List of Bleach shinigami - Vev

List of Bleach shinigami

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This is a list of the major shinigami characters featured in the anime and manga series Bleach that was created by Tite Kubo.

In the series, Modèle:Nihongo are a fictional race of beings in the anime and manga series Bleach created by Tite Kubo. In the English dub of the series, they are called Soul Reapers'. They are enforcers and psychopomps who all share similar supernatural powers.

Shinigami are departed human souls that have gained supernatural powers. As such, their bodies are composed of ectoplasm and they can only be seen by other spiritually aware entities, which excludes most humans. In the series, shinigami, as well as most other types of spirits, are quite capable of influencing their environment. Additionally, they can be injured and die like regular humans, though it takes considerably greater injuries for the latter to occur than it would in regular humans.

The most prominent power possessed by a shinigami is their zanpakutō, a sword generated from the shinigami's soul. Shinigami also naturally give off spiritual energy, which varies greatly in magnitude with the strength of a shinigami. A zanpakutō is a physical manifestation of this force concentrated into a blade.<ref name="Blade"> "Zaraki Kenpachi Approaches!". 

       Bleach.
       
 No. 36.

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Shinigami operations are based out of Soul Society, which is the afterlife in Bleach. Travel between the human world and Soul Society is extremely limited and monitored, but some shinigami are stationed in the human world to carry out their duties and therefore must often travel between the two. In addition, it is a crime for a shinigami to remain in the human world longer than a certain time limit. A shinigami's duties include leading Pluses (ghosts) to Soul Society in a practice called soul burial (konsō), and the cleansing of hollows (evil spirits).<ref name="Duties">Bleach manga; chapter 1, pages 19-20.</ref> Later in the series, shinigami duties are clarified further, and it is revealed that they are also responsible for governing the flow of spirits between the human world and Soul Society.

Sommaire

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Shinigami court divisions

The Modèle:Nihongo, the Shinigami Court is a central organization which most shinigami join. It is split into thirteen divisions, with some divisions being shown to have certain specializations. The 4th Division is the medical/supply division, the 11th Division is the combat division that specializes in swordsmanship, and the 12th Division is the research/scientific division. The 9th Division is in charge of newspaper and magazine-related duties.<ref>Shinigami Cup Special</ref>

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Ranking system

Image:Bleach captains.jpg‎
The 13 Shinigami captains.
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Captains

Modèle:Nihongo, commonly referred to as Captains, are the leaders of the thirteen divisions (with the special case of the Commander-General).

Captains are generally the most respected shinigami in Soul Society. With one exception (Kenpachi Zaraki), all captains are able to perform the bankai of their zanpakutō and are generally much more powerful than their lieutenants. Knowing the bankai gives captains an average of five to ten times the strength of shinigami who are unable to perform it. They have also extensively trained, if not mastered, their bankai, allowing them to actually use the enormous power effectively in battle.<ref name="Ep42"> "Yoruichi, Goddess of Flash, Dances!". 

       Bleach.
       
 No. 42.

 </ref>  Most captains are also skilled in the use of shunpō, kidō, and generally have excellent knowledge of shinigami history and battle tactics. All of these factors create a huge power-gap between captains and lower-ranked officers.

There are instances where the abilities of a captain are suited for the specific area of expertise to which their division is assigned. Retsu Unohana, captain of Division 4, specializes in healing and medical relief. Mayuri Kurotsuchi of Division 12 is the successor to the Shinigami Research Institute, having taken presidency after the expulsion of the former captain, Kisuke Urahara.

Image:Bleach lieutenants.jpg‎
The 13 Shinigami lieutenants.
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Lieutenants

Modèle:Nihongo, more commonly referred to as Lieutenants, are the 2nd seated officers in each division. They usually only know the shikai of their zanpakutō, and they are the second strongest officer in their division. In the case of a division captain's death, departure, or other circumstances making him unable to perform their duties, the lieutenant acts as the substitute captain until another captain can be assigned.

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Seated Officers

Modèle:Nihongo are the remainder of the officers in the Gotei 13 who hold ranks at or below 3rd Seat. Next to that, there are 18 more seats (3rd to 20th). Seated officers are usually assigned to a squad in their division. For instance, Hanatarō Yamada is Division 4's 7th seat and leader of the Fourth Division's 14th Advanced Relief Team.

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Shinigami characters

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1st Division

Considered to be the strongest captain in the Gotei 13, Yamamoto is depicted as an old man with a long beard. There are many scars on his torso and head, suggesting numerous battles in his past. He wears the standard shinigami captain uniform, but its size is greatly exaggerated. He also drapes his haori over his back instead of actually wearing it. Despite his old age, he has a very muscular body. As the general of Gotei 13, Yamamoto is highly respected by many shinigami, most notably Sajin Komamura, who views Yamamoto as a benefactor who saved his life. He has a fiery temper, and like fellow captains Byakuya Kuchiki and Soifon, he believes that laws must be executed for the benefit of the community and despises those who break the rules. General Yamamoto founded the shinigami academy about 2000 years before the main Bleach storyline. Yamamoto was himself a teacher at this academy, and personally instructed Kyōraku and Ukitake. He admits to being rather proud of Ukitake and Kyōraku. When they became captains, he "boasted about them as though they were his own sons." It has been revealed that he had ordered Kisuke Urahara to stabilize the Garganta gate so that captains can pass through, and has sent 4 captains so far to back up Ichigo's team.

