Soul Society: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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'''Soul Society''' may refer to:

{{nihongo|'''Soul Society'''|尸魂界（ソウル・ソサエティ）|''Sōru Sosaeti''|the Japanese spelling used literally translates to "dead spirit world"}}<ref>Soul Society, despite being written using [[kanji]], is pronounced "Soul Society," instead of using a Japanese pronunciation.</ref> is the [[afterlife]] (also called the spirit world in a ''[[Bleach (manga)|Bleach]]''-related context) in the [[anime]] and [[manga]] series ''Bleach''. It is usually prefixed with a [[definite article]] in the English dub of the anime.

*Soul Society, a fictional location in the manga series ''[[Bleach (manga)|Bleach]]''

*"Soul Society", a song by Kamelot from the 2005 album ''[[The Black Halo]]''

*''[[The Soul Society]]'', the 1960 debut album by Sam Jones

==See Overview also==

*[[Society of Soul]], a member of the group of bands Dungeon Family

While [[Rukia Kuchiki]] initially describes Soul Society as something of a [[paradise]], where nine out of ten times it is better than the living world and hunger is never a problem,<ref>''Bleach'' manga volume 2, chapter 12, page 15</ref> Soul Society is portrayed as anything but sublime (having died as a baby, Rukia's lack of knowledge regarding the human world may have influenced her viewpoint, or she may simply have been trying to ease the spirits she gave the information to). In fact, aside from the slowed aging and aforementioned lack of hunger, life there is much like that in the living world. Soul Society consists of two portions: ''Rukongai'' (lit. ''Town of Wandering Spirits'', Rukon District in the English version), a massive group of cities where most people live; and ''Seireitei'' (lit. ''Court of Pure Souls''), a walled castle where the spirit world nobility and the ''[[Shinigami (Bleach)|shinigami]]'' live.

{{disambig}}

While Soul Society is considered the [[afterlife]], people are not immortal by any means, though aging is slowed to such an extent that lifespans of 2000 or more years are not unheard of. Such ages, however, are usually limited to ''shinigami'' or other Soul Society dwellers capable of manipulating spirit energy. Children can even be born as they are in the human world. People can be killed as regular humans are, though they are capable of surviving wounds that would normally be considered fatal. A soul that dies in Soul Society is reincarnated on Earth as a new human with no past memories.<ref>''Bleach'' Official Character Book SOULs;{{page number}}</ref>

== Accessing Soul Society ==

''Shinigami'' come and leave Soul Society by unlocking the ''senkaimon'' (穿界門, ''lit.'' world penetration gate) using a Hell Butterfly (地獄蝶 ''jigokuchō''). Pluses, on the other hand, enter Soul Society through the ritual of Soul Burial (魂葬 ''konsō'').

Intruders can pass through the ''senkaimon'' in the same manner, but only in soul form. This allows spiritual beings, such as Ichigo in his ''shinigami'' form, to enter without permission. Humans can also use such a gate through the use of ''reishihenkanki'' (霊子変換機, ''lit.'' spirit exchangers), which convert solid matter into spirit particles. While this method uses the same gate, the lack of a Hell Butterfly forces intruders to pass through the ''dangai'' (断界, ''lit.'' prohibiting world), a bordering dimension between the human world and Soul Society (not to be confused with [[Hueco Mundo]]). This is much more dangerous to do, as souls that cannot pass through before the gate to Soul Society closes are trapped there forever.

Finally, [[Hollow (Bleach)|hollows]] can also directly rip a hole to Soul Society from [[Hueco Mundo]], or in the case of arrancar, using their ability, [[Hollow (Bleach)#Powers|''garganta'']].

== Government ==

Soul Society is ruled by a royal family, which is protected by a royal guard. Further down, [[Shinigami (Bleach)#Judiciary|Central 46 Chambers]] serves as a supreme judiciary and legislative that is second only to the royal family. The ''shinigami'' enforce order in Soul Society as a sort of executive and military branch. All of the above, except the royal family and guard, reside in ''Seireitei''.

