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This is a list of known shinigami in the anime and manga series Bleach.

Shinigami court divisions

The characters that represent each division are actually numbers in kanji.

1st Division

• Captain: Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai (山本元柳斎 重國, Yamamoto-Genryūsai Shigekuni) (General)
• Lieutenant: Chōjirō Sasakibe (雀部 長次郎, Sasakibe Chōjirō)

2nd Division

• Captain: Soifon (砕蜂) (Commander of the special forces and Executive Militia)
• Lieutenant: Marechiyo Ōmaeda (大前田 希千代, Ōmaeda Marechiyo)

3rd Division

• Former Captain: Gin Ichimaru (市丸 ギン, Ichimaru Gin)
• Lieutenant: Izuru Kira (吉良 イヅル, Kira Izuru)

4th Division

• Captain: Retsu Unohana (卯ノ花 烈, Unohana Retsu)
• Lieutenant: Isane Kotetsu (虎徹 勇音, Kotetsu Isane)
• 3rd Seat: Yasochika Iemura (伊江村 八十千和, Iemura Yasochika) (Squad Leader of Squad 1) Voiced by: Cam Clarke

Iemura is very vain, likes to act cool, and thinks he will look better without glasses. He was born on a Leap Day, February 29. His rank is quite high, but since he comes from the weakest division in terms of combat he has to call the other divisions's 3rd seaters with a -sama suffix. He meticulously keeps a diary, which he sometimes defeats the purpose of by narrating what he's writing in it (particularly when lamenting something).

• 7th Seat: Hanatarō Yamada (山田 花太郎, Yamada Hanatarō) (Squad Leader of Squad 14, born April 1)
• 8th Seat: Harunobu Ogidō (荻堂 春信, Ogidō Harunobu) (Second Leader of Squad 1, Born April 14)

Ogidō is shown to be very popular with the ladies as most of the 4th Division's mail is addressed to him from the women of the Soul Society.

5th Division

• Former Captain: Sōsuke Aizen (藍染 惣右介, Aizen Sōsuke)
• Lieutenant: Momo Hinamori (雛森 桃, Hinamori Momo)

6th Division

• Captain: Byakuya Kuchiki (朽木 白哉, Kuchiki Byakuya)
• Lieutenant: Renji Abarai (阿散井 恋次, Abarai Renji)
• 9th Seat: Mihane Shirogane (銀　美羽, Shirogane Mihane)

Mihane is the co-owner of Silver Tonbo, a very popular eyeglasses store in Soul Society. She wears glasses and has short, dirty blonde hair. She appeared in one of the colorful Bleach extras.

• Rikichi (理吉) - Voiced by: Masataka Nakai (Japanese); Liam O'Brien (English)

Rikichi is a young shinigami who idolizes Renji and wants to be like him. To this end, he has similar tattoos to Renji's and will do anything to assist Renji when he is in trouble. His rank, if any, is unknown. He and Hanatarō Yamada are friends.

7th Division

• Captain: Sajin Komamura (狛村 左陣, Komamura Sajin)
• Lieutenant: Tetsuzaemon Iba (射場 鉄左衛門, Iba Tetsuzaemon)
• Former 4th Seat: Jirōbō Ikkanzaka (一貫坂 慈楼坊, Ikkanzaka Jirōbō) - Voiced by: Peter Lurie

Jidanbō's younger brother, Jirōbō is skilled at ranged weaponry and the self-proclaimed "Kamaitachi" (a title bestowed on the best projectile user). He brags about being best in projectile use among all shinigami. His zanpakutō is Tsunzakigarasu (劈烏, lit. Splitting Crow), activated by the phrase "flap away" (羽搏きなさい, habatakinasai, "spread your wings" in the Viz translation). In its initial release, Tsunzakigarasu transforms into a number of double-edged shuriken that dance through the air around Jirōbō. If they are destroyed, he can sheath the sword and draw it again to summon more. He is easily defeated by Uryū Ishida, who also removed his ability to become a shinigami again after Jirōbō continually tried to harm the weaker Orihime Inoue, who was alongside him during the fight.

8th Division

• Captain: Shunsui Kyōraku (京楽 春水, Kyōraku Shunsui)
• Lieutenant: Nanao Ise (伊勢 七緒, Ise Nanao)
• 3rd Seat: Tatsufusa Enjōji (円乗寺 辰房, Enjōji Tatsufusa) - Voiced by: Toshiharu Sakurai (Japanese); Kim Strauss (English)

Tatsufusa (born July 8) is a large shinigami with an ego to match. When he meets with Chad in battle, he swings his sword in a random, almost idiotic fashion while making ridiculous sounds, believing it to be impenetrable defense (Chad disproves this by punching him in the face). His zanpakutō is Hōzan (崩山, lit. Avalanche) and is activated by the phrase "dance madly" (乱舞せよ, ranbuseyo). Its abilities are unknown. In one of the omake chapters, Tatsufusa appears to have a crush on Soifon.

