Vizard

Vizard

The Vizard masked army (仮面の軍勢, kamen no gunzei), pronounced in English as Visoreds (ヴァイザード, vaizādo), is a group of Shinigami that have acquired Hollow powers. Following the battle at the Fake Karakura Town, they have become central combatants against Sōsuke Aizen's Espada.

Overview



The Vizard are the antithesis to the Arrancar as Shinigami who have obtained Hollow powers.[1]

Having begun as Shinigami, the Vizard appear entirely Human and bar those times where they are using their powers are indistinguishable from ordinary Shinigami. To gain access to their Hollow powers, a Vizard dons a Hollow mask. This allows them to augment their Shinigami abilities with Hollow powers, as well as giving them access to some of the more generic Hollow abilities. Their spiritual pressure likewise changes into a mix of Hollow and Shinigami. This process of donning one's Hollow mask is referred to as Hollowfication.[2]

Vizard have been shown to be former captain and lieutenant Shinigami. They are considered criminals by the Soul Society for committing the ultimate taboo of acquiring Hollow powers; their status as former leaders of Soul Society also marks them as traitors.[3]

During their introduction, they are viewed as reclusive and are thought to be only having loyalty to themselves, for it was unknown what role they would take in the upcoming battle at the fake Karakura Town. However, they are still considered to be valuable allies in the war against Sōsuke Aizen's army of Arrancar, according to Kisuke Urahara.[4] The Vizard haven't shown any sort of hierarchy, preferring a loose-knit organization.

Their intentions are finally revealed when they arrive at the Battle of the Fake Karakura Town. Even after the events that made them outlaws by Soul Society 100 years ago, the Vizard bear no ill will toward the Gotei 13, but they prefer not to consider themselves allies of the former organization they belonged to either. Instead, they expressively confirm themselves enemies of Aizen, and by extension, the Espada, and state that they are allies of Ichigo Kurosaki.[5]

History

Turn Back the Pendulum arc

Around 100 years before the current storyline, people in the Soul Society started to disappear, but more than simple death, there were no bodies found; only the victims' clothes remained. The situation caused a great uproar in the Gotei 13 as investigative groups were sent out and not heard from again. Due to this, the 9th Division's command structure took it upon themselves to investigate the situation. Kensei Muguruma, then-captain of the Ninth Division, Mashiro Kuna, his then-lieutenant and their subordinates comprising the 3rd to 6th Seats. They were all mysteriously cut down by a then-unknown assailant that succeeded in taking them all by surprise using some unknown method. When much like the previous disappearance their Reiastu disappeared, the Gotei 13 became worried and sent out a new investigation team personally hand picked by Captain-Commander Yamamoto to see what has happened. Captains Shinji Hirako of the 5th Division, Love Aikawa of the 7th Division and Rōjūrō Otoribashi of the 3rd Division, along with Lieutenant of the Kidō Corps' Hachigen Ushōda, and Kyōraku's Lieutenant Lisa Yadōmaru all set out to find out where they disappeared to. Urahara's lieutenant, Hiyori Sarugaki was already on her way to collect samples of the disappearance site per Urahara's request.

When the group finally arrives they find Hiyori and then themselves under attack by a Hollowfied Kensei and Mashiro. Even while working as a team they were overpowered by the brutal attacks from the former fellow Shinigami. With the timely arrival of Hachi, Mashiro is bound using Kidō and then after more fighting from Kensei he is bound as well. Hiyori, now being held by Shinji, begins to succumb to the Hollowfication process and attacks Shinji without warning. Then, the others are surrounded with a pitch black darkness unable to sense each other and are systematically cut down. After the darkness is lifted Shinji is the only one still conscious to see that it was all Kaname Tōsen, Kensei's 6th Seat, using his Bankai against them. Shinji tried to question Tōsen about the betrayal of his captain while he and the others were going through various stages of Hollowfication. Aizen, Shinji's lieutenant, then shows up with Gin Ichimaru, Shinji's 3rd Seat in tow, explaining that he was following his orders. Then Aizen begins to explain how he was behind it all and that he had been manipulating Shinji from the start using his Zanpakutō's special ability. He then gives Tōsen permission to get rid of Hiyori whom he attacks. Shinji, who refuses to go down without a fight, engaged in combat with Tōsen. Shinji gained the upper hand due to the increase in his power, but then he succumbed to the Hollowfication process even more and was about to be attacked by Aizen. But the timely arrival of the cloaked 12th Division Captain Kisuke Urahara and Kidō Captain Tessai Tsukabishi stopped him.

