Soul Reapers

are a race of beings that act as enforcers and psychopomps who all share similar supernatural powers. They are based on the Grim Reaper of Japanese belief associated with the same name.

Shinigami are departed human souls that have gained supernatural powers. As such, their bodies are composed of ectoplasm and they can only be seen by other spiritually aware entities, which excludes most humans. In the series, shinigami, as well as most other types of spirits, are quite capable of influencing their environment. Additionally, they can be injured and die like regular humans, though it takes considerably greater injuries for the latter to occur than it would in regular humans.

The most prominent supernatural power possessed by a shinigami is their zanpakutō, a supernatural sword generated from the shinigami's soul. Shinigami also naturally give off spiritual energy, which varies greatly in magnitude with the strength of a shinigami. A zanpakutō is a physical manifestation of this force concentrated into a blade.

Shinigami operations are based out of Soul Society, which is the afterlife in Bleach. Travel between the human world and Soul Society is extremely limited and monitored, but some shinigami are stationed in the human world to carry out their duties and therefore must often travel between the two. In addition, it is a crime for a shinigami to remain in the human world longer than a certain time limit. A shinigami's duties include leading Pluses (ghosts) to Soul Society in a practice called soul burial (konsō), and the cleansing of hollows (evil spirits). Later in the series, shinigami duties are clarified further, and it is revealed that they are also responsible for governing the flow of spirits between the human world and Soul Society.

Training
The majority of training for individuals wanting to become shinigami is done through the Shinigami Academy. It is a six-year academy, during which time its students learn to fight hollows and perform soul burial duties. While it is not clear, this academy seems to have been founded by Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai about 2000 years before the Bleach storyline.

Combat
The shinigami have four forms of combat: kidō, hand-to-hand combat, foot combat, and swordsmanship.

Kidō
are a type of sorcery used by shinigami. They can be used for various purposes, such as healing, attacking, and restraining. Healing seems to be a more general skill, while attacking and binding require an incantation to be recited beforehand. Demon arts spells are divided into two major groups: (destructive spells in the Viz. translation), used for direct attack, and, which are spells that restrain someone or have other effects. These forms of demon arts spells are performed by calling out a complicated and often long-winded incantation followed by the name of the spell, which causes an effect once the name has been recited. Lesser versions of the spells can be used by calling out the name alone, but their effectiveness is reduced when used in such a fashion.

Hand-to-hand combat
in Bleach is not elaborated upon. Special forces troops, especially those of higher ranks such as Soifon, are known to be well-trained in this field.

Agility
, like hand-to-hand combat, is not elaborated upon. Flash steps (shunpo), a movement technique that allows the user to move faster than the eye can follow, is implied to be part of this category. Another skill, though not necessarily related, is the shinigami ability to walk on air using spiritual power. By collecting and solidifying spiritual particles beneath their feet, shinigami can gain traction on thin air to either freely move about or to stop themselves from falling.

Swordsmanship
is the most used form of combat among shinigami, since their zanpakutō is the most effective way of dispatching any given opponent. As the name suggests, it involves using a zanpakutō and its various special abilities to attack an opponent. In addition to its basic form, each zanpakutō has two enhanced forms: shikai (始解, initial release) and bankai (卍解, final release), which change the sword's form to unlock its potential and that of its user.

Mission aids
To aid in their missions, particularly when said missions involve more than simply dispatching a hollow, shinigami have a number of unique items to assist them in their duties. In addition, it should be noted that all shinigami captains and lieutenants have their spiritual energy reduced by about 80% when they enter the human world by use of a spiritual limit, represented by a seal resembling the symbol unique to their division, in order not to cause unnecessary influence while there. In extreme cases where their full power is needed, they can request a limit release.

Gigai
In certain circumstances, a shinigami will need a way to stay in the human world for long periods of time, interact with the living, and/or recover their powers when the need arises, all of which they can't do in spirit form. Thus, the gigai was developed.

A is an artificial body that allows shinigami to remain in the human world for an extended period, either due to temporary loss of powers or extended missions. While the body is synthetic, it functions and operates exactly like a natural one, including but not limited to blood flow and the like. Unlike the normal shinigami body, a gigai is detectable by humans who are not at all spiritually aware.

