What do we know about Yoruichi?

Basics:

Shihouin Yoruichi; "Shunshin" Yoruichi
四楓院　夜一;　「瞬神」夜一
Shihouin: "four"; "maple"; "institution"
Yoruichi: "night"; "one"
Shunshin: "blink" or "flash"; "god"
notes: "Shunshin" Yoruichi is a play on her name, and is her nickname. Better translated as "God of flash", the "shun" kanji indicating that she's gone in a blink of an eye. "Shunshin Yoruichi" together can also refer to how Yoruichi suddenly disappeared over the course of one night.

Height: 5'1" (156 cm)
Weight: 92.6 lbs (42 kg)
Birthday: January 1

Zanpakuto: Unknown
Shikai: Unknown
Bankai: Unknown

Signature Skills:
Shunko, shunpo, hakuda, and feline transformation

Manga Debut:
Volume 6, Chapter 51

Other facts:

1. Yoruichi is the 22nd head of the Shihouin house.
2. The Shihouins are also known as the Tenshiheisoban, (House of Godly Gears), or by Viz's translation, Defender of the Realm.
3. The role of the Tenshiheisoban is to protect the Tenshi Heiso.
4. Kisuke and Tessai grew up in the Shihouin mansion with Yoruichi.
5. In the Japanese version, Yoruichi refers to herself with male terms, specifically old man terms such as "washi."

Speculations:

1. The similarity between the Shihouin crest and the Onmitsukidou emblem would suggest that the Shihouins probably originally created the Onmitsukidou.

Shihouin crest:


Onmitsukidou Logo:


Please feel free to add any facts I missed, and add your own speculations as well!

didn't we agree that she was disguised as chuck norris while she was in the living world? haha. just kidding, soldier.

Yes, I remember that. xD

Just other facts I remembered:

6. The Shihouins created an artifact which is capable of destroying the Soukyoku, and for some reason it was sealed and Ukitake Juushiro was in possession of it during the SS arc. He had to unseal it before he and Shunsui could use it to destroy the Soukyoku.

Some more speculations (or rather, things to speculate about):
2. Yoruichi tells Soifon that the Onmitsukidou uniforms were designed with shunko in mind. However, it's unclear whether Yoruichi invented shunko (and thus the uniforms) herself. In fanon it's generally assumed that Yoruichi invented it but this has never been confirmed or denied canonically.

well, isn't she the first female head of the shihouin clan, and thus likely to be the first female head of onmitsukidou (or at least the first one since the shihouin clan came to control it, if they didn't always)? if that is the case, then she probably did have to design a female uniform and had the liberty to design it to accommodate shunko.

of course, the male gundanchous might have worn a similar uniform if they also knew shunko, but damn, wouldn't that look just... distubing?

Yoruichi never said that she created shunko or the uniform, only that she knew the techniques name and why they were designed that way. Most people seems feel that this implies she created both.

Shunko could very well be a Shihoin thing. The heads of the clan could be taught the technique in order the give them an advantage over other Captains, in case they need to arrest them. All the captains have Banki, so the heads of the police force needed something to counter that.

Yoruichi likely created the uniforms, though. The males probably wouldn't chave minded fighting shirtless, but Yoruichi needed something to keep her decent, even though she wouldn't have minded fighting shirtless either.

The fact that most people seem to glaze over is that Soifon created shunko independelynon (probably) less time it tok Yoruichi to either A) create it herself or B) train in it. Granted, Soifon's is still incomplete, but not even Yoruichi has mastered it yet.

I never thought Yoruichi invented Shunko in the first place - not that it's impossible, I just think it unlikely. It sounded to me, when she was talking to Soifon, that Shunko was a traditional technique of onmitsukido commanders, though I admit it's just a matter of interpretation. And I agree with Soldier as well that she probably created the uniform for practical reasons (there's no way a man would wear something like that, and why would them, anyway?).

What I never could understand was how Soifon came up with that technique; Yoruichi certainly looked pretty impressed when she saw her use it. She is probably more of a genius than what is directly stated in the manga.

But what else do we know about Yoruichi?

