♱ Retsu Unohana ♱

Soul

1000+

159 cm (5'2½")

Gotei 13, Soul Society

Shinigami

Captain of the 4th Division
Captain of the 11th Division

SHIKAI - Minazuki

BANKAI - Minazuki

Retsu Unohana (卯ノ花烈, Unohana Retsu), formerly known as Yachiru Unohana (卯ノ花 八千流, Unohana Yachiru), was the former captain of the Fourth Division in the Gotei 13. She was one of the oldest and most experienced captains, and was Soul Society's best healer. Her lieutenant was Isane Kotetsu. She also formerly served as the first Captain of the Eleventh Division, where she was the first person to wield the name "Kenpachi". After she was cast into Hell, Unohana gained the epithet of "Death Sword" (死剣, Shiken).

Unohana has the appearance of a slender and very youthful woman with blue eyes and black hair. She wears the standard Shinigami captain shihakushō apart from using an obi instead of the normal sash, which hides her well-endowed bosom. Her hair is long and is always worn as a large braid down the front of her body. Over 100 years ago, she did not have the large braid, instead styling in front of her as a loose ponytail. While maintaining a kind and gentle look at most times, during her battle with Kenpachi Zaraki, her eyes appear gloomy and menacing. She also wears her hair down for the first time, exposing a notable scar in between her collarbone, inflicted by Zaraki when the latter was young. Before he inflicted that scar on her, she did not tie her hair in front of her, instead wearing it down at all times.

Unlike most Shinigami who carry their Zanpakutō in their sash, Unohana has a large string attached to the sheath of her Zanpakutō and carries it over her shoulder, or has her lieutenant, Isane Kotetsu, carry it for her whenever they are together on the battlefield.

Unohana has a gentle and warm personality that augments her appearance. Unohana is a soft-spoken, polite, and caring woman who uses honorifics when addressing everyone, including her subordinates and the enemy. She rarely shows any signs of panic or distress, and has a great sense of duty, shown in the times that she orders Hanatarō Yamada's imprisonment and Isane Kotetsu's chasing of Renji Abarai when he runs away with Rukia Kuchiki. Despite her sense of duty, she will also heal almost anyone around her, including Renji after he was defeated by his captain, Gantenbainne Mosqueda when she arrived in Hueco Mundo, and the Visored, referring to them as allies despite Shinji Hirako's reluctance to do so. With her grace and kind manners, she lets others know quietly that while she may be soft, she is not to be taken lightly. Despite her gentle nature, several members of the Eleventh Division and even her fellow captains fear her. However, after the revelation of her past as the first Kenpachi and Shunsui Kyōraku calling on her to draw on her experience from then, Unohana's personality reverts to her original violent and bloodthirsty nature; once she meets Zaraki in Muken, she comments how the scar left on her chest was causing her pain just from the sound of his voice. Unohana herself says that she is infatuated with crossing blades, and firmly believes in taking any actions necessary - even sleight of hands such as hidden daggers - to get ahead in battle.[13][14] According to Yhwach, Yachiru was infamous for being a brutal and cold-blooded killer,[15] which she demonstrated by massacring the Quincy of the Lichtreich when they first invaded Soul Society.

Unohana likes strong-flavored food, preferring it to bland tasting dishes. In her free time, she climbs mountains throughout Rukongai; during these excursions, she collects medicinal herbs. Once a month, she holds an ikebana class for the members of her division and she is also the President of the Ikebana Club.