ZANPAKUTO & BAKKŌTŌ HEADCANONS
Raika (雷火, Lightning Flash)
In its sealed form, Raika resembles a kodachi. It has an olive-green hilt, with a bronze bow-shaped tsuba. Amagai carries it in a red scabbard attached to a strap hanging on his waist.
Raika’s release command is Sever (断ち切れ, Tachikire). Amagai holds his Zanpakutō upside down behind his back and calls out the release command. In its Shikai, Raika takes the form of a white long-sword, with a hook at the end and curved, shell-like pipes that form the hilt. Upon transformation, the pipes emit flames, in both Shikai and Bankai form. The flames emitting from the holes produce a sound similar to a trumpet. The release of Amagai’s Zanpakutō is followed by an extreme release of Reiatsu that can be felt for miles.
SPECIAL ABILITY:
The pipes of Raika emit fire, heating the blade and causing it to take on a more fiery color. By heating the blade, it becomes strong enough to resist and repel attacks on the level of a fully powered Getsuga Tenshō, and can become hot enough to ignite, melt, and potentially incinerate the objects or targets it comes in contact with. In addition, Amagai can freely manipulate any flames that are emitted from Raika, granting a number of useful, and deadly applications.
— Ranran Hougeki (爛々砲撃 , Flaming Bombardment)
Amagai can focus fire into the crux of Raika’s hook, and then by swinging forward, he can quickly launch that fire in the form of fireballs through the air at his targets, be it in singular fashion or multiple fireballs at once. The attack power of these fireballs are great enough to counter the Shikai of Hyōrinmaru, the most powerful ice-based Zanpakutō. The blast radius of these fireballs, large or small, is also great.
— Enen Kanketsusen (炎炎間欠泉 , Blazing Geysers)
Amagai can focus fire into the crux of Raika's hook and, by slamming it into the ground, quickly create large fissures of flames that travel to enemies at high speeds.
— Enen Nami (炎炎波, Blazing Wave)
Amagai heats Raika, engulfing it in fire, and by slamming its hook in the ground, he creates a massive, 50 foot tall wave of flame that swiftly rushes forward and engulfs any enemy it comes in contact with.
— Shounetsu Zangeki (焦熱 斬撃, Scorching Slash)
After focusing flames around Raika’s blade, Amagai can unleash flaming, blade-like blasts at foes, with varying strength and intensity depending on how long he initially ‘charges up’ the attack. A fully charged Shounetsu Zangeki can potentially incinerate an opponent instantly, especially if they possess less Reiryoku than Amagai.
—Kaji Rasen (火事 螺旋, Fire Spiral)
Amagai focuses flames onto Raika's blade, and then swings it around himself in a whirling motion, creating a spiraling stream of fire that at first scorches the area around him, before it chaotically expands outward.
— Kaji Ame (火事雨 , Fire Rain)
Amagai heats Raika up, and then swings it upward, unleashing a wide arc of flames that grows wider and wider as it travels. The wide blanket of flame then breaks apart and falls back down in the form of rain-like slivers that are capable of igniting, scorching, and melting through most of what they touch.
BANKAI: Raika Gōen Kaku (雷火・業炎殻, Lightning Flash: Karmic Flame Shell)
Amagai holds out his Zanpakutō in front of him as fire swells around him and Raika becomes a large and more detailed version of its former self. Raika Gōen Kaku takes the form of an enlarged sword, and turns the edge of the blade a crimson red color, with a hook at the end. The inner side of the hooked blade sports several jagged edges. A large white shell with a light-purple trim covers the hilt. A massive hollow pauldron/shield with the handle is hidden behind it. The sword is just a little taller than Amagai in this form. When Raika Gōen Kaku is first released, it unleashes a loud, almost deafening trumpet-like sound that causes the ground to shake violently, the reverberations of which can be felt for many, many miles outward-- not to speak of the sudden burst of Reiatsu that, too, will be felt quite a ways away, across an area larger than the Seireitei.
