madarame ikkaku

Ikkaku is bald, a fact that is made fun of by many. The 11th Division lieutenant, Yachiru Kusajishi, calls him either "cue-ball" or "pachinko head", a result of her fondness for giving people nicknames or when he questions her direction skills. As a result of the constant ridicule he gets, Ikkaku is very self-conscious about his baldness, to the point where he will threaten anyone that points it out. Ikkaku's bald scalp is reflective, which causes members of the 8th and 11th Divisions to mistake it as a full moon in one of the anime's omake segments, much to Ikkaku's annoyance. He also has distinctive small red markings near his eyes. Unlike most Shinigami, he does not wear tabi with his sandals.

Personality

In terms of attitude, Ikkaku is a stereotypical 11th Division member — violent, fight-loving, and rude; this has been noted by Tetsuzaemon Iba, among others. He loves fighting so much that he is unwilling to travel anywhere without a sword, resorting to carrying a wooden one when posing as a student at Ichigo's school. He does have a sense of loyalty and responsibility, however, unlike many of the lower-ranked 11th Division members. Ikkaku is fiercely loyal to Kenpachi, under whose command he wants to fight and eventually die.

Ikkaku has many personality traits in common with his division's captain Kenpachi Zaraki, which is why they seem to have so much respect for one another. Ikkaku considers fighting fun and tries to get as much "fun" as he can out of his opponents, so much so that he will take deadly risks to drag out the fight for as long as possible. During a fight with a challenging opponent, he is almost constantly smiling, much like Kenpachi does. Like all 11th Division members, he considers the only honorable battles to be those fought one-on-one and even the threat of death is not a reason to ignore this fact, since, as a rule, the winner is only determined when the other is dead. He does consider surviving an otherwise lost battle good luck, however, he's also sensible enough to carry a blood-clotting ointment in the hilt of his Zanpakutō.

Ikkaku is one of the few Shinigami in Soul Society who is referred to by their given name instead of their family name, a rarity amongst them, but seemingly more common between members of the 11th Division. Only Makizō Aramaki and Tōshirō Hitsugaya have called him Madarame so far. Ikkaku appears to be one of only two characters who are left-handed, the other being Uryū Ishida. It is equally possible he is ambidextrous, like Lisa Yadōmaru, as he switches to his right hand during his battle with the Arrancar Edorad Leones and uses his sword sheath as a secondary weapon in battle.

History

Not much is known about Ikkaku's history, but it is likely that he has been in the 11th Division since becoming a Shinigami. The anime is much clearer about this; Ikkaku becomes a Shinigami after hearing that Kenpachi had become the captain of the 11th Division. During Renji Abarai's time in the 11th Division, Ikkaku was Renji's senpai and taught him how to fight.

Like Rukia Kuchiki and Renji, Ikkaku came from Rukongai. At some point, he met Yumichika Ayasegawa and the two became friends. They would later have an encounter with Kenpachi Zaraki and Yachiru Kusajishi before they entered Seireitei. Kenpachi and Ikkaku fought; Kenpachi easily defeated Ikkaku and nearly killed him. When he asked Kenpachi why he did not kill him, Kenpachi replied that if he killed Ikkaku now, he would never get another opportunity to fight Ikkaku again. He then told him not to seek death, but to consider himself lucky for not having died. The encounter is Ikkaku's main reason for staying in the 11th Division, as he wants to continue serving under Kenpachi and might not get a chance to fight him again otherwise.

Synopsis

Soul Society arc

Ikkaku and Yumichika are the first to encounter Ichigo Kurosaki; while Ganju Shiba runs and Yumichika chases after him, Ikkaku is left to fight Ichigo. Although they are mostly evenly matched, Ichigo comes with the victory and heals his wounds with and ointment that Ikkaku carried on him. While recovering from his injures at the 4th Division's headquarters he is interrogated by Mayuri Kurotsuchi to whom he tells no details of his fight. When Zaraki arrives at the scene, he tells the latter about Ichigo's power and remarks that he will keep getting stronger. When the 11th Division decides to help Orihime Inoue, they are meet in resistance by the Captains of the 7th and 9th Division, along with their respective lieutenants. Ikkaku is left to fight agaists Tetsuzaemon Iba, but a victor is not decided.

