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PSI by fxu

The three basic types of PSI

PSI is one of the defining features of the manga Psyren. PSI is an ability that allows a person to activate the full potential of their brain to actualize their thoughts as various 'waves'; allowing an individual to realize a plethora of para-psychological and superhuman abilities that depend on the given person's natural qualities, state of psyche, and training. The term PSI can refer to the usage of this ability, but also the energy, effect, or 'waves' that is the corporealization of PSI. A person capable of utilizing PSI is colloquially referred to as a "Psychicer" or "Psycher."

Individuals who have been awakened to their PSI, and become capable of the basics, can much more easily survive in the future wasteland of Psyren. PSI can be both a potent weapon and a versatile tool. In most cases, a fully trained Psycher's level of combat prowess allows them as a single individual to swiftly and easily neutralize entire military platoons (The formation of Wise as an example of this). As such Psychers are viewed as top-secret super soldiers by the Japanese government and despite the inherent dangers, the government attempts to cultivate and control them (The Grigori Project).

All Psi is further enhanced by a factor of five in Psyren due to the altered atmosphere, multiplying power output, range, precision, and mental limit to mountain destroying and orbit piercing levels.

Overview

PSI is basically the ability to manipulate one's own thoughts to do anything they desire. It is the power of one's thoughts, released when all the cells in the brain function at full activity. It is materializing thought in tangible form.

PSI is the brain's latent ability.[1] As explained by Matsuri Yagumo, PSI is the power of one's thoughts, released when all the cells in the brain function at full activity. In essence it is thoughts tangibly manifested as when the brain is over-clocked. Hence, PSI is dangerous because it overtaxes the brain. Normally, about 90% of the average person's brain cells are inactive in order to avoid taxing the mind. Through the process of evolution, a natural limiter was placed in the mind that seals one's PSI.[2] PSI users are able to momentarily focus all of their five senses or in other words, their physical abilities to incredible degrees. Strength, Sight, Hearing, Reflexes, the ability differs depending on the person. With the limiter removed, PSI allows a person to surpass the natural limits of the human brain by placing tremendous stress on its cells. Once over-clocked, each person's brain gives rise to its own unique ability. PSI includes special abilities such as Telekinesis, Telepathy, Clairvoyance, Pyrokinesis, Foresight, etc. These effects are but a few of the many possibilities, many esoteric effects are possible, all depending on a person's training and natural qualities.

PSI waves can be a single one of, or combination of the following basic types:

  • Burst: Externalized PSI waves given tangible properties, this actualizes the creation and control of energy, matter, and forces in the Psycher's immediate proximity. For example psychokinesis, electrokinesis, or teleportation.
  • Rise: Internalized PSI waves that enhance various characteristics of the Psycher's body, this actualizes superhuman physical prowess such as superstrength, superspeed, superhuman durability, superhuman reflexes, superhuman senses, etc.
  • Trance: Externalized and Internalized PSI waves that interface with minds, perception and information between Psycher, other people, and the environment beyond innate human senses. For example Telepathy, Mind Control, Clairvoyance, Illusions, and Technopathy.

Perceiving PSI

Psychers are all able to see PSI waves, constructs, and phenomenon while non-users cannot. PSI can also be roughly sensed when it is intensely used by other Psycher's both at range (Matsuri at the compound), and in combat to dodge powerful burst (Hiryu protecting Sakurako from Dholaki). However non-psychers can see the end effects, such as a pyrokinetic burst producing flame at a distance, but not the waves before they corporealize and become that flame.

PSI and the Environment

Because of the mysteriously contaminated air of Psyren. when in the altered atmosphere of Psyren, PSI power output, range, finesse, and mental limit is multiplied by about a factor of five.

Psyren is probably what the world will lead to, if everyone attained PSI, as Psyren's atmosphere awakened the dormant powers of anyone who visited it.

