Toshiro Hitsugaya
AgeAppears 10-13, but 100-130 in Shinigami yearsGenderMaleHeight133 cmWeight28 kgZanpakutōHyōrinmaruRelease Command“Rain over the frosted heavens Hyōrinmaru”BankaiDaiguren HyōrinmaruOccupationCaptain of 10th Division, Soccer Player
Tōshirō Hitsugaya is a shinigami in the Gotei 13 and currently serves as the captain of the 10th Division. He is the youngest in generations to have become a captain and is thus called a “boy genius” by many. His lieutenant is Rangiku Matsumoto, a frivolous well-endowed woman who tends to tease him. Hitsugaya is a very popular character among Bleach fans, and has ranked high in all of the character polls. The plot of the second Bleach feature film, The Diamond Dust Rebellion, is centered around him.
Appearance
He is short (because of his age) and has white hair, which tends to draw attention in the human world. He wears standard captain’s clothing consisting of a black hakama and white haori without any accessories; however, he is the only shinigami who carries his zanpakutō diagonally on his back, other than Ichigo Kurosaki whose large zanpakutō necessitates such a style. Hitsugaya’s short stature and the blade’s length may explain the similar style. The sheath, which is held by a green belt, dissolves whenever he draws his sword.
Personality
Hitsugaya is generally mature and serious, in contrast to his free-spirited lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto. Despite their philosophical differences, he and Rangiku seem to be very close due to them being captain and lietenant. Hitsugaya hates anything that he deems “kiddie” or childish, a further contrast to his appearance. Hitsugaya is easily annoyed when anyone refers to him by anything other than his title, Captain Hitsugaya. The first character in Hitsugaya’s given name, Tōshirō, means “winter” which is appropriate given his white hair and ice type zanpakutō. Ichigo also calls Hitsugaya by his given name despite Hitsugaya’s protests, making him one of three captains Ichigo refers to in this manner.
Hitsugaya’s intuition is extremely sharp, and he is one of few captains to correctly suspect Gin Ichimaru of foul play, though he understandably didn’t suspect Sosuke Aizen of the same.
During his duel with Gin Ichimaru in the anime, Ichimaru remarks that Hitsugaya is the embodiment of the heavenly guardian that is born into Soul Society every few centuries. This may explain his rapid growth and why he is a respected captain despite his age. Alternatively, Gin may have been speaking sarcastically, saying that Hitsugaya did not seem to live up to his title. His given name is also a homonym for a casual Japanese term meaning “amateur”, possibly referring to Hitsugaya’s young age and inexperience relative to the other captains of the Gotei 13.
Background
Hitsugaya comes from Junrinan, District 1 of Rukongai. There, he lived with an old woman and Momo Hinamori, and possibly other people. Little else is known about his past, but it is known that he became a shinigami shortly after Hinamori because he was making his grandma freeze due to his spirit energy leaking out. He is also a friend of Jidanbō, the West Gate Keeper, and was the one who taught him the “city rules.”
As a child, Hitsugaya was a bit of a brat who liked to eat watermelons and poke fun at Hinamori. The two were close friends and Hitsugaya, despite being younger and much shorter than his friend, always felt that he needed to protect her.
With Hitsugaya’s natural talent, he quickly entered the shinigami institute shortly after Hinamori, despite his age. Highly capable and knowledgeable, he quickly became the youngest of the captains within the Gotei 13.
Abilities
Can reach high levels of Kidō without an incarnation chant.
Summoning Hyōrinmaru just by saying his name.