Special Ability: In this form, Raika’s blade becomes fiery, and fire sprays from the pauldron when its abilities are being used, with the Zanpakuto’s overall Fire Manipulation becoming greater. The sword’s fire-based techniques are much quicker, more potent, larger, and powerful in this form, and the pauldron on his sword can be used for defense. The general vicinity around Amagai also becomes incredibly hot, to the point where those who are merely standing near him can be severely burned depending on their defenses durability, and how much of his Reiatsu he is exerting.
However, what becomes truly special about Raika when its Bankai is unleashed, is that the flames it generates respond to the 'Karma' of individuals they touch; more specifically, the flames of Raika Gōen Kaku burn brighter, hotter, and scorch far more deeply when in contact with individuals who's Souls harbor notable degrees of 'bad' Karma.
— Enhanced Shikai Techniques
All of the techniques that originate from Raika's Shikai are vastly enhanced in terms of power, range, and duration.
— Gōen Kaen Hōsha-ki (業炎火炎放射器, Karmic Flamethrower)
While in this form, Raika’s pauldron can act as a high intensity flamethrower; by turning the pauldron toward a target, Amagai can unleash a perilous blast of flame that can easily scorch all in its path. Targets who happen to possess a notable degree of 'bad' Karma within their Souls will find that the flames from this technique also-- on top of burning more intensely-- leave strange, excruciatingly painful symbols branded upon their flesh, usually the kanji related to misdeeds the target has committed throughout life.
— Idai-en Umi: Gyō-kyō
(偉大 炎海・業 鏡, Great Sea of Flames: Karma Mirror)
As Raika heats up, Amagai holds it vertically and slams his sword into the ground, generating a massive, 100 foot tall wave of fire that heads toward his enemies. Anyone caught in this sea of flames will likely suffer grave burns, but individuals that have built up a notable degree of 'bad' Karma throughout their lives will find further torture; the aforementioned individuals will suffer inexplicable, scorching wounds that correspond to various misdeeds they have committed throughout life (for example, a thief will find a finger or eye 'stolen' from them, a murderer will suffer a scorching wound on a part of their body that matches the killing blow they made upon a past victim, etc etc).
— Raiendan: Gōen Kugi
(雷炎弾・ 業釘 ,Thunder-Flame Bullet: Karmic Nails)
Amagai points Raika forward, and its blade begins to glow red hot. Condensing at the tip of the blade, a massive fireball grows before splitting apart into a near countless array of smaller but no less deadly fireballs, all of which are launched toward a target. Though initially spread out, these fireballs converge on the target as they approach it, quite literally seeking them out.
These fireballs only seek the target out until they get close enough to them, however, meaning an opponent who is observant and swift enough can dodge them at the last second, but those who are unfortunate enough to be struck will suffer grave burns, along with massive internal injury, as the force behind these fireballs is strong enough to shatter stone.
While individuals who harbor notable degrees of 'bad' Karma will suffer even further damage at the hands of these fireballs, said individuals will also be afflicted with a lingering, burning sensation; every so often, they will be stricken with a scorching sensation, as if their misdeeds throughout life are being nailed into their flesh, intent on reminding the individuals of their wrongs.
— Raiendan: Gōen Hiai
(雷炎弾 ・業悲哀 , Thunder-Flame Bullet: Karmic Sorrow)
In the same vein as Raika's Flamethrower technique, Amagai aims the pauldron side in the direct of his target(s), only instead of a concentrated gout of flame, he unleashes a near countless, scattershot-esque array of fireballs that are highly explosive upon impact. Unlike the base Raiendan technique, these fireballs do not track specific targets, but instead aim to cause great, harder-to-predict damage over a wide area.
Targets who are struck by these fireballs (or are close enough to their blast zone) and who also possess notable degrees of 'bad' Karma within their Soul will find that, beyond the increased scorching damage inflicted upon their body, they are suddenly being weighed down with sorrow, and grief; it will feel as if the flames are burning away their fortitude, and coaxing out anguish, anguish and sorrow for the misdeeds these individuals have committed throughout their lives.
— Raiendan: Gōen Seisha
(雷炎弾・業斉射, Thunder-Flame Bullet: Karmic Volley)
In the same vein as other Raiendan techniques, Amagai aims the pauldron side in the direct of his target(s), and proceeds to rapidly unleash a series of small fireballs-- these fireballs do not possess much explosive potential on impact, and do not track targets, but carry with them great piercing force and scorching heat, acting almost like oversized bullets being fired from a belt fed machine gun. These fireballs can be fired almost indefinitely, provided an opponent doesn't close the distance and force Amagai to defend himself.
