Retsu Unohana

Template:Bleach character info Retsu Unohana (卯ノ花 烈 or 卯の花 烈, Unohana Retsu) is a character from the manga and anime series Bleach. She is the captain of the 4th Division in Gotei 13 (the medical and supply relief division). Her lieutenant is Isane Kotetsu.

Character outline

Unohana is a soft-spoken, polite, and caring woman. She uses honorifics when addressing everyone, including her subordinates, and rarely shows panic or distress. She is even polite when angry (for instance, when members of other divisions bully her division), maintaining her smiling demeanor while radiating a dangerous aura that immediately scares others away. She wears the standard shinigami captain uniform, but wears an obi instead of the normal one, and her hair is worn braided over her chest. She has a close relationship with her lieutenant, Isane Kotetsu.

In the anime, after Renji Abarai loses his battle against Byakuya Kuchiki, she heals Renji without hesitating, even though he betrayed Soul Society; Renji himself has no idea that Unohana saved him, as his vision was extremely blurry and he fell unconscious afterwards.

Unohana also seems to let her squad members go on leave to the real world from time to time; in the anime she gives Hanatarō Yamada permission to take a break in the real world shortly after the events in Soul Society. Additionally, in a V-Jump comic, she is the director of the Shinigami Women's Association, making her the superior of Yachiru Kusajishi (president) and Nanao Ise (vice president).

Retsu is the Japanese word for "cold", "line", or "a row", but the kanji used in her name means "fierce". However, when combined with the character for woman, her name means "womanly strength", which appears to represent her nature. Her surname, Unohana, means "Rabbit Flower" - this may refer to her hairstyle, which resembles a reclining pair of rabbit's ears when seen from the side. Unohana is also the name of a Japanese dish made from okara.

History

There is little information on her history and no information or hint to when she became a captain. It is likely that she has been a captain for a very long time, hinted by her white robes having sleeves, a trait shared by all senior captains.

Minazuki

File:Minazuki.jpg

Retsu Unohana and her lieutenant riding Minazuki

Retsu Unohana's zanpakutō is Minazuki (肉雫唼). The term has no coherent translation as a whole. The first two characters in its name, mina (肉雫) mean "meat/flesh droplets." The last character, tsuki (唼), is an obscure character meaning the sound or appearance of birds feeding, according to the Dai Kan-Wa jiten. The last character is actually no longer recognized by Japan's Ministry of Education. In context, the most logical interpretation of the name would be "flesheater" or "fleshdrinker," which fits with its ability to heal people by eating them. Another explanation is that the name is a homonym made-up by the author: minazuki (水無月) is the traditional Japanese word for the sixth lunar month. Minazuki (with different kanji) is also a Japanese snack.

In sealed form, Minazuki is slightly longer than ordinary katanas, and resembles a nodachi. Instead of tying it to her obi, Unohana carries her zanpakutō over her shoulder by a rope strap or lets Isane carry it for her. While it has been shown in unsealed form a number of times, Unohana is only seen unsealing it in the credits of episode 30. Though the command is unknown, it is shown that Unohana holds the sword sheath while the hilt and guard dissolve into a green mist that flows out of the end of the sheath. She is also shown drawing her zanpakutō in order to heal Tōshirō Hitsugaya; a green light emanates from her as she prepares, but the scene cuts away before anything occurs.

When unsealed, Minazuki transforms into a giant, flying, one-eyed manta-ray. It's large enough to transport many people on its back (at least a dozen, based on its size when compared to those riding it). Additionally, it can swallow even more people and transport them in its stomach, healing their injuries at the same time. When it needs to land, it can grow three-toed legs to support itself. Once it lands, it can also regurgitate those it is carrying in its stomach, leaving them covered in various fluids. When Unohana reseals Minazuki, it dissolves into green mist and reforms into the sheath of her zanpakutō.

See also

• List of fictional characters who can heal