Isshin Kurosaki

is the father of Ichigo, Karin and Yuzu and head of the Kurosaki family. He runs their private clinic, the Kurosaki Clinic. A skilled doctor, Isshin can perform almost any medical procedure except major surgery.

Appearance
As a doctor, Isshin is usually seen wearing a white lab coat. Beneath it, he wears a yellow shirt with an orange pattern on it. His Shinigami uniform is much like a normal one; the only glaring difference is that he wears what appears to be a captain's haori, worn like a sash over his left shoulder. However, it has no visible division insignia.

Personality
In the beginning of the series, Isshin is portrayed as a silly, fight-loving father who is "extremely over-energetic" and takes a keen interest in what his children are doing. He shows this interest either offensively or with an all-too-happy tone, which elicits comical reactions from his kids, usually in the form of a kick. Because his kids choose to keep to themselves, he often doesn't know what they are doing. His lack of knowledge about his children's lives mainly pertains to Ichigo, but Isshin feels that since he's a boy, Ichigo doesn't need to be watched over as much as his twin daughters. Isshin also seems to enjoy making fun of Ichigo and has a tendency to talk to the large memorial poster of his late wife Masaki (which he has pinned up in their kitchen) whenever he feels particularly emotional. Isshin is a big fan of Don Kanonji's TV show.

Despite his outrageous guise, Isshin can be serious and grim at times. On the anniversary of Masaki's death, Isshin smokes a single cigarette in front of her grave, since she told him when they were dating that she thought it made him look cool. He reflects that it was the first, and maybe the last, time she ever complimented his appearance. He also told Ichigo that he shouldn't blame himself for his mother's death because she gave her life to protect him. In addition, during his confrontation with the Arrancar Grand Fisher and the subsequent chat with Kisuke Urahara, he remains completely serious (aside from a short argument between him and Kon about his parenting, and another short exchange between him and Urahara after the latter likens him to his son).

He also reveals to Kon that he has been aware of Ichigo's Shinigami activities and Kon's substitutions since Grand Fisher's first attack. He also notes that he has never called Kon "Ichigo" while Kon is in Ichigo's body and that the traveling charm he gave to Ichigo before he went to rescue Rukia was actually for Kon, as it was a protection talisman. This shows the sensitivity and propriety that he possesses in his role as Ichigo's father, which is rarely portrayed in the series.

Around Karin and Yuzu he still remains a goof. His explanation for why Ichigo was gone was that he was ''"Preparing for mating Season!" to which Karin coolly responded, "That's called puberty, Dad.''" He often tells very random stories of his life. While Ichigo was gone he calmly had a flashback of his life during puberty. During this flashback he was seen as a chibi version of himself, wearing a school uniform and yelling at the sunset, ''"I'M A MAN!" ''

History
Little is known about Isshin's history, except that he was once a captain-level Shinigami, though his division is currently unknown. At least twenty years before the main storyline, he ceased being a Shinigami, although it is unclear whether he officially quit his duties with the blessing of Soul Society, or if he left Soul Society in a manner similar to Urahara or Yoroichi and is in hiding. His current Shinigami uniform retains a captain's robe, but it has no visible division insignia and is worn like a sash over his left shoulder. After leaving the Shinigami, Isshin lost most of his powers for unknown reasons.

Isshin also shares a relationship with Ryūken Ishida not unlike that of their sons. When Ryūken discovers that his son is missing, Isshin pays him a visit and the two chat about their respective styles of parenting. It is then revealed that Ryūken was aware of Isshin's status, and he comments on Isshin's powers. The two have some prior history together, and they have been acquaintances for quite some time. It can also be noted they are both doctors: Isshin runs a clinic while Ryūken runs a hospital and it was hinted that the two cooperate on a professional level.

Isshin appears to be an associate of Kisuke Urahara and possesses knowledge of Sōsuke Aizen's alliance with the Menos. He mentions in his conversation with Urahara that he encountered Arrancar at some point before the main storyline, though they were nowhere near as complete as Grand Fisher was.

He married Masaki Kurosaki and they had three children: Ichigo, Karin and Yuzu. Masaki later died at the hands of Grand Fisher, who was a simple Hollow at the time, six years before the main storyline. Isshin was unable to prevent Masaki's death and blamed himself for it; later in the series, he eventually kills Grand Fisher, both protecting Kon (inhabiting Ichigo's body) from attack and finally avenging his wife's death.

Agent of the Shinigami arc
Isshin plays the role of a bothersome father early in the story, often attacking Ichigo or annoying his daughters. In the first episode it appears that he has no clue what is going on in Ichigo's life, since he did not know that more and more souls had been talking to Ichigo, something that Ichigo had told his sisters.

After a major car accident, Isshin is overheard on the phone arguing with a hospital employee who is refusing to transfer the overload of patients. He says that the employee should tell his boss that Kurosaki needs a favor and then beds will open right up, then slams the phone down. When Ichigo asks if he can help, Isshin tells him to hide in a corner so that he would not be in the way.

