Ichigo Kurosaki

Ichigo Kurosaki is a human who is also a Substitute Shinigami. Ichigo is the son of Isshin and Masaki Kurosaki, and the older brother of Karin and Yuzu

Ichigo's most distinguishing feature is his spiky orange hair, a trait he has been ridiculed about for years on end. He is a fairly tall, lean-built young man with peach skin and brown eyes. He likes to wear slim fitting clothes. He has a tendency to wear shirts patterned with the number 15 because his name is a homonym for the number. Since becoming a Shinigami, he has become noticeably more muscular, as noted by his sister Karin. When in his spiritual form, Ichigo wears the standard Shinigami shihakushō, with the addition of a strap across his chest a red rosary-like strap after awakening his own Shinigami powers. It is shaped like a kite with a flat top and bottom.

Ichigo is stubborn, short-tempered, strong-willed, and impulsive. Despite claiming not to care about what other people think about him, he attempts to maintain a detached and "cool" image. He generally keeps his face set in a near-permanent scowl, with his eyebrows drawn together. His outspoken, hot-headed demeanor is a trait Ichigo himself has acknowledged, and if somebody picks a fight with him, he cannot help fighting back. He coldly refers to his teachers as "instructors", yet he is also genuinely compassionate and empathetic towards others Ichigo is a capable student, ranked 23rd in his year at school, who studies regularly and does not neglect his schoolwork. He works as hard as he does to overcome the misconceptions many have about him based on his hair color and fighting. Ichigo hates fortune telling, horoscopes, feng shui, psychics, and anyone whose trade involves taking money from people for things they cannot see. He has difficulty remembering people's faces and names. However, Ichigo can remember the names of noticeable individuals even when they did not directly tell him their names. Ichigo becomes extremely shy and uncomfortable around nude or immodestly dressed women, Ichigo is often disrespectful when talking to those older than himself When it comes to fighting, Ichigo has a complex sense of honor; he regularly seeks to exact revenge for the cruel actions of his opponent, He often taunts and belittles his opponents when fighting, sometimes attacking without warning. Ichigo has a strong desire to win his fights, but in what he views as a legitimate manner. To this end, he has often refused the aid of his inner Hollow, even when knowing it would allow him to win.Ichigo's resolve in battle can waver at times, which can impede his fighting prowess, and goes into a state of depression and self-loathing when he loses a major battle or lets a friend down. Ichigo also despises those who mistreat their allies in any way. His favorite foods happen to be chocolate and karashi mentaiko (spicy mustard pollock roe). Ichigo was born on July 15th as the son of Isshin Kurosaki and Masaki Kurosaki, 15 years before he would go on to become a Shinigami. His sisters Karin Kurosaki and Yuzu Kurosaki were born a few years later. When he was four, Ichigo joined a karate dojo, where he met and befriended Tatsuki Arisawa. Though Tatsuki beat Ichigo in every match they had, she would help Ichigo when he was being picked on by bullies and cheer him up if he was upset. Ichigo was able to see Pluses for as long as he could remember. He could see them so clearly that, as a child, he could not tell the living from the dead. This resulted in him appearing to other people to be looking at deserted places and talking to himself. This caused people to say he could see ghosts, though when Tatsuki asked him about this, he denied being able to see them. when Ichigo was eight years old, he and his mother were walking home alongside one of Karakura Town's rivers, which was swollen from heavy rain. Seeing a girl near the river, Ichigo thought she was about to jump into it. Unable to tell the difference between ghosts and living people, Ichigo ran towards her to stop her, unaware the girl was the lure of the Hollow Grand Fisher. Masaki tried to stop him, but he did not listen. After failing to grab hold of the girl, Ichigo lost consciousness for a time. When he awoke, Masaki was lying on top of him, covered in blood. Starting the day after Masaki's death, Ichigo repeatedly skipped school to go to the riverbank where Masaki died. Tatsuki found him there, where he would stay from morning until night, wandering along the bank as if searching for his mother, squatting down if he was tired and then wandering some more. One day, when Ichigo was twelve, prior to the Kurosaki Clinic opening, he heard the bell ring and answered the door to find a girl with her brother on her back. He had been in a car accident and was covered in blood. The clinic did not have the equipment necessary to save him, and he died before an ambulance arrived to transfer him to Karakura Hospital. Sometime later, he learned the girl was Orihime Inoue. Ichigo later entered Mashiba Junior High School. During this time, Ichigo finally defeated Tatsuki in a karate match, and had not had another match with her since. Ichigo regularly got into fights with thugs, due to the unusual color of his hair.During one of these fights, he received help from Yasutora Sado. Shortly after, Ichigo returned the favor when he rescued Sado from two gang members roughing him up.When the thugs later abducted Sado, Ichigo found them and knocked down their leader, Yokochini. Using Yokochini's phone to ring for an ambulance for each of the five thugs, he beat up all of them. After Sado was freed, they made a pact to protect and fight for each other. Shortly before Ichigo became a Shinigami, he and Sado began attending Karakura High School, and their reputations preceded them. During a fight with a gang led by Reiichi Ōshima, Ichigo and Sado met Keigo Asano and Mizuiro Kojima, saving the former in the process. While Keigo was initially afraid of Ichigo and Sado, both he and Mizuiro later became friends with them.Ichigo later met Uryū Ishida, asking him why he chose to attend Karakura and not a gifted school, as he would have thought that Uryū would want to follow in his father's footsteps and become a doctor. However, Uryū replied that he had no desire to become one.