Yamamoto's zanpakutō is Ryūjin Jakka (流刃若火, lit. Flowing Blade like Flame, Viz: Flowing Flame Blade). It is the oldest and most powerful fire-based zanpakutō, and has greater attack power than all other zanpakutō in Soul Society. In sealed form, it is disguised as Yamamoto's staff, which disintegrates into a sword on command. Its shikai command is Modèle:Nihongo.<ref name="Ryuujin">Bleach manga; chapter 155, page 23</ref> When released, Ryūjin Jakka and the area around Yamamoto is consumed in flame. The sheer power of the flame can disintegrate almost anything the sword is waved at. Only powerful fighters such as Kyōraku and Ukitake can resist it. Even in its shikai, Ryūjin Jakka's power is enough to fight against two other captains' shikai simultaneously. His abilities as a shinigami are no doubt powerful, as he was able to bring 8th Division Lieutenant Nanao Ise to her knees and immobilize her by looking at her and releasing his spiritual pressure. He was also able to fight on par with two of the most powerful captains, Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake, for a decent period of time without any sign of injury, while they both came away with minor wounds.

Modèle:Nihongo is the lieutenant of the 1st Division. He wears a white jinbaori over his uniform and armguards. In the manga, Chōjirō is illustrated without pupils and is often assumed by fans to be blind. However, in the anime, he is animated with yellow or light brown eyes. Chōjirō's name was not revealed for quite some time after his initial appearance in the manga.

Chōjirō's zanpakutō is Gonryōmaru (厳霊丸, lit. Stern Spirit, Viz: Solemn Spirit). Its shikai command is Modèle:Nihongo. In its shikai, Gonryōmaru transforms into a rapier, fitting with Chōjirō's appearance. Its abilities remain unknown, as Ichigo Kurosaki quickly dispatches Chōjirō the single time Chōjirō releases his zanpakutō.

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2nd Division

Modèle:Nihongo is the lieutenant of the 2nd Division, under Captain Soifon. He is a large man with an equally large mouth who comes across as arrogant and dull. His skill level as a shinigami remains unknown, however, it is thought that he received his position as lieutenant because of his family's connections. He also seems to be a coward. He likes to eat Modèle:Nihongo wherever he is. His captain has been known to beat him up when crumbs from the crackers fall on her hair.

In an omake in the manga, Marechiyo is shown to come from a rich family. As is typical of many rich families, he has a long name, Modèle:Nihongo. His father is named Modèle:Nihongo, his mother is Modèle:Nihongo, his older sister is Modèle:Nihongo, his younger brother is Modèle:Nihongo, and his younger sister is Modèle:Nihongo. With the exception of his younger sister, all closely resemble him. Mareyo is more normal looking and sweet, which shocks Izuru Kira, Renji Abarai, and Shūhei Hisagi (these three are replaced by Ichigo and Rukia in the anime's equivalent sketch). Marechiyo thinks his younger sister is ugly.

Marechiyo's zanpakutō is Modèle:Nihongo. It is a normal katana in its sealed state. Its shikai command is Modèle:Nihongo. In its shikai, Gegetsuburi transforms into an oversized spiked ball and chain. Its special abilities, if any, are unknown, as he is quickly dispatched by Ichigo Kurosaki during his first activation of it. It doesn't seem to be particularly sturdy, as Ichigo was able to shatter the spiked ball with a single, barehanded punch; however, considering that Ichigo is capable of fighting on par with captain-level shinigami, this may not be indicative of its actual strength.

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3rd Division

Izuru Kira was born to a family of lesser nobility,<ref>Weekly Shonen Jump interview, year 2004, issue 42</ref> his parents having been dead since he was young.<ref name="Parents">Bleach manga; volume 15 (chapter -17, Prelude for the Straying Stars, page 150)</ref> While in the shinigami academy, Kira befriended Momo Hinamori, Renji Abarai, and Shūhei Hisagi, and they are often seen spending time together. After graduation, Kira, along with Renji and Momo, was sent to the 5th Division, where he stayed until Gin Ichimaru became captain of the 3rd Division.<ref>Bleach manga; chapter 173, page 14</ref> Kira is loyal to both his friends and his duties, perhaps to a fault. Despite the close friendship he shares with Momo Hinamori, Kira shows that his loyalty knows no boundaries when he defends his captain while she is in a grief-induced rage from her own captain's apparent death. Despite this, he calls himself a 'monster' afterwards for raising his sword against her.

Kira's zanpakutō is Wabisuke (侘助, lit. miserable man, but can also be translated as apology, Viz: The Penitent One). Its shikai command is Modèle:Nihongo. When activated, Wabisuke's shikai bends the blade into a square hook. In this form, Wabisuke doubles the weight of whatever it strikes. The ability affects both inanimate objects and living beings. Though a seemingly pointless ability in sword combat, the effect is cumulative. With a second hit from Wabisuke, the weight will double again and so on, exponentially. Thus, after seven or eight blocked attacks, his opponents are unable to lift their own swords. Once Wabisuke's effect becomes noticeable, Kira's opponents often fall to their knees with their heads bent down, as if in apology, thus the name of Kira's zanpakutō.

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4th Division

Modèle:Nihongo is the captain of the 4th Division in Gotei 13 (the medical and supply relief division).

Unohana is a soft-spoken, polite, and caring woman. She uses honorifics when addressing everyone, including her subordinates, and rarely shows panic or distress. Even when being intimidating she is unfailingly polite, as seen when she scares two members of the 11th division into submission without raising her voice. In Soul Society arc, she healed everyone in the execution site after Ichigo saved Rukia. Unohana also seems to let her division members go on leave to the real world from time to time; in the anime she gives Hanatarō Yamada permission to take a break in the real world shortly after the events in Soul Society.

