Nemu Kurotsuchi

Nemu Kurotsuchi (涅ネム, Kurotsuchi Nemu), formerly known as Nanagō Nemuri (眠七號, Nemuri Nanagō; lit. "Sleeping Number 7"; Viz "Sleep No. 7"), was the former lieutenant of the 12th Division of the Gotei 13, serving under Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi.

Appearance[]

Slender and youthful, Nemu is a well-endowed woman with green eyes. Her black hair is pulled back into a long braid, with slightly parted bangs. Her uniform consists of a short black kimono, which extends to mid-thigh, with a white nagajuban underneath. The sleeves of her kimono are not as wide as those worn by most Shinigami, and the upper parts of the sleeves are puffed. She wears a traditional wide white obi, fastened with a red cord. On her left sleeve is her lieutenant's armband. She wears white gloves, which only cover the back of her hands and wrists, and a dark red choker. As a child, Nemu had unkempt hair and wore a lab coat.

Personality[]

Because she was abused and mistreated in every possible way by her "father/creator", Mayuri, Nemu is a very shy, withdrawn, and introverted individual, preferring to stay silent in her captain's presence. Her expression is almost always melancholic, and it is rare to see her smile or show any real joy in her distinctive green eyes. Despite Mayuri's seeming lack of care for her existence, she is very loyal to him, willing to badly injure herself just to give him an advantage in battle. Unlike her "father", however, she seems to have compassion for others, saving Uryū Ishida's life as thanks for not killing Mayuri.

Being the daughter of Mayuri, they share several similar traits. One such trait is their food preference. Nemu, just like her father, likes pike fish and dislikes onion. They share an interest in Human experimentation and their main free-time activity, which is reading every single character published in Seireitei Communication.

Nemu is being considered to be the next vice-president of the Shinigami Women's Association, supposedly because she carries out President Yachiru Kusajishi's orders just as faithfully as those of her father. Such orders included building hidden tunnels and a hideout on the Kuchiki grounds for the members of the association to use. Surprisingly, Nemu shows great joy at the prospect, displaying otherwise repressed emotions.

History[]

Nemu is the artificially created "daughter" of Mayuri Kurotsuchi. He used a combination of Gigai and Gikon technologies to bring her into existence.

Nemu was created as the seventh incarnation of the Nemuri Project, which aimed to create new souls from "Konpaku cells". When Nemu was a child, she told Akon that Mayuri did not call her by the original designation that he had given her, surprising him. Akon expressed that maybe she should ask Mayuri, but Nemu stated that she already determined that he would not answer her. After berating Nemu for asking him when he clearly does not know, Akon theorized that Mayuri was embarrassed about his feelings and relayed what he had said about the Nemuri Project before clarifying that Mayuri would be embarrassed if Nemu realized that her growing up day by day is like living in a dream for him. Nemu asked him if Mayuri would return to calling her by her original designation if she remained ignorant, but Akon claimed that remaining in such state would be impossible as she was Mayuri's masterpiece and would obviously evolve.

Plot[]

Soul Society arc[]

Nemu stands alongside Mayuri during an interrogation of Ikkaku Madarame after the latter loses to Ichigo Kurosaki. Though saying nothing, her father tells her to keep quiet prior to the two of them being interrupted by Kenpachi Zaraki, who is also in search of Ichigo.

Later, when Mayuri is tracking Uryū Ishida and Orihime Inoue, he sends some of his subordinates to escort them, only to detonate bombs planted on them (unknown to the subordinates themselves) once they have located them and 11th Division member Makizō Aramaki, who had been interrogating them. After Makizō and Orihime flee, Uryū battles Mayuri. In the initial stages of the battle, Nemu, grabbing Uryū's spirit arrow, tackles him as a distraction while Mayuri tries to strike him down. She is only partially successful, as Mayuri strikes Uryū's arm while simultaneously cutting a large gash in Nemu's back. Due to the injury, Nemu lets go of Uryū, prompting Mayuri to scold and beat her for doing so. Nemu apologizes to him, but Mayuri dismisses it, stating he did not expect much of anything from her anyway.