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Shinigami are the spiritual guardians of the Three Worlds who protect and guide Souls going through the cycle of transmigration between the World of the Living and Soul Society. Shinigami are fundamentally supernatural beings that reside in an afterworld with different logic than the World of the Living. Their anatomy is composed entirely of pure Reishi with their bodies possessing a high Reiryoku capacity and are normally invisible to living beings without spiritual awareness The Shihakushō is composed of a white shitagi, a black kosode, a black hakama, a white hakama-himo, white tabi , and waraji . The black kosode has its owner's division insignia emblazoned on the inside. Lieutenants of the Gotei 13 sometimes wear an armband which carries their division symbol and its number, usually on their left arm. They are required to do this when they are summoned to a meeting, but apart from this, it is rarely compulsory.

Captains additionally wear a white haori over the usual black Shinigami clothes, with the number of their division on the back inside the Gotei 13 symbol (a rhombus). Some captain haori have long sleeves, while others do not. The color of the underside is division — or at least captain — specific, for every captain has a different color of it. The haori is meant to signify a captain's status When Souls with exceptional spiritual energy train their bodies, they reach the level of Shinigami. The majority of these potential Shinigami candidates are often found among the residents of the Seireitei, but in rare cases some are born in the Rukongai.The most talented of them become affiliated with various organizations like the divisions of the Gotei 13, the Onmitsukidō, the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, or the Kidō Corps. Much like laborers in the Human World, Shinigami are entitled to receive salaries and wages, and also earn bounties for defeating Hollows. Retirement from further military duties can occur, though this is rare.

Shinigami can live for far longer and likewise age much slower than Humans While Shinigami can be injured and killed like regular Humans, it takes considerably more attack power and greater injuries to kill a Shinigami than it would to kill Humans. Some Shinigami have sustained multiple slash and stab wounds, completely ignored dismemberment, and even survived horizontal bifurcation with treatment. Decapitation is the only guaranteed method of outright killing a Shinigami. Reiryoku: Shinigami naturally possess high levels of Spiritual Power, which varies greatly in magnitude with the strength of a Shinigami. The more power a Shinigami has, the sharper their movements will be. A consequence of having Spiritual Power is that unlike powerless spirits, Shinigami need to eat. Reiatsu: Reiatsu is the pressure exerted from a Shinigami's Reiryoku. The Reiatsu of a Shinigami will continue to flow for as long as the heart is still beating; if the heart beats, it is impossible for the Reiatsu to cease. Due to this, prisoners, such as Aizen, who cannot have their heart stopped by any executioner in Soul Society are kept in Muken.