Retsu Unohana's zanpakutō is Minazuki (肉雫唼, lit. Purify the Flesh). In sealed form, Minazuki is slightly longer than ordinary katana, and resembles a nodachi. Instead of tying it to her obi, Unohana carries her zanpakutō over her shoulder by a rope strap or lets Isane carry it for her. When unsealed, Minazuki transforms into a giant, flying, one-eyed manta-ray. It's large enough to transport many people on its back (at least a dozen, based on its size when compared to those riding it). Additionally, it can swallow even more people and transport them in its stomach, healing their injuries at the same time. When Unohana reseals Minazuki, it dissolves into green mist and reforms into the sheath of her zanpakutō. Bleach Advance: Kurenai ni Somaru Soul Society labels this form as Unohana's shikai.

Modèle:Nihongo is the lieutenant of the 4th Division, the medical and supply relief division, in Gotei 13 under Captain Retsu Unohana. Isane is the older sister of Kiyone Kotetsu, one of the two 3rd seats in the 13th Division. Unlike Kiyone, she is generally quiet and observant, though she shares her sister's sense of loyalty. She looks to Unohana as a mentor and mother figure. It is noted by Unohana that Isane suffers from frequent and recurring nightmares. This is sometimes used as material for jokes, as Isane's nightmares are often odd or whimsical in their contents. For example, she once had a nightmare involving fish paste.<ref>Bleach manga; chapter 179, page 19</ref>

Isane's zanpakutō is Itegumo (凍雲, lit. Frozen Cloud, Viz: Frozen Snow). Its shikai command is Modèle:Nihongo. The guard is shaped like a snowflake. When its shikai is activated, two smaller blades protrude from Itegumo's hilt at 45° angles. She is never seen using it in combat, since the one time she activates it she is immediately knocked out by Ichigo.

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5th Division

Hinamori is an upbeat and easy-going girl who is generally quite trusting, but also very impulsive, emotionally vulnerable, and naïve. She greatly admires her former captain, Sōsuke Aizen, to the point where she refuses to believe that Aizen intentionally betrayed Soul Society even though he stabbed her. Her appearance is fairly ordinary compared to other shinigami in Soul Society. She wears her hair up in a bun with a cloth wrapped around it and tied with a ribbon. According to Tite Kubo, Hinamori's name was changed at the last minute; she had a completely different name in the sketch stage.<ref>Weekly Shonen Jump interview, year 2004, issue 42</ref>

Hinamori grew up in Junrinan, District 1 of Rukongai, along with Tōshirō Hitsugaya. While Hitsugaya tended to be a bit of a brat as a child, Hinamori found him amusing and treated him like a younger brother. The two have a close friendship, reflected by Hinamori giving him the nickname Shiro-chan (Lil' Shiro in the English dub). When Hinamori entered the shinigami academy, she excelled at kidō. It was there that she met Kira and Renji, who soon became her friends and, later, her fellow lieutenants. They were placed in the 5th Division of the Gotei 13 under Captain Aizen and his lieutenant, Gin Ichimaru. While Kira and Renji would later leave to other Divisions, Hinamori remained in the 5th Division and became the division's lieutenant (through much hard work as noted by Hitsugaya).

Hinamori's zanpakutō is Tobiume (飛梅, lit. flying plum tree). The command for its shikai is Modèle:Nihongo.<ref>Bleach manga chapter 101, page 10</ref> In the English dub, she also adds the word "deflect," though she does it after announcing the full command phrase. When its shikai is activated, Tobiume's blade straightens and produces several jitte-like prongs along its length. In this form, Tobiume acts as a focus for Hinamori's spiritual power, concentrating it into energy bursts capable of cratering floors and breaching walls. Hinamori can also compress her power into massive energy balls and toss them from the blade's tip. In the game Bleach: Blade Battlers, Tobiume creates crimson fire instead of pink-colored energy bursts, though normally this same fire trails the blade just before she fires.

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6th Division

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7th Division

Komamura is an unusual character in that he is an anthropomorphic canine. He was initially very self-conscious about his appearance, but after his fight with Kenpachi Zaraki (during which his helmet was destroyed) in midst of the invasion of Soul Society, he gained enough confidence to go without the helmet. His anthropomorphic appearance is also often the subject in omake chapters he is included in. Komamura has a close friendship with Tōsen, and was very shocked when the latter chose to side with Sōsuke Aizen, feeling that his friend had abandoned his morals. Komamura later decides to awaken Tōsen with his own hands.

Komamura's zanpakutō is Tenken (天譴, lit. Heaven's Sword, Viz: Sword of Heavenly Retribution). Its shikai command is Modèle:Nihongo. In its shikai, Tenken creates various body parts of a giant to copy whatever body part Komamura moves; for example, should Komamura swing his sword, a gigantic disembodied arm wielding a sword appears and does the same thing. Tenken's bankai, Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō (黒縄天譴明王, lit. Heavenly Punishment of Kokujō's King, Viz: Divine Retribution, Black Ropes of Ruination) brings forth the entire giant. Like in the shikai, the giant copies every movement made by Komamura.

Iba has a distinctive hair cut and wears black sunglasses with his standard shinigami uniform. He also smokes, thus somewhat resembling a typical yakuza gangster. He has a large tattoo on his back consisting of a cat on fire and the kanji 招福 (shōfuku, lit. inviting luck). Iba also seems to have recurring stomach problems, which he notes with shame on a few occasions. He and Ikkaku Madarame seem to have something of a working relationship, though it consists mainly of them dueling, drinking sake, then dueling again to see who has to get more.

