Sawatari

is an anime-only character in the Bount arc. He is one of the Bounts.

Appearance
Sawatari resembles a old man, making him distinguishable by others as possibly one of the oldest Bounts. This is in fact merely a by-product of his eating habits. In fact he is far younger then his outward appearance would have one believe. He has been consuming living souls for far longer than any other Bount, causing him to age. He wears a black suit, with a light purple ascot around his neck reminiscent of 18th century gentleness dress style. He also has a walking cane.

Personality
When fighting, Sawatari seems to think of his opponents as mere children, similar to Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto. Sawatari is very straightforward about his love of eating souls and freely admits to being power-hungry in this regard. He intends to use his power much the same way the rest of his tribe intends, and wanted to overthrow Kariya as leader of the Bounts.

Bount arc (anime only)
Note: Events occurring in this arc are in the anime only and do not constitute canon material.

Sawatari is first seen when he confronts Chad, Noba and Ururu at night in a Karakura Town park. The group is aided by the arrival of 10th Division Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto who can scarcely believe that the old man is a Bount until he reveals his Doll. With Noba's ability to sense Bounts they easily escape his first attack as well as get the first glimpse of Sawatari's Doll, Baura. Rangiku attempts to attack it but is caught allowing Baura to attempt to swallow her whole except for the timely intervention of Noba who teleports her out of range at the last minute.

Baura resurfaces and Sawatari introduces his doll to the group who are surprised that it can speak on its own. Noba notes that it has already gained its own consciousness. Sawatari explains the powers that his doll possesses and explains they are similar but far superior to Noba's. Rangiku releases her Zanpakutō, but she quickly reformed the ash back into a blade when she sees Baura attempt to swallow it. Sawatari states that Rangiku did the smart thing for if she had not recalled those ashes Baura would have consumed them all and she would have lost her Zanpakutō.

Realizing the danger the Bount possesses Rangiku calls in to the S.R.D.I. to freeze all dimensional space for 360 degree radius around her current location as well as to protect the souls within that area. The group then begin their fight with Sawatari without fear of causing any human danger. The fight proves difficult as the group can do no more then evade Baura as they can't get a direct hit on him with his ability to manipulate space. Eventually they gain ground when Ururu attacks it while Baura attempts to devour Rangiku and Chad, the stunned Baura quickly regains its senses and sinks back into the ground. Thinking they would be safer off ground, the group moved to the nearest rooftop.

However, Baura comes through the wall and attacks Chad. Ururu steps in front of him and is swallowed instead. Baura resurfaces and Sawatari explains that Ururu is now in another dimension, and that her entire body will eventually be absorbed. Baura goes after the three again, but this time Rangiku uses Haineko to cut the ground so that Baura misses his target. A giant sign then falls on Sawatari, but he protects himself through Baura. The group hides in a narrow alleyway that Noba tells them is to small for Baura to appear and fit into. Noba comes up with a plan to use his powers to counter Baura's and allow them to free Ururu. Chad decides to be the bait but Rangiku overrules him and plays decoy herself. They carry out the plan and are successful. Chad punches Baura into Noba's powers causing the doll to disappear. Baura and Sawatari eventually return through a red burst of light out of Noba's chest and freeing him to continue his assault.

Baura cuts off the groups escape as they try to get away. The injured Noba manages to use his power to transport them elsewhere in the city, away from Baura. They are having a hard time coming up with a strategy against Baura, but decide that they should keep moving. Eventually Baura moves into attack the group from above, but they are already for his attack having come up with a plan combining Rangiku's Kidō with Noba's spiritual energy allowing them to locate Baura before he appears. Chad punches Baura several times, knocking Ururu out of Baura’s mouth. Sawatari decides that this is enough for today and leaves with his doll in a bright flash of light.

Some time later the Bount's invade Soul Society. Sawatari is present when the hired thugs open the gates. Once the Bount's are inside, Kariya gives each Bount a task. While Yoshi and Mabashi make distractions, Koga and Sawatari are to eliminate the 13 Captains. Sawatari embarks on this task, being followed by 12th Division Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi. As they each engage in their own battles Sawatari feels the death of Mabashi from across the Seireitei. Sawatari brushes it off and makes the statement that he knows he is being watched and asks the spy to reveal himself. Mayuri steps forward and informs Sawatari that he tried to copy the Bount by hiding his reiatsu. Sawatari laughs, and tells the Captain that although his reiatsu was masked, there was no way to conceal the Captain's lust for blood. Mayuri then asks Sawatari where Maki Ichinose is. Sawatari says he felt Ichinose's reiatsu disappear and thought he was dead. Mayuri says it is a shame, but now he will aim the revenge he wanted on Ichinose towards him instead. Sawatari delightfully tells him to bring it, informing him of his task to kill the 13 Captains.

