Among the many aspects that have made Tite Kubo’s Bleach series so iconic over the years, characterization probably takes the top spot. Aside from Ichigo Kurosaki, the Captains of the Soul Society enjoy much popularity within the fandom. However, the Lieutenants of Gotei 13 aren’t far behind.
To give a brief introduction, these Lieutenants are second-in-command to their respective Captains, who are the pillars of strength within the Gotei 13. If a squad has a formidable Captain, they are accompanied by a responsible and skilled Lieutenant that only wants the best for their squads. As such, they would carry out the everyday responsibilities concerning their squads, including accompanying them to the human realm or making decisions in absence of the Captains.
So, here are 10 such iconic Gotei 13 Lieutenants in Bleach who have managed to become fan-favorites due to their sheer strength, skills, and the way they carry themselves.
Note: This article contains spoilers from the Bleach series.
Yachiru Kusajishi, Shūhei Hisagi, and 8 other Gotei 13 Lieutenants in Bleach that have remained an all time favorite
Renji Abarai
Since the inception of the Bleach, Renji Abarai, the Lieutenant of 6th Division under Captain Byakuya Kuchiki, has been on a journey to improve himself as an individual and increase his strength. Unsurprisingly, by the end of Bleach, he does gain a status similar to his Captain, whom he had wanted to surpass.
As for his responsibilities, the guilt of not being able to save Rukia, his childhood friend, when she gave her powers to Ichigo, brought a change in his personality. This was exacerbated by the fact that Ichigo was able to save her and not him. Moreover, after his initial defeat at the hands of the protagonist, his goal to become physically powerful was reinstated. Long story short, he not only became Ichigo’s good friend but also became one of the incredibly responsible Gotei 13 Lieutenants in Bleach.
Yachiru Kusajishi
If one takes the manga’s events into account, she is already a former Lieutenant of 11th Division. However, for the majority of the series, she has retained her status as an iconic character. While the cheerful and energetic Yachiru may be the youngest character in Gotei 13, she is not one to be messed around with – a fact that can be seen in the display of Reiatsu, which is stronger than most of the Gotei Lieutenants in Bleach.
Yachiru has a habit of giving names to most people, like how she calls Ikkau Madarame “Baldy.” For the most part, she engaged in pranking activities or had fun around the Gotei 13, such as catching the fishes from Byakauya’s pond and releasing them in Jushiro Ukitake’s. She also specializes in infiltration and is especially close to the 11th Division Captain, Kenpachi Zaraki, her foster father, on whose shoulder she likes to latch on.
Momo Hinamori
Thinking about how much I love the Momo/Shinji father/daughter relationship… Like how they were the most affected by Aizen's betrayal (former captain/lieutenant) and how Shinji is the one that can actually understand Momo's PTSD the most. pic.twitter.com/ROhszVFRDz
— ❤️💜 (@TheVanessalves) October 20, 2022
Having been thought to be close to her former Captain, Sosuke Aizen, his (staged) death and subsequent betrayal had a devastating blow on her. With much loyalty towards her Captain, she even attacked Hitsugaya, her childhood friend. Moreover, after discovering that he was dead, she had no qualms maintaining the hierarchy as she instantly rushed towards the Captain of the 3rd Division thinking he might be after the death of Aizen.
However, when she understood Aizen’s betrayal, it still wasn’t enough to stop addressing him with reverence. Even though she showed her duty by protecting the Fake Karakura Town, she still referred to him as “Captain Aizen.” Besides, she had asked Hitsugaya to save the former Captain because she thought he was being manipulated. However, during the war with Arrancars, she showed incredible leadership in managing her squad in the absence of a Captain. Later on, she chose to remain the Lieutenant of the 5th Division under Captain Shinji Hirako.
Rangiku Matsumoto
Under the Captainship of Tōshiro Hitsugaya, Rangiku oversees the responsibilities of the 10th Division as its Lieutenant. While some may think she doesn’t exercise the spirit of a true Lieutenant, as she is seen slacking off or drinking during work or being brash, she can be serious when the situation calls for it.
Aside from being an able fighter, she showcases a brilliant strategic mind. This was particularly seen when she cleverly manipulated Espada Fracción to start a fight among themselves, which left them to drop their guard and gave her the opportunity to land an attack. As for her relationship with the Captain, Rangiku is seen as the one with a contrasting personality when put against him. With all the seriousness that he exudes, she balances it out with her cheerfulness and fun attitude. However, despite their differences, they both share a close bond.
Ikkaku Madarame
After Yachiru, Ikkaku Madarame became the Lieutenant of 11th Division. Cocky at times, Ikkaku upholds the principles of 11th Division dearly and likewise enacts them, making a model Shinigami among his squad. Moreover, as seen since the Soul Society arc, Ikkaku deeply respects his Captain, Kenpachi Zaraki, and likewise tries to follow him in battle ethics. As such, he considers fighting to be fun and limits himself to using Bankai or Shikai as the last option.
