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manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
and
anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
series ''
Bleach Bleach is the generic name for any chemical product that is used industrially or domestically to remove color (whitening) from a fabric or fiber or to clean or to remove stains in a process called bleaching. It often refers specifically, to ...
'', created by
Tite Kubo , known professionally as , is a Japanese manga artist and character designer. He is best known for his manga series '' Bleach'' (2001–2016), which had over 130 million copies in circulation as of 2022. Biography Kubo was born on June 26, 197 ...
. Soul Reapers are a
fictional race Fantasy tropes are a specific type of literary tropes (recurring themes) that occur in fantasy fiction. Worldbuilding, plot, and characterization have many common conventions, many of them having ultimately originated in myth and folklore. ...
of spirits who govern the flow of souls between the human world and the afterlife realm called the ''Soul Society''. The series tells of how
Ichigo Kurosaki is a fictional character in the ''Bleach'' manga series and its adaptations created by Tite Kubo. He is the main protagonist of the series, who receives Soul Reaper powers after meeting Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper assigned to patrol around the ...
becomes substitute Soul Reaper in Karakura Town in place of
Rukia Kuchiki is a fictional character in the anime and manga series '' Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. In the series, she is a Soul Reaper, (死神, Shinigami, literally 'Death God'), in charge of slaying evil spirits called Hollows. At the beginning, after a ...
. He assumes her duties to protect souls and put them to peaceful rest, as well as to fight against dangerous, lost souls that could not rest, called hollows. As the series progresses, however, Rukia is captured by the Soul Society's Soul Reaper military for giving her powers to Ichigo, and she is sentenced to death. Ichigo and his friends go to save her and are forced to fight against many of the Soul Society's Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Eventually, the fifth Squad Captain
Sōsuke Aizen is a fictional character from the manga series ''Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo and the main villain of the first half of the series (and the most significant one for the entirety of the anime adaptation). He is the captain of the Fifth Division o ...
, the third Squad Captain
Gin Ichimaru is a fictional character in the anime and manga series ''Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. He was the captain of the 3rd Division in the Gotei 13 until he betrays Soul Society, and after that becomes a commander in Sōsuke Aizen's arrancar army. La ...
, and the ninth Squad Captain
Kaname Tosen This is a list of featured in the manga and anime series ''Bleach'', created by Tite Kubo. Soul Reapers are a fictional race of spirits who govern the flow of souls between the human world and the afterlife realm called the ''Soul Society''. The ...
all defect from the Soul Society at the time of the rescue and start a plan, interrupting Ichigo's battles, to gain greater power with the
arrancar In the fictional ''Bleach (manga), Bleach'' manga/anime universe, a is a kind of monstrous lost soul who can harm both ghosts and humans. Many of the series' antagonists are ''hollows''. There are also hollows with Soul Reaper (a death-related ...
s, focusing the story with the main
antagonist An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the chief foe of the protagonist. Etymology The English word antagonist comes from the Greek ἀνταγωνιστής – ''antagonistēs'', "opponent, competitor, villain, enemy, riv ...
Sōsuke Aizen. In the manga, the last one is Yhwach, the son of Soul King and father of Quincy.


Creation and conception

''Bleach'' was first conceived from Tite Kubo's desire to draw ''
Shinigami () are kami (spirits) that invite humans toward death, according to Japanese religion and culture. have been described as monsters, helpers, and creatures of darkness. are used for tales and religions in Japanese culture. Japanese religion I ...
'' ("Soul Reaper" in the English adaptations) in a
kimono The is a traditional Japanese garment and the national dress of Japan. The kimono is a wrapped-front garment with square sleeves and a rectangular body, and is worn left side wrapped over right, unless the wearer is deceased. The kimono ...
, which formed the basis for the design of the Soul Reapers. Before deciding the use of kimono, Kubo thought of giving black suits to male Soul Reapers and any forms to female Soul Reapers, but thought that it was too generic and changed it to a kimono. Several characteristics from them, such as the ''kidō'' spells and the ''zanpakutō'' swords are also based on Japanese literature.''
Weekly Shōnen Jump is a weekly ''shōnen'' manga anthology published in Japan by Shueisha under the ''Jump'' line of magazines. The manga series within the magazine consist of many action scenes and a fair amount of comedy. The chapters of the series that run ...
''. Volume 6, Issue 6. June 2008.
Viz Media VIZ Media LLC is an American manga publisher, anime distributor and entertainment company headquartered in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ M ...
. 12.
Instead of using ''zanpakutō'', Kubo wanted to give the Soul Reapers guns, with the exception of Rukia, who would use a scythe. Seeing that guns are not suitable for kimono, he changed them to swords. When asked which of the Court Guard Squad captains and assistant captains were his favorites, Tite Kubo answered by saying that he liked "all of them" and that he likes to "support" characters "disliked by readers." Early plans for the story did not include the hierarchical structure of the Soul Society, but did include Ichigo's Soul Reaper heritage.


Characteristics

Soul Reapers can only be seen by other spiritually aware beings, which excludes most humans. Additionally, they can be injured and die like regular humans yet can resist most injuries unless considerably great. All Soul Reapers possess a , a katana which reflects aspects of the user's soul and personality. A ''zanpakutō'' has a symbiotic connection with its owner, its spiritual embodiment possessing similar traits to its owner and evolving to reflect its Soul Reaper's power. By learning the name of the sword's spirit, and through training, Soul Reapers can unlock more powerful transformations of their ''zanpakutō''. The first transformation, known as a which acts like a binding contract between a Soul Reaper and the sword, changes the ''zanpakutōs appearance to so the owner can facilitate its special abilities to its fullest. The second transformation, known as , is an ability normally seen in Soul Reaper captains that requires ten years minimum to master. Once achieved, the Soul Reaper can unlock the full potential of their ''zanpakutō'', increasing their own power several times over. Though rare, it is not impossible for two people to manifest the same ''zanpakutō'' and spirit. This is considered the ultimate taboo of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and the individuals who manifest the spirit are forced to fight to the death to determine the ''zanpakutō''s true master, as in the plot of Bleach: The Diamond Dust Rebellion. Many Soul Reapers are able to use , a form of
magic Magic or Magick most commonly refers to: * Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces * Ceremonial magic, encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic * Magical thinking, the belief that unrela ...
that can be performed by reciting a specific incantation. Most of the ''kidō'' spells seen in the series are used as attacks, defensive measures, or to bind others, though they can also serve more specialized needs such as healing wounds or communication over long distances. Spells are ranked on a scale from 1 to 99, indicating their complexity and overall power. Low-level spells can, however, be as effective from a skilled ''kidō'' user (e.g.,
Byakuya Kuchiki is a fictional character in the anime and manga series '' Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. He is a captain of the Sixth Division for Gotei 13 and Rukia's brother. His vice-captain is Renji Abarai. Character outline Byakuya is the 28th head of t ...
). Soul Reaper operations are based out of the Soul Society, which is an afterlife realm in ''Bleach'' which is maintained by a being known as the Soul King. Travel between the human world and the Soul Society is extremely limited and monitored, but some Soul Reapers are stationed in the human world to carry out their duties. If this Soul Reaper is an assistant captain or a captain then they will have a ''Gentei Reiin'', or a Spirit Restriction Seal, on some area of their body. This seal will limit their spiritual powers to one-fifth of their full power and it can only be released in a state of emergency. In addition to these laws, it is a crime for a Soul Reaper to remain in the human world for longer than directed. A Soul Reaper's duties include leading wandering spirits to the Soul Society by giving a to souls yet to become hollows and defeat those who have. High-level Soul Reapers and similarly powerful beings are able to levitate by standing on the spiritual energy in the air. The ''No Breathes From Hell'' one shot explains that Soul Reaper captains are given a last rites ritual as their Reishi is transferred to another realm due to being too dense to properly diffuse in the Soul Society, the ritual itself revealed to send the deceased Soul Reaper captains to Hell rather than ease their passing.


Soul Reaper court divisions

The is the central organization in the Soul Society that most Soul Reapers join. It is split into thirteen squads, each symbolized by a flower whose
floriography Floriography (language of flowers) is a means of cryptological communication through the use or arrangement of flowers. Meaning has been attributed to flowers for thousands of years, and some form of floriography has been practiced in tradition ...
shows the squad's hue. * - The division's flower is the
chrysanthemum Chrysanthemums (), sometimes called mums or chrysanths, are flowering plants of the genus ''Chrysanthemum'' in the family Asteraceae. They are native to East Asia and northeastern Europe. Most species originate from East Asia and the center ...
- meaning "immaculate". * - As its captain is also leader of the , Squad Two's shares duties with the other branch in surveillance, covert operations, imprisoning potentially problematic Soul Reapers, and assassinations. The division's flower is the
Pulsatilla cernua ''Pulsatilla cernua'', the narrow-leaf pasque-flower is a species of plant in the family Ranunculaceae ''Pulsatilla cernua'' is a perennial plant that can grow to be about 0.2 m or 8 in tall.  This plant has six dark red/purple flowers and has t ...
- meaning "splendor". * - The squad's flower is the
Calendula officinalis ''Calendula officinalis'', the pot marigold, common marigold, ruddles, Mary's gold or Scotch marigold, is a flowering plant in the daisy family Asteraceae. It is probably native to southern Europe, though its long history of cultivation makes its ...
- meaning "tranquility". * - Squad Four is known for its medical work. The division's flower is the
Gentiana scabra ''Gentiana scabra'', the Japanese gentian, is a species of flowering plant in the Gentian family (Gentianaceae Gentianaceae is a family of flowering plants of 103 genera and about 1600 species. Etymology The family takes its name from the gen ...
- meaning "fidelity" and "conscience".  * - The division's flower is the
Pieris japonica ''Pieris japonica'', the Japanese andromeda or Japanese pieris, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae. It is native to eastern China, Taiwan, and Japan, where it grows in mountain thickets. This medium-sized evergreen shru ...
- meaning "sacrifice". * - Squad Six has no special duties, but is currently seen as a model division by the other Soul Reapers and known for its strict adherence to the rules. The division's flower is the red
Camellia japonica ''Camellia japonica'', known as common camellia, or Japanese camellia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Theaceae. There are thousands of cultivars of ''C. japonica'' in cultivation, with many colors and forms of flowers. In the U.S. ...
- meaning "righteous reason". * - The division's flower is the
Japanese iris The term "Japanese iris" encompasses three species of Irises cultivated in gardens or growing wild in Japan: ''hanashōbu'' (''Iris ensata''), ''kakitsubata'' ('' Iris laevigata'') and ''ayame'' (''Iris sanguinea''). Of these three species, ''I. ...
- meaning "
kindness Kindness is a type of behavior marked by acts of generosity, consideration, rendering assistant or concern for others, without expecting praise or reward in return. Kindness is a topic of interest in philosophy, religion, and psychology. Kin ...
" and "
vitality Vitality (, , ) is the capacity to live, grow, or develop. More simply it is the property of having life. The perception of vitality is regarded as a basic psychological drive and, in philosophy, a component to the will to live. As such, peopl ...
". * - The division's flower is the
Strelitzia ''Strelitzia'' is a genus of five species of perennial plants, native to South Africa. It belongs to the plant family Strelitziaceae. The genus is named after Queen Charlotte of the United Kingdom, who was born a princess of the house of Meckle ...
- meaning "getting everything I(one) want". * - Squad Nine is always on standby as it is the security force of the Gotei 13, also overseeing art and culture. The division's flower is the white
Papaver somniferum ''Papaver somniferum'', commonly known as the opium poppy or breadseed poppy, is a species of flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae. It is the species of plant from which both opium and poppy seeds are derived and is also a valuable orname ...
- meaning "oblivion". * - The division's flower is the
Narcissus Narcissus may refer to: Biology * ''Narcissus'' (plant), a genus containing daffodils and others People * Narcissus (mythology), Greek mythological character * Narcissus (wrestler) (2nd century), assassin of the Roman emperor Commodus * Tiberiu ...
- meaning "selfishness". * - Known as the Zaraki Corps, Squad Eleven is well known for its brute military force with a specialization of sword-only combat, making them at loggerheads with the Fourth division. The division's flower is the
Chinese yarrow ''Achillea alpina'', commonly known as alpine yarrow, Chinese yarrow or Siberian yarrow, is an Asian and North American species of plant in the sunflower family. It is native to Siberia, the Russian Far East, China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, Nepa ...
- meaning "battle". * - a scientific research division and has been the home of the Soul Reaper Research and Development Institute for 110 years. It was directly linked to the S.R.D.I. by former Captain Kisuke Urahara. The division's flower is the
Thistle Thistle is the common name of a group of flowering plants characterised by leaves with sharp prickles on the margins, mostly in the family Asteraceae. Prickles can also occur all over the planton the stem and on the flat parts of the leaves. ...
- meaning "revenge", "rigorous" and "independence". * - division's flower is the
Galanthus nivalis ''Galanthus nivalis'', the snowdrop or common snowdrop, is the best-known and most widespread of the 20 species in its genus, ''Galanthus''. Snowdrops are among the first bulbs to bloom in spring and can form impressive carpets of white in areas ...
- meaning "hope". The thirteen squad is believed to be inspired greatly from a real swordsman group in Japan, Shinsengumi. There are captains and the squad that refer to the prime Shinsengumi. Other military forces exist apart from the Gotei Thirteen and serve more specialized capacities: * The is a reclusive group that specializes in ''kidō'' and is in charge of the gateway connecting the Soul Society and the human world. The are the leaders of the thirteen squads. Each controls a specific squad with the exception of the , who acts as both captain of Squad One and leader of the Gotei Thirteen; the implication is that this is an
ex officio An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term '' ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by right ...
position. All captains are able to perform the ''bankai'' of their ''zanpakutō''. To achieve the position of captain, a Soul Reaper must display great expertise with Soul Reaper abilities and battle tactics, and must be approved by either their fellow captains or the members of their own squad. There are three ways a Soul Reaper can become a captain. # To take the captain proficiency test, which requires the ability to perform ''bankai''. Presumably, most Soul Reapers become captains using this method. At least three existing captains, including Head Captain, have to witness the test. # To have personal recommendations from at least six captains and approval from at least three of the remaining seven. # To defeat a captain one-on-one with at least 200 witnesses from the captain's division. Kenpachi Zaraki and Kenpachi Kiganjō are the only two known captains to have achieved their rank using this method. The are the
adjutant Adjutant is a military appointment given to an officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of human resources in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed forces as a non-commission ...
s to the captains in each squad. In terms of rank, they hold the second seat in the squad. In the case of a squad captain's death, departure, or other circumstances making them unable to perform their duties, the lieutenant acts as the acting captain until another captain can be assigned. The hold ranks from third seat to twentieth. While single digit ranks are usually assigned to a single officer, the lower ranks are often held by several. Higher ranks may also lead secondary teams within the division; for instance, Hanatarō Yamada is Squad Four's seventh seat and leader of the Fourteenth Advanced Relief Team therein.


