Kuma Shiraga



''This Kuma Shiraga © character profile was written by Mareena Schouten, and is copyrighted to her. This is the original and has not been altered in any shape or form without the writer's permission.''

Kuma (クマ “Bear”) Shiraga (白神 “ White God”) is the 3rd seat of Squad 10 in the 13 court guard squads, serving under captain Toshiro Hitsugaya. Prior to becoming a full soul reaper, she was a substitute soul reaper in charge of Karakura Town during 1882 - 1896. She is known as one of the strongest soul reapers ever known, even known to surpass Aizen and Yamamoto. She stays 3rd seat because she likes her standing and her squad. She has vowed to herself to only become the captain of squad 10 or 13. Kuma has recently started dating Squad 3 lieutenant Izuru Kira, 5 months after her friendly break up with Squad 6’s Rikichi. Friends: She is very good good friends with Yumichika Ayesegawa, Shuuhei Hisagi & Izuru Kira. Her best friends are Hanaiva Suzaka & Mika Miyagi.

Technical Stuff
Original Character "Kuma Shiraga" by Mareena Schouten ©

Drawing Specifications and References for Kuma are here.

General Information
Race: Soul Reaper (Shinigami)

Birthday: February 25

Gender: Female

Height: 176 cm

Weight: 52kg

Blood Type: O

Affiliation: World of the living, Soul Society, Squad 10, 13 Court guard squads.

Occupation: 3rd Seat Squad 10

Previous Occupation: 4th Seat Squad 13

5th Seat Squad 4

7th Seat Squad 11

8th Seat Squad 3

9th Seat Squad 8

20th Seat Squad 9

Team: Squad 10

Partner: Mika Miyagi, Hanaiva Suzaka, Izuru Kira, Shuuhei Hisagi & Keitaro Yanaihara

Previous Partner: Shunsui Kyoraku & Jushiro Ukitake, Yumichika Ayesegawa, Rikichi, Renji Abarai

Base of Operations: 10th Division Barracks, Seireitei, Soul Society, World of the Living.

Relatives: Kisuke Urahara (Uncle)

Education: Shinō Academy, Karakura High

Shikai: Shiawase na Unmei

Bankai: Shiawase na neko no Unmei

Age (seems): 19

Rank in “Top 100 Most Powerful Soul Reapers”: 1 (Has held this position for 89 years. No intention if giving it up.)

Appearance
Kuma Shiraga is an average height, meduim built, young woman with bright blue eyes, lightly tanned skin and a beauty mark underneath her left eye. She has black wavy hair, with bright red streaks that she keeps in a light blue headband that goes over the top of her head, with bangs framing her face, coming out of the headband. Her hair reaches just below her shoulders. She wears a variation of the typical Soul Reaper clothing. She wears a shortened hakama resembling a skirt, with a white strip on the edge, and also wears a fingerless white glove on her right hand. She wears a koala necklace and a bright green nose ring in the shape of a star, and has a tattoo of a star on the back of her left hand and her right ankle. She sometimes wears her zanpakutuō on her back, which is held in place by wearing a denim strap, which is green and blue, that goes over her left shoulder, and under her right arm. If it isn't on her back, it is up her left sleeve. She is a D cup, and has a curvacious figure.

For her planned look after the Gigai Virus Arc, go here.

Personality
Kuma is a generous, kind and caring person, but can have vicious outbursts of she is trying to protect someone she cares about. Although she can act very immature at times, but she can also be very strict, orderly and mature if times call for it. Around people she had met before, she can be very free-spirited and crazy, but is normally very shy when around people she has not. Kuma is easily distracted, and sometimes goofs off, but this rarely happens as she is afraid of getting in trouble with her captain. She can be very friendly, sometimes even to the enemy to help herself calm down. She finds that if she speaks properly and calmly when faced with a tough situation, she can keep her emotions under control. Her easy-going and free-spirited personality compliments her lieutenant and contrasts her captain, although she gets along very well with both of them. Kuma is very young for a soul reaper, only being a full one for just over 100 years. Even though she existed in the 19th century, she likes music from the 1990’s and is very up-to-date with the world of the living. Nearly everyone within the soul society loves Kuma, as she has a bright, bubbly and free-spirited nature. Sometimes, she goes out to squad 11 to drink with them, as she is good friends with 5th seat squad 11 Yumichika Ayesegawa. Kuma always likes to be friends with everyone, and has so far succeeded in doing so, even making her opponents trust her during battle. She can be ruthless in battle, once slicing off an opponent’s head without hesitation or warning. She is very good with strategy, and usually runs through the whole battle if she has enough time and if the situation allows it. Kuma loves to fight, and so most of the time, she will walk around the Seireitei asking various soul reapers for a friendly fight. Her most common opponent is Shuuhei Hisagi, lieutenant of squad 9, who are very good friends and often train with each other. Kuma is also very close to Izuru Kira, and is one of the few people that can make him smile. She is often seen with Shuuhei and Izuru in her free time, and sometimes goes drinking with them. She enjoys drinking, spending time with friends, fighting, snacking and training. She has a very close relationship with her zanpakutuo, and she regularly talks to it, mostly in battle or when she is bored. Her best friends, Mika and Hanaiva, she met during her time at Shino Academy, and they attended the same class. She is very modest about her strength, and rarely uses her full strength. Not many people know her full strength. Only her best friends, Mika and Hanaiva know, alongside Captain Hitsugaya, Captain Ukitake, Captain Kyoraku and Captain Yamamoto. Nobody yet, has even come close to surpassing her. She dislikes daft, ditzy people, but tries to be friends with then anyway. She is very loyal to her teammates and squad and would do anything for them. She respects everyone for who they are and what they do. Even though she is the strongest Soul Reaper, she is fairly clumsy. She usually trips over and runs into things. In her spare time, she likes to go out into Rukongai and play with the children there. She has several friends that always take care of her when she visits.