Later, after Karin is protected from a Hollow by Yasutora Sado, she gets Isshin so that he can help the injured Sado. However, Sado is gone and Isshin speculates that Karin lied about the injured man so that she could spend time with him, and he rips open his shirt for Karin to jump into it. Instead, Karin kicks him and calls him an idiot.

When Ichigo leaves for his "trip" during his summer vacation, Isshin once again tries to assault him only to miss, smashing his head into the pavement in the process. Isshin gives Ichigo a protective talisman that he received from Masaki, saying that he does not need it anymore.

Arrancar arc
When Ichigo has his first school day after summer vacation, Isshin notes that Ichigo is not wearing the talisman that he gave him at the start of the summer (when he he left for his "trip"). When Ichigo says that he does not need it, Isshin quickly sews it to his school uniform.

Later, when Grand Fisher is about to attack Kon (while he is inhabiting Ichigo's body), the talisman Isshin gave Ichigo is activated, creating a barrier in between them. Isshin then appears dressed as a Shinigami and berates Kon (still in Ichigo's body) for not wearing the talisman although he told him to wear it wherever he went. He then addresses Grand Fisher as "Mr. Hollow" and says that Ichigo is not home, and suggests that he "play" with him instead When Grand Fisher questions who he might be, Isshin apologizes and introduces himself. Hearing the name Kurosaki, Grand Fisher realizes that Isshin is the father of Ichigo. Isshin confirms this and throws the talisman to Kon, and addresses him as Kon. Kon then asks how long Isshin has known about Kon taking Ichigo's place, and Isshin reveals that he has known since the beginning when he saw him enter Ichigo's body in the graveyard, and further notes that he has never called him by Ichigo's name when he was in Ichigo's body.

When Grand Fisher realizes that Ichigo is the son of a Shinigami and therefore descended from Shinigami blood, he notes that he finally understands how he lost to him. Grand Fisher also states that he has no interest in Isshin and that he only came to kill Ichigo, and orders Isshin to hand him over. Isshin reveals that he does not know where Ichigo is because Ichigo is no longer a kid, and that he had always been very relaxed with the rules in his house (to which Kon makes a comment about how he is very strict with Yuzu and Karin, resulting in Isshin trying to explain himself in a very comedic fashion). He then explains that even if Grand Fisher has no interest in him, he himself came to kill Grand Fisher.

Grand Fisher begins to laugh and questions if they believe that he is nothing but a regular Hollow, then proceeds to reveal his transformation. Kon, looking shocked, says that Grand Fisher is nothing like the Menos he has seen before. Isshin then reveals that Grand Fisher is an Arrancar, a Hollow who has removed his mask to gain Shinigami powers. Grand Fisher draws his Zanpakutō, saying that the size of his sword shows the amount of power that he has, and then says that Isshin can't win with his twig sized sword. Isshin only smiles and challenges Grand Fisher to give it a try, drawing his own Zanpakutō. Isshin and Grand Fisher then clash. Isshin states that all captain-level Shinigami learn how to compress their Zanpakutō; otherwise all captains of the Soul Society would be swinging around swords the size of skyscrapers, much like Grand Fisher was doing. Isshin kills the Arrancar with a single cut from his sword, and tells him to remember never to judge an opponent by the size of their Zanpakutō. As Grand Fisher is falling, Isshin insults him, calling him a kid and saying that he should not talk about a Shinigami's strength until he could understand that.

Urahara then appears, and begins talking about Isshin's powers returning. Urahara asks what it's like to be a Shinigami again after twenty years, to which Isshin replies that it's "so-so". When asked if he'd had his revenge, Isshin replied that he never really held a grudge against Grand Fisher, but still regrets that he was not there on that night so many years ago when Masaki was killed. Isshin and Urahara discuss the Vizard, touching on Ichigo's involvement with them, and the Arrancar. They note that Grand Fisher was by far the most powerful Arrancar they had seen up to that point. They also question whether the Vizard would take the side of Sōsuke Aizen in the battles to come.

Later, when Rukia Kuchiki needs a place to stay, she lies to Isshin, telling him a sad story about how she has lost everything - a story that both Isshin and Yuzu apparently take at face value, resulting in Isshin screaming emotionally to the big poster of Masaki that they now have a third daughter.

Hueco Mundo arc
When Ichigo leaves for Hueco Mundo, Isshin visits Ryūken at the hospital, commenting on what a horrible father Ryūken is and also accepting the fact that he himself is a horrible father. He was able to get into the underground training spot even though Ryūken attempted to hide it. His old friend is genuinely surprised that Isshin has regained his powers, while Isshin notices that Ryūken still smokes despite being in a hospital and even ignores the "No Smoking" sign right next to him.