Soul Reaper characters by squads


Squad One


Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto

was the captain of Squad 1 and Head Captain of the Gotei 13, believing that laws must be upheld for the benefit of the community and despised those who break them, though he made an exception with Ichigo due to debt that the entire Soul Society owed to him. He founded the Soul Reaper Academy about 1,000 years before the main ''Bleach'' storyline, where he personally instructed
Shunsui Kyōraku This is a list of featured in the manga and anime series ''Bleach'', created by Tite Kubo. Soul Reapers are a fictional race of spirits who govern the flow of souls between the human world and the afterlife realm called the ''Soul Society''. The ...
and Jūshirō Ukitake whom he treated as if they were his sons. Yamamoto claimed that no Soul Reaper born in the last one thousand years is stronger than he is. He is killed by Yhwach. Yamamoto's ''zanpakutō'' is , and it displays control over flame. It is the most powerful ''zanpakutō'' in Soul Society, and the sheer power of the flame can disintegrate almost anything the sword is waved at. Its release command is "Reduce All Creation to Ash" (万象一切灰燼と為せ, ''Banshō issai kaijin to nase'' or "All things in the universe, Turn to ashes" in the English Dub). ''Ryūjin Jakka's'' Bankai is which upon release causes all of the flames produced by Yamamoto to be concentrated at the edge of the blade, which takes on the appearance of an ancient, scorched sword. ''Zanka no Tachi's'' heat reaches temperatures of 15,000,000 degrees, creating flame-like reiatsu around Yamamoto, which renders him untouchable. Merely activating it drains all the moisture in Soul Society. Even squad ten current captain, Toshiro Hitsugaya, cannot release his sword due to the heat radiated from Yamamoto's bankai. Its power is so great it can destroy the entire Soul Society and Yamamoto himself should it remain active for too long. Yamamoto is voiced by
Masaaki Tsukada was a Japanese actor and voice actor working for Mausu Promotion. His wife, Masako Nozawa is a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator. Throughout her life, she has been affiliated with Production Baobab, 81 Produce and self-owned Office ...
for the anime series and
Binbin Takaoka is a Japanese voice actor. Filmography Anime series *''A Certain Scientific Railgun'' – Gensei Kihara *'' A Certain Scientific Railgun T'' – Gensei Kihara *'' Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War'' – Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto *''Divine Gat ...
for "Thousand Year Blood War" in the Japanese version of the anime. In the English dub, he is voiced by
Neil Kaplan Neil Charles Kaplan is an American voice actor, audiobook narrator, entertainer, and comedian. Biography Kaplan got his start as a comedian doing impressions of presidents such as Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon. He also impersonated a little-k ...
.


Chōjirō Sasakibe

, was Yamamoto's lieutenant, often present during meetings between the captains. He was the only Soul Reaper that participated in the battle for Karakura Town that did not fight, guarding the fake town with a large barrier. In an omake, it shows that due to a mission in the real world he enjoyed growing tea leaves and making his own tea. He, alongside 106 other Soul Reapers, was killed during the Wandenreich's first invasion of Soul Society. It is revealed during his funeral that he had achieved his bankai even before Yamamoto's pupils, Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake did, though due to his loyalty to Yamamoto had never used it or even offered to be a captain. Yamamoto confronted Chōjirō's murderer, the Stern Ritter Driscoll Berci, who tried to kill him using Chōjirō's bankai, only to be obliterated by the enraged Yamamoto for using his lieutenant's bankai so shamefully. His ''zanpakutō'' is . When released with the command , it transforms into a
rapier A rapier () or is a type of sword with a slender and sharply-pointed two-edged blade that was popular in Western Europe, both for civilian use (dueling and self-defense) and as a military side arm, throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. Impor ...
. Its shikai special abilities remain unknown. His bankai is , which produces a bolt of lightning from the blade that extends and transforms into a dome of lightning, stationed far above the users head and fastened to the ground by a large number of lightning pillars. These pillars can be controlled at will to shock the opponent. Sasakibe is voiced by
Taro Yamaguchi is a Japanese voice actor. Filmography Television animation * '' Argevollen'' (xxxx) as Bernard Gaap * ''Bakugan Battle Brawlers'' (xxxx) as Clayf/Glaive * '' Bakugan Battle Brawlers New Vestroia (xxxx)'' as Clayf/Glaive * '' Bleach'' (xxxx) as ...
in the Japanese version of the anime. In the English dub, he is voiced by
Michael McConnohie Michael McConnohie is an American voice actor, writer and director who has provided many voice roles in movies, anime, and video games. He and fellow actress Melodee Spevack run a production company called VoxWorks. Some of his major works includ ...
when he first speaks in Episode 54 and by
Dan Woren Dan Woren is an American voice actor who is known for providing voice work for anime, television, and video games. His role was voicing Roy Fokker in the ''Robotech'' series in the 1980s. Other major voice roles include Jagi in ''Fist of the N ...
in later appearances.


Shunsui Kyōraku

was originally Squad Eight's captain for most of the storyline. One of the oldest captains alongside his friend Jūshirō Ukitake, Shunsui was trained under Head Captain Yamamoto whom he called . Shunsui is a laid-back and flamboyant man as seen in his attire, wearing a straw hat and a pink flowered
haori The is a traditional Japanese hip- or thigh-length jacket worn over a kimono. Resembling a shortened kimono with no overlapping front panels (), the typically features a thinner collar than that of a kimono, and is sewn with the addition of t ...
over his captain's uniform. In his off time, he can be seen drinking
sake Sake, also spelled saké ( ; also referred to as Japanese rice wine), is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name ''Japanese rice wine'', sake, and indee ...
and napping. Other times, he likes to chase after women, particularly his lieutenant Nanao Ise. Shunsui tends to use a more familiar speech style than most other characters in ''Bleach''; he generally refers to his fellow captains and Soul Reapers by their first name, usually followed by an honorific. Kyōraku is a peace-loving man who will always try to find a nonviolent solution, though he does not wish to insult opponents by refusing to fight. But he is also an adept fighter, able to defeat Coyote Starrk by using only his shikai. After Yamamoto's death, Shunsui becomes the new Head Captain, and chooses Genshirō Okikiba and his niece Nanao as Squad One lieutenants. Unlike other Soul Reapers, Shunsui possesses paired ''zanpakutō'' called . While the blades are normally two daisho swords, their Shikai state resemble
dao Dao, Dão or DAO may refer to: * Tao (Chinese: "The Way" 道), a philosophical concept * Dao (Chinese sword) (刀), a type of Chinese sword * Dao (Naga sword), a weapon and a tool of Naga people People and language * Yao people, a minority ethnic ...
or
falchion A falchion (; Old French: ''fauchon''; Latin: ''falx'', "sickle") is a one-handed, single-edged sword of European origin. Falchions are found in different forms from around the 13th century up to and including the 16th century. In some version ...
s. When released with the command , Katen Kyōkotsu gains the ability to "turn children's games into reality." One such game, , involves spinning around wind like a top. Another, , declares that whoever is the highest is the winner. A third technique, , forces the players to alter their own shadows; whoever steps on a shadow, even their own, is declared the loser. The fourth game is known as where players call out color and then slice the enemy where that color is displayed. However, if the color is not on the body of the person who called it out then the damage given is minimal; the more that the declared color is prevalent on the declarer's body, the more damage the attack will commit. A fifth game is called , a game similar to "Red Light Green Light". The sixth and final game is called which is a game where if a person is staring hard enough at another person's shadow, then their opponent creates after images of themselves. ''Katen Kyōkotsu's'' bankai is called , which he uses only when his allies are at a safe distance from himself. When released, Shunsui's bankai covers a large area around Shunsui in an aura. This aura changes others' perception of the surrounding environment, making them perceive it as darkened, bleak and gloomy, and causes others to feel varying levels of melancholy and despair. While it maintains its shikai form, its bankai allows Shunsui to manifest various stories, which can kill an opponent easily. It also manifests the spirit of Shunsui's ''zanpakutō'', a Feudal-Japan-style mistress referred to as Katen who created a
kunoichi is a Japanese cant term for . In popular culture, it is often used for female shinobi or practitioner of ninjutsu (''ninpo''). The term was largely popularized by novelist Yamada Futaro in his novel ''Ninpō Hakkenden'' (忍法八犬伝) in 1964 ...
offshoot named Kyōkotsu to hold Shinken Hakkyōken until Nanao eventually asks for it. Shunsui is voiced by
Akio Otsuka is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator from the Tokyo Metropolitan area. He is attached to Mausu Promotion. The astringent and calm quality of his deep voice has landed him many roles in films, dubbing, animation, and video games. He is ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by Steve Kramer in the English dub.


Nanao Ise

was originally Squad Eight's lieutenant for most of the series, serving under her uncle, Shunsui Kyōraku. Nanao's family is mostly composed of women with a both a lineage of
Shinto Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintois ...
priesthood and another reputation in the fact that men who marry into the family, like Shunsui's brother, eventually die due to a
family curse A curse (also called an imprecation, malediction, execration, malison, anathema, or commination) is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or misfortune will befall or attach to one or more persons, a place, or an object. In particular, ...
. As a child, living with elderly relatives after her mother was executed for discarding Shinken Hakkyōken in the aftermath of her father's death, Nanao joined the Thirteen Court Squads for her knowledge in kidō. During her first days as a member of Squad 8, enjoying being read to by former Squad 8 lieutenant Lisa Yadōmaru, Nanao realized her family's zanpakutō was with Shunsui. Nanao is a very serious and pragmatic person like Lisa, which is at odds with Shunsui's silly antics. Despite this, she is extremely respectful of her captain and follows his instructions without hesitation. Nanao is often accosted by her captain, whose teasing takes various forms. When she is particularly annoyed she removes her glasses. Though her face has never been shown while doing so, this act is apparently quite frightening as most characters who see it are reduced to gibbering wrecks just by witnessing it. When Shunsui becomes the new Head Captain, Nanao becomes his lieutenant in Squad 1 alongside Genshirō Okikiba. While she creates a special kidō capable of blocking the Wandenreich during their second invasion of Soul Society, Nanao later convinces Shunsui to give her Shinken Hakkyōken. Nanao's ''zanpakutō'' is , a family heirloom used in the Ise clan's rites and rituals. Unlike other Soul Reapers, members of the Ise clan lack ''zanpakutō'' and only the family head can inherit Shinken Hakkyōken. Nanao is rarely seen with the weapon for most of the story until Shunsui's battle with Lille Barro, her superior having sealed the ''zanpakutō'' into Kyōkotsu to honor his sister-in-law's wish to hide the apparent source of the Ise clan's curse from Nanao in hopes it would end with her generation. But as a last resort, as Shinken Hakkyōken is able to harm divine beings, Shunsui gives the bandaged ''zanpakutō'' to Nanao while she accepts the consequences despite being skeptical of it. In its Shikai state, Shinken Hakkyōken takes the form of an ornate medium-sized bladeless sword with a flat end with ability to take the power of a god into itself and disperse it off into the eight directions. The weapon did appear in the art book "All Colour but the Black" in its basic unwrapped form, appearing as either a ''
wakizashi The is one of the traditionally made Japanese swords (''nihontō'') worn by the samurai in feudal Japan. History and use The production of swords in Japan is divided into specific time periods:
'' or a ''
tantō A is one of the traditionally made Japanese swords ( ''nihonto'') that were worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan. The tantō dates to the Heian period, when it was mainly used as a weapon but evolved in design over the years to become more ...
''. Nanao is voiced by
Hitomi Nabatame is a Japanese actress and singer who is affiliated with Ken Production. She sang the opening themes for ''Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu'' under the name "Miran Himemiya and Chocolate Rockers". Filmography Anime ;2003 *''Maburaho'' (Yūna Miyama) ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Kate Higgins Catherine Davis Higgins is an American voice actress, singer and jazz piano, jazz pianist. Career Music career Higgins earned a degree in music from Auburn University in 1991. She is a trained pianist who studied with the jazz artist Bob Richard ...
in the English dub.


Genshirō Okikiba

was originally 3rd Seat in Squad One, ordered by Yamamoto to guard their barracks during the Wandenreich's attack on the Soul Society. After Yamamoto's death, Okikiba is selected by Shunsui Kyōraku to be his lieutenant along with Nanao Ise.


Shin'etsu Kisaragi

was a member of Squad One and father of Shūsuke Amagai introduced in the anime. When Central 46 denied Yamamoto's request to investigate the Kasumiōji Clan Compound upon the clan's manufacturing of the Bakkōtō, Kisaragi is sent to infiltrate the Kasumiōji Clan Compound where he was caught by Gyōkaku Kumoi's men as Gyōkaku Kumoi forces a Bakkōtō on him. Using the control of the Bakkōtō, Kumoi forced Shin'etsu to return to the person who sent him. Shin'etsu ends up fighting Yamamoto, who is forced to kill his subordinate in self-defense. Shūsuke finds his dying body and hears his father's last words "Beware the Bakkōtō". He is voiced by Hōchu Otsuka in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Joe Ochman Joe Ochman is an American actor who is most active in voice over roles in various animation shows, films, and video games. He is the fourth and current voice of Jiminy Cricket since 2014. Filmography Live-action * '' Adventures in Voice Acting' ...
in the English dub.


Squad Two

Originally led by
Yoruichi Shihōin is a fictional character in the anime and manga series '' Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. Character outline Yoruichi Shihōin is a woman who can transform into a black cat for long periods of time. She is intelligent and witty, and is intimatel ...
, who combined her group's duties with the , Squad Two's duties include assassination and covert operations. After Yoruichi is forced to leave her post for aiding in Kisuke's escape when he was accused of the Hollowification of the Vizards, Suì-Fēng became the current captain of Squad Two.


Marenoshin Ōmaeda

is the former lieutenant of Squad 2 under Yoruichi as well as former Captain of the Special Forces Patrol Corps, appearing in the ''Turn Back the Pendulum''
gaiden In media, a spin-off (or spinoff) is a radio program, television program, film, video game or any narrative work, derived from already existing works that focus on more details and different aspects from the original work (e.g. particular topics, ...
. He is the father of the division's current lieutenant, Marechiyo. His appearance is similar to that of his son. Like his son, Marenoshin likes to downgrade the poorer members of the Gotei 13, like Izuru Kira and Shūhei Hisagi. Marenoshin eventually retired his positions, both of which were taken by his son.


