Chōjirō Sasakibe
Race	Shinigami
Birthday	November 4[1]
Gender	Male
Height	179 cm (5'10½")[2]
Weight	66 kg (146 lbs.)[2]
Professional Status
Previous Affiliation	Gotei 13, Soul Society
Previous Occupation	Lieutenant of the 1st Division
Previous Team	1st Division
Previous Partner	Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto
Base of Operations	None; formerly 1st Division HQ, Seireitei, Soul Society
Zanpakutō
Shikai	Gonryōmaru
Bankai	Unknown
First Appearance
Manga Debut	Volume 10, Chapter 83
Anime Debut	Episode 30
Video Game Debut	Bleach: Soul Carnival 2
Voices
Japanese Voice	Taro Yamaguchi
English Voice	Michael McConnohie

"Man of little words, always standing by the Captain Commander's side in waiting is Lieutenant, Sasakibe Chōjirō. While they are a famous combination that is easily distinguishable, the only difference between them that cannot be reconciled seems to be their food preference..." - Tite Kubo

Chōjirō Tadaoki Sasakibe (雀部 長次郎 忠息, Sasakibe Chōjirō Tadaoki) was the former lieutenant of the 1st Division, under the command of Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto. He had kept this post for at least 110 years.^[3]

Contents 1 Appearance 2 Personality 3 History 4 Plot 4.1 Soul Society arc 4.2 Arrancar arc 4.3 Hueco Mundo arc 4.4 The New Captain Shūsuke Amagai arc (anime only) 4.5 Fake Karakura Town arc 4.6 Zanpakutō Unknown Tales arc (anime only) 4.7 The Thousand-Year Blood War arc 5 Powers & Abilities 5.1 Zanpakutō 6 Trivia 7 References 8 Titles 9 Navigation

AppearanceEdit

Chōjirō has pupil-less eyes, short silver-gray hair and a small black handlebar mustache with lightly tanned skin. He wears a white jinbaori over a standard Shinigami uniform with long white arm guards. He wears a white turtle-neck under his uniform and has his lieutenant armband on his left arm. As a lieutenant approximately 110 years ago, Chōjirō lacked his black mustache.^[4]

PersonalityEdit

Sasakibe is fiercely loyal to his captain, having sworn to serve as his lieutenant for as long as Yamamoto is alive.^[5] During missions to the Human World, Sasakibe saw English society, which had a big impact on him. As such he has a habit of making tea with his own personally grown black tea leaves, sometimes with drastic results, such as blowing up a tower by trying to turn on a boiling machine. His adoration of Western culture is to such degree that he only likes Western cuisine and dislikes Japanese cuisine, this is a noticeable difference between him and his captain, though he represents the Tea Ceremony Club on occasion.^[2] His jinbaori, which he made himself, is also meant to give him a more Western look. He passes his free time by endeavoring to adopt more aspects of Western culture.^[1]

HistoryEdit

According to records, Sasakibe was able to master his Bankai before Jūshirō Ukitake and Shunsui Kyōraku did. He did not participate in battles and did not use his Bankai in front of others in the entire existence of the Gotei 13 and was sometimes insulted because of perceived weakness. He declined to act as a substitute captain when a position as captain became vacant due to his loyalty to Captain-Commander Yamamoto.^[6]

PlotEdit

Soul Society arcEdit

Initially seen attending the lieutenant meeting as Ichigo Kurosaki's group are launched into the Seireitei by Kūkaku Shiba,^[7] Chōjirō accompanies Captain Yamamoto everywhere he goes, including Rukia's execution on Sōkyoku Hill.^[8]

He is directly ordered by Yamamoto to stop Renji Abarai, (along with Isane Kotetsu and Marechiyo Ōmaeda), after he runs off with Rukia Kuchiki. However, shortly after the three of them give chase, Ichigo Kurosaki gets in their way. Chōjirō, like his fellow lieutenants, releases his Zanpakutō, but is defeated bare-handed by the Ryoka -- not held back like Isane or crushed with his weapon like Ōmaeda, but rather getting punched in the jaw. Out of the three, he was the only one fast enough to react and attack, though Ichigo easily dodged.^[9]

Arrancar arcEdit

Chōjirō is seen twice in this arc: first behind Yamamoto after calling an assembly due to the appearance of the Grand Fisher Arrancar in Karakura Town, then again assisting his captain in restraining Momo Hinamori after she goes off course on saving Sōsuke Aizen in a conversation with Tōshirō Hitsugaya.^[10][11]

Hueco Mundo arcEdit

Initially seen during the arrival of the Shinigami, he subsequently disappeared once the battles started.^[12]

The New Captain Shūsuke Amagai arc (anime only)Edit

Note: Events occurring in this arc are only in the anime and do not constitute canon material.

