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Nanao is a youthful girl with black hair normally kept pinned back, she has blue eyes and wears glasses. She notably resembles Lisa Yadōmaru, a member of the Vizards and the person who preceded her position as the 8th Division Lieutenant. The resemblance is likely intentional on her part, as she is hinted to have greatly respected Lisa before she became a Vizard, when Nanao was a child first joining the Gotei 13.[3]
edit Personality
She is a very serious and pragmatic person who often puts up with her captain's silly antics, but like all lieutenants, she is extremely respectful of her captain and follows his instructions without hesitation. She is almost always carrying a heavy book. Nanao is often accosted by her captain, whose teasing takes various forms. Nanao's usual reaction is to scold him or hit him with something, usually a fan. When she is particularly annoyed she takes off her glasses, though her face has never been seen while doing so. Apparently this act is quite frightening, as most people who see it are reduced to gibbering wrecks just by witnessing it.[4] Even the sadistic cold hearted 12th Division captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi fell victim to this intimidating spectacle.
In her free time, she likes to go shopping, but even more to read, and often visits the library. She is in good terms with fellow reader Momo Hinamori; she even brought her books during her hospitalization. Nanao also has an article serialization in Seireitei Communication, titled "Please be Moderate", which is very popular, especially among the male readers. Nanao is known to be an excellent calculator, a skill very handy, given that she has to do even most of her captain's paperwork. Her favorite food is sweet bean jelly, and she does not like powdered green tea, a trait which is interestingly shared with her captain.[5]
Nanao is the Vice-President of the Shinigami Women's Association, but is usually the one who attempts to maintain and control the meetings due to the juvenile actions and behaviors of president Yachiru Kusajishi. Yet while she attempts to be the main moderator, Yachiru usually has higher say on everything from budget decisions to activities done by the club making any of Nanao's comments or advice worthless. She is also frequently at odds with Shinigami Men's Association leader Tetsuzaemon Iba, of whom she usually forces her superiority and control regarding the influence and power she and the Women's Association have over his group.
edit History
Nanao 100 years ago
Nanao was notable for being in the 8th Division when she was a little girl, and enjoyed being read to by former lieutenant Lisa Yadōmaru, something they did regularly each month around the time of the first. Eventually, between the period of time when Lisa was forced to hide alongside the other transformed Vizard and the present day, she worked her way up from being Shunsui's subordinate to his lieutenant.[6]
edit Plot
Soul Society arc
Nanao is first seen when Yasutora Sado makes his way to the Eighth Division’s offices. She was talking to Shunsui Kyōraku, who was teasing her, calling her “Nanao-chan!” ("Little Nanao!" in the English Dub) which she hates.[7]
She later spreads flower petals so that Kyōraku can make his grand entrance. But as usual he starts teasing her and she gets mad at him and dumps the rest on him.[8]
During the fight between Kyōraku and Chad she stays out of the picture, and then receives a message from the Onmitsukidō, informing her of the murder of Sōsuke Aizen. She runs to Kyōraku to tell him, and then as they turn to leave, she notices that Chad, who has been cut by Kyōraku, is not dead. She asks permission to deliver the finishing blow, but Kyōraku says no and instead tells her to take him to the Fourth Division.[9]
Nanao being suffocated by Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's Spiritual Pressure.
Much later, during the day of Rukia Kuchiki's execution, she finds Kyōraku at his usual spot up on a roof. She puts up once again with his teasing as she tries to hurry him to the Sōkyoku Stand. As he asks her what he should do, she tells him that no matter what she thinks or advises, he would still do what he wanted to. “Don’t worry,” she also said, “I will stay several steps behind you, so as not to get caught in trouble, but I will follow.”[10]
After the failed execution, Nanao follows Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake to the place where they could battle Yamamoto without getting anyone else implicated. She then describes the spiritual pressure that is Yamamoto, but while trying to take out her Zanpakutō, she is caught in Yamamoto’s stare and is suffocated by his spiritual pressure. Kyōraku breaks the eye contact to save her, and brings her to a safer spot. She then realizes that it is not only difficult to win against Yamamoto even with two Captain's on their side, but it is next to impossible.[11]
Bount arc (anime only)
Note: Events occurring in this arc are only in the anime and do not constitute canon material.
She makes several minor appearances in the Bount arc, most notably to give Yamamoto a message about the powers and secrets of the Jokai Crest, which than the head captain orders her to inform Kyōraku and Ukitake that they are to continue to investigate the data on the crest.
Arrancar arc
In a flashback of Yamamoto's, Nanao appears beside her captain, Ukitake, Sentaro, and Kiyone while searching for clues to Aizen's master plan. Eventually, they stumble upon information that Aizen is trying to make a copy of the royal key from Karakura Town.
