| Kuramitsu Clan | |
|---|---|
| (九羅密一族, Kuramitsu Ichizoku, Literally meaning: Kuramitsu Family) | |
| Debut | |
| Appears in | Anime, Manga, Game |
| Clan Data | |
| Kekkei Genkai | |
The Kuramitsu clan (九羅密一族, Kuramitsu Ichizoku) is one of the noble clans of Old Yamagakure. All members born into this family possess the ability of Sosen (祖先), a kekkei genkai that gives them the ability to transform into a perfect copy of their bird partner and vice versa. Further, it allows them to transform into one of three saurian forms, most Kuramitsu only able to access two of them. They are also known for their unique style of kenjutsu which allows them to use up to six swords at once.
Background[]
The clan is usually lead by a female, titled the "Queen of the Kuramitsu" (九羅密の女王, Kuramitsu no Soō), though in the case there are no suitable female heirs, a king will instead be crowned, called the "King of the Kuramitsu" (九羅密の王者, Kuramitsu no Ōja). The spouse of the King or Queen does not get a special title, other than being respectfully addressed by subordinates. The clan has subdivisions under the Queen or King but they are not considered any more or less important than other branches such as is the case with the Hyuuga. The three subdivisions are the Bird Division (鳥課, Torika) which is responsible for raising and healing the bird partners a clan member has; the Weapon Division (ウエポン課, Ueponka) which is in charge of making and repairing weapons; and the Training Division (傅ン課, Fuka) which teaches young clan members how to properly use their birds, how to use multiple swords, and teach the clan's customs. The Queen or King is responsible for keeping order among the three branches, arranging political affairs, and acting as a representative of the clan, thus also being responsible for upholding its honor.
The birds themselves also have an hierarchy. Their leader is called the Brave Leader (闘将, Houshou, "Big Boss" in the dub) and is usually the partner of the Queen or King. Though most birds the Kuramitsu use tend to be birds that can fly, the Brave Leader has historically been either a penguin or some form of ratite by coincidence. Typically, Kuramitsu birds are intelligent enough to speak, with some being noted as even smarter than their human partner.
Abilities[]
The Kuramitsu are renowned for possessing the highly coveted Sosen (祖先; Literally meaning "Ancestor", Meaning (Viz) "Ancestral Art"), a kekkei genkai feared for the power that it grants its wielder through teaming up with a bird in battle. At birth, a Kuramitsu is bonded with a bird in a secret ritual guarded by the Kings and Queens. This ritual bonds the two in such a way that the human's senses are increased to that of the bird's, along with three other main abilities, while the bird's lifespan is extended to that of the human's. The first ability of the Sosen gives the user the ability to see through their bird partner's eyes and vice versa. The second ability is being able to transform into a perfect replica of their bird partner, and the bird partner can also turn into a replica of its partner.
Finally, it grants the Kuramitsu the ability to transform into three dinosaur species, the first two being unique to each user. Generally, the user has an herbivorous form such as a ceratopsian or sauropod that is more suited to defensive or charging purposes and a carnivorous form such as a raptor or larger therapod that is suited to more tactical battle. Notably, the Tyrannosaurus rex is a revered form with in the clan, with only two known members having the ability to turn into one- its founder, Kuramitsu no Korai, and her son. The third form of the Kuramitsu's dinosaur forms is considered a power to be truly feared- a being as capable on land as it is in water and air- a triphibian. The species name is not recognized by modern scientists, but the Kuramitsu call it "the Unbelievable" (ザアンビリ, Za Unbiri). Each dinosaur typically has some form of chakra attack such as breathing fire or a water bullet, with "the Unbelievable" being understood to have a chakra-based sonic scream that can level a city block. It should be noted, though, that the Unbelievable is rarely reached- very few Kuramitsu have the potential to use it, and even those that do usually cannot achieve it until they encounter a situation that causes them great emotional distress. Also notable is that while the first two forms have no drawbacks, the Unbelievable can only be active for up to twenty minutes and forces the user tp faint once they leave that form.
Members of the clan are instructed in the use of the Kagidume (鉤爪) style, which utilizes anywhere from two to six swords to overwhelm an opponent "as if they are a mouse being hunted at by a bird of prey". It is hard to master the use of all six swords, with only Kuramitsu no Korai and Shujitori Kuramitsu being known to use all six flawlessly. The user of the technique can also funnel chakra into their swords to imbue them with effects such as increased cutting power.