Izuru Kira

is the Lieutenant of the 3rd Division in the Gotei 13.

Personality
Izuru is a gloomy and introspective person, not easily given to socializing with others. He generally appears weak and diffident, leading many to believe he lacks ability as a leader. As an officer, he does not tend to inspire confidence or boost morale the way other lieutenants do. However, in combat he shows ruthless determination. Izuru has shown himself remorseless with this, beheading an opponent that was pleading for mercy.

His personality flaws are also assets: his introspection coupled with his tendency to worry makes him indecisive, but it also makes him sensitive to unusual behavior. His loyalty to his comrades inspires him to great efforts in their defense, as seen when Momo Hinamori attacks Gin Ichimaru and again in the anime when Makoto Kifune's attacks endanger other members of the 3rd Division.

Izuru is loyal to both his friends and his duties, perhaps to a fault. Despite the close friendship he shares with Momo Hinamori, Izuru shows that his loyalty knows no boundaries when he defends his captain while she is in a grief-induced rage from her own captain's apparent death. Despite this, he calls himself a 'monster' afterwards for raising his sword against her.

During his fight with Avirama Redder, it is revealed that Izuru considers the essence of war to be despair, as exemplified by the symbol of his division, the marigold. He also hates to fight unless prompted or given orders.

It is known that he likes to write haiku, and he was also awarded for one of his pieces by Seireitei Communication, which is as follows:

"The persimmon tree bears fruit. Aaah, the persimmon tree bears fruit again this year."

His dislike for dried persimmon (a huge difference between him and his former captain) sheds some light on the background of the poem. He likes agar-agar instead. He also writes a serial novel titled "I Want to Apologize to You". It runs in Seireitei Communication and every new chapter begins with a haiku piece. He is on good terms with fellow author Shūhei Hisagi, and in their free time, they participate on gatherings of haiku-lovers. Izuru also gives a special lecture of poetry on the Shinigami Academy. It is also known that he is skilled in playing cat's cradle.

History
Izuru Kira was born to a family of lesser nobility, his parents having been dead since he was young. While in the Shinigami Academy, Izuru befriended Momo Hinamori, Renji Abarai, and Shūhei Hisagi, and they are often seen spending time together. After graduation, Izuru, along with Renji and Momo, was sent to the 5th Division, where he stayed until Gin Ichimaru became captain of the 3rd Division. It was revealed during the Fake Karakura Arc, that Izuru spent some time in the 4th Division, as noted by Shūhei, and the fact that he carries medical implements like shinten, a trait virtually exclusive to members of the 4th Division.

Soul Society Arc
Izuru is first seen attempting to find Renji, who leaves a lieutenant meeting to fight Ichigo Kurosaki. During Sōsuke Aizen's plot against Soul Society, Izuru plays a role as a significant, yet clueless, puppet. His loyalty and dedication to following orders are used against him by Gin. Later on, Izuru battles and loses to 10th Division lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto, his weight-affecting Zanpakutō rendered useless by her zanpakutō's ability to dissolve into ash.

Bount Arc
When the Bounts begin attacking living humans, Tōshirō Hitsugaya puts together a team of Shinigami to fight them, consisting of Izuru, Shūhei Hisagi, Rangiku Matsumoto, and Yumichika Ayasegawa. Izuru locates and rescues Ichigo Kurosaki from the Bount Gō Koga, his weight-affecting zanpakutō giving him an advantage against Koga's Doll. After Koga retreats, Izuru assists Ichigo in rescuing his friend Keigo Asano, eventually making their way to the Urahara Shop.

Later, Izuru and the rest of the Shinigami sent by Hitsugaya assault the Bounts' hideout, but they are all overwhelmed by Ugaki's Doll. Later, when Ichigo Kurosaki and Renji Abarai arrive, Izuru and Shūhei assist them. They then urge Ichigo and Renji to continue on while they stay behind.

Later, when the Bounts successfully infiltrate the Soul Society, he is left to guard the entrance of the Seireitei.

Captain Shūsuke Amagai Arc
In the anime only story arc, the Third Division gains a new captain, Shūsuke Amagai. Izuru is unsure of this new captain but is quickly enthralled by him when he defeats the cleaner in the severing dimension single-handedly while being drunk from a earlier welcoming party. Izuru then watches new training exercises the new captain creates. He is then paired with the new 3rd Seat Makoto Kifune to stop runaway Hollows from the old Hollow execution grounds. They stumble upon a 4th Division member cornered by the Hollows. They manage to force the Hollows back but the member is injured and passes out. Kifune releases his zanpakutō and mows down everything in his path including the 4th Division member. Izuru stops the blade, but Kifune rants on about how the weak should just die. All three are eventually rescued but the member is not expected to live due to the sheer injuries he sustained. Izuru talks to his captain and he tells him to watch Kifune carefully, but must not to be seen. Izuru then spots Kifune at the Kasumiōji mansion and enters the compound. He also finds the kidnapped princess and when he sees her, he tries to free her but also finds assassins. Izuru manages to take them down but could not stop them from taking the princess. Izuru searches for her but finds Kifune instead. Kifune releases his zanpakutō and faces off against Izuru. Izuru manages to gain a small upper hand as he gets Kifune's zanpakutō heavier but Kifune makes his blade move even though it is very heavy, revealing it is a bakkōtō that is making it move. Kifune nearly defeats Izuru, but Izuru manages to break Kifune's bakkōtō. Kifune tries to increase his powers with the bakkōtō once more but dies in the process. Izuru then faints from his injuries and is sent to the 4th Division for treatment. He reappears at Amagai's suicide asking for his captain to reconsider. He then grieves for his lost captain.

