List of Soul Reapers in Bleach
Sōsuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, and Kaname Tōsen—the captains of squads Five, Three, and Nine respectively—eventually defect from the Soul Society at the time of Rukia's rescue, effectively interrupting Ichigo's battles, and enact a plan to gain greater power with the Arrancar.
"initial release") which acts like a binding contract between a Soul Reaper and the sword, changes the zanpakutō's appearance to so the owner can facilitate its special abilities to its fullest.
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 DiamondDust Rebellion (2007).
[12] He believed that laws must be upheld for the benefit of the community and despised those who broke them, but made an exception regarding Ichigo Kurosaki due to a debt owed to the former after he saves the Soul Society.
Yamamoto founded the Soul Reaper Academy 1,000 years before the main Bleach storyline,[12] where he personally instructed Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake whom he treated like sons.
Shunsui tends to use a more familiar speech style than most other characters in Bleach, generally referring to his fellow captains and Soul Reapers by their first name, usually followed by an honorific.
When released with the command "Flower Wind Rage and Flower God Roar, Heavenly Wind Rage and Heavenly Demon Sneer" (花風紊れて花神啼き 天風紊れて天魔嗤う, Hana Kaze Midarete Kashin Naki, Tenpū Midarete Tenma Warau), Katen Kyōkotsu gains the ability to turn children's games into a deadly reality and anyone caught in the range of Shunsui's spiritual power is forced to play.
[21] When released, it covers a large area around him in an aura that affects others perception of the surrounding environment, causing them to see it as darkened, bleak, and gloomy, and feel varying levels of melancholy and despair.
[20] It also manifests the spirit of Shunsui's zanpakutō: a Feudal Japan-style mistress referred to as Katen, who creates a kunoichi offshoot named Kyōkotsu to hold Shinken Hakkyōken[B] until Nanao eventually asks for it.
As a child, living with elderly relatives after her mother is executed for discarding Shinken Hakkyōken in the aftermath of her father's death, Nanao joins the Gotei Thirteen for her knowledge in kidō.
[12] While she creates a special kidō, Hakudan Keppeki, capable of blocking the Wandenreich during their second invasion of the Soul Society,[8] Nanao eventually convinces Shunsui to give Shinken Hakkyōken to her.
[13] A gold artillery-type weapon with black markings, it takes the form of an extremely long, armored missile launcher[13] that encases Suì-Fēng's right arm and extends all the way up past her shoulder, with a sighting device shaped like a mask shielding the right side of her face.
Despite his dense and foolish attitude, he is a skilled tactician, 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 Sōsuke Aizen's Arrancar.
Shūsuke's Bakkōtō (獏爻刀, roughly "tapir crossing blade") is a twin-bladed tuning fork-shaped weapon that creates black-plated armor across his right arm and emits a green energy sword when activated.
When in training at the Soul Reaper academy, Makoto stood out as a highly gifted student, but his inability to function in a team prevented him from attaining rank in the Gotei Thirteen (a teammate getting injured during his attack on a hollow got him in trouble with Central 46).
[12] For reasons unknown, after becoming the captain of Squad Four, Unohana adopts a more serene and soft-spoken maternal persona,[20] never showing distress even in the most perilous situations and responding with sharp-minded thinking when things become demanding.
Though always polite to her patients and subordinates, aspects of her true nature surface on occasion, with her mere presence intimidating her charges into submission if they try to leave her care before being fully healed or, in the English dub, if they complain about their treatment.
A highly proficient swordsman, skilled in the use of kidō and shunpo—his abilities rivalled those of Byakuya—Koga possesses immense spiritual energy and impressive physical strength for a Soul Reaper that is neither a captain nor of the nobility.
When released, Muramasa glows purple and emits a similarly colored wave of energy that causes all nearby zanpakutō to turn against their wielders, enabling Koga to end conflicts without having to attack anyone himself.
[7] Hundreds of years later, in the Zanpakutō Rebellion arc, Muramasa returns after discovering that Koga is not actually dead and orchestrates a series of events in order to break the seal and release his old master.
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 the latter is defeated by Hisagi and dies.
Barely clinging to life, he is granted closure by Komamura and asks to see Hisagi's face one last time, but his body explodes before they can reunite as Aizen allows his Soul Suicide to occur.
When released with the command "reap" (刈れ, kare), it takes the form of two kusarigama-like weapons, with twin blades that curve in opposite directions, connected by a long chain.
With Kensei's help and encouragement, Hisagi acquires his bankai, Fushi no Kōjyō (風死絞縄, Undying Hangman's Noose), which he eventually uses during his fight with Tsunayashiro in the light novel.
His bankai is an orb of black chains that wrap around the necks of both himself and his opponent, like a noose, and continuously drain and heal their spiritual energy and wounds in tandem, preventing them from killing each other.
Most of his actions as a Soul Reaper remain unknown,[61] except for the events at Naruki City, where he met the Quincy Masaki Kurosaki[60] while fighting Aizen's hollow White.
When confident he will be able to keep it a secret, Yumichika uses his zanpakutō's real name and command "tear in frenzy" (裂き狂え, sakikurue) to assume its true released form, with the blades splitting into vines which then bind his opponent and siphon their spiritual energy into flowers which can restore his health upon his eating their petals.
In addition to having superhuman strength, she is also capable of boring through obstacles by rotating either of her arms at high speeds, with her hand functioning as a drill-bit while using parts of her soul in her more devastating attacks.
Tenjirō's zanpakutō, Kinpika (金毘迦, literally "Gilded Splendor"), is released by the command "Flash from Illuminating Heavens" (天照一閃, Tenshō Issen) and takes the form of a small blade with a curved tip, attached to a long wooden pole.
Upon activation, it manifests as a massive golden loom that weaves vast quantities of specialized fabric, which Senjumaru manipulates into uniquely patterned tapestries designed to trap and counter her opponent(s) and their strengths.
