Renji Abarai

Renji Abarai is a male anime and manga character who features in Bleach.

Biography

Origin

Lieutenant Renji Abarai in Bleach v1 #11.

Renji Abarai (Japanese: 阿散井 恋次, Hepburn: Abarai Renji) was a male human soul who came to reside in the Soul Society where he grew up in the 78th District of Rukongai. He came to be in the Soul Society alone alongside several other children where they helped one another in search for their families. One day, Renji came to steal a jug of water where he along with his friends were being chased by an adult wielding a kama. The man was only stopped by Rukia Kuchiki who trapped the adult where she told Renji and his friends to follow her so that they would not lose the water. It was from that point on that Rukia joined their group who lived together as a family with them all hating living in the Inuzuri area and the people that resided in it. The group had long hated Inuzuri and the people that lived there but had no options but to stay in that region. Around this time, Renji was shown to had disliked the fact that Rukia had spritual power like him. Ten years later, most of his friends had died except for Rukia who proposed that the two of them become shinigami with Renji agreeing to this goal. The two were quite gifted with spiritual power allowing them to enter the Shin'ō Academy with ease but came to struggle to prove their worth among those from the noble families. New students of the Academy later were to take part in the welcoming ceremony but on the night before the event Renji came to sleep in a tree despite Rukia's advice. The following morning, he came to fall out of the tree and onto a headstone thus startling Izuru Kira who had been praying at the time. Later on, Renji came to gain high grades during the entrance exam where he was admitted into the top class alongside Izuru Kira and Momo Hinamori.

Two months later, Renji came to note that Rukia was still not fitting in amongst the shinigami and scolded her for it. He later travelled to the world of the living for field training as he looked to practice performing the Konsō for the first time. Shūhei Hisagi, Hotaru Kanisawa, and Aoga came to brief him on the field trip with Renji failed to recognise the former who was leading the mission. Izuru explained to Abarai that Hisagi was famous and a gifted student whereupon Renji was assigned to the same group as Izuru and Momo. He would later kick Izuru for how he greeted Momo saying that he should not show his emotions so easily. Later on, they were in the world of the living where Renji came to find the to be much Konsō lot easier than he had imagined though he would end up losing his temper with Izuru for constantly fidgeting and punching his teammate. Shūhei would call an end to the field trip at which point their group came under attack from a large Hollow that killed Kanisawa and seriously wounded Aoga. In response, Shūhei ordered the group to retreat while he stayed to fight the Hollow but then a second Hollow emerged which Momo managed to stop though they came to be outnumbered by even more enemies. They were only saved by the arrival of Captain Sōsuke Aizen and his lieutenant Gin Ichimaru where the pair dispatched the Hollows