Fake Karakura Town Arc
When Aizen along with his three top Espada attack fake Karakura Town, he along with Yumichika Ayasegawa, Shūhei Hisagi, and Ikkaku Madarame are left to protect the four pillars that keep the real Karakura Town in Soul Society. He begins a battle with one of Barragan's Fracción, Avirama Redder.

Avirama originally had the upper hand in battle due to his flying ability and being able to fight at a distance while Izuru's attacks only work on close combat. He was eventually defeated however when Wabizuke caught his wings, making them become to heavy for him to even stand up. Izuru beheads him, explaining that war is 'depressing' and that there's 'nothing exciting about it', where as Avirama believed war to be 'fun and honorable'. He then comes to the aid of Ikkaku but is told to stand down and return to his post.

He then makes a timely appearance, along with Shūhei Hisagi, to save Momo Hinamori from the "Pet" of Halibel's Fraccion, Allon. Shuhei orders Izuru to go heal Hinamori and Rangiku, seeing as he is former 4th Division, he is the most experienced. Izuru is reluctant as it was a long time ago but he takes Momo and Rangiku to a nearby pillar. First he uses Bakudo 73, Tozansho. Then he proceeds to heal Rangiku, who is more seriously injured, first. He asks Hinamori to hang on, but after Allon dispatches Hisagi and Iba it begins to attack Izuru. Luckily General Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai intervenes, dispatching the hollow that caused so much trouble for the lieutenants. He then asks for forgiveness, but is told to keep his barrier firm, for the battle was not over yet. He was last seen watching the battles against the Espada with the injured Lieutenants placed in a protective barrier.

Powers & Abilities
Expert Swordsmanship Specialist: Izuru is shown to be highly proficient in the wielding of his zanpakuto. Mixing his mastery of his swords unique shape with the special ability it has, he is coldly proficient during it's use and application.

Tactician: He is highly conscious of his weaknesses and strengths, commonly devising methods which take advantage of his zanpakuto's special ability, even in situations when the odds are against him.

Kidō Expert: He has great talent for Kidō even back at the Shinigami Academy, and he is often seen applying Kidō spells during fights. He is even skilled enough to use a Level 58 destructive spell and a level 73 binding spell without incantation and with relative ease, as well as being proficient in healing Kidō due to his time spent as a member of the 4th division.

Flash Steps: Kira is proficient in the use of flash steps allowing him to keep up with at least other vice-captain level shinigami.

Healer: It was noted by Hisagi that Izuru was once part of the 4th division and therefore knows Healing-type Kido and techniques, though he is considerably out of practice.

Zanpakutō



 * Shikai: Its Shikai command is . When activated, the blade loses its curve and gains a square shaped head which looks like a hook. The blade itself becomes far stronger and strikes with more force.


 * Shikai Special Ability: In this form, Wabisuke doubles the weight of whatever it strikes. The ability affects both inanimate objects and living beings. Everything hit with Wabisuke doubles in weight, and the effect is cumulative. For example, the first strike on an opponents sword (whether hit or blocking) doubles the weight. Then, a second strike doubles it again. The potential of this is limitless, but with a small number of strikes to an opponent's blade usually renders them unable to move.


 * An opponent wielding a 10 lb sword. Izuru with a single strike doubles the opposing sword to 20 lb weight. Izuru then strikes twice more. The weight doubles to 40 lb then 80 lb. The opponent is now very slow, holding a sword that weighs 80 lb, so to be sure Kira strikes again, doubling it to 160 lb, then again to 320 lb. By this point, most opponents cannot lift their swords and are brought to their knees by the weight of their weapon.


 * This is perhaps a poetic effect of Izuru's weapon. Its style looks like he is making his opponents bow their heads in apology for a past decision as it brings his opponents to their knees before him. The effect is not limited to weapons, he could do the same by merely striking someone with the flat of the blade twice, doubling the weight of their body, then doubling it again. The secondary reason for Izuru's sword style was shown in this manner.  By striking an opponent four times and making their body sixteen times as heavy, he forces them to fall and either lie or kneel, hardly able to move.  The hook end of his blade then shows its gruesome function: it is a beheading blade able to take off a fallen opponents head by holding the square hook beneath his opponent's necks and lifting, like a reverse guillotine.


 * Bankai: Not Yet Achieved

Quotes

 * "Raise your head, Wabisuke"
 * "A warrior does not beg for his life" (To Avirama Redder before he beheads him)

Trivia

 * Kira was recently voted the 9th most popular character in the latest character poll.
 * His zanpakutō Wabisuke was voted the 4th most popular zanpakutō in a recent Bleach Poll.