion with him when the theft from Rowena’s stores had been a topic of the time. For a moment, she hesitated, and then smiled warmly.

“... And he has gone through great lengths to ensure every Doman’s safety and wellbeing since you had taken refugee there -- including the four of you,” Nomin said, lacing her fingers together over top the desk she was sat at. “He was loathe to place blame on any of you for the grimoire incident, and bade me come to you in his stead -- and I’m grateful I did. He feared that he and the others stationed to oversee the safety Revenant’s Toll would have frightened you and given the other adventurers or residents cause to mistrust the Domans. He wanted, above all, to avoid that with as difficult the trip and finding sanctuary must have been already at the time.”

Now that the words were coming out of her mouth, Nomin saw very easily how Slafborn would have been an inspirational figure to the children.

“Really? And here I was thinking that he had always been ready to accuse us! Thanks for telling us, Miss Nomin!” Shiun piped up, gawping at the information that they were just now being told. Though a grin found its way onto his mouth as he went back to his desk to get his notebook out and begin writing. It seemed that he already had some ideas in mind as to what to write.

“What about Miss F’lhaminn?” Koharu pressed, her hands on the desk as she leaned in.

“Well…let’s see…” Nomin brought a finger to her chin, her eyes pointed upward toward the rafters of the open air class. She thought back to when she was first informed of F’lhaminn’s existence by Alphinaud and then let out an amused scoff when she recalled how in awe the story left her feeling.

“F’lhaminn has a really impressive history around her. If you know about the Calamity, many people thought she was lost to it -- but we ended up finding her again following some rumors telling tale of her appearance.

“She had lived away in secret over in the Near East -- Thavnair -- for so long, creating perfumes from flowers. Why, she was in the midst of collecting flowers when I met her for the first time close to Wineport in eastern La Noscea.” Nomin spoke. At this point, F’lhaminn had been living more openly in Revenant’s Toll without fear of being found out.

“Oh wow!” Shiun gasped. “But why did she live in secret for so long. Do you know?”

Nomin shook her head. “I’m afraid not. I never really asked -- she must have had her reasons.”

In the back of her mind, Nomin wondered if it was to keep Minfilia -- her Ascilia -- safe in some fashion. She supposed she would never find out unless she took a more direct approach and asked. However, she slightly shook her head to rid herself of that line of thought before returning her attention to the children once more.

“Impressive as that is…did you also know that she used to be called the Songstress of Ul’dah? She had built quite the reputation for herself long ago,” Nomin said, smiling. “I’ve never heard her songs for myself, though.”

“Oh, oh! I’ve heard Miss F’lhaminn humming to herself sometimes -- when she’s cleaning!” Rokka exclaimed excitedly.

“Is that so?” Nomin’s jaw fell open somewhat. She had never really stuck around, nor made it a habit of staying down in the Rising Stones for any prolonged amount if she could help it. Nor did she often find herself at Rowena’s café, where she has heard tale of F’lhaminn taking a liking to having a light meal or even tea there.

“Hm…I think I know what to write, then! Miss F’lhaminn always did what she could to teach me the art of dance, but…I could never quite get the hang of it. Hearing all of this about her is incredible, though!” Koharu said, grinning to herself as she returned to her desk as well.

Nomin was now left with both Yozan and Rokka. With no one else to talk about at that current time, Nomin could only wonder what figure they would question her about next. However, it seemed that both of them were a little more determined in their choices.

“Were there others that you two wished to hear about?” Nomin asked. She was not quite sure if she would measure up pending on who either Yozan and Rokka asked about, but Nomin kept an open mind and did her best to recall as many faces as she could during her time visiting or staying in Revenant’s Toll or otherwise.

“Um…what about Mister Hoary Boulder? I trained with him, see…I’d like to know if you have anything to share about him?” Yozan inquired, a determined look set upon his face. As far as Nomin remembered, Yozan had often trained with a practice sword, and sometimes saw Hoary taking time to show Yozan a proper stance to keep himself grounded.

“Erm…well… Ah! I overheard him once speaking with his brother about how he had trained alongside Hannish warriors. He and his brother, Ocher Boulder, seem to have a small rivalry of besting one anothe’s talents and feats. Though, I’m sure he’s been able to show you more oft than not, no? Especially since he went out of his way to show all of you -- along with Mister Coultenet -- different arts of combat styles.” Nomin pointed her questioning gaze in Yozan’s direction. “Full glad am I to hear that they both dedicate themselves to their craft, though. Their strength has been ever appreciated by the Scions of the Seventh Dawn when some of us aren’t there to see to matters affecting Revenant’s Toll or the rest of Eorzea.”

“Yeah! They showed us all kinds of amazing things! I wanna be able to hold my ground and protect everyone like Hoary Boulder does, though!” Yozan replied. He became a little more animated since Nomin spoke about Hoary.

“Well! You could always write about what he taught you and what you took away from his lessons.”

“I could…” Yozan looked thoughtful for a moment before a grin settled back on his face as he nodded. He happily went back to his desk to start writing right away. “I’ll write about Mister Hoary Boulder and Coultenet! Everything they taught us was so that we could fend for ourselves, after all.”

