Bleach Fantasy II Round 5: Shunsui Kyoraku vs. Auron

Welcome back to another installment of Bleach Fantasy II where MechG & I once again collaborate on pitting the world of Bleach & the various installments of the Final Fantasy franchise. On Friday, Bleach finally attained its first victory (FF still leads 3-1 against Bleach), but many things can happen. Like MechG said, Bleach Fantasy II posts will be on Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays. My daily schedule of Affinity, Watch-list, WBCR, & Throwback posts will be the same as always (if delayed, posts will be on weekends). Without further ado, let's get started on Bleach Fantasy II Round 5 ~ Shunsui Kyoraku vs. Auron. Take into account that Storyline and Powers/Abilities are the deciding factors. MechG & I will switch-off ever 3 rounds in giving the verdict. Let's jam!

Storyline (Kyoraku)

Shunsui Kyoraku is one of the oldest living Captains of the Gotei 13 since its formation by the renowned Captain Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto alongside 13th division Captain Jushiro Ukitake. He is best described as a womanizing drunk, but has humility, is a lover not a fighter, and prefers thinks simple. However, he was forced to become the Captain-Commander when his teacher & mentor Genryusai Yamamoto was murdered at the hands of Yhwach, the leader of the Quincy. Prior to his promotion, he was the 8th division Captain and was first introduced when Team Ichigo were considered Ryoka by the Gotei 13. Kyoraku's first confrontation was with Chad and he was quick to deal with him despite not wanting to fight him in the first place. However, it was soon revealed that, alongside his friend Ukitake, that they intended to stop Rukia's execution knowing full well that they'd become targets, labeled traitors, and would have to face their teacher. After that arc, we don't see much of Kyoraku until the Arrancars show up. He'd duke it out with the 1st Espada Coyote Starrk and, despite him being #1, Kyoraku managed to outsmart and outplay him in every turn. Usually, Kyoraku prefers wielding one of his blades, but when fighting Starrk, he had to duel-wield. This is where he displayed what he is capable of despite it only being his Shikai. However, after dealing with Starrk, he was unable to deal with Aizen despite having done a team-up attack on him.

After Aizen's arrest, it wouldn't be long before Captain Yamamoto was murdered by Yhwach & then we see Kyoraku taking up the mantle of responsibility, carrying the Gotei 13 on his shoulders. He also is the first to announce of the 1st Kenpachi's existence ~ Yachiru Unohana and that Kenpachi Zaraki is one of the special war potentials alongside Ichigo & Aizen. There was brief moment where Kyoraku explained to Ichigo's friendsL Keigo, Mizuiro, & Tatsuki that Ichigo's very existence could be detrimental to the Human World and he'd probably would have to reside within the Soul Society, but he reassured Ichigo's friends that they could visit him whenever they chose. The last action Kyoraku took was unleashing Aizen ~ the most formidable, vicious, and dangerous enemy the Gotei 13 has faced, but his release is essential to stopping Yhwach.

Storyline (Auron)

Not a lot is emphasized on Auron’s childhood and teenage years. In his adult years, he was a devoted warrior monk in Bevelle and was well-respected by the high clergy of Yevon. However, when Auron was arranged to marry a high priest’s daughter, in which he refused, he immediately fell out of favor by the clergy and the promotion among Yevon’s elite was handed down to one of his friends. Although Auron’s career turned upside-down ever since that incident, he was eventually called in by Summoner Braska as his guardian for the pilgrimage to Zanarkand to defeat Sin. Braska’s high noble character helped Auron turn back to the right way of respectability because he had so much admiration to Braska and pledged undying loyalty to him. When Braska recruited Jecht, Auron reverted back as he thought Jecht was not fit to be a guardian, but Braska proceeded to add Jecht because to Braska, it would be a unique way to defeat Sin with a bunch of misfits and polar opposites. Eventually, Auron would grow even closer to Jecht. With Braska and Jecht’s sacrifice to defeat Sin with the Final Summon, Auron was tasked with two things: to bring Braska’s daughter, Yuna, to Besaid and to be the caretaker of Jecht’s son, Tidus in Jecht’s Dream Zanarkand. Auron eventually went back to Bevelle to fulfill Braska’s request, but he was mortally wounded by Lady Yunalesca and died a slow death, but before he “died”, he passed on Braska’s request to Kimahri to take Yuna to Besaid and take care her.

