Sōsuke Aizen

Basic Info: Aizen's name is "Sōsuke Aizen", but is usually just referred to as "Aizen". He is a Soul who is at least over 110 years old, born in May 29th. He was the former captain of the 5th Division in the Gotei 13 before defecting and becoming the leader of the Arrancar Army in Hueco Mundo alongside his personal subordinates Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tōsen. Aizen, after being defeated by Ichigo Kurosaki and sealed by Kisuke Urahara, Aizen remaines imprisoned in Muken for 20,000 years (twenty-thousand due to his immortality from the fusion with the Hōgyoku.

Physical Appearance: Aizen is listed at a height of around 6'1" (186 cm), and weighs around 163 lbs (74 kg). He is a tall and mysterious human man appearing to be around his mid-thirties despite his true age as a soul. He appears with mild-features, including brown scholarly hair and soft brown eyes, along with thick brown eyebrows matching his hair color. However, by this time after his fall to Ichigo Kurosaki and during the Quincy Blood War, his hair is swept back without his iconic strand of hair running down his face.

Attire: Aizen, for his subsequent imprisonment in Muken, is clothed in a black uniform consisting of several wide, horizontally bound-together loops of leather, which serve a sealing function. The uniform's jacket-like portion reaches below the knees, flaring like a tunic, and originally covers Aizen's face; it is fastened together in the front, the edges trimmed in white. Pants and boots are present below, made of the same black material. A gray neckcloth is placed around Aizen's shoulders like a capelet and has several red stakes run through it while Aizen is crucified. Upon his release from Muken, being partially unsealed, Aizen has the leather over his left eye and mouth removed, though the one over his right eye remains, like an eyepatch.

Personality: Aizen is a polite, soft-spoken intellectual, often addressing his subordinates by their given names. He rarely shows any sign of alarm or distress, and often has entire situations planned out well in advance. Whenever confronted, Aizen is casual and uncaring, attempting to draw out a conversation and make small talk, which often infuriates those he is talking to. Aizen initially appeared to be a very kind, well-respected captain and was looked up to by many, especially his lieutenant, Momo Hinamori. However, this was just a mask to disguise his dangerously manipulative nature. In truth, he cares very little for his underlings, and is willing to use almost everyone around him as pawns to achieve his goals. He is willing to stop at nothing to further his ambitions, including manipulating or killing anyone if he deems it necessary. He frequently toys with his underlings for amusement. Aizen's true objective was to overthrow the king of Soul Society. As he and his fellow traitor captains were departing from the Soul Society, he told 13th Division Captain Jūshirō Ukitake "no one has stood on the top of the world", not even the gods, but he aspires to "stand on the heavens and end the unbearable vacancy on the world's throne". Aizen, as the former commander of his army of Arrancar, controls his minions through acquired respect or fear. Ulquiorra Cifer revealed to Orihime Inoue that they are all there to further Aizen's ambitions. Aizen keeps more rowdy individuals like Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez in line through intimidation and mind games. The Arrancar Aisslinger Wernarr claims the Arrancar follow him because he has no fear, something which beings born from fear and despair find inspiring. Aizen's feelings and emotions, at some sense, have been felt before by Gin Ichimaru. He had described Aizen's joy while watching Ichigo and his allies successfully invade Las Noches, and noting Aizen was surprised by the arrival of Momo during the battle of Fake Karakura Town. In contrast, Kaname Tōsen has shown no such understanding, and has fallen victim to one of Aizen's more minor mind games when Aizen subtly manipulated him into punishing Grimmjow for him while Aizen himself kept up his appearance of benevolence. Aizen, according to Kisuke Urahara, since mastering the Hōgyoku, has become less cautious in battle, for Aizen would not have allowed Urahara to use level 90 Kidō before he subdued the Hōgyoku. Aizen admits his new powers allow him to let his guard down. Due to this newfound power, Aizen has developed an arrogant and overconfident attitude, often not even thinking his attacks or defense through any longer like he used to, or even bothering to find out the effects of his opponents' and his own attacks. In his newest form, he has developed a severe superiority complex, believing he is now above both Shinigami and Hollows. Because of his superior attitude and high intelligence, Aizen is easily enraged when facing something or someone which he does not understand; for example, when witnessing Ichigo Kurosaki use Saigo no Getsuga Tenshō, Aizen becomes furious because he is unable to comprehend how a Human has surpassed him. By the time he is released from Muken, he has revertred to his calm, casual personality, brushing aside Shunsui Kyōraku's praise regarding his current abilities, and somewhat undergoes a change of heart, even being willing to fight against Yhwach and assist Ichigo before returning to Muken. He disagrees with Yhwach's philosophy about combining all three planes of existence to eliminate the fear of death and believes that people would never have the courage to move forward against such a threat in Yhwach's world.

Likes: Aizen, during his time as a captain, liked tofu. He also enjoyed to read throughout his free time. He had even taken a special lecture of calligraphy at the Shin'ō Academy because he excelled in this branch of arts. This optional course was immensely popular among the Shinigami students. However, above all that, was his fondness for his goals, for his future plans for the world around him. His goals would drive himself to reach a state beyond godhood by overthrowing the Soul King. That prospect was what he desired the most out of everything. He also liked to manipulate and secretly play behind the eyes of everybody, even those close to him, to get what he needs.

