Gotei 13

Gotei 13
Image	Gotei13.jpg
Kanji	護廷十三隊
Romaji	Goteijūsantai
Organization
Founder(s)	Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto
Headquarters	Seireitei, Soul Society
Chef	Captain-Commander
Senior Members	Captains of Gotei 13
Other members	First Division, Second Division, Third Division, Fourth Division, Fifth Division, Sixth Division, Seventh Division, Eighth Division, Ninth Division, Tenth Division, Eleventh Division, Twelfth Division, Thirteenth Division
Affiliation	Soul Society; Royal Guard; Necromancer Corps; Onmitsukidō
Role	Defense/Soul Society offensive force

The 13 Divisions(護廷十三隊, Goteijūsantai) are the main military force of the Soul Society, as well as the military organization that most Shinigami join after leaving the Academy.

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History

While the history of Gotei 13 remains rather unknown as a whole, the organization was founded by Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, who has remained at the helm of the group since its conception.

The first generation of Gotei 13 consisted of Yamamoto, Yachiru Unohana and 11 other captains. Shunsui Kyōraku considers this generation to be the strongest version of Gotei 13.

According to Yhwach, the early Gotei 13 were "defenders" in name only, comprising nothing more than a bunch of brutal murderers, but it was ultimately for this very reason that they represented a force to be feared. It was also because Yamamoto was a ruthless leader who considered even his subordinates as easily replaceable parts. It is noted that Gotei 13 experienced dramatic changes after the extermination of the Quincy, relaxing with the ensuing peace and finally finding a sense of justice after realizing new things to protect and cherish.

Mission

The Gotei 13 is a military force that acts according to four main responsibilities:

• Defense of the Seireitei, which is the center of the Soul Society.
• the deployment of the members of Divisions in enemy territory for combat operations.
• the deployment of Special Forces as a means of defense in the Human World.
• the delivery of souls to the Soul Society.

Purpose of the Organization

In general, Gotei 13 does not act as a cohesive unit. Command of the divisions is often left to the discretion of their respective captains, who manage them in any way they wish, allowing for a diversity of assets between divisions as well as the creation of special institutions connected to them. The main duty of Gotei 13 is to defend the Seireitei, but they are also assigned to defend districts of the Rukongai. In addition to these duties, the Shinigami must manage their assigned affairs in the Human World.

The only general authority that can lead to combined action is by decree of the House of 46, or more often through the Captain-Commander. It is not uncommon for Captains to not see each other as a whole group for long periods of time, unless a matter involving the entire Soul Society, the sanctioning of a Captain, or conversely, the promotion of a Captain is taking place. As a rule, Captains are spread out across the Soul Society managing the business of their divisions, no matter what it is. They are so spread out that getting the Captains together as a group, or even their lieutenants, can normally take up to a day.

Unless personally ordered by the Captain-Commander, Captains can choose whether or not to attend meetings (at their own risk) or to become involved in the day-to-day crises of the Soul Society. Captains are not allowed to conduct activities outside their jurisdiction or division without permission. The captain of a division may not sanction the officer of another captain.

Officially, the Necromancer Corps and the Onmitsukidō are not part of Gotei 13, but since Soi Fon is both captain of the 2nd Division and head of the Onmitsukidō, the Onmitsukidō is now under the control of Gotei 13. In addition, the captain of the Kidō Corps (of Necromancers) has been known to obey the orders and summonses of the Captain-Commander of Gotei 13.

Operation

Structure

Gotei 13 is composed of thirteen divisions, some of which are specialized.

Gotei 13 is headed by the Captain-Commander, who has the statutory authority to manage all Gotei 13 affairs while deferring to the authority of the House of 46 when dealing with Soul Society issues.

As with every army, Gotei 13 has ranks. There are 20 officer ranks, but no ranks for non-officers. The lower the number, the higher the rank. Below are the ranks and their descriptions, from highest to lowest in strength. Gotei 13 is an organization with a merit-based hierarchy. It has set aside the rank system based on seniority, and abilites are the only aspects that are used to determine one's rank.

Council of Captains

The Captains meet in the main hall of First Division Headquarters to discuss important issues concerning their specific divisions and matters affecting the Soul Society. This council is highly formalized, with the Captain-Commander directing the proceedings. All Captains are considered equal (with the exception of the Captain-Commander), and decide solely on the path of their division, unless the Captain-Commander has stipulated otherwise. Votes are conducted by unanimous consensus.