History
Kuma used to be a substitute soul reaper in charge of Karakura town from 1882 - 1896. She could see spirits since her parents died, when she was 16. She had lived by herself, until a hollow tried to kill a little girl’s spirit in the street. When she tried to protect her, the girl got hurt, and the hollow turned on her. She managed to fight it of for several minutes with only a pair of chopsticks, although most of her time she spent hiding. The previous captain of squad 10 was in the area, and came to help. He was already exhausted from another battle with other menos, and he told Kuma to let him handle it. The hollow was too big for a weakened captain to handle, and he soon ran out of spirit energy to fight. The hollow threatened the whole village, and so the captain offered to transfer his power into her. He also told her her uncle was also a soul reaper, and that he had been sent on a special mission to find her and report back, as her spiritual pressure had started pouring out full blast, and hollows had been coming after her, mostly classed as menos. Kuma declined his offer to transfer his power, but he insisted, because he was going to die anyway. Kuma later accepted, when the girl’s spirit was consumed by the hollow. After giving Kuma his power, the Captain died. As Kuma protected her village, several other captain level soul reapers came also, and helped to kill the hollow. They then took the captain’s body away, and offered Kuma a life in the soul society. She gracefully declined, and decided to take care of Karakura town for a few years as the Soul Reaper in charge of that area. 14 years later, she decided she would go to the soul society, as her friends were getting suspicious of why she was not aging. She officially accepted, and was placed in district 80 of Rukongai to keep criminals out of trouble. She had no trouble keeping them under control, and 6 years later, was offered a spot in the Shino Academy. There she met her best friends Mika Miyagi and Hanaiva Suzaka, although she did not get along with Hanaiva at that time. She studied for only one year, and in 1904 was offered a spot in the 13 court guard squads. She was briefly (2 months) 20th seat in Squad 9, but quickly progressed to 9th Seat on Squad 8, a position she held for only 6 months. She gradually went up a seat in quick succession, due to her growing power. 5 years after joining, she was in her 4th squad. She was seated 7th in Squad 11, one seat under Renji Abarai. They were in a relationship for just over 2 years. She then found out that Kisuke Urahara was her uncle, and they had a somewhat touching family reunion. Urahara let her use his “bankai maker” (as she calls it) and mastered in within 1 day. Kuma only stayed in squad 11 for 6 months, and by the time she broke up with Renji (on good terms), she was already the 4th seat of squad 13. Kuma felt that she had to break up with Renji, because he loved Rukia. She liked this position, and wished to stay for a while. She did, as she held this position for just over 30 years. Whilst in the 13th division, she was requested to go on a mission to the world of the living with Hanaiva. There, they became good friends and started to communicate more. Although everyone in the 13th division loved her, Captain Ukitake had suggested she get promoted to a different squad in a new seat, as it would be better for her, because she was too powerful, and her spirit energy too great. He promoted her to Squad 10 Seat 3. Shortly after the promotion, her spirit energy exploded, surpassing even the level of the Head Captain, and Kenpachi Zeraki. She had to get a special nose ring and the two star tattoos on her hand and ankle to control her vast amounts of spirit energy. Without the nose ring, the special incantation doesn’t work, even with the two star tattoos, and therefore, usually overwhelms the enemy and crushes them. She refrains from doing this for obvious reasons. She has now held this position for over 70 years, and has no intention of letting it go, unless offered a captain's position for either Squad 13 or 10. 3 years ago she started dating squad 6’s Rikichi, as they had been very close previously, because she helped him train. They had broken up 5 months ago on good terms. She has recently started dating Izuru Kira.

The Mysterious Creature Arc
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Gigai Virus Arc
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Time Paradox Arc
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Equipment
Chopsticks: Kuma has a pair of chopsticks that she used to fight her first hollow, that she keeps in her hair, underneath her headband. They have seen many battles, but seem to be very durable.

Throwing knives: Kuma also has 6 throwing knives. She keeps them up her left sleeve and throws them with her right hand.

Nose Ring: The nose ring works with the two tattoos on her left hand and her right ankle. They reduce her spirit energy by 9/10 of what it already is. Without the nose ring, the tattoos would have no effect.

