Rangiku Matsumoto

Appearance & Personality

• Birthday: 29 September
• Hair: Strawberry Blonde
• Eyes: Blue
• Height: 5'8" (172cm)
• Weight: 126 lbs

Rangiku Matsumoto is the most attractive woman in soul society, and she seems unconsciously aware of it. She possesses beautiful strawberry-blond hair and clear innocent eyes. She is also famed amongst shinigami for her overly large endowments: an entrancing pair of massive, voluptuous breasts, which she often uses to her advantage over her male peers. Personality-wise she is probably the most outgoing person in bleach, and is usually the first one to break an uncomfortable silence to raise the spirits of her companions in a tense spot. She has a very unique relationship with her captain Toshiro Hitsugaya, in that he is too young to appreciate her womanly charms, something she often teases him about. He often gets angry at her, but this never lasts for long. In fact the pair often play the role of comedy relief in this regard.

She has a very strange taste in food, and will often sample things that nobody else will touch. She is also a very strong drinker, and can hold her alcohol better than most of her male peers. She often is shown to have many stashes of drink around her home and workplace, with Toshiro Hitsugaya getting angry at her whenever he discovers one of her hidden stashes of bottles. She wears her clothes a little loosely, often revealing her cleavage. She wears a necklace whose significance is unknown, and a pink scarf round her shoulders. In addiction, she wears her vice captains armband tied to her sash, as opposed to her arm.

When it comes to work, she is a slacker. She often is late with paperwork and interrupts her peers who are working, including her captain, Hitsugaya. She often seems self-centered and casually complains about others faults, for example that they are 'working too hard and need to relax', but deep down she is very compassionate. When others are upset, she is usually the first one to offer a caring hug or words, revealing her maternal side.

She is known to be close friends with Izuru Kira, whom she often shares a drink with, and Momo Hinamori whom she tries to comfort over the betrayal of her captain Aizen. Controversially she is also known to be friends with Gin Ichimaru. In fact, she is the only one that he has shown a touch of compassion for, and is the only one to break his care-free facade.

History

Not much is known about her history pre-soul society arc. She is known to have once had her life saved by Gin Ichimaru as a child. This has led her to consider him a close friend, and she is very hurt when he is revealed to be a traitor. When he saved her, Gin asked her when her birthday was. She revealed that she was an orphan, and had always been alone: she did not know the day her birthday was. Gin replied that if that was the case, then her birthday should be celebrated on the day they met: the day she was not alone any more.

Soul Society Arc

Rangiku comes off as a lazy alcoholic in her first appearance. She is apparently always late to the meeting of vice-captains with Toshiro always having to find and wake her from her afternoon naps. Rangiku's demeanor changes once she learns a real threat is upon all Soul Society. Toshiro and Rangiku take it upon themselves to investigate the murder of Captain Aizen. She is forced to restrain Momo after attempting to kill Gin and fights his vice captain Kira. When Toshiro is pit against Gin. Rangiku is forced to side with her captain after Gin attempts to kill Momo. When a message reveals Rukia's execution was going down ahead of schedule. Toshiro and Rangiku go to consult Central 46, a group of nobles and judges that authorize legal matters over all Soul Society. She is horrified that every single member of Central 46 has been slaughtered. Toshiro determines the members had been dead for over a couple of days or even longer. Rangiku and Toshiro wonder who has been making the legal decrees since the arrival of Ichigo and who ordered the capture of Rukia. Kira reveals himself and becomes a suspect in the matter. Rangiku goes to duel with Kira and demands an explanation. The duel turns as Kira reveals his ability to increase the weight of whatever he hits with his Wabisuke. Rangiku doesn't care since her Haineko's ability is to turn into ash and act as microscopic blades. Kira reveals everything and Rangiku departs with Toshiro to help halt the execution of Rukia. They arrive to find Ichigo has saved Rukia and Aizen is preparing to leave with Gin and Tousen. Gin apologizes to Rangiku and was afraid she couldnt follow him to Hueco Mundo. Rangiku is heartbroken and consoled by Kira of all people. She decides to drown her sorrows in liquor with him.

Arrancar Invasion

Rangiku is among the Shinigami sent to help Ichigo protect Karakura from the Arrancar, hollows with the ability of shinigami. Toshiro and Rangiku live with Orihime until it is time to fight. She finds that her and Orihime have a lot in common sharing the same taste in food. Soon Grimmjow arrives with his fraccion to attack anyone with a strong spiritual force. Nakeem Greendina picks Rangiku to face off with. He dominates over Rangiku as her attacks have no effect. This doesn't last as Rangiku and other shinigami have their spiritual seal limitors removed in declaration of war. Nakeem felt he had nothing to fear in Rangiku's power increase. He tells his Sonido would allow him to out maneuver the woman. Rangiku ends it by using Flash Step (aka Shunpo),the Shinigami's method of speed increase to kill Nakeem. Rangiku later joins all the shinigami to face Luppi. She is too weak and nearly killed when Urahara comes to save the day.

Fake Karakura Town

Aizen's plan was revealed and was set to kill all the people of Karakura to create the King's Key. Rangiku stands at the ready with others as Aizen comes with the top three Espada and their fraccion. Rangiku boldly offers to face all three of Harribel's fraccion Mila-Rose, Sunsun,and Apache. Rangiku engages the trio and plays on their emotions. Apache and Mila-Rose fall for it until Sunsun brings them back to the matter at hand. It is too late as Rangiku uses Haineko to create a whirlwind of sharp ash around the trio. Apache breaks free and begins to clash with an exhausted Rangiku. Momo comes to help out and forces Apache to rejoin her comrades. Rangiku is more worried if Momo was still mentally and unstable. Momo wanted Toshiro to save Aizen before the Arrancar Invasion Arc. Rangiku finds that Momo genuinely wants to help her as Toshiro's lieutenant. Rangiku and Momo fight together but Rangiku doesn't forget how Momo keeps mentioning Captain Aizen. Momo injures Mila-Rose and the others to force a resureccion. They unite their powers to severe their left arms to form the monstrous Allon. Rangiku is helpless as once complete Allon is behind her. Momo looks as Rangiku is missing a huge chunk of her right waist. Rangiku and Momo are aided by Kira, Iba, and Shuhei. She is incapacitated for the rest of the arc.

Powers & Abilities

Rangiku Matsumoto is a Shinigami, and therefore possesses the normal powers for their kind: Kidou magic and air walking ability. On the real world they are also able to phase through walls as spirit-beings.

Zanpaktou

Rangiku Matsumoto's Zanpakuto is named Haineko (Ash Cat). Its hand-guard is in the shape of a cats head and the blade is straight and looks to be a Wakazashi (short sword). Haineko is personified as a cat girl and is just as lazy as her owner.

Its special ability is named 'Growl' or properly intoned "Growl, Haineko!". The swords blade crumbles to dust / ash and is becomes a thin cloud that is under the control of Matsumoto. Far from being useless, this cloud is extremely lethal and is able to cut through stone or metal with ease, almost as if it disintegrates anything it touches. It moves extremely fast and she can return it back into the blade of her sword at will. She is also able to form it into the shape of an actual large cat, which she can have attack her opponents as a feline companion.