Zanpakutō: A Shinigami weapon invented by Ōetsu Nimaiya, its shape is typically similar to a Japanese katana. Low ranking officers are issued an Asauchi sword, but high-ranking officers can evolve their Zanpakutō into different transformations based on the imprint of their own souls. A Zanpakutō is a physical manifestation of this force concentrated into a blade. All Shinigami have a Zanpakutō, but not all of them carry one with them. Its shape differs depending on its owner

Hollows are a race of masked spiritual creatures which are born from human souls who, for various reasons, do not cross over to Soul Society after their deaths and stay in the Human World for too long. They are corrupt spirits with supernatural powers which devour the souls of both living and deceased humans. Hollows settle in Hueco Mundo, but can cross over to the Human World and Soul Society. Hollows are the opposite of humans. A Hollow that has removed its mask is referred to as an Arrancar. Hueco Mundo is an alternate world in which Hollows and Arrancars usually reside. It lies in between the Human World and Soul Society, being one of the three planes of existence collectively referred to as the Three Worlds.

The Visored are a group of Shinigami that have acquired Hollow powers

An Arrancar, is a type of Hollow that has removed its mask, gaining Shinigami-like powers in the process. Arrancars are distinguished from typical Hollows by their humanoid form (though they retain Hollow holes) and superior intellect, and the ability to wield Zanpakutō. However, an Arrancar's Zanpakutō differs significantly from a Shinigami's in that it not only channels Hollow power, but also integrates their original Hollow abilities into their humanoid form. Unlike Shinigami, whose Zanpakutō have two main forms (Shikai and Bankai), Arrancars manifest a Resurrección , which functions similarly to a Shinigami's Bankai.

Shikai form available to a Zanpakutō. To activate it, the Shinigami must know their Zanpakutō's name, as well as be able to communicate and harmonize with their Zanpakutō effectively, which requires being able to speak to the spirit within its inner world. Gaining access to one's Shikai and releasing it for the first time is known as manifestation; it changes shape and gains special abilities by chanting a Kaigō or release incantation. Uttering the Kaigō, followed by the name of the Zanpakutō, activates Shikai. It is crucial to memorize each phrase, as every Zanpakutō has a different incantation.

Bankai is the second and final upgraded form of a Zanpakutō, and when a Shinigami achieved it, they would possess an Evolved Zanpakutō. To achieve Bankai, one must be able to materialize and subjugate their Zanpakutō spirit. Materialization means the opposite of getting dragged into the Zanpakutō's inner world: the wielder needs to summon the Zanpakutō's spirit into the physical world. It usually takes 10 years or more to achieve, plus the experience needed to master it. Despite the Zanpakutō Spirit being subjugated for their Shinigami to learn Bankai, the Zanpakutō also becomes stronger. The Gotei 13 "13 Division Imperial Guards" "Thirteen Court Guard Companies" is the primary military branch of Soul Society and the main military organization most Shinigami join after graduating from the Shin'ō Academy.

Shin'ō Academy, sometimes called the Shinigami Academy, is an institution founded by Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto. Located in the Seireitei, the academy trains Souls with spiritual powers for each of the three military arms of Soul Society.

The Soul Society is one of the spiritual afterworlds where deceased humans go to posthumously. This is also where the Shinigami live and operate from, and where most souls dwell until they are reincarnated into the Human World. Alongside the World of the Living and Hueco Mundo, Soul Society counts as one of the Three Worlds.

Seireitei is a large city in the center of Soul Society and serves as the home of the Shinigami and the Noble Houses.

Rukongai, is the largest portion of Soul Society and the most populated. Rukongai is divided into 320 districts (80 districts in each cardinal quadrant), each numbered in descending order based on how far they are from the center; this results in the higher-numbered (and farther) districts decaying into slums. Thus, while District 1 is peaceful and lawful, much like the antiseptic lifestyle of early-Edo Era Kyoto, District 80 is a hardscrabble, violent, crime-infested area that more depicts Heian era Kyoto. The duties of the Gotei 13 Divisions include defending allocated districts of Rukongai. However, which Division is responsible for which district has not been stated. The living standards in Rukongai decline sharply beyond the fiftieth district, with an increase in people wearing rags and no footwear. According to statistics from the last 550 years, no Rukongai resident wears sandals beyond District 59.

A Lieutenant is the 2nd seated officer in a division.Lieutenants function as executive officers for their division, taking care of or supervising day-to-day operations. Along with their captains, they are not assigned to one specific squad. They generally only know the Shikai of their Zanpakutō but they are still the second strongest in their division. In the case of a division captain's death, departure, or other circumstances making them unable to perform their duties, the lieutenant acts as the "substitute captain" until another can be assigned.

