The Shin'ō Academy of Spiritual Arts was founded by Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, the undisputed boss of the Gotei 13, with the purpose of cultivating future Shinigami for Seireitei.
Based on Captain-Commander Yamamoto's forward-thinking principle of "education without discrimination," students at the academy come from all social classes of the Soul Society.
Whether you are born into the noble families of Seireitei or a commoner from Rukongai, as long as your spiritual power passes the test, you may enroll for free and receive what the Soul Society considers a "higher education."
In principle, the academy's curriculum lasts six years, focusing mainly on Hakuda, Zanjutsu, Shunpo, and Kidō—these are also the subjects of the final graduation assessment.
At the same time, in order to improve the cultural literacy of trainee Shinigami, required courses such as History of Seireitei, Classification of Hollows, The Twelve Applications of Spiritual Pressure, and Konso (Soul Burial) are also taught.
After completing the six-year program, the Shin'ō Academy recommends graduates for different positions based on their performance.
Most qualified graduates are assigned to the Gotei 13, with each division having its own responsibilities:
First Division – The Seireitei General Division, answering directly to the Central 46. Its main job is holding captains' meetings and issuing orders.
Second Division – The Stealth Force, responsible for executions, assassinations, and other covert operations.
Third Division – A support-type division, acting as a reserve force to reinforce other divisions when needed.
Fourth Division – The medical corps. Whether it's headaches, fevers, or missing arms and legs, the "big sisters" of this division will kindly patch you up.
Fifth Division – The primary rescue division. No matter who you are, as long as you encounter danger and call the Soul Society emergency line, members of this division will arrive to save you… or collect your body.
Sixth Division – The exclusive division of the Soul Society nobility. It doesn't matter how strong your spiritual pressure is or how powerful your Bankai might be—if you're not a noble, get lost.
Seventh Division – The captain-commander's direct lackeys. They answer only to Yamamoto and audit the other divisions, serving as Seireitei's internal inspection unit.
Eighth Division – The intelligence and reconnaissance division, with operatives spread across the World of the Living, Soul Society, and even Hueco Mundo, gathering and compiling intelligence.
Ninth Division – The prison supervision division, responsible for detaining troublemakers and individuals with anti-Seireitei tendencies.
Tenth Division – The patrol and security division, maintaining public order in the Soul Society and occasionally assisting in the World of the Living.
Eleventh Division – The elite combat division, known as "the strongest Shinigami unit in the Soul Society," filled with brawling, battle-loving thugs.
Twelfth Division – The research and development division. Its combat power is negligible, but its technological sophistication is extremely high—probably about three or four stories tall.
Thirteenth Division – The purification division, mainly stationed in the World of the Living and responsible for performing Konso.
In addition, organizations such as the Kidō Corps and the Stealth Force also recruit members from qualified graduates of the Shin'ō Academy.
Of course, it should be noted that this strict academy system applies only to ordinary Shinigami trainees.
Genius students may skip grades, receive recruitment offers from divisions before graduation, and if they manage to further refine a Zanpakutō, they may even become seated officers or vice-captains!
It must be understood that the Soul Society has a rigid hierarchy:
Rukongai residents → Shinigami → Seated Officers → Vice-Captains → Captains → Central 46 → The Four Great Noble Families → the Soul King
Each higher level holds absolute authority over those below. Subordinates must obey unconditionally—no one may break this system.
Anyone who does so is considered to be "challenging the order of the entire Soul Society", and will be hunted down or imprisoned by Seireitei itself.
Therefore, any student recruited by a division before graduating from the Shin'ō Academy is unquestionably a Shinigami with enormous potential—let alone becoming one of the twenty seated officers!
After all, the term seated officer literally means securing a "seat" within the supreme institution of Seireitei. Even as a mere seated officer, one already stands far above countless ordinary Shinigami.
…
Two days later, in the morning, Fūjin Taichi arrived at the Shin'ō Academy of Spiritual Arts. Looking at the towering, majestic building before him, his heart surged with excitement.
Listen up, brothers—
the strongest, coolest, most stylish captain in the Soul Society is about to be born right here!
Get ready to cheer, jump, and celebrate!
With bandages wrapped around his head, Tsunayashiro Tokio walked over. He glanced at the academy, then looked down at Fūjin Taichi and asked in confusion:
"What's wrong, Taichi? You need to pee again?"
"Tokio, does your head still hurt?"
"It hurts!"
"Then stop talking nonsense!"
Fūjin Taichi lifted his leg and stepped through the gates of the Shin'ō Academy. Guided by the fragments of memory he still had, he entered Class 1–A.
It was a public classroom similar to those in a modern university. At the front stood a large blackboard, and the seating rose tier by tier toward the back, easily accommodating over eighty students.
However, after the horrifying "Menos Grande invasion" that occurred during the Konso training exercise two days earlier, almost the entire Class 1 had been wiped out.
As a result, in the vast classroom, only Abarai Renji, Hinamori Momo, and Kira Izuru could be seen now.
"Sit wherever you like. No one's going to fight you for a seat anymore," Fūjin Taichi casually said to Tsunayashiro Tokio, before picking a seat himself and waiting for their homeroom teacher, Ōunabara Gengorō, to arrive.
At that moment, Kasumioji Hoko also entered the classroom and sat down beside Fūjin Taichi. She glanced toward Abarai Renji's group sitting diagonally across and asked in a low voice:
"Taichi, have you heard?"
"Heard what?" Fūjin Taichi asked without even lifting his eyelids, sprawled across his desk.
"The academy issued a notice yesterday. They're transferring top-performing students from the other nineteen classes to fill spots in the Special Advancement Class."
"Oh…"
Fūjin Taichi thought to himself: Isn't that obvious? The entire special class was practically wiped out. If they didn't bring in new students, would they really train just the six of us?
Creaaak—
The classroom door slid open. Ōunabara Gengorō, dressed in a black kimono, stepped up to the podium. He swept his gaze over the empty classroom, and a trace of sadness flickered briefly in his eyes.
But he quickly returned to his usual demeanor and announced in a clear voice:
"Everyone, attention! After strict selection by the academy, new students have been added to the Special Advancement Class! Now then—please welcome them with applause!"
Clap, clap—
Clap, clap—
Sparse applause echoed through the classroom as more than seventy first-year students poured in from outside—boys and girls alike—each finding a seat.
"Ahem. Although some of you may already know me, I must emphasize it once again: my name is Ōunabara Gengorō, and I am the homeroom teacher of the Special Advancement Class!
Over the next six years, I will be responsible for guiding and evaluating your academic progress. First, let me go over a few rules of discipline:
First: While on academy grounds, you must wear the academy uniform. Violation means expulsion.
Second: While at the academy, you must strictly obey academy regulations. Violation means expulsion.
Third: While at the academy, you must—"
"Fourth…"
Before long, Ōunabara Gengorō finished listing the academy rules. After a brief pause, he continued:
"Now then, we will reassign the dormitories!"
"Chōzuka Hiroe, Tsukimitsu Whirlwind, Shimada Genzō, Koitachi — Dorm Area A, Room 1101."
"Ryōmiya Han, Itō Jungō, Matsumoto Kogorō, Tanaka Musashi — Dorm Area A, Room 1102."
"…"
"Kasumioji Hoko, Rukia, Hinamori Momo, Gin Miyu — Dorm Area B, Room 1234."
"Abarai Renji, Kira Izuru, Fūjin Taichi, Tsunayashiro Tokio — Dorm Area A, Room 1314."
"…"
"All right. This week's class schedule and daily timetable have been posted on the bulletin board. Everyone, go back and get settled in your dorms for now. That's all—see you tomorrow!"