Cilian

Biodata

Power Progression

Background

Cilian served the Fon Clan for 400 years and worked under five generations of its heads. An Onmitsukidō instructor, he completed missions considered impossible and became a key trainer of the clan’s attendants. He also earned one of the clan’s rarely granted academy recommendations 16 57.

During expeditions to Hueco Mundo, Cilian lost his right arm and left eye. Delayed treatment prevented the Fourth Division from reattaching the arm. He later told Gin that Aizen had lured three Vasto Lorde to his group to have him killed 27 97.

Concerned about the danger facing Fon Shaoling, Cilian injected an experimental Flesh Supplement. It restored his arm and eye at the cost of intense pain; he then retrained his right-handed swordsmanship and tested his restored body against Second Division members 27 29 30.

Appearance

Cilian has gray-white hair, a lined face, and a straight-backed bearing 116.

• Before his restoration, he had one arm and one usable eye and wore an eyepatch 27 39.
• His body bears scars from centuries of combat 27.
• His released weapon includes a dark-gold mechanical gauntlet covering his left forearm 52.

Personality

Cilian is a demanding instructor who favors live combat, close observation, and rigorous fundamentals. His return to the Second Division sharply increased training intensity, and Ōmaeda persuaded him to take the remainder of his leave after complaints about his punishing schedule 15 31.

His severity is tempered by concern for his students. After Hu exhausted himself defeating a Gillian, Cilian rebuked him for leaving himself unable to help the other captives, then encouraged him to learn from the mistake. He believes power carries responsibility and urges Hu to act on his desire to save people 24 25.

Cilian is deeply loyal to the Fon Clan and protective of Shaoling, whom he has known since childhood. He can also be calculating: when confronting Gin, he admitted he would exploit others’ feelings if necessary to win 27 39 97.

Abilities & Skills

Zanjutsu and Combat Instruction

Cilian’s swordsmanship is precise and adaptable. Even before his restoration, he fought fiercely with one arm; later, he suppressed Hu in sparring while using an unreleased Zanpakuto against Hu’s Shikai 15 41.

• He teaches Zanjutsu meditation as well as practical swordsmanship, Shunpo fundamentals, and Reiatsu control 17 61.
• He defeated Renji by identifying the pause after Zabimaru’s three attacks and binding its blade with a chain 62.
• He advised Hu to vary his attack patterns and Renji to exploit Zabimaru’s flexibility rather than rely on straight-line attacks 43 62.

Thousand Mechanisms

Cilian’s Zanpakuto, Thousand Mechanisms, releases into an uchigatana and a mechanical gauntlet. It analyzes opponents’ movements, fighting habits, and abilities, then adjusts or creates countermeasure armaments 52 97 116.

• Firm Rock: A massive battle axe used for powerful strikes 52.
• Shadow Piercer: An extending spear; against Hongming, the gauntlet adapted it into a spinning drill 52 54.
• Iron Wall: A shield used to block attacks 52 97.
• Flying Gravel: Shuriken launched in multiple arcs 97.
• Lock Sever: A hooked cable capable of restraining an opponent’s weapon 97.
• Flame Niter: A gun that fires compressed Reishi projectiles 97.
• Dankū and Mist Concealment: Two of the gauntlet’s seven core weapons; Dankū appeared as a massive scythe 52.

Bankai: Thousand Mechanisms: Formless

Cilian’s Bankai produces dark-red karmic flames that burn Reishi and manifests a long black nodachi. Against Aizen, he used Parting from Form to force Aizen to sever his own arm, then struck him with Emptiness through multiple Dankū barriers 116.

• Emptiness left a lingering wound that gradually severed Aizen’s connection to the world, weakening Kyōka Suigetsu’s influence.
• Cilian exhausted his strength before he could deliver a third slash 116.

Kidō and Mobility

• Bakudō #26: Kyokkō: Distorts light to conceal Cilian during combat 43.
• Shunpo: Used for rapid movement and evasion in battle 43 52.

Equipment & Items

• Still Water — A fragile dark-gold sphere made of Reiatsu. Crushing it briefly breaks illusions and hypnosis; the strength of illusion it can counter depends on the Reiatsu used to make it. Cilian gave one to Gin, and used another sphere in an unsuccessful attempt to expose an illusion at Aizen’s supposed corpse 97 104.
• Flesh Supplement — An experimental regenerative injection used to restore his right arm and left eye. He later used a supplement again after severing his left arm as proof for Gin 29 30 97.

Relationships

• Yexing Hu — Cilian’s student. He taught Hu swordsmanship and combat fundamentals, criticized his recklessness, and arranged further training with Urahara, Yoruichi, and Tessai 15 25 66.
• Fon Shaoling / Soi Fon — His commander and the Fon Clan member he watched grow up. He is fiercely protective of her and fought alongside her against Hongming 26 27 39 52.
• Marechiyo Ōmaeda — A former student and Second Division lieutenant. Cilian chastised him for letting his physical condition decline, though he had once been proud of his advancement 31.
• Renji Abarai — A visiting lieutenant whom Cilian defeated in a training match and advised on using Zabimaru more effectively 62.
• Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihōin — Old acquaintances in the World of the Living. Cilian reported Yoruichi’s revoked sentence and later enlisted both to help train Hu 57 66.
• Gin Ichimaru — Cilian questioned Gin’s loyalties, fought him, and offered him Still Water as part of an effort to counter Aizen 94 97.
• Sōsuke Aizen — Cilian investigated Aizen’s activities and confronted him at Sōkyoku Hill. He told Gin that Aizen had previously tried to have him killed in Hueco Mundo 97 104 116.

Story Role

• Hu’s training and Shimizu’s transformation: Cilian began teaching Hu Zanjutsu and meditation. When Shimizu became a Hollow, Cilian prepared to grant his request for a painless death, but Hu intervened and awakened Shikai to separate him from the Hollow 15 17 22.
• Bamboo Creek Plain: Cilian traced the enemy’s testing grounds to Withered Bamboo Hamlet and reported at least 103 Completed Forms. After the assault, he returned to the Fon Residence and helped Shaoling fight Hongming 41 50 52.
• Investigation of Aizen: Cilian sought Gin’s allegiance and persuaded Captain-Commander Yamamoto to question Aizen’s apparent death. Unohana’s examination revealed the supposed corpse to be a high-precision Reishi Gigai 97 104.
• Sōkyoku Hill: Cilian used anti-illusion armament and Bankai against Aizen, inflicting severe wounds before collapsing. Hu found him alive and left him with Shaoling while pursuing Aizen 116 118.

Notable Quotes

“Being a Soul Reaper is the destiny that comes with power. If you have power, you have to shoulder what comes with it.” 25

“Remember yesterday’s mistake, then keep moving forward!” 25