Ise Clan

The Ise Clan (伊勢家, Ise-ke; lit. "Ise family") is a clan of Shinto Priests from Soul Society.

Overview[]

The Ise Clan is a long line of matrilineal priests, who oversaw and carried out rituals and rites.^[1]

As far as the records show, only females have ever been born into the clan, so they have always brought in husbands from other families into the clan. However, it is said that any man who joins the Ise Clan will die an early death, and this phenomenon is called the Ise Curse (伊勢の呪い, Ise no Noroi). This happened even if a family member left the family and married into another.^[2]

The Ise Clan do not possess individual Zanpakutō. Instead, the head of the family in every generation inherits a single Zanpakutō. This Zanpakutō is considered a sacred treasure and is called Shinken Hakkyōken and was used for rituals and rites; because all members are being spiritually bound to Shinken Hakkyoken, it is impossible for the members of the Ise Clan to imprint their essence into an Asauchi.^[3] It came into Shunsui Kyōraku's possession after Isuzu Ise tried breaking the curse by casting it away.^[4] The loss of a sacred treasure was a crime, and the Central 46 had Isuzu executed for it.^[5] However, during the Quincy Blood War, Shunsui returned the Zanpakutō to Isuzu's daughter, Nanao.^[4]

Relics[]

Zanpakutō[]

Shinken Hakkyōken (神剣・八鏡剣, Divine Sword, Eight Mirror Sword; Viz "Divine Eight Mirror Sword"): Shinken Hakkyōken is a sacred ceremonial sword held by the Ise family. Because they are in charge of rites and rituals, the members of the family do not have their own individual Zanpakutō; instead, the head of the house would inherit the Shinken Hakkyōken, which has been passed down from generation to generation.^[6]

• Shikai: Shinken Hakkyōken takes the form of an ornate, medium-sized sword whose rectangular, oar-like "blade" has blunt edges. Said "blade" portion seems mostly wooden in appearance due to its light-brown coloration and notably has four rhombus-shaped mirrors laid into each of its flat sides, for a total of eight mirrors. In place of a proper tsuba (guard), a habaki-like golden collar covers about an inch of the blade's forte and has two blue tassels attached to it. The hilt of Shinken Hakkyōken is more than long enough for two-handed use, covered in grayish fabric, and features a pair of red tassels tied to its golden, ring-shaped kashira.^[7]

Shikai Special Ability: Shinken Hakkyōken has the ability to take the "power of a god" (神の力, kami no chikara) into its blade and disperse it into all directions.^[8] The blade itself reflects the power of the godly opponent that its wielder is facing; when confronted by the sword while in the true form of his Quincy: Vollständig, Lille Barro was unable to even see it due to how bright it appeared to be to him.^[9] Lille lost his left hand to a blow from the sword, despite having been able to phase through most of Shunsui Kyōraku's attacks prior to this, with the light making up Lille's body being dispersed into all directions.^[10] Nanao can also reflect attacks back at their users by holding the blade in front of her. When she did this against Lille's Trompete, a large blast of all-destroying energy that erased everything around Nanao and Shunsui, Shinken Hakkyōken protected the thin strip of land that the two were on, causing part of Lille's body to be destroyed by his own reflected attack and the Sternritter to disintegrate into shards of light.^[11] However, the energy dispersed by the sword can harm Nanao herself if she is not careful.^[12]

Family Members[]

(† = confirmed death)

Ise Clan
Name	Title	Relation	Status
Nanao Ise	Head of the Ise Clan	Daughter of Isuzu Ise and Shunzan Kyōraku Niece of Shunsui Kyōraku	Active
Former Members
Isuzu Ise	Head of the Ise Clan	Mother of Nanao Ise Wife of Shunzan Kyōraku	Deceased †

Trivia[]

• The Ise Shrine (伊勢神宮, Ise Jingū) is one of Japan's most significant and holy Shintō shrines, and purportedly home to the Yata no Kagami (八咫鏡, Eight Ata Mirror), a sacred bronze mirror that is one of Japan's Three Sacred Treasures (Imperial Regalia).
• According to Q&A #574 by Tite Kubo on his fansite "Klub Outside", the Ise clan has poor eyesight.^[13]
• According to Ryōgo Narita's novel, Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World, it was illegal for Shunsui to be hiding Shinken Hakkyōken,^[14] and that Shinken Hakkyōken is a cursed sword, similar to Enrakyōten.^[15]

References[]

Shinigami
Shinigami Skills
Combat	Zanjutsu • Hohō • Kidō • Hakuda
Abilities	Zanpakutō • Reiryoku • Reiatsu • Reiraku • Konsō • Shunkō
Organizations
Government	Soul King • Central 46
Nobility	Kuchiki Clan • Shihōin Clan • Noble Houses • Kasumiōji Clan • Ise Clan • Tsunayashiro Clan • Formerly: Shiba Clan • Ryōdoji Family • Dark Ones
Military	Gotei 13 • Onmitsukidō • Kidō Corps • Royal Guard • Gatekeepers
Institutions	Seireitei Communication • Shinigami Research and Development Institute • Shin'ō Academy
Recreational	Shinigami Women's Association • Shinigami Men's Association • Tea Ceremony Club • Ikebana Club • Calligraphy Club
Related Articles
Locations	Soul Society • Seireitei • Central 46 Compound • Nest of Maggots • Sōkyoku Hill • Gin Tonbo • Kuchiki Manor • Central Great Underground Prison
Items	Shihakushō • Jigokuchō • Gigai • Reigai • Gikon • Modified Soul • Denreishinki • Ōken • Gokon Tekkō • Kan • Blood Oath's Seal