Shinji Hirako

His birthday is May 10th, he is 1.76cm tall and weighs 60kg

As a Visored, Hirako can unleash his Hollow powers by wearing a mask, which in his case bears a striking resemblance to a mummy.

Hirako's mask is entirely white, divided into horizontal sections below the eyes and vertical sections above, resembling bandages, which also extend down the back. When he dons the Visored mask, the speed and power of Hirako's attacks are multiplied, and he gains the ability to perform the most characteristic attack of the Menos and the Arrancar:

Shinji's Zero
Shinji's Zero

Cero (虚閃（セロ）, sero?, literally "Hollow Flash"). A powerful energy blast capable of disintegrating everything in its path, which in Hirako's case is the characteristic red color that appears most of the time. It is launched from his knuckles with a wide range and devastating force, so much so that if he hadn't neutralized part of its power with his own Cero, it would have finished off Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. In some video games, Hirako is able to divide his Cero into much smaller, yellow ones, which he launches at will at the enemy.

Sakanade (逆撫, Counter Stroke?). In its sealed form, it has the appearance of a common katana and possesses a handle like the sheath of Shinji Hirako's Zanpakutō, which is red.

The guard is rectangular, with the longer sides tapering, like an hourglass. It's unknown if this is an ability of his Zanpakutō and how he does it, but apparently Shinji can concentrate his spiritual energy into it and attack from a distance with powerful bursts of concentrated energy, as seen when Ichigo arrived at the Visored hideout and the two began fighting, or when Shinji saved Rukia from Grimmjow's Cero. Interestingly, on the only two occasions he has used this type of attack, its color changed from the first time it was used to the second.

Shikai: Sakanade's activation command is "Collapse" (倒れろ, Taorero), and upon uttering it, Hirako's Zanpakutō transforms into the blade of a Western-style sword, with five holes along its entire length. Sakanade's blade is attached to a rectangular guard, which is in turn assembled to a ring into which Hirako inserts his hand, allowing him to control the weapon's movement without even touching it, if he so desires.

Shikai Special Ability: Similar to Aizen's Zanpakutō, Kyōka Suigetsu, Sakanade's initial release possesses the ability to manipulate a person's senses, specifically by creating what Hirako calls a Sakasama no Sekai (逆様の世界, Inverted World). The opponent's sense of direction is completely altered, so that "right" and "left," "up" and "down," or "front" and "back" become their exact opposites, in what Hirako describes as a "trap card." An opponent's vision, reach, and the location of their cuts are also modified, to the point that Hirako asserts that countering these abilities is impossible, especially for experienced fighters accustomed to fighting instinctively.

After 17 months, his Shikai's ability has improved to the point of severely affecting his opponent's balance, causing vertigo and disorientation due to the lack of a proper sense of direction. Thanks to this, he is able to confuse and even overwhelm a Sternritter like Bambietta. Shinji commented that he has been training to use his ability to reverse even the words he speaks, but it is still unknown whether he has achieved this capability.

Bankai: Sakashima Yokoshima Happoufusagari (逆様邪八宝塞, Eight Treasures of Evil Reversed Block?) When activated, Sakanade in Bankai form is virtually identical to its Shikai form; however, its tip is replaced by a sharp ring that matches the base of its guard. An immense golden flower manifests around Shinji, its petals enveloping him for the duration of the Bankai. A pink mist emanates from the top of the flower, covering a large area around him.

Special Bankai Ability: Sakashima Yokoshima Happoufusagari is a Bankai that covers a large area, affecting both enemies and allies indiscriminately. The resulting mist inverts the perception of all enemies and/or allies within the Bankai's range, while Shinji is the only person unaffected. As a result, everyone mistakes allies for enemies for the duration of the Bankai. The effect of this Bankai is so powerful that it was able to eradicate an entire squad of Soldat in a matter of seconds without difficulty.

As a Captain of the Gotei 13, Hirako possesses a high level of spirituality, and as a Visored, he has proven to be perceptive and analytical, being one of the few people who could see through some of Aizen's lies.