9th Division

• Former Captain: Kaname Tōsen (東仙 要, Tōsen Kaname)
• Lieutenant: Shūhei Hisagi (檜佐木 修兵, Hisagi Shūhei)
• 20th Seat: Toshimori Umesada (梅定 敏盛, Umesada Toshimori) - Voiced by: Hajime Ījima

The lecherous leader of a squadron trying to find the intruders in Soul Society, Toshimori unwittingly allows Orihime and Ishida, disguised as shinigami, to hide within his squadron. He tries to hit on Orihime, but was foiled by Ishida and a timely call from his squad members.

10th Division

• Captain: Tōshirō Hitsugaya (日番谷 冬獅郎, Hitsugaya Tōshirō)
• Lieutenant: Rangiku Matsumoto (松本 乱菊, Matsumoto Rangiku)
• 7th Seat: Kōkichirō Takezoe (竹添 幸吉郎, Takezoe Kōkichirō)

Kōkichirō is mentioned in passing as Hitsugaya and Matsumoto were discussing Gin Ichimaru's involvement in Aizen's murder.

11th Division

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

• Captain: Kenpachi Zaraki (更木 剣八, Zaraki Kenpachi)
• Lieutenant: Yachiru Kusajishi (草鹿 八千流, Kusajishi Yachiru)
• 3rd Seat: Ikkaku Madarame (斑目 一角, Madarame Ikkaku)
• 5th Seat: Yumichika Ayasegawa (綾瀬川 弓親, Ayasegawa Yumichika)

• Makizō Aramaki (荒巻 真木造, Aramaki Makizō) - Voiced by: Yūichi Nagashima

Makizō is a shinigami who has been part of the 11th Division for 10 years. He is instructed by Ishida to take Inoue away from the battle with Mayuri, and subsequently follows Ishida and the other intruders around Soul Society once Kenpachi Zaraki frees them from prison. His nicknames are "Maki Maki" and "skinny beard," both given to him by Yachiru. He greatly resembles Hong Kong actor Yuen Wah in appearance.

• Maki Ichinose (一之瀬 真樹, Ichinose Maki) - Voiced by: Susumu Chiba

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

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

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

12th Division

• Captain: Mayuri Kurotsuchi (涅 マユリ, Kurotsuchi Mayuri) (2nd Research President)

• Former Captain: Kisuke Urahara (浦原 喜助, Urahara Kisuke)

• Lieutenant: Nemu Kurotsuchi (涅 ネム, Kurotsuchi Nemu)

• Hiyosu (鵯州) - Voiced by: Kōhei Matsumoto

Hiyosu is a department head in the Research Institute tied to the 12th division. He is a large man with a bulbous head and an extendable eyeball via a crank on his head. He was the one that originally discovered Rukia's gigai.

• Akon (阿近) - Voiced by: Keiji Okuda

Akon is the second-best gigai scientist in the Research Institute. He is tall and eyebrow-less, with a jagged part. On his forehead are three short horns. He was the first to realize that Rukia's gigai was created by someone working outside the laws of the Soul Society. In a "Colorful Bleach" segment, Akon and his un-named assistant, a girl with pigtails made of chains, are often shown doing various tasks like designing models for the Bleach games and making life-size figures as birthday presents on Ukitake's request.

• Rin Tsubokura (壷府 リン, Tsubokura Rin) - Voiced by: Miho Saiki

Rin is a character originally created by Kubo Tite for the Bleach-Fan Japanese Bleach news site as a mascot. She regularly interacts with Ichigo's seiyū in brief video segments on the site. Later, she was brought into the manga and anime as one of Hiyosu's assistants. She has an obsession with candy and any other sort of sweets, jumping at the chance to visit the real world just to buy sweets unavailable in Soul Society.

13th Division

• Captain: Jūshirō Ukitake (浮竹 十四郎, Ukitake Jūshirō)
• Lieutenant (former): Kaien Shiba (志波 海燕, Shiba Kaien)

• 3rd Seat (former) Miyako Shiba - Voiced by: Sumi Shimamoto

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

• 3rd Seats 1 and 2: Kiyone Kotetsu (虎徹 清音, Kotetsu Kiyone) and Sentarō Kotsubaki (小椿 仙太郎, Kotsubaki Sentarō) - Voiced by: Chinami Nishimura (Japanese); Dorothy Elias-Fahn (English) and Voiced by: Kōichi Tōchika (Japanese); Michael Lindsay (English)

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

• Rukia Kuchiki (朽木 ルキア, Kuchiki Rukia)

Special forces

• General: Soifon
• Former general: Yoruichi Shihouin
• Eikichirō Saidō (西堂 榮吉郎, Saidō Eikichirō) – Voiced by: Takuya Kirmoto (Japanese); Kirk Thornton (English)

Unique to the anime, Eikichirō is two years Rukia's senior and a low or mid-level shinigami (supported by the fact that he never activates his zanpakutō) in service with the special forces. He finds himself pressed into service assisting Rukia and Ichigo against the hollow Grand Fisher. After being wounded by Grand Fisher, he fell asleep to heal himself. Upon waking up, he abandoned his mission to bring Rukia back to the Soul Society, having come to appreciate her reasons for staying on Earth.

