Captains of the Gotei 13
WARNING: *SPOILERS* Dont read couple parts because they may have spoilers.
- ChojiSquad 1 Captain:Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai
Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai (山本元柳斎 重國, Yamamoto-Genryūsai Shigekuni?) is the captain of the 1st Division and the leader of the Gotei 13. He is an old man with a very muscular body. There are many scars on his torso and head, suggesting numerous battles in his past. Yamamoto believes that laws must be upheld for the benefit of the community and despises those who break them. He founded the Soul Reaper academy about 2000 years before the main Bleach storyline,[8][9] where he personally instructed Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake who he treats as if they were his sons. Yamamoto's zanpakutō is Ryūjin Jakka (流刃若火, Ryūjin Jakka? roughly "flowing blade like fire", Viz "flowing flame blade"). When released, the sword consumes him and the surrounding area in flames. It is the most powerful fire-based zanpakutō in Soul Society, and the sheer power of the flame can disintegrate almost anything the sword is waved at. Yamamoto is an exceedingly powerful fighter, able to easily fight two captains with Ryūjin Jakka's shikai,[9] as well as effortlessly defeat an arrancar chimera that five lieutenants are almost killed by in two swings of his blade, and immediately defeat three additional arrancar in a single swing.
Squad 2 Captain:Soi Fon
Soi Fon (砕蜂, pinyin: Sùifēng), born Shaolin Fon (蜂 梢綾, pinyin: Fēng Shaolíng), is the captain of the 2nd Division. 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, with whom she developed a close relationship. When Yoruichi left Soul Society, Soi Fon was crushed by the fact that Yoruichi did not take her with her. When Yoruichi returns to Soul Society a century later, Soi Fon engages her in battle. After asking the question of why she was left behind, to which Yoruichi's answer is not heard, the two make amends.[11] The two's relationship has become somewhat of a running gag: Soi Fon consistently displays an obsessive, almost romantic, interest in Yoruichi. She likes anything resembling a black cat (a form Yoruichi can assume at will), and displays jealousy should Yoruichi be in someone else's company. Soi Fon's zanpakutō is Suzumebachi (雀蜂, Suzumebachi? literally "hornet"). It shrinks into a stinger that is worn on the middle finger of Soi Fon's right hand. Whenever it cuts an opponent, a butterfly symbol called a hornet's crest (蜂紋華, hōmonka?) spreads from the point of contact. Should Suzumebachi stab the same location again, the opponent dies.[12] This also holds true if an internal organ is pierced in the same location, regardless of the point of entry into the body.[13]
Squad 3 Captain:Shūsuke Amagai
Shūsuke Amagai (天貝 繍助, Amagai Shūsuke?) is introduced as the captain of the 3rd Division during season nine of the anime. He does not appear in the manga. He has an unkempt appearance and is usually bright, lively, and unpretentious. 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 Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai 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. However, upon failing to defeat Ichigo and learning the truth about his father's death, he takes his own life to atone for his misdeeds.
Amagai's zanpakutō is Raika (雷火, Raika? roughly "fire started by lightning"). When released, it takes the form of a white longsword with a hook at the end and 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, Raika Gōen Kaku (雷火豪炎殻, Raika Gōen Kaku? literally "lightning flash flame shell"), 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 emitting from the weapon when activated. It negates any other active Soul Reaper abilities, forcing opponents to rely on other powers.
Squad 4 Captain:Retsu Unohana
Retsu Unohana (卯ノ花 烈, Unohana Retsu?) is the captain of the 4th Division. She is a soft-spoken woman who has never displayed distress and uses honorifics when addressing everyone, including her subordinates. Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake treat her as their senior, implying she may have been involved in Soul Society longer than either of them. As the head of the 4th Division, Unohana is usually tasked with healing others, commonly treating the most severe injuries. Though she is always polite to her patients, her presence will scare her charges into submission if they try to leave her care before they are fully healed.[18] Unohana's zanpakutō is Minazuki (肉雫唼, Minazuki? roughly "purify the flesh"), When in its sealed form it resembles a curved tachi. When unsealed, the entire sword transforms into a gigantic, flying, one-eyed creature resembling a manta ray. It has the ability to heal people by swallowing them. When Unohana reseals Minazuki, it dissolves into green mist and reforms into the sheath of her zanpakutō.[19]
Squad 5 Captain:Sōsuke Aizen
Sōsuke Aizen (藍染 惣右介, Aizen Sōsuke?) is the captain of the 5th Division at the start of the series. He defects from the Soul Reapers at the conclusion of the Soul Society arc, fleeing to Hueco Mundo. In the past he was the lieutenant of the 5th Division under Shinji Hirako, who he replaced sometime after converting Shinji into a visored.
Squad 6 Captain:Byakuya Kuchiki
Byakuya Kuchiki (朽木 白哉, Kuchiki Byakuya?) becomes captain of the 6th Division sometime after his grandfather, Ginrei Kuchiki, vacates its captaincy.