Plot

The existence of Shinigami/Hollow hybrids is first hinted at early in the series. In order to regain his Shinigami powers after being stripped of them, Ichigo Kurosaki has his Chain of Fate severed by Kisuke Urahara in order to force him to regain his lost power before becoming a Hollow. Ichigo is only able to succeed once he begins transforming into a Hollow. Ichigo's transformation happens out of sequence, his mask forming first instead of his body breaking apart and reforming, a sign of his resistance to becoming a Hollow, and he emerges as a Shinigami wearing a Hollow's mask, which he breaks off. After he arrived in Soul Society, the Hollow mask reappears on his person on several occasions, even though he repeatedly discarded it, to block mortal and fatal blows. In his fight against Byakuya Kuchiki, Ichigo's inner Hollow took some control of his body, causing his mask to reform around his face. Ichigo is able to regain control and tear off the mask before the transformation completes.

Arrancar arc

Ichigo later discovers that there are other Shinigami who have acquired Hollow powers besides himself. Shinji Hirako, a "boy" carrying a Zanpakutō and a Hollow mask, reveals that these renegade Shinigami call themselves the Vizard. Shinji tries to convince Ichigo to join their group, saying that only he can teach Ichigo how to control his Hollow form and keep it from taking over and destroying everything Ichigo cares about. Ichigo initially refuses Shinji's offer, but relents after realizing he can't control his inner Hollow on his own. Ichigo insists that he's merely using them to learn how to control his inner Hollow.

To accomplish this task, Shinji knocks Ichigo unconscious so he can face his inner Hollow on common ground. As this happens, Ichigo's body transforms into an uncontrollable Hollow form, which the Vizard take turns fighting in order to keep it in check. Ichigo eventually manages to overcome and subdue his inner Hollow (in 62 minutes and 30 seconds) , and begins training with the Vizard to have better control over his new powers. Ichigo abandons his training when the town is threatened, despite having little control over his new powers compared to the more experienced Vizard. It is later shown that the Vizard are preparing for battle with unknown intentions.


Fake Karakura Town arc

The Vizard as they intervene in the fight at the fake Karakura Town.

When the Shinigami begin to lose their respective battles and the Arrancar begin to mount a comeback that culminates in Aizen's escape, the Vizard appear on the battlefield. Shinji briefly greets Aizen in a mocking manner, and then asks his fellow Vizard if there is anyone in the Gotei 13 they would like to speak to. He ends up in a short argument with Hiyori, followed by the others expressing their disinterest in speaking to their former comrades, with the exception of Lisa, who flash steps away.[6] Shinji then approaches Yamamoto to greet him, to which the commander asks if he has come for revenge. Shinji plainly tells him against Aizen, yes, but that he holds no such ambitions against the Gotei 13. Yamamoto asks Shinji if he is right to assume they are then allies, to which Shinji replies that they aren't. However, he clarifies that although they are not on the Gotei 13's side, they are against Aizen and are allies of Ichigo.[7] He then returns to the other Vizard, who bring forth their masks when Fūrā spews forth a huge amount of Gillian class Menos from its mouth.[8] They then attack the Gillian, showing off each of their powers. Shinji, however, confronts Aizen and tells him it is time to finish this off.[9]. Before his attack can reach, Kaname Tōsen slashes at Shinji before the latter starts fighting Gin Ichimaru.

Mashiro is defeated by Wonderweiss Margera, who then battles Kensei, only to later leave the fight to attack Yamamoto, leaving Kensei's fate unknown. Hachi sacrifices one of his arms to defeat Baraggan and cannot use his powers to his fullest, and Hiyori is bifictured by Gin after being enraged by one of Aizen's taunts. Later, after Ichigo's return from Hueco Mundo, Shinji, Rose, Love and Lisa engage Aizen to protect Ichigo from his Shikai. Aizen effortlessly cuts down Rose, Love and Lisa. Shinji, along with Shunsui Kyōraku, Soifon, and Tōshirō Hitsugaya, mistakenly think that they have finally killed Aizen, but it turns out to be an illusion that tricked them into stabbing Momo Hinamori. When Shinji and the others try to stop an enraged Hitsugaya from charging at Aizen, the latter tells them that they're all wide open and defeats all of them with one slash each, sending Shinji and his comrades falling into the town. With that, the only Vizard still able to fight is Ichigo, who is now fighting Gin and Aizen alongside his father, Isshin, Kisuke Urahara, and Yoruichi Shihōin.