Suì-Fēng

, born , is the captain of Squad 2 and also the current Commander in Chief of the Stealth Force. She is a hard worker who believes strongly in following orders. She is also outwardly antagonistic to her underlings as she believes this keeps them on their toes. During her childhood, she served as a bodyguard and eventual protégé of
Yoruichi Shihōin is a fictional character in the anime and manga series '' Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. Character outline Yoruichi Shihōin is a woman who can transform into a black cat for long periods of time. She is intelligent and witty, and is intimatel ...
with whom she developed a close relationship. When Yoruichi left the Soul Society, Suì-Fēng was crushed by the fact that Yoruichi did not take her with her. When Yoruichi returns to Soul Society a century later, Suì-Fēng engages her in battle yet did not manage to defeat her. After asking the question of why she was left behind, to which Yoruichi's answer is not heard, the two make amends. Their relationship has become somewhat of a running gag: Suì-Fēng likes anything resembling a black cat (a form Yoruichi can assume at will) and displays jealousy should Yoruichi be in someone else's company. Suì-Fēng also applies battle techniques similar to Yoruichi, engaging the enemies by using hand-to-hand combat with Shunpo abilities. Suì-Fēng's ''zanpakutō'' is . When released by the command , it shrinks into a stinger that is worn on the middle finger of Suì-Fēng's right hand. Whenever it stabs an opponent, a butterfly-like symbol called a spreads from the point of contact. The crest bears four wings because the Hornet has two sets of full-size wings located on its thorax. Due to her training, this mark can be kept there for as long as she desires. Should Suzumebachi stab the same location again, the opponent dies. This technique is called "Nigeki Kessatsu (弐撃決殺, Death in Two Steps)". This also holds true if an internal organ is pierced in the same location, regardless of the point of entry into the body. Furthermore, if Suì-Fēng is infected with a foreign poison, she can stab herself with her ''zanpakutō'' to counteract the new poison with her own, neutralizing it. Suzumebachi's ''Bankai'', is a part shaped like a bee's stomach acting as a homing missile high in power with a part acting as a launcher with a sighting device, shaped like a mask. Holding this bankai makes her hard to move and the thunderous recoil needs something like a or someone to reduct. Suì-Fēng notes that normally she can only use her ''bankai'' once every three days without issue; using it more than once in a day, while possible, drains considerable amounts of her spirit energy. So even the second shot would exhaust her to the point where her speed and maneuverability would be seriously impaired which is anathema to her fighting style which requires high levels of both. Even without the weapon, Suì-Fēng reformed the secret art Shunko(瞬開), meaning she is strong in close combat. In the Japanese version of the anime, Suì-Fēng was originally voiced by
Tomoko Kawakami was a Japanese voice actress. Having graduated from the Toho Gakuen College of Drama and Music, she was affiliated with Production Baobab at the time of her death. Career Kawakami debuted in 1994 as a role of a boy in ''Metal Fighter Miku''. He ...
until her passing in 2011 and by
Houko Kuwashima is a Japanese voice actress and singer.Doi, Hitoshi"Kuwashima Houko" ''Seiyuu Database''. 3 January 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2011. She is capable of playing a variety of roles, ranging from young boys to feminine women. She is affiliated with ...
in later episodes. In the English dub, she is voiced by
Karen Strassman Karen Strassman (born June 5 is an American stage, television and voice actress who has provided English language voices for Japanese anime shows, animation, and video games. Some of her major roles are Kallen Stadtfeld in the ''Code Geass'' seri ...
.


Marechiyo Ōmaeda

is the lieutenant of Squad Two Division and Captain of the Special Forces Patrol Corps. He comes across as arrogant and dull. In an
omake ''Omake'' (, usually written ) means ''extra'' in Japanese language, Japanese. Its primary meaning is general and widespread. It is used as an anime and manga term to mean "extra or bonus." In the United States, the term is most often used in ...
, he is shown to come from a rich family, where he is revealed to have a ridiculously long name: . Other characters suspect that he received his position as a lieutenant because of his family's influence. Despite his dense and foolish attitude, he is a skilled tactician, is not above putting himself in danger for his duty, and only feigns weakness and stupidity to lull his opponents into underestimating him, using this to aid in his near victory over one of Aizen's
arrancar In the fictional ''Bleach (manga), Bleach'' manga/anime universe, a is a kind of monstrous lost soul who can harm both ghosts and humans. Many of the series' antagonists are ''hollows''. There are also hollows with Soul Reaper (a death-related ...
. Marechiyo's ''zanpakutō'' is , and is released by the command . It transforms into an oversized
flail A flail is an agricultural tool used for threshing, the process of separating grains from their husks. It is usually made from two or more large sticks attached by a short chain; one stick is held and swung, causing the other (the swipple) to st ...
that can be thrown to inflict great physical damage to foes. He has not obtained his Bankai yet. He is voiced by Shōto Kashii in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Lex Lang Lex Lang (born November 12, 1965) is an American voice actor and voice director, who has provided voices and served as a director for a number of animations and video games. He is best known for voicing Doctor Neo Cortex in the ''Crash Bandicoo ...
in the English version.


Squad Three

Squad Three was originally led by Rōjūrō "Rose" Otoribashi until he was forced to forfeit his post after Sōsuke Aizen placed him through Hollowification.
Gin Ichimaru is a fictional character in the anime and manga series ''Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. He was the captain of the 3rd Division in the Gotei 13 until he betrays Soul Society, and after that becomes a commander in Sōsuke Aizen's arrancar army. La ...
, formerly Aizen's lieutenant in Squad Five, takes Rose's position after Aizen revealed his true colors. After, Izuru briefly takes over the captain duties for a while, the anime depicting Shūsuke Amagai to momentarily hold the captain status before his death, Rose is allowed to resume his duties after Aizen was defeated.


Chikane Iba

is the former lieutenant of Squad 3 under Rōjūrō Otoribashi, appearing in the ''Turn Back the Pendulum''
gaiden In media, a spin-off (or spinoff) is a radio program, television program, film, video game or any narrative work, derived from already existing works that focus on more details and different aspects from the original work (e.g. particular topics, ...
. She is the mother of Tetsuzaemon Iba, the current lieutenant of the 7th Division. She retired from her position sometime later.


Gin Ichimaru


Izuru Kira

is the lieutenant of Squad Three, formerly in Squads 5 and 4. He is a friend of
Momo Hinamori This is a list of featured in the manga and anime series ''Bleach'', created by Tite Kubo. Soul Reapers are a fictional race of spirits who govern the flow of souls between the human world and the afterlife realm called the ''Soul Society''. The ...
and
Renji Abarai Renji (廉侍) is a masculine Japanese given name name. Possible writings Renji can be written in Hiragana as レンジ. In Kanji, it can be alternatively rendered as; *廉侍 "a pure heart, samurai." *蓮司 "lotus, preside over." *蓮治 "lotus ...
from their days in the Soul Reaper academy, and the three often spend their free time together. Though Kira is loyal to his friends, he often places his duties as a lieutenant above them. He defends his captain,
Gin Ichimaru is a fictional character in the anime and manga series ''Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. He was the captain of the 3rd Division in the Gotei 13 until he betrays Soul Society, and after that becomes a commander in Sōsuke Aizen's arrancar army. La ...
, from a grief-stricken Hinamori, and later calls himself a "monster" for raising his sword against her. He subsequently comes to regret helping Gin Ichimaru to defect from Soul Society, and develops more of a depressed and pessimistic demeanor. During the Wandenreich invasion, Kira is mortally wounded by Sternritter Bazz-B. However, he is revealed to have survived the attack and is later healed by Mayuri Kurotsuchi, allowing him to battle the multiple weakened bird cloned copies of Lille Barro's Vollständig. Kira's ''zanpakutō'' is . The shikai command is . When released, ''Wabisuke'' straightens and its blade forms three sides of squares, becoming angular hook. It has the ability to double the weight of whatever it strikes. The effect is cumulative, so each following hit exponentially increases the weight of the target. Thus, after seven or eight blocked attacks, his opponents are unable to lift their own swords or even move their body, leaving them on the ground with their head bowed as though asking forgiveness. At this point ''Wabisuke's'' released form, a blade bent into a squared hook, comes into play, being used to decapitate the kneeling opponent, denying them forgiveness. He is voiced by
Takahiro Sakurai is a Japanese voice actor, narrator, and radio personality from Aichi Prefecture, Japan. His well-known roles include heroes such as Cloud Strife in ''Compilation of Final Fantasy VII'', Suzaku Kururugi in ''Code Geass'' and X in ''Mega Man X' ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Grant George Grant George is an American voice actor who is known for voicing characters in anime dubs and video games. George is best known as the voice of Izuru Kira from the internationally acclaimed ''Bleach'' anime series, the Warrior of Light from ''F ...
in the English dub.


Shūsuke Amagai

is an anime-exclusive character introduced as the captain of Squad 3 during
season nine A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...
of the anime. He has an unkempt appearance and is usually bright, lively, and unpretentious, and can become drunk on a single drink of
alcohol Alcohol most commonly refers to: * Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom * Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks Alcohol may also refer to: Chemicals * Ethanol, one of sev ...
. Because Amagai spent most of his Soul Reaper career away from Soul Society as part of a patrol group, the members of the 3rd Division are mistrustful of him when first meeting him. As such, he spends the episodes following his introduction trying to prove himself to them and the rest of the Soul Reapers by promoting teamwork between all the divisions. As the anime progresses Amagai is quickly revealed to have ulterior motives, with his friendly attitude only being a means to further his plans. He joined the Gotei 13 in order to exact revenge upon
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto This is a list of featured in the manga and anime series ''Bleach (manga), Bleach'', created by Tite Kubo. Soul Reapers are a fictional race of spirits who govern the flow of souls between the human world and the afterlife realm called the ''Soul ...
for killing his father to keep the bakkōtō a secret. After his various accomplices are slain in Soul Society, Amagai takes the nuclei of their bakkōtō and engages Yamamoto in battle. He ends up fighting Ichigo Kurosaki while Rukia and the others Rurichiyo Kasumioji (who Amagai abducted after killing Gyokaku Kumoi) and is defeated by Ichigo. Upon learning the truth about his father's death, he takes his own life to atone for his misdeeds. Amagai's ''zanpakutō'' is . The ''shikai'' command of his ''zanpakutō'' is . When released, it takes the form of a white
hook sword The hook sword, twin hooks, ''fu tao'', ''hu tou gou'' (tiger head hook) or ''shuang gou'' () is a Chinese weapon traditionally associated with northern styles of Chinese martial arts and Wushu weapons routines, but now often practiced by sout ...
with curved pipes that form the hilt. He can focus fireballs into the crux of the hook and, by slamming it into the ground, create large fissures of flame to attack enemies with. Raika's ''bankai'', , enlarges the blade and creates a giant conch-shaped guard worn across Amagai's arm, with the handle of the blade hidden inside it. This form gives him greater control of his fire attacks, his most powerful technique creating giant dragons of fire to encircle and crush his foe. His Bakkōtō, a twin-bladed tuning fork-shaped weapon, creates black-plated armor across Amagai's right arm and a green
energy sword A sword is an edged and bladed weapons, edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter ...
emitting from the weapon when activated. His ''Bakkōtō'' (獏爻刀, roughly "
tapir Tapirs ( ) are large, herbivorous mammals belonging to the family Tapiridae. They are similar in shape to a pig, with a short, prehensile nose trunk. Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South and Central America, with one species inhabit ...
crossing blade") negates any other active Soul Reaper zanpakutō abilities, forcing opponents to rely on other powers. He is voiced by
Ken'yū Horiuchi is a Japanese voice actor. In 2002 he founded his own voice acting management office, Kenyu Office. He is best known for dubbing over Brad Pitt (Horiuchi met Pitt at Japan's Premiere of ''Bullet Train''), Charlie Sheen, Ben Stiller, Ben Affleck, ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Rick Zieff Richard Evan Zieff (born November 1, 1961), also known as Danny Katiana, is an American actor and voice-over coach. Career His career in voice-overs dates back to the mid-1980s. He has also appeared in such films as ''Mississippi Burning'', '' ...
in the English dub.


Makoto Kibune

is an anime character who is added to Squad 3 as the 3rd Seat during
season nine A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...
of the anime. He has brown hair and purple-rimmed glasses. While he outwardly appears friendly towards his subordinates, he is highly intolerant towards failure, calling those who fall in battle "trash". When in training at the Soul Reaper academy, Kibune stood out as a highly gifted student, but his inability to function in a team prevented him from attaining rank in the Gotei 13 where a teammate getting injured upon his attack on a hollow got him in trouble with Central 46. This led Kibune to join the patrol squads under Shūsuke Amagai instead. Around this time, he became a servant of Gyōkaku Kumoi and gained a ''bakkōtō''. Though it gives him the necessary power to wreak havoc on Soul Society, he eventually loses control of the ''Bakkōtō'' and is killed by
Izuru Kira This is a list of featured in the manga and anime series ''Bleach (manga), Bleach'', created by Tite Kubo. Soul Reapers are a fictional race of spirits who govern the flow of souls between the human world and the afterlife realm called the ''Soul ...
as Makoto's body laid on the ground in flames. Kibune's ''zanpakutō'' is . When released by the command , it takes the form of a large, two-bladed weapon. When combined with his ''Bakkōtō'', Makoto can telekinetically control the sword, allowing him to attack enemies from any direction and spin the blade like a saw blade. He is voiced by
Hikaru Midorikawa is a Japanese Voice acting in Japan, voice actor from Otawara, Tochigi who is represented by Aoni Production. He is best known for the roles of Softon in ''Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo'', Tamahome in ''Fushigi Yûgi'', Seiran Shi in ''Saiunkoku Monogatari'' ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Christopher Corey Smith Christopher Corey Smith is an American voice actor who voices in animated shows and video games. He is best known for his voice role as Gagumber in the anime ''Sakugan''. Personal life On April 29, 2022, Smith married voice actress Cindy Robi ...
in the English dub.


Squad Four


Retsu Unohana

was the captain of Squad 4, one of the founding members of the Gotei 13 and the first Kenpachi, a title granted to the captains of the Squad 11. Before becoming a captain, Unohana was regarded as the most diabolical criminal to ever grace Soul Society, being infamous for her sadistic bloodlust for battle. She invented the "Art of Killing" and gave herself the name in part of her boast that she had mastered all kind of fighting arts. Unohana was desperate to find opponents who give her satisfying challenges until she battled Kenpachi Zaraki, whom she regarded as stronger than her after being able to give her a scar on the chest. However, for unknown reasons, after becoming the captain of Squad 4, Unohana became a serene and soft-spoken lady who never displayed distress even in the most perilous situations and when situations prove demanding, she usually responded with sharp-minded thinking. She used
honorifics An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an Honorary title (academic), ho ...
when addressing everyone, including her subordinates. As the captain of Squad 4, Unohana excelled in healing techniques, being taught to her by Royal Guard member, Tenjiro Kirinji, which she put to use in treating the most severe injuries and performing major surgeries, normally on the captains and if necessary, lieutenants. Though she is always polite to her patients and subordinates, aspects of her true persona manifested a bit with her mere presence intimidating her charges into submission if they try to leave her care before they are fully healed or, in the English dub, if they complain about the way they are being treated. She was very good in noticing details, as shown by her being the first to notice a slight abnormality on Aizen's fake corpse, which was confirmed later on by Aizen himself. During the Battle of Karakura Town, she was one of the captains sent to assist Ichigo in Hueco Mundo and later accompanied Ichigo to the town through Garganta, although she did not take part in the battle directly. Later, during the Wandenreich invasion, Unohana and all other members of her division were ordered to remain in their barracks by Yamamoto and after Shunsui Kyōraku became the new Captain-Commander, she resumed her true persona when asked to train Zaraki in what would become a battle to the death. After repeatedly taking Zaraki to the brink of death and bringing him back to continue fighting, Unohana released her Bankai to complete Zaraki's "awakening". In the end, she was run through by Zaraki, dying, but grateful that she had served her purpose and helped Zaraki to learn the name of his ''zanpakutō''. Unohana's ''zanpakutō'' is . When in its sealed form it resembles a curved
tachi A is a type of traditionally made Japanese sword (''nihonto'') worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan. ''Tachi'' and ''katana'' generally differ in length, degree of curvature, and how they were worn when sheathed, the latter depending on t ...
. In its shikai, the entire sword transforms into a gigantic, flying, one-eyed creature resembling a
manta ray Manta rays are large rays belonging to the genus ''Mobula'' (formerly its own genus ''Manta''). The larger species, '' M. birostris'', reaches in width, while the smaller, '' M. alfredi'', reaches . Both have triangular Pectoral fin#AnchPect ...
. It has the ability to heal people by swallowing them and recuperates them in its stomach. When Unohana reseals Minazuki, it dissolves into green mist and reforms into the sheath of her ''zanpakutō''. Her ''bankai'' is . When activated it releases a red, oily substance from the blade. Its powers have yet to be revealed. She is voiced by
Aya Hisakawa is a Japanese voice actress and singer. In addition to releasing various solo CDs, Hisakawa is well known for her voice roles in anime and video games. Some of her major roles are Retsu Unohana in ''Bleach'', Sailor Mercury in ''Sailor Moon'', Sk ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Kate Higgins Catherine Davis Higgins is an American voice actress, singer and jazz piano, jazz pianist. Career Music career Higgins earned a degree in music from Auburn University in 1991. She is a trained pianist who studied with the jazz artist Bob Richard ...
in the English dub. Retsu Unohana is inspired by the mysterious lover of Okita Souji, the first captain of Squad one of Shinsengumi. She was acknowledged to be a strong fighter and a daughter of a Western doctor.


