Yumichika Ayasegawa

is the 5th Seated officer in the 11th Division of the Gotei 13, his captain is Kenpachi Zaraki.

Appearance
Yumichika wears the standard Shinigami Shihakushō uniform with some customizations. An orange piece of clothing sits on top of his uniform around the neck, which covers most of his chest that would otherwise be exposed by his uniform. This is connected to an orange sleeve on his right arm under the much looser fitting sleeve of the uniform. Yumichika has colourful feathers on his right eyelashes and eyebrow. He has shiny skin and jaw-length hair, which, in conjunction with the feathers, gives him a somewhat feminine appearance. Before he joined the Gotei 13, he wore a simple kimono with a flowery pattern on it, did not wear any feathers on his eyes, and his hair about shoulder-length.

Personality
Yumichika is a narcissist who judges everyone and everything by beauty. He is also incredibly vain. Yumichika is a powerful combatant and wanted to become the 3rd Seat of his Division, as he thought the kanji for the number three was the most beautiful. However, Ikkaku Madarame took it, so Yumichika took the 5th Seat, as he thought that the kanji for 5 resembled 3. However, he is at times shown to be caring and helpful to others. He is extremely loyal to his friend Ikkaku, even going as far as to abandon his post at a pillar in the fake Karakura Town to try and save Ikkaku from being killed, threatening his allies who try to stop him. He cares deeply about what Ikkaku and Zaraki thinks and hides the true nature of his Zanpakutō from them for fear of being hated.

History
Yumichika was a friend of Ikkaku Madarame from a long time ago, before Zaraki was a captain. During their past, the two went throughout the Rukongai together looking for fights, and one day Ikkaku lost to Kenpachi Zaraki.

After a speech given to them by him about living to kill the one who failed to kill them, and later after hearing news of Kenpachi becoming a captain, the two joined the 11th Division to serve under him. Both of them would prove themselves to Zaraki and eventually became seated officers, Yumichika choosing the 5th seat as Ikkaku had already taken the 3rd.

Soul Society arc
Yumichika, alongside Ikkaku, finds Ichigo Kurosaki and Ganju Shiba shortly after they arrive in Seireitei, and Yumichika fights off Ganju. Ganju spends most of the time running away and playing unsuccessful tricks, though he manages to defeat Yumichika with a type of blast bomb. He later fights 9th Division lieutenant Shūhei Hisagi, when he tries to stop Kenpachi from helping Ichigo's friends, and wins by releasing his Zanpakutō.

Bount arc
When the Bounts begin attacking living humans, Tōshirō Hitsugaya puts together a team of Shinigami consisting of Yumichika, Shūhei Hisagi, Rangiku Matsumoto, and Izuru Kira. Yumichika questions Hitsugaya as to why he was elected for the assignment. Hitsugaya explains that Kenpachi told him that Yumichika was the only one "with nothing better to do". Initially, Yumichika is the only one working on his own when the team arrives in Karakura Town, while the other Shinigami sent are assisting Ichigo and his friends who are dealing with the Bounts. Yumichika eventually manages to find the Bounts' main hideout, but decides to wait for the rest of his team.

When the rest of the team Hitsugaya organized arrives, Yumichika decides to go ahead on his own, but he (along with the rest of the group) is defeated by Ugaki's Doll. He is later found by Ichigo and Renji Abarai, who arrive later. They decide to carry Yumichika along, but they are all confronted by by Ugaki and his Doll in its full form. Renji decides to fight on his own, insisting that both Ichigo and Yumichika stay out of the battle. Ichigo shows numerous protests even during the battle, but Yumichika reveals to him that Renji used to belong to the 11th Division; and most members of the 11th Division fight to the death on their own, Renji being no exception (even after he was transferred). After Renji defeats the Doll, he can no longer continue. Yumichika urges Ichigo to continue on, telling him that he would look after Renji, so he wouldn't have to worry about him.

Yumichika also heads 11th Division matters along with Ikkaku, while Kenpachi and Yachiru are unable to.

Arrancar arc
Yumichika is later assigned to Tōshirō Hitsugaya's team to fight off the Arrancar. During the attack led by Grimmjow, he prevents Keigo Asano from interfering with Ikkaku's battle with Edrad Liones. During the third invasion led by Luppi, Yumichika takes part in the battle against him, but loses.

Fake Karakura Town arc
When Aizen and the top three Espada invade the fake Karakura Town, he along with Ikkaku, Shūhei and Izuru Kira, are left to protect the pillars that hold the real Karakura Town in Soul Society. Barragan Luisenbarn sends his Fracción to do battle at each point, with Yumichika getting paired with Charlotte Cuuhlhourne. Though initially their somewhat similar personalities cause an argument in a comedic fashion, the fight quickly turns serious, with Yumichika getting overpowered by Cuuhlhourne's attacks. He provokes the Arrancar to release his sword by slicing part of his hair after getting called his rival, greatly annoying himself. After Cuuhlhourne uses his ability, Rosa Blanca, to conceal the fighters completely, Yumichika is told that he will die a horrible death because no one can see them. Realizing that no one can see them, Yumicika activates his sword's true form, Ruri'iro Kujaku, and drains his Spiritual Energy.

