Shinji Hirako

Bankai Special Ability: Shinji can close his petals to protect himself from Bankai attacks. Shinji's Bankai is similar to Aizen's Shikai, as it effectively hypnotizes the target. This hypnotic state is more complete than Aizen's, as it encompasses not only the basic senses but also the senses of time and soul. All those affected by Shinji's Reiatsu begin attacking each other, indiscriminately, without distinguishing between allies and enemies. Bankai cannot be used against anyone whose Reiatsu is several times greater than the user's, as it will simply have no effect. Shinji only uses his Bankai when fighting large groups of enemies, as Bankai cannot be activated against single opponents.

Bankai: Sakashima Yokoshima Happō Fusagari (Flag of Japan 逆様邪八宝塞 [Sakashima Yokoshima Happō: Fusagari], Upside-Down Evil Barrier to All Treasures): Changes the appearance of the Zanpakutō and its wielder. The ring on the back handle of the Shikai now faces forward, and the blade faces backward. The Bankai forms a platform resembling a Yamato-nadeshiko flower, with Shinji in the center of the flower. Six petals extend from the platform, which branch out at the ends and take the form of flames.

Sakasama no Sekai (Flag of Japan 逆様の世界 [Inverted World]): When the sword is released, it emits a pink cloud of mist. Those targeted by the attack begin to smell strange aromas and are subject to a powerful optical illusion. Shinji himself describes his blade release technique as something of a trump card. He begins spinning the blade up and down, left and right, and back and forth, reversing space. However, this is not simply a sense of direction; the opponent's vision, the direction of incoming attacks, and the locations of wounds are also inverted. Shinji believes this technique makes it impossible for the opponent to fight, because he becomes confused and loses sight of everything he sees in the curved space. It doesn't matter how strong the opponent is, and even if he has been trained in something similar from the fighting techniques, his body will still not be adapted to it, he will fight stupidly and reflexively, because the power of the blade will constantly suppress him with its effect. [34] The effect of the inverted space can be used on any opponent of any strength and their number, which makes it ideal for use in group fighting.

Shikai: The Shikai's release command is "Disintegrate" (倒れろ, taorero).[32] In its Shikai form, the hilt ends in a large ring that allows Sakanada to spin around Shinji's hand without making contact. This movement is a special ability of his sword. The first few inches of the blade are covered by an extension of the guard. Sakanada's blade is straight and thin, with a beveled tip similar to a razor blade. There are five holes along the length of the blade.

Sakanade (逆撫 [Sakanade], Rutting Against the Grain): In its unreleased form, it appears like a normal katana. The hilt and sheath are red, and the guard is shaped like an hourglass.

Stepping Expert: Shinji possesses exceptional skill in stepping, easily surpassing the Sixth Espada Grimmjow in speed. As a captain (before becoming a Visored), he was the first to arrive to rescue Hiyori, despite Lisa arriving earlier and the other captains following him. Shinji is also fast at close range. During the attack on Aizen, he was able to react to Tōsen's surprise attack and dodge it, suffering a minor cut.

Immense Spiritual Power: As a captain, he has an immense amount of spiritual power. Being a Visored as well, Shinji possesses dual spiritual energy: part Shinigami and part Hollow. Kurumadani described his spiritual power as monstrous.

High Intelligence: Despite his occasional childish behavior, Shinji is a very perceptive individual. During his tenure as captain of the 5th Division, he partially uncovered Aizen's deception and some of his illusions. Aizen himself admitted that Shinji's cunning frightened him.

Shinji is somewhat comical, appearing frivolous in situations where others are serious. He's quite brash and apparently enjoys picking on Hiyori Sarugaki, who usually smacks him across the cheek with her sandal for it. She, in turn, shows no respect for him and frequently insults and hits Shinji. His behavior toward Hiyori is no better, often grimacing or insulting her in return. Shinji also calls every cute girl he meets his "first love," with a straight face, even though this is obviously a lie (though he's never said this about Hiyori to irritate her). He also enjoys listening to jazz music, and back in his days as a captain a century ago, Shinji owned a gramophone that played vinyl records. Despite this, however, he's quite perceptive about other people. While Shinji was captain, he was one of the few people to develop suspicions about his lieutenant, Sōsuke Aizen. Apparently, he can see or sense things through the latter's illusions. He was also quick to notice Kisuke Urahara's personality traits. Aizen even admitted that Hirako intimates him somewhat. Whenever he's angry or fighting, Shinji remains serious and level-headed.

Shinji has brown eyes and straight, chin-length light hair. He often shows his upper teeth when expressing his emotions. He sometimes wears the standard Karakura High School uniform, though he usually dons a long gray coat, a shirt and tie, and a newspaper delivery cap (though he is occasionally seen without the cap and coat). He also has a tongue piercing.