Powers & Abilities
When Isshin first appears in his Shinigami form, he hints that his abilities are on par with those of a captain-level Shinigami. He has a captain's haori draped over his left shoulder, using it as a type of strap or cape, which implies that he was once a captain in Soul Society. It is unknown what the extent of Isshin's Shinigami powers are (in Zanjutsu, Kidō, Hakuda, and Hohō). However, while he had not yet regained his full power, he was powerful enough to kill Grand Fisher before the imperfect Arrancar had a chance to even strike. Furthermore, the fact that Kisuke Urahara (a fellow former Gotei 13 captain) looked to Isshin as his equal implies that Isshin, at full strength, is a very powerful combatant.

Keen Intellect: While normally appearing goofy and oblivious in his daily life, Isshin has proven to be a highly intelligent man. He has repeatedly shown to be able to see the truth in any situation placed before him, as he immediately realized that Kon (while in Ichigo's body) was not Ichigo, and was immediately aware of Ririn, Kurōdo, Noba in the anime. Isshin has also shown to be a very knowledgeable, as he already knew about the situation with Aizen and the Arrancar. He is also quite crafty, as after discovering his son's new status as a Shinigami, Isshin began making preparations to aid his son, which included regaining his own Shinigami powers and protecting Ichigo's body with a barrier charm.

Expert Hand-to-Hand Combatant: As shown from his repeated comedic attacks on his son, Isshin is a very skilled fighter even when barehanded, further emphasized by how he personally played a part in training Ichigo. However, it would appear that Ichigo has long since surpassed Isshin, judging by how Ichigo usually ends up beating his father. It is likely that Isshin could be holding back to avoid harming Ichigo, considering that Ichigo initially wasn't strong enough to fight Shinigami captains, and it's now known that Isshin is at least a captain-level Shinigami.

Master Swordsmanship Specialist: Having only been seen fighting once, and for a few seconds at that, Isshin's skill in swordsmanship allowed him to effortlessly slice through Grand Fisher's giant Zanpakutō without losing any visible momentum, and still cut down Grand Fisher in the process, all without Isshin having to release his Shikai.

Immense Spiritual Energy: It has not been confirmed whether or not Isshin is a former Shinigami captain, Isshin appears to possesses a considerable amount of spiritual energy. Ichigo and Shinji were able to sense its strong presence from miles away. As Isshin stated to Grand Fisher, all captain-level Shinigami, are actively controlling the size of their Zanpakutō. If they did not do so, they would be swinging around swords the size of skyscrapers.

Kidō Expert: While it is unknown how well-versed he is in the art, Isshin has demonstrated capable skill in barrier spells. This is shown when he enchanted a lucky charm to protect Kon (while in Ichigo's body) with a barrier powerful enough to prevent an incomplete Arrancar with greater power than an average Gillian from attacking him.

Enhanced Endurance: Even without his Shinigami powers, Isshin appears to have the ability to take severe physical punishment (e.g., fighting with Ichigo and getting kicked by Karin).

Zanpakutō
The name of Isshin's Zanpakutō has not yet been revealed. It has a red handle and hexagonal hand-guard. It is carried from a string wrapped around his belt in an iaidō style, and worn with the edge down like a tachi instead of the edge up like a katana. The end of the hilt has a tassel similar to the sealed form of Ichigo's Zanpakutō.


 * Shikai: Not Yet Revealed
 * Bankai: Not Yet Revealed

Trivia

 * His theme song, as chosen by Tite Kubo, is "Don't Drag Me Down" by Social Distortion.
 * Originally Tite Kubo was going to portray Isshin as a mortician and so designed Isshin to look better in black.

Quotes

 * (To Ichigo about Masaki) "Around the time we started dating, she said that my hand is cool when I'm smoking a cigarette. Now that I think about it, that was the only time your mom complimented me on my looks. So every year I smoke on this day only. In front of her."


 * (To Ichigo) "If I were to blame Masaki's death on you Masaki would get mad at me. It's not anyone's fault that Masaki died. It's just that, the woman I fell in love with was a woman who could die protecting her son. And don't forget, you are the guy the woman that I loved gave her life to protect."


 * (To Ichigo) "Live well, age well, and go bald well. And die after me. And... if you can, die smiling."


 * (To Grand Fisher) "I'm sorry, Mr. Hollow, but Ichigo's not in right now. As a replacement or something, how about playing with me instead?"


 * (To Grand Fisher) "Even if you have no interest in me, I'm still here to kill you, so if you don't treat me as your opponent it would be a problem."


 * (To Grand Fisher) "I'll teach you the basics. All captain class Shinigami are controlling the size of their Zanpakutō. Otherwise, they would all have to swing around a Zanpakutō the size of skyscrapers, just like you. You cannot gauge an opponent's strength by how large his Zanpakutō is. Don't talk about a Shinigami's strength until you understand that, boy."

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