2nd Division

The 2nd Division is known and feared as the Seireitei’s assassination squad. As a result of this, many members are skilled in the art of Hakuda (hand-to-hand combat). They are tied directly with the Omnitsukidō, which is a special strike force with five different units, each with their own different purpose and duties. The 2nd Division is relied on when dealing with skilled attackers that threaten the Seireitei, such as rogue shinigami or enemy scout missions.

The 2nd Division has close ties with the 8th and 10th Divisions, as well as the Omnitsukidō. The 2nd Division acts as the covert police in the Mortal World and the Soul Society along with the 10th Division. They provide enemy surveillance and collect data in foreign locations that can be used at the 8th Division's strategic planning sessions. The Omnitsukidō is not directly part of the Gotei 13, but with Yuuki Miyagawa (the 2nd division’s captain) also captaining the Omnitsukidō, it is effectively under the Seireitei’s control. Each 2nd division member from the 5th seat up controls a different division of the Omnitsukidō. For example: the 2nd Division’s current captain is usually the Commander-in-Chief of the Omnitsukidō; the 2nd Division’s vice-captain the Corps Commander of the Omnitsukidō’s Security Unit; and the 2nd Division’s 3rd seat is in charge of the Reconnaissance Unit.

Captain Miyagawa entered the 2nd Division 87 years ago. At the Academy, his skill was exceptional and became a seated officer almost immediately after entering the division. He worked his way up the ranks until he became the captain of the division. His skill was recognized by many of the Gotei 13’s captains, and became a captain by recommendation 14 years ago. He went on to become Commander-in-Cheif of the Onmitsukidō almost immediately after that. More captains thought that he should captain the division than his predecessor. Since Yuuki became captain, he has radically changed the division. He has put lots of effort into making sure that each and every one of his subordinates is the strongest that they can be. He believes that his old captain did not work hard enough to make sure of this. He runs a tight schedule, also taking on the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Omnitsukidō, which the previous captain did not actively participate in.

Division Size: The 2nd Division has a total of 236 shinigami, making it the Seireitei’s second smallest division (only the 1st Division is smaller). Out of these, 20 members (including the captain and vice-captain) are seated, and the remaining 216 are unseated. One of the reasons that the division is so small could be because of the strenuous and difficult tests required to join the division that no other division in the Seireitei enforces.

Flower: The 2nd Division’s flower is the tulip. The meaning of the tulip is, "Fame, charity, and one-sided love".

Motto: "If you see your allies losing, that is your chance. Do not step between them. Take the enemy down from behind. And if the enemy is so strong that you cannot do even that, then watch your ally be killed. This is what it means, to be an assassin."

Duties

  • Stealth and Assassination: The main duty of the members of the 2nd Division is stealth and assassination. If the Seireitei has designated that a rogue shinigami is to be tracked down and killed, it is left to the 2nd Division to do this. These missions usually given to members between the 12th-5th seats of the division, but if the opponent is highly skilled, it will be given to a higher seated member. However, these duties are almost never carried out by the division’s captain or vice-captain. This duty has earned the 2nd Division its nickname: "The Assassination Squad".
  • Undercover Operations: During strategic planning sessions, if it is decided that an undercover scouting or data-collecting mission must take place, this duty is also given to the 2nd Division. These shinigami’s stealth and prowess at remaining undetected makes them top candidates to sneak into enemy territory to scout and gather information. This information is then given to usually the 8th Division to be used in weaponry and defence planning sessions.
  • Seireitei's Security: The 2nd Division is responsible for locating and apprehending/killing any dangerous intruders that might threaten the Seireitei. Most of the time, these intruders are simply rogue shinigami. The 13th-20th seats will usually perform this duty. However, if a powerful intruder (i.e. a rogue shinigami captain or an arrancar) enters the Seireitei without permission, then a higher ranking shinigami (perhaps even the captain, depending on the opponent’s power level) will be sent to deal with the problem.
  • * Omnitsukidō: The captain of the 2nd Division is almost always also the captain of the Omnitsukidō, which is one of the two factions in the Seireitei that is not directly under the influence of the Gotei 13. However, if the 2nd Division captain is the Commander-in-Chief of the Omnitsukidō, then it will be almost completely under the Seireitei’s command. The Omnitsukidō and the 2nd Division are almost completely intermeshed, with many members holding positions in both factions. The Omnitsukidō is made up of five separate units, each with its own duty to carry out.