Targets who are struck by these fireballs and who happen to possess notable degrees of 'bad' Karma will find that, on top of the increased burning damage inflicted upon their flesh, it will become harder to move their limbs and fight; these individuals will feel as if their physical strength itself is being burned away, as if every misdeed they committed in their life is coming back to haunt them like an infernal specter intent on taking its pound of scorched flesh.
— Raiendan: Gouku
(雷炎弾・業苦, Thunder-Flame Bullet: Karmic Suffering)
Like earlier Raiendan Techniques, Amagai aims Raika's pauldron side at an opponent, before unleashing a moderately sized fireball. This fireball can potentially cause great damage to anyone caught in its immediate impact zone, but its true effect is aimed at foes who harbor notable degrees of 'bad' karma; on top of the flames burning these individuals further, they will find themselves-- even if they were not directly hit, and only felt the fireball's heat from a distance-- grow increasingly claustrophobic and panicked, feeling as if the world around them is burning away, and growing smaller, as if the misdeeds of their life are closing in around them and consuming them along with the flames and heat.
— Gōen Ryuga
(業炎龍牙, Dragon Fang’s Karmic Flame)
Amagai twirls Raika sword above his head, and the blade is engulfed in fire while flames shoot from the pauldron and lightning builds. He then slams the blade into the ground, accompanied by a lighting strike. The earth begins to shake over a wide area, and a multitude of powerful flaming spears shoot from the ground at lighting speed in various angles to trap opponents in a horrifying prison of flames, or conversely, to impale and burn them.
Anyone who happens to be caught in these flames is sure to suffer or die, but individuals who's Souls possess notable degrees of 'bad' Karma will experience further torture that goes beyond the increased heat their bodies will be enduring; it will become far harder for them to concentrate or think about anything but their misdeeds throughout life, all as they feel their mind itself burning away.
— Gōen Ryūga: Homura
(業炎龍牙・焔, Dragon Fang’s Karmic Flame: Blaze)
Amagai lifts Raika over his head and covers its entirety in flames. He then slashes at his opponent, launching a massive fireball at them. The fireball that is launched with this attack creates an intense explosion that can cover an extremely wide area, but more than that, opponents who harbor great degrees of 'bad' Karma will experience far more anguish than the increased scorching of their flesh; the aforementioned individuals will feel their willpower being burned away, pushing them toward crushing, fatal apathy as the flames consume them. Amagai must be wary of friendly fire when unleashing these fireballs.
— Gōen Ryūga: Idai Jigoku
(業炎龍牙・偉大地獄 Dragon Fang’s Karmic Flame: Great Hell)
Amagai points Raika's blade toward the sky, quickly gathering an obscene amount of flames around it, before slamming it straight into the ground. Afterward, a truly massive explosions erupts, creating a swirling mass of flames that then swiftly expands outward over a great distance, engulfing everything and everyone within a roughly fifty mile radius around, below, and above Amagai. The sheer heat from these flames will radiate even further onward, scorching the flesh of beings who are nowhere near the flames themselves.
While anyone caught in these flames or within reach of their heat is sure to suffer or die, individuals who's Souls harbor notable degrees of 'bad' Karma will experience an extra layer of suffering that goes beyond the already increased heat they will feel upon their bodies; these individuals will feel their very Souls and Reiryoku burn, a pain like no other, a pain that reflects the collective anguish associated with every misdeed they have ever committed throughout their life.
Gōen Ryūga: Idai Jigoku is Raika's most powerful move, and the most destructive due to how much ground it covers; Amagai has to exercise great caution when unleashing this, for he is certain to imperil everyone who happens to be caught within the flames effects, enemies, allies, and bystanders alike.
