Szayel Aporro Granz

Szayel Aporro Granz
Bleach character
File:Szayel Aporro Grantz.JPG
Created by	Tite Kubo
In-universe information
Gender	Male
Title	8th Espada in Sōsuke Aizen's army
Relatives	Yylfordt Granz (older brother)

Szayel Aporro Granz (ザエルアポロ・グランツ, Zaeruaporo Gurantsu, also romanized as Szayelaprro Granz in some media) is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Bleach created by Tite Kubo. He is an arrancar in Sōsuke Aizen's army, and the 8th Espada.

Character outline

Szayel Aporro Grantz is an average-sized arrancar with shoulder-length pink hair and reddish-orange eyes. He is Ilforte Grantz's younger brother, although Szayel is much stronger. The remains of his hollow mask take the form of rectangular-framed glasses that give him an intelligent appearance. His arrancar outfit is slightly different from others in that he wears a shorter hakama that exposes a type of sock covering his shins. His shirt is somewhat different from other arrancar as well, as most arrancar have some form of jacket instead. The sleeves are unnecessarily long, covering the majority of his hand, and the shirt has extra seams on the chest area. In his later appearance he also dons a cape.

Szayel is the scientist of the Espada, developing various spiritual equipment for use by the arrancar. Using various methods, one of which involves implanting a subject with rokureichū (a data-gathering device), he is able to analyze the spiritual power of an opponent through those that person has defeated. He is also adept at creating devices that can manipulate and suppress spiritual power, as evidenced in his battle with Renji Abarai. Much like Mayuri Kurotsuchi, he is quite sadistic and seems to view others as little more than research material. However, he is mockingly considerate enough to quiet his followers and remain quiet himself so his opponent can say something. Szayel also openly expresses his disdain of beings who aren't hollows, viewing them as inferior. This racism is also an ulterior motive for his allegiance to Aizen as he hopes Aizen will do away with the non-hollows once he becomes the king of Soul Society. Szayel, however, has shown signs of fear and aggravation with taking damage in battle or actually having to fight, as shown when he first started fighting Ishida.

Szayel sometimes acts without Aizen's approval. Although Szayel is very polite to Aizen, later gestures he makes when his back is turned make it appear that he resents him. Like the rest of the Espada, he possesses numerous Fracción, though his are hollows he personally modified and had made into arrancar by Aizen. Two of his notable subordinates are Lumina and Verona, both of whom are round arrancar with bare feet and sparse hair, though Lumina was casually eaten to heal her master. Szayel seems to show the same lack of care for his creations as Mayuri, using them as fodder in battle. When Verona speaks up against this after Lumina is devoured, Szayel quiets him by saying he'd just "make a new one" later.

History

In the past, Szayel helped Nnoitra, who was the 8th Espada at the time, mount a successful sneak attack on Nel Tu, the 3rd Espada. Why Szayel helped Nnoitra is unclear, although he stated that he had similar motives to get rid of Nel. Szayel also attempted to establish a camaraderie between Nnoitra and himself because of their similar beliefs, but was vehemently denied. Though Szayel wasn't an Espada at the time it was implied by Nnoitra that perhaps he once was and had lost his rank due to unknown reasons.

Synopsis

Szayel first appears when Aizen gathers the Espada to inform them that Hueco Mundo has been invaded by Ichigo Kurosaki, Uryū Ishida, and Yasutora Sado, and, despite the order to stand by idly, Szayel Aporro orders out the Exequias, though Aizen doesn't punish him. Szayel then traps Renji Abarai, who killed his uncared-for brother, in a room which was designed to prevent Renji from using his bankai. Renji, without his bankai, stands little chance at first, though the arrival of Uryū and the two's teamwork force Szayel to retreat and form a new plan.

Szayel later appears again in front of Renji and Uryū, releasing his zanpakutō in order to see what they can do. His zanpakutō makes multiple copies of his opponents, and Szayel deactivates the power seal so they can utilize their powers to their full potential. When Renji destroys the chamber they are fighting in, Szayel becomes annoyed and disperses all of the clones with a wave of his hand, promising to show them the 'true power' of his released zanpakutō. Using the wing-like appendage on his body, Szayel constricts Uryū only to spit him back out afterwards. Szayel likens this process to 'feeding', and finally reveals Fornicaras's true power: creating voodoo dolls of his opponents. He proceeds to copy Renji and injure the two repeatedly, forcing Pesshe and Dondo to step in. The two former Fracción prove unexpectedly strong, but they, too have been analyzed by Szayel, and hence their attacks prove ineffective. Mayuri Kurotsuchi soon arrives to rescue them, happy to have met an Espada.

Powers

File:Fornicaras.jpg

Szayel after releasing his zanpakutō.

Szayel is the Octava Espada, making him the eighth strongest arrancar in Aizen's army. By his own admission, Szayel's skills lean more towards science and analysis than combat, which he uses to make up for the latter through his inventions that manipulate spiritual power. Szayel is manipulative in his battles, planning them out well in advance to improve his odds of winning. In his battle with Renji and Uryū, he uses data gathered from their previously defeated opponents to design devices that negate their powers in addition to the regenerative factor in his own followers he can access by eating them.

Fornicarás

The name of Szayel's zanpakutō is Fornicarás (邪淫妃, lit. lewd concubine, but read as the Spanish future indicative of fornicate). When sealed, it has an unusual guard consisting of a series of orbs attached to one-another in a sphere formation. The sheath is fixed to his sash with a vine-like rope. The edge is down like a tachi instead of up like a katana. The release command for his zanpakutō is "sip" (啜れ, susure).

Szayel releases his zanpakutō by swallowing it. His body then swells to enormous proportions and explodes, revealing Szayel's released form. Szayel's released form grows a pair of wing-shaped structures from his back while his lower body transforms into a flock of long tentacles, which can recede into Szayel's clothing to allow him free movement. The shape of his glasses also changes and a strange tattoo consisting of four vertical "dripping" lines appears around his left eye. Blood-like liquid drips from his clothes, fingertips, and wings in this state.

In his released state, Szayel can expel massive amounts of liquid from his back, spraying it into the air so it will rain down on his opponents. Each drop that touches his opponent then grows into a clone of that person. It is unknown if the liquid littering Szayel's attire holds the same properties as the sap used for this technique, or if it is merely for cosmetic value. Due to the amount of liquid he releases, this ends up creating almost half a dozen clones for each opponent. The clones retain the appearance and abilities of their source, but are distinguishable by an "X" tattoo appearing on their pupil-less eyes. Szayel can also alter the appearance of his clones if he wishes. The clones imitate the actions of their source in combat. Szayel can also make the clones dissolve by snapping his fingers.

By wrapping his opponents in his wings, Szayel can create voodoo dolls of them. Like the myth, damage done to the dolls is reflected on the original, although it seems that they can be taken apart without harm and are limited to damage to the internal organs, which are represented in the doll as removable parts labeled with the appropriate Spanish term. He can also use his wings as a defensive mechanism, shielding himself from attacks of considerable force. For example, he withstands an entire ceiling caving in with no sign of injury.