A student from Ayanokouji survives being split to the torso with the use of Utsushi.
Utsushi (写シ, lit., "Duplicate"), also known as Mirage, is a basic combat technique used by Toji and is their greatest defensive technique.
Principles[]
Utsushi uses the Toji's okatana as an intermediary to temporarily transform the user's body into an energy-like state. In this state, the user glows with a noticeable white light. (In the manga, an effect similar to electricity is emitted from the eyes of users of Utsushi upon use.) While Utsushi is active, in exchange for a slight feeling of pain and mental fatigue, any damage by users can be received by the Utsushi instead. Receiving a blow to a part of a body will make that part vanish and its function be lost, but one's real body will take no damage (including bleeding) while it is active. Losing one's concentration, passing out and losing contact with one's okatana also severs the link with one's Utsushi.
As part of the Toji training curriculum, student-Toji train to prolong the duration of Utsushi and to allow the mind to withstand more blows while maintaining the state of Utsushi. The average Toji can activate Utsushi once per battle, and mastering this ability makes it possible for a Toji to use Utsushi two to three times in a single battle. The mental strain was also so substantial that even honor students can only maintain Utsushi in two to three hits in battle. Kanami Etou and Mai Yanase from Minoseki Academy have displayed the ability to maintain Utsushi for the longest in their class.
Notable Toji with Utsushi[]
- Average Toji: 1 time per battle
- Kanami Etou: at least 3 times
- Hiyori Juujou: 2 times
- Mai Yanase: 2 times
- Sayaka Itomi: 1 time
- Ellen Kohagura: 3 times
- Kaoru Mashiko: 1 time
- Yukari Origami: 10 times
- Suu Inami: 16 times (one instance), 8 times (highest recorded consistent)[1]
Trivia[]
- In early concepts, Utsushi also caused the user's locks of hair to stand up and gives the user's hair a noticeable highlight. This was later reused for the depiction of Hiyori Juujou's hair after her merging with Ichikishimahime.