Gate watchers

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

• Jidanbō (兕丹坊, Jidanbō) (West Gate - Hakutōmon) - Voiced by: Takashi Nagasako (Japanese); Peter Lurie (English)

The only gate guard to receive any significant attention, Jidanbō (born January 10) has a good heart and believes in honor. He believes all fights must be one on one (much like the 11th Division mindset) and defeat means he must open his gate, even to an enemy. When he attempts to do so for Ichigo, he is repelled by Gin Ichimaru. He is the first person that Ichigo fought in Soul Society, and following his honorable defeat and being healed by Orihime, became friends with Ichigo and company. He has immense physical power and wields two gigantic axes, which Ichigo destroys during their battle. He assists Kūkaku Shiba against Aizen late in the Soul Society arc.

• Kaiwan (嵬蜿, Kaiwan) (East Gate - Shōryūmon)
• Danzōmaru (斷蔵丸, Danzōmaru) (North Gate - Kokuryōmon)
• Bikonyūdō (比鉅入道, Bikonyūdō) (South Gate - Shūwaimon)

These three guards are on Aizen's side, although it is unknown if it is through their own choice, Aizen's manipulation, or if they are under the control of Aizen through some spell. In the anime, their betrayal was not shown, but during the Bounts' infiltration of Seireitei, the south gate guardian can be seen at his post.

Other shinigami

• Zennosuke Kurumadani (車谷 善之介, Kurumadani Zennosuke) - Voiced by: Masashi Yabe

Zennosuke (born June 25) is a shinigami assigned to replace Rukia in Karakura after her arrest. It is not known what division of the Gotei 13 he is a part of. To his chagrin, he has little to do while in Karakura, since either the Karakura Superheroes or Ichigo tend to destroy the few hollows that attack. He is confused by the fact that so many people in the town are capable of seeing him. He has an afro hair style, which results in Keigo Asano nicknaming him "Afro Old Man" (Afro-oji-san).

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

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

• Kanisawa (蟹沢) and Aoga (青鹿) - Voiced by: Asami Sanada

Kanisawa and Aoga are two students who were in the same year as Shūhei Hisagi when studying in the Shinigami Academy. They were killed by huge hollows that showed up during a training session which they acted as facilitators. Aoga is a large male and Kanisawa is a female.

• Rantao (蘭島) - Voiced by: Masako Katsuki

Introduced in the anime's Bount arc, Rantao was the leader of the research team that created the Bount race. She looks exactly like Yoshino Sōma with the exception of a pair of glasses and her hair up (similar to Nanao Ise). The two also share the same voice. Rantao has stated that she is much older than she looks and has found a way to stay young in appearance, but needs to take very long naps to maintain her image. Out of guilt for creating the Bounts by accident, Rantao took pity on them and helped them build a sanctuary in which all Bounts could live, since they were being persecuted at the time by normal people. She convinced the Bounts to allow her to get them protection from Soul Society. Upon returning to Seireitei, she was immediately arrested and put on trial by Center 46 for her failed soul experiments. When the order was given to exterminate the Bounts because they were considered a threat, Rantao slipped outside to the real world to help them escape, one of the escapees being Jin Kariya. She also gave him "Messer", his doll. Shortly afterwards she was caught and had her shinigami powers sealed, before being exiled from Seireitei. Rantao went into hiding in an underground shelter in Rukongai, where she remains to this day. She spends her time engaging in minor experiments to utilize spiritual energy in better ways, one of which is a kidō shotgun which she uses on Jin Kariya during their confrontation.

• Baishin - Voiced by: Jōji Nakata

Unique to the Sword of Frenzy OVA, Baishin was once a member of the Gotei 13, but went mad and killed 63 seated officers before escaping to the human world. Six of the thirteen captains chased him and it took the sacrifice of two of them to seal him away. He eventually broke free and hunted down those with powerful spiritual energy. Baishin found it in Ichigo, sucking out power from him. However, Tōshirō Hitsugaya's interference forced him to flee. At the site where he was once sealed, Baishin once again fought Ichigo, this time with Rukia and Renji at Ichigo's side. However, by sucking out Ichigo's spiritual power, Baishin was able to perform his final release, becoming a living being of swords. He was eventually killed by Ichigo using his own final release, leaving only the zanpakutō Baishin had become one with. His goal was to separate his body, and his zanpakutō, even if he perished.

• Senna (茜雫) - Voiced by: Chiwa Saitō

Unique to Bleach: Memories of Nobody, Senna is an unusual young woman who encounters Ichigo and Rukia in the human world. She wears a standard unseated shinigami uniform, except for a large red ribbon tied around her waist. Her zanpakutō, named Mirokumaru (弥勒丸, lit. Maitreya circle), takes the form of a spear during its initial release and creates controllable tornadoes.

• Isshin Kurosaki (黒崎 一心, Kurosaki Isshin)

• Ichigo Kurosaki (黒崎 一護, Kurosaki Ichigo)

References

1. Bleach manga; omake chapter 88.5, page 2.

• Shinigami in Bleach