Seinosuke Yamada

is the former lieutenant of the Squad 4, the older brother of Hanatarō Yamada. He served the division 100 years ago, during the ''Turn Back the Pendulum''
gaiden In media, a spin-off (or spinoff) is a radio program, television program, film, video game or any narrative work, derived from already existing works that focus on more details and different aspects from the original work (e.g. particular topics, ...
. While much of him is unknown, Seinosuke is described as having a bad character, although he respects his captain, Retsu Unohana very much. He later left his position.


Isane Kotetsu

is the lieutenant and, after Unohana's death, captain of Squad 4. She is the older sister of
Kiyone Kotetsu This is a list of featured in the manga and anime series ''Bleach'', created by Tite Kubo. Soul Reapers are a fictional race of spirits who govern the flow of souls between the human world and the afterlife realm called the ''Soul Society''. The ...
. Unlike Kiyone, Isane is generally quiet and observant and taller than average, though she shares her sister's sense of loyalty to her captain. Unohana notes that Isane suffers from frequent and recurring
nightmare A nightmare, also known as a bad dream, Retrieved 11 July 2016. is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong emotional response from the mind, typically fear but also despair, anxiety or great sadness. The dream may contain situations of d ...
s. 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 that ended with her screaming "fish paste." She is very emotional by nature, crying after the Wandereich's first invasion of the Soul Society and again when she finds Captain Unohana's farewell note before the latter's fight to the death with Zaraki. During the Soul Society Arc, she was present at Rukia's execution. When Ichigo appeared, Isane, alongside Chōjirō Sasakibe and Marechiyo Ōmaeda, attacked him but were swiftly defeated. She was present when Aizen revealed his true nature to Hitsugaya and Unohana, and quickly broadcast the information to the rest of Soul Society. Isane was part of the reinforcements sent to Hueco Mundo in order to assist Ichigo and his friends. She and Unohana healed Chad and Gantenbainne Mosqueda after saving them from the Exequias. After Unohana headed to Fake Karakura Town, she ordered Isane to assist Captain Byakuya Kuchiki and Captain Kenpachi Zaraki in battle against Espada Yammy Llargo. During the Wandenreich invasion of Soul Society, Isane and the rest of the 4th Division were ordered by Yamamoto to remain in their barracks. Isane's ''zanpakutō'' is her shikai command is . When released, two smaller blades protrude from Itegumo's hilt at 45° angles. Its special abilities, if any, remain unknown. She is voiced by
Yukana , who goes by her mononymous stage name , is a Japanese voice actress and singer affiliated with Sigma Seven. Her major roles include Azuki in ''Azuki-chan'', Yuri Tanima in ''Wedding Peach'', Meiling Li in ''Cardcaptor Sakura'', Tessa in ''Ful ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Stephanie Sheh Stephanie Sheh is an American voice actress, ADR director, writer and producer who has worked for several major companies, including Cartoon Network and Sony. She is often involved with work in English dubs of anime, cartoons, video games and fi ...
in the English dub.


Yasochika Iemura

is the 3rd Seat Officer of the Squad 4 and the leader of its first relief team serving under Retsu Unohana. Despite his high rank, he addresses his 3rd seat peers in the other divisions with a -sama honorific suffix as he comes from the weakest division in terms of combat. Iemura meticulously keeps a diary, which he sometimes defeats the purpose of by narrating what he is writing in it, particularly when lamenting something. He is quite proficient in the use of healing Kidō and his speedy treatments are known to rival those of his Division's lieutenant, Isane Kotetsu. The name and abilities of Iemura's ''zanpakutō'' are unknown. Iemura was only seen using his sword once in the manga against a 4th Division member after the latter annoyed him. It resembles a regular
katana A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge fa ...
with a square shaped guard. He is voiced by
Yutaka Aoyama is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator. Biography Aoyama became interested on films, while attending elementary school. He did not have the film study group in high school. He joined Bearer's group with a yearning. It has forty female m ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Cam Clarke Cam Clarke is an American voice actor, known for his work in animation, video games and commercials. Among his notable roles are Leonardo and Rocksteady in the 1987 ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' animated series, Shotaro Kaneda in the 1989 ...
in the English dub.


Hanatarō Yamada

is the 7th Seat Officer of Squad 4 and the leader of its 14th Relief Squad. Hanatarō is very timid and nervous, mostly he is not thinking about what he is doing. He tends to be clumsy and easily duped. Despite his character, he is shown to be very talented in healing and treating including even displaying boldness at times as he risks his position as a Soul Reaper to help
Rukia Kuchiki is a fictional character in the anime and manga series '' Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. In the series, she is a Soul Reaper, (死神, Shinigami, literally 'Death God'), in charge of slaying evil spirits called Hollows. At the beginning, after a ...
escape execution while healing Ichigo on several occasions. Instead of his ''zanpakutō'', Hanatarō usually carries the 4th Division medical pack on his back that he uses to heal others in the battlefield. Because he has strong relationships with Ichigo, Rukia and Renji, he is part of the reinforcement sent by Gotei 13 to infiltrate Hueco Mundo in order to assist his fellow Soul Reapers in battle, presumably healing them once the battle is over. In Hueco Mundo, Hanatarō was assigned to Captain Byakuya Kuchiki instead of his own captain, Unohana. While there, he was briefly injured by Rukia who at that time was under Zommari Leroux's control but made full recovery and immediately resumed his duty. He is also known as the "Lil' Creepy Medical Kid". Though he does possess a ''zanpakutō'', named , he tends to misplace it as he rarely needs to use it. When it strikes an opponent, Hisagomaru heals their wounds rather than causing them damage. A red gauge on the blade then fills depending on the severity of the healed wounds. Once the gauge is filled and it is released with the command , Hisagomaru transforms into a
scalpel A scalpel, lancet, or bistoury is a small and extremely sharp bladed instrument used for surgery, anatomical dissection, podiatry and various arts and crafts (either called a hobby knife or an X-acto knife.). Scalpels may be single-use disposa ...
and changes its name to . In this state, Hisagomaru unleashes a reiatsu-based attack (similar to kido or cero) equal to the severity and number of wounds that have been healed. The proportion of its strength, if enough energy is stored, is nearly strong enough to decapitate a Menos. However, upon releasing the energies, Akiero Hisagomaru retains its scalpel form, rendering it effectively useless in hand-to-hand combat. He can also release the current amount of energy before it is filled, although this is only mentioned and not actually seen. It is also the only known Zanpakutō that has different names in sealed form and shikai. Hanatarō was one of the selected higher officers who has been ordered to transfer a partial amount of their own reiatsu to restore Ichigo's Soul Reaper power, although the order is only applicable to captains and lieutenants. It is best concluded that Hanatarō is on the par at the lieutenant's level. He is voiced by
Kōki Miyata is a Japanese voice actor who works for 81 Produce. He was formerly credited as . He made his radio CM narration debut on 2 March 1993. Filmography Anime * '' Nintama Rantarou'' (1993), Kanzaki Samon * ''Trigun'' (1998), young Vash the Stampede ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Spike Spencer Charles Forrest "Spike" Spencer (born December 21, 1968) is an American voice actor and columnist best known for dubbing Japanese anime films. He is known for his roles in ADV Films dubs of ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' as Shinji Ikari, ''Martian ...
in the English dub.


Squad Five

Squad Five was originally led by
Shinji Hirako This is a list of characters for Tite Kubo's manga and anime series ''Bleach''. It takes place in a fictional universe in which the characters are split into various factionalized fictional races. They are subdivisions of humanity, but are distin ...
until he was forced to forfeit his post to his lieutenant
Sōsuke Aizen is a fictional character from the manga series ''Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo and the main villain of the first half of the series (and the most significant one for the entirety of the anime adaptation). He is the captain of the Fifth Division o ...
after the latter placed him through Hollowification. It was after Aizen revealed his true colors, with Momo briefly taking over captain duties for a while, that Shinji is allowed to resume his duties as captain after Aizen was defeated.


Momo Hinamori

is the lieutenant of Squad 5. She is an upbeat and easy-going girl who is generally quite trusting, if not naive. She is a childhood friend of
Tōshirō Hitsugaya is a Character (arts), fictional character in the manga and anime series ''Bleach (manga), Bleach'', created by Tite Kubo. In the series, Hitsugaya is a captain of the 10th division or squad of the Gotei 13, a group of List of Soul Reapers in Bl ...
, who called her "bed-wetter Momo" in retaliation whenever she called him "Shiro-chan" ("Lil' Shiro" in the English dub). She befriended
Izuru Kira This is a list of featured in the manga and anime series ''Bleach (manga), Bleach'', created by Tite Kubo. Soul Reapers are a fictional race of spirits who govern the flow of souls between the human world and the afterlife realm called the ''Soul ...
and
Renji Abarai Renji (廉侍) is a masculine Japanese given name name. Possible writings Renji can be written in Hiragana as レンジ. In Kanji, it can be alternatively rendered as; *廉侍 "a pure heart, samurai." *蓮司 "lotus, preside over." *蓮治 "lotus ...
when she joined the Soul Reaper academy, and the three later joined the 5th Division under
Sōsuke Aizen is a fictional character from the manga series ''Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo and the main villain of the first half of the series (and the most significant one for the entirety of the anime adaptation). He is the captain of the Fifth Division o ...
. Being the only one of them to have stayed with the division, Hinamori greatly admired Aizen; it is because of her deep admiration and respect for him that she is in deep shock and denial after he tries to kill her and subsequently betrays the Soul Society, even suggesting in one of her mentally unstable moments that
Gin Ichimaru is a fictional character in the anime and manga series ''Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. He was the captain of the 3rd Division in the Gotei 13 until he betrays Soul Society, and after that becomes a commander in Sōsuke Aizen's arrancar army. La ...
is controlling him somehow. She later joins the rest of Soul Society in fighting against Aizen during this battle, and calls Aizen a captain, but Matsumoto knows it was only out of habit. During this battle, Aizen again has Momo seriously injured by using his powers and fooling Momo's long time friend Captain Hitsugaya into stabbing her in the chest. It is later revealed that she survives this and is undergoing organ regeneration under the supervision of Mayuri Kurotsuchi. The final arc shows Momo being recovered and that she has been on good terms with Shinji Hirako as he became her new captain. Momo's ''zanpakutō'' is . Her shikai command is . When released, ''Tobiume's'' blade straightens and produces several
jitte A is a specialized weapon that was used by police in Edo period Japan (1603 – 1868). History In feudal Japan, it was a crime punishable by death to bring a sword into the ''shōgun''s palace. This law applied to almost everyone, including the ...
-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. She can also compress her power into massive energy balls and toss them from the blade's tip. To complement her ''kidō''-based ''zanpakutō'', Hinamori is noted to be talented with ''kidō'' spells as well, able to combine ''kidō'' abilities with her own ''zanpakutō'' to easily deal with three
arrancar In the fictional ''Bleach (manga), Bleach'' manga/anime universe, a is a kind of monstrous lost soul who can harm both ghosts and humans. Many of the series' antagonists are ''hollows''. There are also hollows with Soul Reaper (a death-related ...
s at once. Momo is voiced by
Kumi Sakuma is a Japanese voice actress who formerly affiliated with Arts Vision and is now affiliated with Amuleto. Filmography Television animation ;1998 *''Legend of the Mystical Ninja'' (Nyanko) *'' Nessa no Haou Gandalla'' (Nurse) ;2000 *''Ceres, Ce ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Karen Strassman Karen Strassman (born June 5 is an American stage, television and voice actress who has provided English language voices for Japanese anime shows, animation, and video games. Some of her major roles are Kallen Stadtfeld in the ''Code Geass'' seri ...
in the English dub.


Squad Six


Ginrei Kuchiki

Ginrei Kuchiki is the grandfather of Byakuya Kuckiki and the father-in-law of Koga Kuchiki. He was the captain of Squad 6. Ginrei is voiced by Kinryū Arimoto in the Japanese version of the anime and by
JB Blanc Jean-Benoît Blanc is a French-British actor and director of film and television who has worked on animations and video games in Los Angeles. Early life Blanc was born in Paris, the son of an English people, English mother and a French people, ...
in the English dub.


Sōjun Kuchiki

was the former lieutenant of the Squad 6 under Ginrei Kuchiki, appearing in the ''Turn Back the Pendulum''
gaiden In media, a spin-off (or spinoff) is a radio program, television program, film, video game or any narrative work, derived from already existing works that focus on more details and different aspects from the original work (e.g. particular topics, ...
. He is Ginrei Kuchiki's son and Byakuya Kuchiki's father. Sōjun had severe health issues, although he still wanted to succeed his father as the Head of Kuchiki family. However, he was later killed in action and was buried next to his wife.


Byakuya Kuchiki


Ginjirō Shirogane


Renji Abarai


Kōga Kuchiki

Koga Kuchiki was the Lieutenant of Squad 6 and his Zanpakuto was named Muramasa. He is voiced by Isshin Chiba in the Japanese version of the anime and by David Vincent in the English dub.


Squad Seven

Squad Seven was originally led by Love Aikawa until he was forced to forfeit his post after Sōsuke Aizen placed him through Hollowification. By the events of the story, Sajin Komamura took over Love's position as captain.


Jin'emon Kotsubaki

is the former lieutenant of Squad Seven under Love Aikawa, appearing in the ''Turn Back the Pendulum''
gaiden In media, a spin-off (or spinoff) is a radio program, television program, film, video game or any narrative work, derived from already existing works that focus on more details and different aspects from the original work (e.g. particular topics, ...
. He is also the father of Sentarō Kotsubaki. Jin'emon later left his service for unknown reasons.