Psychers

Becoming a Psycher

A Psycher is a person who can make all the cell in his/her brain function at full activity.[3] The natural safety barrier that is built into the human brain is removed. However, by being infected from the exposure to Psyren's atmosphere, the natural limiter is removed.[4] A Psycher is a person without the brain's limiter, meaning, they were either born with the ability to manipulate PSI, or had their limiter removed by breathing in the air in Psyren's atmosphere. There are very few natural-born Psychers in the world. There are two ways for a person to become a Psycher. They can either be born with the ability to manipulate PSI[5] or have breathed in the atmosphere of Psyren which removes the natural limiter in their brain.[3]

PSI and Mental Illness

Mental issues in a Psycher can lead to some very odd things Because of its basis in neurological and psychological functions, mental illness and other conditions can manifest as new personalities with their own PSI abilities and affinities altogether. Sakurako is an example of this, as after her mind was fractured she developed an alternate personality entirely, with its own PSI that differed completely from her own.

Psychers in Society

Because there are very few natural-born Psychers, most people are unaware of PSI or believe it to be a myth. This is compounded by the fact that even those naturally born, are often not fully instructed or informed in its use and thus often only use a single category, and only in a specialized manner, usually subconsciously (Kagetora, Caprico, Lan, and Haruhiko).

The Grigori project was an operation to create supersoldiers from genetically created individuals or children found with PSI. The subjects are all above average PSI users in power and are implied to be stronger for the experiments as explained below.

Types of PSI

Basic Types

Once over-clocked, each person's brain gives rise to it own unique ability.[6] Most of these abilities can be classified within the three basic types of PSI: Burst, Trance and Rise. There are many possible resulting effects, all depending on a person's training and natural qualities.[7]

Burst

Burst (BURSTバースト Bāsuto?): In summation, Burst is the ability to manipulate the world around one's own self. It is creation and control of external energy, forces, and matter. In essence, a person is able to channel and manipulate energy or matter in the surrounding environment. It is PSI waves given tangible external effects, forms, and properties. Burst has a number of forms it can take, ranging from the ability to move objects with only your mind, the power to command fire or lightning or even the ability to manifest as solid objects. Powerful Burst users are capable of unleashing absolute devastation, destroying or altering the world around them at their will.[8]

As if to counteract this, Burst puts a tremendous strain on the user, proportional to the power of their ability. In addition, breaking or even damaging the Burst, can lead to a breakdown of the mind or body or both.

A trend seen of Burst is it manifesting in one of the following ways:

  1. Telekinesis/Psychokinesis: Externalized and applied burst waves to manipulate surroundings with power and or finesse. Most psi user's who actively train their abilities are capable of this, albeit most not to an extent where it can be applied in combat against other Psychers. (Matsuri, Grana, Marie, and many other characters albeit to a less specialized extent like the hospital survivors)
  2. Elemental Energy Generation and Manipulation: Burst waves given form and properties as tangible matter and energy to be controlled and or created. This is the pyrokinesis, electrokinesis, and cryokinesis abilities. (Frederica, Haruhiko, and Uranus)
  3. Dense Burst Blasts: Highly-pressurized burst waves used in destructive blasts, spheres, and waves. (Matsuri, Grana, Tatsuo, and Orugas)
  4. Pressurized Burst Shrouds: Highly-pressurized burst waves that shroud, used for enhanced combat effects; supportive, defensive, and item imbued membranes, shrouds, barriers, and coats. (Matsuri and Scourge)
  5. Corporealized Burst Constructs: Burst waves corporealized into inanimate constructs, figures, appendages, and tools while still not being normal matter. Granar's shield was an example of this. (Junas, Hiryu, and Tatsuo)
  6. Projected Burst Entities: Burst given form and mind as created and controlled pseudo-sentient projected entities. (Angry Gory, Riko, and Orugas)
  7. Spatial Transference: Burst waves that interfere with and warp space, including teleportation, portals, and dimensional rifts. (Lan and Shiner)

Common Operation of Burst PSI is basic telekinesis as shown when the residents of the hospital were trapped and all contributed telekinetic PSI waves to their escape. Other common expression of Burst are as a destructive energy (Matsuri and the Squad that attacked the Hospital) as well as in the forming of constructs (Kyle, Junas, and Hiryu).

Trance

Trance (TRANCEトランス Toransu?): At its most basic form, it is the non-tangible applications of PSI, such as the ability to manipulate the minds of others, information-gathering abilities, and communication. It is the application of ephemeral PSI waves towards mental alteration of the self or others, communication with others, and expanding your own perception with extra-sensory forms of insight beyond innate human senses.