Squad 7 Captain:Sajin Komamura
Sajin Komamura (狛村 左陣, Komamura Sajin?) is the captain of the 7th Division. He is an anthropomorphic canine who is very self-conscious about his appearance, and so wears a large helmet that conceals his entire head when he is first introduced. After his fight with Kenpachi Zaraki (during which his helmet is destroyed), he gains enough confidence to go without the helmet. 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, 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. Komamura is immensely strong, as demonstrated by his ability to hurl the arrancar Po's massive released state over his head and onto the ground.
Komamura's zanpakutō is Tenken (天譴, Tenken? literally "divine punishment", translated in the English manga as "sword of heavenly retribution"). Once released, Tenken creates various body parts of a giant to copy whatever body part Komamura moves; for example, should Komamura swing his sword, a gigantic disembodied arm wielding a sword appears and does the same thing. Tenken's bankai, Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō (黒縄天譴明王, Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō? roughly "vidyarāja of black-roped divine punishment", translated in the English manga as "divine retribution, black ropes of ruination") brings forth the entire giant, which also copies Komamura's movements.
Squad 8 Captain:Shunsui Kyōraku
Shunsui Kyōraku (京楽 春水, Kyōraku Shunsui?) is the captain of the 8th Division. He is a laid back and flamboyant man, evident in his style of dress: he wears a straw hat and a woman's pink flowered kimono over his captain's uniform. In his off time, he can be seen drinking sake and napping. Other times, he likes to chase after women, particularly his lieutenant. Kyōraku 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 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. He and his friend Jūshirō Ukitake are two of the oldest captains in the Gotei 13. They both trained under General Yamamoto, who Kyōraku calls Old-man Yama (山じい , Yama-jii?).
Kyōraku's zanpakutō is Katen Kyōkotsu (花天狂骨, Katen Kyōkotsu? roughly "flower-heaven bone of madness"). His zanpakutō is unique in that it exists as two completely separate swords, being as a daisho sword pair. In Katen Kyōkotsu's released state, the daisho sword pair transforms into two large scimitars or falchions. While the anime and manga have yet to depict what special abilities Katen Kyōkotsu possesses, some Bleach video games portray it as having wind manipulation abilities.
Squad 9 Captain:Kaname Tōsen
Kaname Tōsen (東仙 要, Tōsen Kaname?) is the captain of the 9th Division at the start of the series. He has been blind since birth, but is capable of using his spiritual sense to "see". Tōsen is an extremely calm and serious pacifist, though he will not restrain from fighting for what he believes in or preserving justice. These philosophies were adopted from a peaceful friend he had before becoming a Soul Reaper. When her husband killed her for nagging him, Tōsen became disillusioned that such a righteous person could be killed for such an insignificant reason. After that his creed in life became to "take the path with the least bloodshed". It is for this reason that he feels it necessary to join Sōsuke Aizen in defecting from the Soul Reapers at the conclusion of the Soul Society arc.
Tōsen's zanpakutō is Suzumushi (清虫, Suzumushi? literally "pure insects", but read as "cricket"; translated in the English manga as "bell bug"). In its sealed form, Suzumushi looks like a regular katana; its crossguard shaped like a tear drop, with several teardrop-shaped holes at the wide part of the teardrop. Unlike most zanpakutō, Suzumushi has two shikai commands, each producing a unique automatic effect. With one Suzumushi projects a high-pitched tone over a wide area, overloading the hearing of anyone in range and knocking them unconscious. When the second release command is used Suzumushi changes into Suzumushi Nishiki: Benihikō (清虫式紅飛蝗, Suzumushi Nishiki: Benihikō? literally "Suzumushi, second style: crimson grasshopper"), which creates a trail when swung that turns into hundreds of blades that rain down on his opponents. Suzumushi's bankai, named Suzumushi Tsuishiki: Enma Kōrogi (清虫終紅閻魔蟋蟀, Suzumushi Tsuishiki: Enma Kōrogi? literally "Suzumushi, final style: Enma cricket") creates a large, black dome centered at Tōsen's location and anchored to the ground with ten rings. Anyone within the dome loses the ability to sense anything around them but retains the sensation of touch. The weakness of this technique is that whoever is touching Suzumushi's hilt is immune to the dome's effects, so anyone able to grab Suzumushi recovers their senses.
Squad 10 Captain:Tōshirō Hitsugaya
Tōshirō Hitsugaya (日番谷 冬獅郎, Hitsugaya Tōshirō?) is the captain of the 10th Division, and the youngest captain in the history of Soul Society.
Squad 11 Captain:Kenpachi Zaraki
Kenpachi Zaraki (更木 剣八, Zaraki Kenpachi?) is the most recent captain of the 11th Division. Like all of his predecessors, he has earned the title of "Kenpachi"; the best warrior among all of the Soul Reapers.