The leaders of each division are ranked as ‘Corps Commander’, with the leader being the Commander-in-Chief. Usually, the captain of the 2nd Division is both the Commander-in-Chief and the Corps Commander of the 1st unit, and the Corps Commanders of the other 4 units are also mostly seated members, usually with higher ranks (most commonly from 5th seat to vice-captain). The five units are as follows: 1st unit, Executive Militia; 2nd unit, Security Unit; 3rd unit, Reconnaissance Unit; 4th unit, Assassination Unit; and 5th unit, Intelligence Unit.

Necessary Skills

First and foremost, all members of the 2nd Division have to be stealthy, fast, and agile. The Seireitei relies on the 2nd Division for assassination and scouting missions, and without exceptional stealth, these missions are impossible. Each shinigami hoping to be a seated must display these qualities flawlessly. All shinigami of the 2nd Division, both seated and unseated, must have some skill in Hakuda, which is the art of hand-to-hand combat.

In terms of zanpakuto abilities, a combat-type zanpakuto is vastly preferred over a kido-type zanpakuto. Usually, 2nd Division member’s zanpakutos release as small, mostly un-noticeable weapons which can be used for stealth and assassination. There is not a particularly large emphasis on zanjutsu either. According to Captain Miyagawa, “It’s best if you can kill without having to draw your zanpakuto. Don’t release unless you need to. It’ll draw unnecessary attention to you. And when you’re an assassin, you definitely don’t want that.” Also, any 2nd Division members wishing to apply to the Omnitsukidō must undergo a necessary 2-year stealth training program.

Promotion

The main criteria that the 2nd Division focuses on when considering the promotion of one of its officers is their assassination abilities, for example, stealth, agility, speed, and the ability to remain unnoticed. The promotion standards for the 2nd Division are very strict, which could be why it has such a little number of seated officers (one officer per seat). Yuuki looks for above average talent when promoting, and if an officer displays superior talent, they will be assigned to the appropriate seat. Another quality that a shinigami looking for a promotion must have is versatility. The 2nd Division has a variety of different duties, from gathering data in an enemy location, to dealing with rogues, to protection and security. If an officer shows exceptional talent in battle but cannot function in surveillance missions, they are unlikely to be promoted.

Most 2nd Division members are handpicked shinigami who show talent in the fields that the 2nd Division focuses on. It could just be that they are a phenomenal thief. Captain Miyagawa tends to prefer shinigami who are refined, disciplined, and skilled in their art. For a promotion to a higher seat (from 5th seat to vice-captain), being a high-ranking member or Corps Commander in the Omnitsukidō greatly increases the chances of earning the promotion.

Previous Captains

  • Otori Takeo: Takeo was Captain Miyagawa’s immediate predecessor. He held his position for the short time of 75 years. He was not the best of captains, and was a slacker. He didn’t take promotions very seriously, and didn’t provide much leadership for his subordinates. The division’s vice-captain and 3rd seat at the time had to act as stand in captains and give orders of their own in order to keep the division functioning. The other captains of the Gotei 13 became aware of Takeo’s failure and how his vice-captain and 3rd seat managed the division on their own. Both received promotions by recommendation and Takeo was forced to retire.
  • Maruyama Naomi: Naomi was the 2nd Division’s most important and respected captain. She held her position for the long time of almost 800 years. She ran the division under a tight schedule and was known for her bravery. She abided by the rules at all times and demonstrated superiority both on and off of the battlefield. She was promoted to the 0th division, leaving her vice-captain Takeo to take over the division. Since she was captain for such a long time, little to nothing is known about any captains that may have come before her.

Captain: Yuuki Miyagawa

Vice-captain: kyasarin-shihan

Seated Officers

Unseated

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