Orihime's power manifests itself as the Shun Shun Rikka (盾舜六花? literally "six flowers of the shielded hibiscus," translated in the English anime as "six princess-shielding flowers"), six fairy-like creatures that reside in her hair-clips (shaped like six-petaled flowers, each fairy is two points on a given clip) when inactive. The nature of Orihime's hairpins have been compared to that of a zanpakutō.[22] Through various combinations of the six fairies, Orihime has the power to reject fate by denying or undoing events in various forms. This power can be used for attack, defense, or healing (depending on the combination). Orihime's mood directly influences the effectiveness of her powers. Feelings like doubt or worry makes them weaker, while conviction makes them stronger. At their height, her powers resemble those of a deity in strength.

Orihime's powers initially manifested during the duel between Ichigo and Uryū while trying to protect her friend Tatsuki from Numb Chandelier. She was trained by Yoruichi Shihouin in their usage before attempting to rescue Rukia Kuchiki from being executed in Soul Society. Curiously, Orihime's spiritual energy and powers resemble those of the vizard Hachigen Ushōda (who even compared her Shun Shun Rikka to a zanpakutō.) Orihime mainly functions in a healing capacity, due to the nature of her powers. Despite her ability to inflict lethal damage, she is a pacifist and will only harm opponents to save someone's life.

The fairies are separate manifestations of Orihime's spirit, each with its own unique appearance and personality, and each named after a flower:
Ayame (あやめ?)—Voiced by: Tomoe Sakuragawa (Japanese), Philece Sampler (English)
Ayame is a shy female spirit covered in a dress larger than her body. She is capable of healing together with Shun'ō.
Baigon (梅巌?)—Voiced by: Kiyoyuki Yanada (Japanese), Liam O'Brien (English)
Baigon is a bald male spirit with a mask that covers the bottom of his face. He is capable of shielding Orihime from attacks along with Hinagiku and Lily.
Hinagiku (火無菊?)—Voiced by: Daisuke Kishio (Japanese), Kirk Thornton (English)
Hinagiku is a male spirit with a large eye patch that ends in a horn. He is capable of shielding Orihime from attacks along with Baigon and Lily.
Lily (リリィ Rirī?)—Voiced by: Rie Kugimiya (Japanese), Kate Higgins (English)
Lily is a female spirit with bright pink hair, transparent yellow goggles, and a blue thong bathing suit. She has a tattoo on her backside. She is capable of shielding Orihime from attacks along with Baigon and Hinagiku.
Shun'ō (舜桜?)—Voiced by: Junko Noda (Japanese), Dorothy Elias-Fahn (English)
Shun'ō is a friendly female spirit with a topknot. She and Tsubaki are usually the ones who talk to Orihime. She is capable of healing together with Ayame.
Tsubaki (椿鬼?)—Voiced by: Toshiyuki Morikawa (Japanese), Wally Wingert (English)
Tsubaki is a fiery male spirit who is the only Shun Shun Rikka capable of direct attack. He often strikes anyone who gets on his nerves (including Orihime). Because he is primarily focused on attacking, he is vulnerable to counter-attacks and has been injured several times. The stronger Orihime's anger and killing intent, the more powerful he becomes. However, Orihime's timid nature limits his overall power and has contributed to his injuries in the past.