Rangiku Matsumoto

"A voluptuous beauty with an adult charm in the Gotei 13 Squads. With her broad-minded personality, the chances of guys in the 13 divisions who say no to her.... do not exist." - Tite Kubo

is Lieutenant of the 10th Division of the Gotei 13, Serving under Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya.

Appearance
Rangiku is an attractive woman with long, wavy, ginger hair (worn short in her youth) and icy blue eyes. Her most distinctive features are her extremely large breasts, which are even larger than Orihime Inoue's. She dresses in the garb typical of Shinigami, though she lets her robes hang loose for her ample bosom to be revealed. She wears a necklace and a pink scarf over her arms. In addition, her lieutenant's armband is worn on her uniform's sash, as opposed to around the arm.

Personality
Rangiku tends to be a slacker who dislikes paperwork and loves to drink. She is not the slightest bit modest about her appearance, frequently referring or complaining about her large breasts in normal casual conversation, much to the embarrassment/amusement of anyone around at the time. She is not above using her considerable feminine charms to get her way, as shown when she tries - albeit unsuccessfully - to bribe Ichigo Kurosaki into letting her stay at his house.

Her easy-going and free-spirited personality makes a sharp contrast to the serious Hitsugaya, but the two seem to be quite close regardless. Rangiku met the young boy prior to him utilizing his power and encouraged him to enter the Shinigami academy. As a lieutenant, she is almost constantly by his side and has shown deep loyalty to him on several occasions, even though her laziness frequently annoys him.

While she seems somewhat self-centered, she is sensitive to the feelings of others, evident when she sees the concern Hitsugaya has for Momo Hinamori, the guilt Izuru Kira shares with her when Gin Ichimaru is revealed as a traitor, and when Orihime feels depressed about her role in Ichigo Kurosaki's life. Despite her lackadaisical image, she can be extremely serious when needed and is a capable fighter and strategist, best-shown when she uses clever teasing to manipulate the third Espada's Fracción into squabbling among themselves and dropped their guard, leaving them open for an attack.

Rangiku's favorite food is dried persimmon, just like that of Ichimaru. She also shares Orihime's very strange taste in food. She dislikes bamboo, the reason she dislikes bamboo shoots is because she finds the taste too strong, and the texture unpleasant. She likes Japanese dancing, and in addition to her shihakushou robes, she enjoys specially ordering clothing from stores, even though she already has plenty. To keep from spending her money, when she feels like drinking, she finds free people and invites them to come out with her, and then has them treat her to drinks. Her drinking buddies are Shunsui Kyōraku and Shūhei Hisagi.

Her first name, Rangiku, can be translated to "rangaku" which in japanese terms, means western medicine. However, the most common translation divides the name into the words "Ran" and "Giku", "Ran" meaning distortion or a large number and "Giku" meaning Chrysanthemum a word which is spoken as "kiku" usually.

History


Not much is known or mentioned about Rangiku's past. She came from Rukongai and was rescued as a child by Gin Ichimaru ; the two soon became friends. She was once asked by Ichimaru during her childhood when her birthday was. She replied that she did not know because she never counted days until she met him. Rangiku also had been alone for as far as she could remember. This possibly means she was orphaned since birth. When he heard about this, Ichimaru told her that if this was the case, then her birthday should be set on the day they met (the day she was not alone anymore).

It is unknown how she became a Shinigami or how she became lieutenant of the 10th Division. Despite that fact, it is known that she was the one who convinced Tōshirō Hitsugaya to become a Shinigami by confronting him that his leaking reiatsu was the cause of his grandmother's sickness and why she was getting thinner.

Soul Society arc
Making her first appearance as a very bothered lieutenant in the meeting called for all lieutenants, Rangiku may strike many males as one of the better looking females of Soul Society’s top echelons, even if the major reason is her cleavage.

Nevertheless, during the report, she gains an attitude of seriousness that immediately sets the record straight – she will do her duty whenever needed, and back it up with a serious attitude and her combat skills if need be.

She is also the one who restrains Momo Hinamori after her little skirmish with Izuru Kira, when her Captain, Tōshirō Hitsugaya orders them arrested. She then had a little conversation with Hinamori while the latter was being kept in the 5th Squad cells and handed her a letter addressed to her by Sōsuke Aizen, that Hitsugaya had found in Aizen’s room.