Sawatari and Mayuri Kurotsuchi face-off, each confident that they can beat their opponent. Sawatari uses his ability to disappear from sight. Mayuri, having gathered knowledge about this Bount from Rangiku Matsumoto, knows he can only emerge from large flat surfaces, so he finds a high spot. Just then Sawatari demonstrates what he has gained since coming to the Soul Society. Now he can emerge from the air as well. Mayuri brushes it off, and attempts to cut Baura with his zanpakuto, but the Doll's hard skin makes that impossible. Using this as a surprise, Sawatari's Doll, Baura, rips off Mayuri's arm. Sawatari, feeling the fight has come to a sad and quick finish, insults the captain.

However, Mayuri uses his special medicine to regenerate his lost arm. Intrigued, Sawatari insultingly praises the captain, to which Mayuri tells him to shut up. Sawatari begins to use his powers to toy with the captain, but Mayuri uses his Hidden Kusarigama to hook the side of Baura and draws Sawatari in close and stabs him in the arm. Baura manages to shake Mayuri off and Sawatari prepares to go on the offensive once more. But, Sawatari realizes that his arm has been paralyzed, and Mayuri attacks him and knocks him off Baura, pinning him to the ground. Baura attempts to help, but Mayuri threatens Baura to stay where he is. Mayuri again pierces Sawatari's arm and laughs at the fallen Bount. Sawatari, still having a few cards to play, orders Baura to release a large amount of dirt and sand.

This knocks Mayuri off of him allowing Sawatari to get back on top of Baura and retreat so that he can heal. While in his sub space, Sawatari realizes his arm his not healing. Feeling he has been crippled, Sawatari begins to think that he has lost. This angers him, and he refuses to accept defeat by the first captain he has come across. Having gotten far away, Sawatari feels its safe to resurface and regain his strength. Suddenly Mayuri emerges from behind him. An astonished Sawatari asks how it is possible Mayuri had gotten there so fast. Mayuri reveals he can track Sawatari via a small device he created. Mayuri had created this device after getting information from Rangiku, who had fought Sawatari in the Human World. Sawatari then realizes Mayuri had been tracking him from the beginning and Mayuri sadistically asks him if he really thought the two had met by accident.

With his arm still paralyzed, Sawatari orders Baura to attack with everything he has got left. Baura begins to expel different Kidō blasts it had eaten from earlier battles. Mayuri dodges most of it, but Baura's speed catches him off-guard and he again loses his left arm. Mayuri, having no more medicine, releases his Bankai. Across the Seireitei many others sense this battle. Mayuri's Bankai emits its poison fog and Sawatari decides to give all of his Reiryoku to Baura. Baura begins to grow larger and tries to devour Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō. Mayuri releases his Bankai's hidden spikes which send Baura falling back. He sends his Bankai across the field and it crashes into Baura and Sawatari. Sawatari, having exhausted all of his Reiatsu, begins to die from the poison. Realizing the end is near, Sawatari begs Mayuri for the antidote, but Mayuri just laughs at him. Sawatari yells for help again as his body turns to dust before Mayuri.

Powers & Abilities
Soul Absorption: Bounts normally try to absorb the Human's soul after the person dies and is trying to pass on. But they are also capable of taking the souls of those who are living, to do so kills the Human.


 * Immortality: By absorbing Human souls, a Bount can live forever. When they absorb Human souls, they gain eternal life.


 * Empowerment: By taking the souls of living Humans, Bounts gain unique abilities.

Doll
is Sawatari's doll. Baura is a giant brown whale-like creature made up of hardened rock-like scales, which Sawatari sits on top of in something reminiscent of a chair. Baura's entire body is commonly underground out of sight.


 * Protective Sheath: Baura's upper hide is made up of a rock-like substance that can't be cut by bladed weapons. It also is capable of partially or completely covering Sawatari to protect him from any harm. This commonly done with Baura is moving through solid object or when they are being attacked.


 * Spatial Manipulation: by generating a special dimensional space, Baura can swim and move freely through that space. Being a fish-like entity, Baura travels by "swimming" through solid objects by means of phasing through a different dimension that only he can access. Sawatari commonly gets Baura's attention by tapping him with his cane. Baura's shadow can be seen fully while he is underground swimming. To emerge, however, the exit point must be large enough to accommodate him. While in Soul Society, his power is enhanced, allowing him to move to his dimension in midair without the need of a flat surface.


 * Reiatsu Sonar: While in the other dimension he uses something akin to sonar to determine where his prey is. It allows him to feel a strange reiatsu vibration on the ground.


 * Inner Dimension: Baura can swallow opponents whole; its stomach is a link to another dimension. Anything caught inside is eventually dissolved, leaving the soul for Sawatari to absorb. Anything consumed in this manner would be consumed never to return. In turn Baura has the ability to expel all the contents it has consumed out of its mouth from dirt and debris to energy attacks.

Noba who can also manipulate space can access this space to find him, and Kurotsuchi can find him using a device he created for tracking subjects after inputting the targets Reiatsu information.
 * Reiatsu Stealth: While in his dimension, his and Sawatari's Spiritual Pressure is effectively concealed until Baura chooses to resurface. Only Noba and Kurotsuchi are able to track his movements.