The king and the royal family reside in a separate dimension in the very core of Soul Society, which can only be opened with a tri-pronged golden key fittingly named the {{nihongo|Royal Key|王鍵|ōken}}.<ref name="Key">''Bleach'' manga; chapter 223, pages 6-7.</ref> The location of this key is passed down verbally from one [[Shinigami (Bleach)#Gotei 13|Gotei 13]] [[Shinigami (Bleach)#Commander-General|general]] to the next, the current holder being [[Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai|General Yamamoto]]. The king's practical role is unknown, as the ''shinigami'' are governed largely by the Central 46 Chambers, nor has the king been implied to participate in any of their deliberations. According to [[Rangiku Matsumoto]], no ''shinigami'' in the Gotei 13 has ever seen the king.

== Rukongai ==<!-- This section is linked from [[List of Bleach Soul Society: The Sneak Entry arc episodes]] -->

''Rukongai'' (流魂街 ''lit.'' wandering soul city) is the largest portion of Soul Society and the most populated. It is divided into 320 districts (80 in North ''Rukongai'', 80 in West ''Rukongai'', etc.), each numbered in descending order on how far they are from the center; this results in the higher-numerated (and farther) districts decaying into [[slum]]s. Thus, while District 1 is peaceful and lawful, much like the antiseptic lifestyle of early-[[Edo era]] [[Kyoto]], District 80 is a hardscrabble, violent, crime-infested area that more depicts [[Heian era]] Kyoto. There is no indication that the ''shinigami'' or any other agencies patrol the streets of ''Rukongai'', and as a result, the citizenry are mainly responsible for their day-to-day welfare.

So far, only five names of Rukongai districts are known:

* 1 - ''Junrinan'' (潤林安), part of West ''Rukongai''

** [[Tōshirō Hitsugaya]], [[Momo Hinamori]], and [[Characters in Bleach#Gate watchers|Jidanbō]], the West Gate Keeper, came from here. When Ichigo comes to Soul Society, the spirit of Yūichi Shibata, the boy who inhabited [[Yasutora Sado]]'s cockatiel, also comes to reside here. According to [[Sōsuke Aizen]], West Rukongai is also the "headquarters" of [[Kisuke Urahara]].

* 3 - ''Hokutan'' (北端), part of West ''Rukongai''

** [[Kaien Shiba]] trained [[Rukia Kuchiki]] here on Mt. Koifushi.<ref>''Bleach'' chapter 268, page 4.</ref>

* 78 - ''Inuzuri'' (''lit.'' howling dog), the South Alley of Flowing Spirits

** Hisana Kuchiki was sent here with Rukia when they died. Both [[Rukia Kuchiki]] and [[Renji Abarai]] grew up here.

* 79 - ''Kusajishi'' (草鹿), the North Alley of Loitering Spirits

** [[Yachiru Kusajishi]] was found here by Kenpachi Zaraki.

* 80 - ''Zaraki'' (更木), the North Alley of Loitering Spirits

** Captain [[Kenpachi Zaraki]] originated from here.

== Seireitei ==<!-- This section is linked from [[List of Bleach Soul Society: The Sneak Entry arc episodes]] -->

[[Image:Soul Society.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Aerial view of Seireitei]]

''Seireitei'' (瀞霊廷, ''lit.'' court of pure souls) is in the center of Soul Society, a circular [[Japanese castle|shiro]] with four main entrances, each guarded by a Gate Guardian. The walls are made of Sekiseki, a material known to sap all spiritual and psychic energy when one portion is faced in a particular direction, similar to [[magnetism|magnetic]] [[lodestone]]s. The deathstone also forms a spherical barrier around the city, preventing anyone from entering anywhere other than the four gates.

The majority of the residents of ''Seireitei'', nobility and ''shinigami'' alike, do not interact with the citizens of ''Rukongai''. However, residents of ''Rukongai'', like Renji and Rukia, are allowed to apply for the ''shinigami'' academy, which is often the only escape from the poorest conditions of ''Rukongai''. Some ''Seireitei'' residents, such as ex-commander of the [[Shinigami (Bleach)#Special forces|special forces]], [[Yoruichi Shihouin]], and the Shiba clan, do maintain residences outside the castle.

At the center of ''Seireitei'' are the Shrine of Penitence (''senzaikyū''), a white tower, and ''Sōkyoku'' (双殛) Hill, where executions take place.

== References ==

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