• the Captain-Commander (総隊長, Sōtaichō; Captain General) is the supreme leader of Gotei 13. The position requires him to oversee all operations of Gotei 13, the Onmitsukidō, and the Kidō Corps when the welfare of the Seireitei and Soul Society is in danger. The only force to which the Captain-Commander answers is the House of 46, which elects the Captain-Commander's successor after his death. The former holder of the title is Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto of the 1st Division, who had held the position for the past 1000 years. The current captain-commander is Shunsui Kyōraku.
• A Captain (隊長, Taichō; lit. Unit Commander) is the leader of one of the thirteen divisions.

Captains are generally the most respected Shinigami within Soul Society, certainly on par with the leaders of the Kidō Corps and the Onmitsukidō.With one exception, all captains are capable of using the final stage of their Zanpakutō, and are far more powerful than even their lieutenants. Knowing that Bankai gives captains on average five to ten times more strength than a Shinigami unable to do so. They have trained and mastered their Bankai considerably, allowing them to use this enormous power effectively in battle. Most captains are skilled in Shunpo and Kidō, and generally have a thorough knowledge of Shinigami history and military strategies. All of these factors create a wide gap between captains and lower-ranked officers.

They function as General Managers and determine the direction, organization, strategies, and policy of their division. The power a captain has over his division is absolute and cannot be challenged by officers or captains from other divisions. A captain can choose to change the specialty of his division (which Kisuke Urahara did after becoming captain of the 12th Division). Since the captains have supreme authority over their respective divisions, the divisions are separate entities and not a cohesive military force. As such, they only have the right to sanction the actions of their officers and not those of other divisions, unless the division in question does not have a captain and the officers' actions are against the laws and rules of the Soul Society.

It is in the captains of Gotei 13 that the real power of the Soul Society resides, being the leaders of this military branch. When they are ready to deploy their full strength, the Soul Society is safe and almost unbeatable. If they are broken, their strength diminishes, making them all very vulnerable.

There are three different ways to become a captain of the Gotei 13:

1. The Captain's Mastery Test (隊首, taishu): an exam that requires the ability to perform Bankai. Almost all Shinigami become captains using this method. At least three captains, including the Captain-Commander, must witness the exam.
2. Personal Recommendation: Have a personal recommendation from at least six captains and the approval of at least three of the remaining seven.
3. Trial by Combat: win against a captain in a one-on-one match with at least 200 witnesses from the captain's division. This method is seen as the rarest and least refined of the three. The method is generally frowned upon by some captains who find it barbaric to the other modes of accessing the position. This method allows one to bypass the inability to perform Bankai or other abilites that a captain would otherwise have to master, as it allows one to gain access to the rank without judgment or skill assessment. Certainly rare in other divisions, the 11th has been adapted to use only this method of access, letting each captain achieve rank by killing his predecessor.

​Lieutenant

• a Lieutenant (副隊長, fukutaichō; Viz "Assistant Captain," often Vice-Captain) is the 2nd headquarters officer of a division.

Lieutenants function as second-in-command in their division, taking care of the day-to-day supervision of operations. They usually only know the Shikai of their Zanpakutō, but they remain the second strongest in their division. In the event of the captain's death, departure, or other circumstance rendering him or her unable to perform his or her duties, the lieutenant acts as the "alternate captain" until a new one is assigned to the position.

The power to appoint or dismiss a Lieutenant rests solely with the Captain of the respective Division, a privilege afforded to them by the House of 46. Captains have the right to appoint more than one lieutenant at a time, but this is a very rare occurrence due to the fact that it is considered an unorthodox choice and is frowned upon by the House of 46. Any potential candidate has the right to decline the appointment to the position.

Officers Seats

Seated officers are the remaining officers of Gotei 13 ranging from the 3rd rank down. Captains and lieutenants hold the 1st and 2nd seat ranks respectively. After that, there are 18 other seats (3rd to 20th). In Gotei 13, only one person can hold a senior officer rank (such as the 3rd or 5th seat), but there are several people for the lower ranks (e.g. 20th seat). This varies between divisions, as there are for example two 3rd Seats in the 13th Division. Headquarters officers often manage mini units in each division (e.g., 3rd Headquarters Hanatarō Yamada is the leader of the 14th Division's Advanced Relief Team)

Divisions

Transfer to another Division

Officers do not necessarily remain in their assigned division for life. It is customary to transfer to another division after gaining experience, an event that coincides with a promotion.

