Hironari Horiuchi

is Yūichi Shibata's older "brother" in their communal type of family in the Rukongai.

Appearance
He has short black hair, and appears to be a young boy or adolescent.

History
Not much detail is given about Horiuchi's history. According to Horiuchi, he died in Yamanashi Prefecture during the 1940s.

Soul Society arc
Horiuchi shows up when Shibata appears before Yasutora Sado after Ichigo Kurosaki and his group try to enter Seireitei by the gate entrance guarded by Jidanbō Ikkanzaka. When Shibata, being carried around by Sado, mentions he has a very nice family to take care of him, Horiuchi, appearing, tells Shibata it is time for him to go home, or their "mother" and "father" will worry. Slightly confused at Shibata's mentioning of having a family and the appearance of this person, Sado is confused when Shibata, introducing Horiuchi, describes him as being a "big brother", as the two have different surnames. Horiuchi explains to Sado that Rukongai is composed mostly of family-like groups formed by non-blood related souls. He further explains Rukongai is filled with many people who died at different times and places, so it is rare to be reunited with family members who died earlier.

When Sado asks if the Shinigami help with reuniting family members if they die at the same time, Horiuchi tells him this is not the case, as the procedure for living in Rukongai is one gets a ticket, based on the time they died, and is sent off in different directions. Thus, even if one dies together with one's family, one will not be able know where the others are if they do not get tickets together at the same time. Horiuchi surprises Sado by revealing how old he is, as he died in Yamanashi Prefecture. Horiuchi looks on in a consoling manner as Sado tells Shibata he will meet his mother again if he keeps looking.