Sajin Komamura

is the captain of the Squad Seven, a member of the
Werewolf In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (; ; uk, Вовкулака, Vovkulaka), is an individual that can shapeshift into a wolf (or, especially in modern film, a therianthropic hybrid wolf-like creature), either purposely or ...
Clan that was once banished to the Animal Realm and transformed to
anthropomorphic Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology. Personification is the related attribution of human form and characteristics t ...
wolves The wolf (''Canis lupus''; plural, : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large Canis, canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of Canis lupus, subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been reco ...
for committing various crimes. However, they managed to survive and eventually climbed back to the Soul Society despite retaining their half-beast forms. Originally, Komamura is very self-conscious about his appearance and wore a large helmet that conceals his entire head before it was destroyed during his fight with
Kenpachi Zaraki is a fictional character of support in the anime and manga series '' Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. He is the captain of the 11th Division within the Gotei 13. His lieutenant is Ikkaku Madarame. Character outline Kenpachi has a wild and aggres ...
. From there on, Komamura gained enough confidence to show his face. His canine appearance is often the source of jokes; for example, when his lieutenant asks where to find a bathroom, he appears to direct him to a fire hydrant, though he is in fact pointing at a bathroom just around the corner. Komamura has a close friendship with
Kaname Tōsen This is a list of featured in the manga and anime series ''Bleach'', created by Tite Kubo. Soul Reapers are a fictional race of spirits who govern the flow of souls between the human world and the afterlife realm called the ''Soul Society''. The ...
and is shocked when the latter defects from Soul Society, feeling that his friend has abandoned his morals. Komamura resolves to awaken Tōsen with his own hands. However, after seeing his former friend's motives and ideology, realizes he has no choice but to fight him. Komamura is immensely strong as demonstrated by his ability to hurl the arrancar Poww's massive released state over his head and onto the ground. Komamura engages Tōsen in battle until his former friend is defeated by Shūhei Hisagi and dies. Later, during the Wandenreich invasion of the Soul Society, Komamura battles the Stern Ritter Bambietta Basterbine by releasing his bankai, but she steals his bankai from him. During the short break after the first invasion, he visited his gigantic werewolf grandfather to train, saying that he no longer feels ashamed of his ancestry. When the Wandenreich begins their second invasion, Komamura confronts Bambietta again, this time being able to retrieve his bankai while revealing to have used the Humanization Technique his grandfather taught him to assume human form while fully invincible at the cost of his heart. Once he beats Bambietta to an inch of her life, the effects of the Humanization Technique wear off and Komamura regress back to his usual form as Iba carries his captain's body away while telling him that they will avenge Yamamoto. Ten years after the Wandenreich's invasion, it is shown that Iba has replaced Komamura's position as captain; Komamura's whereabouts itself is not revealed. Komamura's ''zanpakutō'' is . Once released with the command , 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'', brings forth the entire giant, which also copies Komamura's movements. Though extremely destructive, Komamura's ''bankai'' has a major weakness; any damage inflicted on the giant is reflected upon Komamura, and any damage done to the giant's sword is reflected upon his ''zanpakutō'', as shown when Aizen breaks Komamura's sword and severs his left arm. This weakness essentially makes it a bigger target to a strong enough opponent. According to Tosen, Komamura's Bankai is supposed to finish off the opponent in one hit, which could mean its weakness is to balance out its immense strength. While the weakness may seem overwhelming at first glance, Komamura and his ''bankai'' sharing one another's pain is also an advantage; because of the connection the two share, Komamura's ''bankai'' will heal at a rate proportional to how much Komamura heals, making it the only ''bankai'' in the Soul Society capable of being restored without needing to be modified or reforged. After attaining his Human Transformation technique, Komamura's ''bankai'' gains a new ability, . In this form, the giant sheds its armor and becomes more agile and demonic in appearance. Due to the nature of Komamura's Human Transformation Technique, the giant and Komamura become virtually immune to physical damage. Komamura is voiced by
Tetsu Inada is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Aoni Production. Biography Filmography Anime Films Video games Tokusatsu Dubbing Drama CDs References External linksOfficial agency profileTetsu Inadaat Ryu's Seiyuu Infos * * { ...
in the Japanese version of the anime. In the English dub, he is voiced by
Kim Strauss Kim Strauss is an American voice actor and best-selling author with his children's book ''Kalan the Mighty Warrior: Book One – Braxus the Owl: Guardian of the Forest And He is The Voice of Ninjor in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" History He is ...
during the Soul Society Arc and by
JB Blanc Jean-Benoît Blanc is a French-British actor and director of film and television who has worked on animations and video games in Los Angeles. Early life Blanc was born in Paris, the son of an English people, English mother and a French people, ...
from episode 99 onward.


Tetsuzaemon Iba

is the lieutenant and, ten years after the Wandenreich's invasion, captain of the Squad Seven. Iba had transferred from Squad 11 once realizing he would never be promoted to lieutenant if he had stayed, a goal which Ikkaku Madarame implies is to follow in the footsteps of his mother, Chikane Iba. His former compatriots look down upon him because of this, though Iba still enjoys a good fight and usually spends his free time with Squad 11 members. He and
Ikkaku Madarame This is a list of featured in the manga and anime series ''Bleach'', created by Tite Kubo. Soul Reapers are a fictional race of spirits who govern the flow of souls between the human world and the afterlife realm called the ''Soul Society''. The ...
have a custom of dueling with each other, drinking sake, then dueling again to see who has to get more. Iba has a distinctive hair cut and wears black sunglasses with his standard Soul Reaper uniform. Iba is well-rounded in both swordsmanship and ''kidō'', only because it made becoming a lieutenant easier. The name of Iba's ''zanpakutō'' is unknown as well as its abilities. In its released state, Iba's ''zanpakutō'' extends into a
falchion A falchion (; Old French: ''fauchon''; Latin: ''falx'', "sickle") is a one-handed, single-edged sword of European origin. Falchions are found in different forms from around the 13th century up to and including the 16th century. In some version ...
or a large bladed
scimitar A scimitar ( or ) is a single-edged sword with a convex curved blade associated with Middle Eastern, South Asian, or North African cultures. A European term, ''scimitar'' does not refer to one specific sword type, but an assortment of different ...
with a pick-like protrusion a short distance below the tip of the sword. He is voiced by Rintarou Nishi in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Neil Kaplan Neil Charles Kaplan is an American voice actor, audiobook narrator, entertainer, and comedian. Biography Kaplan got his start as a comedian doing impressions of presidents such as Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon. He also impersonated a little-k ...
in the English dub.


Jirōbō Ikkanzaka

is the former 4th seat of Squad 7. He is the younger brother of Jidanbō Ikkanzaka, the gatekeeper who guards the entry to Seireitei. He appeared only once to fight
Uryū Ishida is a fictional character and major figure in the anime and manga series '' Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. Uryū is introduced in the series as a classmate of the Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki, who reveals himself to be a Quincy, a clan of humans ...
and
Orihime Inoue is a Character (arts), fictional character and in the ''Bleach (manga), Bleach'' manga series and its anime adaptations created by Tite Kubo. She is one of Ichigo Kurosaki's friends, and later his wife. Like the many other characters in the ser ...
when they were in Sereitei trying to rescue
Rukia '' Rukia '' is a small genus of birds in the white-eye family. Its two members are found in the Federated States of Micronesia on the island of Pohnpei and the Faichuk group of the Chuuk islands. They are: * Long-billed white-eye, ''Rukia lon ...
. He tries to kill Inoue, but is quickly defeated by Uryū, who pierces Jirōbō's Chain of Fate and Soul Sleep with his arrows, resulting in the permanent loss of Jirōbō's Soul Reaper powers. Jirōbō's ''zanpakutō'' is . The shikai command is "flap away" (羽搏きなさい, habatakinasai; "Spread Your Wings" in the English dub). It consists of countless flying curved blades, which he can control using
telekinesis Psychokinesis (from grc, ψυχή, , soul and grc, κίνησις, , movement, label=ㅤ), or telekinesis (from grc, τηλε, , far off and grc, κίνησις, , movement, label=ㅤ), is a hypothetical psychic ability allowing a person ...
. Although the blades move faster than the eye can see, they can be easily destroyed or dodged using Flash Step or other fast-moving techniques. He is voiced by
Kazuhiro Nakata is a Japanese Voice acting in Japan, voice actor affiliated with Ken Production. He played Bear in ''.hack//Sign'' and Fei-Wang Reed in ''Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle''. Biography He became interested with voice acting, while studying university ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Peter Lurie Peter Lurie is an American voice actor, sports anchor and television personality who has worked in television shows, movies, and dubbed anime, since the mid-1990s. He is most well known for his role as the voice of Vulcan Raven in the ''Metal ...
in the English dub.


Squad Eight

Squad Eight was originally led by
Shunsui Kyōraku This is a list of featured in the manga and anime series ''Bleach'', created by Tite Kubo. Soul Reapers are a fictional race of spirits who govern the flow of souls between the human world and the afterlife realm called the ''Soul Society''. The ...
until he is promoted to Head Captain and transferred to Squad One with his lieutenant Nanao Ise. During his time as Squad Eight captain, Shunsui originally had Lisa Yadōmaru as his lieutenant before her Hollowification resulted in her leaving her post. Sometime after the Wandenreich's invasion, Lisa returns to Soul Society and fills the vacant seat of the captain of Squad Eight.


Tatsufusa Enjōji

is the 3rd seat of Squad 8. When Ichigo and friends invaded the Soul Society to rescue Rukia, Tatsufusa tried to prevent Yasutora "Chad" Sado from reaching her only to be defeated by Yasutora. He is voiced by
Toshiharu Sakurai is a Japanese voice actor. He was born in Tokyo, and works for 81 Produce. He is the official Japanese dubbing voice for Shaggy Rogers in the Scooby-Doo franchise. Filmography Television animation *'' Dragon Quest'' (1989) (Mokomoko) *'' Nadia: ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Kim Strauss Kim Strauss is an American voice actor and best-selling author with his children's book ''Kalan the Mighty Warrior: Book One – Braxus the Owl: Guardian of the Forest And He is The Voice of Ninjor in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" History He is ...
in the English dub.


Squad Nine

Squad Nine was originally led by Kensei Muguruma until he and his lieutenant Mashiro Kuna were forced to forfeit their posts after Sōsuke Aizen placed them through Hollowification. Kaname Tōsen, Aizen's accomplice, takes Kensei's position until Aizen revealed his true colors. After Shūhei briefly takes over captain duties for a while, he becomes a co-lieutenant when Kensei and Mashiro resume their duties after Aizen was defeated.


Kaname Tōsen

was the captain of Squad 9 at the start of the series, formerly its 5th Seat officer during the ''Turn Back the Pendulum''
gaiden In media, a spin-off (or spinoff) is a radio program, television program, film, video game or any narrative work, derived from already existing works that focus on more details and different aspects from the original work (e.g. particular topics, ...
. He had been blind since birth, but was capable of using his spiritual sense to "see". Tōsen was an extremely calm and serious pacifist, though he will not restrain from fighting for what he believes in or to preserve justice. Tōsen adopted his ideals from a peaceful friend he had before becoming a Soul Reaper, becoming disillusioned after she was murdered for nagging by her husband Tokinada Tsunayashiro and decided to "take the path with the least bloodshed". He felt it necessary to join
Sōsuke Aizen is a fictional character from the manga series ''Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo and the main villain of the first half of the series (and the most significant one for the entirety of the anime adaptation). He is the captain of the Fifth Division o ...
in defecting from the Soul Reapers at the conclusion of the Soul Society arc. Later revealed to have undergone hollowification prior to his battle against Komamura in the Fake Karakura Town, Tōsen reveals he betrayed the Soul Reapers as he saw injustice in the Soul Society's refusal to administer capital punishment to Tsunayashiro. From there, Tōsen completely transforms into a hollow and, too consumed in his ecstasy of seeing for the first time in his life, is struck down by Hisagi. Tōsen reverts to his human form while barely clinging to life as he gains closure with Komamura while requesting to see Hisagi's face one last time, only for his body to explode as the result of Aizen allowing his Soul Suicide to occur. Tōsen's ''zanpakutō'' is called . Its abilities are vibrations. In its shikai, Suzumushi releases high-pitched tone that renders unconscious anyone who hears it. Its second form, Benihiko, sword creates trail of hundreds of blades, which rain down on his opponent. ''Bankai'' state, ''Suzumushi Tsuishiki Enma Korogi'', allows Tōsen to create a sensory deprivation dome around himself and his opponent. After being modified by Aizen, Tōsen gains the powers of a Vizard and uses his Resurrección ''Suzumushi Hyakushiki Grillar Grillo'' to become an insect-like hollow and regain his sight. This makes Suzumushi a Zanpakutō with the highest known amount of release forms. Tōsen is voiced by
Toshiyuki Morikawa is a Japanese voice actor, narrator and singer who is the head of Axlone, a voice acting company he founded in April 2011. His name is also sometimes mistranslated as Tomoyuki Morikawa. In 2003, he and Fumihiko Tachiki formed the band "2Hearts", ...
in the Japanese version. In the English dub, he is voiced by David Rasner until episode 278 and by
Brian Palermo Brian Palermo is an American character actor, science communicator, and comedian. He has appeared in a number of television shows, commercials and movies. Palermo is also a writer whose credits include Warner Brothers' ''Histeria!'' and Disney's ...
in later episodes.


Shūhei Hisagi

is the co-lieutenant of the Squad 9, sharing the position with Mashiro Kuna. As a child he was saved by the then 9th Division captain, Kensei Muguruma. In later years Shūhei has a "69" tattoo on the left side of his face, matching the one Kensei has on his stomach. There also may be a connection with his ''zanpakutō'' and Kensei's ''zanpakutō'', as they both use ''Kaze'', or wind. While acting as an instructor at the Soul Reaper academy, Shūhei's class was attacked by a
hollow Hollow may refer to: Natural phenomena *Hollow, a low, wooded area, such as a copse * Hollow (landform), a small vee-shaped, riverine type of valley *Tree hollow, a void in a branch or trunk, which may provide habitat for animals Places * Sleepy ...
and in fighting it he received a distinctive scar across his face. Shūhei is an extremely mature and calm individual, allowing him to get along well with his captain,
Kaname Tōsen This is a list of featured in the manga and anime series ''Bleach'', created by Tite Kubo. Soul Reapers are a fictional race of spirits who govern the flow of souls between the human world and the afterlife realm called the ''Soul Society''. The ...
. After Tōsen defects from Soul Society, Shūhei assumes the duties of his captain as an acting replacement. Though he swore to help Komamura "open the eyes" of his former captain, in the end he is forced to attack Tōsen to keep him from killing Komamura. According to series creator Tite Kubo, Hisagi became fairly popular with fans long before his backstory and personality were really explored, an abnormality among Bleach characters. Hisagi becomes the lead protagonist of the light novel side story ''Can't Fear Your Own World'' which takes place after Wandenreich's defeat, learning more of the truth behind Tōsen's betrayal being caused by the story's antagonist Tokinada Tsunayashiro. Shūhei's ''zanpakutō'' is . When released with the command , it takes the form of two
kusarigama A is a traditional Japanese weapon that consists of a ''kama'' (the Japanese equivalent of a sickle or billhook) on a kusari-fundo – a type of metal chain (''kusari'') with a heavy iron weight (''fundo'') at the end. The ''kusarigama'' is said ...
-like weapons, with two blades curving both directions, connected by a long chain. Through Kensei's help during their battle with the Wandenreich's invasion, Shuhei acquired his ''bankai'' which he eventually uses during his battle with Tsunayashiro in the light novel. The ''bankai'' becomes an orb of black chains that wrap around both the necks of Hisagi and his opponent, continuously draining spiritual energy from them to prevent one opponent from killing the other. Shūhei is voiced by
Katsuyuki Konishi is a Japanese voice actor from Wakayama, Wakayama. He is affiliated with Ken Production. His debut role was Volfogg/Big Volfogg in ''GaoGaiGar''. He is most well known for portraying Kamina in ''Gurren Lagann'', Laxus Dreyar in ''Fairy Tail'' a ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Steve Staley Steve Staley, also known as Steve Cannon, is an American voice actor known for providing voices for Japanese anime and video games. Some of his notable roles include Shūhei Hisagi and Tōshirō Hitsugaya in '' Bleach'', Daisuke Aurora in '' ...
in the English dub.