The New Captain Shūsuke Amagai arc (anime only)
Note: Events occurring in this arc are only in the anime and do not constitute canon material.
Shortly after Shūsuke Amagai is appointed the new 3rd division captain, Nanao informs Kyōraku that the 3rd division is holding a party for their new captain. When Kyōraku tells her that sake usually tastes better in mid-day, she responds "I wouldn't know".
Fake Karakura Town arc
Her current location is unknown since she is the only high ranking officer of the Gotei 13 who is not in Hueco Mundo or in Fake Karakura Town.
Beast Swords arc (anime only)
Note: Events occurring in this arc are only in the anime and do not constitute canon material.
After Muramasa's defeat, Nanao reports to Kyōraku and Ukitake about the Tōjū. Knowing that only Captain Kurotsuchi can figure out a way to solve this problem, Shunsui sends Nanao with box of sweets to bribe the scientist to help them. Kurotsuchi initially refuses to help, but Nemu accepts the sweets and apologizes for her captain's lack of interest.[12] Later on, after several items go missing in the Fourth Division compound, she assists in the investigation of the underground sewers. During the journey, she, along with Hanatarō Yamada, Ikkaku Madarame, and his Zanpakutō, Hōzukimaru, run into a powerful squid-like Tōjū and are washed away by the overflowing sewer water caused when Hanatarō triggered a booby trap. Soon after, she meets Hanatarō's Zanpakutō, Hisagomaru. Suddenly, the squid-like Tōjū reappears and attacks the group. After the Tōjū's defeat, Nanao and her search party return aboveground, where she is congratulated by her captain.[13]
Later, she is sent by her captain on a mission to defeat another Tōjū along with the much quieter half of Katen Kyōkotsu. She initiailly finds the girl disturbing to be around, due to her aggressiveness and the way she tortures the Tōjū they were sent to kill. As a result, Nanao uses a Kido spell on Katen Kyōkotsu while the spirit is battling the Tōjū, but her interference allows the Tōjū to escape. She enlists the help of Rangiku Matsumoto in order to try and get the girl to come out of her shell, but both women fail drastically. Afterwards, she notices that the spirit likes flowers, and thus places one in her hair as a gift. Suddenly, both are ambushed by the Tōjū from before. Before the Tōjū can move in to make the kill, however, they are saved by Kyoraku's timely arrival. Later, at a party, Katen Kyōkotsu puts a flower in Nanao's hair, signifying that they are friends. [14]
edit Powers & Abilities
Kidō Expert: It is later revealed in Kubo's cliff notes on the sides of omake chapters that just like Momo Hinamori, Nanao is also a Kidō master. She is shown at least skilled enough to perform mid-level spells without incantation.[15]
Flash Steps Expert: Nanao is proficient enough in flash steps to keep up with most lieutenant-level Shinigami.
High Spiritual Energy: Being a lieutenant of the Gotei 13, Nanao boasts a high spiritual energy.
Zanpakutō
Nanao's Zanpakutō (hidden in her sleeve)
Not much is known about Nanao's Zanpakutō, since she is very rarely seen with it. An illustration in the art book "All Color but the Black" reveals that her Zanpakutō takes the form of what appears to be either a wakizashi or tantō with a rectangular tsuba decorated with diamond shapes in the corners and question-mark shapes on the broad sides, which she seems to conceal within her sleeve. This is confirmed when just before Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake's fight with Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, where she reaches in her sleeve only to be overwhelmed by Yamamoto's Reiatsu.
* Shikai: Not Yet Revealed
* Bankai: Not Yet Achieved
edit Relationships
Lisa Yadōmaru
Main article: Lisa Yadōmaru Lisa had a big sister influence on Nanao, shown when she would read to her every first of the month. She would appear to be someone she looked up to as Nanao bears many similarities to Lisa.
Katen Kyōkotsu
Main article: Katen Kyōkotsu (spirit) At first, Nanao and Katen Kyōkotsu are rather uncomfortable together. When the two are forced to work together on a mission to catch a Tōjū, Nanao attempts several times to get to know the spirit better, but Katen Kyōkotsu never seems to respond positively. When Katen Kyōkotsu corners the Tōjū they were sent to track and starts torturing it, Nanao intervenes. While the two are engaged in conflict, the Tōjū manages to escape. Finally, Nanao realizes that Katen Kyōkotsu likes flowers and puts one in her hair. When both of them are attacked by the Tōjū from earlier on, each of them defends the other from harm. Later on, Katen Kyōkotsu signifies the fact that the two are friends by putting a flower in Nanao's hair. Ever since, Nanao and Katen Kyōkotsu have been on good terms with each other.