“And you?” Nomin looked over at Rokka who lingered.

“Mm…” Rokka’s brow furrowed slightly as she reached into her bag and produced a book. The book itself had been a well worn leatherbound one, the letters upon it slowly fading to time. The leftover emboss of it, however, read: Shaping the Arcane. When Rokka left the book there and lingered on it, she finally asked, “... do you have any stories about Miss Y’shtola? She let me borrow a number of her tomes, but she let me keep this one. Because of her and this book, I’ve learned how to cast curative spells -- and it’s always been good practice when one of us gets hurt.”

Y’shtola? Now there was someone that Nomin could share a number of stories about. However.

“... You know, she’s come to be this rather undying figure in the time that I’ve known her…” Nomin said, thinking back on all the times that Y’shtola has had death-defying instances. “I really don’t know how she comes back up on her own two feet, but it’s quite impressive.”

“‘Undying’? Is Miss Y’shtola powerful?”

“She is easily one of the most powerful spellcasters I have the honor of calling my friend.”

“How did she get there? Do you know? How long did it take her?” Rokka now bombarded Nomin with questions, to which Nomin could only gently laugh it all off as she thought about each one briefly.

“A lot of time and practice, I would imagine…” Nomin started. “She comes from Sharlayan, where they have a wealth of knowledge. Um…and she had this instructor…” Nomin paused briefly, remembering Master Matoya and her rather prickly demeanor. She cleared her throat and continued. “She had this instructor -- a kind of maternal figure, you might even say -- who was rather stern about Y’shtola and her teachings.”

“O-Oh…would I need a stern teacher to become a powerful spellcaster?” Rokka asked. There was a nervous tone to her voice.

“I don’t think you would ‘need’ a stern teacher…” Nomin started, though she also recalled how hard pressed and stern Esenaij was of a teacher for her when she was learning how to first wield a bow. Not to mention that there was no memory of a Jhungid instructor ever necessarily being kind to her. “Um, well…maybe you do. A lot of my teachers were pretty stern, now that I look back on my own studies and teachings.”

At first, Rokka frowned. She did not relish the idea of having a stern teacher. Though she sighed and collected herself with more determination. Picking up the book and clutching it back to herself, she nodded -- more to herself than anything.

“I’d like to be more like Miss Y’shtola when it comes to the art of magic. I think…” Rokka said. “Would that mean traveling all the way to Sharlayan to learn from the scholars and professors there?”

“It could…” Nomin slowly started in response. “But you could also meet wonderful instructors scattered all over the realm -- here in Othard, or over in Eorzea if you ever get the chance to travel back there. Why, one of Y’shtola’s sisters, I hear, has been quite the instructor in arcane magicks. Last I heard of her, she was helping with learning and teaching the art of Allagan Summoners alongside the Immortal Flames.”

“Miss Y’shtola’s family is just filled with amazing spellcasters, huh?”

“So far that I personally know.” Nomin then offered a small smile. “All that said, though… Y’shtola is an amazing Scion and an even more amazing person overall. She has been such a stalwart friend to me and the others in our lives. Despite the mean streak she can often show us, she has ever been one to aid us without a second thought, and she would do everything she could in order to research as thoroughly as possible to come to a conclusion that leaves everyone as best informed and as safe as they can before being thrust into harrowing situations.”

“Hm…” Rokka closed her eyes in thought before smiling to herself. “I think I have something, then. Thank you for what you’ve been able to share, Miss Nomin.”

“It’s my pleasure,” Nomin replied, watching Rokka go back to kneeling at her desk. The Rissai-juku had become quiet, the sounds of brushes clinking against ink pots to rid them of excess before being used to write their essays.

After a moment, Minazuki came over to Nomin and offered her a small bow before requesting her presence for a more private word. When Nomin obliged and followed her out of the shade of the Rissai-juku, they paused by a nearby bonsai pine before Minazuki regarded Nomin warmly.

“It has been such a joy having you visit on occasion, Miss Nomin,” Minazuki started. “Seeing their faces light up when you come by has been a highlight, I must admit. They speak so highly of you, that I must say that I’m surprised none of them asked to write about you. But perhaps it would have been too obvious for them to have chosen one they speak of often.”

Just then, a warm feeling flooded Nomin’s chest. The kids spoke about her on occasion? While she expected them to have asked about her and her experiences, she was grateful they elected not to. Though to hear about them speaking about her in glowing terms was a little emotional for her. Nomin did what she could to prevent herself from getting overwhelmed by the notion.

“Helping them in their trip to Revenant’s Toll, and being the reason they can come back home… I can ill thank you for everything you have done. Please accept my humblest thanks, and I hope that you can take great comfort knowing that you are the reason that these children, and by extension, I, smile and look forward to a better future for Doma and its people.”

[recurring-polynya]

Bleach Returns 2024 - Day 3 - Shikai

I have been looking for an excuse to draw Minazuki

[distinguishedshoeduckdonut]

Bankai "MINAZUKI"