Bount arc

Duirng the Bount arc Ikkaku along with Yumichika lead the 11th Division after the Bount invade Soul Society.

Arrancar arc

During the arrancar arc Ikkaku along with Yumichika, Renji, Rangiku Matsumoto and Rukia are part of the advanced force led by Captain Hitsugaya. When Grimmjow Jeagerjaques leads the second attack on the real world, Ikkaku is left to fight one of his Fracción, Edorad Leones. During their fight, Ikkaku goads Edorad into unleashing his Zanpakutō (not knowing that Arrancar release their Zanpakutō in an entirely different manner to those of the Shinigami) and Edorad releases his Zanpakutō, completely overpowering him. Realizing that since the others are in similar fights and would'nt notice, he releases his Bankai and wins the fight. When Luppi leads the next invasion he is forced to join in a group battle compromised of Yumichika, Rangiku and him-self against Luppi. He spends the rest of his time in the real world at Keigo Asano's residence, something that makes Keigo's sister, Mizuho very delighted (she likes men with shaved heads).

Fake Karakura Town arc

Pō stands over a defeated Ikkaku.

When Aizen along with his three top Espada attack fake Karakura Town, he along with Yumichika, Shūhei Hisagi and Izuru Kira are left to protect the four pillars that keep the real Karakura Town in Soul Society. After slaying some Hollows sent to destroy his pillar, Barragan Luisenbarn sends one of his Fracción, Pō to fight him. He was defeated as a result of the fight between Pō, who then destroyed the pillar he was guarding. Captain Sajin Komamura steps in to defeat a released Pō following this defeat. After Pō is defeated, former member of the 11th division Tetsuzaemon Iba confronts Ikakku for not using his Bankai and letting his pride get in the way of stopping the Arrancar. Tetsuzaemon then tells Ikkaku that if he wants to do things his way, he must become stronger and win, even at the cost of his life.

Powers & Abilities

Master Swordsmanship Specialist: Despite being ranked as 3rd seat officer in his division, his rank does not reflect his fighting abilities, which are of near captain level. According to Yumichika Ayasegawa, Ikkaku is the 2nd strongest man in the 11th Division. It is unclear whether this explicitly means that he is stronger than any other male in the division (excluding Kenpachi) or whether he is the second strongest person in the division (surpassing Yachiru, its female lieutenant). Ikkaku has even achieved the Bankai of his Zanpakutō, putting him at a level beyond most of Soul Society's lieutenants. Ikkaku intentionally hides this fact from everyone, with the exception of those he trusts to keep it a secret. The reason he does so is to stay in the 11th Division under Kenpachi, since he believes he might be promoted or forced into becoming a captain if anyone else knew. The advantage of this secrecy is that it allows him to travel to the world of the living without his power level being placed under a limit as is required for all captain and lieutenant level Shinigami. In fact, during the second Arrancar assault, Ikkaku was the first to defeat his Arrancar opponent in his released form after he unleashed his Zanpakuto's Bankai - a feat that required the other Shinigami to also relinquish the limiters over their powers in order to fight more effectively.

Zanpakutō

Ikkaku's Shikai

Hōzukimaru (鬼灯丸; Demon Light or Winter Cherry), It appears like any regular Zanpakutō when sealed, but has a hollow hilt which Ikkaku stores a blood-clotting ointment in. Hōzukimaru's sealed form enables Ikkaku to employ it in battle as a normal weapon, with its sheath being wielded in his other hand to serve as a secondary weapon. Ikkaku has shown to be very proficient at how he wields his Zanpakutō's default form, which leaves both his Shikai and Bankai as his "trump cards".