Later, when Hitsugaya faces off with Gin Ichimaru, she stops Ichimaru’s blade from killing an unconscious Momo, thus saving her life. It is then that she wonders where Ichimaru will go from there. While thus occupied with their own thoughts, a message comes via a Hell Butterfly for them stating that the execution of Rukia Kuchiki was being pushed forward. Hitsugaya, determined to get to the bottom of the matter, realizes that the only way to do so would be to stop the execution. He thus orders Rangiku to follow him to Central 46 Chambers, where they make the shocking discovery later that the entire Central 46 Chambers has been massacred.

Following Izuru’s bait, Hitsugaya later returns to Central 46 Chambers upon being told that Momo had been following them. When Hitsugaya leaves, Izuru releases his own Zanpakutō to fight against Rangiku who had been ordered to continue the chase. Despite blocking Izuru’s attacks, the ability of Izuru’s zanpakutō doubles her weapon’s weight seven times, forcing her to release her own Zanpakutō. She defeats him and then learns of the truth behind Central 46 Chambers.

When she arrives at the Sokyoku, she holds Ichimaru’s arm and places her Zanpakutō on his neck, asking him not to move and effectively placing him under arrest. When the Gillian’s Negación field comes down to save Ichimaru however, she releases her hold upon him. Ichimaru then expresses his regret that she could have held onto him a little longer, and that he was sorry. He then bids her a farewell.

Later, Rangiku is dismayed over this turn of events, but when Izuru turns up to apologize to her, she asks him to forget everything, and to join her in a revelry of sake which ends up with all of them getting drunk.

Bount arc
When the Bounts begin attacking living humans, Tōshirō Hitsugaya puts together a team of Shinigami consisting of Rangiku, Izuru Kira, Shūhei Hisagi, and Yumichika Ayasegawa. Although a little confused as to the reason she's been sent to the Human world, Rangiku arrives and is shocked when both Shūhei Hisagi and Izuru Kira run off to do their own thing, leaving her alone. While there, she runs into Chad, Ururu Tsumugiya and Noba as they battle Sawatari. The Bount recognizes her as a Shinigami and tries to have his doll Baura, steal her weapon. Aggravated, Rangiku begins fighting the Bount but realizes she is really no match for him and tries to keep everyone above ground. She also tries to cheer up Chad when he blames himself over Ururu's capture. After combining her Kidō with Noba's Bount-sensing capabilities, they are able to detect Sawatari's presence, enabling Chad to hit Sawatari's Doll with an attack strong enough to force it to regurgitate Ururu. Sawatari retreats after this, and Chad collapses from exhaustion.

Later, Rangiku and the rest of the Shinigami sent by Hitsugaya attempt to assault the Bounts' hideout, but they are defeated by Ugaki's Doll. Later, when Ichigo Kurosaki, Renji Abarai, Orihime Inoue, Rukia Kuchiki, and Chad also arrive, they are attacked by Ugaki's Doll as well, but Rangiku manages to save Ichigo and Orihime, but she is unable to continue.

Arrancar arc
During the Arrancar arc, Rangiku along with Yumichika Ayasegawa, Ikkaku Madarame, Renji Abarai and Rukia are part of the advanced force led by her Captain to defend Karakura Town against the threat of the Arrancar. When the 6th Espada, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez leads an attack on the living world she is left to fight one of his Fracción, Nakeem Greendina. After lifting the limit that is placed upon all lieutenants and captains to limit their spirit power when entering the living world, she easily kills him.

When Grimmjow's replacement, Luppi leads the next invasion she is forced to join in a group battle compromised of Yumichika, Ikkaku and herself against Luppi but is defeated.

Fake Karakura Town arc
When Aizen along with his top three Espada attack the fake Karakura Town, Rangiku along with her captain and the rest of the Gotei 13 Captains currently not in Hueco Mundo are seen awaiting for Aizen's arrival.

After the pillars that keep the real Karakura Town in Soul Society are successfully defended and four of Barragan Luisenbarn's Fracción are killed, Rangiku faces off against all three of Harribel's Fracción by herself while her captain takes on their leader, Harribel. Rangiku gets into verbal warfare with Apache and Mila-Rose (as Sun-Sun criticizes them for taking her bait) before releasing. After cutting Apache's arm using Haineko's Shikai, Rangiku attempts an ash twister to surround the Fracción trio, but they all use Cero blasts to drive it away.

