Ginrei Kuchiki

is Byakuya Kuchiki's grandfather. A century before the start of the series he was the Captain of the 6th Division and the head of the Kuchiki family, Byakuya succeeded him in both.

Character Outline
As he is the head of the Kuchiki family, he wears the same scarf that Byakuya wears now. He however does not wear the aristocratic hair piece that Byakuya does. It is possible that he was one of the first Captains in the Gotei 13 because during the Turn Back the Pendulum mini series he is shown as one of the 13 Captains and looks like Captain Yamamoto does now (facial features, signifying their age.) This is unlikely though, since it is also mentioned that the only old captains left are Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, Retsu Unohana, Jūshirō Ukitake, and Shunsui Kyōraku. During the Turn Back the Pendulum Miniseries he is also shown introducing the current 2nd Division Captain back then, Yoruichi Shihōin, to Byakuya, who at the time was training.

It is not known whether or not if he is alive at the present storyline.

Trivia

 * Mamy fans believed that Ginrei also appeared with Byakuya and the rest of The Kuchiki Family when they adopted Rukia(Manga chapter 97, Anime episode 32) and in the Omake Chapter titled The Assasin in the Kuchiki House where the character thought to be Ginrei lets Yachiru in his house and leads her to where Byakuya is, so that she can try to take a picture of him for the Shinigami Women's Association calendar. However, it proved to be incorrect due to their diffrent appareance and voice actors and now they are considered to be separated characters.