Hohō
Hirako has proven to be very skilled in using Shunpo. This can be seen when Hirako was the first to arrive to help Hiyori one hundred and ten years ago, while she was investigating the disappearances and deaths that occurred in the Rukongai. Another example of Hirako's expertise in using Shunpo can be seen when Hirako was able to easily overwhelm Grimmjow during their fight, or when Hirako was able to dodge an attack from Tōsen at the very last moment.

Kidō
Although he doesn't usually use Kidō in combat, Hirako has been shown to be capable of performing some Kidō spells of unknown rank without reciting an incantation. The spells he has used are the following: Tanma Otoshi: He uses it to put Ichigo to sleep. Noren Mekuri: He uses it to dispel an illusion of Aizen.

Zanjutsu
Hirako has proven to be very skilled in using Zanjutsu, being able to contain Mashiro with only his sealed Zanpakutō while Mashiro was under the effects of Hollowfication. Hirako was also able to overpower and push back Grimmjow using only his Hollow mask and his sealed Zanpakutō.

More than 110 years before the main story, Shinji Hirako was the Captain of the 5th Division, and although comments from other captains have hinted that he was one of those who had been in the position the longest, he by no means exceeded one hundred years in that position (something that could only be said of Captains Yamamoto, Unohana, Kyōraku and Ukitake).

Hirako's lieutenant was Aizen, whom she had promoted to this position because she had the intuition that behind his polite, friendly, and intellectual demeanor lay a threat to the Soul Society, confident that under her watch he could not do anything suspicious.

One night, approximately 99 years before the main events of the series, a Shinigami patrol led by the Captain of the 9th Division, Kensei Muguruma, and his Lieutenant, Mashiro Kuna, mysteriously disappeared. In an emergency meeting, Commander-in-Chief Yamamoto decided to dispatch an investigation and rescue squad. This group consisted of Hirako, Rose, Love, Risa, and Hachi, who departed just moments after arriving at the scene on the orders of Urahara's Lieutenant, Hiyori Sarugaki.

At the scene, Hirako and the others were forced to fight Kensei and Mashiro, who had been Hollowficated, managing to stop them at the last minute thanks to efficient teamwork. However, all of them had been injured to varying degrees as a result of the fight and found themselves completely defenseless against Kaname Tōsen's surprise attack and the effects of the Hollowfication prepared by Aizen, who had spread some kind of infectious agent into the environment that infected all the members of the support group.

When Aizen revealed himself, Hirako tried to attack him, but suffered the effects of the Hollow transformation. His lieutenant stated that his mistake all those years had been not getting to know him better, which facilitated the betrayal he had just suffered. However, as Aizen prepared to kill all the Shinigami affected by his experiment, Kisuke Urahara and Tessai Tsukabishi appeared, forcing him to retreat. Once those affected by Hollowfication were transported to the 12th Division's facilities, Urahara attempted to cure them using the Hōgyoku, but the process failed.

The Central 46 ordered the execution of Hirako and the other Shinigami, as they were considered Hollows beyond healing. However, their unconscious bodies were safely retrieved by Yoruichi Shihōin, awaiting the arrival of Urahara and Tessai. The entire group eventually exiled themselves to the world of the living, where Urahara bestowed undetectable gigai upon the eight Visored. From then on, Hirako and the other Visored lived hidden and forgotten, both by the Soul Society and by Aizen.

Shortly after being appointed Captain of the 12th Division, Urahara received a visit from Hirako, who told him about Hiyori and also commented on how much she thought the two characters resembled each other.

From that meeting on, Urahara and Hirako had many more conversations over the years, and while it is difficult to say whether they became friends or just good companions united by several commonalities, what is clear is the fundamental role that Urahara played in the creation of the Visored. Seeking to reverse the Hollowfication caused by Aizen, Urahara used a recently invented artifact, the Hōgyoku, which eventually succeeded in creating Shinigami hybrids with Hollow powers.

Seeing that the Visored still wore Hollow masks, Urahara lamented that he hadn't lived up to expectations, and before leaving with them to the world of the living, he promised to find a way to return them to normal. In the same way he referred to Aizen, Hirako expressed his gratitude to Urahara, although we assume the motives and implications of this statement are quite different from the score he had with his former subordinate.