So far, it has been used to read minds, "dive" into memories and force the target to see illusions. However, the possibilities for Trance go far beyond just what has been displayed so far, for instance, it is theoretically possible to completely control a target. However, there are less dangerous uses of Trance, such as being able to locate the enhanced minds of others using PSI or communicate with another PSI user/users, however unlike Burst waves, Trance thought waves are directly affected by the outside atmosphere and can be blocked by any defense in battles.[9] In PSI combat, Trance is the way to counter Burst.[10]

A trend seen of Trance is it manifesting as one of the following:

  1. Telepathy: Communication between parties, without need for speech or sound, possibly across vast distances and to many people at once. Likely can overcome language barriers.
  2. Mental Alteration: Mind control in all its forms. (Sakurako)
  3. Astral Constructs: Trances waves corporealized similar to Burst, but intangible and used as a medium for other functions both Trance and Burst (Nemesis Q, Mind Scythe, Peeping Lover, Shao's snake, Sakurako's Nova smoke)
  4. Mirages/Phantasms: Illusions and cloaking in all its forms. (The physical illusions over 07's island)
  5. Information Gathering: Alternative and new perception moves and sensory forms like future-sight or mind reading. (Shao, Kabuto, and Tenjuin)
  6. Self-Mind Alteration: Altering one's own mental state as a combat enhancement or for defending against hostile trance. (Implied with Ageha and Matsuri)
  7. PSI Redirection/Nullification/Disruption: Meta PSI, such as negation (Irregular Left and Shao's PSI) This could be a result of PSI waves being emanations of a mind and Trance hijacking control of it.

Common Operation of Trance PSI is basic telepathy in the form of bundled thought bubbles that communicate messages, as well as responding to telepathy.

Rise

Rise (RISEライズ Raizu?): Rise is used to enhance base human physical capabilities, such as the user's senses. It is the internal application of PSI to enhance the bodies natural functions and display superhuman attributes like extreme speed, rapid regeneration, and sharper senses. All attributes can be boosted to well beyond an unaided human body. Rise powers can be further subdivided into three types: Sense, Strength and Healing.[11]

Individuals develop and express their own variant of Rise that distributes the Rise waves in different concentrations of the body and in different ways, as shown with the difference between Ageha's rise and Hiryu's Rise. The enhancement from Rise can also temporarily overcome chronic diseases that would disable intense physical activity. It can be used to attain superhuman physical prowess despite having a disease that causes physical frailty and or weakness. Allowing somebody to overcome their disability. This is as seen with Tatsuo.

It is possible to focus the Rise PSI to a particular body part. The example is Kyaku Ryoku-Gen-Kai-To-Pap (Leg Muscles: Full Power) - Though only shown once, Sakurako pumps a vast majority of her Rise powers into her legs, allowing her to run faster, longer, and jump higher than with spreading her Rise.

  • Sense-type Rise (SENSEセンス Sensu?): This type increases either any one of the 5 senses or all of the 5 senses of the user (sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch) to extraordinary levels and also increases the user's coordination, reaction speed, and reflexes.[12]
  • Strength-type Rise (STRENGTHストレングス Sutorengusu?): This type focuses on the user's physical body, increasing the body's physical strength, speed, durability, and endurance. It can simply be referred to as Super Human Strength.[12]
  • Healing-type Rise: This type is not as common, it ties into Strength-type but focuses more towards the body's resilience. When trained properly, the user can reduce the amount of damage being taken, expand their reserves of stamina, and how long it will take for their body to recover from damage such as a large cut or bruise. There are also other types of people who can "share their rise to another person and heal their body instead of their own" however this involves Burst as it is an external application.

Common Operation of Rise PSI is a general application of Strength Rise, Sense Rise, and Healing Rise that are not specialized enough due to a lack of affinity for something like hyper-regeneration but still allows heightened combat prowess, survivability, and speeds as often displayed throughout many fights.

Hybrid Types

Cure PSI

Cure

Some effects require a combination of two or even all three types of PSI.

