SHIHOUIN YORUICHI [Trial Until 4/1]

flash goddess || female || bisexual || rogue || former second division
twenties || unknown || unknown

APPEARANCE

PERSONALITY

Down to earth and disdainful of formalities, Yoruichi is generally laid-back, with a sly sense of humor. Despite her high rank, she insists that people address her informally. This doesn’t mean that she tolerates being disrespected, however; Yoruichi will turn a sharp tongue on someone who she feels has it coming.

Yoruichi has no trouble being serious when the situation calls for it, and is often the straight man to Urahara’s goofy, (seemingly) harmless fool. She’s very self-possessed, and can go from complete relaxation to laser-sharp focus in an instant; the times we see her raise her voice are few and far between, which may be for the best, as she seems to have a rather bad temper.

In keeping with her eccentric reputation, Yoruichi can be very matter of fact about being naked in front of others, as seen when she transforms from her cat form to her human form in front of Ichigo for the first time. This teasing manner is shown again in a flashback, when she greets a teenage Byakuya by bumping her breasts against the side of his head.

Yoruichi is given to observation and analysis before taking any action, and is perfectly willing to avoid fighting if the situation merits. This isn’t to say that her fighting skills are lacking, however; even after having been away from battle for a century, Yoruichi has been shown to hold her own with some of the stronger characters in the Bleach-verse.

As a former commander of Covert Ops, stealth and infiltration are her specialty, and this discretion carries over into other areas of her life; when faced with an unfamiliar situation, she is likely to ask questions of others only after first gathering information on her own. It’s not usually easy to determine Yoruichi’s thoughts or feelings or motives at any given time, although unlike her best friend Urahara, it’s not so much a mask as a natural distance and reserve; she manages to be very relaxed and friendly without actually sharing much about herself.

Yoruichi is intelligent, but unlikely to display the full extent of her knowledge on a subject, or how much she notes and files away as a situation unfolds. If that leads to someone underestimating her, then so be it--she really doesn't care what most people think of her. In keeping with this pragmatism, she has no problem playing a supporting role if it means the job gets done; it’s Urahara who crafts their overall battle strategy, and she generally acts in accordance with his plans, placing her absolute trust in him.

She's taken on quite a few pupils over the years, and seems comfortable in a mentor role. Her laid-back manner becomes sharply focused at these times, as she is shown to be a rather strict teacher with Ichigo, Orihime and Chad.

Yoruichi is independent, but values her friends and what she feels is the right thing to do. She will go against the law if she feels the law is wrong; what matters most to her is her own sense of morality. Once she’s decided on what she feels is the right path, she will stick with it, even if she’s operating from a disadvantage. She gives up everything--her ranks and positions, the respect of her protege and peers, essentially, her entire life--in order to save Urahara, Tessai and the Vizards. A century later, she leads a group of determined, but inexperienced teens back to her home in order to stop the execution of one of their friends (and unknown to them, thwart the plans of the man responsible for the events leading to her exile).

Her supreme self-confidence, practical outlook and careless manner can make her seem callous, and she's been shown not to fully realize the extent of a person’s regard for her--her dawning realization of just how bitter Sui-Feng had become due to Yoruichi’s disappearance is a prime example. Despite her genuinely kind nature, given that she used to be an assassin, I think it's fair to say she can be absolutely ruthless when needed.

Many might consider her to have no respect for duty and responsibility, which is not true at all--she simply defines them for herself, and doesn't allow anyone else to dictate what she should find important. While a free spirit, Yoruichi is extremely loyal to those she deems worthy, even to the point of giving up almost everything she's ever known.

HISTORY