Sosuke Aizen

Soul

186 cm (6'1")

Himself

Gotei 13, Soul Society Arrancar Army

Shinigami

Leader of the Arrancar Army Captain of the 5th Division Lieutenant of the 5th Division Instructor at the Shin'ō Academy

5th Division

Gin Ichimaru Kaname Tosen Shinji Hirako Momo Hinamori

Muken, Soul Society

Kyoka Suigetsu

Sōsuke Aizen (藍染 惣右介, Aizen Sōsuke) is the former captain of the 5th Division of the Gotei 13, whose lieutenant was Momo Hinamori; before his captaincy, Aizen served as the division's lieutenant under Shinji Hirako.

For over a century, Aizen masqueraded as a benevolent Shinigami officer while secretly plotting his betrayal and conducting depraved experiments, which around 100 years ago led to the Hollowfication of the Visored and their (alongside Kisuke Urahara's) forced exile. Aizen's plans reach a tipping point after he slaughters the Central 46, orchestrates Rukia Kuchiki's execution, and fakes his own death in a successful ploy to obtain Urahara's Hōgyoku. After retrieving said artifact and revealing his treachery, Aizen and his longtime followers, Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tōsen, retreat from Soul Society into Hueco Mundo, where Aizen is revealed to have built an army of Arrancar.

For his ultimate goal of reaching and overthrowing the Soul King, Aizen uses his forces to wage war against the Gotei 13. After prevailing over most of the Shinigami in his way and achieving a transcendent state through his fusion with the Hōgyoku, Aizen is nonetheless defeated by Ichigo Kurosaki, sealed by Urahara, and later imprisoned in Muken for his crimes. During the Quincy Blood War, Aizen is temporarily freed by Shunsui Kyōraku to help fight against the Quincy King, Yhwach, and plays a pivotal role in the latter's defeat.

Aizen is a tall, lean man of light complexion, whose hair and eyes are a similar tone of brown (albeit the latter become more hazel later on in the colored manga). In his original guise as an affable Gotei 13 captain, Aizen kept his hair in a soft, shaggy curtain style and wore black, square-framed glasses, which along with his eyes (slightly droopy at the outer corners) lent him a disarming if not scholarly look. For attire, Aizen donned a standard Shinigami shihakushō with a long-sleeved captain's haori, its inside being a pale turquoise to signify the 5th Division.[3] Over a century ago as a lieutenant, Aizen looked more or less the same as in the present, with the same curtained hair and glasses (but his facial features ever-so-slightly softer); most notable about his attire was the lieutenant's badge around his left arm, with his division's number and insignia upon it.[4]

During his ascent to Hueco Mundo, Aizen shatters his glasses and runs a hand through his hair, revealing sharper, more menacing eyes along with a new hairstyle — slicked back, with a lone strand left to fall into his face.[5] In Hueco Mundo, Aizen initially keeps on a black shihakushō, with a red sash and an Arrancar-style overcoat with narrow sleeves and a standing collar, white on the outside and black on the inside.[6] After Orihime Inoue is taken to Las Noches, Aizen changes into an outfit that is more complete in the Arrancar style, pairing his white coat with a matching undertunic (white with black trim) that in the front, below Aizen's waist, ends with a square cutout. Hakama-like pants remain Aizen's lower wear, also white and black. Contrasting against these is a pink sash (black in the manga) that holds Aizen's Zanpakutō on a silver (golden in the manga) plate. Aizen's new footwear are the typical black Arrancar boots with white lining (meant to resemble the Shinigami's tabi and zōri, but color-inverted).

Upon his defeat by Ichigo Kurosaki, all changes that Aizen underwent post-fusion with the Hōgyoku disappear, making him revert to his original pre-Chrysalis form.[9] For his subsequent imprisonment in Muken, Aizen is clothed in a black uniform consisting of several wide, horizontally bound-together loops of leather, which serve a sealing function. The uniform's jacket-like portion reaches below the knees, flaring like a tunic, and originally covers Aizen's face; it is fastened together in the front, the edges trimmed in white. Pants and boots are present below, made of the same black material.[10] A gray neckcloth is placed around Aizen's shoulders like a capelet and has several red stakes run through it while Aizen is crucified.[11] Upon his release from Muken, being partially unsealed, Aizen has the leather over his left eye and mouth removed, though the one over his right eye remains, like an eyepatch.

Aizen is a polite, soft-spoken intellectual, often addressing his subordinates by their given names. He rarely shows any sign of alarm or distress, and often has entire situations planned out well in advance. Whenever confronted, Aizen is casual and uncaring, attempting to draw out a conversation and make small talk, which often infuriates those he is talking to.

