Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto/Anime Continuity

is the captain of the 1st Division in the Gotei 13 and also the Captain-Commander of the whole Gotei 13. His lieutenant is Chōjirō Sasakibe.

Zanpakutō Unknown Tales arc (anime only)
Several centuries ago, during a rebellion which caused a civil war in Soul Society, Yamamoto, praising the actions of Kōga Kuchiki, later gave him the leadership of a special contingent of troops. When Kōga became a rogue, Yamamoto helped Ginrei seal Kōga with a special Kidō spell.

Bount arc (anime only)
Thinking Mayuri Kurotsuchi is betraying Soul Society, Yamamoto has Byakuya get all information he can about the Bount. Later, he, holding a meeting with the remaining captains, tells them about the Bount invading Rukongai and the origins of the Bount.

The New Captain Shūsuke Amagai arc (anime only)
Yamamoto presides over Shūsuke Amagai being appointed captain of the 3rd Division. Amagai uses his position to attempt to exact revenge against Yamamoto, believing he killed his father, Shin'etsu Kisaragi. In reality, Shin'etsu had been given a mission to investigate the Kasumiōji Clan, but was captured by Gyōkaku Kumoi and used as a test subject for the Bakkōtō. As Shin'etsu was possessed by the Bakkōtō, Yamamoto killed him to end his suffering. After killing Kumoi, Amagai attacks Yamamoto, using his Bakkōtō to prevent Yamamoto from using his Zanpakutō. While Yamamoto is defenseless, Ichigo arrives and fights Amagai, but despite Amagai being outmatched and near death, he stabs Yamamoto. After Yoruichi Shihōin and Yamamoto reveal the truth, Amagai commits suicide to atone for his crimes.

Zanpakutō Unknown Tales arc (anime only)
As Yamamoto does some paperwork in the 1st Division office, the manifestations of Katen Kyōkotsu, Minazuki, and Sōgyo no Kotowari approach the doors of the office. Later, Muramasa details to the gathered Gotei 13 captains and lieutenants Yamamoto has been sealed away by Minazuki, Katen Kyōkotsu, and Sōgyo no Kotowari after his own Zanpakutō, Ryūjin Jakka, refused to join forces with Muramasa. Later, Yamamoto stands inside a pyramid. When Sōgyo no Kotowari, Katen Kyōkotsu, and Minazuki begin pouring their energy into it, Yamamoto releases a surge of flames to drive them back.

Following the discovery of where Yamamoto is being held, Captains Kenpachi, Shunsui, and Ukitake, alongside Yoruichi and Ichigo proceed into the underground caves of Soul Society to save him. Ichigo makes it to the chamber, where he finds Yamamoto unconscious inside the barrier with flames from his Zanpakutō making it impossible to get near. Ichigo resolves to himself to break the barrier and free him. Ichigo is engaged in battle by Muramasa, who goads him into using his full power against him. Wearing his Hollow Mask, Ichigo fires a Bankai-enhanced Getsuga Tenshō, creating a large explosion. When the dust settles, Yoruichi, Ichigo, Shunsui, and Ukitake see the barrier crack and shatter. When Shunsui notes Muramasa combined his power with Ichigo's attack while deflecting it toward the barrier in order to break it, they all realize they were all wrong in assuming Muramasa had placed the barrier around him, realizing too late Yamamoto had put the barrier up himself.

Awakening, Yamamoto, stating they have lost this round, uses Shunpo to move next to them. When Yamamoto explains how Muramasa wanted to enter his inner world so he could take control of his Zanpakutō Spirit as he did with the others, Muramasa, confirming their realization, states by placing himself in a barrier and falling unconscious, Yamamoto had made sure he had no way into the Yamamoto's mind. When he reveals had brought out the Zanpakutō Spirits of the other Shinigami and staged the "Zanpakutō Rebellion" to lead to his final goal, Yamamoto and the others witness the enraged Katen Kyōkotsu and Sōgyo no Kotowari move to attack Muramasa for his betrayal and manipulation. Surprised when a large wall of flames incinerates the two pairs, they realize Muramasa now has control of Ryūjin Jakka. As Muramasa escapes in a huge column of flame, Ukitake asks Yamamoto what Muramasa is. Stating he is a Zanpakutō with tapeworm-like abilities, Yamamoto, revealing he enters his enemy's Zanpakutō and uses it as necessary, making him quite unique, tells them the Gotei 13 must stop him.

While the group is trapped in Ryūjin Jakka's flames, Yamamoto tells them Muramasa is the Zanpakutō of Kōga Kuchiki, a rebel Shinigami who once turned on Soul Society. Stating Kōga was sealed away in Karakura Town, Yamamoto reveals he knew how to break the seal which was placed on him, knowledge which is now in the hands of Muramasa. After sending Ichigo to Karakura to stop Muramasa, Yamamoto decides it is time to punish his own Zanpakutō.

Gotei 13 Invading Army Arc (anime only)
When Yamamoto is notified of the situation concerning the missing lieutenants, he calls Mayuri to his office for his opinion on the matter. After hearing Mayuri's explanation, Yamamoto organizes an urgent captains meeting in order to address the current issue occurring in Soul Society. At the captains meeting, Mayuri explains there is a time gap in the Dangai, and further study is needed in order to determine the cause. Agreeing, Yamamoto, stating Mayuri will be in charge of the Dangai unit, orders Kenpachi Zaraki as security. As the two quarrel about their positions, Yamamoto, breaking up their argument, assigns Byakuya, Renji, and Hitsugaya to assist them.

