Birthday: October 27
Height: 183 cm (6'0")
Weight: 68 kg (150 lbs)
Kaien Shiba was lieutenant of the 13th Division under Juushiro Ukitake until his death—killed by a Hollow that also claimed his wife, Miyako Shiba.
Everyone in the 13th Division seemed to respect him, and for good reason. He was straightforward and a bit rough around the edges, but genuinely down-to-earth, and he treated people equally regardless of rank or background. Both aristocrats and commoners in his division felt comfortable around him because he didn't play politics. He was the kind of ethical guy you wanted to follow.
Rukia Kuchiki had it rough after her adoption into that prestigious family—people were careful around her to her face and talked badly about her behind closed doors. Kaien was the first person in the Seireitei to just treat her like a normal person. Fans often note hints that Rukia may have developed romantic feelings for him because of this kindness, though she never pursued anything since he was already married to Miyako, the third seat of the division.
Kaien had a philosophy about what it meant to have "heart." He believed it came down to fighting and protecting, and he expanded on Ukitake's teachings about two types of combat—protecting life and protecting honor—arguing they're really the same thing. To him, "heart" wasn't something inside you; it was what got created whenever you connected with someone, whenever you thought of them or remembered them. It existed in other people, carried on by your comrades even after death. That's why he felt strongly that nobody should ever die alone.
When he wasn't thinking about philosophy, he enjoyed eating ohagi and catching afternoon naps whenever possible.
Content compiled by AnimeList.moe from publicly available sources.
