Gotei 13

Serving as the principal armed force of Soul Society, the Gotei 13 is the organization the majority of Shinigami enter once they finish the Shin'ō Academy. Its origins remain largely hidden, but Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto founded it and stood at its head from the very start, with the earliest generation of captains regarded by Shunsui Kyōraku as its strongest.

According to Yhwach, the original members were defenders in title alone, in truth a savage collection of the deadliest killers in Seireitei, and it was precisely this ferocity that let them impose order. They took a direct hand in wiping out the Quincy, whose war on Hollows threatened the balance between living and dead. Only afterward, in the calm that followed, did the group soften and discover a sense of justice rooted in having something worth protecting.

The Gotei 13 shoulders several duties: guarding Seireitei at the center of the realm, sending troops into hostile territory, posting task forces in the living world, and guiding wandering souls home. In practice it rarely operates as one body. Each division is run at its captain's discretion, and only an edict from the Central 46 Chambers or the Captain-Commander can summon a unified front, so the captains may go long stretches without gathering.

Rank is decided by merit rather than seniority. At the top sits the Captain-Commander, beneath whom stand the thirteen captains, each of whom can normally wield the final Bankai stage of their Zanpakutō and hold absolute command over their own division. A candidate may reach captaincy three ways: passing a proficiency test that requires Bankai before witnessing captains, gathering enough captain recommendations and approvals, or defeating a sitting captain in single combat before at least two hundred onlookers. Lieutenants act as executive officers, followed by the seated officers ranked third and below. The force numbers around three thousand across the divisions, recruited through the academy and a further entrance exam.

Yamamoto founded the group and led its 1st Division for a thousand years before Shunsui Kyōraku succeeded him as Captain-Commander. The current captains span every division: Suì-Fēng of the 2nd, Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi of the 3rd, Isane Kotetsu of the 4th, and Shinji Hirako of the 5th.

They continue through Byakuya Kuchiki of the 6th, Tetsuzaemon Iba of the 7th, Lisa Yadōmaru of the 8th, and Kensei Muguruma of the 9th. Rounding out the roster are Tōshirō Hitsugaya of the 10th, Kenpachi Zaraki of the 11th, Mayuri Kurotsuchi of the 12th, and Rukia Kuchiki of the 13th. Each division also carries its own flower insignia and color, from the 1st Division's chrysanthemum standing for truth and innocence to the 13th's snowdrop for hope.