Base Form: Dragon's Tuning Fork
In it’s base form, Amagai’s Bakkōtō is shaped like a tuning fork with the emblem of a dragon on its hilt, with the sides curving inward and the tip of the blades curving outward. Amagai keeps the Bakkōtō sheathed in a wide white scabbard, which hangs on the right side of his waist. This Bakkōtō is unique in that it can eat other Bakkōtō (to gain strength), and shares a special bond with Amagai, increasing it’s effectiveness above other Bakkōtō dramatically.
BAKKOTO: BASE FORM ABILITIES & TECHNIQUES
— Disrupting Flames
When used to attack or defend, the Bakkōtō may emit strange, green flames that burn intensely but also weaken nearby enemies by disrupting the flow of their Reiryoku. These flames cannot completely cut an enemy off from their Reiryoku, and the disruption in their Reiryoku only persists for as long as they are near the flames, but they can be a great hindrance depending on the opponent(s). Target's with Hollow Reiryoku are immune to these flame's disruptive effects, however, and targets with truly obscene amounts of Reiryoku are naturally more resistant (by virtue of simply having more to disrupt).
— Energy Blasts
By tapping the Bakkōtō's forks against the hilt of his Zanpakuto, Amagai can unleash an energy blast from the Bakkōtō in this form. This blast resembles a massive sound wave that grows more chaotic and fiery as it spreads out, and is incredibly powerful, being strong enough to destroy the Kōtotsu in the Dangai, making it perhaps the single most destructive attack available to Amagai, outside of Raika's Gōen Ryūga: Idai Jigoku. Even when the blast doesn't directly connect with targets, the green flames that linger in it's wake will still pose a grave danger.
— Energy Blade
By tapping the Bakkōtō's base against the hilt of his Zanpakutō, Amagai can produce a large blade of green, concentrated, plasma-like Reiryoku from the Bakkōtō , increasing its melee range and effectiveness. The Bakkōtō’s blade can be shortened and extended at will, and burns at an extremely high temperature that, in most cases, outstrips the flames and heat generated by Amagai's Zanpakuto, meaning that any flesh, clothing, armor, or surface in general that it touches will potentially be melted, scorched, or incinerated-- not to speak of the green flames that will spew from the blade whenever it strikes, posing further risk to its targets.
— Energy Whip
By tapping the point's of the Bakkōtō's forks on the hilt of his Zanpakutō, Amagai can produce from the weapon a long, flowing stream of energy that can be utilized as a whip. Despite its flowing nature in this state, the Bakkōtō's energy carries with it great strength as well as great heat, allowing it to scorch opponents as well as restrain them or their weapons (by easily wrapping around either). When the Bakkōtō's energy is in sustained direct contact with an enemy or their weapon via this state, its disruptive green flames are more effective, and pose a far greater threat.
— Energy Pillar
By holding the Bakkōtō upside down and tapping it with his Zanpakuto's hilt, Amagai can engulf himself in a large pillar of green, plasma-like energy. On top of shielding him from attacks and devouring the Reiryoku behind said attacks, and intensely burning and/or draining the Reiryoku of anyone who tries to approach, Amagai can also communicate with others a over a wide area through this energy field, and the more of his Reiryoku he pours into the Bakkōtō (or the more it devours from enemies), the stronger this field grows, and the greater a distance he can communicate over.
— Tuning Distortion
Any sounds that are made by making direct contact with the Bakkōtō can be amplified, distorted, and directed at opponents to truly devastating effect; one of Amagai's favorite ways to utilize this quirk is to amplify and distort the trumpet sounds made by his Shikai, but in general, almost any sound can be turned into a force capable of rupturing ear drums or causing indescribable pain (and damage) throughout the bodies of nearby opponents. Amagai himself is, of course, immune to these distortions.
Second Form: Dragon's Essence
The eye nucleus of this Bakkōtō is hidden within the bottom of the hilt. It is unique in that it feeds on the nuclei of other Bakkōtō. By tapping the Bakkōtō twice with the hilt of his Zanpakuto while holding it upside down, Amagai spurs the nuclei within to release, causing it to extend itself like a tendril up and around his right arm, transforming into mass of black sludge that eventually forms into an armored black gauntlet shaped like a dragon. This transformation comes with a burst of Reiatsu that can be felt far and wide; an unsettling, fiery, and undoubtedly powerful sensation that can be felt even further than the release of Amagai's Bankai.
