Asuka

Asuka Shimada is an powerful shinobi, the granddaughter of Hanzõ Shimada and Sayuri, the great-granddaughter of Genji Shimada, the cousin of the Mikagura Sisters, the wife of Fuyu Dragneel, the mother of Yuuki Kõtetsu and a member of the Shimada Family,

Asuka is the protagonist of The Black Swordsman and Passing on the Legend's preceding series, Senran Kagura, also known as "The Greatest Ninja".

Asuka was originally a student for the elite class of Hanzo National Academy, after her adventures, she slowly came to make a name for herself as a Legendary Shinobi just like her grandmother Sayuri and his grandfather Hanzõ were before her.

Appareance
Asuka is a short girl who has dark brown hair tied in ponytail with a white ribbon, When she used to be a student of her grandfather's Academy she wear a standard high school uniform with her short red scarf around her neck.

18 years later, Asuka appearance remain the same with a few difference, she wear a clothes similar to those she wear during her time at Hanzo Academy, she wear a open hoodie with below a blue shirt, a black skirt and black boot, however her hair and her red scarf remain the same.

in her shinobi form, she wear a yellow vest, a green plaid skirt to match her tie, paired with it are black thigh high sock with brown loafers and on each arm is a guard with bandages beneath them. On her waist are straps to hold her swords and she still wear her red scarf.

Background
Asuka was the granddaughter of Hanzõ Shimada and Sayuri and also the great-granddaughter of Genji Shimada, when she was young she wanted to follow her grandfather footstep, before she get enrolled at Hanzõ Academy she meet Fuyu and Hansuke Dragneel 16 years ago, before meeting them again 9 years later as a student of her grandfather's academy.

During her days as a student of the elite class under Kiriya, she had meet her senpai Katsuragi and Ikaruga who befriends them and developed a sisterly bond with them and have a friendly relationship with Yagyu and Hibari.

She was also the best friends and rival of Homura, the leader of Crimson Squad who she has fight several time in the past, the two manage to make it up and a close relationship was formed between them.

At some point, prior to the events of "Passing of the Legends", Asuka was protected by his grandfather during a war between Shinobi triggered by Dõgen until he was kill by him while trying to protect her, and 2 years after his death and the revelation of The Reaper possessing Dõgen and  the one responsable for the chain of events that he created, Asuka manage to kill The Reaper but at the price of her disappearing alongside Fuyu and Genji Shimada after they sacrificed themselves to prevent The Reaper from destroying Osaka the city where they were born.

18 years after the events of the Shinobi Great War, Asuka is thought to have die prior the start of "Passing on the Legend" and is supposed to be buried alongside her husband Fuyu Dragneel, her grandfather and great-grandfather, leaving her daughter Yuuki Kõtetsu as their only family member.

Senran Kagura: The Black Swordsman series
in The Black Swordsman series, she was originally a resident of Osaka with her family 9 years ago before the beginning of the story where she meet her futur husband Fuyu Dragneel who is the son of Aki Dragneel a legendary swordsman who run a dojo in the city and train his childs with discipline.

9 years later Asuka meet Fuyu again at Hanzõ Academy where she learn that he fulfill his promise of being recognized as the Black Swordsman and battle together later on during the attempt of rescuing her grandfather who was been kidnapped by Dõgen.

Despite Hanzõ been rescued, he decide to sacrifice himself to save her granddaughter from been killed by Dõgen who has taking the appearance of a yoma.

his death forced Asuka to leave Hanzõ Academy and go train with Fuyu for a period of two years in order to strength herself and protecting her friends and to prevent anyone from having the same tragedy that she has.

Powers & Abilities
As a legendary shinobi, Asuka inherited her grandfather's fighting style, She also use a complete version of her earth and ice powers, she also has a transformation similar to her Shinobi Transformation which is used by the Dragneel Brothers which gave her the possibility of controlling both her earth and ice element, under this form she can frozen in a second everything around her area, her Yuki no joō form also possesses demonic powers similar to Fuyu's Ice Devil Slayer.
 * Master Shinobi: As a legendary Shinobi, Asuka is a highly skilled Shinobi with skill forged by her years of training under masters such as her sensei Kiriya, her grandfather Hanzõ Shimada, her grandmother Sayuri or even her Great-Grandfather Genji Shimada, just like Homura, Asuka possess utterly immense skill as a Shinobi, she is capable of crafting her own unique and powerful ninja techniques and as a natural talent of mastering jutsu to a level far beyond what she should been able to do at the time.
 * Immense Strength: Asuka came to possess an immense strength that come from her years of training under her teacher Kiriya and grandfather Genji Shimada and even during her fights against Homura, her strength is so immense that Asuka can take on an entire army of shinobi or yomas on her own, breaking magical barriers and more
 * Immense Durability: Asuka possess also a incredible durablity which make her able to resist all kind of attacks whatever it is normal, shinobi powers or others, her resistance is so extreme that she can come out unscratched of all kind of situations especially after taking her Angelic form.
 * Immense Speed: Asuka possess an incredible speed, as she demonstrate that she can avoid any attacks her enemies can throw at her even more easier when she use her Raisoku Shundõ.

Shinobi Form
Asuka possess a Shinobi form that she used during her days at Hanzõ Academy under this form she can use her shinobi powers to their full power, her durability, speed and strength also increase and she mastered most of the shinobi powers hidden within her.