She is then quickly pummeled down by Apache alone because she is too tired, though she tries to make Haineko attack from all angles, but the arrancar blocks it. However, the fight is interrupted when Apache is blasted by a fireball from Momo Hinamori's zanpakutō. Rangiku is surprised by the appearance of the lieutenant and wonders if Momo is well, but Momo states that she wears her armband as the current leader of the 5th Division, not as Captain Aizen's subordinate. Rangiku and Momo decide to team up together to fight against Harribel's Fracción, but Rangiku is still worried about Momo, pointing out (in her thoughts) that she still referred to Aizen as "Captain Aizen". However, after Momo did all kidō spells by her own, she thinks that Momo is much better than she thought. However, the arrancar survive the attack and heal their injuries using their Resurrección.

They then activate their Quimera Parca ability, which creates a new, chimera-like creature (which they named "Allon"). Looking into its eyes, Rangiku remarks that it is like staring down a bottomless hole. Seconds later, Allon charges at Rangiku. She tries to use her zanpakuto to defend herself, but the creature is quick enough to strike Rangiku before she can defend herself, tearing off the entire right side of her abdomen. The blow is serious enough to incapacitate Rangiku, and Momo notes that it's a life-threatening injury. Momo tries to rescue Rangiku but is also incapacitated, only being saved by the timely arrival of Izuru Kira and Shūhei Hisagi.

As Izuru heals her, Shūhei and Tetsuzaemon Iba are defeated, and Allon advances on them. Just as all seems lost, Captain Commander Yamamoto arrives and easily burns Allon into oblivion with his Shikai. In response, Apache, Mila-Rose, and Sun-Sun then attempt an attack on Yamamoto, only to be burned effortlessly by his Shikai. Rangiku, still wounded, is eventually taken into a barrier set up by Izuru, lying unconscious, along with the other wounded officers.

Powers & Abilities
Expert Swordsmanship Specialist: Rangiku shows a great proficiency in wielding her zanpakutō. While she can obviously hold her own in a fight her skill in the wielding of her Zanpakutō comes from her mastery of its special ability. Through sheer imagination in conjunction with her zanpakutō's special ability, Rangiku has become skilled at taking on large groups at once.

Flash Step Expert: Rangiku's flash steps are great enough to keep up with her captain, but is most likely her skill at it is of the same level as most lieutenants. Her skill has proven great enough to easily out-maneuver Arrancar capable of fighting at lieutenant-level skill.

Kidō Practitioner: As a lieutenant, Rangiku seems to have a understanding of Kidō spells at least enough to identify them upon sight. Though she is not a common user of the art she has been seen capable of using Bakudō spell #57.

Enhanced Strength: Despite her highly feminine appearance, Rangiku has shown herself to be deceptively strong. During her battle against Nakeem Greendina, she was easily able to hold back the large Arrancar's stomping foot with a single hand.

Zanpakutō

 * The Zanpakutō's form is that of a straight-bladed katana. The guard is in the shape of a cat's head, as its name suggests, it has a dark red handle and a shield designed guard. Rangiku keeps Haineko behind her clipped onto her waist tie.


 * Shikai: Its release command is.


 * Shikai Special Ability: In its Shikai, Haineko dissolves into ash which floats in the air. Though it now takes on the look of scattered ash, each particle is a tiny blade. Rangiku controls the ash to attack from any direction as soon as she moves the hilt, ultimately enveloping and tearing up the enemy. So evidently, Haineko is very hard to fight against in this form. The main attack strength of Haineko comes from how much ash makes contact, thus why it is clumped together. If the ash was to attack the opponent in single particles, the damage would be little to nothing. The ash can cut through objects as easily as a sword would, similar in principle to Byakuya Kuchiki's Senbonzakura.


 * As Rangiku mentally controls the ash she can make it take various forms. So far she has created a gust of ash which flies towards her opponents and a tornado. This gives her an advantage while fighting groups of enemies. Rangiku has also shown that Haineko can be a defensive weapon as well by having it take the form of a shield to defend against Apache's attack.




 * Bankai: Not Yet Achieved. Rangiku has not yet mastered the Bankai of her zanpakutō, though she is trying to learn it; however, Haineko is just as moody, lazy, and self-centered as Rangiku is, making her progress difficult.

Quotes

 * "Unare, Haineko."

Trivia

 * Interestingly, both Rangiku and Gin Ichimaru had their original release commands for their shikai spoken at some point in the English Dub of the Anime.