From the initial release, the gauntlet can fully encompass the entire arm, creating a claw on the hand. A sash-like component comes over Amagai’s left shoulder and down to his waist, containing additional Bakkōtō nuclei. Attaching the armored right arm and the sash is something reminiscent of a dragon’s tail, which hangs freely from the upper shoulder area of the back. The longer Amagai stays fused with the Bakkōtō, the further it will grow over his until that point exposed flesh.
BAKKOTO: SECOND FORM ABILITIES AND TECHNIQUES
Special Ability: Reiryoku Severing
When in it’s Second Form, Amagai can extend the Bakkōtō down and generate a flaming, spiritual energy blade from what resembles a dragon’s mouth. When thrust into the ground, the blade sends out a resonating and flaming pulse that spreads out over many miles. Every being caught within the pulse is severed from their Reiryoku, cutting them off from any supernatural abilities they may possess– for example, Shinigami are cut off from special abilities like Kido and Hoho, and their Zanpakutō become useless and unresponsive to them, and Quincy become unable to manipulate Reishi or utilize Schrift's, and so on.
Reiryoku Severing can also effect someone by striking them or their weapon directly with the Bakkōtō's energy blade , though it generally effects everyone in its general vicinity for as long as its active. However, the ability does not affect Amagai’s own Zanpakutō or Reiryoku. The Bakkōtō’s special ability has practically no affect on Hollow powers or beings who possess Hollow Reiryoku, however, and will only blunt them briefly at best.
— Enhanced Energy Blast, Blade, Whip, Field, & Tuning Distortion
The Bakkoto’s base abilities in this form are vastly enhanced , and no longer require special gestures to evoke-- Amagai can utilize each of them at will.
— Altered Reiatsu / Reiryoku (Immeasurable)
When fused with his Bakkōtō in this manner, Amagai's Reiatsu is altered-- while it retains its fiery nature, it changes to a neon green color, and begins to burn even hotter than before. In kind, the degree of Amagai's Reiryoku increases as well in this state, as the Bakkoto, which is fused with him (therefore joining its Reiryoku and his) begins to recklessly unleash all the Reiryoku it has ever absorbed from him and others up to this point.
If Amagai has both his Bankai active and is fused with his Bakkōtō at the same time, his Reiatsu will fluctuate between neon-green and fiery-red depending on which he is utilizing at the moment (the two colors spiraling around but never mixing with each other when both instruments are used simultaneously), but more notably, the 'burning' that his Reiatsu is capable of will be increased exponentially in such a situation.
— The Dragon's Scales
When fused with his Bakkōtō, Amagai's durability, physical strength, and tolerance for pain skyrockets, with him being able to shrug off blows that would otherwise seriously maim or otherwise damage people at or above a Captain's ranking, perform obscene feats of strength like effortlessly tearing off limbs or punching through solid steel structures, and allow him to function through pain that would typically cripple even the most ardent fighters. The longer Amagai stays fused with his Bakkōtō, the stronger his durability and tolerance to pain becomes, but of course it also comes with drawbacks (see caveats below).
— The Dragon's Tail
The tail-like appendage that hangs from Amagai's back is full functional, and incredibly durable; it can be used to attack, defend, or otherwise interact with people and objects around him.
— Amagai possesses more than enough spiritual energy to maintain his Bakkōtō, and can even maintain both the Bakkōtō and his Bankai simultaneously for a long time if need be, but at the end of the day he can still push himself too far and leave open the possibility that his Bakkōtō will damage his body and mind.
The damage incurred on Amagai’s mind and body by the Bakkōtō in those instances where he overextends himself can be reversed with proper healing Kido and rest, but there can come a point where either type of damage, or both, will simply go to far. In extreme cases, the Bakkōtō could potentially kill Amagai on the spot, devouring his whole body and leaving him as a desiccated husk on the battlefield. A very terrifying way to go.
— Also, the Bakkōtō, while increasing Amagai's own durability, and its own durable armor-like surfaces, is not as durable when it comes to the eye-nuclei it possesses, and if all of it’s eye-nuclei are damaged, the Bakkōtō will enter a “repair state” and become useless for the duration of a battle.