• Shikai: It's Shikai command is "Grow" (延びろ, nobiro; "extend" in the English version). Hōzukimaru's Shikai is unusual in that Ikkaku slams Hōzukimaru's hilt (and sometimes its pommel) into its sheath to activate it when saying the command phrase. Once activated, Hōzukimaru takes on the form of what initially appears to be a yari (spear) with a wax wood shaft. The pommel also has a red horsehair tassel.^[2] While it does technically function as such, it is also a three section staff, which surprises opponents when they first attack. Ikkaku uses the command "Split" (裂けろ, sakero; "split apart" in the English dub) to separate the sections, after which the sections can independently reconnect and separate again at will.

Ryūmon Hōzukimaru, Ikkaku's Bankai

• Bankai: Ryūmon Hōzukimaru (龍紋鬼灯丸; Dragon Crest Demon Light), keeps the three-section theme but loses its yari properties. Instead, it is merely three oversized weapons connected by an equally large chain. To activate it during his battle with Edorad, Ikkaku slams the two broken pieces of his Shikai back into the spear-form and says Bankai. Ikkaku's two main weapons are a Chinese Monk's spade and a standard Guan dao. Both have a traditional horsehair tassel at the hilt and a long cylindrical weight for a pommel. The pommels are connected by a heavy chain to the center section, which resembles an axe-like blade with a parallel handle forged into the blunt end and a dragon crest on one side of the blade.^[3] Despite all three weapons being of near-ridiculous proportions, Ikkaku wields them easily. Ikkaku usually holds one blade in each hand and lets the central portion "float" behind him, though he will occasionally spin the entire configuration about using the center handle as a pivot.

Ikkaku's Bankai, like his Shikai, is quite unusual. Aside from the increase in power, his Bankai offers no special abilities and no special defense properties. While quite capable of injuring opponents, the weapons are easily damaged. To make up for this, Ikkaku's Bankai gets increasingly more powerful as the fight drags on. After he performs his Bankai, the dragon crest will slowly fill in with crimson dye as Ikkaku's Spiritual Pressure rises. It fills faster when he spins Hōzukimaru with the center handle. Ikkaku comments that his Zanpakutō is actually very lazy in battle (in stark contrast to Ikkaku himself) and needs to be woken up through causing or receiving injury; which would explain its ability to accumulate attacking power the longer the fight extends. When the crest is completely filled, Hōzukimaru is at its full power. However, the force of unleashing so much power can leave his Zanpakutō's edge brittle afterwards.

abarai renji

Character outline

Renji has long crimson hair, usually kept in a high ponytail, and his entire upper body is covered in tribal tattoo work. How he got these tattoos is unknown, but it appears that with every achievement Renji attains, the number of tattoos on his body increase as well, starting from his early days as a Soul Reaper candidate until when he becomes Byakuya Kuchiki's lieutenant (at this time his tattoos now cover his entire back). These tattoos match those of Zabimaru in its manifested state. He dresses in the standard Soul Reaper outfit, though he usually includes some sort of elaborate headgear (usually expensive-looking glasses or a white headband). All of Renji's sunglasses are from Seireitei's popular "Silver Dragonfly Glasses Store" and cost half a year's worth of his paycheck. Unfortunately, every time he wears a pair, they are broken in one way or another, usually in a fight with Ichigo.^[3]

As far as his personality goes, Renji is about as eccentric as any other Soul Reaper. He varies from smug and cocky in his first appearances to downright angsty and depressed after his major defeats, but shows himself to be an incredibly serious and determined fighter when confronted with an actual challenge. Willing to fight, kill, and die for whatever he believes in, Renji is a dangerous man to those who stand in his way. He is similar to Ichigo Kurosaki in many aspects, and the two are mistaken for brothers in the anime's Bount arc. Ichigo claims they are cousins to keep things simple, allowing many hilarious situations to occur later, including comments over their unusually colored hair. A continuing gag in the series is Renji's nick name, red pineapple, referring to his crimson hair kept in a pineapple top-like ponytail. During a filler arc before the invasion of Las Noches, Renji wears a shirt with 'Red Pineapple' printed on the front, supposedly bought by Ichigo Kurosaki as a joke. He's even referred as "Aka Pine" during the Shinigami Cup segments.