Squad 12 Captain:Mayuri Kurotsuchi
Mayuri Kurotsuchi (涅 マユリ, Kurotsuchi Mayuri?) is the captain of the 12th Division. He personifies the stereotype of the mad scientist, viewing everyone as objects to be dissected in the lab. He takes great pride in his experiments and the things he has created (such as his daughter Nemu) and condemns the concept of perfection. He has made extensive modifications to his body: his left arm can extend like a grappling hook and by pulling out his ears he can form a scythe. Mayuri has little regard for life or allegiances, readily turning his own subordinates into human bombs on one occasion. In the past this potential danger he posed to Soul Society led to his imprisonment when he joined the Soul Reapers. Kisuke Urahara, upon becoming captain of the 12th Division, recognized his potential as a scientist and released Mayuri to help him with his research.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi's zanpakutō is Ashisogi Jizō (疋殺地蔵, Ashisogi Jizō? roughly "leg-cutting Jizō"). When released, Ashisogi Jizō's transforms into a deformed trident. When it stabs an opponent it emits a poison that cuts off the nerve signals that control limb movement, effectively causing paralysis while allowing the victim to still feel pain. Ashisogi Jizō's bankai, named Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō (金色疋殺地蔵, Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō? literally "golden leg-cutting Jizō", translated in the English manga as "divine leg-cutting Jizō"), takes the form of a giant caterpillar with a baby's head and a silver halo. The creature breathes a poisonous derivative of Mayuri's blood which is lethal to anyone who breathes it, aside from Mayuri and Nemu.[27] Mayuri has physically modified his bankai so that it will self-destruct and return to its sealed state if it attacks him. As a final defensive measure, Mayuri can reduce himself to liquid form for three days by stabbing himself with his zanpakutō. This leaves him unable to attack or be attacked, making it an effective escape tool.
Squad 13 Captain:Jūshirō Ukitake
Jūshirō Ukitake (浮竹 十四郎, Ukitake Jūshirō?) is the captain of the 13th Division. He suffers from tuberculosis, and so has a sickly appearance. His illness acts as an inhibition for him throughout the series; if he fights for too long, or even becomes too agitated, the illness flares up.[29] He is forced to leave most of his duties as a captain to his subordinates so that he can rest. Despite this, Jūshirō is respected by many Soul Reapers for his honesty, loyalty, and personal sense of justice.[30] He and his friend Shunsui Kyōraku are two of the oldest captains in the Gotei 13, both having trained under General Yamamoto thousands of years before the current Bleach storyline.[9]
Jūshirō's zanpakutō is Sōgyo no Kotowari (双魚の理, Sōgyo no Kotowari? literally "law of the twin fish"). In Sōgyo no Kotowari's released state, it splits into two thin blades resembling fishing javelins, making it one of the only two zanpakutō in Soul Society to exist as a pair. While the anime and manga have yet to depict what special abilities it possesses, some Bleach video games portray it as having the ability to manipulate water and electricity.[31]
Former Captains
Former Squad 2 Captain:Yoruichi Shihōin
Yoruichi Shihōin (四楓院 夜一, Shihōin Yoruichi?) does not work at the Urahara Shop in any official capacity. She is an old friend of owner Kisuke Urahara, and so uses it as a place of residence when she is not abroad.[23] Her natural form is that of a woman, though can transform into a black cat at will. This form gives her a deep voice, which leads many characters to initially believe she is a male and thus call her "Mr. Yoruichi". Yoruichi is very easy-going; she insists that Soi Fon not use formalities when speaking to her, and has no qualms appearing naked before Ichigo Kurosaki.[91][92] She tends to avoid combat, and will not engage an enemy unless her allies will lose without her intervention. When first introduced, she helps Ichigo and his friends infiltrate Soul Society.[93] Having once been the captain of the 2nd Division, she is very knowledgeable of Soul Society. A century before the start of the series, she abandoned her post by helping Urahara, Tessai Tsukabishi, and the visoreds escape to the human world. Series creator Tite Kubo identifies Yoruichi 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."[4]
Yoruichi is skilled in the use of flash steps (瞬歩, shunpo?), a high speed movement ability.[94] While the ability is not unique, her speed is such that she is known as the Goddess of Flash (瞬神, shunshin?, English TV: "Flash Master"). Yoruichi is also skilled with flash release (瞬閧, shunkō?), a technique that combines hand-to-hand combat and kidō spells.[95] She has never been seen wielding a zanpakutō in the current Bleach storyline, though is shown carrying a kodachi-like blade during flashbacks. In her human form she is voiced by Satsuki Yukino in the Japanese version and Wendee Lee in the English dub,[96][42] while in her cat form Shirō Saitō voices her in Japanese and Terrence Stone in English.[97][98]
Former Squad 3 Captain:Gin Ichimaru
Gin Ichimaru (市丸 ギン, Ichimaru Gin?) is the captain of the 3rd Division at the start of the series. He joins Sōsuke Aizen, for whom he was once a lieutenant in the 5th Division, in defecting from the Soul Reapers at the conclusion of the Soul Society arc.