Cure (CUREキュア Kyua?): A highly specialized hybrid variant of PSI, fabricated from the consecutive utilization and simultaneous combination of two derivatives of the three basic types of PSI, explicitly Burst and Healing-type Rise. The process to initiate this particular technique involves employing Rise which specifically heightens the body's own natural healing properties but unlike other forms, which are typically manipulated to strengthen only one's own self, under this circumstance the regenerative capabilities are instead projected outwards through the application of Burst.[13] However, due to the intricate nature of the ability in question, the user is incapable of exploiting it in order to repair their physical wounds. Apparently, it is a rare form of PSI that few people grasp the concept of.

Visions (幻視ヴィジョンズ Vijonzu?): It is the type of PSI that takes form, when the Trance and Sense-type Rise are used together.[14] Like the Rise-type, this type too takes more than one form. The known forms are:

  • Survival Instinct-type Visions: Summary needed
  • Future Sight-type Visions: Summary needed

Unknown Burst-Trance Combination: Shinra-Banshō is an example of this type Burst and Trance combination. The Trance part enables Shao to sense the PSI-energy around him, also allowing him to sense the PSI users around him and at the same time, see the "true nature" of people. The Burst part allows him to redirect/nullify PSI after he uses the Trance part to sense the PSI-energy around him. Other examples include #07's Nemesis using which she creates the program Nemesis Q (which is a Burst form, created using Trance), Kyotada Inui's Shadow using which he creates the program Angry Goalie (which once again is almost like Nemesis Q, the only difference is that Inui is able to feel anything that Angry Goalie feels).

Advanced Types

Besides the basic and hybrid types of PSI, there are also other known types of PSI powers. The known types under this category are:

Asuka Nova

Nova

Nova (ノヴァ, Nova): It is a combination of the three basic types of PSI, attained through intense training of all the three basic types together. Nova is a PSI-limiter removal type of form, where the user and their PSI energy merge together and become one. It is the combination of all the three basic aspects of PSI, namely, Burst, Rise and Trace. Since the user's body becomes more energy than matter by using this type, they are known as an "existence" instead of a "person".[15] Those who learn to use Nova can excel their power levels to match or exceed the power levels attained by fusing the Illumnia Cores as done by certain members of the WISE.[16] The down side to this great power is its terrible after-effects. After one reaches their limit, the power disappears almost as quickly as it came leaving the user completely drained and at times, bleeding from the eyes and nose, from the immense stress forced onto the brain.[17] One way to learn Nova is by letting another Nova user to transfer his/her Nova-energy through touch, but the resulting pain is excruciating because every cell in the body is affected through the free flow of the Nova-energy. The risk for learning it is, if they don't have full control over Nova than they become engulfed by it and cease to exist.[18]

Almighty 「全能」: Certain abilities, combined with the right training and creativity can use all aspects of the three basic types of PSI.[19] This means that they are proficient in using their Burst, highly practiced in Rise and can use Trance above the level of just normal telepathy. This type of PSI is almost on par with the Nova-type, only, in the Nova-type the user is able to fuse with his/her PSI.

Zone (空間操作ゾーン Zōn-kei?): As opposed to Nova, using which the user becomes an "existence" instead of staying as a "person" by taking control of the entire biosphere, in this type, the user takes control of any one field of the biosphere, either the atmosphere, lithosphere or the hydrosphere. An example of this type would be Kyle's Material High, using which he is able to super-compress the air in the atmosphere and create "his own special PSI-blocks" otherwise known as "zones" and control these "zones" at will.[20] Other examples of this type include Lan's Trick Room using which he can create "zones" that can be used to transfer anything inside it, Vigo's Zone Diver, using which, he "dives" into the lithosphere around him and apparently becomes one with it, hence making the entire area a "zone" inside which he is able to phase through freely and extend part of his limbs to capture and mobilize the enemy. Not only that but he is also able to move parts of his organs, such as his heart and place it anywhere inside the "zone" he has taken control of.

