Shūhei Hisagi/Expanded Universe

is the co-lieutenant of the 9th Division, formerly under Captain Kaname Tōsen and currently under Captain Kensei Muguruma. He shares his position with Mashiro Kuna.

History
At some point after Hisagi became Tōsen's subordinate, the latter used his Bankai Bankai, Suzumushi Tsuishiki: Enma Kōrogi, in a forest in the Rukongai in Soul Society to train Hisagi. As the sheer sensory deprivation Hisagi experiences eventually causes him to frantically swing his sword around before collapsing and screaming, Tōsen immediatly deactivates his Bankai, to which all of Hisagi's senses return at once. As Hisagi recuperates from both his terror and his lost senses, Tōsen calms him by admitting that he underestimated how dangerous his Bankai would be for Hisagi. Hisagi tries to apologize for failing, but Tōsen assures him that his terror was nothing to be ashamed of as even he, in his blindness, would be paralyzed with fear should his hearing suddenly disappear.

While Hisagi still feels ashamed, especially when Tōsen reveals that he lasted only half an hour, he also realizes that he is one of the first people to experience Tōsen's recently unveiled Bankai, which Tōsen wanted to use to help Hisagi experience and confront his fears. However, Tōsen notes that while Hisagi certainly has fear in him, he cannot properly wield that fear, which Hisagi feels ashamed of.

Tōsen tells Hisagi that denying one's fear and trying to cast it away will only turn those who do so into demons, and while Hisagi believes that Tōsen will never become like that in any circumstances, Tōsen muses that he does not even know what the light and colors that constitute the world actually are before claiming that if this were to happen and he were to lose his fear and start feeling only hope and happiness, he will no longer be a warrior.

While Hisagi is confused, Tōsen merely teaches him that if he wants to embrace his pride as a Shinigami and protect the world, he must never cast away his fears, even when he eventually finds himself doubting everything he knows.

Zanpakutō
Kazeshini redirects here. For the manifested spirit that appears in the Zanpakutō Unknown Tales arc see Kazeshini (Zanpakutō spirit).


 * In its sealed form, Hisagi's sword looks like a regular katana with an octangular tsuba. Hisagi typically carries his Zanpakutō at his waist, but has on occasion carried it on his back.


 * Shikai: Kazeshini's Shikai command is . When released, it takes the form of two Kusarigama-like weapons, each with two scythe blades, with one inverted, giving it the resemblance of a pinwheel. The blades are connected to a spiked rod tethered together by a long chain. However, Shunsui Kyōraku eventually speculates that the true essence of Kazeshini lies not in the blades, but rather in the chain that connects them.


 * Shikai Special Ability:


 * Bankai: : When activated, the chains of Kazeshini form a noose around Hisagi's neck that connects to a large black orb of entangled chains floating above him.


 * Bankai Special Ability: When Hisagi designates an opponent, Fushi no Kōjyō connects both fighters with a length of chain around their necks. As long as Fushi no Kōjyō remains active, neither fighter can be killed, as any injury sustained is instantly healed by the Bankai at the cost of both fighters' combined Reiatsu.