Size and Recruitment

Each Division is composed of about 200+ Shinigami, with the Gotei 13 being an active force of about 3000 enlisted troops. Shinigami are usually recruited through the Shinigami Academy, but it should be noted that not all graduates make it to the Gotei 13. Academy graduates must take an entrance exam for Gotei 13, and only those who pass can join the Gotei. This exam can be taken several times. The influence of the Noble Families can however override the process, as was the case with Rukia Kuchiki who graduated early and was placed in Gotei 13 at the request of Byakuya Kuchiki.

Badges

Each of the 13 Divisions of Gotei 13 has its own symbol that represents the main role of the division. When a power limit is placed on a lieutenant or captain, their symbol appears on a certain part of their body until the limit is lifted. Each symbol has a specific meaning.

Uniformes

The majority of Gotei 13 staff wear the standard Shinigami uniform, called Shihakushō (死覇装, Garment of the Dead Souls)-a white shitagi (下着, undergarment), a black kosode (小袖, short sleeve), a black hakama (袴), white hakama-himo, a white tabi (足袋, foot pocket) and a waraji (草鞋). The black kosode has the insignia of its owner's division printed on the inside. Lieutenants sometimes wear an armband, most often on their left arm, with their division symbol and number on it. They are asked to do this when called to a meeting, but otherwise it is rarely required.

Captains wear a white haori (羽織) over their regular Shinigami clothes, with their division number on the back inscribed in the center of the Gotei 13 symbol (a diamond). Some captains have long sleeves while some do not. The color of the inner lining is specific to the division -or at least to the captain-, since each captain has a different color. The haori is supposed to represent captain status, and Yamamoto was furious when Captains Kuchiki, Kyōraku and Zaraki lost theirs in battle and didn't care at all.

Uniform Customization

Gotei 13 officers, including captains and lieutenants, often customize their personal appearance or that of their uniform. Some of these modifications include:

Captain Shunsui Kyōraku of the 1st Division wears a straw hat and a brightly colored kimono over his uniform.

Captain Soi Fon of the 2nd division wears a sleeveless, backless Shinigami outfit (when fighting) under her haori, which is the standard for the head of the Onmitsukidō. She wears a yellow belt one layer above, but slightly lower than her white belt.

Captain Retsu Unohana of the 4th division wears an obi (帯, belt) rather than a standard belt.

Captain Byakuya Kuchiki of the 6th division wears an expensive sash called Ginpaku Kazahana no Uzuginu (銀白風花の紗, Silk of the Silver White Wildflower) and a ceremonial white headdress called a kenseikan (牽星箝), symbolizing his noble lineage. 17 months after the defeat of Aizen, he wears a finely crafted captain's haori.

Captain Sajin Komamura of the 7th Division wears shoulder pads on his haori and large gloves that come up to his arms. He used to wear a helmet to hide his appearance, but he has removed it.

Captain Kaname Tōsen, formerly of the 9th division, wears an orange scarf with his outfit, a sleeveless kosode, and white boots.

Captain Kensei Muguruma, of the 9th Division, wears a sleeveless kosode.

Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya of the 10th division wears a green scarf with a star around his shoulder to hold his sword.

Captain Kenpachi Zaraki of the 11th division wears a haori with serrated edges, which was taken from the previous captain of the 11th division.

Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi of the 12th division wears a puffy purple tie and a hat with two horizontal points. He then changes his hat.

Lieutenant Chōjirō Sasakibe of the 1st Division wears a jinbaori over his shihakushō.

Lieutenant Marechiyo Ōmaeda of the 2nd division wears a large purple collar behind his head[21].

Lieutenant Shūhei Hisagi of the 9th division wears a sleeveless kosode and a black collar[22].

Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto of the 10th Division wears a top that is deliberately loose and opens to reveal her ample chest. She wears a pink scarf (or stole), and wears her lieutenant's badge around her waist with her belt, tied in a bow.

Lieutenant Nemu Kurotsuchi, from the 12th division, does not wear a hakama, but a mini-skirt, a version of the kosode, which is tied at the waist with a belt.

Lieutenant Rukia Kuchiki, of the 13th division, wears a short-sleeved version of the shihakushō kosode. She wears white fingerless tekkou, similar to Byakuya's, that protrude from her elbows.

Yumichika Ayasegawa of the 5th headquarters of the 11th division wears an orange garment on top of her uniform, around her neck, connected to her arm, which covers most of her chest that would otherwise be exposed by her uniform[23].

All known members of the 9th Division, with the exception of Mashiro Kuna and Toshimori Umesada, wear sleeveless kosodes, including the former captains.

The elites of the 6th division are distinguished by wearing a sleeveless white haori (shorter than the captains') with purple edges and held together at the opening by a red string, over their shihakushō standard.

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