Fake Karakura Town arcEdit

When the Visored arrived, Shinji explains that they found Chōjirō outside of the barrier around the Fake Karakura Town and that it was him who had let them through. Chōjirō apologizes to Yamamoto for allowing the Visoreds to enter, saying that he thought it was necessary given the circumstances, but is forgiven before he could finish.^[15] Later, after Aizen's defeat, Chōjirō rushed to the injured Visoreds and Retsu Unohana to warn them that Mayuri Kurotsuchi was about to switch back Karakura Town and its fake counterpart and that they had limited time to get away or else they could be seriously hurt by the transfer.^[16]

Zanpakutō Unknown Tales arc (anime only)Edit

Note: Events occurring in this arc are only in the anime and do not constitute canon material.

The Thousand-Year Blood War arcEdit

Sasakibe and other members of the 1st Division are attacked by assailants unknown to them at one of Seireitei's gates. During this 182 second long battle, 106 members of the 1st Division are killed and Sasakibe sustains mortal wounds.^[18] Sasakibe, with his Shikai active, is propelled across Yamamoto's room with an arrow larger than his body piercing him.^[19] Following the departure of the Vandenreich, he warns Yamamoto that they can do something with Bankai^[20] and then dies.^[18] Sasakibe is later cremated atop a large funeral pyre as Yamamoto and other officers pay their last respects.^[6]

Powers & AbilitiesEdit

Kidō Expert: Chōjirō is shown to be experienced enough in Kidō to open and close large powerful barriers, like the one around the fake Karakura Town.^[15]

Shunpo: Chōjirō is proficient enough in flash steps, appearing behind Shinji Hirako as he talks about the barrier that the Gotei 13 placed in the Fake Karakura Town.^[21][15]

Great Spiritual Power: Being stated as a Shinigami with Captain-level ability, he has a great amount of spiritual power.

ZanpakutōEdit

Gonryōmaru redirects here. For the manifested spirit that appears in the Zanpakutō Unknown Tales arc see Gonryōmaru (spirit).

Gonryōmaru (厳霊丸, Solemn Spirit): In its sealed form, it is an average katana with a ornate double-fanned hand guard and a yellowish-green handle.

• Shikai: Its Shikai command is "Bite" (穿て, ugate; "pierce" in Japanese materials). In its Shikai, Gonryōmaru transforms into a rapier.^[22]

Shikai Special Ability: Unknown

• Bankai: Not Revealed^[6]

Trivia Edit

• In the anime, Chōjirō has pupils, in contrast to his pupil-less eyes in the manga.^[23]

ReferencesEdit

TitlesEdit

Preceded by Unknown

Lieutenant of the 1st Division ? - 2003 (~110yrs)

Succeeded by Incumbent

NavigationEdit

v - e - d Lieutenants
Current Lieutenants by Division
2nd Marechiyo Ōmaeda · 3rd Izuru Kira · 4th Isane Kotetsu · 5th Momo Hinamori · 6th Renji Abarai · 7th Tetsuzaemon Iba · 8th Nanao Ise · 9th Shūhei Hisagi · 10th Rangiku Matsumoto · 11th Yachiru Kusajishi · 12th Nemu Kurotsuchi · 13th Rukia Kuchiki
Former Lieutenants by Division
1st Chōjirō Sasakibe · 2nd Marenoshin Ōmaeda · 3rd Chikane Iba · 4th Seinosuke Yamada · 5th Sōsuke Aizen · Gin Ichimaru · 6th Sōjun Kuchiki · Ginjirō Shirogane · 7th Jin'emon Kotsubaki · 8th Lisa Yadōmaru · 9th Mashiro Kuna · 12th Hiyori Sarugaki · 13th Kaien Shiba · Kidō Corps Hachigen Ushōda