Headband: Although seemingly normal, her headband has explosive properties. When taken off, it will explode. If you take it off in a particular way, it will not explode. It is usually thrown to the enemy, but sometimes comes off in her sleep, and the consequences can be disastrous. It uses the same concept as Shuuhei and Izuru’s armbands.

iPhone: Brought from the world of the living, it is the only one currently in the soul society. She has made a hollow tracking app for it.

iPad: Being the tech savvy one in the soul society, she has to be equipped with the latest gadgets from the world of the living and the soul society. She usually uses this for checking her e-mail and keeping up to date with the latest stuff.

Skills and Abilities
Expert Hand-to-Hand Combatant: Being the strongest soul reaper, she has expert hand-to-hand combat skills. She has known to defeat several captains with just her bare hands.

Enhanced Strength: Although she seems to be not vey muscular, she is deceptively strong. She has even lifted whole buildings with people inside by herself, comically.

Advanced growth rate: She grasps the basic control of advanced techniques in days where it would take several years for even the most gifted Soul Reaper.

Keen intellect: Kuma has shown herself to be analytical, perceptive, and deductive. She appears to be able to determine the pattern of her opponent's battle methods and correctly deduce a proper counter-strategy to defeat her opponent's attacks.

Master Swordsmanship: Kuma is very skilled with her sword, and can even beat the captains of the 13 court guard squads. She usually uses her right hand, as her preferred hand, but fights just as well using her left hand. She uses a slew of different techniques.

Hoho Master: Though officially not as skilled as Yoruichi Shihoin, she is one step toward being level in Shunpo. When she heard she was nearly going to surpass the flash master, she stopped training and started doing so in secret, only using her full speed only when necessary. She prefers using Utsusemi because she thinks its fun to watch the enemy’s reaction.

Kido Master: Kuma is very skilled in all Kido spells, and can control all of them. Her favorite is Hado #99. She rarely uses it though, as it is too powerful.

Hakuda Master: Kuma’s favorite style of fighting. Trained to do this style of fighting by the head captain himself just recently, Kuma has already mastered it, and can progress no further. Her favorite technique is the Oni Headpoke, because she finds it cool.

High Spiritual Pressure: Despite having immense spiritual pressure, being able to crush other soul reapers with somewhat high spirit energy, with the help of her nose ring and tattoos, can keep it under control, and is so far known as the best at hiding her presence, on par with Mika Miyagi.

Izuru Kira
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Hanaiva Suzaka
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Mika Miyagi
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Hoshitaku Adachi
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Shuuhei Hisagi
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Kisuke Urahara
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Keitaro Yanaihara
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Yumichika Ayesegawa
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Rikichi
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Renji Abarai
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Ichigo Kurosaki
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Rukia Kuchiki
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Zanpakutuo
Name

Name Romanized: Shiawase na Unmei

Name English meaning: Happy Fate

Name Japanese: 幸せな運命

Description
Brief description: In its sealed state, Shiawase na Unmei looks like an average katana, only slightly larger than most other Zanpakutuō. Its cross guard is in the shape of a five pointed star, and is decorated by floral patterns. Shiawase na Unmei’s hilt has a weaved pattern of pastel green and pink. It is the most powerful energy type Zanpakutuō.

Shikai
Shiawase na Unmei is unsealed with the command "Unite!". It transforms into a black and red Mithrodin sword which continuously radiates with dark blue and red aura. It is about the size of Kuma’s arm.

Shikai special ability: Shiawase na Unmei’s shikai special ability produces a mass of black, red and blue energy in the shape of a skull, somewhat like a cero, that flows from the tip of the blade. It may also show hallucinations to the enemy if they have been hit.

''' Tengoku no ai:''' (“Love in Heaven” - 天国の愛) Shiawase na Unmei shoots a halo from the tip of the sword. It can pursue the enemy and trap the enemy as it bounds it. Every time the enemy struggles, the grip tightens. It may break.

Bankai
Shiawase na neko no unmei (“The fate of a happy cat” - 幸せな猫の運命)

Bankai special ability: A pair of black, white and red angel wings spout from the user’s back. The sword turns pink and green and now radiates a purple and orange aura around it. The Bankai also gives higher speed.

Menimienai ai: (Invisible love - 目に見えない愛) The invisibility works by cloaking Kuma in energy that makes it look like nothing is there. There can be no flaws in the invisibility, and if there somehow is, cannot be detected until it is too late for the enemy to react.

Kōfuku no jikkō: (Execution of happiness - 幸福の実行) It shoots a beam of pink and green energy that can pursue the enemy and cut them, and its directionality can be controlled with the fingertips.

Azamuku hon: (This fool - 欺く本) It changes the appearance of the user and also clone her up to 10 times (10 copies). The appearance of the clones can also be altered and therefore seeming to make multiple beings. Each clone has its own special ability, wether it be fighting, sword work (not a zanpakutuo), distracting, etc.