Kūkaku Shiba


 * voiced by Akiko Hiramatsu (japanese), Jessica Straus (english)

Kūkaku Shiba is an ill-tempered fireworks expert and the somewhat authoritative older sister of Ganju. She lives with her family in ridiculously-themed houses (which she changes in design and location regularly) on the outskirts of Soul Society. She is missing her right arm, which in the anime is replaced with a prosthetic, to which the reason of the loss of her right arm remains unknown. Kūkaku is the head of the Shiba family, which fell from the status of nobility after her brother, Kaien, died. Because they knew only that Kaien was killed by a Shinigami, both Kūkaku and Ganju are distrustful of Soul Reapers when first introduced. After Kaien's killer, Rukia Kuchiki, explains how he died and apologizes, the Shiba make amends. Kūkaku seems to have some kind of relationship with the Urahara Shop, knowing Yoruichi Shihōin and claiming to have worked with Kisuke Urahara in the past. She can perform high level kidō spells, and she carries a short-bladed sword on her back.