Squad Ten


Isshin Kurosaki

Prior to taking his wife's surname, Ichigo's father was originally captain of Squad 10 two decades ago. It is unknown what his relationships are with the other members of the "Shiba", most notably with Kaien Shiba, who bears a strong resemblance to Ichigo. Most of his actions as a Soul Reaper remain unknown, except for the events at Naruki City, where he met the Quincy Masaki Kurosaki while fighting Aizen's hollow White. When Masaki is bitten by White, she undergoes hollowfication before Isshin stopped it by renouncing his Soul Reaper powers and linking his soul to hers to halt the process. This resulted in Isshin remaining in the World of Living as . Having lost Masaki to the elusive Hollow Grand Fisher, Isshin regained his Soul Reaper powers yet concealed it from his family for some time as he killed off the Arrancar that Grand Fisher became while regretting that he did not have his power prior to save Masaki. Isshin eventually reveals himself as a Soul Reaper to Ichigo while aiding him in his fight with Aizen, appearing just as the villain was about to reveal his son's lineage as the offspring of a Soul Reaper and a Quincy. Seventeen months later, after Ichigo regains his Soul Reaper powers and the Wandenreich complete their first invasion of the Soul Society, Isshin appears to Ichigo in his Soul Reaper attire and explains Ichigo's past to him. Having unbelievable spiritual pressure, despite being knocked by Ichigo at times, Isshin is tremendously powerful. Isshin's zanpakutō is called , The release command is , whereupon the blade becomes wreathed in a flame emanating from the tassels. Spitting blood onto the blade creates a huge wave of fire. His Bankai is yet to be shown in the current storyline, but is noted by Aizen to put a considerable strain on his body, thus being unusable if Isshin is heavily injured. He is voiced by
Toshiyuki Morikawa is a Japanese voice actor, narrator and singer who is the head of Axlone, a voice acting company he founded in April 2011. His name is also sometimes mistranslated as Tomoyuki Morikawa. In 2003, he and Fumihiko Tachiki formed the band "2Hearts", ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Patrick Seitz David Patrick Seitz (born March 17, 1978) is an American voice actor Voice acting is the art of performing voice-overs to present a character or provide information to an audience. Performers are called voice actors/actresses, voice artists ...
in the English dub.


Tōshirō Hitsugaya

The current captain of Squad 10 and the series
breakout character A breakout character is a character in serial fiction, especially a member of an ensemble cast, who becomes much more prominent, popular, discussed, or imitated than expected by the creators. A breakout character may equal or overtake the oth ...
. His ''zanpakuto'' is , summoning a dragon made of ice and making ice made from moisture around Tōshirō. His ''bankai'' is . When using his ''bankai'', wings, a protector on his right arm, and a time meter made of ice appear on Tōshirō. During this form he can perform more powerful moves using ice. The origin of Toshiro Hitsugaya is the vice-commander of Shinegami, Hijikata Toshizo. He was known as the "demonic vice commander", which is why Hitsugaya is really strict. Also, Hijikata was well known for his problems with women, which is a great inspiration that leads to Toshiro's problems with his lieutenant, Matsumoto Rangiku


Rangiku Matsumoto

is the lieutenant of Squad 10 who is a childhood friend of
Gin Ichimaru is a fictional character in the anime and manga series ''Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. He was the captain of the 3rd Division in the Gotei 13 until he betrays Soul Society, and after that becomes a commander in Sōsuke Aizen's arrancar army. La ...
. She often uses her beauty and large bust to avoid work to go shopping or drinking with her fellow lieutenants. But she is very serious and thoughtful as a lieutenant, offering advice while skilled enough to overwhelm another strong lieutenant or hold her own against arrancars. The light novels reveal Rangiku to possess a fragment of the Soul King's scattered essence within her, which resulted in her near death experience when Aizen extracted a bit of her soul for his schemes and spurred Gin's own agenda to avenge Rangiku. By the time Rangiku learned Gin's true reasons of betraying the Soul Society, she mourned over him as Nanao noted. She persuaded Tōshirō Hitsugaya, while he was still residing in Rukongai, to join the Gotei 13 to gain control over his spiritual pressure. The two of them have grown close ever since. Although Hitsugaya always bickers about her drinking habit and laziness, she has an unwavering loyalty and devotion to him and frequently tries to get him to lighten up, despite his serious attitude. Before Hitsugaya, Rangiku also had a close relationship with her former captain, Isshin Shiba, who is just as lazy as herself. She often foisted her responsibilities onto Isshin, who would then retaliate in kind. Rangiku's ''zanpakutō'' is . Its guard is in the shape of a cat's head. When released with the command , the blade dissolves into ash. In combat, Matsumoto can control the movement of the ash, and cut anything it lands on by moving the hilt. The ash is also solid enough to be used as a shield to block enemy attacks. Due to her laziness, she has difficulty achieving bankai. Series creator, Tite Kubo identifies Rangiku as one of his two favorite female characters in the series, citing that he "has a lot of fun drawing her and creating stories with her." She is voiced by Kaya Matsutani in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Megan Hollingshead Megan Hollingshead, also known as Karen Thompson or Kelli Kassidi is an American voice actress, best known for her roles as Nurse Joy in ''Pokémon'', Mai Valentine in ''Yu-Gi-Oh!'', Shizune in ''Naruto'', Caster in ''Fate/stay night'', Rangiku Ma ...
in the English dub .


Squad Eleven

Founded by its original leader
Retsu Unohana This is a list of featured in the manga and anime series ''Bleach'', created by Tite Kubo. Soul Reapers are a fictional race of spirits who govern the flow of souls between the human world and the afterlife realm called the ''Soul Society''. The ...
, Squad Eleven is a direct-combat Division with a specialization in swords-only combat, making them the most specialized division as they forgo other Soul Reaper practices. What separates the division is its members' ideals is that fighting is what makes life worth living and prefer death in battle. The squad captain of Squad Eleven takes on the title "Kenpachi", with its current leader being the eleventh Kenpachi:
Kenpachi Zaraki is a fictional character of support in the anime and manga series '' Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. He is the captain of the 11th Division within the Gotei 13. His lieutenant is Ikkaku Madarame. Character outline Kenpachi has a wild and aggres ...
.


Kenpachi Kiganjō

was the captain of Squad 11 Division immediately preceding Kenpachi Zaraki, primarily known as the 10th Kenpachi. Before he became captain, his name was . He appeared in the ''Turn Back the Pendulum''
gaiden In media, a spin-off (or spinoff) is a radio program, television program, film, video game or any narrative work, derived from already existing works that focus on more details and different aspects from the original work (e.g. particular topics, ...
, set 100 years before the main story. Kiganjō was bloodthirsty like all other captains of the division, though he was shown to be extremely lazy, as he often failed to attend the captains' meeting, as stated by Shinji Hirako. His position was eventually relinquished, along with his life, during Zaraki's captaincy test, which required him killing Kiganjō while watched by 200 members of the 11th Division.


Kenpachi Zaraki

, is an ex-enemy and bloodthirsty rival of Ichigo. He is a Soul Reaper of Squad 11 in the
Gotei 13 This is a list of featured in the manga and anime series ''Bleach'', created by Tite Kubo. Soul Reapers are a fictional race of spirits who govern the flow of souls between the human world and the afterlife realm called the ''Soul Society''. The ...
, though still self-centered and violent, his actions tend to be for the best and his relationship with his division and others is always portrayed comically. This comical shift is primarily centered around his appearances in the Bleach anime and omake stories, with the exception of the occasional diatribe between himself and Yachiru. He is depicted as having a very poor sense of direction, and is often depicted in omake stories asking his lieutenant Yachiru for directions to a particular place (who then randomly points in a direction even though she herself has a terrible sense of direction). Zaraki is voiced by
Fumihiko Tachiki is a Japanese voice actor and narrator. Career Tachiki is known for his low voice. He serves as the narrator for '' Pride Fighting Championships'' and Dream. He and Toshiyuki Morikawa formed the band "2HEARTS" in 2003. Their song, "Ever Free", s ...
in the Japanese version of the anime. In the English dub, he is voiced by David Lodge in earlier seasons and by
Patrick Seitz David Patrick Seitz (born March 17, 1978) is an American voice actor Voice acting is the art of performing voice-overs to present a character or provide information to an audience. Performers are called voice actors/actresses, voice artists ...
in later seasons. Kenpachi Zaraki is inspired by Shinpachi Nagakura, the captain of the second squad of Shinsengumi. In the real world, Shinpachi was a proud and arrogant fighter, due to his being the only swordsman who was born in a samurai-origin family. This is the reason why Kenpachi Zaraki in Bleach is really supercilious and relies only on his natural power.


Yachiru Kusajishi

is the lieutenant of Squad 11. She is most recognizable by her mid-length, bright pink hair. She is childlike in most aspects, as she is small, cute, cheerful, and carefree most of the time. She was found as an infant by
Kenpachi Zaraki is a fictional character of support in the anime and manga series '' Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. He is the captain of the 11th Division within the Gotei 13. His lieutenant is Ikkaku Madarame. Character outline Kenpachi has a wild and aggres ...
in the 79th District of Rukongai's North Alley, "Kusajishi", the second-most violent area of Rukongai compared to the 80th District "Zaraki". Despite being drenched in blood and having just killed a large group of men, Kenpachi did not frighten her as she touched his blood-soaked zanpakuto unfazed. Kenpachi named her "Yachiru", in memory of the one person he ever admired, the current captain of the 4th Division, Retsu "Yachiru" Unohana. Since that day, Yachiru has spent much of her time clinging to his back for transport. Like Zaraki, she has no sense of direction, even though he relies on her to find his way; when Kenpachi asks her for directions, her usual response is to simply point in a random direction. Yachiru resents being criticized in any way and will often attack the perpetrator in comical fashion. Further reflecting her childlike nature, Yachiru likes to give people nicknames; for example, she calls her captain ''Ken-chan'' ("Kenny" in the English version) and calls Byakuya ''Bya-kun''. Various ''Bleach''
omake ''Omake'' (, usually written ) means ''extra'' in Japanese language, Japanese. Its primary meaning is general and widespread. It is used as an anime and manga term to mean "extra or bonus." In the United States, the term is most often used in ...
s show that Yachiru has an absolute love for candy, which is often exploited by other characters to bribe her into leaving them alone. Despite her childlike appearance, Yachiru is apparently quite strong, being capable of lifting Kenpachi and leaping between buildings while carrying him. She is also very fast for her size. She can emit a large amount of spiritual power when angry, which forms into a large, pink, angry cat face. She also has a very high spiritual pressure. Yachiru's ''zanpakutō'' is named . In its sealed state ''Sanpo Kenjū'' takes the form of a wakizashi with a pink hilt which she drags around on a string. Two wheels attached to the bottom of the sheath for her by Ikkaku Madarame facilitate this. According to Yachiru, the ability of her ''zanpakuto'' creates two invisible copycats which respectively attack right before and right after Yachiru's own attacks, effectively causing Yachiru's attacks to hit three times and making them more difficult to dodge. Whenever Yachiru wants to, she can make the copycats (who she calls "kids") become visible to others, revealing their monstrous and intimidating appearance. It is later revealed that Yachiru is actually a manifestation of Kenpachi's ''zanpakuto'', Nozarashi. During the battle against the Wandenreich, Yachiru tells Kenpachi to release her true power, after which she vanishes to form Kenpachi's ''bankai'' state. Her position as lieutenant is then filled by Ikkaku. She is voiced by Hisayo Mochizuki in the Japanese version of the anime and by Dina Sherman in the English dub.


Ikkaku Madarame

is the 3rd Seat and, ten years after the Wandenreich's invasion, lieutenant of the Squad 11. He is a battle-loving man with a bald head. He fought and was defeated by
Kenpachi Zaraki is a fictional character of support in the anime and manga series '' Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. He is the captain of the 11th Division within the Gotei 13. His lieutenant is Ikkaku Madarame. Character outline Kenpachi has a wild and aggres ...
sometime in the past, though was strong enough to survive the battle. Once Zaraki became captain of the 11th Division, Ikkaku and his friend Yumichika Ayasegawa joined the Soul Reapers so that they could fight and die under Zaraki's command. He shares a number of similarities with his captain such as seeking enjoyment in battles by risking his life. He is reportedly the second strongest man in the division. Though strong enough to take a position as a captain, Ikkaku insists his one mission in life is to die under the command of Zaraki. Ikkaku's ''zanpakutō'' is . Though ordinary in appearance, he stores a blood-clotting
styptic An antihemorrhagic (antihæmorrhagic) agent is a substance that promotes hemostasis (stops bleeding). It may also be known as a hemostatic (also spelled haemostatic) agent. Antihemorrhagic agents used in medicine have various mechanisms of action: ...
ointment A topical medication is a medication that is applied to a particular place on or in the body. Most often topical medication means application to body surfaces such as the skin or mucous membranes to treat ailments via a large range of classes ...
in its hilt. When released by the command , it transforms into a
yari is the term for a traditionally-made Japanese blade (日本刀; nihontō) in the form of a spear, or more specifically, the straight-headed spear. The martial art of wielding the is called . History The forerunner of the is thought to be a ...
with a
wax wood ''Ligustrum lucidum'', the broad-leaf privet,Weed profile: Privet
New So ...
shaft.''Bleach'' manga; chapter 204, page 22. While he usually treats it as such, he can also turn its shaft into a
three section staff The three-section staff, triple staff, three-part staff, originally sanjiegun (, or ) or sansetsukon in Japanese, is a Chinese flail weapon that consists of three wooden or metal staffs connected by metal rings or rope. The weapon is also known as ...
to surprise the opponent by using the command . Ikkaku has achieved ''bankai'', though he keeps this a secret from most characters so that he is not pressured to become a captain. Hōzukimaru's ''bankai'', named , takes the form of three oversized weapons connected by a thick chain: two blades in each of his hands and a fan-shaped blade, adorned with a carving of a Chinese dragon, which floats behind him. Aside from the increase in power, his ''bankai'' offers no special abilities, and is noted to be unusual for a bankai in this aspect. However, the blades appear to have a generally weak integrity for a bankai, as shown when combating the thirteenth arrancar, Edorad Leones, and later when fighting his released zanpakutō while it was in bankai, using nothing but his own katana and spiritual pressure to shatter the bankai's blades. As a fight progresses, the dragon crest will slowly begin to glow crimson, greatly increasing its power as it does so. He claims that it is lazy and only fully awakens when the dragon crest is fully crimson. Ikkaku is voiced by
Nobuyuki Hiyama is a Japanese Voice acting, voice actor, Narration, narrator, and radio personality currently affiliated with Arts Vision. His vocal register is described as a Tenor#Lyric, metallic lyric tenor suitable to voice a mature variation of coming of a ...
in the Japanese version. In the English dub, he is voiced by
Vic Mignogna Victor Joseph Mignogna (); born August 27, 1962)Birthday tweet: * is an American voice actor and musician known for his voice-over work in the English dubs of Japanese anime shows, such as Edward Elric from the ''Fullmetal Alchemist'' series, ...
in the original English dub (except in episodes 104 and 105 where he is voiced by
Michael Sinterniklaas Michael Tremain Sinterniklaas (; born August 13, 1972) is a French voice actor, ADR director and script writer who has provided voices for a number of English language versions of Japanese anime films and television series, as well as cartoons a ...
) and by
Todd Haberkorn Todd Haberkorn is an American voice actor and director, who has dubbed in anime, films, and video games. Career While Haberkorn was working in theater, he joined Funimation as a voice actor, with minor roles in ''One Piece'', ''Black Cat'', a ...
in ''Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War''.