Soul Society

Abarai and his captain Byakuya Kuchiki were both then sent to the world of the living in order to find Rukia Kuchiki and bring her back to the Soul Society. They came to find her and prepare to return her home when Ichigo Kurosaki arrived to save her. He possessed the powers of a shinigami that he gained from Rukia which allowed him to fight spiritual beings. This saw Renji battling him where they briefly fought and Ichigo gained the upper hand after a sudden release of reiatsu that was actually a random burst of resolve. This forced Captain Byakuya to step in and easily defeat Ichigo who he left alive but badly wounded. Returning to the Sol Society, Rukia came to be imprisoned with Renji periodically visiting her and attempting to keep up her spirits despite her impending execution. In the Sixth Division’s barracks, Renji berates Rikichi for failing to look after the Jigokuchō properly. He then visits Rukia in her cell. He tells her to eat something and becomes annoyed when she makes fun of his new rank. Rukia asks if she is going to be executed. Renji tells her that Byakuya is reporting to the Central 46 and that he will most likely appeal for her sentence to be commuted. Rukia disagrees, saying that he will not ask for leniency, surprising Renji. Byakuya later returns and reveals that Central 46 has decided that Rukia will be executed in 25 days time, stunning Renji. After Byakuya leaves, Rukia tries to cheer Renji up by saying that she is alright, as it only makes her more determined to escape and makes fun of his tattooed eyebrows, angering him. Renji leaves, truly saddened and noting that it is not possible for her to escape and that she will be executed. He wonders if this is truly okay with Captain Kuchiki. When a group of Ryoka arrives in Soul Society, Renji is with Rikichi when he hears an alarm warning them about their arrival. He asks for his Zanpakutō, which Rikichi goes to fetch. Rikichi returns with Zabimaru and urges Renji to take it easy as he rushes off. However, he does not reach the Ryoka in time and only glimpses Captain Ichimaru repelling the Ryoka from the West Gate of Seireitei. Fourteen days before Rukia's scheduled execution, Renji escorted a group of Onmitsukidō guards as they transfer her to the Senzaikyū. Once there, he points out to her that they can see the Sōkyoku, which will be used for her execution, from the windows. The guards thank Renji and begin to leave. Renji stays to tell Rukia that there was an unconfirmed report that five Ryoka invaded Soul Society and that one of them matched Ichigo's description leading to Renji leaving with the guards. As he walks away from the Senzaikyū, Renji wonders when he last saw Rukia's face light up like it had just then. Renji ponders if he should have told her this, as Ichigo would not have stood a chance against Ichimaru. His thoughts are interrupted by Aizen, who asks to speak to him privately. As Aizen looks around the room, he notes that they have not spoken since Renji's transfer to the 11th Division and asks if he is now in the 6th Division. Renji inquires what it is that he wants to talk about. Aizen revealed that he was aware that Rukia and Renji were close friends and asks if he thinks that she really deserves to be executed. He then reveals that there are a number of unusual aspects to her arrest and execution, claiming that there is a conspiracy. Shocked, Renji asks what he means, but they are interrupted when Aizen was called to an emergency captains' meeting.

Later, Renji receives an order to put on his lieutenant’s armband and attend a meeting of the lieutenants. He complains about this to fellow lieutenant, Tetsuzaemon Iba. Along with Momo, they are the first to arrive at the waiting room. When Rangiku Matsumoto arrives, Renji asks Iba who her captain is. Hearing that it is Tōshirō Hitsugaya, he remarks that he is a child genius and that it is bad. Momo asks him if he has seen Captain Aizen, which he denies. He tells Momo not to worry about him, saying that the meeting is probably not a big deal and that everything will be alright while asking himself what Aizen is up to. That night, Renji and the other lieutenants are shocked to hear an alarm announcing that there are intruders inside Seireitei. Several hours later, after no intruders were found, Renji and Byakuya witness the Ryoka enter Seireitei from the sky. Yasochika Iemura announces to the gathering of the lieutenants the extent of the casualties inflicted by the Ryoka. Upon hearing that two of the Ryoka have taken a hostage and are heading towards the center of Seireitei, Renji quietly leaves the assembly. He leaves his lieutenant's armband in his office and heads out alone. He finds Ichigo and compliments him on surviving Byakuya's attack. As the two begin to fight, Renji asks him how he intends to save Rukia, questioning how he can be so confident about being able to save her. Renji unleashes his Shikai and knocks Ichigo back, informing him that his power is five times greater without the limiter placed on his powers when he was in the Human World and continues to attack Ichigo, blaming him for Rukia's troubles. As Renji becomes annoyed with Ichigo's insistence that he will save Rukia, Ichigo tries to exploit the gaps between Renji's continuous attacks in order to fight back, but Renji dodges his attack and strikes him. Ichigo barely dodges Renji's finishing blow, and grabs Zabimaru. He tells Renji that he is sorry for keeping him waiting as his Reiatsu begins to increase dramatically. Renji is hit by a point-blank unnamed Getsuga Tenshō which breaks Zabimaru and badly injures him. Renji, wondering what happened and how he lost, grabs Ichigo and admits that getting Rukia back is an impossible dream for him. He also admits that not only was he wrong for blaming Ichigo but also that the one he truly blames for Rukia's impending death sentence was himself for inadvertently pushing her towards that path because he was too focused on her happiness of getting a real family. He begs Ichigo to save her instead. Renji falls unconscious and is found by Izuru and a small group of Shinigami, who concentrate on saving him rather than chasing the Ryoka. They bring him to a safe area, where Momo is shocked at his condition. She recommends contacting the Fourth Division to have him healed, but Byakuya tells them not to bother, but to throw him into jail instead. Captain Ichimaru, however, tells them that he will contact the Fourth Division for them. A restrained Renji is treated by a Fourth Division member while in his cell.

