Name : Ichimaru Gin
Birthday : September 10
Height : 185 cm
Weight : 69 kg
Occupation : Former shinigami captain of the 3rd Division
Gin Ichimaru is fairly ordinary in terms of clothing, and doesn't wear any unique items. However, his overall appearance is not so normal: his eyes are constantly slitted, earning him the nickname "foxface"; he is unusually thin, even for a Bleach character (all of whom are thin); and furthermore he bears unusual silver hair (his name refers to his hair color; gin is Japanese for silver). He also keeps a wide smile most of the time, which he has only been known to wipe off on rare occasions. He has also been known to open his eyes only twice, in the flashback when he and Aizen rescued Momo Hinamori and other students from hollows (Episode 46), and during a battle with 10th Division Captain Toushirou Hitsugaya (he also opens them during the ending theme for Episode 27). In the anime his eyes appeared red or brown; however it is disputed whether or not this is canon with regards to the manga since his eyes appear blue on one of the color images.
 Gin, with his eyes open in the animeGin is an outwardly kind person, but because he doesn't display any emotion while speaking combined with his use of sarcasm, he is distrusted by many, notably Toushirou Hitsugaya and Rukia Kuchiki. Rukia once commented on how she felt like snakes were wrapping around her whenever Gin spoke.
He seems to be afraid to die, as exemplified by his sudden change of expression when in danger and an earlier observation Kenpachi Zaraki makes when the two captains are speaking with Byakuya Kuchiki. Possibly for that reason, Gin has allied himself with the traitor Sousuke Aizen and the menos.
It should be noted that in the anime, Gin speaks with a distinct Osaka Dialect, which is also spoken by many rude, clumsy, or rather blunt characters in several other anime series.
After Ichigo Kurosaki defeats the gatekeeper, Jidanbou, in his quest to save Rukia Kuchiki, Jidanbou lifts the gate to give Ichigo and his companions access to the interior portion of Soul Society. Upon opening the gate Ichigo finds Gin Ichimaru waiting for him on the other side. After Gin purposefully fails to kill the intruders, a meeting of the thirteen division captains is called for him to explain his suspicious actions as Ichimaru, as one of the thirteen captains, should have had no trouble destroying them.
 Upon dispersal of the meeting, 10th Division Captain Toushirou Hitsugaya overhears a scripted exchange between 5th Division Captain Sousuke Aizen and Gin, which is meant to further increase his suspicions of Gin's foul play; more specifically, the exchange hints that Gin intends to kill Aizen.
As a result, Hitsugaya later warns Aizen's lieutenant, Momo Hinamori, that Aizen's life might be in danger due to Gin and that Gin's lieutenant Izuru Kira, on good terms with her, might also be tainted. The next day Aizen's impaled body is discovered by Hinamori who immediately suspects Gin is the murderer; his appearance at the crime scene shortly after and carefree attitude despite the seriousness of the situation only seem to confirm this. Hinamori subsequently decides to attack Gin in a rage but is intercepted by his lieutenant. Both Kira and Hinamori are arrested. Hitsugaya threatens to kill Gin if Hinamori should shed even a drop of blood.
After Ichimaru releases Kira from his cell, Hitsugaya becomes suspicous and confronts lieutenant and captain together. He is interrupted by Hinamori, who now thinks that Hitsugaya murdered Aizen, and subsequently tries to kill him. She grips her sword so tightly that her arms become bloody. Hitsugaya acts upon his earlier threat and attacks Gin, releasing his zanpakutou, Hyourinmaru, warning Kira to get out of the way. Gin and Hitsugaya fight and it is during this fight that Gin reveals his eyes and smile-less face for the first time. Upon being trapped by Hitsugaya, he attempts to kill Hinamori as a distraction, but his attack is blocked by Rangiku Matsumoto, who threatens to fight him if he doesn't stop; Ichimaru disappears, possibly not wanting to harm Matsumoto, his childhood friend. Matsumoto remembers that Gin has also disappeared in such a way in the past, leaving her to wonder what he was up to.
 Later, as Rukia is being led to her execution, Gin briefly appears on the bridge to tease her by giving her hope that he would stop the execution if she asked. It is at this point that Rukia mentions her confrontations and fears of him. This serves only to increase suspicions that Gin was the orchestrator of her execution.
When Aizen is revealed to be the mastermind behind the entire conspiracy, Gin is revealed to be nothing more than a subordinate and decoy. When Gin's lieutenant, Kira, who has been acting in accordance with his captain, finds out that Hinamori has been harmed, he feels betrayed.
As Aizen extracts the orb of distortion (hougyoku) from Rukia's body, he instructs Gin to kill her. He releases his zanpakutou, but Byakuya Kuchiki appeares and rescues Rukia, taking the hit from Ichimaru's Shinsou.
Aizen, Gin and Kaname Tousen are then cornered by most of the other lieutenants and captains. Gin is captured by his friend, Matsumoto. The three escape to Hueco Mundo with the help of the Menos Grande and are deemed traitors to Soul Society.
Gin has made his return in chapter 213 of the manga, seen only briefly near the end. He is shown to be jokingly chiding Sousuke Aizen over his habit of playing around with his subordinates. His outfit, like Aizen's and Tousen's, has been modified since the three abandoned Soul Society. He now wears a long, white robe over his normal shinigami hakama. The hilt of his zanpakutou, Shinsou, is visible over the long collar.
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