The authority to appoint or dismiss a lieutenant lies solely with the captain of the respective division, a privilege which was granted to them with the support of the Central 46 Chambers. Captains reserve the right to appoint multiple lieutenants at a single time, though this is rarely done due to it being both considered highly unorthodox and heavily frowned upon by the Central 46 Chambers. Though rarely exercised, any potential candidate retains the right to decline the nomination Seated officers are the remainder of the officers in the Gotei 13, who hold ranks at or below 3rd Seat. Captains and lieutenants have the ranks of 1st and 2nd Seats, respectively. The 3rd Seat of a division is also referred to as Adjutant Lieutenant "Assistant Adjutant"; also translatable as Vice-Captain's Assistant, serving directly under the lieutenant as the third-highest rank holder.

The Gotei 13 is made up of thirteen divisions, with several divisions having certain specializations. The Gotei 13 is led by the Captain-Commander, who has the statutory authority to conduct all the affairs of the Gotei 13 while deferring to the authority of the Central 46 Chambers in civil and legislative matters involving the Soul Society.

As with any army, the Gotei 13 has ranks. There are 20 ranks for officers, but no ranks for non-officers. The lower the number is, the higher the rank. The ranks and their descriptions are below, from highest to lowest in terms of strength. The Gotei 13 is an organization with a merit-based hierarchy based on demonstrations of skill, experience, and power, and has disposed of the system of rank based on seniority. Abilities and efficacy to obtain results are the only criteria used to determine one's rank. The captains congregate in the main hall of the First Division Headquarters to discuss important issues involving their specific divisions and matters which affect Soul Society. This council is highly formal, with the captain-commander leading its proceedings. All captains are considered equal (with the exception of the captain-commander), and determine the course of their individual division unless dictated otherwise by the captain-commander. Votes are carried out via a unanimous consensus. The Captain-Commander ; Captain-Commander, Head-Captain in the English dub) is the supreme leader of the Gotei 13. The position requires the Captain-Commander to oversee the overall operations of the Gotei 13, Onmitsukidō and Kidō Corps when the well-being of Seireitei and Soul Society is at stake. During wartime, the Captain-Commander has the authority to grant Captain-Class and Lieutenant-Class Shinigami to wield their Zanpakutō openly in Seireitei. The only power the Captain-Commander answers to is the Central 46 Chambers, who elect the successor of the current Captain-Commander in the event of their death. The former and inaugural holder of this title is Captain Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto of the 1st Division, who had held this post for the last 1000 years. A Captain is the leader of one of the thirteen divisions (with the special case of the Captain-Commander).

Captains are generally the most respected and powerful Shinigami within the Soul Society, with the leaders of the Kidō Corps and Onmitsukidō possibly being of equal status. Initially with one exception, all captains are able to utilize the final stage of their Zanpakutō, and are far more powerful than even their lieutenants. Knowing Bankai gives captains an average of five-to-ten times the strength of Shinigami who are unable to perform it. They have extensively trained, if not mastered, their Bankai, allowing them to use its enormous power effectively in battle. Most captains are skilled in the use of Shunpo and Kidō, and generally have extensive knowledge of Shinigami history and battle tactics. All of these factors create a vast power gap between captains and lower-ranked officers. The Central 46 "Council of 46" is an organization that serves as the judicial authority of the Soul Society. Operating under a mandate from the Soul King, the influence of the Central 46 goes well beyond the boundaries of a judiciary authority and into those of legislative and operative authorities Adnyeus, more commonly known by his title of Soul King, is the supposed ruler of Soul Society, who resides in the Soul King Palace and is protected by the Royal Guard.

In reality, Adnyeus is a mere figurehead — a vegetative godlike entity that has been sealed away by the Shinigami eons ago and whose existence is tied to the cosmic balance of the Three Worlds, serving as the linchpin that keeps the realms from merging back into the original world. The Royal Guard, also known as the Zero Division, is a Shinigami organization that is dedicated to the protection of the Soul King and the Soul King Palace.

Karakura Town is the hometown It is a small city with an average-sized population, most of which is unaware of the ghosts and other spiritual beings that exist there. Karakura Town is under the jurisdiction of 13th Division[1] and is referred to as District 3600 by the Shinigami and is situated on the current Jūreichi - the point in the Human World that possesses the greatest concentration of spiritual beings.