Mayuri is interrupted when talking to Uryū as Nemu begins to cough, finding it hard to breathe, and pleads with him to give her Hojiku-Zai, as she thinks her lung is wounded, and if it stays that way, her vital systems may stop functioning. Mayuri, walking over to her, begins stomping on her prone body, causing Nemu to scream out in pain. Mayuri yells at her for trying to play him, as he knows her body will not fail from that level of injury. When Uryū pleads with him to stop, Mayuri explains he knows what she is capable of, as he created her using Gigai and Artificial soul technology. He goes on to say she is his daughter, and no one gets to tell a father how he should treat his own daughter. He slams Nemu's head against the wall, prompting Uryū to yell at him to stop. He leaves Nemu alone, who, lying motionlessly (since Mayuri's Zanpakutō paralyzes the individuals it cuts) during the duration of Mayuri and Uryū's battle, watches them fight.

At the conclusion of the battle, she witnesses Uryū, in his Quincy: Letzt Stil, nearly kill Mayuri, only for the captain to liquefy himself and escapes. as Uryū begins to feel the poison from Mayuri's Bankai taking over again, Nemu, calling out to him, tells him the antidote can be found on her left arm under her lieutenant badge. Uryū asks her if she would feel more comfortable laying down, but Nemu tells him she is fine how she is. He tells her she should take the antidote first, but she says it is okay, as, having the same blood as Mayuri, she isn't affected by the poison. When Uryū somewhat hesitates while taking the antidote, Nemu asks him if he thinks it is a trap, and if so, he should give her some first to prove she is telling the truth. Uryū plainly states that is not the issue, as it makes no sense to poison a dying man. Nemu thanks him, as if he had aimed for Mayuri's head, he would have surely been killed. Uryū states it was an accident, and he had intended to kill him. Nonetheless, Nemu, thanking him again for sparing Mayuri, says the antidote is just a small gift of gratitude. Uryū tells her he doesn't get it, asking wouldn't it be better that someone like him does not exist. Nemu states she does not know, but when she saw Mayuri still alive, she was happy. She cautions him to leave quickly, as after sensing Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō, members of her division will be on their way. Uryū, thanking her for the antidote as he sets it down, bids her farewell.

When Sōsuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, and Kaname Tōsen are revealed to be traitors, both she and Mayuri have recovered from their encounter with Uryū, and she asks her captain if he will assist the other captains in capturing Aizen. Mayuri tells her he has no interest in doing so.

Bount arc (anime only)[]

Mayuri, figuring out a secret of the Bount from the deleted data he has been trying to retrieve wonders how he will be able to capture a live Bount to study. He has discovered why the Bount specifically need a Quincy, and that the answer lies in the abilities of Uryū Ishida. Realizing he can use one to achieve the other, Mayuri instructs Nemu to get research material 9-141 out of storage, deliver it into the Real World, and give it to the Quincy.

Nemu meets Uryū in the World of the Living as he tries unsuccessfully to regain his Quincy powers near a waterfall. She notes that it has been some time since last they met. He asks her why is she there, but she responds by attacking him. After a small fight, she easily subdues him. Nemu explains the combat was a test to determine whether Uryū had actually lost his Quincy powers. She asks him if he wants power, and he responds that he does not want things to end with him not having been able to do anything. Nemu states she understands, and that she will lend him some of her power. Nemu presents Uryū with research material 9-141, which he immediately recognizes. Stating it is a Quincy battle accessory given to top Quincy from many hundreds of years ago, Nemu explains that the SRDI has had it in their possession for research purposes. Detailing that the artifact has the ability to control spiritual force, Nemu says if he’s a true Quincy, this will be helpful.