However, he can also be extremely stubborn. Instances of these were seen when he refused to take the Captain position when the seats for 3rd, 5th, and 9th Divisions were made available following the defection of Sosuke Aizen and his followers, including Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tōsen. This got to the point that he even developed a fear that using his Bankai against Arrancar Choe Neng Poww would lead to his promotion. However, it only led to his defeat. Yet, despite everything, Ikkaku remains one of the most popular Gotei 13 Lieutenants in Bleach.
Shūhei Hisagi
The co-Lieutenant of 9th Division alongside Mashiro Kuna. While a calm and mature individual who avoids violence as much as possible, Shūhei harbors a deep sense of justice. As such, when former Captain of 9th Division, Kaname Tōsen, chose to follow Sosuke Aizen, he was devastated by his master’s actions. Moreover, he wanted to confront Kaname about his crimes, which is why he joined hands with Captain Sajin Komamura to achieve the same.
Although he had a long way to go during his fight with Tōsen, he managed to fight his master on equal grounds. Aside from that, Shūhei dislikes the shape of his Bankai, which he thinks that it “reaps life itself” and even avoids using it. While often seen left to his own devices, he does hang out with Renji Abarai and Izuru Kira a lot. He also likes to play guitar, which he later learns from Yasutora Sado.
Mashiro Kuna
The other co-Lieutenant of 9th Division is Mashiro Kuna, who currently operates under the Captainship of Kensei Muguruma. Having a flighty personality, Mahiro is currently one of the members of the Visored. She is childish, immature, and is often seen throwing fits over the trivialist things. So, when Orihime Inoue befriended her best friend Hachigen Ushōda, she was not happy and expressed it quite animatedly.
However, despite her eccentric nature, she is quite serious on the battlefield. Mashiro is capable of landing powerful kicks and punches on her enemies, making her an expert in hand-to-hand combat. Her skills particularly came to the forefront when she fought against the 77th Arrancar, Wonderweiss Margela, and landed severe blows on the latter.
Izuru Kira
Not definitive but when Izuru Kira made Wabisuke raise his head…
It made his battle (when the lieutenants were going against arrancars) my favorite. https://t.co/gjJzlCB4af pic.twitter.com/AGKeMjMZx2
— Tee, The Gift Hashira 🔜 AWA (@thoseanimegirlz) April 3, 2023
Despite learning of the supposed betrayal of Gin Ichimaru, the former Captain of 3rd Division, Izuru continued to serve the squad and remained loyal to Gotei 13. One of the earliest instances of his loyalty was shown when Momo Hinamori tried to land an attack on Gin Ichimaru following the death of her then-Captain of 5th Division, Sosuke Aizen. At this point, Izuru, keeping his friendship with Momo in mind, still chose to defend his Captain.
So, even though he was hurt by Gin’s betrayal, he learned to sort out his feelings when the former Captain betrayed Aizen instead. As for his personality, he doesn’t seem to exhibit leadership skills like other Lieutenants of Gotei 13, but he is a tactical mastermind whose powers were seen during the Wandereich arc. Many years later, he is still a proud Lieutenant of 3rd Division under Captain Rōjuro Ōtoribashi’s leadership.
Isane Kotetsu
Although Isane took the seat of the Captain of 4th Division, Retsu Unohana, following her death at the hands of Kenpachi Zaraki, she once used to serve as the Lieutenant of the same. Like the general members of the 4th Squad, she is shy, observant, fiercely loyal, and a woman of few words. However, she can be reckless, as seen when she rushed to defeat a man of Sosuke Aizen’s caliber – someone who was much stronger than her at that point.
However, the introverted Isane too has an eccentric side. This is seen particularly when she got in trouble by the Shinigami Women’s Association for trying to take a picture of Byakuya Kuchiki. She also has a weird obsession with porridge, but Isane is also dissatisfied with her height as she stands at 187 cm currently. As for her loyalty towards Unohana, she saw her Captain as a mother figure. However, after Unohana’s death, Isane has tactfully kept the 4th Division in order alongside her sister, Lieutenant Kiyone Kotetsu.
Nanao Ise
Alongside Genshirō Okikiba, Nanao is the co-Lieutenant of the 1st Division under Shunsui Kyōraku, who also happens to be her uncle. Moreover, she is also the Vice-President of Shinigami Women’s Association, and in practice, she is the one to maintain the decorum and control the meetings since President Yachiru Kusajishi doesn’t extend a helping hand. As evident, Nanao is very diligent, responsible, and pragmatic.
Her relationship with her uncle somewhat reflects the dynamic shared between the Captain and Lieutenant of the 10th Division. Thus, she has to put up with Shunsui Kyōraku’s antics. A skilled fighter, she sports a serious persona almost all the time. However, she can also be intimidating, which is capable enough to unsettle the 12th Division’s captain, Mayuri Kurotsuchi. The headstrong Nanao also exhibits feminist qualities and is sometimes seen at odds with the leader of Shinigami Men’s Association’s leader, Tetsuzaemon Iba, as she tries to assert her superiority over him when it concerns the association she is part of.