Ichigo Kurosaki is a human who is also a Substitute Shinigami. Ichigo is the son of Isshin and Masaki Kurosaki, and the older brother of Karin and Yuzu

Ichigo's most distinguishing feature is his spiky orange hair, a trait he has been ridiculed about for years on end. He is a fairly tall, lean-built young man with peach skin and brown eyes. He likes to wear slim fitting clothes. He has a tendency to wear shirts patterned with the number 15 because his name is a homonym for the number. Since becoming a Shinigami, he has become noticeably more muscular, as noted by his sister Karin. When in his spiritual form, Ichigo wears the standard Shinigami shihakushō, with the addition of a strap across his chest a red rosary-like strap after awakening his own Shinigami powers. It is shaped like a kite with a flat top and bottom.

Ichigo is stubborn, short-tempered, strong-willed, and impulsive. Despite claiming not to care about what other people think about him, he attempts to maintain a detached and "cool" image. He generally keeps his face set in a near-permanent scowl, with his eyebrows drawn together. His outspoken, hot-headed demeanor is a trait Ichigo himself has acknowledged, and if somebody picks a fight with him, he cannot help fighting back. He coldly refers to his teachers as "instructors", yet he is also genuinely compassionate and empathetic towards others Ichigo is a capable student, ranked 23rd in his year at school, who studies regularly and does not neglect his schoolwork. He works as hard as he does to overcome the misconceptions many have about him based on his hair color and fighting. Ichigo hates fortune telling, horoscopes, feng shui, psychics, and anyone whose trade involves taking money from people for things they cannot see. He has difficulty remembering people's faces and names. However, Ichigo can remember the names of noticeable individuals even when they did not directly tell him their names. Ichigo becomes extremely shy and uncomfortable around nude or immodestly dressed women, Ichigo is often disrespectful when talking to those older than himself When it comes to fighting, Ichigo has a complex sense of honor; he regularly seeks to exact revenge for the cruel actions of his opponent, He often taunts and belittles his opponents when fighting, sometimes attacking without warning. Ichigo has a strong desire to win his fights, but in what he views as a legitimate manner. To this end, he has often refused the aid of his inner Hollow, even when knowing it would allow him to win.Ichigo's resolve in battle can waver at times, which can impede his fighting prowess, and goes into a state of depression and self-loathing when he loses a major battle or lets a friend down. Ichigo also despises those who mistreat their allies in any way. His favorite foods happen to be chocolate and karashi mentaiko (spicy mustard pollock roe). Ichigo was born on July 15th as the son of Isshin Kurosaki and Masaki Kurosaki, 15 years before he would go on to become a Shinigami. His sisters Karin Kurosaki and Yuzu Kurosaki were born a few years later. When he was four, Ichigo joined a karate dojo, where he met and befriended Tatsuki Arisawa. Though Tatsuki beat Ichigo in every match they had, she would help Ichigo when he was being picked on by bullies and cheer him up if he was upset. Ichigo was able to see Pluses for as long as he could remember. He could see them so clearly that, as a child, he could not tell the living from the dead. This resulted in him appearing to other people to be looking at deserted places and talking to himself. This caused people to say he could see ghosts, though when Tatsuki asked him about this, he denied being able to see them. when Ichigo was eight years old, he and his mother were walking home alongside one of Karakura Town's rivers, which was swollen from heavy rain. Seeing a girl near the river, Ichigo thought she was about to jump into it. Unable to tell the difference between ghosts and living people, Ichigo ran towards her to stop her, unaware the girl was the lure of the Hollow Grand Fisher. Masaki tried to stop him, but he did not listen. After failing to grab hold of the girl, Ichigo lost consciousness for a time. When he awoke, Masaki was lying on top of him, covered in blood. Starting the day after Masaki's death, Ichigo repeatedly skipped school to go to the riverbank where Masaki died. Tatsuki found him there, where he would stay from morning until night, wandering along the bank as if searching for his mother, squatting down if he was tired and then wandering some more. One day, when Ichigo was twelve, prior to the Kurosaki Clinic opening, he heard the bell ring and answered the door to find a girl with her brother on her back. He had been in a car accident and was covered in blood. The clinic did not have the equipment necessary to save him, and he died before an ambulance arrived to transfer him to Karakura Hospital. Sometime later, he learned the girl was Orihime Inoue. Ichigo later entered Mashiba Junior High School. During this time, Ichigo finally defeated Tatsuki in a karate match, and had not had another match with her since. Ichigo regularly got into fights with thugs, due to the unusual color of his hair.During one of these fights, he received help from Yasutora Sado. Shortly after, Ichigo returned the favor when he rescued Sado from two gang members roughing him up.When the thugs later abducted Sado, Ichigo found them and knocked down their leader, Yokochini. Using Yokochini's phone to ring for an ambulance for each of the five thugs, he beat up all of them. After Sado was freed, they made a pact to protect and fight for each other. Shortly before Ichigo became a Shinigami, he and Sado began attending Karakura High School, and their reputations preceded them. During a fight with a gang led by Reiichi Ōshima, Ichigo and Sado met Keigo Asano and Mizuiro Kojima, saving the former in the process. While Keigo was initially afraid of Ichigo and Sado, both he and Mizuiro later became friends with them.Ichigo later met Uryū Ishida, asking him why he chose to attend Karakura and not a gifted school, as he would have thought that Uryū would want to follow in his father's footsteps and become a doctor. However, Uryū replied that he had no desire to become one.

