General Yamamoto

Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai (山本 元柳斎 重國, also spelled 山本 元柳斎 重国, Yamamoto-Genryūsai Shigekuni) is the general of the Gotei 13 and captain of the 1st Division. His lieutenant is Chōjirō Sasakibe.

Character outline
Considered to be the strongest captain in the Gotei 13, Yamamoto is depicted as an old man with a long beard. There are many scars on his torso and head, suggesting numerous battles in his past. He wears the standard shinigami captain uniform, but its size is greatly exaggerated. He also drapes his haori over his back instead of actually wearing it. Despite his old age, he has a very muscular body.

As the general of Gotei 13, Yamamoto is highly respected by many shinigami, most notably Sajin Komamura, who views Yamamoto as a benefactor who saved his life. He has a fiery temper, and like fellow captains Byakuya Kuchiki and Soifon, he believes that laws must be executed for the benefit of the community and despises those who break the rules.

His abilities as a shinigami are no doubt powerful, as he was able to bring 8th Division Lieutenant Nanao Ise to her knees and immobilize her by looking at her and releasing his spiritual pressure. He was also able to fight on par with two of the most powerful captains, Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake, for a decent period of time without any sign of injury, while they both came away with minor wounds.

History
General Yamamoto founded the shinigami academy about 2000 years before the main Bleach storyline. Yamamoto was himself a teacher at this academy, and personally instructed Kyōraku and Ukitake. He admits to being rather proud of Ukitake and Kyōraku. When they became captains, he "boasted about them as though they were his own sons."

Soul Society arc
Yamamoto is first seen during a meeting between captains over their fellow captain Gin Ichimaru's failure to kill Ichigo Kurosaki, and dismisses the meeting after Kenpachi Zaraki leaves. After Renji Abarai's defeat to Ichigo, Yamamoto has the chamber of the Central 46 locked up for their own protection. After Kyōraku and Ukitake stop Rukia Kuchiki's execution, Yamamoto follows the two and has a short battle with them and comes out unscratched. After three of the captains are revealed to be traitors, Yamamoto denounces their positions and orders preparations for a war against them to be commenced.

Bount arc
Yamamoto plays very little role during the Bount invasion. Yamamoto begins to think that Mayuri Kurotsuchi is betraying the Soul Society and has Byakuya get all information he can about the Bount. He later holds a meeting with the remaining captains and tells them about the Bounts invading the Rukongai and the Bount's origins.

Arrancar arc
Yamamoto has a small video conversation with Tōshirō Hitsugaya over the arrancar invasion of Ichigo's hometown, and allows Momo Hinamori to speak with Hitsugaya. Once the conversation begins to revolve around Aizen, Hinamori begs Hitsugaya to rescue Aizen, believing that Gin Ichimaru is manipulating him. Yamamoto cuts their conversation short by knocking Hinamori unconscious, noting it is too soon to speak as such.

Later, when Orihime Inoue is kidnapped, Yamamoto orders Hitsugaya's Squad to retreat back to Soul Society in preparation for the war against Aizen, and firmly disapproves the idea of Ichigo and the others going to her rescue, seeing it as a suicide mission.

Ryūjin Jakka
Yamamoto's zanpakutō is Ryūjin Jakka (流刃若火, lit. Flowing Blade like Flame, Viz: Flowing Flame Blade). It is the oldest and most powerful fire-based zanpakutō, and has greater attack power than all other zanpakutō in Soul Society. In sealed form, it is disguised as Yamamoto's staff, which disintegrates into a sword on command. Its shikai command is "reduce the whole of creation to smoldering ashes" (万象一切灰燼と為せ, banshō issai kaijin to nase, Viz: "all things of this world, turn to ashes").

When released, Ryūjin Jakka and the area around Yamamoto is consumed in flame. The sheer power of the flame can disintegrate almost anything the sword is waved at. Only powerful fighters such as Kyōraku and Ukitake can resist it. Even in its shikai, Ryūjin Jakka's power is enough to fight against two other captains' shikai simultaneously.