[edit] History

A young Renji with Rukia during their early years in the Rukongai.

Renji Abarai came from the 78th district of Rukongai and grew up as an orphan with several other children, including Rukia Kuchiki. The company of children lived by hunting or stealing food and water. Though Renji and Rukia quickly discovered they had spiritual powers, they remained with their friends until they all died, which prompted them to become Soul Reapers for a better life.

At the Soul Reaper academy, Renji was admitted into the top class, being very adept at swordsmanship, although quite inept at kidō. His senpai was Shūhei Hisagi. At the academy, Renji befriended Izuru Kira and Momo Hinamori, who each proceeded to become lieutenants. His relationship with Rukia became distant after her adoption by the Kuchiki family since he felt he had no place interfering with her life now that she was a noble, despite the fact they both seemed to regret losing the company and confidence of the other.

Renji, Kira and Hinamori served under Sōsuke Aizen and Gin Ichimaru in the 5th division, after which Kira and Hinamori were put under Ichimaru and Aizen in the 3rd and 5th divisions respectively. The rebellious Renji was moved to the 11th Division and eventually rose to the 6th seat. During his time in the 11th Division, he befriended Ikkaku Madarame, who taught Renji how to fight. It was also shown that Renji was aware that Ikkaku had a bankai at this point, but Ikkaku refused to use it to train Renji. On the same day Rukia headed for the human world, Renji was promoted to lieutenant of the 6th Division.^[4] After meeting Byakuya Kuchiki when Byakuya adopted Rukia into the Kuchiki family at the academy, the 6th Division's captain, Renji's greatest dream has been to surpass him in strength.

[edit] Synopsis

Renji and his captain, Byakuya Kuchiki, are sent to the human world to find Rukia Kuchiki and bring her back to Soul Society. Once they find Rukia and prepare to return home, Ichigo Kurosaki arrives to save Rukia. Renji and Ichigo fight briefly, though before Renji is defeated, Byakuya steps in to mortally wound Ichigo. After they return to Soul Society and Rukia is imprisoned, Renji periodically checks up on her, trying to keep her spirits high despite her impending execution.

Ichigo soon arrives in Soul Society to continue his attempted rescue of Rukia. Renji, feeling Ichigo is to blame for Rukia's sentence, goes to fight him. Despite his best efforts, Renji is defeated and subsequently imprisoned for his failure. Before Ichigo leaves, Renji pleads for Ichigo to save Rukia. Once he recovers he escapes from his confinement and begins training to achieve bankai of his zanpakutō. After completing his training, Renji sets out to free Rukia. Before he can do so, however, he is stopped by Byakuya. The two clash with their respective bankai, though Renji's inexperience with the ability allows Byakuya to claim victory.

Once recovering from his wounds, Renji goes to the site of Rukia's execution in a last attempt to save her. Ichigo, having beaten him there, entrusts Rukia's safety to Renji and the two try to escape. Along the way they are met by Kaname Tōsen, who teleports them back to the execution site. Upon learning that Tōsen and Sōsuke Aizen are traitors that intend to kill Rukia, Renji fights to defend her, yet is quickly defeated by Aizen. Rukia is ultimately saved by Byakuya, though Aizen is able to escape Soul Society. Renji recovers from his wounds once again, and sees off Ichigo upon his return to the human world.

Renji soon returns to the human world to help deal with the Bount. After some of his Soul Reaper companions are defeated by Ugaki, Renji activates his bankai in order to defeat Ugaki and save his friends. Renji eventually manages to wound Ugaki's doll, Gesell, driving it insane and causing it to kill its owner. Upon his return to Soul Society, predominately fends off the many Soul Reaper possessed by Mabashi's doll, Ritz. After Mabashi and the remainder of the Bount are defeated, Renji assists in caring for the wounded.