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Shinigami are the spiritual guardians of the Three Worlds who protect and guide Souls going through the cycle of transmigration between the World of the Living and Soul Society. Shinigami are fundamentally supernatural beings that reside in an afterworld with different logic than the World of the Living. Their anatomy is composed entirely of pure Reishi with their bodies possessing a high Reiryoku capacity and are normally invisible to living beings without spiritual awareness The Shihakushō is composed of a white shitagi, a black kosode, a black hakama, a white hakama-himo, white tabi , and waraji . The black kosode has its owner's division insignia emblazoned on the inside. Lieutenants of the Gotei 13 sometimes wear an armband which carries their division symbol and its number, usually on their left arm. They are required to do this when they are summoned to a meeting, but apart from this, it is rarely compulsory.

Captains additionally wear a white haori over the usual black Shinigami clothes, with the number of their division on the back inside the Gotei 13 symbol (a rhombus). Some captain haori have long sleeves, while others do not. The color of the underside is division — or at least captain — specific, for every captain has a different color of it. The haori is meant to signify a captain's status When Souls with exceptional spiritual energy train their bodies, they reach the level of Shinigami. The majority of these potential Shinigami candidates are often found among the residents of the Seireitei, but in rare cases some are born in the Rukongai.The most talented of them become affiliated with various organizations like the divisions of the Gotei 13, the Onmitsukidō, the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, or the Kidō Corps. Much like laborers in the Human World, Shinigami are entitled to receive salaries and wages, and also earn bounties for defeating Hollows. Retirement from further military duties can occur, though this is rare.

Shinigami can live for far longer and likewise age much slower than Humans While Shinigami can be injured and killed like regular Humans, it takes considerably more attack power and greater injuries to kill a Shinigami than it would to kill Humans. Some Shinigami have sustained multiple slash and stab wounds, completely ignored dismemberment, and even survived horizontal bifurcation with treatment. Decapitation is the only guaranteed method of outright killing a Shinigami. Reiryoku: Shinigami naturally possess high levels of Spiritual Power, which varies greatly in magnitude with the strength of a Shinigami. The more power a Shinigami has, the sharper their movements will be. A consequence of having Spiritual Power is that unlike powerless spirits, Shinigami need to eat. Reiatsu: Reiatsu is the pressure exerted from a Shinigami's Reiryoku. The Reiatsu of a Shinigami will continue to flow for as long as the heart is still beating; if the heart beats, it is impossible for the Reiatsu to cease. Due to this, prisoners, such as Aizen, who cannot have their heart stopped by any executioner in Soul Society are kept in Muken.