Artificial souls
, as the name suggests, are souls designed by shinigami scientists to separate a shinigami ' s spirit from a gigai, should they be inhabiting one, or to evict stubborn spirits from their corpses if necessary. When ingested, it forces the soul out of the body and takes control of it, operating in a pre-programmed manner until removed by the shinigami. It is commonly called Soul Candy, as the Shinigami Women Organization complained that the name gikongan wasn't cute and had it changed. To fit with the more informal name, Soul Candy is contained in PEZ-like dispensers with cartoon characters on top. The souls themselves apparently have personalities to match the cartoon character in question; for example, Rukia's favorite version, Chappy the Rabbit, is a hyperactive character that tries to restrain Ichigo when given control of Rukia's gigai and even speaks in a cutesy baby talk manner.

Modified souls
Because there are far more hollows than shinigami, the modified soul (mod soul) project was born in an attempt to even the gap. are artificial souls designed to enhance regular human physiology, making them capable of battling hollows equally. For example, one modsoul may be able to run many times faster than a regular human while another may be many times stronger than normal. Kon, a recurring modsoul, has enhanced leg-strength. The modsouls are condensed into tiny, candy-like orbs and placed into corpses to achieve their function as soldiers to combat hollows. They are also more independent to fit with their purpose.

The modsouls were exterminated after the experiment was halted due to ethical reasons, since they were intended to be used to reanimate human corpses to use as weapons against the hollows. Kon was somehow mixed into a batch of regular artificial souls (Soul Candy) and shipped to Kisuke Urahara's shop, where Rukia and Ichigo obtained him and unknowingly let him loose. Despite a standing order to dispose of all modified souls, they kept Kon and placed him into the body of a lion plushie. Rukia and Ichigo use Kon to possess Ichigo's body when his soul is expelled from his body to fight as a shinigami.

Memory replacement
In some cases, a human witnesses a shinigami purify a hollow or affect his surroundings in a significant way. To keep the incident a secret, shinigami perform memory replacement with an item called kikanshinki. In function, it operates almost exactly like the neuralizer in the Men in Black films. When used, a bird's head pops from the top of the device and produces a puff of smoke. The human it is used on is knocked unconscious and wakes up a while later with a new memory. However, the new memory that the human acquires is random and often based on the limits of what they themselves will believe. For example, Ichigo's family merely believed they slept through a truck crashing into their house when it was used on them. Conversely, Orihime Inoue, who has a much more active imagination, believed that her house was attacked by a gun-toting sumo wrestler (a Yakuza gunman in the manga).

Mobile phone
A vital tool for any shinigami stationed in the real world, this variation on a cell phone functions both as a regular phone and as a communication line with Soul Society. It receives information about the time and exact location of a hollow's emergence via Global Positioning System (GPS). A shinigami's kills are also recorded in the phone and can be used as currency (according to the bounty placed on each hollow).

Government and law
The main authority of the shinigami are the, who serve the shinigami royalty (the ruling class of all Soul Society). The Central 46 Chambers are made up of 40 wise men and 6 judges. They are sealed into an enclave in Seireitei called seijōtōkyorin (清浄塔居林) which no one else may enter, regardless of their military or civilian status. The decisions of the 46 Chambers are final and unquestionable, regardless of what the decision may involve.

The only shinigami forces which do not answer to the Central 46 Chambers are the, which is said to have considerable power and tactical knowledge, and the Shinigami Academy.

It is also implied that shinigami receive salaries, like workers in the real world.

Judiciary
The Central 46 Chambers act as the shinigami judiciary and are responsible for judging and sentencing shinigami who have committed serious crimes, such as murder or treason. Punishments for less serious crimes may be given by other authorities, such as shinigami captains. It is implied that the Central 46 Chambers mostly deal with capital offenses. With their deaths at the hands of Sōsuke Aizen during the Soul Society arc, General Yamamoto has taken over their normal duties. There are several forms of executions in Soul Society, although only two have been revealed:
 * Spirit-sealing pit: The spirit-sealing pit is an ancient form of execution in which shinigami criminals are thrown into a pit walled with deathstone – a type of stone that absorbs spiritual power, preventing those nearby from using their powers. Hollows are then thrown into the pit with the criminals as the means of execution. The practice was considered too barbaric and discontinued.
 * Sōkyoku (双殛): Sōkyoku is a form of execution usually reserved for those with extremely strong spiritual powers, namely shinigami captains. The Sōkyoku is a giant halberd that utterly destroys a soul on contact. When released, Sōkyoku takes on the form of a phoenix, its true form, called Kikōō. The Kikōō has the destructive power of one million zanpakutō, and that power is multiplied by a factor of 10 at the moment it pierces its victim.

Army
The shinigami army consists of three unique elements: the Gotei 13 (Thirteen Court Divisions), the Kidō Corps, and the special forces.