Dislikes: Aizen, also during his time as a captain, disliked boiled eggs. And along with it, he hated loneliness, even though it had never been explicitly shown. His desire to be like everyone else had originally stemmed from his loneliness, with some suggesting it could've been his own plans and the Hōgyoku that rejected Aizen. Next, Aizen absolutely despised his works and plans getting disrupted or ruined entirely. Though he is very rare to ever show that distress or dissatisfaction, it can make him furious. And of course he hates those who cling to the structure of Soul Society, those who don't see the need to evolve and change into higher beings.

Habits: Aizen has several tendencies, including manipulating and hypnotizing others, though all frequently the same. His powers lies on his ability to manipulate others and always stay several steps ahead of the enemy. He used fear, orchestrated several critical events, and believed his manipulation was the route for evolution. He also tended to be extremely ambitious, since his early days. His ambition knew no bounds, and his desire to stand upon the heavens and transcend the limitations of gods drove his relentlessly.

Abilities: Superhuman Capabilities, Unbelievably Smart and Genuis Intellect, Master Manipulator, Master Strategist and Tactitian, Kidō Master, Shunpo Master, Master Swordsman, Whip Expert, Hakuda Master, Immeasurable Spiritual Power, Masterful Reiatsu Control, Power Nullification, Immense Strength, Hōgyoku Fusion, Immortality, Zanpakutō: "Kyōka Suigetsu", "Shikai", Shikai Special Ability ("Kanzen Saimin"), "Hadō #90. Kurohitsugi", "Bakudō #81. Dankū", "Hadō #99. Goryūtenmetsu".

Gear: "Zanpakutō: Kyōka Suigetsu", Reiatsu Concealing Cloak.

History: Aizen took part in the research on the Hōgyoku long before Kisuke Urahara did, sacrificing various Soul Reapers to create his own Hōgyoku. At one point, Aizen endangered Rangiku Matsumoto in the development of his Hōgyoku, which caught the attention of Gin Ichimaru. Originally, Aizen was the lieutenant of Squad 5 under Shinji Hirako. But feeling that Aizen was not who he claims to be, Shinji kept a close eye on his aide. After Kisuke was made the new captain of Squad 12, Aizen recruited Gin after watching him kill Squad 5's 3rd seat. 91 years prior to the series events, Aizen set up a scheme to have his other accomplice Kaname Tōsen lure out ideal test subjects with strange string of deaths in the Rukongai to test the Hōgyoku on in order to create Soul Reaper/Hollow hybrids. By the time Shinji arrived, many of the gathered Shinigami were undergoing a Hollowification process. Revealing himself as the mastermind, Aizen revealed to his captain that he played on his distrust for him by using his Kyoka Suigetsu to create an illusionary double to fool him, which Shinji might have noticed if he'd tried to become close to Aizen. Subjecting Shinji to the Hollowification process, Aizen stated that Shinji had himself to blame for the turn of events. As Aizen prepared to kill his captain, Kisuke and Tessai Tsukabishi arrived with Aizen admitting he was responsible. However Aizen refused to go into the details of how he’d turned Shinji and the others into the beings later called Visoreds as he and his aides took their leave after Aizen managed to easily stop a Kidō spell from Tessai. Soon after the incident, Aizen became the new captain of Squad 5 with Gin as his lieutenant, before he becomes Squad 3 captain while Tōsen eventually became captain of Squad 9. Regardless, Aizen continuing his Hollow experimentation. While he was testing a new breed of Menos Hollow able to hide their spiritual energy, a group of Soul Reaper Academy first-years caught Aizen's attention, Momo Hinamori, Izuru Kira, and Renji Abarai. He saw great potential in them and had them all put in his division. Eventually Momo and Izuru became Aizen and Gin’s lieutenants, while Renji was too rebellious and ended up in the Squad 11 and later Squad 6. Aizen also created the Soul Reaper assimilating Hollow Metastacia whose actions left a deep impression on Rukia Kuchiki. At one point, Aizen and his aides travel to Hueco Mundo to recruit the Hollows living there to become his Arrancars with the strongest to become his Espadas. Two such recruits are Baraggan Louisenbairn, after humiliating him into accepting his proposal, and Tier Harribel, by playing on her ideals. Approximately 20 years before the events in Bleach, Aizen created a Hollow from a Soul Reaper and named the monster White before sicking his creation on Karakura town. Though he disabled Soul Reaper captain Isshin Shiba to put White at an advantage, the intervention of a Quincy named Masaki Kurosaki was able to kill it. However, noting that White transferred itself into Masaki, Aizen deemed the experiment isn't quite over. It was only five years after that event that Aizen learned of Ichigo Kurosaki’s birth, deeming him a ideal specimen to evolve into his full potential. To that end, Aizen arranged for Rukia to be stationed in Karakura Town so she could make Ichigo a Soul Reaper while pitting the youth against various Hollows he sends to test him.