Bang Shishigami

""To those drowning in sin... In the name of justice! The unparalleled! The ninja of love! Bang is my name!""

Bang Shishigami (シシガミ＝バング) is the leader of the ninja from the Ikaruga Federation. He once wielded the Nox Nyctores - Phoenix: Rettenjo, and is a former pupil of Tenjo Amanohokosaka. In the aftermath of the Ikaruga Civil War, Bang led the people of Ikaruga to form Roningai.

Bang is one of twelve original playable characters who debuted in BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger. He was revealed for BlazBlue Alternative: Dark War on February 10th, 2021.

Appearance
Bang is a tall, muscular man with tanned skin, amber eyes and long, brown scruffy hair that he keeps in a ponytail secured with a red hair-tie. He has a large X-shaped scar on his face, which was inflicted upon him by Jin Kisaragi during the Ikaruga Civil War.

He wears a customized ninja outfit consisting of a very short, long sleeved dark green jacket with no shirt underneath; it has the symbol of Ikaruga on the front and back of it, over the top of it, he wears a long red scarf, as well as metal gauntlets and black fingerless gloves on his arms and hands. He also wears dark green hakama pants that expose his thighs, partly revealing the red loincloth underneath, they are tucked into a pair of black knee high boots and are held up with a brown belt with a large red shuriken on the silver buckle.

Characters such as Taokaka, Carl Clover, and Ragna the Bloodedge have noted that Bang's appearance is "scruffy".

Personality
"A man among men who places a great importance on duty and sympathy, and overflows with sincerity and chivalry. For better or for worse, he is often impulsive, but when it comes to the way of the ninja, he is idolized by his subordinates."

A self-styled hero of justice who places honor, justice, and duty above all else. Bang is a man of his word who wants nothing more than to honor the memory of his late master Tenjo and to lead the Ikarugan people to peace in her stead.

Bang's ideal features, however, are usually obscured by almost obnoxious presence and tendency to frequently shout. This attitude has made others view him as if he is a joke, and Bang usually remains oblivious to their observations. Some of his actions lend credibility to the thoughts of others as he is clumsy and can often act without thinking, which can lead to bizarre situations. Bang has an infatuation with Litchi Faye-Ling which is often played to a comedic effect as she remains unaware of his feelings. He has a tendency to take on "disciples" without their consent, and insists on training them to the best of their abilities even when they are already skilled; this includes Carl, Taokaka, and Platinum the Trinity.

Regardless of how he acts around others, Bang is still a man of honor who holds his values above feelings. Even when offered the ability to rebuild Ikaruga at the expense of a person's life, he denied the opportunity, knowing that it was wrong and being repulsed by the offer. Even when Jin Kisaragi, the man who killed Tenjo, was at death's door, Bang refused to kill him, instead helping nurse the man back to health as he believed it was the honorable thing to do.

Despite his loud and sometimes obnoxious behavior, Bang has earned the respect of many people, including Ragna, Bullet, Hakumen, Homura Amanohokosaka, Kagura Mutsuki, and the survivors of the Ikaruga Civil War. His dedication, loyalty, and code of ethics have served as an incorruptible moral compass for many.

In his free time, Bang can be found relaxing in hot springs or thinking of new techniques for his special moves. He has been writing a book detailing the history of the Ikaruga Civil War based on his experience of it.

Powers & Techniques
Bang is one of the few Nox Nyctores wielders in the world, having possession of the Rettenjo, although he rarely uses it in battle. Bang relies more on the arts he employs as a ninja, which includes martial arts and using numerous nail-shaped shurikens in battle. Owing to his profession, Bang is fast, using his agility to overwhelm opponents and find openings to attack.

In the game, Bang's Drive is  - after a brief charge, he launches forward, dealing an attack. While doing a Drive attack, Bang can block most physical moves automatically; in Calamity Trigger - BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend, Burning Heart would give Bang a  seal. Upon collecting four seals, he could activate the Fu-Rin-Ka-Zan, a state where he could dash in all directions and move much faster, although he would lose the ability to block. In Chrono Phantasma, Fu-Rin-Ka-Zan became his Overdrive. Other moves that Bang uses includes throwing an umbrella filled with shurikens, creating a clone of himself, and ramming Rettenjo into his opponent. The flames and explosions created by his moves will sometimes strip off his clothes.

Regardless of his professions as a ninja and vigilante, Bang is not particularly strong and was defeated by Jin in a battle that the latter found effortless during the civil war. Even after all his training and being a Nox wielder, Bang is not as strong as other characters, and his emotions can sometimes cloud his will to fight.

BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger Official Site Profile
''The head of a clan of ninja that lost their hometown in the Ikaruga Civil War. He escaped with his compatriots to the lower levels of Kagutsuchi, where they began to rebuild. He also acts as the "Protector of Justice Defending Kagutuchi's Love and Peace" (self-proclaimed). After hearing of the arrival of the great criminal "Ragna," he seeks to deliver justice. ''

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Official Site Profile
''Acting for the sake of love, justice, and his people, a reliable and hot-blooded ninja. While protecting and guiding the refugees of Ikaruga, he became a "Vigilante" to hunt for prize money in hopes of rebuilding his homeland. He rises to his feet once again after learning of the existence of "His Highness," the deceased ruler's child and heir. ''

BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma Official Site Profile
''Bang Shishigami, a vigilante who fights for the sake of love and justice. While searching for the forgotten lord of his hometown he met a small girl named Platinum, whom he entrusted his lord's will to. He returns to Ikaruga, the land of his memories, in order to inherit that soul and to know his own destiny. ''

BlazBlue: Central Fiction Official Site Profile
''The head of a clan of ninja that lost their hometown in the Ikaruga Civil War. He escaped with his compatriots to the lower levels of Kagutsuchi, where they began to rebuild. He also acts as the "Protector of Justice Defending Kagutuchi's Love and Peace" (self-proclaimed). After hearing rumors of the great criminal "Ragna," he seeks to deliver justice.  A man among men who places a great importance on duty and sympathy, and overflows with sincerity and chivalry. For better or for worse, he is often impulsive, but when it comes to the way of the ninja, he is idolized by his subordinates. ''
 * Story
 * Personality

BlazBlue: Central Fiction Library Entry
''A man among men, who places above all, loyalty, sympathy and courage. He is the leader of his ninja clan, serving his master, Tenjo of the Ikaruga Federation.
 * Bang Shishigami

''The scar on his face was left by Jin of the NOL, during the Ikaruga Civil War. At the same time, Bang loses his one and only master, Lord Tenjo. Though filled with despair, he swore to himself that he would follow Lord Tenjo's final words, ‘No matter what, do not hate the Librarium. Do not think of revenge.' Thus, Bang focuses all of his energy on rescuing the refugees of Ikaruga.

''He currently resides in what is known as Ronin-Gai of Kagutsuchi, planning the reconstruction of his motherland, Ikaruga. To raise the necessary funds for such a feat, as well as serve justice to the world, he becomes a ‘Vigilante,' picking off bounties whenever he can. Now, he is after the most notorious of them all, Ragna.

''His hot-blooded nature and over-the-top personality is hardly what one might expect from a ninja, but once in the heat of battle, he is quick on his feet and mind, never losing his cool, executing decisions with precision.

''Upon hearing rumors of Tenjo's true ‘heir' from Valkenhayn, he sets off on a quest to find him. But during his quest he learns of Tenjo's dying wish from Platinum, and accordingly heads for his true home, Ikaruga,

''There, Bang learns that the 55' Nail is in fact a Nox Nyctores – the Phoenix Rettenjo, and that there was still an unearthed conspiracy surrounding Tenjo's death.

BlazBlue 10th Anniversary Official Site Profile
''A longtime user of the ninja arts who fights with the gigantic "Fifty-Five Inch Nail" as a weapon, and who has proclaimed himself "the Vigilante fighting for love and justice." A man among men, who places above all loyalty, sympathy and courage.''

BlazBlue Alternative: Dark War Official Profile
He is the leader of the clan of Ninja that have served under a lord lost to civil war. ''He leads his brethren, with the weight of rebuilding his homeland heavy on his shoulders. Righteousness and empathy are held in high esteem by this chivalrous man among men.''

This man, who for better or worse would do anything to help someone in need on but mere impulse, is adored by many.

Appearances in other Media

 * The mobile game Mabinogi Duel stars Bang as a playable card.

Trivia

 * In the BlazBlue 10th Anniversary Character Poll, Bang placed 30th out of the 84 candidates. He scored one place above Izayoi and one place below Susano'o. He had 719 votes.
 * Bang's birthday is on New Years Day.
 * Both Bang and Rachel Alucard have a dislike for bell peppers.
 * Bang is one of the only two playable characters in the series to have his name said in Eastern order (i.e. Shishigami Bang instead of Bang Shishigami), the other being Naoto Kurogane.
 * Bang is illustrated in the following Grimoires for BlazBlue Alternative: Dark War:
 * 裂空ムササビの術 (Flaming Air Attack (Musasabi)).
 * 根性でゴザル! ! (Determination!!).