21. Kisuke Urahara

Kisuke Urahara (浦原 喜助 Urahara Kisuke) is the owner of the Urahara Shop. He wears traditional Japanese wooden sandals and a bucket hat, which has earned him the nickname "Mr. Hat-and-Clogs" (ゲタ帽子 geta-bōshi). Urahara is usually quite laid-back and has a jovial if not comical attitude, tendencies that tend to drive away customers. He will similarly leave his store unattended for long periods of time while he trains series protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends in the store's cave-like basement. Despite his odd work ethic and personality, Urahara can be very serious when the situation calls for it. When first introduced Urahara is largely shrouded in mystery, being knowledgeable of all spiritual-related subjects and a guide for Ichigo that works in the background. As the series progresses it is revealed he was the captain of the 12th Division, before which he was a 3rd seat in the 2nd Division, under Yoruichi, a century before the start of the series. He caught Sōsuke Aizen in the act of converting his fellow Soul Reapers into visoreds. Before he had time to save them and turn them back into Soul Reapers, Aizen framed him for the crimes and Urahara was sentenced to live in the living world.

Urahara is a keen analyst, highly intellectual, with an uncanny ability to discern an opponent's weaknesses and attack patterns with ease, a quality he passes on to Ichigo during their training together. As a former captain, he is also adept in using high-level Kidō and uses a sharp tactical style of combat. He is also an avid inventor, and while still a Soul Reaper, he had created a number of items that went against Soul Society's norms. Most prominent of these is the Hōgyoku (崩玉^?, lit. "breakdown sphere"), a device which was previously thought to be able to mix Soul Reapers with hollows, but has been revealed by Aizen to have the power to make real what is in the hearts of those around it. Fearing the potential power it could give someone, Urahara tried and failed to destroy it, allowing it to fall into Aizen's possession midway through the series. Urahara's zanpakutō is a shikomizue named Benihime (紅姫, "Crimson Princess" or "Bloody Princess" in some translations). In this form it has three known special abilities: it can create a polygonal "blood mist shield" capable of blocking most attacks, a crimson-colored energy blast which is similar to a cero, and an explosion that combines volatile energy with a net. Benihime's bankai has yet to be revealed, but Urahara, when asked to use his bankai to help train Sado, states that his bankai is not fit for such a purpose. Aizen has commented on Urahara's ability, calling him the only man whose intellect exceeds his own. He aids the Soul Society in their battle against Aizen by creating a Fake Karakura Town in which to fight while the true town and its inhabitants are temporarily evacuated to the Soul Society. He then engages Aizen in battle, is initially defeated, but returns to the fray in time to witness Aizen being sealed by his newly-developed kidō after the Hōgyoku rejects Aizen as its master.

Kubo has commented on Urahara, saying he is based on Snufkin, whom he thought was cool.