Wandenreich

The Wandenreich is an organization that features in Bleach.

History

Wandenreich (見えざる帝国 (ヴァンデンライヒ), Vandenraihi; German for "Walled Empire", Japanese for "Invisible Empire") were a tribe a Quincy who were formed over a thousand years ago after they lost the war against the Shinigami of the Soul Society. A number of Quincy managed to escape from the Human World into the Seireitei that was believed to had been the most unguarded. Once there, they used their Reishi to create a space in the 'shadows' to serve as a sanctuary for them from which they created an 'Invisible Empire' known as the Wandenreich. From there, they planned to use the abundant Reishi in the Soul Society as a power source as they slowly gathered power over the course of centuries.

Sometime after the defeat of Sōsuke Aizen, the Wandenreich conquered Hueco Mundo thus capturing Tier Harribel in the process. In addition, they conscripted numerous Arrancar into their service and killed many Hollows.

The war begins after a series of unusual incidents in the Human World and the Rukongai draw the attention of the Gotei 13. As Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa move to investigate a series of strange disappearances in Soul Society's Rukongai, a strange man suddenly appears on Ichigo's bed and introduces himself as Asguiaro Ebern, prompting Ichigo to demand that he get off immediately. When Ebern refuses to get off his bed, Ichigo kicks him through the window and decides to deal with him outside as he exits in his Shinigami form. After convincing Ebern to follow him elsewhere, Ichigo asks him if he is an Arrancar, only for an angered Ebern to summon a Spirit Weapon. Meanwhile, in Soul Society, Ikkaku and Yumichika continue to investigate the disappearance of Rukongai denizens and eventually conclude that the villagers were kidnapped by each other. In the 1st Division barracks, as Yamamoto is being given a report from the other divisions, he is confronted by several masked men who reveal that they have come to declare war. As he fends off Ebern's attacks, Ichigo wonders why Ebern is using a Quincy Cross and repeatedly provoking him before activating his Bankai, which Ebern responds to by activating a medallion; however, Ichigo dispels the medallion's strange effects and attacks a shocked Ebern. In Soul Society, Chōjirō Sasakibe is suddenly impaled in Yamamoto's office by an enormous javelin as one of the masked men declares that the Wandenreich will destroy Soul Society in five days. After freeing Chōjirō, Yamamoto attacks the masked men as they disappear into shadows and is shocked when Chōjirō revealed that the masked men could do something to a Shinigami's Bankai. Meanwhile, in the Human World, a badly wounded Ebern frantically wondered while Ichigo's Bankai had not disappeared, prompting Ichigo to decide to bring him back for questioning. However, Ebern disappeared within another shadow, which Ichigo noted was not a Garganta.

At Silbern, Luders and the other men appear along with Ebern, who begins bickering with Luders. Suddenly, Luders's right arm was blown off by Yhwach, who berated them for arguing in his presence before asking to hear Luders's report. After threatening to blow off Luders's legs if he lies down while speaking to him, Yhwach orders Luders to relay his report. Back in the Human World, Ichigo returns to his house while Ryūnosuke is ordered to return to Soul Society for Chōjirō's funeral. Knowing that Ichigo is present while contacting Ryūnosuke, Akon details how a single intruder killed over a hundred members of the 1st Division while seven more confronted Yamamoto and departed through unknown means. Later, while patrolling Karakura Town, Ichigo is confronted by Nel Tu, who reveals that something has happened to Hueco Mundo. Meanwhile, as Luders concludes his report, Yhwach kills him for speaking of the future before decapitating Ebern as well. When another masked man asks him if it logical to kill naturally trained soldiers, Yhwach claimed he could find some more Arrancar anytime he wanted as he revealed an imprisoned Tier Harribel before stating that Hueco Mundo was now his territory. In the ice palace, Jugram Haschwalth realizes that Ebern's medallion could not capture Ichigo's Bankai, prompting Yhwach to order the Jagdarmee to round up some more Arrancar. Elsewhere, as the captured Arrancar are lined up, Hunting Captain Quilge Opie begins attacking them under the pretense of determining which ones are strong enough to be recruited. When Loly Aivirrne and Menoly Mallia attempt to hold him hostage, Quilge swiftly incapacitates them and has his men beat them, but is suddenly confronted by the Tres Bestias.