- She was still faster than Byakuya after 100 years of inactivity (and even while carrying Ichigo's body). She probably was faster than Soifon too, but it could be argued Soifon was holding back for some of the fight and was a emotional wreck for the rest.

- Seems like no one in Sereitei (not even Soifon) knew before the SS arc that she could transform into a cat (or they were hiding very well their knowledge, as they always referred to the intruders as 5 kids and 1 cat). Ukitake only noticed her presence when Shunsui told him he could feel her reiatsu in Soukyoku hill. And what would be the point in turning into a cat if everyone knew, anyway?

- Jinta and Ururu didn't know her before her first apparition in the manga.

Byakuya seemed to know, since he called her a were-cat. They probably didn't think it was yoruichi because it's been a century and they probably didn't think there was any special reason for her to reappear at that time, escorting ryoka invaders, no less

Ah, I forgot Byakuya! But he surely seemed to be the only one to know.

That's also something we know - according to Byakuya, Yoruichi was thought to be dead. But it's hard to tell whether other people thought the same, or if Byakuya was in fact the only person who believed her dead.

Has Yoruichi achieved bankai?

Yoruichi was the Captain of the Onmitsukido and eventually merged it with the Second Division. Since the Onmitsukido is not part of the Gotie 13, that means that the members aren't' necessarily Shingami.

If Yoruichi was the head of the Onmitsukido before she became the head of the Second, then she may not have achieved bankai yet. Hell, she may not even have a Zanpakuto. She has been shown with a sword in a single flashback panel, but there has been nothing in the manga to hint it was more than steel.

There are 3 ways a person can become a Captain; recommendations, the test, and killing a captain. If Yoruichi was recommenced for the Captaincy by the required number of Captains, then she could have potentially entered the Gotie 13 without having achieved bankai or even shikai.

Thoughts?

Well, Yoruichi herself states that as far as she's aware the only shinigami to attain the rank of captain without having a bankai is Zaraki... so, yes, she probably has achieved bankai.

Saying that, I'm going to guess that she doesn't like it or her shikai for that matter. I think it's fairly safe to say that the sword she had in the flashback was her Zanpakuto, but I think that's the last we see of it. Did we see her with it in TBtP? I'm a little unsure if we did... Maybe you're right Soldier and she doesn't even have a zanpakuto. I think I would be very disappointed if that were the case.

Speaking of her shikai, a lot of people seem to assume that it would be the similar to Soi Fon's in that it's suited for close combat, but I don't think that's actually true. If it was she would have it with her, especially since (as far as I'm aware) having their Zanpakuto increases a shinigami's strength. It would be moronic of her not to carry her Zanpakuto, especially if it compliments her fighting style.

If though, it doesn't compliment her favoured style of fighting and is (despite the boost in strength it possibly gives her) more of a hinderence, then it at least makes some sense for her not to carry it.

And would she really be able to just leave it behind? It's an extension of her soul, wouldn't it always be with her? Shouldn't she be able to manifest it with a little bit of meditation or whatever?

This has been bugging me for a while and I might as well babble about it here: over at BA the thread that's discussing the strength/power level of Yoruichi, Kisuke and Isshin has most believing that Yoruichi is clearly the weakest of the three, but I don't agree with this. I can see how they came to this conclusion, and I would agree that Isshin is most likely the strongest, but I'd put Yoruichi above Kisuke. The fact that without her zanpakuto she easily keeps up with the other two says to me that she's probably one of the stronger characters in the series.

I'm inclined to believe that Yoruichi's zanpakuto is really specialized and there has yet to be a situation where it would be useful.

That, or my favorite theory for her zanpakuto; her ability to shape shift is her zanpakuto.

I've always been fond of the idea that her shikai is the ability to change into small animals (like a cat) or alter minor things about herself. Incredibly useful for espionage. Her bankai would be larger animals or completely different people.

I found the interview where Kubo states that Yoruichi is one of his favorite female characters. It's from Comic-Con 2008 if I'm understanding correctly.

Here.

Q: Do you have a favorite female character in Bleach?

Tite Kubo: Hmm. Yoruichi and Rangiku! Their attitude is like, they just don't care what people think of them! (laughs) I have a lot of fun drawing them and creating stories with them.