Shunsui Kyōraku

Captain Commander of the Gotei 13

Shunsui is a tall, light-skinned Shinigami with high cheekbones, grey eyes and long wavy brown hair. His hair is tied in a long ponytail and has long bangs that frame the left side of his face. He also has a noticeable amount of body hair on his chest, feet, and arms. He wears a Sugegasa straw hat and a pink, flowered lady's kimono, which he drapes across his shoulders and over his Shihakushō. Although his haori and obi sash are cheap, his pin-wheel hairpins are very expensive. He does not wear tabi with his sandals. He has thin facial hair around his mouth and on his cheeks.

Shunsui is a laid-back and flamboyant man, evident in his style of dress and general attitude, and is usually smiling. In his off time, he often drinks sake in bars and naps. Other times, he likes to chase after women. Shunsui tends to use a more casual speech style than many other captains. Shunsui is a peace-loving man who will always try to talk his way out of battles, though he does not wish to insult opponents by refusing to fight. He always maintains a veil of respect for his opponent, is polite in combat situations and prefers to fight one on one. When fighting powerful opponents, Shunsui rarely loses his cool, going as far as to make small talk and joke around with his opponents.

Shunsui is the second son of the high-ranking noble Kyōraku family. While Shunsui was still a young boy, his older brother married the head of the Ise Clan who would eventually become Nanao Ise's mother. Though Shunsui and his brother did not really get along, living with his brother became more comfortable, and Shunsui would visit him often. After his brother died, during which he was entrusted with hairpins that formerly belonged to Nanao's mother, Shunsui was entrusted with the Zanpakutō of the Ise family by his brother's widow, and his Zanpakutō Spirit created a second spirit to store it. Despite his laid-back and lazy demeanor, Captain-Commander Yamamoto could see the truth behind it and his great potential. This lead to him to be forced to become a Soul Reaper against his will. While there, he came to know Jūshirō Ukitake, who would become his best friend and fellow captain. 110 years ago he had a unique relationship with his Lieutenant Lisa Yadōmaru: in contrast to his relationship with his current Lieutenant Nanao Ise, Lisa was more outgoing and perverted in a way much like his own personality, but he found that his position required him to be the "adult" in the situation. 9 years later, Shunsui was present at an emergency meeting called by Captain-Commander Yamamoto. He decided to create an investigative team to locate the missing 9th Division squad members. When he gave out the orders, Yamamoto ordered Shunsui to guard the Seireitei, which resulted in his previous Lieutenant Lisa to get turned into a hollow. After Yamamoto's death to Yhwach, the leader of the Quincy Army, Shunsui is forced to take charge of the entire Gotei 13 without even getting the time to mourn his death.