Special attacks

 * Dual Slash (二刀繚斬 - Nitō Ryōzan, lit. "Dual Sword Back Slash") one of Asuka's secret ninja arts under her Shinobi form, She takes both of her swords and crosses them both in front of her. She then leans forward and in one quick stroke, she jets forward at an alarming speed; uncrossing her swords and slicing any and all enemies that are in her path.
 * Hanzō-Style Full Bloom (半蔵流乱れ咲き - Hanzō-Ryū Midare Zaki) one of Asuka's secret ninja arts while under her Shinobi form inherited from her Grandfather Hanzõ, she crosses her swords in front of her as they become coated in a greenish glow. She then dashes forward and unleashes a barrage of slashes at her enemies. Asuka would slam both of her swords down, causing sharp rocks to rise up from the ground. The direction can be altered, making it easier to follow after straying enemies nearby.
 * Hanzō-Style Storm Kick (半蔵流乱れ旋風脚 - Hanzō-Ryū Midare Senpū Kyaku, lit. "Hanzo Style Chaotic Whirlwind Leg") one of Asuka's aerial secret ninja arts, While in the air, Asuka sheathes both of her swords, then sticks her leg out and begins to spin around, creating a whirlwind to attack enemies in the surrounding area as she descends.
 * Hanzō-Style: Blooming Slash (半蔵流乱れ斬り Hanzō-ryū Midare-giri?) While airborne, Asuka takes both her swords and extends them outwardly to the sides. She then spins rapidly in place, creating a vortex of wind that envelopes her body. This wind carries her through the air as she ascends in the direction of her enemies, scooping them up and sending them flying all in one swift motion. Afterwards, she stops and descends back to the ground.

Deep Shadow (真影 - Shinei, lit. "Portait")
Like Homura, Yumi and Miyabi, Asuka possess an Ultimate Form however unlike her friends, Asuka doesn't go into undergo change simply have her hairs down, a green aura surrounding her and her two wakizashi, she gain several new special attack under this form.
 * Ominaeshi  ("女郎花 - Maiden flower") one of Asuka's attacks under her Deep Shadow form, she cross her arms and charge her wakizashi with shinobi energy, she then disappear from our sight before attacking from the ground and hit the opponents five time before ending her attack with a slash like X.
 * Ōka ranman ("桜花爛漫 - Cherry Blossoms Roughly") one of Asuka's attacks in her deep shadow form, she attack her opponent several time using her shundõ at the same time to increase her speed and finish her two slashes like X one from the ground and the last one in the air.

Yuki no joō ("雪の女王 - The Snow Queen")
2 years after the event of the Hebijo War and the death of Master Hanzõ, Asuka gain a new form called Yuki no joõ ("The Snow Queen") under this form she gain control over ice powers and can combined her newfound powers with her natural powers to create more powerful attacks
 * Yuki no joõ Nitō Ryōza ("雪の女王二刀繚斬, Snow Queen Dual Slash") 2 years after the events of the Hebijo war, Asuka under her Snow Queen form can use an enhanced version of the original Dual Slash but with a combination of Earth and Ice, the damage done by this attack are high and can also freeze enemies on sight.
 * Hyōsō Dan'u ("Hailstone Spear Throw") one of Asuka's most powerful attack and the most deadly of them all,, she summon several magical circles and shoot down a dense packs of ice spears. Individually toward her enemies, the strength of this attack is so brutal that it can break down powerful barriers.
 * Tenkū no yari ("天の槍 - Spear of the celestial earth") one of Asuka's attack while in her Deep Shadow form, she gather her ice powers and create a ice spear and then proceed to throw it at her enemies, this attack can be avoided since as the attack is launched like a javelin.

Magia Erebea
Asuka is also one of the wielders of Magia Erebea, an extremely powerful dark magic that give her significant strength, she was able to control this power despite it's corruptive nature and is able to transform into an angelic version of herself.

Tentai kōri no joō no tenshi ("天の氷の女王の天使, Angel of the Celestial Ice Queen")
Asuka also has a transformation apart from her regular Shinobi Transformation call Tentai kōri no joō no tenshi ("天の氷の女王の天使, Angel of the Celestial Ice Queen") which transform her into an Angelic version of herself, under her Angelic Form, her hair become cyan, her eyes now glowing green and she has a pair of ice wings on her back and she learn a few new technique and attacks.
 * Saihyõ Ken ("砕氷拳, Ice Crushing Fist") one of Asuka's new technique, she surround her fists with ice energy and hit her opponent the damages receive from the attack are extremes.
 * Tenkū no kōri tenshi no yari ("天空の氷天使の槍, Celestial Ice Angel Spear").is one of Asuka's technique under her Angelic Form, she gather her ice energy and summon a Spear made of ice and throw it toward her enemies,
 * Tentai no kōri no tenshi no hyōga ("天体の氷の天使の氷河, Glaciation of the celestial icy angel") is a powerful ice technique that Asuka use against The Reaper, the effect of the attack is extremely severe and can freeze the opponent in a matter of second.

Shundõ
Asuka is also a Master of the shundõ, a movement technique that allow her to move faster that the eyes can follow, This is used by concentrating ki into the feet to get from point A to point B in the least amount of steps.
 * Koku Shundō (虚空瞬動, Void Instant Movement) is a movement technique where instead of using a fixed surface, the practitioner simply uses ‘air’ (space) as a foothold. As this can be performed in mid-air, movement in any direction is possible, eliminating the base weaknesses of Shundou. Not quite the equivalent of flight, but a necessity in high-level battles.
 * Raisoku Shundō (雷速瞬動, Lightning-speed Instant Movement) is a technique created by the Shimada Family several decades ago, while under her Magia Erebea Form It is a type of Shundõ that enables Asuka to move in the speed of lightning, which is relatively 150 km/s (about 93 miles/second).