As Franceska Mila Rose and Emilou Apacci begin bickering, Cyan Sung-Sun confronts Quilge, and the three begin fighting the Wandenreich, which causes Ichigo and Nel to feel their Reiatsu while approaching the battle. While Nel explains the Tres Bestias and their strength to Ichigo, the Tres Bestias effortlessly slaughter the Wandenreich officers, only stopping when Quilge suddenly kills an officer who requested a withdrawal order. Quilge implores that they surrender so they can serve Yhwach along with their beloved Harribel, but all three unanimously refuse, disappointing him. Meanwhile, in the 1st Division barracks, Akon concludes his report on the invasion to the captains as Mayuri confirms that the invading army was comprised of Quincies. Upon being told that they have not yet located the Wandenreich's base of operation, Yamamoto orders the captains to prepare for battle immediately. Back in Hueco Mundo, Ichigo and Nel discovered that Quilge had defeated the Tres Bestias as Quilge notes their arrival. Quilge revealed that Ichigo had been classified as a top-priority threat by Yhwach and has his men surround Ichigo, who realizes they are using Hirenkyaku as the men attack him. As Quilge joins the assault, Yhwach was informed of his engagement with Ichigo in Hueco Mundo, prompting him to order the Sternritter to mobilize for the invasion of Soul Society.

When Ichigo questioned what he meant, Quilge realizes that he has said too much and apologizes while sheathing his Reishi Sword and musing that he will have much to report to Yhwach after the battle. Though Ichigo questions who Yhwach is, Quilge declines to answer this and explains it will not do Ichigo any good to know because he has just been ordered by Yhwach to kill Ichigo right here, which makes it pointless for the latter to gain information on the Wandenreich. Quilge invites a startled Ichigo to take a good look at the power he must have heard about, the Quincy: Letzt Stil, and pulls off his right glove to reveal a Leiden Hant with the emblem of the Wandenreich emblazoned on the back, which creates a massive Reishi cross around him as Ichigo recognizes the technique that Uryū once used. Upon shattering, the Reishi cross falls apart to reveal Quilge, who has gained two large wings, gloves with large wristguards, large boots, and a large Heiligenschein all composed of Reishi, which he identifies as being properly called a Quincy: Vollständig. From several hundred meters away, Pesche Guatiche and Kisuke Urahara see the resulting explosion of force from this in the distance while carrying Dondochakka. After proclaiming that Ichigo finding his form creepy is the correct response since the atrocious Shinigami should find their executioners horrifying and eerie, Quilge holds his sword aloft and begins forming a cross-shaped mass of Reishi at the tip by absorbing Reishi from his surroundings with Sklaverei, causing Sōten Kisshun to be torn apart before a stunned Orihime's eyes, and while Sado observes that everything made of Reishi in Hueco Mundo is converging on Quilge through this technique and Orihime realizes that she did not feel a shockwave earlier because Quincy absorb Reishi rather than emit it, Quilge names his Quincy: Vollständig as Piskiel and tells Ichigo to receive its power. Suddenly, before Quilge can attack, he is punched several dozen meters away by Ayon, to Orihime's shock. With Quilge wondering what this monster was, Mila Rose inferred that Quilge let down his guard once he believed that they could no longer fight him.

Concurrently, the Wandenreich launched their own attack against the Seiretei. In Silbern, Yhwach is informed of Ichigo Kurosaki entering Hueco Mundo and battling Quilge Opie, prompting him to decide to move out and explain to his unnerved subordinate that they will be invading Soul Society, since Quilge keeping Ichigo occupied for some time means there is no better opportunity to begin the invasion than now even if he does not know why the latter entered Hueco Mundo, before ordering that the Sternritter be alerted to the invasion's commencement. During this, in his damaged office in the First Division barracks in the Seireitei, Yamamoto stands before Mayuri, who confirms that he made the decision to mobilize the Twelfth Division to expunge 28,000 Souls living in the Rukongai in order to correct the balance of Souls. At Silbern, the Sternritter were relayed an order from Yhwach to equip themselves and assemble at the Gate of the Sun immediately to commence their invasion of Soul Society, where Jugram Haschwalth stands at the forefront. Moments later, Yhwach stands calmly in the air above the Seireitei.

During this, at the Seventh Division barracks, Bambietta Basterbine cuts several Shinigami in half with her Reishi Sword prior to being stopped when Captain Sajin Komamura grabs her wrist and is left aghast by a young girl fighting for the Wandenreich, though Bambietta counters that Soul Society must be seriously understaffed if they promoted a dog to captain. Across the Seireitei, Driscoll confronts Hisagi while 8th Division Captain Shunsui Kyōraku approaches Robert. Elsewhere, 2nd Division Captain Suì-Fēng sees BG9 around a corner, 13th Division Captain Jūshirō Ukitake is confronted by a black-haired Sternritter, and 10th Division Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya glares at Cang Du, who stands on a wall opposite him. Back at the Sixth Division barracks, Renji repeatedly attacks Äs with extending strikes of Zabimaru, only for Äs to effortlessly block them without injury using his Blut Vene-enhanced skin. Just as Renji notices Äs's veins glowing blue whenever he blocks a strike and decides to speed up his attacks after questioning if it is a unique ability or one that all Quincy possess, Mask De Masculine comes down on him from above. When Renji leaps away at the last second, leaving him to punch the ground, Mask follows him into the air, only for 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki to intercept Mask's next strike with his Shikai, Senbonzakura, to Renji and Mask's surprise. Calmly approaching them, Byakuya asserts that there is no reason for Renji to hold back because the Wandenreich wishes to destroy the Seireitei, which means that Renji should be cutting them down with everything he has got.