Though Auron’s physical body died before the start of Final Fantasy X, his soul did not get sent off into the Farplane because he barely fulfilled Braska’s task and still has yet to fulfill Jecht’s request so he remained in Spira as an unsent soul. After the Calm (a peaceful period of Spira) since Sin’s defeat by Braska using Jecht as the Final Aeon to defeat it, Jecht becomes the new Sin, beginning a new cycle for Spira and Auron, now with a new body constructed by soul pyreflies, rode off with Sin to Dream Zanarkand to meet Tidus. With Sin destroying the Dream Zanarkand, Auron rescues Tidus and brings him out of the Dream to the real world of Spira. Auron re-appears again in Luca where Tidus was journeying along with his newfound party were tagging along Yuna’s pilgrimage. Auron eventually reunited with them during a fiend outbreak during a Blitzball tournament in Luca , but he hid his unsent state. After defeating Lady Yunalesca in Zanarkand, Auron eventually reveals his true, undead state to Tidus. After battling Sin, Seymour, Jecht, and finally Yu Yevon, Auron’s unsent state is eventually revealed to everyone as pyreflies started flowing away from him. Though his state demoralized Yuna the most, Auron tells her to continue on now that his spirit can finally have eternal rest since he fulfilled every promise, joining Braska and Jecht into the Farplane and taking Tidus with him now that the Fayth can stop dreaming Tidus with Sin was defeated.

Powers/Abilities (Kyoraku)

Kyoraku is highly skilled in Shunpo, being agile in just a few short steps. Being a Captain Level, he is by far one of the strongest and oldest living Captains and his promotion from 8th Captain to 1st after General Yamamoto's unfortunate death at the hands of Yhwach. Kyoraku was able to stand on par against Starrk, the 1st Espada underneath Aizen's tutelage. His Zanpaktou is labeled Katen Kyokotsu, which is able to make rules and set boundaries based on "making children's games real." One such attack is like a spinning top, a color game, and a game based on stepping on shadows. His abilities are unique and add flavor when it comes to making children's games real. And the scary part about his abilities is that this is just his Shikai, not his Banaki. Ukitake comments that Kyoraku's Bankai would be a bad idea to release if people were around to see it, meaning it is both formidable and not to be underestimated.

Powers/Abilities (Auron)

Most of Auron’s abilities emphasize on weakening the enemy’s normal stats and with his Sentinel ability, he can (at any random time) defend a party member whom the enemy intends its attack on. Possessing high strength, defense, and HP stats, Auron can take on stronger enemies, but he also has low speed and accuracy leaving him against faster and more versatile enemies. His katana has the Piercing ability where it can weaken more defensive-minded foes and his Overdrive special attack is Bushido and it takes on four different skills: Dragon Fang, where he jumps into the air, unleashing an explosion with his blade that inflicts damage on all enemies, Shooting Star, swiftly attacking one opponent with a heavy blow and sending an opponent flying out of orbit (well just off screen), Banishing Blade, using his alcohol on his blade, lighting it up and unleashing a powerful blow, and the Tornado, devastating twister spawning from his blade and throwing his alcohol bottle to set it ablaze. In addition, he has four Break abilities that he’s able to weaken an opponent’s attribute with a heavy upper swing from his sword: Power (reduces physical power), Magic (reduces magic), Mental (reduces magic defense), and Armor (reduces physical defense).

Verdict
And the winner is...

As much as I think Auron is a badass in FF X, I don't think he'd stand a chance again Captain Kyoraku Shunsui. We have yet to see the full extent of Kyoraku's powers and he alone poses a big threat if he can cause tremendous damage to the strongest Espada and that isn't 100% his full power. Being one of the oldest Captains in the Gotei 13, Kyoraku has been around quite some time and not much really intimidates him (with the exception of Aizen & perhaps Kenpachi). Auron's abilities allow him to emphasize on weakening the enemy's stats, but Auron also is weak when it comes to speed and accuracy. If Auron & Kyoraku duked it out in battle, Kyoraku would prefer to settle things peacefully and deal with him easily using his Katen Kyokotsu. Kyoraku is strong in every attribute ~ powers, agility, durability, & versatile. Auron's childhood also isn't emphasized as much whereas we already knew that Kyoraku is the first student of Yamamoto to be one of the Captains of the Gotei 13. Although Auron died a slow death, Kyoraku has to carry the burden of the entire Gotei 13 now that Captain Yamamoto was murdered. As much as I give praise to Kyoraku a lot, I'm not trying to put down Auron. Auron is a badass in his own right, but I don't think he's on par with someone who, I don't know, has lived much MUCH longer than him. Being one of oldest and wisest members of the Soul Society ~ he's a man whose lived countless lifetimes and his strength & durability show it. This is why this victory goes to Shunsui Kyoraku.

So who do you think won this matchup? Shunsui Kyorakufrom Bleach or Auron from Final Fantasy X? Comment below and let us know. Reiterating again, Bleach Fantasy Round II posts will be on Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays w/MechG & I interchanging every 3rd matchups on giving the verdict. Bleach Fantasy Round II standings (3-2):

1) Yoruichi Shihoin vs. Prishe ~ Final Fantasy (Verdict by MechG)
2) Uryu Ishida vs. Hope Estheim ~ Final Fantasy (Verdict by MechG)
3) As Nodt vs. Vincent Valentine ~ Final Fantasy (Verdict by MechG)
4) Kenpachi Zaraki vs. Jecht ~ Bleach (Verdict by Stillmattic)
5) Shunsui Kyoraku vs. Auron ~ Bleach (Verdict by Stillmattic)