Controlling PSI

Basics

When training and using PSI there are three basic things that need to be followed, namely, Concentration, Visualization and Projection.[21] When using PSI one needs to focus his/her concentration, visualize a picture of what he/she was trying to accomplish, then use the energy of PSI to project what was in his/her mind in the real world. This turns the thoughts into reality.[22] By solidifying this image in the mind and training, it becomes easier to use and the PSI can be invoked quicker than the normal methods.[23]

Any Psycher can use any and all of the three basic types, but different people have different levels of talent in each one. A Psycher's PSI will naturally define itself over time into one or two primary forms, and they will mostly expand on that ability and improve their usage of the basics.

TBA is controlling multiple PSI types at once, and how range affects PSI, and how time away from the source affects PSI.

Effects of PSI Overuse

Overuse of PSI without rest, will lead first to a headache, then to a fever and nosebleed, and finally to death. Burst is more straining than the other types, this increased strain is enhanced again when Burst PSI is forcibly stopped, including ending an active program.

Using more than one type of PSI at once is much more exhausting.

Emotion

Combining emotion with PSI can produce devastating and nearly uncontrollable results and so shouldn't be done. Not only are these powers dangerous to other people, but they take an even heavier toll on the mind and body than regularly using PSI powers at will.[24]

When emotion is used to produce PSI, the resulting effect is extremely difficult to stop, and while powerful, will often result in overworking the brain and subsequent death. When combined with Burst this can be even more dangerous.

Burst Stream

Burst Stream PSI

Burst Stream

Burst Stream (バーストストリーム, Bāsuto Sutorīmu) is a way of gaining control of and stopping an extremely powerful (and thus, unstable) Burst without causing a large amount of mental fatigue for the user. By allowing the Burst power to stream into the atmosphere, by circulating it from the inside to the outside of the user's body, the strain on the user's brain is greatly lessened.[25] Burst Stream acts like a giant steering wheel, with the tiny steering wheel of the brain it would be hard to control a powerful Burst, but using the Stream it allows a person to control and steer the power.[26]

Programming

By preparing a set of instructions in their mind before releasing their Burst, PSI users can create programs that allow them to lessen the effects of using PSI on their minds and gain a degree of control which otherwise is unobtainable. A program shouldn't be too complicated because then your PSI has a chance of dissipating or it may even break the rules set by the program and act on its own ultimately causing more strain on the user's mind.[27] Forcibly stopping a program that is in motion creates a large amount of mental fatigue for the user, so it is usually better to add an additional program while the first program is still running rather than trying to stop it altogether.[28]

Training Exercises

TBA (The training sakurako, Matsuri, kagetora, and the tenjuins had the main cast go through.)

TBA (Also discovering one's PSI talents etc.)

While due to its psychologically and neurologically sourced and defined nature PSI is often very individualized, there are common applications of each type that are for most not difficult to learn and use(telekinesis used by all the hospital survivors), usually used to train in that given type before developing and honing an individualized expression of PSI (Hiryu and him learning telekinesis before specializing), or a common form for those who who have talent in that type of PSI to develop it (Grana and Matsuri both being Burst telekinetics).

Usually when a Psycher lacks the universal applications of a PSI type it is due to one of the following reasons. It is also possible they just prefer not to use it as it is not as powerful, efficient, and comfortable to use than what they have already discovered and developed.

  1. They seemingly have no desire or time to learn that PSI or its common application in comparison to training their discovered talents, like Kabuto's Rise.
  2. They lack talent in that type to such a degree it would take much time and effort to use even the most universal applications, like Ageha's Trance.
  3. Their innate expression of PSI is so powerful and unwieldy it makes it difficult to use the type in the general way, like Ageha's Burst shows.

PSI Imbued Items & Technology

PSI Imbued Items

Some items such as Red Bones Of The Evil Soul (心鬼紅骨 Shinki Benihone) could be called permanently imbued with PSI. In the case of this sword it was created by an Psycher called the "Ghostman", long before people with abilities were known as users of PSI. Amamiya receives this sword as a charm from Elmore Tenjuin before the Invasion arc. The sword itself is known to be a "mirror". Because of the swords ability to reflect the hearts emotions of the user. When using nova, along with the sword, the combined powers allowed both Amamiya and Abyss to be "out" at the same time.

It is possible PSI-imbued items could be used as aids for learning and using Nova as Sakurako showed.