Overview

In appearance, Wandenreich was an empire consisting of Quincy who looked to expand and conquer.

Leadership was held by the Wandenreich's founder who served as its Emperor.

Prominent members of the Wandenreich military were assigned a letter of the alphabet and an appropriate epithet.

The Quincy forces of the Invisible Empire were divided into a number of forces that included:

• Sternritter (星十字騎士団 (シュテルンリッター), Shuterunrittā; German for "Star Knights", Japanese for "Star Cross Knight Band/Order") : an elite force of powerful Quincy dispatched on key missions where it was said that their power was comparable to or greater than that of a Captain-level Shinigami. Leadership over the unit was held by the Sternritter Grandmaster (星十字騎士団最高位 (シュテルンリッター・グランドマスター), Shuterunrittā Gurandomasutā; Japanese for "Highest-Ranked of the Band of Star-Cross Knights") who was assisted by a Vice-Captain (副団長, Fukudanchō). Four of their number also operated as the Schutzstaffel (親衛隊 (シュッツシュタッフェル), Shuttsushutafferu; German for "Protective Echelon", Japanese for "Elite/Imperial Guards") who served as the personal guard to the Wandenreich's emperor. There was a law that forbade members of the Sternritter from fighting against one another and the punishment for violation was death.
• Jagdarmee (狩猟部隊 (ヤークトアルメー), yākutoarumē; German for "Hunt(ing) Army", Japanese for "Hunting Corps"; Viz "Hunt Army") : a hunting expeditionary force tasked with maintaining control over Hueco Mundo and entrusted with capturing Arrancar to be drafted into the armies of the Wandenreich.
• Soldat (聖兵 (ゾルダート), zorudāto; German for "Soldier", Japanese for "Holy Soldier(s)"; Viz "Divine Warriors") : low ranking soldiers that served in the armies of the Wandenreich.

The conquest of Heuco Mundo led to several Arrancar being forced to serve in the armies of the Wandenreich. The Quincy forcefully drafted several strong Arrancar into their army with these being considered useful because they do not need prerequisite combat training, but were regarded as expendable. Drafted Arrancar had their Zanpakutō confiscated and were given a Quincy Cross that allowed them to form Spirit Weapons.

Members of the Wandenreich saluted by raising their crosses.

The typical attire of most Wandenreich personnel consists of a long, white, double-breasted trench coat with shoulder straps and a white, button-down bib. This coat is bound at the waist with a black belt, which is further adorned with a decorative buckle, and is worn over both white trousers and trench boots. Many members sport white hats with black peaks and a crest emblazoned on its front, which is reminiscent of the five-pointed variant of the Quincy cross. This insignia is reflected by the buttons of their other apparel. Some higher-ranking members pair this uniform with other additional pieces of clothing, such as capes or cloaks, to distinguish themselves. The Sternritter wear a distinctive white, ankle-length cloak over their uniform which features the Wandenreich insignia emblazoned on its back and often a hood attached to the cloak's collar. Apart from the standard uniform, a Soldat's attire consists of a military beret, black goggles with white lenses, a gas mask which obscures their entire face, and a short, collared cloak.

Originally, Yhwach had formed a Kingdom of Quincy named the Lichtreich (光の帝国 (リヒトライヒ), Rihitoraihi; German for "Light Empire", Japanese for "Empire of Light"), which extended to all the nearby countries. Later on, the Wandereich occupied a pocket dimension within the Soul Society. Inside that realm, the Wandenreich's empire was based out of a building known as Silbern (銀架城 (ジルバーン), Jirubān; German for "Silver", Japanese for "Silver-Wrought Castle"; Viz "Silver Cross Fortress") that was a large, ice-covered structure surrounded by a vast city roughly the size of the Seireitei. The Wandenreich used metal plates known as Gates of the Sun (太陽の門, Taiyō no Mon) to move around the large palace quickly. The headquarters was made purely out of Reishi particles from the Seireitei, and existed in a dimension within the Seireitei known as the Schatten Bereich (影の領域 （シャッテン・ベライヒ), Shatten Beraihi; German and Japanese for "Shadow Realm"; Viz "Shadow Area"), which hid the Wandenreich from the Shinigami.

Members

• Yhwach :
• Jugram Haschwalth :
• Pernida Parnkgjas :
• Askin Nakk Le Vaar :
• Bambietta Basterbine :
• Äs Nödt :
• Liltotto Lamperd :
• Bazz-B :
• Cang Du :
• Quilge Opie :
• Giselle Gewelle :
• Luders Friegen :
• Guenael Lee :
• Asguiaro Ebern :
• Uryu Ishida :

Notes

• Wandenreich was created by Tite Kubo where they featured in the setting of the Bleach universe.

Appearances

• Bleach:

External Links

• Bleach Wiki Entry

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