When Byakuya, Renji, and Hitsugaya return from their trip to the Dangai, they present an item to Yamamoto. Telling him they found it at the rendezvous site in which they were meant to regroup, they claim Mayuri and the others were nowhere to be seen. When many of the members of the Gotei 13 escape from the Dangai to the Human World, Yamamoto holds a captain's meeting in Soul Society, unaware most of the captains are Reigai. He is visited by Shunsui and Ukitake, who reveal themselves to be Reigai by trying to attack him in surprise. Evading their attack, Yamamoto, revealing he could sense their killing intent, states he will not lose to youngsters like them. They continue their battle with their various techniques, with Yamamoto marveling at how similar the Reigai are to his original students. All three receive injuries from their attacks. As the Reigai fall from the sky, worn out from their battle, Yamamoto, berating them for thinking him weakened with only one arm, for they are clearly struggling against his flames, resolves to kill the two of them after they insist they have their own beliefs which differ from the originals and must remain a secret. When Reigai-Unohana, arriving, heals the two of them, Yamamoto, insisting this is still a fight to the death regardless of her presence, continues to fight.

As the fight continues, Yamamoto, seeing Reigai-Unohana has healed Reigai-Ukitake, calls them "darned children", and unleashes his fiery-red Reiatsu. When Reigai-Unohana states his Reiatsu is slowly draining, and soon he will not have enough to continue the fight, Yamamoto, shrugging it off, raises his Reiatsu in response. As the Reigai attack again, he, slamming his Zanpakutō into the ground, traps them all in Ennetsu Jigoku.

Arriving, Unohana supports him following his battle with the Reigai. She urges him to fall back and regroup, for the Gotei 13 would fall apart without him. Later, while receiving treatment from Unohana, he asks Renji about the situation. Stating they have lost contact with the other captains, Renji, saying it is hard to believe the captains were defeated so easily, suggests the signal Urahara had received may have been incomplete. Telling the lieutenant there is no need to comfort him, Yamamoto points out the only battle-ready people are the lieutenants and Ichigo's group in the Human World. As he says they must prepare for an invasion, Unohana notes she has noticed Hollows appearing in large numbers. Stating this is due to the power balance between Soul Society and the Human World being disrupted, Yamamoto tells Renji protecting the Human World from Hollows is important, but they must not give Kagerōza Inaba an opportunity to invade. After Renji leaves, Unohana turns to Yamamoto, who tells her she does not have to say it, which she relents to. Afterwards, Yamamoto is healed by Unohana.

Later, Yamamoto, going to the Human World, arrives in time to save his subordinates from Reigai-Byakuya with a powerful surge of flames, which defeats the Reigai. Upon landing, he, asking about Nozomi Kujō, makes it clear he is not interested in her identity beyond being a Mod-Soul. Before they can talk further about this, the Reigai of Ukitake and Kyōraku appear. Though Yamamoto insists everyone stay back, Nozomi, determined to not let anyone else get hurt because of her, charges forward to fight the Reigai, prompting Ichigo to back her up. While Yamamoto watches and is annoyed at their reckless behavior, Reigai-Unohana, appearing, ensnares Yamamoto with multiple high-level Bakudō spells. Despite this, Yamamoto breaks free from his imprisonment with an enormous eruption of blazing Reiatsu.

As the three Reigai prepare to engage Yamamoto, Inaba, convinced Yamamoto has been weakened enough, appears to take over the fight. After a brief skirmish, Ichigo warns the captain of Inaba's Shikai, prompting Yamamoto to state he is already aware of it. While thinking of how to handle Inaba, Nozomi offers to be a distraction, allowing for an opening to attack. Before she attacks, Yamamoto secretly gives some of his Reiatsu to Nozomi's Shikai. She attacks Inaba, who dodges her attacks. Finding the opening he needs, Yamamoto attacks with a powerful fire blast. As Inaba, seeing it, reacts, Ichigo launches an attack of his own. As the explosion settles, Inaba, emerging unharmed, reveals since he could not negate and copy their attacks at the same time, he instead copied Nozomi's absorption power and used it to counter Yamamoto and Ichigo's attack. When Inaba unleashes all the collected energy against Yamamoto, Nozomi, appearing in front of Yamamoto, attempts to absorb the blast.

Unable to absorb such large amounts of energy at once, Nozomi's blade shatters. Before the blast can hit her, Yamamoto, intervening, pushes her out of the way and counters the blast. The colliding blasts erupt and launch them both to the ground. Badly injured, Nozomi asks him why he saved her after voicing his disapproval of her as a Mod-Soul. Stating his pride will not allow him to be saved by a child, Yamamoto collapses. Later, Inaba emerges, hurt, but still able to fight. As he attempts to take Nozomi, Yamamoto, regaining consciousness, launches a fire blast at him, giving Nozomi a chance to retreat. Inaba goes after her, but Yamamoto is too weak to follow. Later, he is brought to the Shinigami's temporary base for treatment, where Unohana states Yamamoto, while stable, will not be able to rejoin the fight for a while.

After Ōko Yushima is resurrected, he begins his endgame, using "Renzan: Hajō Kūri" to produce a giant structure which begins absorbing Soul Society's Reishi to destroy it. Yamamoto producing a massive '''Bakudō #81. Dankū''' to repel one of the giant structure's potent blasts.

Powers & Abilities
Kidō Master: Yamamoto's knowledge of Kidō is so great, he can produce immensely powerful barriers to protect him from all but the strongest of attacks.

Immeasurable Spiritual Power: Being the most experienced Shinigami, Yamamoto possesses an extremely massive and powerful Reiryoku. Its sheer strength is powerful enough to effortlessly break free from four overlapping and high-level Bakudō spells restraining him.