Character Profile - Byakuya Kuchiki

-Senbonzakura: This is the name of his Zanpakuto. Its release command is "Scatter

- Shikai (Initial Release): Scatter: The second form (or first "upgraded" form) available to a Zanpakutō. To activate it, the Shinigami needs to learn the name of their Zanpakuto. Senbonzakura is a regular katana. It has a simple cross guard, with an open frame much like a four-pane window. It has a bronze guard, with lavender hilt-wrapping, and a white sheath.  In its Shikai, Senbonzakura's blade separates into a thousand tiny, slender blade fragments, which fly away from the hilt, leaving only the sword's handle in Byakuya's hand. The release can be negated before it completes, as seen when Yoruichi Shihōin wrapped the blade in cloth during Byakuya's short battle with Ichigo. While the blades are supposedly too small to be seen normally, they reflect light in such a way as to resemble cherry blossom petals. By swinging Senbonzakura's hilt, Byakuya can control the blade fragments, allowing him to shred opponents at a distance. The blades can be used for defensive purposes, as they can protect Byakuya from an incoming sword swing.

- Bankai (Final Release): Senbonzakura Kageyoshi (Vibrant Display of a Thousand-Cherry blossoms): The second and final upgraded form of a Zanpakutō. To achieve Bankai, one must be able to materialize and subjugate their Zanpakutō spirit. The power and forms of Shikai and Bankai are dependent on the Zanpakutō. They also vary according to the wielder's strength and training. But in general, one's power can grow 5 to 10 times greater. Byakuya's Bankai is a much larger version of Senbonzakura's Shikai. To activate it, Byakuya drops his sword straight down. The sword phases into the ground, as though it were a pool of water. Energy ripples expand out, turning the surrounding area dark, and within seconds, two rows of a thousand giant blades rise up from the ground. Those thousand swords scatter, and countless flying blades pierce the enemy:

• Gōkei (Mawscape): This form increases the number of tiny blades immensely. It creates a spherical formation of innumerable blade fragments, which swirl around the opponent like a cloud before flying into them from every possible angle, leaving no blind spots and no possibility of escape. It proceeds to collapse in on itself. 

• Senkei (Slaughterscape): The true form of Senbonzakura. This unites the scattered petals into complete glowing swords, numbering in the thousands, which form four rows. These rows float just above each other, and circle around Byakuya and his opponent in a continuously moving, column-like array. It abandons defense in favor of a concentrated offense. Though visually menacing, this form is not meant for attack from all sides; rather, it concentrates his Bankai into fewer blades, thus increasing his attack power. While Byakuya can mentally control these swords, he commonly calls them to his hands for actual melee combat. When in his hand, they lose their glow, and take the form of his sealed Zanpakutō. While they seem solid in this state, the swords can just as easily dissipate back into the multitude of tiny blades they are made up of. It seems to take fewer blows from a Senkei blade to gravely injure an opponent than the multiple cuts needed from the unfocused Bankai. Senkei seals Byakuya in with his enemy, allowing neither combatant to move very far from each other, though the area is still large enough for maneuverability.

• Shūkei: Hakuteiken ( Endscape: White Emperor Sword): This condenses each and every one of his blades into a single, potent sword, drastically increasing its cutting power. The spiritual energy and pressure released by this form is immense. The blade appears bright white, and its aura takes the form of a bird, Pure white wings form on Byakuya's back, as well as a halo-like circle, made of concentrated spiritual energy. 

- Zanjutsu (Art of the Sword): The fighting style for the Zanpakutō, (i.e. sword fighting) and is one of the four basic fighting styles of the Shinigami.

- Hakuda (Hand-to-Hand Combat): A close-combat martial art of fighting in which one is unarmed and uses only ones body, and is one of the four basic fighting styles of the Shinigami.

- Shunpo: Superspeed technique which propels the user across short distances at enhanced speeds.                                                    

• Senka (Flash Blossom): A shunpo technique where the user attacks the opponent twice in quick succession, severing their Saketsu and Hakusui, effectively sealing the flow of spiritual power

• Utsusemi (Cast-off Cicada Shell):  A shunpo technique that leaves afterimages that appear to have taken damage

- Kidō (Demon Arts): A form of Shinigami combat that is based on advanced spells that are produced with strong Reiryoku and fall into two categories: Hadō (Way of Destruction) for direct attacks, and Bakudō (Way of Binding) for battle support. It is one of the techniques in the Zankensoki, the group of Shinigami primary combat skills. Kidō spells are triggered by an incantation. Experienced users can trigger them without an incantation, though the effectiveness of the spell will be diminished.

• Bakudō #61: Rikujōkōrō (Six-Staff Light Prison : Summons six thin, wide beams of light that slam into a target's midsection, holding them in place. The target is then unable to move any part of their body including the parts that were not struck by the beams. Byakuya is said to be the most proficient user of this technique in soul society by Aaroniero Arruerueri.

• Bakudō #81: Dankū (Severing Void):  A transparent barrier that protects the caster from kido-like abilities up to a certain extent

• Hadō #1: Shō (Impact) : A weak force of energy that pushes an object backwards.

• Hadō #4: Byakurai (White Lightning) : Byakuya casts a concentrated bolt of lightning from his finger. The power behind is strong enough to blow a hole clean through Bankai Ichigo's shoulder

• Hadō #33: Sōkatsui : Spell that releases a burst of blue energy from his  palm

- Post Royal-Guard Training:

- Shikai (Initial Release): Scatter: During Byakuya's training with the Royal Guard, he obtained a finer understanding of his Shikai, granting him greater control and the ability to form more solid on the scale of his previous Bankai.