Mayuri Kurotsuchi

Lore & Background

110 years prior to the series, Mayuri was an inmate in the Maggots Nest, the only one dangerous enough to be chained behind bars for his utter lack of regard for life when it comes to experimentation. Mayuri is eventually visited by Kisuke Urahara and his lieutenant Hiyori Sarugaki, the former offering Mayuri a position in the SRDI. After initially refusing being Urahara's assistant, Mayuri accepts when Urahara points out that Mayuri would be his successor should anything happen to him.

Nine years after his release, Urahara and Hiyori are forced to leave the Soul Society, leading to Mayuri's promotion to captain of Squad 12. As the result of the fifth experiment in his life-creating Nemuri Project while later taking the seventh surviving experiment, Nemu Kurotsuchi, to be his lieutenant and lab assistant while pretending to be uncaring towards her to hide his joy of creating a fully stable artificial life form. During this time, Mayuri experimented on Quincies, including Soken Ishida, the grandfather and trainer of Uryū Ishida.

Reader's Guide

Mayuri Kurotsuchi is defined by his ruthless intellect and lack of conventional morality. As the captain of the 12th Division, he acts as the primary researcher for the Gotei 13, creating tools and strategies that often save the Soul Society from extinction. His greatest ability is his scientific intellect. He's able to think many steps ahead of his opponents and has created numerous inventions to aid him in battle.

He is also a master of Kido and has a very high level of Reiatsu. His Zanpakutō is Ashisogi Jizō. When released with the command 'Claw Out', Ashisogi Jizō's blade transforms into a deformed trident head. When it stabs an opponent, it emits a poison that severs the nerve signals that control limb movement, paralyzing that limb regardless of where it was struck.

However, unlike normal paralysis, the affected area is still able to feel pain. Ashisogi Jizō's bankai, named Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō, takes the form of a giant caterpillar with a baby's head and a silver halo. The creature breathes a poisonous derivative of Mayuri's blood which is lethal to anyone who breathes it, aside from himself and Nemu. It can also run through and skewer opponents with the multiple blades that erupt from its chest.

Mayuri has physically modified his bankai so that it will self-destruct and return to its sealed state if it attacks him. It is also shown that Mayuri changes the poison he uses every time he shows his bankai. During his fight against Pernida, Mayuri reveals an alternate bankai called Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō: Makai Fukuin Shōtai, which is an enormous overweight infant-like creature that gives birth to a Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō specially designed to Mayuri's specifications against a certain opponent.

As a final defensive measure, Mayuri can reduce himself to liquid form for three days by stabbing himself with his Zanpakutō. This leaves him unable to attack or be attacked, making it a very effective escape tool.

Did You Know?

• Mayuri ordered his squad to slaughter 28,000 people in the Rukon to stabilize the Wandereich slaughtering Hollows.
• Mayuri implanted a bacterium in Uryū during their first fight that later analyzed Szayelaporro's abilities, giving him an advantage.
• In the series epilogue, Mayuri created a new Nemu after the original died fighting Pernida Parnkgjas.