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In Tite Kubo's Bleach, Yoruichi Shihoin is one of the most intriguing characters. While most Shinigamis use a Zanpakuto to take on their opponents, the Flash Goddess invented her own fighting style by combining Hakuda with Kido. This advanced technique, called Shunko, allows her to surround her back and arm with high-pressure lightning-based kido.
In Bleach Thousand Year Blood-War arc, the flash goddess unlocks the true potential of this technique, which literally makes her the God of Thunder. This article explains Yoruichi's Shunko technique and its advanced form, as seen in the Thousand Year Blood-War arc.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from Bleach Thousand Year Blood-War arc.
Yoruichi's Shunko, Raijin Senkei, translates to God of Thunder Battle Form in Bleach
Unlike Soifon and Yushio, who use wind and fire-based Shunko, Yoruichi Shihoin uses lightning as the base element for her Shunko. This technique enhances her fighting capabilities and allows her to neutralize her opponent's movements to a great degree.
Yoruichi honed this technique and perfected it for many years, as seen in the Thousand Year Blood War arc. Upon its activation, Yoruichi gains a pair of lightning wings at her back. In chapter 656 of Bleach, titled God of Thunder, the Flash Goddess exhibits an even more advanced form of her lightning Shunko, named Shunko: Raijin Senkei.
According to the official translation as per Viz media, Raijin Senkei stands for God of Thunder Battle Form. Interestingly, the Japanese mythology refers to Raijin as the God of Thunder. As per the Japanese folktales, the revered God of Thunder has a ring of drums on his back, with which he creates lightning.
Notably, Yoruichi Shihoin's God of Thunder (Raijin Senkei) form takes inspiration from the literal God of Thunder, as she gains a circle of electrical energy in the shape of the Thunder God's ring of drums at her back. Flash Goddess becomes the literal God of Thunder in this state and gains destructive fighting abilities.
She can also control the pressurized kido and fire at her opponent directly, causing explosive damage. In chapter 656 of Bleach, Yoruichi used a column of lightning energy at Askin Nakk le Var in her Raijin Senkei form to severely injure him. However, this wasn't the pinnacle of her Shunko technique.
In chapter 662 of the Bleach manga, Yoruichi's involuntary final form, Shunko: Raiju Senkei: Shunryu Kokobyo Senki, was revealed. It was the strongest form of her Raijin Senkei. According to the official translation by Viz Manga, Raiju Senkei: Shunryu Kokobyo Senki stands for Thunderous Black Cat Battle Princess.
Another popular translation of this form is Thunder Beast Battle Form: Flash God Black Cat Warrior Princess. So, in this state, Yoruichi's Shunko takes an animalistic interpretation, as she assumes the form of a thunderous cat. One could say that this form is a hybrid between her Shunko and her feline form.
In Raiju Senkei form, Yoruichi gains clawed pawns made of electrical energy and grows a black tail. She emits an aura of lightning energy and gains cat-like ears. According to the narrative, this form gives the Flash Goddess the fickle-minded nature of a cat, which also manifests in her spiritual pressure.
In other words, her Spiritual Pressure changes depending on her mood. According to Kisuke Urahara, in Raiju Senkei form, Yoruichi's Reitasu/spiritual pressure changes 48 times per second. However, like a cat, she has no rational mindset of her own in this form.
Notably, the "Raiju" part of her final form has connections to the Thunder God Raijin. As per Japanese mythology, Raijuu refers to a mythological creature that descended from the sky in a bolt of lightning. This creature was accompanied by the God of Thunder, Raijin.
Overall, Yoruichi Shihoin displayed a wide range of her Shunko capabilities in the Thousand Year Blood War arc of Bleach. Not only did she assume the form of the Thunder God, Raijin, but she possessed incredible lightning energy to critically wound Askin Nakk le Var. She could have defeated him if it weren't for his ability of Death Dealing.
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