Hōzukimaru

The spirit takes the shape of a large, heavily muscled man with brown skin. His long orange hair falls to his legs and is styled into three big spikes framing his face, matched by a beard reaching his chest and tufts of orange hair at his wrists. A white robe is wrapped around his waist like a skirt and he goes barefoot, while a broad black dragon-shaped mark runs sideways across his upper chest above dark brown eyes set over light red markings.

While Muramasa's brainwashing still grips him, the spirit stays surprisingly level-headed, scolding hotheads like Kazeshini for charging in without a plan and quick to remind the other spirits that their real foes are their former masters. In combat, though, he turns savage, hungry to test himself against powerful opponents and scornful of weak ones. He holds firmly to a one-on-one code, is ready to die without regret, yet will walk away from any fight he finds boring and bristles when anyone helps him.

Toward Ikkaku he is openly aggressive, attacking almost on sight, but he proves his identity by performing their Tsuki-Tsuki Dance and comes to respect his former master's fighting spirit, addressing him as partner. Once freed from Muramasa's control, he keeps up a friendly rivalry with Ikkaku, voices disgust at Muramasa's betrayal, and treats hunting stray Tōjū as good sport. He is close with Ruri'iro Kujaku, and the two are often found drinking together.

Across the anime-exclusive Zanpakutō Rebellion, Hōzukimaru overpowers unseated Shinigami and joins the spirits' assault on the Seireitei. He clashes with Ikkaku twice, first fighting to a draw and slipping away out of boredom, then losing a hard-fought rematch that he praises before collapsing. When Muramasa's instability floods Karakura Town with Gillians, Hōzukimaru fights alongside Ikkaku and helps pool reiatsu to seal the enormous Garganta, then returns to Ikkaku's sword after Ichigo defeats Muramasa.

During the Beast Swords arc he joins a search through the underground waterways, where a Tentacle Tōjū captures Ikkaku before Hisagomaru saves them both. Later he rallies the spirits against the final Tōjū, Kirikaze, striking first and finally pouring the last of his Reiryoku into Renji Abarai to finish the enemy, after which he returns for good to his sword once the power sustaining the spirits' materialized forms finally runs dry.

His weapon is a naginata Shikai that can split into a three-section staff for surprise strikes, and his Bankai, Ryūmon Hōzukimaru, grows more powerful the longer a battle drags on.