Hiyori and Hirako have known each other for at least 110 years, a time when they both held high-ranking positions in the Soul Society. Although Hiyori was the Lieutenant of the 12th Division, and therefore not only lower in rank than Hirako but they weren't even in the same division, she still enjoyed hitting and mocking him.

For his part, Shinji didn't assert his authority, but instead responded in kind, thus beginning the endless childish squabbles between the two characters that have been a major source of humor throughout the Arrancar Saga. This strange situation is readily accepted by the other Visored, indicating that these arguments are quite common.

Even so, it is clear that the relationship between the two is much deeper and not based on constant rivalry, since in critical situations or serious moments both Hirako and Hiyori have shown to care a lot about each other, leading some fans to think that there is more than just friendship between them.

Of all the Visored, Shinji is the one who has interacted the most with other characters throughout the series, having met in the past with most of the most powerful Shinigami and currently with Ichigo's classmates and friends, by playing the role of an exchange student to contact and try to recruit the Substitute Shinigami.

Although Hirako seems to be a very sociable person, who has practically spoken with all the characters with whom he has shared different scenes and has not shown any shyness or reluctance, in any case the treatment he gives is usually quite superficial.

The obvious exception is his seven fellow Visored, with whom he shares a close sense of camaraderie and cooperation, a product of the century they have lived together outside the Soul Society. While it is true that the Visored do not have a structured hierarchy, Hirako is the closest thing to a leader within his community, as he is the one who gives orders to the others most of the time, who, in turn, see him as one of their own. Therefore, it could well be said that, within the Visored, Hirako is a kind of "first among equals."

We don't know what feelings Hirako inspired in his subordinates in the 5th Division, since what we've seen of him during that time has focused on his relationships with Aizen, the future Visoreds, and Kisuke Urahara. On the other hand, within Ichigo's group of friends, Orihime Inoue is the one who has attracted the most attention from him, or at least that's what he claims, stating that she is his "first love" (to which Risa Yadōmaru replies that he said the same thing about her and other pretty girls, causing Hiyori, who never received such compliments, to explode in anger).

The events that led to the Visored's emergence and their subsequent hiding in the world of the living seem to be unknown to the vast majority of characters, who have come to believe Hirako and the others are dead. As Urahara would later reveal to Isshin Kurosaki, the Visored could very well be potential allies of the Soul Society against Aizen and his Arrancar army, something that was demonstrated during the Battle of Karakura Town.

At that moment, Hirako stated that they had unfinished business with Aizen and, despite wanting nothing to do with the Gotei 13, they were allies of Ichigo, and therefore would help the Soul Society's Shinigami. Some fans have romantically linked Hirako with Hiyori Sarugaki, as their constant arguments and tense moments have suggested a certain interest on their part; however, this relationship has not yet been confirmed.

Most of the time, Shinji maintains a somewhat frivolous and carefree air, seemingly unconcerned with everything happening around him. However, he is actually a very perceptive person, sensitive to the behavior of those close to him, and one of the few who glimpsed Aizen's true nature from the very beginning.

His lazy and apathetic attitude always irritates Hiyori Sarugaki, leading to frequent arguments between them. Hirako's immaturity in provoking his teammate lends a certain comical air to these situations. However, when it comes to fighting, he abandons his nonchalance and lack of interest, adopting a serious demeanor that he also displays when annoyed.

Shinji is a tall man, of slim build and quite youthful appearance, which allows him to pass as a high school student, since he appears younger than other characters of similar ages to his.

His eyes are long and almond-shaped, with small, hazel irises, and his blond hair is cut neatly to jaw length. Hirako usually displays a wide, cynical smile with a gap between his teeth, the upper row being more visible than the lower. He has a ring-shaped piercing in his tongue.

Initially, he wore the standard Karakura High School uniform, complete with a beige cap. However, when Ichigo Kurosaki finally visits the Visored, Hirako wears brown shirts and ties, along with a light brown coat. During his time as Captain of the 5th Division, Hirako wore the standard Shinigami uniform, which was not yet in use, and the white haori worn by captains, which in his case had long sleeves. At that time, his hair was considerably longer than it is now, reaching his mid-back.