After the Bount invade Soul Society, Nemu returns to the Shinigami Research and Development Institute. Some time after the Bount infiltrate Seireitei, Jin Kariya, arriving, attacks everyone inside. Nemu survives the encounter, as Kariya's main focus is searching for the Jōkaishō. Ichigo Kurosaki and Yasutora Sado, arriving, help her out of the debris from Kariya's attack. Heavily injured by Kariya's attack, she is sent to recover.

Hueco Mundo arc[]

She is brought along by Mayuri to Hueco Mundo, invading the world with her father, Kenpachi Zaraki, Yachiru Kusajishi, Hanatarō Yamada, Byakuya Kuchiki, Retsu Unohana, and Isane Kotetsu.

While there, she is one of the people who face-off against Szayelaporro Granz, and is seemingly injured at some point in the battle. When Mayuri calls for her, Szayelaporro is angered that he cannot understand why Mayuri lives, to which Mayuri explains how he is able to counter his ability. After realizing he cannot harm Mayuri, he takes Nemu hostage with one of his tentacles/wings. Nemu states Szayelaporro has made a mistake, and capturing her will not make her a hostage. In response to this, Mayuri calls forth his Bankai, Konjki Ashisogi Jizō, to eat Szayelaporro.

After having his Bankai eat the Espada, Mayuri proceeds to argue with Uryū before Nemu interrupts, apologizing, asking if Mayuri can help release her. Mayuri ignores her until she begins to scream out in pain, focusing everyone's attention on her. As Nemu's stomach begins to expand, they hear a voice ask if Mayuri actually thought he had killed him, and realize it is Szayelaporro, who explains his most important ability, Gabriel, which allows him to be reborn through anyone he is touching. He sucks the life from Nemu, causing her face to wither, as she is drained of her body fluids and he is reborn anew from her mouth. As Nemu's withered body lies upon the ground, Mayuri, walking over to her, inspects her current state. However, what Szayelaporro didn't know was that he absorbed one of many special drugs inside Nemu. The one he absorbed, called the Superhuman Drug by Mayuri, drastically enhances Szayelaporro's state of mental perception to superhuman levels, to the point where one second feels like an eternity to him, and she is critical in bringing about his death.

Mayuri calls to her, but, remembering she is incapacitated, he restores her through questionable and quite possibly very explicit and erotic means, given Nemu's utterances and Renji and Uryū's expressions, though Mayuri insists Renji and Uryū are being quite perverted to jump to such conclusions, and orders her to open the door to Szayelaporro's laboratory, where the group discovers two bodies hanging from the ceiling.

Fake Karakura Town arc[]

Nemu arrives in Hueco Mundo with Mayuri and pushes a loaded wagon behind him to the the battle against Yammy Llargo. After a short conversation, where Mayuri explains he has discovered the technology required to open a Garganta, Mayuri tells Nemu to ready the Garganta device so they can send Ichigo back to the World of the Living. Nemu immediately begins setting up large pillars single-handedly. She stands atop the pillar, acting as a focus point to open the Garganta.

Beast Swords arc (anime only)[]

Nemu accompanies Mayuri and the staff of the SDRI on field research. Upon their return, they discover the SDRI's buildings have been ruined by Senbonzakura and Zabimaru.

Gotei 13 Invading Army arc (anime only)[]

When a time gap is discovered in the Dangai, Nemu accompanies Mayuri into the Dangai to conduct a survey to identify the cause. She uses a three eyed device with a paper printout to study the Dangai's wall. While Kenpachi Zaraki and Mayuri are arguing, Nemu notices something is coming, and a bright light erupts from the Dangai's wall.

She later accompanies the members of the Gotei 13 to the Human World when the Reigai take over the Seireitei, and confronts Kagerōza Inaba while he is fighting against Ichigo. She sits quietly next to Mayuri as he explains to the other members of the Gotei 13 in Ichigo's room about the Reigai.