Overview

Personality and attributes

In appearance, Renji Abarai was a male human soul who had brown eyes and long crimson hair that he usually kept in a high ponytail.

Renji was driven by the need to prove himself as a shinigami in order to match Rukia's new social standing as a member of the Kuchiki family and to be acknowledged by Rukia's adoptive brother Byakuya. This led to him being determined to surpass his captain Byakuya Kuchiki and it was this determination that drove Renji to become stronger.

Yasutora Sado compared Renji's fighting style to that of Ichigo Kurosaki.

He later came to marry Rukia Kuchiki (朽木 ルキア, Kuchiki Rukia) where the two had a daughter together named Ichika Abarai (阿散井 苺花, Abarai Ichika).

Powers and abilities

Renji Abarai was a soul that resided in the afterlife of the Soul Society where he had the ability to channel and manipulate his spiritual pressure.

He came to be skilled in the Shunpo (瞬歩, Flash Steps) movement technique that allowed him to move faster than the eye could follow.

At the Shin'ō Academy, Renji was shown to had possessed poor skill in Kidō.

A skilled swordsmen, he came to be trained by the 3rd Seat of the 11th Division Ikkaku Madarame when he was relocated to his division.

As a Shinigami, he came to wield his own Zanpakutō (斬魄刀, Soul-Cutter Sword; Viz "Soul Slayer") that was called Zabimaru (蛇尾丸, Snake Tail) which in its sealed form resembled a typical katana. It had a rectangular bronze tsuba with a jagged design, and a red handle and sheath. He could unleash more of its power by releasing it through his Shikai (始解, Initial Release) by uttering the command Howl (咆えろ, hoero; "Roar" in the English dub). Once done, the blade transformed into an even longer 6-part segmented blade with each segment being wider than the one preceding it from the hilt which remained the same. There were 2 pick-like protrusions on the front and back of each segment with the ones on the front much longer than the ones on the back. Zabimaru's segments could grow in number and almost without limit where each were connected by a stretchable thread. Thus, it acted more like a whip than an actual sword though Renji's swordsmanship allowed him to wield it as a regular blade as well.

Later on, he came to spend an entire year training to fight an opponent of Aizen's strength making him far more powerful than before.

Being a Shinigami, he came to join the ranks of the Gotei 13 (護廷十三隊, Goteijūsantai; lit. "13 Division Imperial Guards"; Viz "Thirteen Court Guard Companies") where at first he rose to the position of 6th Seat of the Eleventh Division (十一番隊, jūichibantai; "Squad 11" in the English Dub). He later was promoted to the position of Lieutenant of the Sixth Division (六番隊, rokubantai; "Squad 6" in the English Dub).

Notes

• Renji Abarai was created by Tite Kubo and featured in the setting of the Bleach universe.

In other media

Television

• In Bleach, Renji Abarai appeared in the setting of the anime television series where he was voiced by Japanese actor Kentarō Itō whilst Reiko Kiuchi voiced him as a child whilst in the English dub Wally Wingert whilst Yuri Lowenthal voiced him as a child.

Appearances

• Bleach:

External Links

• Bleach Wiki Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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