Yumichika Ayasegawa

is the 5th Seat of Squad 11 and Ikkaku's lifelong friend, valuing his opinion very highly and tends to follow him everywhere. The two joined the Soul Reapers so that they could serve under
Kenpachi Zaraki is a fictional character of support in the anime and manga series '' Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. He is the captain of the 11th Division within the Gotei 13. His lieutenant is Ikkaku Madarame. Character outline Kenpachi has a wild and aggres ...
. His position in the squad does not reflect his actual strength; since Ikkaku took the 3rd seat position, Yumichika decided to become the 5th seat because he thinks it's a beautiful number in comparison to 4. He has colorful feathers on his eyelashes and eyebrow as well as shiny skin and hair, giving him a rather womanly appearance. Narcissistic and vain, Yumichika judges everyone and everything by beauty. He goes so far as to try to forget things he deems "ugly" after seeing them and even tries fighting an ugly opponent with his eyes closed. Yumichika's ''zanpakutō'' is , a kidō-type zanpakutō. However, since the 11th Division has an unspoken rule that ''zanpakutō'' are only to be used for direct attack, Yumichika keeps this fact secret. According to himself, he would risk dying to conceal his zanpakuto's true power. To conceal it, he releases with the name with the command , causing the vexed weapon to assume a form consisting of a sickle-shaped blade which can split into four identical blades. During the fight with arrancar Charlotte Cuhlhourne, Yumichika tells him that his ''zanpakutō'' has a favorite and least favorite color and this is why he releases it as Fuji Kujaku (wisteria is the least favorite color). When confident he will be able to keep it a secret, he uses his zanpakutō's real name and command to assume its true released form with the blades splitting into vines which bind the opponent and siphon their spiritual energy into flowers which can restore Yumichika's health when their petals are eaten. Yumichika claims that a full drain from his zanpakuto can kill an opponent, which is proved when he kills an arrancar. He is voiced by
Jun Fukuyama is a Japanese voice actor and singer. He played Lelouch Lamperouge in ''Code Geass'', Koro-sensei in '' Assassination Classroom'', Ichimatsu in ''Osomatsu-san'', Yuta Togashi in ''Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions'', Kraft Lawrence in ''Spice and ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Brian Beacock Brian Beacock is an American film, television and voice actor in English-dubbed anime and video games. He is best known for playing Byonko in ''Zatch Bell'', Takato Matsuki in ''Digimon Tamers'', Yumichika Ayasegawa from ''Bleach'', Yamato De ...
in the English dub.


Makizō Aramaki

is the 10th seat of Squad 11. Nicknamed Maki-Maki by
Yachiru Kusajishi This is a list of featured in the manga and anime series ''Bleach'', created by Tite Kubo. Soul Reapers are a fictional race of spirits who govern the flow of souls between the human world and the afterlife realm called the ''Soul Society''. The ...
, he is often very timid and cowardly, in contrast to other members of the 11th division. Aramaki makes his first appearance when he, by chance, encounters
Orihime Inoue is a Character (arts), fictional character and in the ''Bleach (manga), Bleach'' manga series and its anime adaptations created by Tite Kubo. She is one of Ichigo Kurosaki's friends, and later his wife. Like the many other characters in the ser ...
and
Uryū Ishida is a fictional character and major figure in the anime and manga series '' Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. Uryū is introduced in the series as a classmate of the Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki, who reveals himself to be a Quincy, a clan of humans ...
as they travel across Seireitei disguised as Soul Reapers. Despite being drunk, he sees through Orihime and Uryū's lie claiming to be part of the 11th Division. However, during an attack by 12th division captain
Mayuri Kurotsuchi is a fictional character in the Bleach anime and manga created by Tite Kubo. He is the current captain of the 12th Division of the Gotei 13 and overseer of the Soul Reapers' Research and Development Institute. History 110 years prior to the s ...
which kills several members of the 12th division, Orihime protects Uryū and him with her Shun Shun Rikka abilities. Aramaki is confused by why Orihime is upset with the deaths of the 12th Division Soul Reapers and why she saved him. As Uryū begins fighting Mayuri, he orders Aramaki to take Orihime to safety, threatening to shoot him if he does not comply. As Aramaki retreats with Orihime, Orihime demands that he let her go so that she can help Uryū, but he refuses. When Orihime bites him, he knocks her unconscious, and shortly thereafter, encounters Yachiru. Yachiru has him take her back to the 11th Division barracks so that she could lead
Kenpachi Zaraki is a fictional character of support in the anime and manga series '' Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. He is the captain of the 11th Division within the Gotei 13. His lieutenant is Ikkaku Madarame. Character outline Kenpachi has a wild and aggres ...
to Ichigo. He accompanies them as they look for Ichigo, questioning them on why they would go so far for a friend. The group eventually catch up to Ichigo after his victory over
Byakuya Kuchiki is a fictional character in the anime and manga series '' Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. He is a captain of the Sixth Division for Gotei 13 and Rukia's brother. His vice-captain is Renji Abarai. Character outline Byakuya is the 28th head of t ...
. When Ichigo asks who he is, he says that he is nobody important and that Ichigo should just pretend that he is not there. Aramaki later appears in the Bount arc. Aramaki's nickname is confused with that of
Maki Ichinose This is a list of featured in the manga and anime series ''Bleach'', created by Tite Kubo. Soul Reapers are a fictional race of spirits who govern the flow of souls between the human world and the afterlife realm called the ''Soul Society''. Th ...
; Ichinose's nickname was "Maki-chan," while Aramaki's was "Maki-Maki." He is voiced by
Yūichi Nagashima Yūichi, Yuichi, or Yuuichi is a masculine Japanese given name. Possible writings Yūichi can be written using different combinations of kanji characters. Here are some examples: *勇一, "courage, 1" *祐一, "to help, 1" *祐市, "to help, cit ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
JB Blanc Jean-Benoît Blanc is a French-British actor and director of film and television who has worked on animations and video games in Los Angeles. Early life Blanc was born in Paris, the son of an English people, English mother and a French people, ...
in the English dub.


Maki Ichinose

, introduced during the anime's Bount arc, was a member of Squad 11 under Kiganjō before he left the group after Kenpachi killed the previous captain. He traveled the human world, but one day, while in a weakened state in a desert, he fell upon a hollow that almost killed him; the hollow was subdued by
Jin Kariya This is a list of characters for Tite Kubo's manga and anime series ''Bleach (manga), Bleach''. It takes place in a fictional universe in which the characters are split into various factionalized fictional races. They are subdivisions of humanity ...
, who allowed Maki to kill it. Maki swore his loyalty to Jin after that, only breaking the vow once to fight Zaraki. He helps the Bounts infiltrate the Soul Society, and gets to fight Kenpachi but is killed by Kariya once his purpose is fulfilled. Maki's ''zanpakutō'' is called . Its ''shikai'' form is activated by the command or "flash and burst" in the English Dub. When released, Nijigasumi glows with rainbow colors and has the ability to control light for various purposes. It can make Maki turn invisible or douse the area in light, playing havoc with opponents' counterattacks. It can also use light offensively, creating blades of light to cut or crush opponents. His ''zanpakutō'' later helps in Kariya's defeat, acting as a lightning rod for Kariya's attacks. He is voiced by
Susumu Chiba is a Japanese voice actor from Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Some of his major roles include Seiji Hayami in ''Cutie Honey Flash'', Chiaki Nagoya in ''Phantom Thief Jeanne'', Sai Fujiwara in ''Hikaru no Go'', Chairman Muranishi in ''Kirar ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Sam Riegel Samuel Brent Oscar Riegel, sometimes credited as Jack Lingo, is an American voice actor, director, and writer. He is a regular cast member of the web series ''Critical Role'', in which he and other fellow voice actors play ''Dungeons & Dragons' ...
in the English dub.


Squad Twelve

Originally led by Kirio Hikifune, Squad Twelve is associated with scientific research with her successor,
Kisuke Urahara This is a list of characters for Tite Kubo's manga and anime series ''Bleach (manga), Bleach''. It takes place in a fictional universe in which the characters are split into various factionalized fictional races. They are subdivisions of humanity ...
establishing the SRDI. After Kisuke and his lieutenant
Hiyori Sarugaki This is a list of characters for Tite Kubo's manga and anime series ''Bleach''. It takes place in a fictional universe in which the characters are split into various factionalized fictional races. They are subdivisions of humanity, but are distin ...
were forced to leave their posts as the former was accused of the Hollowification of the latter and the other Vizards,
Mayuri Kurotsuchi is a fictional character in the Bleach anime and manga created by Tite Kubo. He is the current captain of the 12th Division of the Gotei 13 and overseer of the Soul Reapers' Research and Development Institute. History 110 years prior to the s ...
became the current captain of Squad Twelve.


Mayuri Kurotsuchi


Nemu Kurotsuchi

is the lieutenant of Squad 12, a rather
introverted The traits of extraversion (also spelled extroversion Retrieved 2018-02-21.) and introversion are a central dimension in some human personality theories. The terms ''introversion'' and ''extraversion'' were introduced into psychology by Carl J ...
and passive woman who prefers to stay silent in her captain's presence. Also known as , Nemu is created by
Mayuri Kurotsuchi is a fictional character in the Bleach anime and manga created by Tite Kubo. He is the current captain of the 12th Division of the Gotei 13 and overseer of the Soul Reapers' Research and Development Institute. History 110 years prior to the s ...
as a part of the Nemuri Project to create new life through use of and . Unlike her "older sisters", Nemu outlived them. Though Mayuri refers to Nemu as his "daughter", he hides his joy towards Nemu and creates a farce of seeing her as nothing more but a tool to use as decoy. But Nemu did learn the truth from Akon, keeping it to herself while having compassion for others as seen when she saves
Uryū Ishida is a fictional character and major figure in the anime and manga series '' Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. Uryū is introduced in the series as a classmate of the Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki, who reveals himself to be a Quincy, a clan of humans ...
's life in gratitude of the Quincy sparing Mayuri. Often when she does speak it is in a subdued monotone, and at least one comical instance she mixes up the colloquial usage of the word "cheese!" when taking a picture with the word "butter." During Mayuri's fight with Pernida, Nemu acted against Mayuri's orders to save him from the Quincy, revealing to have modified her body strength while increasing her decomposition rate. Despite Mayuri's chastising, Nemu throws him to a safe distance as she proceeds to fight Pernida on her own. She ultimately sacrifices herself to have Perinda suffer an agonizing death from her cellular makeup, though Mayuri saves her brain from being eaten. While Nemuri's lieutenant position is taken over by Akon, who formerly filled the 3rd Seat position, Mayuri creates the younger as his new assistant. Nemu's body is a Gigai designed to withstand fatal wounds and is immune to various poisons, containing various toxins and serums Mayuri stored in her that make her highly dangerous to whoever eats her or attack her internally. While her Gigai is also composed of highly regenerative cells that her brain regulates, Nemu can still suffer pain and carries around a variety of antidotes to be used as she sees fit. In addition to having superhuman strength, she is also capable of boring through obstacles by rotating an arm at high speeds with the hand functioning as a drill-bit while using parts of her soul in her more devastating attacks. Nemu does not normally carry a ''zanpakutō'', but she is shown to have one in an illustration in the artbook "All Color but the Black" that takes the form of what appears to be a thin
katana A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge fa ...
. She is voiced by
Rie Kugimiya is a Japanese voice actress and singer. She is best known for her voice performances in anime, which include Alphonse Elric in the ''Fullmetal Alchemist'' series, Kiana in ''Honkai Impact 3rd'', Kagura in ''Gin Tama'', and Happy in ''Fairy Tail ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Megan Hollingshead Megan Hollingshead, also known as Karen Thompson or Kelli Kassidi is an American voice actress, best known for her roles as Nurse Joy in ''Pokémon'', Mai Valentine in ''Yu-Gi-Oh!'', Shizune in ''Naruto'', Caster in ''Fate/stay night'', Rangiku Ma ...
in the English dub.


Squad Thirteen

Squad Thirteen is division of the Thirteen Court Squads whose jurisdiction in the land of the living includes Karakura Town, having one member of the squad sent to patrol the area for any Hollow sightings. Among its notable members is
Rukia Kuchiki is a fictional character in the anime and manga series '' Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. In the series, she is a Soul Reaper, (死神, Shinigami, literally 'Death God'), in charge of slaying evil spirits called Hollows. At the beginning, after a ...
, who succeeds Ukitake as squad captain years after the Soul Society's battle with the Wandenreich.