The Psyren phone cards may also be imbued with PSI, alternatively they may be PSI constructs, as shown with Usui's Irregular Left.

PSI Based Weaponry

It is implied the PSI Burst gun used by Tatsuo was purpose built to be compatible with his PSI.

PSI-Based Bodily Augmentations

Grigori Psycher Enhancement

The subjects of the Grigori project have consistently shown higher potential, greater power, and broader versatility in the use of PSI, this is implied to be a result of the experiments that were conducted on them from a young age. For example Miroku, Grana, and 07 are all vastly above average PSI users, which them showing extreme power in the PSI categories they specialize in, and often applying their PSI in very complex ways that require greater multitasking like, Miroku maintaining many Sephiroth seeds at once in pre-prepared bystanders to then drain at the same time; Granar being able to telekinetically manipulate and coalesce scattered solar rays; 07 able to maintain not only Nemesis Q, but also a stealth illusion over her island, and a burst construct for maintenance all at once; and Junas able to project and manage a sky full of vibrating Burst swords.

Altogether they show greater feats in PSI, due to an implied boost to potential, talent, and raw power in PSI as well as concurrent and complex multitasking boosted to an absurd degree.

Illumina Core

Illuminas are mysterious cores that Tavoo and members of W.I.S.E. use in the future. They seem to be grafted onto or inside their bodies, usually with the Illumina Forge.

As Shiner stated, they have the ability of amplifying their host's Psi powers numerous times, slowing the aging processes of their bodies, replenishing their Psi energies by gathering more from the atmosphere of the future world, and eliminating the natural needs of their bodies (such as nourishment). On the other hand, they are also an important weak point as they seem to be fragile and removing them is fatal for the user. As such, destroying the core turns the host into ash in a matter of moments.

Dholaki is the first to have grafted two of the Illuminas on his body, after his first defeat by Ageha Yoshina. This process, as stated by Shiner, is extremely dangerous as few people survive grafting a second core on their bodies and, even if the procedure success, they have a less than 5% chance of surviving another year. The process of grafting two illuminas on a persons eventually lead to the creation of the Scourge elite unit which showed better results in the few who survived.

Kasukabe, a Tavoo and former researcher for the W.I.S.E. stated that if sunlight were to fall upon those who have undergone Illumina Forge, they would suffocate as if oxygen has been taken from them.

Trance Immunity

The scientists who conducted the Grigori project are said to have altered their own minds to make themselves immune to Trance.

Trivia

  • It is possible that the Psyren atmosphere power multiplier could be invoked in other settings where other forms of esoteric energy like mana or ki is pre-present in the atmosphere.
  • In some volumes of the Manga they interchange Trance-Burst-Rise, with Trance-Blast-Enhance. Most notably in volume 14.
  • The basic PSI types have similarities to Naruto jutsu. The similarities are Burst (Ninjutsu), Trance (Genjutsu), and Rise (Taijutsu).

References

  1. Psyren chapter 11, page 7
  2. Psyren chapter 11, pages 5-6
  3. 3.0 3.1 Psyren chapter 11, page 6
  4. Psyren chapter 10, page 19
  5. Psyren chapter 26, page 5
  6. Psyren chapter 11, page 8
  7. Psyren chapter 11, page 10
  8. Psyren chapter 12, page 9
  9. Psyren chapter 38, page 16
  10. Psyren chapter 19, page 2
  11. Psyren chapter 12, page 9
  12. 12.0 12.1 Psyren chapter 21, page 15
  13. Psyren chapter 24, page 12
  14. Psyren chapter 41, page 3
  15. Psyren chapter 125, pages 5-6
  16. Psyren chapter 122, page 6
  17. Psyren chapter 122, pages 16-17
  18. Psyren chapter 125, pages 6-7
  19. Psyren chapter 70, page 15
  20. Psyren chapter 53, page 11
  21. Psyren chapter 14, page 2
  22. Psyren chapter 11, pages 13-14
  23. Psyren chapter 28, pages 9-10
  24. Psyren chapter 19, pages 13-14
  25. Psyren chapter 31, page 8
  26. Psyren chapter 42, page 4
  27. Psyren chapter 42, page 6
  28. Psyren chapter 42, page 8
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