| Other World | |
| |
| Kanji | あの世 |
| English | Other World |
| Romaji | Anoyo |
| Location Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Type | Afterlife |
| Controlled By | N/A |
| Primary Function | The location all dead go |
The Other World (あの世, Anoyo ) is the afterlife, and a separate dimension from the World of the Living.
Overview[]
While Heaven, Hell, and Soul Society are the three main destinations for souls that die, there is a level in between them that all souls visit before they go to their eternal destinations. Like other parts of the spiritual world, it is made completely up of a special type of energy, called Reishi, as are all the beings that inhabit it. Other World is primarily the dimension souls get sent to be judged, before being sent to their eternal destination, as well as the area in which the planets these destinations are housed in are placed.
Other World consists of the "Check-In Station" (閻魔界, Enma-kai ), where souls arrive after death and are judged, "Snake Way" (蛇の道, Hebi no Michi ), a winding snake-like road, which leads to other areas of the spirit world, and the planets of the Kai. Other World is also parallel to the Living World, like two sides of the same coin.
Inhabitants[]
Souls in a line in Other World.
Inhabitants of Other World are referred to as Souls (魂魄, Konpaku ). They appear as cloud-like entities, lacking their physical bodies. These spirits are completely composed of spiritual energy. Upon reaching the Check-In Station, they receive their bodies back. Those that go to Heaven or Hell are given a halo over their heads, signifying their death, and are unable to return to the Living World. However, in special cases, souls with a high level of potential power can be sent to live in Soul Society, a planet within Other World. Particularly good souls, such as the souls of great heroes, on the other hand, get a choice one where they want to go, be it Heaven, Soul Society, or to train on the various Kai planets — though such a thing is a rare honor.
The Shinigami (死神, God(s) of Death ), who reside in Soul Society primarily, are tasked with guiding wayward souls, called Plus (整, Purasu ), who have been unable to leave the Living World for various reasons, to the Other World, as well as the purification of Hollows (虚, Horō ), and guiding them to Other World as well. Those who gain Shinigami powers while in their soul form lose the powers they may have had in life (e.g, there are no "Saiyan"-Shinigami hybrids; just Shinigami).
Souls in Other World can live forever, and retain the appearance of whatever their body looked like in life. They can, however, die of mortal wounds, in which case, the soul ceases to exist anymore, and is gone forever.
Accessing Other World[]
Most beings gain access to Other World by dying, however, there are other methods. Those who wield teleportation techniques, and have been to the Other World previously, can teleport there by searching out the dimension's unique energy signature. Shinigami gain access to the dimension via a special type of portal, called the Senkaimon (穿界門, World Penetration Gate ), which opens a door between the worlds. A permanent Senkaimon exists within Soul Society. Souls trapped in the Living World gain access when a Shinigami gives them a Soul Burial.
Lastly, Hollows and Arrancar can access Other World by tearing the dimensional fabric between the worlds in a technique known as Garganta (黒腔 (ガルガンタ), Black Cavity ).
Government[]
Grand Supreme Kai[]
The Grand Supreme Kai (大界王神, Dai Kaiōshin ), also known as the Soul King (霊王, Reiō ), is the ruler of the known universe, both living world and dead, and the king of the Soul Society. He resides in an elaborate palace on the Sacred World of the Kais, along with the other Supreme Kai, and is guarded by five particularly strong Shinigami, named the Royal Guard.
Supreme Kai[]
The Supreme Kai (界王界王神, Kaiōshin ) are beings charged with the protection of the universe. Like the Grand Supreme Kai, they live on the Sacred World of the Kais and administer a specific part of the universe — either North, South, East, or West. They are beings that are said to be many times stronger than Shinigami and even regular Kai.
Kai[]
The Kai (界王, King of Worlds ) are charged with protecting certain quadrants of the universe, and are directly involved in protecting their quadrant. They are highly revered in both the Other World and in the Living World, for what few living know of their existence.
Judicial[]
The Central 46 (中央四十六, Chūō Shijūroku ) is the judicial body of the Other World. Their headquarters is located in the Soul Society. The organization is composed of forty wise men, with six judges to lead them. They dictate the laws concerning the Shinigami, as well as the laws by which the Judge at the Check-In Station refers to when judging souls. They are also in direct control of Other World's military forces.
Locations in the Other World[]
Important locations in the Other World include;
- Heaven
- Hell
- Hueco Mundo
- Sacred World of the Kais
- Soul Society
Other Names[]
Other World has been called a variety of other names. The following are the main names which refer to the Other World;
- Land of the Gods (神国, Shinkoku )
- Netherworld (陰府, Inpu )
- Spirit World (異界, Reikai )
- Underworld (異界, Ikai )
Trivia[]
- This incarnation of the afterlife takes away the "reincarnation" mentioned in Bleach in favor of the Dragonball Z interpretation.