Nemu appears as her Reigai attacks Rukia Kuchiki, quickly defeating it by impaling it through the heart with her hand. Rangiku Matsumoto appears, and the three go to find Nozomi Kujō, but Rukia, revealing herself to be a Reigai, turns on them, having defeated the real Rukia. The Reigai, swiftly defeating Nemu and Rangiku, tosses them over the edge of a bridge to the water below. They manage to get out of the water, but afterwards collapse. Fortunately, they are found by Orihime, who starts to heal them. Later, Ichigo overlooks Nemu's healing process. After recovering, she and the other healed Shinigami, returning to Soul Society, aid the captains in battling the Reigai.

The Thousand-Year Blood War arc[]

While the lieutenants discuss the situation with the Wandenreich and recent disappearances of Hollows and Rukongai residents, Nemu listens as Izuru deduces Shinigami were likely involved in the disappearance of the Rukongai denizens. When he asks Nemu what her captain is hiding, she states Mayuri did not give her any information on that case. Izuru indicates he will report his conclusions to Captain-Commander Yamamoto, prompting her to reply she is certain Mayuri did not do anything wrong.

When the Wandenreich return to invade Seireitei, Nemu is with her captain as he curses his fellow captains for not waiting until he had finished his analysis of the enemy's ability to seal Bankai. At some point, Mayuri and Nemu stabilize a grievously wounded Izuru Kira and prop up his damaged torso with thick rods. Following the Royal Guard's visit, Nemu goes with her captain to his room, where they lock themselves in and deactivate the surveillance bugs. They start to develop something that no one else in the SRDI has seen before.

Later, during the Wandenreich's second invasion, Nemu emerges from her captain's room alongside Mayuri and into the transformed SRDI wearing bizarre outfits. She remains silent during Mayuri's explanation of creating a room with absolutely no shadows.

The next day, Nemu accompanies Mayuri when he confronts Giselle Gewelle. When the zombified Bambietta Basterbine begins launching bombs at them, Nemu pulls Mayuri away as he tells her to use "that". After being told to use a setting of three seconds, Nemu throws several spherical devices at the bombs. Later, when the Gotei 13 is assembled at Mayuri's underground laboratory attempting to construct a doorway to the Royal Realm, Nemu appears alongside Mayuri as he reveals a Reiatsu Amplifier for them to use.

While the other members of the Gotei 13 head through the gate towards the Soul King Palace, Nemu accompanies Mayuri through the gate to a separate location. Both of them are unknowingly followed by Kenpachi, Ikkaku, Yumichika and Hanatarō. When Ikkaku decides to leave behind the bickering captains, Hanatarō questions Nemu's opinion on the matter but she stoically replies that she hasn't got one. She follows her captain and Kenpachi through Wahrwelt when they encounter Pernida Parnkgjas. When Kenpachi hastily attacks the Quincy, interrupting Mayuri's explanation, her captain asks her if she was about to say something but Nemu denies this.

As Pernida begins to attack Kenpachi's already mangled arm, Ikkaku expresses regret about losing his chance to assault the Quincy. Nemu, however, agrees with Yumichika's assertion that neither of them need to get involved in the battle. When Ikkaku insists that it is strange that she voices her opinion on the matter, Nemu wonders about this before maintaining that Mayuri orders her not to move unless she is called to do so. Assessing the situation, Nemu decides that her captain is not struggling enough against Pernida to warrant calling for her aid. Upon Ikkaku's query, she states that it is the same for Kenpachi as well. After Kenpachi tears off his arm to prevent Pernida from killing him, Mayuri orders Nemu to bind the captain's wounds to prevent further blood loss and she does so immediately. When her captain stabs Kenpachi in order to save his life, Nemu warns the others to cover their ears, otherwise Mayuri's Fear Factor 4 would cause them to go deaf in four seconds.