As Charlotte asks if that form was the second stage of a Zanpakutō, a Bankai, Yumichika reveals his reasons to keep the true self of his Zanpakutō a secret from everyone else. He then takes a small bit of one of the petals to heal himself.

He is later surprised, along with the other Shinigami present, that Ikkaku lost his fight and becomes erratic and proceeds to go to his friend's aid. Hisagi tries to calm him, but Yumichika does not listen to him. This causes Izuru to knock him out with an anaesthetic agent, stating that his manners are not appropriate when addressing his superiors and that he needs to calm himself.

Powers & Abilities
Expert Swordsmanship Specialist: Despite being a 5th seated officer, it has been shown that Yumichika is capable of fighting on par with lieutenant-level Shinigami, especially when he uses the full power of his Zanpakutō.

Flash Steps Expert: Yumichika has been seen using flash steps frequently, although he only uses it to keep up with stronger opponents. This is shown when he is fighting with an arrancar or lieutenant level fighter.

Enhanced Durability: Yumichika has been shown to have an high endurance. In his fight with Charlotte Cuuhlhourne, Yumichika was overpowered by his attacks. His left arm was even broken in three places. Even so he was still fighting.

High Spiritual Energy: Despite being a seated officer of the Gotei 13, Yumichika boasts a high spiritual energy on par with lieutenant-level Shinigami.

Zanpakutō
Ruri'iro Kujaku redirects here. For the manifested spirit that appears in the Zanpakutō Unknown Tales arc see Ruri'iro Kujaku (spirit).

, "Nickname". It has the form of an average katana with a bronze cross guard and purple handle. According to Yumichika, the Zanpakutō's favorite color is azure, and its least favorite is wisteria purple. Hence, when he calls his sword Fuji Kujaku instead of its true name, it sulks and won’t achieve its true power. It is only when he calls it by its true name, that its potential is achieved. Although Yumichika does not admit it to his 11th Division comrades for fear of being hated, especially by Ikkaku, since 11th Division Zanpakutō are generally used for direct attack, and he has a Kidō-type Zanpakutō.


 * Shikai: The Shikai command for Fuji Kujaku is . As Fuji Kujaku, it takes the form of a sickle-shaped blade, or falx, distinguished from the khopesh by the cutting edge being located on the inside. A hinge at the hilt allows it to split into four identical blades. The guard still takes the form of bronze cross and it also retains the purple handle.
 * Shikai Special Ability: By using the command, Yumichika says the command release and Ruri'iro Kujaku flares up and its blades transform into a number of glowing peacock feather-like vines. These vines move to grapple and ensnare an opponent, once a opponent is sufficiently subdued the vines begin growing energy buds that are being filled with the opponents reiatsu, the flowers actually use the reiatsu as a form of power source, siphoning the reiatsu the opponent emits in order to fuel their growth. When the flowers bloom the collected reiatsu is turned against the opponent, either seriously incapacitating them or killing them in the process. By chewing on the petals of the bloomed flowers ones wounds can be healed and their reiatsu is revitalized. (It should be noted that the command Split and Deviate is the true release command for Yumichika's Zanpakutō). When the effect is over the vines release the target and shrivel up, they recede back into the hilt and the sealed blade is reconstituted.


 * Bankai: Not Yet Achieved. It is also assumed he is trying to learn his Bankai, though Ruri'iro Kujaku is just as narcissistic as Yumichika himself, leading Yumichika to comically yell at his sword while trying to break it against a boulder, it also doesn't help that Yumichika does not often refer to him by his real name.

Trivia

 * Ruri'iro Kujaku was revealed for the first time when Yumichika battled Charlotte Cuuhlhourne. However, its true nature was hinted at as early as the Soul Society Arc when he defeats Hisagi easily, without even a wound, and an enraged Hisagi commented that Yumichika's Zanpakutō has drained all of his spiritual power.


 * In the anime, perhaps intentionally, Yumichika's eye color and the handle on his Zanpakutō are wisteria purple. When he releases Ruri'iro Kujaku, his eyes and reiatsu glow azure blue.


 * Powerful as it is, Yumichika only makes use of his Zanpakutō's Kidō properties when no other member of the 11th Division is around, lest they witness the true nature of his Zanpakutō and ridicule him.


 * In the anime's Bount Arc, Yumichika was seemingly easily defeated by Ugaki's doll Gezel. It is unknown as to why he didn't use his Zanpakutō's true form since they were both alone in a cave with no one to witness (although this was also far before he ever revealed his Zanpakutō's true name in the manga). Within the show, he may have been concerned that someone would notice an unusual change in his reiatsu.


 * Similar to Ikkaku's Bankai, the losses that Yumichika usually suffers in battle are a result of his hesitation in revealing his Zanpakutō's true Shikai state.


 * Yumichika is one of the few people who know about Ikkaku's Bankai, along with Renji Abarai, Tetsuzaemon Iba and possibly Keigo Asano and/or Sajin Komamura. In the movie Bleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion, Tōshirō Hitsugaya and Rangiku Matsumoto also witnessed his Bankai.


 * Whenever he uses an Artificial soul to leave his Gigai, his personality changes to a rather violent and irritable one. According to an omake, this seems to be Yachiru's doing.