Aizen initially appeared to be a very kind, well-respected captain and was looked up to by many, especially his lieutenant, Momo Hinamori. However, this was just a mask to disguise his dangerously manipulative nature. In truth, he cares very little for his underlings, and is willing to use almost everyone around him as pawns to achieve his goals. He is willing to stop at nothing to further his ambitions, including manipulating or killing anyone if he deems it necessary. He frequently toys with his underlings for amusement. Despite any loyalty coming from his subordinates, Aizen proven himself to be uncaring, believing that affection is the furthest from understanding; the one exception to this was Gin Ichimaru, the only person he saw befitting to be his lieutenant. Although he knew from the beginning that Ichimaru wanted to kill him and having taken him under his wing out of curiosity of how he would accomplish it, Aizen would nevertheless be shocked and even saddened when Ichimaru left him to die. During his humble Soul Society years reflected in the Japanese script, his self-referring pronoun used to be "boku", even when conducting his suspicious activities or revealing bits of his true nature. Upon fully defecting to Hueco Mundo, he instead uses "watashi" in a more assertive tone.

During his time as a captain, Aizen liked tofu, but he disliked boiled eggs. In his free time, he often read, and he gave a special lecture of calligraphy at the Shin'ō Academy because he excelled in this branch of arts. This optional course was immensely popular among the Shinigami students, and many of them felt great sorrow at Aizen's sudden departure.

As the commander of his army of Arrancar, Aizen controls his minions through acquired respect or fear. Ulquiorra Cifer revealed to Orihime Inoue that they are all there to further Aizen's ambitions. Aizen keeps more rowdy individuals like Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez in line through intimidation and mind games. The Arrancar Aisslinger Wernarr claims the Arrancar follow him because he has no fear, something which is born from fear and despair find inspiring.

Gin Ichimaru has some sense of Aizen's emotions and feelings, correctly pointing out Aizen was enjoying the invasion by Ichigo and his friends and their successes within Las Noches, which Aizen himself confirmed and noting Aizen was surprised by the arrival of Momo during the battle of Fake Karakura Town. In contrast, Kaname Tōsen has shown no such understanding, and has fallen victim to one of Aizen's more minor mind games when Aizen subtly manipulated him into punishing Grimmjow for him while Aizen himself kept up his appearance of benevolence.

Aizen's true objective was to overthrow the king of Soul Society. As he and his fellow traitor captains were departing from the Soul Society, he told 13th Division Captain Jūshirō Ukitake "no one has stood on the top of the world", not even the gods, but he aspires to "stand on the heavens and end the unbearable vacancy on the world's throne".

According to Kisuke Urahara, since mastering the Hōgyoku, Aizen has become less cautious in battle, for Aizen would not have allowed Urahara to use level 90 Kidō before he subdued the Hōgyoku. Aizen admits his new powers allow him to let his guard down. Due to this newfound power, Aizen has developed an arrogant and overconfident attitude, often not even thinking his attacks or defense through any longer like he used to, or even bothering to find out the effects of his opponents' and his own attacks. In his newest form, he has developed a severe superiority complex, believing he is now above both Shinigami and Hollows. Because of his superior attitude and high intelligence, Aizen is easily enraged when facing something or someone which he does not understand; for example, when witnessing Ichigo Kurosaki use Saigo no Getsuga Tenshō, Aizen becomes furious because he is unable to comprehend how a Human has surpassed him.

By the time he is released from Muken, he has reverted to his calm, casual personality, brushing aside Shunsui Kyōraku's praise regarding his current abilities and somewhat undergoes a change of heart, even being willing to fight against Yhwach and assist Ichigo before returning to Muken. He disagrees with Yhwach's philosophy about combining all three planes of existence to eliminate the fear of death and believes that people would never have the courage to move forward against such a threat in Yhwach's world

Sight Requirement: Because Kyōka Suigetsu's Shikai release must be seen for victims to succumb to the hypnosis, it does not work on the blind or those who have not seen its release.

Minute Flaws: While Kyōka Suigetsu's illusions are close to perfect, those perceptive enough may, upon thorough examination, notice slight differences in a given illusion compared to the real thing, even if they cannot discern exactly what is wrong. 4th Division Captain Retsu Unohana detected that something was amiss with Aizen's fake corpse, even though she did not realize what it was until seeing Aizen alive.

Reiatsu Presence: The Reiatsu of Kyōka Suigetsu may give away its presence to those caught in the Kanzen Saimin if they are in direct contact with the weapon (especially if the blade enters their body).

Negation via Touch: The only sure-fire way to escape the hypnosis' effect is to touch Kyōka Suigetsu's blade before the hypnosis takes hold, a fact that only Gin Ichimaru ever found out.

Master of Kido Master of Fencing Very fast and agile Immortal Mind over 500 IQ The strongest