Zanpakutō: A Shinigami weapon invented by Ōetsu Nimaiya, its shape is typically similar to a Japanese katana. Low ranking officers are issued an Asauchi sword, but high-ranking officers can evolve their Zanpakutō into different transformations based on the imprint of their own souls. A Zanpakutō is a physical manifestation of this force concentrated into a blade. All Shinigami have a Zanpakutō, but not all of them carry one with them. Its shape differs depending on its owner

Hollows are a race of masked spiritual creatures which are born from human souls who, for various reasons, do not cross over to Soul Society after their deaths and stay in the Human World for too long. They are corrupt spirits with supernatural powers which devour the souls of both living and deceased humans. Hollows settle in Hueco Mundo, but can cross over to the Human World and Soul Society. Hollows are the opposite of humans. A Hollow that has removed its mask is referred to as an Arrancar. Hueco Mundo is an alternate world in which Hollows and Arrancars usually reside. It lies in between the Human World and Soul Society, being one of the three planes of existence collectively referred to as the Three Worlds.

The Visored are a group of Shinigami that have acquired Hollow powers

An Arrancar, is a type of Hollow that has removed its mask, gaining Shinigami-like powers in the process. Arrancars are distinguished from typical Hollows by their humanoid form (though they retain Hollow holes) and superior intellect, and the ability to wield Zanpakutō. However, an Arrancar's Zanpakutō differs significantly from a Shinigami's in that it not only channels Hollow power, but also integrates their original Hollow abilities into their humanoid form. Unlike Shinigami, whose Zanpakutō have two main forms (Shikai and Bankai), Arrancars manifest a Resurrección , which functions similarly to a Shinigami's Bankai.

Shikai form available to a Zanpakutō. To activate it, the Shinigami must know their Zanpakutō's name, as well as be able to communicate and harmonize with their Zanpakutō effectively, which requires being able to speak to the spirit within its inner world. Gaining access to one's Shikai and releasing it for the first time is known as manifestation; it changes shape and gains special abilities by chanting a Kaigō or release incantation. Uttering the Kaigō, followed by the name of the Zanpakutō, activates Shikai. It is crucial to memorize each phrase, as every Zanpakutō has a different incantation.

Bankai is the second and final upgraded form of a Zanpakutō, and when a Shinigami achieved it, they would possess an Evolved Zanpakutō. To achieve Bankai, one must be able to materialize and subjugate their Zanpakutō spirit. Materialization means the opposite of getting dragged into the Zanpakutō's inner world: the wielder needs to summon the Zanpakutō's spirit into the physical world. It usually takes 10 years or more to achieve, plus the experience needed to master it. Despite the Zanpakutō Spirit being subjugated for their Shinigami to learn Bankai, the Zanpakutō also becomes stronger. The Gotei 13 "13 Division Imperial Guards" "Thirteen Court Guard Companies" is the primary military branch of Soul Society and the main military organization most Shinigami join after graduating from the Shin'ō Academy.

Shin'ō Academy, sometimes called the Shinigami Academy, is an institution founded by Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto. Located in the Seireitei, the academy trains Souls with spiritual powers for each of the three military arms of Soul Society.

The Soul Society is one of the spiritual afterworlds where deceased humans go to posthumously. This is also where the Shinigami live and operate from, and where most souls dwell until they are reincarnated into the Human World. Alongside the World of the Living and Hueco Mundo, Soul Society counts as one of the Three Worlds.

Seireitei is a large city in the center of Soul Society and serves as the home of the Shinigami and the Noble Houses.

Rukongai, is the largest portion of Soul Society and the most populated. Rukongai is divided into 320 districts (80 districts in each cardinal quadrant), each numbered in descending order based on how far they are from the center; this results in the higher-numbered (and farther) districts decaying into slums. Thus, while District 1 is peaceful and lawful, much like the antiseptic lifestyle of early-Edo Era Kyoto, District 80 is a hardscrabble, violent, crime-infested area that more depicts Heian era Kyoto. The duties of the Gotei 13 Divisions include defending allocated districts of Rukongai. However, which Division is responsible for which district has not been stated. The living standards in Rukongai decline sharply beyond the fiftieth district, with an increase in people wearing rags and no footwear. According to statistics from the last 550 years, no Rukongai resident wears sandals beyond District 59.

A Lieutenant is the 2nd seated officer in a division.Lieutenants function as executive officers for their division, taking care of or supervising day-to-day operations. Along with their captains, they are not assigned to one specific squad. They generally only know the Shikai of their Zanpakutō but they are still the second strongest in their division. In the case of a division captain's death, departure, or other circumstances making them unable to perform their duties, the lieutenant acts as the "substitute captain" until another can be assigned.

