Tetsuzaemon Iba

is the Lieutenant of the 7th Division of the Gotei 13, under Captain Sajin Komamura.

Character Outline
Iba is the vice captain of the Seventh Division. His captain is Komamura Sajin, who until recently wore a mask to hide his identity as a giant fox. Iba is very loyal to his captain, though in the week after Tousen Kaname’s betrayal he spent a lot of time at the Eleventh Division headquarters in order to give his captain some space. Preceding their fight, Ikkaku mentions that Iba has become cockier since he left the Eleventh Division to become a vice captain. Iba also seems to have recurring stomach problems, which he notes with shame on a few occasions. He and Ikkaku Madarame seem to have something of a working relationship, though it consists mainly of them dueling, drinking sake, then dueling again to see who has to get more.

History
Iba was originally from the 11th Division, but transferred to the 7th Division because getting promoted to lieutenant in the 11th Division was more difficult, if not impossible. It is later revealed that he wished to become a lieutenant not out of personal ambition, but for the sake of his mother. As a result, his former compatriots in the 11th Division look down upon him, as they deem the other divisions weaker than they are. In spite of this, he has a habit of hanging around their division's headquarters. Despite having left the 11th Division, it's clear he still enjoys a good fight, and during his duels with Ikkaku reveals a maniac grin much like his sparring partner.

Soul Society Arc
Though Iba has been seen infrequently throughout the series, we do know that he will try to do the right thing. He tells a dumb lie to his captain directly before Rukia’s execution because he knows Komamura is unsure of the decision, and wants to give him time to decide. Komamura sees right through this, but lets it go, understanding it as an act of compassion.

Soon after that Komamura and Tosen take their vice captains, Iba and Shūhei Hisagi, to challenge Kenpachi Zaraki because he has freed Ishida, Chad, and Ganju from their cell with Orihime’s direction and is leading them to Soukyoku to stop the execution. Yachiru takes control and starts to lead the group ahead to Soukyoku when the four shinigami confront them. After Kenpachi claims he can take on all four, Yumichika Ayasegawa and Ikkaku Madarame complain that they want some action, and so Kenpachi lets them have Shūhei and Iba. We see little of Ikkaku and Iba’s fight. Most of the scene we see is the two of them sharing a bottle of sake. While they are resting from their fight, Ikkaku unwittingly reveals that Iba mastered all elements of shinigami-hood in order to become vice captain. When Ikkaku mentions that he sounds unhappy, Iba denies it. When Ikkaku goes on to say that Iba has become vice captain for his mother, Iba denies it again. Iba abruptly changes the subject by pointing out that they’ve run out of sake. After that they play rock-paper-scissors to see who gets the higher ground. Iba wins the rock-paper-scissors match, and before they begin both of them wonder who Byakuya is fighting on Soukyoku Hill. Ikkaku guesses (correctly) that it’s Ichigo. Iba admits that he’d like to fight Ichigo, and Ikkaku tells him he has the spirit of the Eleventh Division. They decide that the loser of the match gets more sake while the winner rests, but remind each other that if either lets up, the other will die. However, the match is interrupted by Isane’s report on Aizen, Tosen, and Gin’s betrayal.

Later, when Iba is at the Eleventh Division headquarters, he’s hanging out with Yumichika, who notes, with some irritation, that it’s awfully loud because of Ikkaku, Ichigo, and Kenpachi. Iba says it’s been like that since Ichigo started hanging out with the Eleventh, but it’s better than quiet. Yumichika asks why he’s hanging out there, and Iba says that Komamura wants to be alone. Because his last division assignment was the Eleventh, it was the place that he felt most welcome at that time. There is a current theory floating that Iba was the fourth seat of the Eleventh Division until recently, when he was promoted to vice captain of the Seventh. On a side note, Yumichika calls Iba “Tetsu-san.”

Personality
Not much is known about Iba’s zanpakutou, strength, or general personality. However he does have a crush on Matsumoto Rangiku, the rather busty vice captain of the Tenth Division. In the color omake Iba is seen frequently in the company of the other male vice captains and seated shinigami. He seems to share their pension for perverted things related to the female shinigami of the Gotei 13.

Overall, Iba is a good shinigami. In the current Arrankar situation, Iba has remained in Soul Society. Kubo Tite has yet to really flesh this character out, if he plans to. However, there is the mystery of why Iba became a vice captain, and what his mother has to do with it.

Appearance
Iba has a distinctive hair cut and wears black sunglasses with his standard shinigami uniform. He also smokes, thus somewhat resembling a typical yakuza. He has a large tattoo on his back consisting of a cat on fire and the kanji shōfuku (inviting luck).

Powers and Abilities
Iba is well-rounded in both swordsmanship and kidō, only because it made becoming a lieutenant easier.

Expert Swordmanship Specialist

Kido Expert

Zanpakutō
The name and abilities of Iba's zanpakutō are unknown, as well as its shikai command. When sealed, it looks like a tantō, and he usually keeps it inside his shinigami uniform with the hilt sticking out.


 * Shikai: In its shikai, Iba's zanpakutō extends into a falchion or a large bladed scimitar with a pick-like protrusion a short distance below the tip of the sword. The only times he releases it is during his fight with Ikkaku and when he attempts to stop Jin Kariya, but the actual releases occur off-screen. He also releases it in the Bleach movie "Memories of nobody" in a duel with Ikkaku, though the command is still not spoken.


 * Bankai: Not Yet Achieved