After deducing Mayuri's ulterior motives in having Kenpachi attack Pernida, Yumichika tells Nemu that her captain is always the same, only for Nemu to state that she hopes so and refuse to clarify what she means. When Pernida states that it does not understand Mayuri changing its name, and Ikkaku seconds it, Nemu states that she understands. Soon afterward, as Mayuri seemingly defeats Pernida, Nemu watches from afar with concern. When Mayuri is overwhelmed by Pernida's Heilig Pfeil, Nemu intervenes by grabbing an arrow aimed at him and cutting off her own arm, prompting Mayuri to grab her before bringing them both to a safer location. When Mayuri berates her for acting on her own judgement, Nemu admits that she does not know how or why she did this before agreeing to only die when Mayuri tells her to.

Nemu hands Mayuri a flesh supplement with which to regenerate his arm and reveals that she rescued him in order to deliver it. After regenerating his arm, Mayuri is informed that he did not take any such drugs before the fight began like he usually does, causing him to note that Nemu really does watch him. After entering combat with Pernida and its clones, Mayuri dodges dozens of Heilig Pfeil as he contacts Nemu, whom he informs of his plan to stop Pernida by injecting it with a coagulating agent that will render it immobile and unable to function. After Nemu injects one of the Heilig Pfeil with the agent, the nerves connected to it transfer the agent to Pernida, who is frozen up along with one of its clones. However, Mayuri quickly realizes that Pernida evolves by taking information from objects that its nerves touch and deduces that Nemu's speed will not be enough to outpace Pernida if it has evolved to Kenpachi's level. As Mayuri tells Nemu to get away, Pernida sheds its infected skin like the modified Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō could. Seeing this, Nemu leaps toward Mayuri with a determined look on her face.

Hurtling toward Mayuri, Nemu grabs him and bursts through Pernida, whose hand is blown apart by the impact. When a shocked Mayuri demanded to know why Nemu had this power, Nemu explains how she increased the power of her body at the cost of heightening the decomposition rate. Surprised by Nemu claiming that she is following her mission to protect him, Mayuri angrily states that her mission is to evolve, but Nemu merely states that she can best show the results of her growth by protecting him before throwing Mayuri onto a nearby building. Nemu confronts one of Pernida's clones and explains how she is going to sacrifice part of her soul in order to kill it before using Gikon Jūrinjū, which blows a hole in the clone.

However, as Nemu falls, eyes appear on the remains of the clone and impale her with their nerves before tearing her to shreds, to the shock of Mayuri. Soon after, Mayuri tricks the clones into eating what is left of Nemu's body while taking her brain away, which causes the cells in the body to begin multiplying uncontrollably and destroying the clones from the inside out.

Equipment[]

Sword: Nemu has a sword that takes the form of what appears to be a thin katana with a green hilt and a seemingly warped guard.

Powers & Abilities[]

Bio-Augmentation: Nemu's biological structure has been artificially augmented; as the product of Gikon and Gigai technologies, she possess various modifications and enhancements. These advancements have made her a highly adaptable and durable combatant.

Enhanced Endurance: Her body was designed by Mayuri to have much more endurance than that of a normal person. She can take wounds which would be fatal to another person and survive, as she demonstrated upon being stabbed by Mayuri during his fight with Uryū. Mayuri himself noted she was designed to take much more punishment than any normal Human or Shinigami could ever sustain.

Enhanced Strength: Nemu has a substantial amount of strength, even by Shinigami standards. She effortlessly excavates Szayelaporro's hidden laboratory using only her bare hands. She can throw large blocks of stone with ease. She can effortlessly lift a large column over her head.

Enhanced Speed: Nemu can move at high speeds, which she demonstrated when attacking Uryū Ishida to determine whether he still possessed his Quincy powers. When Bambietta Basterbine launched bombs at her and Mayuri, Nemu quickly grabbed Mayuri and moved him outside the range of the explosion without either of them being harmed in the process. Her speed and reaction time are great enough that she can intercept a Heilig Pfeil mid-flight by catching it with one hand.

Poison Immunity: Nemu has the same blood as Mayuri, making her immune to the poison used by Mayuri's Bankai.

