The Initiation Zone is essentially the Academy's reception area as it is where everyone goes in their beginning and is the very first area at the main Academy entrance. The Initiation Zone is actually the fourth-largest area in the Academy, tied with the Bellflower, Strelitzia and Yarrow Zones. It is also where we house the Bulletin Board, Assembly Hall, Soul Points wall and also the Geography classroom and lecture hall!



The Initiation Zone is named as such because it is the area that houses the Shin'ō Academy's unique Hōgyoku fragment. This contained chunk of advanced energy is the piece that allows all souls that join the Academy to become one of the four clans by reading the soul on a personal level. As most of us who know about history already know, the Hōgyoku was originally designed to "sense the hearts of those around it and materialize their deepest desire". So, if you think you're heading for Fullbringers but become an Arrancar, you may want to really think about what it was that you really wanted.
 

The interesting facts don't stop there though! Something you may not know about the Soul Points board is... well, to start, it isn't actually a board!
 

When you walk into the Assembly Hall, there is a giant wall at the very back of the Hall where all the Sensei and other members of the Gotei 13 usually sit. Upon that wall is a giant display of all the points currently held by each clan! If I were to describe it, I guess it would look a lot like a hologrammatic display. Then at the end of the year, the winning clan has their banner and colours spread all across the wall to celebrate their victory!

So that's that for the Initiation Zone! Next week we will head further inwards and explore the Assembly Hall in full as well as deliver some other fun little facts you may not know!

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