a bald, battle-loving man. His lack of hair is often the source of jokes for other characters, who confuse the sheen of his head with the light of the moon. He fought and was defeated by Kenpachi Zaraki sometime in the past, though was strong enough to survive the battle. Once Zaraki became captain of the 11th Division, Ikkaku and his friend Yumichika Ayasegawa joined the Soul Reapers so that they could fight and die under Zaraki's command. He shares a number of similarities with his captain; he feels insecure if he doesn't have a sword, prolongs battles so that he can get as much enjoyment from them as possible, and smiles near-constantly when fighting for his life. He is purportedly the second strongest man in the division.[16] Though strong enough to take a position as a captain, Ikkaku insists his one mission in life is to die under the command of Zaraki.
Ikkaku's zanpakutō is Hōzukimaru (鬼灯丸, Hōzukimaru? referring to the Japanese name for the winter cherry, which translates to "demon light"). Though ordinary in appearance, he stores a blood-clotting ointment in its hilt. When released with the command "extend" (延びろ, nobiro?), it transforms into a naginata with a wax wood shaft.[17] While he usually treats it as such, he can also turn it into a three section staff, surprising the opponent. Ikkaku has achieved bankai, though he keeps this a secret to most characters so that he isn't pressured to become a captain. Hōzukimaru's bankai, named Ryūmon Hōzukimaru (龍紋鬼灯丸, Ryūmon Hōzukimaru? literally "dragon-crest demon light"), takes the form of three oversized weapons connected by a thick chain: two blades in each of his hands and a fan-shaped blade, adorned with a carving of a Chinese dragon, which floats behind him. Aside from the increase in power, his bankai offers no special abilities, and is noted to be unusual for a bankai in this respect. As a fight progresses, the dragon crest will slowly begin to glow crimson, increasing its power as it does so. Ikkaku states that this is because Hōzukimaru, unlike his wielder, is "a lazy bum," and must be woken up in battle before it can reach full power. |