Iba was originally from the 11th Division, but transferred to the 7th Division because getting promoted to lieutenant in the 11th Division was more difficult, if not impossible. It is later revealed that he wished to become a lieutenant not out of personal ambition, but for the sake of his mother. As a result, his former compatriots in the 11th Division look down upon him, as they deem the other divisions weaker than they are. In spite of this, he has a habit of hanging around their division's headquarters. Despite having left the 11th Division, it's clear he still enjoys a good fight, and during his duels with Ikkaku reveals a maniac grin much like his sparring partner.

Iba is well-rounded in both swordsmanship and kidō, only because it made becoming a lieutenant easier. The name and abilities of Iba's zanpakutō are unknown, as well as its shikai command. When sealed, it looks like a tantō, and he usually keeps it inside his shinigami uniform with the hilt sticking out. In its shikai, Iba's zanpakutō extends into a falchion or a large bladed scimitar with a pick-like protrusion a short distance below the tip of the sword. The only times he releases it is during his fight with Ikkaku and when he attempts to stop Jin Kariya, but the actual releases occur off-screen.

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8th Division

Kyōraku is a laid back and flamboyant man, evident in his style of dress and general attitude. He wears a straw hat and a pink flowered haori over his captain's uniform. Although his haori and obi sash are cheap, his pinwheel hairpin is very expensive.<ref name="stats">Bleach manga; volume 18 tankōbon, page 207 (character sketch)</ref> In his off time, he can be seen drinking sake and napping. Other times, he likes to chase after women, particularly his lieutenant, Nanao Ise, whom he calls 'my Nanao-chan' (little Nanao). Kyōraku tends to use a more familiar speech style than most other characters in Bleach. He generally refers to his fellow captains and shinigami by their first name followed by an honorific. Kyōraku is a peace-loving man who will always try to talk his way out of a fight, though he doesn't wish to insult opponents by refusing to fight. The slightly eccentric Kyōraku also seems to like making an impression on opponents.

Shunsui is the second son of the high-ranking noble Kyōraku family. Despite being of such old and prestigious lineage, he disliked studying and training, and because of his behavior was sent against his will to the Shin'ō Reijutsu Academy.<ref name="stats"/> Although not much else is known about Kyōraku's history, it is implied that he and Jūshirō Ukitake are the oldest captains in the Gotei 13, with the exception of General Yamamoto. Along with Ukitake, he was the first to become captain as a result of training in Yamamoto's academy.<ref>Bleach manga; volume 18 tankōbon, page 129 (chapter 155, page 10)</ref> Kyōraku is the only character who dispenses with honorifics when addressing General Yamamoto, calling him old Yama (Yama-jī). He is close friends with Ukitake, with whom he works often. During Rukia Kuchiki's execution, Kyōraku follows Ukitake's example and helps prevent Rukia's death, showing he will help Ukitake with whatever decision he chooses, despite whatever consequences there are.

The true extent of Kyōraku's abilities has not been seen in the series, but he has been hinted to be quite strong, as General Yamamoto hints that Kyōraku, along with Ukitake and Yamamoto himself, are stronger than any other captain. Kyōraku's zanpakutō is Katen Kyōkotsu (花天狂骨, lit. Flower Heaven, Crazy Bone, Viz: Flower-Heaven Bone of Madness). His zanpakutō is unique in that it exists as two completely separate swords, existing as a daisho sword pair. Its shikai command is Modèle:Nihongo. In Katen Kyōkotsu's shikai, the daisho sword pair transforms into two large scimitars or falchions. While the anime and manga have yet to depict what special abilities Katen Kyōkotsu possesses, some Bleach video games show it having the abilities of wind manipulation, with maple leaves or rose petals often seen flowing in the wind.

Modèle:Nihongo is the lieutenant of the 8th Division of the Gotei 13, under Captain Shunsui Kyōraku, and vice-president of the Shinigami Women's Association. She is a very serious and pragmatic person who often puts up with her captain's silly antics, but like all lieutenants, she is extremely respectful of her captain and follows his instructions without hesitation. She is almost always carrying a heavy book. Nanao is often accosted by her captain, whose teasing takes various forms. Nanao's usual reaction is to scold him or hit him with something, usually a fan. When she is particularly annoyed she takes off her glasses, though her face has never been seen while doing so. Apparently this act is quite frightening, as most people who see it are reduced to gibbering wrecks just by witnessing it, even the sadistic cold hearted 12th division captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi fell victim to this intimidating spectacle.<ref>Bleach episode 89 Shinigami Cup Golden</ref>

It is later revealed in Kubo's cliff notes on the sides of omake chapters that just like Momo Hinamori, Nanao is also a kidō master. Not much is known about Nanao's zanpakutō and she is very rarely seen with it. An illustration in the artbook "All Color but the Black" reveals that her zanpakutō takes the form of what appears to be either a wakizashi or tantō, which she seems to conceal within her sleeve. This is confirmed when just before Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake's fight with Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, where she reaches in her sleeve only to be overwhelmed by Yamamoto's reiatsu.

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9th Division

Shūhei is an extremely mature and calm individual, a state that is slightly at odds with his somewhat punk-like appearance. He usually takes responsibility, and tends to avoid violence when possible. He seems to be virtuous, much like his captain's image; until later, when it was revealed his captain was a traitor. He is often seen in the company of Renji and Kira. Along with Hinamori, Renji and Kira followed Shūhei as their senpai during their academy days. He appears a member lower classmen (according to omake chapters). Omake chapters also show that he is just as perverted as the other male shinigami. Shūhei has several tattoos — a number 69 on his face, as well as what appears to be a choker around his throat and a matching armband on his right arm. He is also seen with a bandage across his face and has three lines running vertically down the right side of his face, scars that resulted from an injury in the past when several huge hollows attacked a group of students (including Momo Hinamori, Izuru Kira, and Renji Abarai) he was leading into the living world for a lesson in fighting dummy hollows.