Kidō Corps
There is currently little information on the, except that it takes students from the Shinigami Academy that excel in demon arts and that its operations are executed in absolute secrecy.

The Kidō Corps is responsible for opening the between the human world and Soul Society.

Special forces
Also called the Secret Mobile Unit/Corps or Covert Ops, the has five divisions. The top rank is the, the second is the , and the fifth division is called the Reversal Counter Force or. The other two division names or functions are unknown. There is little information about the operations of the special forces.

The special forces are currently run by Captain Soifon of the Gotei 13's 2nd Division. She succeeded Yoruichi Shihouin, who departed Soul Society 100 years before the start of the Bleach storyline.

Ranks
The head of the special forces is called. The leaders of each on the five divisions are ranked as, the real-life equivalent being Lieutenant General. Although it is unknown how other ranks work in the special forces, like in Gotei 13, the leader of the forces generally also commands its top division, which is the Executive Militia, but unlike in the Gotei 13, the force commander has several bodyguards.

Uniforms
Although the general special forces uniform appears to be the standard shinigami uniform, the Executive Militia uniform is different from the Gotei 13. Overall, it resembles a ninja uniform. It has no visible white undergarments and the sash is dark as opposed to white. A headpiece covers the bottom part of the face and sometimes the top, but not the eyes; they wear no sandals, but long tabi boots, and tight bands are on the legs and arms to keep the clothes from moving too much, which both are presumably for silence of movement. In the anime, members of the Executive Militia also wear their head covering on the top, not just the bottom and wear a black sash instead of a white one.

The leader of the militia wears the same uniform, except that the shoulders and back are exposed. The reason for the empty space is the technique, an advanced technique that combines hand to hand combat and kidō and causes high spiritual pressure to accumulate at the shoulders and back, blasting away the fabric at the shoulders and back.

The Correctional Force uniform is radically different. The soldiers wear a white uniform, a long piece of headgear, and a backpack. 

Gotei 13
The is the organization which most shinigami join. It is split into thirteen divisions (hence the name), with several divisions having certain specializations. The 4th Division is the medical/supply division, the 11th Division is the combat division (specialization in swordsmanship), and the 12th Division is the research/scientific division. The 9th Division was shown, in a Shinigami Cup extra, to be in charge of newspaper and magazine-related duties. It's unclear if the other divisions are specialized, as the four above are the only ones who receive any significant attention apart from their members.

Ranks
As with any army, the Gotei 13 has ranks. There are 20 ranks for officers but no ranks for non-officers. The lower the number is, the more important. The ranks and their descriptions are below, from highest to lowest in terms of strength.

Commander-General
The sōtaichō (総隊長, lit. commander-general, dubbed as head-captain) is the leader of the Gotei 13 and the captain of the 1st Division; the implication is that this is an ex officio or a primus inter pares position. The current holder of this title is Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai.

Unit Commander
A, commonly referred to as Captain, are the leaders of the thirteen divisions (with the special case of the Commander-General). While "captain" is not an accurate translation of the rank, it's appropriate considering the unit they lead. A single Gotei 13 'unit' (隊) is estimated at about 200-500 troops.

Captains are generally the most respected shinigami in Soul Society, with the Central 46 Chambers, Demon Art Corps, and special forces leaders possibly being on equal status. With one exception (Kenpachi Zaraki), all captains are able to perform the bankai of their zanpakutō and are generally much more powerful than even their lieutenants. Knowing the bankai gives captains an average of five to ten times the strength of shinigami who are unable to perform it. They have also extensively trained, if not mastered, their bankai, allowing them to actually use the enormous power effectively in battle. Most captains are also skilled in the use of shunpō, kidō, and generally have excellent knowledge of shinigami history and battle tactics. All of these factors create a huge power-gap between captains and lower-ranked officers.

There are three different ways to become a Gotei 13 captain:
 * 1) To take the captain proficiency test (隊首), which requires the ability to perform the bankai. Presumably, most shinigami become captains using this method. At least three existing captains, including the Commander-General, have to witness the test.
 * 2) To have personal recommendations from at least six captains and approval from at least three of the remaining seven.
 * 3) To defeat a captain one-on-one with at least 200 witnesses from the captain's division. Kenpachi Zaraki is the only known captain to have achieved his rank using this method.

Vice-unit Commander
, more commonly referred to as Lieutenants, are the 2nd seated officers in each division. Because captain describes the unit commander, vice-captain is the most literally accurate translation some have used. The Viz manga translation renders the rank as the similar but somewhat longer "assistant captain", while the English dub of the anime uses the term "lieutenant". Although this does not apply to modern armies, in historical real-life armies the lieutenant has been the adjutant of the captain, as is the case for fukutaichō and taichō in Bleach. Therefore, lieutenant is a correct real-life equivalent of this rank. Holders of this rank in Gotei 13 have also been called adjutants.