The authority to appoint or dismiss a lieutenant lies solely with the captain of the respective division, a privilege which was granted to them with the support of the Central 46 Chambers. Captains reserve the right to appoint multiple lieutenants at a single time, though this is rarely done due to it being both considered highly unorthodox and heavily frowned upon by the Central 46 Chambers. Though rarely exercised, any potential candidate retains the right to decline the nomination Seated officers are the remainder of the officers in the Gotei 13, who hold ranks at or below 3rd Seat. Captains and lieutenants have the ranks of 1st and 2nd Seats, respectively. The 3rd Seat of a division is also referred to as Adjutant Lieutenant "Assistant Adjutant"; also translatable as Vice-Captain's Assistant, serving directly under the lieutenant as the third-highest rank holder.

The Gotei 13 is made up of thirteen divisions, with several divisions having certain specializations. The Gotei 13 is led by the Captain-Commander, who has the statutory authority to conduct all the affairs of the Gotei 13 while deferring to the authority of the Central 46 Chambers in civil and legislative matters involving the Soul Society.

As with any army, the Gotei 13 has ranks. There are 20 ranks for officers, but no ranks for non-officers. The lower the number is, the higher the rank. The ranks and their descriptions are below, from highest to lowest in terms of strength. The Gotei 13 is an organization with a merit-based hierarchy based on demonstrations of skill, experience, and power, and has disposed of the system of rank based on seniority. Abilities and efficacy to obtain results are the only criteria used to determine one's rank. The captains congregate in the main hall of the First Division Headquarters to discuss important issues involving their specific divisions and matters which affect Soul Society. This council is highly formal, with the captain-commander leading its proceedings. All captains are considered equal (with the exception of the captain-commander), and determine the course of their individual division unless dictated otherwise by the captain-commander. Votes are carried out via a unanimous consensus. The Captain-Commander ; Captain-Commander, Head-Captain in the English dub) is the supreme leader of the Gotei 13. The position requires the Captain-Commander to oversee the overall operations of the Gotei 13, Onmitsukidō and Kidō Corps when the well-being of Seireitei and Soul Society is at stake. During wartime, the Captain-Commander has the authority to grant Captain-Class and Lieutenant-Class Shinigami to wield their Zanpakutō openly in Seireitei. The only power the Captain-Commander answers to is the Central 46 Chambers, who elect the successor of the current Captain-Commander in the event of their death. The former and inaugural holder of this title is Captain Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto of the 1st Division, who had held this post for the last 1000 years. A Captain is the leader of one of the thirteen divisions (with the special case of the Captain-Commander).

Captains are generally the most respected and powerful Shinigami within the Soul Society, with the leaders of the Kidō Corps and Onmitsukidō possibly being of equal status. Initially with one exception, all captains are able to utilize the final stage of their Zanpakutō, and are far more powerful than even their lieutenants. Knowing Bankai gives captains an average of five-to-ten times the strength of Shinigami who are unable to perform it. They have extensively trained, if not mastered, their Bankai, allowing them to use its enormous power effectively in battle. Most captains are skilled in the use of Shunpo and Kidō, and generally have extensive knowledge of Shinigami history and battle tactics. All of these factors create a vast power gap between captains and lower-ranked officers. The Central 46 "Council of 46" is an organization that serves as the judicial authority of the Soul Society. Operating under a mandate from the Soul King, the influence of the Central 46 goes well beyond the boundaries of a judiciary authority and into those of legislative and operative authorities Adnyeus, more commonly known by his title of Soul King, is the supposed ruler of Soul Society, who resides in the Soul King Palace and is protected by the Royal Guard.

In reality, Adnyeus is a mere figurehead — a vegetative godlike entity that has been sealed away by the Shinigami eons ago and whose existence is tied to the cosmic balance of the Three Worlds, serving as the linchpin that keeps the realms from merging back into the original world. The Royal Guard, also known as the Zero Division, is a Shinigami organization that is dedicated to the protection of the Soul King and the Soul King Palace.

Karakura Town is the hometown It is a small city with an average-sized population, most of which is unaware of the ghosts and other spiritual beings that exist there. Karakura Town is under the jurisdiction of 13th Division and is referred to as District 3600 by the Shinigami and is situated on the current Jūreichi - the point in the Human World that possesses the greatest concentration of spiritual beings.