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Squid Game, the survival thriller K-drama, has currently taken the world by storm. Its adaptation of a series of children’s games into something more sinister has intrigued fans. But did you know Tite Kubo had attempted something similar inBleachway before the debut ofSquid Game?
Tite Kubo has created a plethora of Shikai and Bankai abilities forBleachcharacters and all of them have their own quirks. But one Gotei 13, in particular, has a Shikai that is eerily similar toSquid Game‘s central theme.
Tite Kubo’s genius precededSquid Game
Shunsui Kyoraku is the 1st Division captain inBleachand the commander of the Gotei 13. The special ability of his Shikai is called Katen Kyokotsu, which can turn children’s games into reality. It is a deadly ability that should not be judged by its childish setup.
WhileSquid Gameuses Korean games as its base, Kyoraku’s Shikai uses pre-existing Japanese childhood games. His Zanpakuto makes the rules on its own whims. Whoever steps within the range of its Reiatsu will be forced to play by those rules, much like how players inSquid Gameare dragged into life-or-death situations.
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InBleach, Katen Kyokotsu uses some common games like spinning tops, color-based games, Daruma-san, and Chiichan no Kageokuri. However, they areturned deadly by the Zanpakuto. The crazy rules made up by the Zanpakuto make it hard for the opponents to keep up. And before they can even understand the activities completely, the game is over.
One children’s game used by Shunsui inBleachresembles a popularSquid Gameactivity
Some of the most interesting games used by Shunsui’s Katen Kyokotsu are Lay Spinning Top, Mountain Demon, Shadow Demon, Lustrous Demon, the Daruma Doll, and Shadow Sending. You might recognize the Daruma san game amongst these due to how popular it is.
In his twisted version, either Shunsui or his opponent becomes the ‘it’, and the other person has to attack them and catch them by surprise. However, if the ‘it’ sees their opponent while moving, the non ‘it’ person loses and dies. It is similar to the Red Light, Green Light game played inSquid Game.
Another interesting game is Iro-oni or Lustrous Demon, in which one says the color that they want to cut with their sword. If the said color is a majority on the opponent’s body, then the damage would be maximum even if the attack isn’t too strong. Thus, if the opponent wears red robes and that is the called-out color, massive damage would be inflicted on them.
Bleach: 3 Powerhouses Besides Shunsui Kyōraku That Are Banned From Using Their Bankais in Soul Society
In Kage-oni or Shadow Demon, whoever gets shadow-stepped, loses. Competitors can manipulate shadows to their advantage. Shunsui can even hide himself in shadows and control them or attack opponents by simply attacking the shadow they are stepping on. There are plenty of other games thatShunsui can use to his advantage, making it an extremely versatile ability.
Bleachmanga is available to read on Viz Media and the anime is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
Aaheli Pradhan
Anime Content Writer
Articles Published :1558
Aaheli is an Anime Content Writer at FandomWire with 1300+ published articles. With five years of experience under her belt, she is a living, breathing encyclopedia for anime and manga. From Shonen and Shojo to the most niche anime, nothing escapes her radar. Her poisons of choice are Assassination Classroom, Gintama, Ouran High School Host Club and every Ghibli movie ever. She believes in living a slow life, surrounded by incomplete art projects and her beloved cats.
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BleachSquid GameTite Kubo