During the events of the arrancar arc, Shūhei is seen to have taken over the duties of his captain as an acting replacement. He comments to Jūshirō Ukitake that he never expected a captains' duty to be very difficult as Kaname Tōsen hardly asked anything of his subordinates. Ukitake later comments that Shūhei is still recovering from the fact that his captain was a traitor.

Very little is known about Shūhei's abilities, though it's known that even during his days in the academy he was quite skilled, commonly leading other shinigami trainees on mock missions. However, Izuru Kira mentions that Shūhei failed the entrance exam for the academy twice. His talent allowed him to become a seated officer in the Gotei 13 without having to pass additional tests. The name of Shūhei's zanpakutō has yet to be revealed. In its sealed form, it looks like a regular katana with a circular tsuba. In the manga, he never uses it in its unsealed state, though he does release it in Bleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion. Teaser scenes in the opening credits of episode 153 show that it takes the form of some sort of polearm or spear (the scene ends in mid-transformation so it is not clear as to what it is). Shūhei has been seen carrying his zanpakutō both at his waist and, during his days at the academy, on his back (In the manga he is seen with it on his back when Hinamori Momo discovers Captain Aizen's body<ref>Manga chapter 101 page 17</ref>).

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10th Division

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11th Division

The 11th Division is the most fight-loving and violent of the divisions. They also consider the 4th Division weak and often bully them, although several members noticeably fear the 4th Division's captain.

Image:Division 11 Group.jpg
From left to right: Yumichika, Yachiru on top of Ikkaku and Makizō Aramaki.

Yachiru is child-like in most respects, as she is small, cheerful, energetic, and carefree most of the time. She is often seen latched onto the back of her captain, Kenpachi Zaraki, just over his right shoulder, and is somewhat territorial about this position. She is surprisingly intimidating at times, especially when annoyed. Like Kenpachi, she has no sense of direction, even though he relies on her for directions. Yachiru resents being criticized in any way and will often attack the perpetrator. Further reflecting her child-like nature, Yachiru likes to give people nicknames; she has given a total of ten people formal nicknames, the most notable of which is calling her captain "Ken-Chan" or "Kenny" as it is in the dub versions. She often gives random people placeholder names. She shows no special respect for her superiors, calling Byakuya Kuchiki "Byakushi" or "Bya-kun" and Sajin Komamura "Koma-Koma" and trying to draw on his head with a permanent marker. Various omake chapters and character profiles also show that Yachiru has a love for candy, specifically confetti candy, which Byakuya Kuchiki takes advantage of on several occasions. Yachiru is also the president of the Shinigami Women's Association.

In North Rukongai, in the 79th district (Kusajishi), the parents of Yachiru (who was then unnamed) were murdered. A highly skilled sword fighter with a name unknown to all, including himself, from Soul Society's 80th District, Zaraki, soon found her. The swordsman named the baby Yachiru after the only person he ever aspired to be. That same day, the swordsman named himself Kenpachi, after the most skilled swordfighter in every generation. From that moment on, the two have been inseparable and have developed a caring, albeit argumentative, father-daughter relationship. There is currently no information on how they entered Seireitei and became shinigami. The anime suggests that Kenpachi simply walked in and killed the former 11th Division captain, thus becoming the current one, so it stands to reason she became a shinigami at the same time. In an interview, Tite Kubo mentioned that he plans on revealing Yachiru's namesake.

Despite her child-like appearance, Yachiru is apparently quite strong, since she is the current lieutenant of the combat division within Soul Society. She is one of the few people who are completely unaffected by Kenpachi's rietsu. She is strong enough to lift Kenpachi and leap between buildings while carrying him. Yachiru is also incredibly fast despite her size, running from the ground-level area of Seireitei to the mountain that holds the execution grounds in a fairly short period of time. She is also capable of emitting a large amount of spiritual power when angry, which forms into a large, pink, angry cat face. The name and ability of Yachiru's zanpakutō are both unknown. She carries her zanpakutō around with a loose cord, rather than at the sash of her uniform. Her zanpakutō's scabbard is also unusual in that it has a pair of wheels for transport. According to Yachiru's profile in volume 13, these were installed by Ikkaku, who turns out to be handy with tools, after she continually pestered him to do it. It also has a child-like flower pattern on the crossguard.

Yumichika is the narcissist friend of Ikkaku Madarame. During their past the two went throughout the Rukongai together looking for fights, and one day Ikkaku lost to Kenpachi Zaraki. After a speech given to them by him about living to kill the one who failed to kill them, and later after hearing news of Kenpachi becoming a captain, the two joined the 11th Division to serve under him. Yumichika wanted to become the 3rd Seat, since he thought three was the most beautiful kanji, though Ikkaku took it, so Yumichika took 5th Seat, thinking that 5 looks almost like a 3. It is not entirely clear if Ikkaku maintains the seat due to if he is superior to Yumuchika, or if Yumichika allows him to have because of their friendship. He has colorful feathers on his eyelashes and eyebrow, and shiny skin and hair, giving him a rather womanly appearance in the early manga. Yumichika judges everyone and everything by beauty, and is also incredibly vain. However, he is at times shown to be caring and helpful to others.

