Keigo Asano

Keigo Asano (浅野 啓吾, Asano Keigo) is a student at the Karakura High School, in the same classroom as Ichigo Kurosaki.

Character outline
Keigo is typically a goofy and an extremely hyper-active character, often using overly-dramatic movements and words to act out his feelings. In other respects, he is the stereotypical Japanese teenager: he enjoys watching fireworks, playing role-playing-games, going to beach parties, and so forth. Originally little more than a source of comic relief, Keigo becomes a more prominent character later in the series. The Asano family consists of Keigo's mother, father, his sister Mizuho, and Keigo himself. Like Tatsuki Arisawa, he is unusual in that he lives with both of his parents, unlike many other recurring characters in the series.

A good-natured teenager, Keigo is used mainly for comical effect, usually in situations involving failed attempts to woo girls and interacting with Ichigo. He is good friends with fellow student Mizuiro Kojima, whose calm, innocent demeanor, and success with women acts as a foil to Keigo's impulsive, wannabe personality. Strangely enough, a classmate of Ichigo's sisters, Midoriko, has a crush on him. Apparently, she likes how "he always has a little smile, even when he's alone."

Keigo appears to be a shallow character at first glance, with a passion for slacking off. Indeed, he takes great pride in not making it to the honors roster (higher than the 50th ranking) and labels those who do so "traitors" (including Ichigo and Chad, who made the 23rd and 11th ranks respectively). However, Mizuiro states that Keigo is much smarter than his bad grades show. Keigo is also a quick learner; he successfully blocks Rangiku Matsumoto's kick after being attacked by her just once, but brags about it and leaves an opening leading to him getting kicked in the face.

Keigo, like many of Ichigo's friends, is spiritually aware as a result of constant contact with Ichigo. While he can see spirits and other such supernatural phenomenon, he has not manifested any unique abilities, much like Tatsuki. He only becomes aware of the fact after seeing Ikkaku Madarame in battle, having dismissed his previous sightings as shootings for a TV show.

Early story
Keigo acts as a recurring character throughout much of the early story, and he doesn't receive any significant attention during the individual stories that take place during it. He mainly serves as comic relief because of his personality and apparent stupidity.

Bount arc
In the anime's Bount arc, Keigo tries to make friends with a random Shinigami with an afro who is assigned to Karakura Town in Rukia Kuchiki's place, which he nicknames "Old Man Afro" (Afro-oji-san). The shinigami merely insists that Keigo ignore him, confused by the fact that so many people in the town are able to see him. Keigo is later attacked by the bitto, which sucked out much of his soul and leaves him in a near-death state, and rescued by Ichigo in his shinigami form. Keigo can see Ichigo clearly, which confuses Ichigo, but the Bount Gō Koga surmises that Keigo can only see Ichigo because most of his soul has left him. With the assistance of Izuru Kira, Ichigo brings Keigo to Kisuke Urahara and is saved by Hanatarō Yamada, who uses some of Ichigo's spiritual power to replenish Keigo's soul and wipes his memory after doing so.

Arrancar arc
Preceding the arrival of Grimmjow Jeagerjaques and his group of Arrancar, Keigo spots a hollow flying around the immediate area. He then bumps into Zennosuke Kurumadani, the random shinigami he talks with earlier in the anime whom he now calls (Af-san) for short, and witnesses Ikkaku Madarame's fight with Edorad Leones. Keigo later becomes an unwilling host to Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa after striking a deal to provide accommodation for them in exchange for his own safety. His sister Mizuho happily welcomes the new lodgers, though only because she loves Ikkaku's bald head.

Hueco Mundo arc
Keigo, along with Tatsuki and Mizuiro, later watches as Ichigo, Chad, and Uryū Ishida depart to Hueco Mundo in an attempt to rescue Orihime Inoue. They are then greeted by Kisuke Urahara, who says that while Ichigo leaves to do his part, it is time for them to do their own.