As Aizen's arrancar begin to threaten the human world, Renji is one of a group of Soul Reapers sent to help defend against the arrancar attacks. During the second arrancar invasion, Renji fights against Ilforte Granz, who he is able to defeat once his power limit is lifted. After the battle, Renji is recruited by Kisuke Urahara to help train Yasutora Sado. Upon Orihime Inoue's capture by the arrancar, however, Renji and the other Soul Reapers are recalled to Soul Society.

Unwilling to abandon Orihime, Renji and Rukia go to Hueco Mundo to join Ichigo, Chad, and Uryū Ishida in rescuing her. After their group splits up, Renji is joined by Dondochakka Bilstin in traveling through the arrancar base. They eventually encounter the eighth Espada, Szayel Aporro Granz. Upon being drawn into battle with the Espada, Renji discovers that Szayel has nullified all of his abilities as a result of Szayel's earlier research. Uryū soon arrives to lend assistance, though his attacks are also rendered inert by Szayel. No longer able to attack, Renji and Uryū are left at Szayel's mercy until Mayuri Kurotsuchi arrives to save and heal them.

[edit] Zabimaru

Renji with Zabimaru's spirit, and his shikai.

• Voiced by: Toru Furusawa (Japanese), Vic Mignogna (English)^[5]

Renji's zanpakutō is Zabimaru (蛇尾丸^?, roughly "snake tail"). Zabimaru's shikai command is "howl" (咆えろ, hoero^?).^[2]

Renji is one of the rare instances where a Soul Reaper's zanpakutō spirit is actually seen. Zabimaru is a nue (a baboon with a snake tail), hence his name. Zabimaru's spirit is portrayed as battle-loving and proud, similar in personality to Renji. It insisted on fighting Zangetsu again after losing, confident that it could succeed on the second attempt. Both the snake and baboon are capable of speaking, though the baboon is usually the more dominant one. The snake seems to be the more violent and insulting of the pair.

In its shikai, Zabimaru transforms into a segmented blade with a pick-like protrusion on each segment. The segments are connected by a stretchable thread, making Zabimaru more useful as a whip than an actual sword, though it can serve as a regular sword just as easily. While Zabimaru can be stretched to incredible lengths in its whip form, Renji has a limit of three consecutive attacks before having to bring the segments of Zabimaru back together for recovery. Renji can also use his spiritual power to separate the segments and surround an opponent with them, allowing him to execute a one-shot omnidirectional attack called higa zekkō (狒牙絶咬^?, "bite of a baboon's broken fang"), but it is damaging to Zabimaru and leaves Renji defenseless.

Hihiō Zabimaru.

Zabimaru's bankai is Hihiō Zabimaru (狒狒王蛇尾丸^?, "baboon king snake tail") and transforms Zabimaru into a massive version of its shikai form resembling a skeletal snake. Zabimaru gains many more segments, which are much larger than in its shikai form, and also gains a snake-like head about the size of a small car. Renji is also slightly transformed, gaining a fur cowl around his neck, attached on is a glovelike appendage that Renji holds on the Snake's tail, and a baboon's skull on his left shoulder. Unlike its shikai, Zabimaru's segments are held together by Renji's spiritual power, allowing him to separate and reattach them at will. The segments themselves are extremely tough, making it extremely difficult to destroy Zabimaru. Even if a segment is damaged, Renji can simply detach it and reform Zabimaru. Zabimaru itself, in bankai form, does not literally "cut", Renji usually catches his opponent with the snake-head of his weapon and smashes his opponent into the ground with it. The head has also proven capable of inflicting heavy damage through biting. Zabimaru also gains a special technique known as hikōtsu taihō (狒骨大砲^?, "baboon bone cannon") after Renji becomes more adept with using his bankai. The technique fires a dense blast of spiritual energy from Zabimaru's mouth. He can also use a much more powerful higa zekkō, where all the segments detach and sharpen using spiritual energy.