Yumichika's zanpakutō is Fuji Kujaku (藤孔雀, lit. Wisteria Peacock). The shikai command for Fuji Kujaku is Modèle:Nihongo. In its shikai, Fuji Kujaku takes the form of a sickle-shaped blade, or falx, distinguished from the khopesh by the cutting edge being located on the inside. A hinge at the hilt allows Fuji Kujaku to split into four identical blades. Although Yumichika doesn't admit it to his 11th Division comrades for fear of being hated, since 11th Division zanpakutō are generally used for direct attack, he has a kidō-type sword. By using the command sakikurue (裂き狂え, lit. tearing deviate), Fuji Kujaku flares up and takes the appearance of many peacock feathers, after which it drains the opponent's spiritual power, allowing him to beat even lieutenant-level fighters with apparent ease. It is also assumed he's trying to learn his bankai, though Fuji Kujaku is just as narcissistic as Yumichika himself, leading Yumichika to comically yell at his sword while trying to break it against a boulder.

Introduced in the anime's Bount arc, Maki belonged to the 11th Division until Kenpachi Zaraki killed the previous captain in a duel. Maki refused to acknowledge the new captain and left Soul Society, although he retains his shinigami abilities. While in Soul Society, he shared many ideals with Kaname Tōsen. He then traveled the human world, but one day, while in a weakened state in a desert, he fell upon a hollow who almost killed him; the hollow was subdued by Jin Kariya, who allowed Maki to kill it. Maki swore his loyalty to Jin after that, breaking the vow only once to fight Kenpachi instead of stopping Ichigo and his friends as he was expected to.

He helped Kariya and the other Bounts by infiltrating Soul Society and provoking Mayuri Kurotsuchi into helping the Bount enter. He is severely wounded by Kenpachi Zaraki during their duel, breaking his sword in the process. When he returns to question Kariya's motives, he is stabbed and tossed away by Kariya. What's left of his sword is destroyed when it inadvertently saves Ichigo from one of Kariya's lightning attacks, acting as a lightning rod.

His zanpakutō is called Nijigasumi (虹霞, lit. Rainbow Haze). It is activated by the command Modèle:Nihongo. Nijigasumi's ability is to control light and create illusions, such as making Maki invisible. It can also use light offensively, creating blades of light to cut an opponent. It can also compress light and use it to crush an opponent in its Saigyoku Nijigasumi (Swallowing Orb of Rainbow Mist) form.

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12th Division

Nemu is the artificially created daughter of Mayuri Kurotsuchi, a combination of his research in Modèle:Nihongo and Modèle:Nihongo.<ref name="Creation">Bleach manga; chapter 123, page 8</ref> This past has driven her to become rather introverted and melancholic, preferring to stay silent in her captain's presence. Their relationship is far from the average father-daughter one, as Mayuri doesn't seem to care much for Nemu's well-being (using her as bait in combat). The most that can be said in his favor is that he has occasionally implied concern over her life as a point of personal pride in his own skill as her creator. Despite being abused and mistreated in every possible way by her captain and father, Nemu still shows great loyalty to him, and has openly expressed worry at the prospect of his death, likely due to her implied gratitude that Kurotsuchi brought her into the world. Unlike her father, however, she seems to have compassion for others, saving Uryū Ishida's life as a thank you for not killing Mayuri.

Being artificially created, Nemu seems to be capable of withstanding otherwise fatal injuries; Mayuri reveals to Uryū that even when severely injured, Nemu will likely live. She also carries an antidote to some of the poisons Mayuri uses on his opponents under her lieutenant's badge; she gives some to Uryū after his battle with Mayuri. Nemu does not normally carry a zanpakutō, but she is revealed to have one in an illustration in the artbook "All Colour but the Black." Her zanpakutō takes the form of what appears to be a thin katana.

Nemu accompanies Mayuri to Hueco Mundo and watches his battle with Szayel Aporro Granz. After Szayel's initial defeat, he revives himself with one of his zanpakutō's abilities; by impregnating Nemu and devouring her internal organs, he brings himself back to life at the cost of Nemu's own.

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13th Division

Image:Juushirou ukitake.jpg
Jūshirō Ukitake.

Jūshirō Ukitake, along with his long-time close friend Shunsui Kyōraku, was one of the first shinigami to graduate the shinigami academy and one of the first to become a captain. Ukitake, however, suffers from tuberculosis, which is the cause of his white hair, sickly appearance, and a considerable hunger, and as such couldn't regularly perform his captain duties. At first his lieutenant, Kaien Shiba, performed them, following his death these were performed by his 3rd Seat officers, Kiyone Kotetsu and Sentarō Kotsubaki. Ukitake is well-respected and highly honorable, and will never let any harm go to either his underlings or those who attempt to protect them. Ukitake will never give up if he believes something is wrong and will break a rule should he must. In various Bleach omake chapters, Jūshirō is fond of giving people strange or unwanted gifts for no apparent reason, particularily Tōshirō Hitsugaya for their similar sounding names and hair color.

Despite his illness, Ukitake is one of the strongest of the captains, and he and Shunsui are revealed to have power surpassing previous and current generations. Ukitake's zanpakutō is Sōgyo no Kotowari (双魚の理 or 双魚理, lit. Truth of Pisces, Viz: Law of the Twin Fish). Its shikai command is Modèle:Nihongo.<ref name="Command">Bleach manga; chapter 156, page 11.</ref> In its shikai, Sōgyo no Kotowari splits into two thin blades resembling fishing javelins with a reversed prong-blade on the dull end. The two swords are connected by a cord, which is lined with several small charms. While Sōgyo no Kotowari's abilities go unseen in the manga and anime, they are depicted in a number of Bleach video games to have lightning and storm based abilities.