Chemical Repository: Mayuri always keep a variety of drugs stored away inside Nemu's body; as such, if an enemy consumes her or invades her body, they receive a dosage of one of these drugs, which changes depending on the part of the body they come into contact with.

Healing Factor: When Nemu is in a deathlike state, Mayuri can revive her using her body modifications.

Involuntary Cell Division Accelerator Failsafe: In order for Nemu to exceed the threshold of the normal lifespan of her regenerative Konpaku cells, an Involuntary Cell Division Accelerator (強制細胞分裂加速器, Kyōsei Saibō Bunretsu Kasokuki) was embedded within her pituitary gland. Failsafes were placed into the special organ to exceed its normal function. If the base core of the cerebrum is ejected, the organ can create a direct connection with the parietal lobe and seize control of the body. If one consumes the organ on its own without the cerebrum, they would experience accelerated regeneration and eventually self-destruct from regenerating too much.

Tedoriru (手ドリル, Hand Drill): She can twirl her hand and forearm like a drill and move her arms at excessive speeds. This technique is capable of breaking through solid rock.

Power Enhancement: Nemu can forcibly draw out greater levels of power by pushing the activity of her body closer to the threshold at which it would begin to collapse, though she can only maintain this heightened level of power for a short period of time. She has pushed her system to within 0.8% of its threshold, which she could only maintain for roughly 6 minutes after activation.

Superhuman Strength: While within 0.8% of her body's limits, Nemu possesses tremendous physical strength; the strength she possess in her legs alone allows her to leap to great heights at incredible speeds with enough force to shatter the ground beneath her and blast apart organic matter in her way.

Konpaku Sessaku (魂魄切削, Soul Cutting; Viz "Soul Slicer"): Nemu can cut off portions of her soul and use them to attack her opponent as an spiritual energy blast.

Gikon Jūrinjū (義魂重輪銃, Artificial Soul Heavy Circle Cannon): Sacrificing 6% of her soul, Nemu fires it at her target in the form of a ball of spiritual energy, which blows a clean hole in the target by warping their body around itself.

Expert Hand-to-Hand Combatant: As Nemu normally does not carry her sword, she relies on her hand-to-hand combat skill in battle. She is a very swift attacker when fighting, and commonly employs kicks as her main combat skill. She defeated her Reigai with one strike to the chest, showing she can defeat enemies quickly by targeting a weak point.

High Spiritual Power: Being a lieutenant of the Gotei 13, Nemu boasts a high spiritual energy.

Censorship[]

Nemu's face wasn't battered and bruised after Mayuri punched her to the ground in the anime compared to the manga. Instead she just has a little blood on the side of her lip.
In the manga, when Nemu was pleading to Mayuri after being struck by his Zanpakutō, she was shown bleeding from her mouth. In the anime however, blood wasn't shown in her mouth.
In the anime, after stabbing Uryū with Ashisogi Jizō, and remembering that Nemu is paralyzed, Mayuri attempts to stab her with his Zanpakutō, instead of stomping on her head like he did in the manga.
The method of Nemu's "death" and Szayelaporro's revival in the anime was seriously toned down from the version in the manga. In the manga, Szayelaporro pierces Nemu's naval and bursts out whole from her mouth, while she rapidly withers away. In the anime, Szayelaporro exits Nemu's mouth as a cloud of pink vapor before reforming, while Nemu's skin color turns pale gray.

Trivia[]

"Lieutenant Kurotsuchi Nemu is an artificial entity created from the Gigai technology and Gikon technology by Captain Kurotsuchi. The same blood flows in Nemu and Captain Kurotsuchi, hence be it interest or how to spend free time, she will have many similarities to Captain Kurotsuchi." - Tite Kubo
The theme song that Kubo chose for Nemu is "Lamb Of God" by the band Marilyn Manson from their album Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death).
Nemu was voted the 32nd most popular character in the second character popularity poll, 37th in the third, 34th in the fourth, and 32nd in the fifth.
In an omake, it is revealed that when taking photographs, Nemu says "butter" instead of "cheese."