Jūshirō Ukitake

was the captain of Squad 13, and the man who devised the Substitute Soul Reaper badges. Since he was three years old, Ukitake suffered from an incurable and fatal lung disease that whitened his hair before his parents brought him to the shrine of an Eastern Rukongai temple dedicated to the hand-like deity Mimihagi. Though Mimihagi saved his life by taking his lungs, using the gained Kamikake ability to keep himself alive, Ukitake still suffers the effects of the illness; his occasional flare ups and coughing up blood act as an inhibition for him throughout the series if he fights for too long, or even becomes too agitated. Despite being forced to leave most of his duties as Squad 13's captain to his subordinates, Ukitake is respected by many Soul Reapers for his honesty, loyalty, and personal sense of justice. He and his friend
Shunsui Kyōraku This is a list of featured in the manga and anime series ''Bleach'', created by Tite Kubo. Soul Reapers are a fictional race of spirits who govern the flow of souls between the human world and the afterlife realm called the ''Soul Society''. The ...
are two of the oldest and most talented captains in the Gotei 13, both having trained under General Yamamoto roughly a thousand years before the current ''Bleach'' storyline. During the final arc, when the Soul King is killed, Ukitake saw the only resort is to relinquish his body and life to Mimihagi so that he would take the Soul King's place and save the Soul Society. When Mimihagi was forcibly pulled out by Yhwach, he collapsed ultimately killing him. Jūshirō's ''zanpakutō'' is and it is released by the command . In Sōgyo no Kotowari's shikai state, it splits into two thin blades resembling fishing javelins, making it one of only three ''zanpakutō'' in the Soul Society to exist as a pair of separate blades, along with Katen Kyōkotsu and the new, reforged version of Zangetsu. His Shikai is revealed to have the ability to absorb reiatsu-based attacks from one blade and then release them back through the other; the tags along the chain connecting the blades allow Ukitake to control the speed and power of the reflected attack. Some ''Bleach'' video games set prior to the current story arc incorrectly portray it as having the ability to manipulate water and electricity (which is impossible for Zanpakutō). His ''bankai'' is currently unknown. Jūshirō is voiced by
Hideo Ishikawa is a Japanese voice actor and narrator from Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. He is currently affiliated with Aoni Production. He is most known for being voices for Kicchō Fukuda in ''Slam Dunk'', Auron in ''Final Fantasy X'', Itachi Uchiha in ''Narut ...
in the Japanese version and by
Liam O'Brien Liam Christopher O'Brien (born May 28, 1976) is an American voice actor, writer, and director. He is a regular cast member of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' actual play series ''Critical Role,'' playing Vax'ildan ("Vax"), Caleb Widogast, and Orym. ...
in the English dub (except in episode 40 where he was voiced by
Kim Strauss Kim Strauss is an American voice actor and best-selling author with his children's book ''Kalan the Mighty Warrior: Book One – Braxus the Owl: Guardian of the Forest And He is The Voice of Ninjor in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" History He is ...
). Jushiro Ukitake is inspired greatly by Okita Souji, the captain of the first squad of Shinsengumi, and he is the one that is the closest to his original character. In the real life, Okita Souji is a handsome but unhealthy warrior, even though he was believed to be the strongest samurai in the Shinsengumi. This is the reason why Ukitake is always sick but popular with the female characters in the story. Also, because of the kid-adoring personality of Okita Souji, Ukitake appears to be a man who really loves children and never wants to hurt them.


Kaien Shiba

was the previous lieutenant of Squad 13 where his wife, Miyako Shiba was a part of. He is also the brother of Ganju and
Kūkaku Shiba This is a list of characters for Tite Kubo's manga and anime series ''Bleach (manga), Bleach''. It takes place in a fictional universe in which the characters are split into various factionalized fictional races. They are subdivisions of humanity ...
. Kaien's appearance closely resembles
Ichigo Kurosaki is a fictional character in the ''Bleach'' manga series and its adaptations created by Tite Kubo. He is the main protagonist of the series, who receives Soul Reaper powers after meeting Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper assigned to patrol around the ...
, a fact noted by
Byakuya Kuchiki is a fictional character in the anime and manga series '' Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo. He is a captain of the Sixth Division for Gotei 13 and Rukia's brother. His vice-captain is Renji Abarai. Character outline Byakuya is the 28th head of t ...
. During Rukia's entrance as a new member of 13th Division, Kaien and Miyako were the only people who can treat her as a normal Soul Reaper and thus their equal, rather than as a noble of the Kuchiki family. He would become Rukia's mentor who helped her to achieve her shikai, teaching her many advices that would help her in her life. However, Miyako was later killed by the Metastacia and during a mission to slay the hollow, Kaien became possessed as well, after which Rukia was forced to kill him. Metastacia then returned to Hueco Mundo, where it was consumed by Espada Aaroniero Arruruerie, who also absorbed Kaien's soul as well, allowing him to take his form and use his abilities. The name of Kaien Shiba's ''zanpakutō'' is . The shikai command is (translated as Rage through the Seas and Heavens in the English dub or Rankle the Seas and Heavens in some translations). His ''shikai'' takes the form of a trident and has the ability to create and control water. He is voiced by
Toshihiko Seki is a Japanese actor, voice actor, singer and narrator. In June 2004, Seki was honored by the readers of Animage Magazine in the 26th Annual Reader's Poll, where he was ranked the 9th favorite voice actor, largely in recognition of his performanc ...
in the Japanese version of the anime. In the English dub, he is voiced by
Kim Strauss Kim Strauss is an American voice actor and best-selling author with his children's book ''Kalan the Mighty Warrior: Book One – Braxus the Owl: Guardian of the Forest And He is The Voice of Ninjor in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" History He is ...
in his first appearance in a flashback scene in episode 49 and by
Dave Mallow Dave Mallow (born October 19, 1948) is a retired American voice actor. Biography Mallow's father worked in radio and television and was a 30-year on-air veteran at Chicago's WGN. After graduating from Maine South High School, Mallow attained a B ...
in later flashbacks.


Miyako Shiba

was the former 3rd Seat of Squad 13 and lieutenant to her husband Kaien. Like her husband, Miyako treated Rukia Kuchiki during her entrance as a normal Soul Reaper, rather than a noble, and quickly became her personal idol. She was assigned to a mission that eventually led to her death by the hollow Metastacia, who wiped off all of Miyako's squad members while infecting her body. She is voiced by
Sumi Shimamoto , real name , is a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator of film and anime and video games. After graduating from the Toho Gakuen College of Drama and Music, she joined Gekidan Seinenza, a theatrical acting troupe. She is currently indepen ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Cindy Robinson Cindy Robinson is an American voice actress who voices in animations and video games. Some of her major roles are Makoto Nanaya and Gii from the ''Blazblue'' series, Betty Boop in commercials, Queen Beryl in '' Sailor Moon'', Chitose Nanbu in ...
in the English dub.


Kiyone Kotetsu

is the co-3rd Seat of Squad 13 which she shares with Sentarō Kotsubaki who she competes with to impress her Captain. She is the younger sister of Isane Kotetsu, who is the Vice-Captain of the 4th Division. Because of her short hair and young appearance, Kiyone can easily be mistaken for a boy. She is voiced by
Chinami Nishimura is a Japanese voice actress from Chiba Prefecture, and affiliated with 81 Produce. Her major roles include Fake Yuna and Miki Shiratori in ''Galaxy Fraulein Yuna'', Neko Musume in '' GeGeGe no Kitaro'', Junsa (Officer Jenny) in ''Pokémon'', ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Cindy Robinson Cindy Robinson is an American voice actress who voices in animations and video games. Some of her major roles are Makoto Nanaya and Gii from the ''Blazblue'' series, Betty Boop in commercials, Queen Beryl in '' Sailor Moon'', Chitose Nanbu in ...
in the English dub.


Sentarō Kotsubaki

is the co-3rd Seat of Squad 13 which he shares with Kiyone Kotetsu who he competes with to impress his Captain. He is voiced by
Kōichi Tōchika is a Japanese voice actor who works for Haikyo. Notable voice roles Anime *Lance in '' 07 Ghost'' *Brindo and young Hody Jones in ''One Piece'' * Check Mate and Ilioukhine in ''Kinnikuman Nisei'' (''Ultimate Muscle'') *Arizona Governor in ''E ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Patrick Seitz David Patrick Seitz (born March 17, 1978) is an American voice actor Voice acting is the art of performing voice-overs to present a character or provide information to an audience. Performers are called voice actors/actresses, voice artists ...
in the English dub (except in episode 41 where he was voiced by
Michael Lindsay Michael Lindsay (May 9, 1963 – August 31, 2019) was an American Voice acting, voice actor who worked largely in anime, credited often as Dylan Tully. His most prominent roles were Kisuke Urahara in ''Bleach (TV series), Bleach'', Kankuro in ' ...
).


Ryūnosuke Yuki

is a member of Squad 13, replacing Zennosuke Kurumadani in overseeing the Karakura Town area during the Wandenreich arc. Ryūnosuke is a timid figure who can get easily frightened and lacks confidence in his abilities, but has the ability to overcome his fear during critical situations. Almost immediately after arriving at Karakura Town, he is attacked by Hollows. However, he is saved by Ichigo before returning to Soul Society in order to attend the funeral of Chojiro Sasakibe. After war is declared, he learns of the origins about the conflict between the Soul Reapers and Quincies. His fate is unknown. He is voiced by
Daiki Yamashita is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Arts Vision. He is best known for voicing the character Izuku Midoriya in the popular shonen anime ''My Hero Academia''. He won the ''Best Male Newcomer'' award at the 8th Seiyu Awards. Filmography Ani ...
in the Japanese version of the anime and by
Aleks Le ALEKS (Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces) is an online tutoring and assessment program that includes course material in mathematics, chemistry, introductory statistics, and business. Rather than being based on numerical test scores, ...
in the English dub.


Squad Zero

, also known as the , is a secret squad composed of former captains who are charged with protecting the , his family, and his residence, the . Each member has created something for the Soul Society and were acknowledged by the Soul King as significant people who played a part in making history. The light novels would reveal that Squad Zero's true loyalties are to the Soul Society's noble houses and their real purpose is containing the Soul King and maintain the status quo by any means. The division's flower is the
Daphne odora ''Daphne odora'', winter daphne, is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae, native to China, later spread to Japan and Korea. It is an evergreen shrub, grown for its very fragrant, fleshy, pale-pink, tubular flowers, each with f ...
-meaning "glory".


Ichibē Hyōsube

is the commander of the Royal Guards, holding the title . Ichibē is credited for having named everything in Soul Society. Since he coined the term in the first place, he knows each and every names of zanpakutō that all Soul Reapers wield as well as their true names that their wielders themselves may have not even learned yet even if they are accounted with their zanpakutō for a long time. Ichibē's ''zanpakutō'' is and takes the form of a large calligraphy brush. It is released by the command . In Ichimonji's shikai state, the brush takes the form of a curved blade, while the handle remains the same. ''Ichimonji'' has the ability to release ink with every swing it takes. Anything that Ichimonji's ink covers loses its name and powers. Ichimonji's bankai is . Ichibē's bankai is uniquely activated by calling out instead of "bankai", as ''Ichimonji'' was the first Zanpakutō to acquire an evolved form long before the term bankai existed. Upon activation, ''Ichimonji'' becomes a long, thick thread that coils in the air around Ichibē. With ''Shirafude Ichimonji'', Ichibē can give and change the name of those who have been struck by the ink of ''Ichimonji'' by writing kanji on their body; doing so gives his target the properties and abilities of the name granted. Ichibe's zanpakuto is inspired by Okita Souji's famous katana. In the real world, Okita's sword is called "Kiku-ichimonji" (the single-slash poetic flower (?)), a beautiful but lack realistic usage ability sword. Ichibē is voiced by
Naomi Kusumi is a Japanese actor and voice actor. He worked at the Seinenza Theater Company in 1999, and currently works at Mausu Promotion. He is often typecast in either overweight or middle-aged roles in voice acting. He is the official Japanese dubbing vo ...
in the Japanese version of the anime.


Tenjirō Kirinji

is the First Officer of the Royal Guard as the . Tenjirō also holds the title of . He is credited for creating hot springs that are able to purge impure blood and reiatsu inside an individual and replace them with fresh new ones. These hot springs serve as the basis for the hot springs created by Kisuke Urahara in his personal training field, which is capable of replenishing reiatsu. Before joining the Royal Guard, Tenjirō was a captain in the Gotei 13 and taught healing techniques to Retsu Unohana. Tenjirō's ''zanpakutō'' is and it is released by the command . ''Kinpika'' takes on the form of a small blade with a curved tip, attached to a long wooden pole. In shikai, Kinpika's blade glows brightly. Its abilities are currently unknown. Tenjirō is voiced by Tomoyuki Shimura in the Japanese version of the anime.


Ōetsu Nimaiya

holds the title of . He is credited for inventing the ''zanpakutō'', whose basic form, the he personally creates for each and every Soul Reaper. The Asauchi, a template of matured ''zanpakutō'' wielded by inexperienced Soul Reapers who have yet to communicate with their ''zanpakutō'', are actually the most powerful of its kind, since they have the potential to become anything. Ōetsu is voiced by
Yōji Ueda is a Japanese voice actor formerly affiliated with Mausu Promotion and currently affiliated with Amuleto. His name was until April 1, 2008. Filmography Anime series *'' Bakusō Kyōdai Let's & Go!! WGP'' (1997) (Luchino) *''Naruto'' (2002) ( ...
in the Japanese version of the anime.


Senjumaru Shutara

holds the title of . She is credited for inventing the , the black garment worn by all Soul Reapers. Senjumaru has a number of elongated puppet-like arms that can be manipulated with great dexterity. These arms are powerful enough to hold many things, including zanpakutō. In serving as a Royal Guard, Senjumaru presides over a cadre of assassin-like soldiers who assist her in combat. Senjumaru is voiced by
Rina Satō is a Japanese voice actress with hundreds of television and video game productions, many multi-year, and is active in film and as a singer as well. She won the Best Lead Actress Award at the 8th Seiyu Awards. Satō has been appearing since 2003, ...
in the Japanese version of the anime.


Kirio Hikifune

, holds the title . Kirio is credited for inventing the , artificial souls that can be inserted into another body, like Kon. She also has the ability to infuse her food with reiatsu, but doing so requires her to bulk up substantial fat beforehand, which makes her normally youthful looks almost unrecognizable to other people. Before being promoted to the Royal Guard, Kirio was the captain of Squad 12 and a mother-like figure to her lieutenant, Hiyori Sarugaki. Her promotion is apparently very secretive as no one except the squad captains and people acquainted with her knew the real reason why she left. Kirio was succeeded by Kisuke Urahara of Squad 2, but failed to attend the inauguration ceremony. Kirio is voiced by
Ayumi Tsunematsu is a Japanese voice actress. Filmography Anime series *''Aikatsu!'' as Lisa Hīragi/Green Grass *''Avenger'' as Mist, Peter (ep 2) *''Bakugan Battle Brawlers'' as Harpy, Miyoko Kūsō *'' Bakugan: Gundalian Invaders'' as Miyoko Kuso *'' Bakugan ...
in the Japanese version of the anime.


Reception

Several media from manga, anime and other media have commented on the Soul Reapers from the series. Carlo Santos from
Anime News Network Anime News Network (ANN) is a news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, video games, Japanese popular music and other related cultures within North America, Australia, Southeast Asia and Japan. The website offers reviews and oth ...
has praised the use of the Soul Reapers and Soul Society, since it "takes the familiar tournament formula to the height of creativity" regarding the fact that "This isn't just training and fighting anymore". Melissa Harper has commented that while the name Shinigami is changed to Soul Reaper in the English adaptation, it is an adequate description, and is "therefore a perfectly fine translation." Mania Entertainment commented on Ichigo turning into a Soul Reaper to be "a basic setup for the series itself" and praised how he does not make "awkward moments of handling a sword" making the series less common. Michael Aronson from Mangalife.com has noted the Soul Reapers to be initially similar with the
Ghostbusters ''Ghostbusters'' is a 1984 American Supernatural fiction, supernatural comedy film directed and produced by Ivan Reitman, and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. It stars Bill Murray, Aykroyd, and Ramis as Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, and ...
but he praised how it was later developed as the series progressed.
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
has praised the interactions between the characters and also commented that Suì-Fēng and Yoruichi share one of the more interesting histories in the series, though feels more could have been done to flesh it out.IGN: Bleach: "Supersonic Battle! Determine the Goddess of Chivalry" Review
/ref>


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Soul Reapers In Bleach Soul Reapers Bleach Soul Reapers