Kaien was an upbeat and kind young man from the Shiba house, tattooing his arm with the Shiba house symbol, who treated all his subordinates equally. Kaien closely resembles Ichigo Kurosaki in both appearance and personality, and their resemblance is often brought up multiple times in the series. He was a father/older brother figure to Rukia, whom he taught how to fight and helped her find a place within the 13th Division. He was also a prodigy amongst shinigami; graduating from a six year curriculum in just one year and becoming a lieutenant five years after. He was also married to another shinigami, the 3rd Seat of his division, Miyako. One day, however, Miyako was possessed by a hollow and killed her subordinates, leading Kaien to fight the hollow in an attempt to avenge her. Kaien, however, is also possessed by the Hollow, causing him to attack Rukia. Ukitake attempts to save her but his disease hinders his efforts. Rukia raises her zanpakutō in self-defense as Kaien lunges at Rukia, the blade pierces thorugh him and he dies in her arms, thanking her and Jushirō.

Since his death, the 13th Division has not assigned another lieutenant, and instead is run by two 3rd Seats, Sentarō and Kiyone. Both of Kaien's siblings, Kūkaku and Ganju, became ditrustful of shinigami, and due to either Kaien's everyday life or his death the Shiba house diminished from their high status, with only Ganju and Kūkaku remaining. Rukia, who felt the most responsible for Kaien's death, carried a heavy amount of guilt over his death until several years later, when she finally brought herself to apologize to Kaien's siblings. It is later revealed that due to the hollow's special ability, Kaien and the hollow were taken to the Hueco Mundo, where the hollow Aaroniero Arruruerie ate them both and took both their abilities, and with these rose to become the 9th Espada. Rukia would later fight Aaroniero and successfully kill him, finally bringing peace to Kaien's soul.

Kaien's, and later Aaroniero's, zanpakutō is Nejibana (捩花, lit. Screw Flower, Viz: Twisted Flower). Its shikai command is Modèle:Nihongo.<ref>Bleach manga; volume 16 tankōbon, chapter 135, page 9-10.</ref> Nejibana's shikai is represented as a cross between a trident and a ji (a Chinese halberd) with a crystalline appearance that has the ability to manipulate water. Like the ji it bears a horsehair tassel, although it is blue instead of the traditional red; similarly the two side blades are straight with concave edges as opposed to the usual crescent blade. During Rukia's battle with Aaroniero, Nejibana's described as having the ability to use the shockwaves it creates in conjunction with trident attacks to "crush and split the enemy in two." Kaien's techniques and form are also revealed during the battle, and are described by Rukia as "a trident technique reminiscent of dancing."

Miyako was Kaien's wife and had been killed by a hollow. In the anime, she was first possessed, then killed by the hollow, who devoured her from the inside out. Her face is never fully seen in the manga. It is also stated that Rukia Kuchiki looked up to her as a strong but gentle woman and as Kaien Shiba's wife.

Since the death of Lieutenant Shiba, Kiyone and Sentarō have been acting as the division's joint seconds-in-command, overseeing day-to-day operations. They squabble quite often, each believing that they are more respectful of their leader than the other is. They both mean well, but are highly competitive and constantly critical of the other (to further their rivalry, they also happen to share the same birthday, September 22). Kiyone is the younger sister of 4th Division Lieutenant Isane Kotetsu. Sentarō came from Rukongai.

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Special forces

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Gate watchers

The Gate Watchers are giants (each is over 30 feet tall) that guard the four gates into Sereitei. They are elites of Soul Society, although not as strong as a captain or lieutenant.

The only gate guard to receive any significant attention, Jidanbō (born January 10) has a good heart and believes in honor. He believes all fights must be one on one (much like the 11th Division mindset) and defeat means he must open his gate, even to an enemy. When he attempts to do so for Ichigo, he is repelled by Gin Ichimaru. He is the first person that Ichigo fought in Soul Society, and following his honorable defeat and being healed by Orihime, became friends with Ichigo and company. He has immense physical power and wields two gigantic axes, which Ichigo destroys during their battle. He assists Kūkaku Shiba against Aizen late in the Soul Society arc. In the manga, he single-handedly defeats the other three guards during their betrayal without visible injury, indicating that he is the most proficient fighter among them. During the Bount arc, he opens the gate for Ichigo's group to help them pursue the Bounts that infiltrate Soul Society.

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Other shinigami

Zennosuke Kurumadani is a shinigami assigned to replace Rukia in Karakura Town after her arrest. It is not known what division of the Gotei 13 he is a part of. To his chagrin, he has little to do while in Karakura, since either the Karakura Superheroes or Ichigo tend to destroy the few hollows that attack. He is confused by the fact that so many people in the town are capable of seeing him. He has an afro hair style, which results in Keigo Asano nicknaming him "Old Man Afro" (Afro-oji-san).

In one of the omake chapters, he calls Soul Society to complain about his working conditions, but is merely brushed off and told not to interfere with Ichigo (this upsets him, as he believes he is "elite"). He also complains that he wasn't properly informed about the happenings in the Soul Society.

Zennosuke's zanpakutō is Tsuchinamazu (土鯰, lit. Soil Catfish) and is activated by the phrase Modèle:Nihongo, which is revealed by Bleach Advance: Kurenai ni Somaru Soul Society. Its abilities are unknown, but it takes the form of a chakram, a circle-round blade with a wooden handle. A purple ribbon is also attached to it.

