Stone Breathing (岩いわの呼こ吸きゅう Iwa no kokyū?) is one of the five main breathing styles derived from Sun Breathing.
Description
Stone Breathing is a breathing style that mimics earth and stone and replicates them with the user’s movements, techniques, and abilities. Most, if not all known techniques and forms use the ground beneath the user and the vast environment to generate powerful and robust attacks, specializing in offense and defense.
The Breathing Style was originally created by one of Yoriichi Tsugikuni’s students who attempted to learn Sun Breathing, but, not being as powerful as Yoriichi, was unable to master it. and was taught by his teacher another personalized style of breathing that focused specifically on his strengths and weaknesses, eventually branching out completely and becoming Stone Breathing.
Based on the series’ sole user, Gyomei Himejima, it’s safe to assume Stone Breath can only be used with a flail and/or an axe. However, in Kokushibo’s flashback, the Stone Breath progenitor is seen wielding a giant Kusarigama-like weapon.
Known users
- Gyomei Himejima
Known techniques
The Stone Breathing has at least 5 known techniques and forms.
- First Form: Serpentinite Bipolar (壱いちノ型かた 蛇じゃ紋もん岩がん・双そう極きょく Ichi no kata: Jamongan – Sōkyoku?) – The user throws both the flail and the ax towards their target and manipulates the chain by spinning it, which causes the ax and flail to spin in order to pierce and crush its target.
- Second Form: Upper Smash (弐にノ型かた 天てん面めん砕くだき Ni no kata: Tenmen Kudaki?) – The user throws their ax and spiked flail for a pincer motion before striking the chain so that the flail bounces back and hits its target from a distance.
- Third Form: Stone Skin (参さんノ型かた 岩がん軀くの膚はだえ San no kata: Ganku no Hadae?) – The user launches a series of ax swings to deflect nearby attacks.
- Fourth Form: Volcanic Rock, Rapid Conquest (肆しノ型かた 流りゅう紋もん岩がん・速そく征せい Shi no kata: Ryūmongan – Sokusei?) – User wields both flail and ax weapons with two ends of the chain by swinging the chain to both sides in order to hit opponents using a two-pronged wide ranged attack.
- Fifth Form: Bows of Justice (伍ごノ型かた 瓦が輪りん刑ぎょう部ぶ Go no kata: Garin Gyōbu?) – The user uses a powerful barrage with their flail and axe, inflicting a large amount of damage. The ax is meant to strike first, with the flail’s trajectory following on the opposite side and smashing into the opponent.