Lieutenants function as executive officers for their division, taking care of or supervising day-to-day operations. They (along with their captains) are not assigned to one specific squad. They generally only know the shikai of their zanpakutō, but are still the second strongest in their division. In the case of a division captain's death, departure, or other circumstances making him unable to perform their duties, the lieutenant acts as the substitute captain until another can be assigned.

Seated officers
are the remainder of the officers in the Gotei 13 who hold ranks at or below 3rd Seat. Captains have the rank of 1st Seat and lieutenants are 2nd Seat. Next to that, there are 18 more seats (3rd to 20th). These ranks are somewhat analogous to junior officers or non-commissioned officers in modern militaries. There seems to be a distinction between senior and junior seated officers, just like in real-life armies. In the Gotei 13, only one person can hold a senior officer rank (such as 3rd or 5th seat), but there are several holders of junior officer ranks (e.g. 20th seat). This may vary from division to division however, as there are two 3rd Seats in the 13th Division. Seated officers often lead subunits within each division (for example, Hanatarō Yamada is leader of 4th Division's 14th Advanced Relief Team).

Uniforms
Most Gotei 13 personnel wear the standard shinigami uniform, called - a white kosode, a black kimono and hakama, and a white obi sash. Lieutenants sometimes also wear an armband which carries their division symbol and its number, usually on their left arm. They are required to do this when they are summoned to a meeting but apart from this it seems that it is rarely compulsory; at the time the series takes place, the use of the armbands was noted to have fallen out of fashion.

Captains wear a white haori over the usual black shinigami clothes, with the number of their division on the back, inside the Gotei 13 symbol (a rhombus). The Captain's Haori comes in two styles: sleeve and no sleeve. Gotei 13 officers, particularly captains and lieutenants, often customize their personal appearance or that of their uniform. Some of these modifications include:
 * Captain Soifon of the 2nd Division wears a sleeveless and backless shinigami outfit (when she's fighting) under her haori, which is standard issue for the head of the special forces. She also wears a yellow sash a layer above, but slightly lower than her white one.
 * Captain Retsu Unohana of the 4th Division wears an obi sash rather than a standard one.
 * Captain Byakuya Kuchiki of the 6th Division wears an extremely expensive scarf named ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu and a white ceremonial hairpiece symbolizing his noble lineage.
 * Captain Sajin Komamura of the 7th Division wears shoulder guards over his haori and large gloves which goes up to his arms. He also wore a helmet to hide his appearance. He later removed the helmet.
 * Captain Shunsui Kyōraku of the 8th Division is probably the most flamboyantly dressed of the captains, always seen wearing a straw hat and a gaudily-colored haori over his uniform.
 * Captain Kaname Tōsen formerly of the 9th Division wears an orange scarf with his outfit, a sleeveless keikogi as well as white boots.
 * Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya of the 10th Division wears a green sash pinned with a star around his shoulder to hold his sword.
 * Captain Kenpachi Zaraki of the 11th Division wears a jagged edged haori, which was taken from the previous captain.
 * Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi of the 12th Division wears a bloated purple cravat and a hat decorated with two horizontal spikes.
 * Lieutenant Chōjirō Sasakibe of the 1st Division wears a jinbaori over his shihakushō.
 * Lieutenant Shūhei Hisagi of the 9th Division wears a sleeveless keikogi and black choker.
 * Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto of the 10th Division wears a top that is deliberately loose and hangs open to reveal her ample bosom. She also wears a pink scarf (or stole), and wears her lieutenant's badge around her waist with her sash, tied in a bow.
 * Lieutenant Nemu Kurotsuchi of the 12th Division has a very abbreviated outfit: the hakama is absent, leaving her with a mini-skirt version of the kimono that is belted at the waist.
 * All known members of the 9th Division wear keikogi without sleeves, including the captain.

Insignia
Each of the 13 divisions in Gotei 13 have their own symbol that represents the division's primary role, which all seem to be based on flowers. When a power limit is placed on a captain or lieutenant, their symbol appears on a certain part of their body until the limit is lifted. Each symbol also has a specific meaning, but not all of them have been revealed. The 11th Division symbol means 'fight' while the camellia symbol of the 6th Division means 'noble reasoning'.

Captain and lieutenant listings
Below are the names of all captains and lieutenants in the Gotei 13.