Introduced in the anime's Bount arc, Dr. Ran'Tao was the leader of the research team that created the Bount race. She looks exactly like Yoshino Sōma with the exception of a pair of glasses and her hair up (similar to Nanao Ise). The two also share the same voice. Ran'Tao has stated that she is much older than she looks and has found a way to stay young in appearance, but needs to take very long naps (about twelve hours a day to be exact) to maintain her image.

Out of guilt for creating the Bounts by accident, Ran'tao took pity on them and helped them build a sanctuary in which all Bounts could live, since they were being persecuted at the time by normal people. She convinced the Bounts to allow her to get them protection from Soul Society. Upon returning to Seireitei, she was immediately arrested and put on trial by Center 46 for her failed soul experiments. When the order was given to exterminate the Bounts because they were considered a threat, Ran'Tao slipped outside to the real world to help them escape, one of the escapees being Jin Kariya. She also gave him "Messer", his doll. Shortly afterwards she was caught and had her shinigami powers sealed, before being exiled from Seireitei.

Ran'Tao went into hiding in an underground shelter in Rukongai, where she remains to this day. She spends her time engaging in minor experiments to utilize spiritual energy in better ways, one of which is a kidō shotgun which she uses on Jin Kariya during their confrontation.

Ashido, an anime-only character, is a mysterious shinigami who lives in the Forest of Menos beneath the desert of Hueco Mundo. He wears the standard shinigami uniform, in ragged condition and without any footwear, with a fur coat draped over himself. The coat consists of several hollow masks adorned on it, one of which he wears as a mask over his face. The mask came from a hollow that killed his fellow shinigami friend, and resembles a gazelle's skull. He uses the other masks as shields to block cero blasts from hollows. Ashido has gray eyes and spiky maroon hair. His zanpakutō has a cracked tsuba.

During a skirmish in Soul Society several hundred years prior to the main storyline, Ashido and his team follow the attacking hollows back into Hueco Mundo. All but Ashido were slaughtered in the ensuing fight. Though he could have returned to Soul Society, he decided to remain in Hueco Mundo to kill as many hollows as possible, hoping to reduce the numbers appearing in the living world. Rukia's general knowledge of hollow activity would seem to imply that his efforts were wasted.

Ashido is introduced when he saves Rukia Kuchiki from a group of Menos Grande after she falls into the Forest of Menos. Immediately after, he spars with her to ascertain her strength, then proceeds to help her search for her friends. They are ambushed by several adjuchas-class menos along the way, though they easily dispatch each one. Ashido finally decides to leave the Forest of Menos and join Ichigo's group to enter Las Noches. However, when the group tries to leave the forest, they are attacked by gillian-class menos and a surviving adjuchas. Ashido chooses to stay and shield Ichigo's group so they can escape. As Rukia pleads for Ashido to leave with them, a stray attack causes a cave-in and traps Ashido with the menos. Rukia promises to come back for him once Orihime is rescued.

Featured in the Sword of Frenzy OVA, Baishin was once a member of the Gotei 13, but went mad and became one with his zanpakutō. He killed 63 seated officers before escaping to the human world. Six of the thirteen captains chased him, two of which sacrificed themselves to seal him away.

He eventually breaks free and hunts down those with powerful spiritual energy. Baishin finds it in Ichigo, sucking out more than half his power. However, Tōshirō Hitsugaya's interference forces him to flee. At the site where he was once sealed, Baishin once again fights Ichigo, this time with Rukia and Renji at Ichigo's side. However, by sucking out Ichigo's spiritual power, Baishin is able to perform his bankai, becoming a living being of swords. He is eventually killed by Ichigo using his own bankai, leaving only the zanpakutō Baishin had become one with. His goal was to separate himself from his zanpakutō, even if he perished.

Senna is an unusual young girl met by Ichigo and Rukia in the real world during the events of Bleach: Memories of Nobody. She appears to be a shinigami, but when questioned, she refuses to reveal her identity and evades their questions regarding her assignment. Senna wears the standard unseated shinigami uniform with a large, red ribbon tied around her waist. When she changes into a "Shinigami", maple leaves are seen fluttering through the air around her. Her zanpakutō, which Rukia reveals was lost 100 years ago in the severed world, is named Modèle:Nihongo and is released by the command "call forth the twilight". It takes the form of a shakujo when released, and has the power to create and control tornadoes.

Senna likes the color red and high places. She's also very curious, constantly darting from place to place. Later in the movie, Senna is revealed to be the memory rosary, an entity comprised of the memories of countless souls who lost their way in their journey to Soul Society. She sacrifices herself near the end to stabilize the worlds from colliding together. After the memory wipe that takes place after her sacrifice, a girl resembling Senna is seen running past Ichigo.

  • The Dark Ones

The Dark Ones, featured in Bleach: Memories of Nobody, are a clan of shinigami exiled from Soul Society over a millennia before the events of the movie. After wandering the space between Soul Society and the real world for years, they learn to use the many "blanks" (souls without memories) to fuel their abilities. Using Senna, they hope to collapse both the human world and Soul Society in on one another by causing them to collide. They are led by Modèle:Nihongo.

Kusaka is an old friend and rival of Tōshirō Hitsugaya when they were younger in the shinigami and he appears in the Bleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion. He appears to be shinigami which Hitsugaya encounters while searching for the thieves who stole the "Kings Seal". His zanpakutō is unknown as of its sealed form along with its name and release states as well.

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References

<references />

Modèle:Bleach infofr:Gotei 13 ja:護廷十三隊 th:เคียวราคุ ชุนซุย vi:Shinigami trong Bleach

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