Nanao Ise

Nanao Ise (伊勢 七緒, Ise Nanao) is the co-lieutenant of the First Division of the Gotei 13, under Captain Shunsui Kyōraku, and Vice-President of the Shinigami Women's Association.

Background
Nanao was notable for being in the 8th Division when she was a little girl, and enjoyed being read to by former Lieutenant Lisa Yadōmaru, something they did regularly each month around the time of the first. Eventually, between the period of time when Lisa was forced to hide alongside the other transformed Visored and the present day, she worked her way up from being Shunsui's subordinate to his lieutenant.[6 ]

Personality
She is a very serious and pragmatic person who often puts up with her captain's silly antics, but like all lieutenants, she is extremely respectful of her captain and follows his instructions without hesitation. She is almost always carrying a heavy book. Nanao is often accosted by her captain, whose teasing takes various forms. Nanao's usual reaction is to scold him or hit him with something, usually a fan. When she is particularly annoyed she takes off her glasses, though her face has never been seen while doing so. Apparently this act is quite frightening, as most people who see it are reduced to gibbering wrecks just by witnessing it.[4 ] Even the sadistic, cold-hearted 12th Division captain, Mayuri Kurotsuchi fell victim to this intimidating spectacle.

In her free time, she likes to go shopping, but even more to read, and often visits the library. She is on good terms with fellow reader Momo Hinamori; she even brought her books during her hospitalization. Nanao also has an article serialization in Seireitei Communication, titled "Please be Moderate", which is very popular, especially among the male readers. Nanao is known to be an excellent calculator, a skill very handy, given that she has to do even most of her captain's paperwork. Her favorite food is sweet bean jelly, and she does not like powdered green tea, a trait which is interestingly shared with her captain.[5 ]

Nanao is the Vice-President of the Shinigami Women's Association, but is usually the one who attempts to maintain and control the meetings due to the juvenile actions and behaviors of President Yachiru Kusajishi. Yet while she attempts to be the main moderator, Yachiru usually has higher say on everything from budget decisions to activities done by the club making any of Nanao's comments or advice worthless. She is also frequently at odds with Shinigami Men's Association leader Tetsuzaemon Iba, of whom she usually forces her superiority and control regarding the influence and power she and the Women's Association have over his association.

Appearance
Nanao is a slim and youthful girl with long black hair normally kept pinned back, with flat bangs that hang to the right side of her face. Nanao also wears a standard Shinigami outfit. She has slightly light blue eyes that have a deep tint of violet and wears glasses with a slight oval shape to them.[3 ] As a child, she had rounder glasses with chin-length hair that framed both sides of her face.

Abilities
Kidō Expert: Nanao is at least skilled enough to perform mid-level spells without incantation. Nanao claims she was appointed to her position as lieutenant solely due to her ability in Kidō. She is skilled enough to easily create intricate and advanced spells like Hakūdan Keppeki within a small amount of time when given the right information.

Shunpo Expert: Nanao is proficient enough in Shunpo to keep up with most lieutenant-level Shinigami.

High Spiritual Power: Being a lieutenant of the Gotei 13, Nanao boasts a high spiritual energy.

Nanao's Zanpakutō takes the form of what appears to be either a wakizashi or tantō, with a rectangular  tsuba  decorated with diamond shapes on its corners and question-mark shapes on its broad sides.[39 ] She keeps it concealed within her sleeve. This is shown just before Shunsui Kyōraku and Jushiro Ukitake's fight with Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, when she reaches in her sleeve only to be overwhelmed by Yamamoto's Reiatsu.

Shikai: Not Yet Revealed

Bankai: Not Yet Achieved

Soul Society Saga
When Yasutora "Chad" Sado makes his way to the Eighth Division’s offices, Nanao is talking to Shunsui Kyōraku, who was teasing her, calling her “Nanao-chan!” which she hates.[7 ] She later spreads flower petals so that Kyōraku can make his grand entrance in front of Sado. But when he starts teasing her and she gets mad at him and dumps the rest on his head.[8 ]

During the fight between Kyōraku and Chad she stays out of the picture, and then receives a message from the Onmitsukidō, informing her of the murder of Sōsuke Aizen. She runs to Kyōraku to tell him, and then as they turn to leave, she notices that Chad, who has been cut by Kyōraku, is not dead. She asks permission to deliver the finishing blow, but Kyōraku says no and instead tells her to take him to the Fourth Division.[9 ]

Much later, during the day of Rukia Kuchiki's execution, she finds Kyōraku at his usual spot sleeping up on a roof. She puts up once again with his teasing as she tries to hurry him to the Sōkyoku Stand. As he asks her what he should do, she tells him that no matter what she thinks or advises, he would still do what he wanted to. “Don’t worry,” she also said, “I will follow you at a safe distance... so that I will not get dragged into anything.”[10 ]

After the failed execution, Nanao follows Kyōraku and Jushiro Ukitake  to the place where they could battle Yamamoto without getting anyone else implicated. She then describes the spiritual pressure that is Yamamoto's, but while trying to take out her Zanpakutō, she is caught in Yamamoto’s stare and is suffocated by his spiritual pressure. Kyōraku breaks the eye contact to save her, and transports her to a safer spot through the use of Shunpo. She then realizes that it is not only difficult to win against Yamamoto even with two captains on their side, but it is near impossible.[11 ] [12 ]

Bounts Saga
She is sent on the behalf of Captains Ukitake and Hitsugaya to request the presence of a sleeping Captain Kyōraku in the archives.[13 ] She is one of the several Gotei 13 captains and lieutenants to gather in a single room, to have a meeting held by Captain Ukitake.[14 ] She, her captain, and Captain Ukitake watch over the reconstruction of part of the Seireitei.[15 ] She informs Yamamoto that Ukitake and Shunsui have found documents from Ran'Tao and that it contains information about the Jōkaishō. She is then ordered by Yamamoto to tell Ukitake to continue searching through the documents.[16 ] She is with her captain and Captain Ukitake when Captain Hitsugaya informs them of the situation and Hitsugaya states that they should be getting new orders from Yamamoto soon. [17 ]

Arrangcar Saga
In a flashback of Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's, Nanao appears beside her captain to help Captain Jushiro Ukitake,Sentaro Kotsubaki, and Kiyone Kotetsu search for clues to Sōsuke Aizen's master plan. She points out there is some data that is unrelated to the Hōgyoku. They then stumble upon information that Aizen is trying to make a copy of the Ōken using Karakura Town.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-17">[18 ]

The New Captain Shunsuke Amagi Saga
Shortly after Shūsuke Amagai is appointed the new 3rd Division captain, Nanao informs Kyōraku that the 3rd Division is holding a party for their new captain. When Kyōraku tells her that sake usually tastes better in mid-day, she responds "I wouldn't know".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-18">[19 ] During the Menos invasion, she claims that it is strongly reminiscent of a trick.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-19">[20 ] Later on, she interrupts her captain and Captain Ukitake and reports that fights between different divisions are breaking out across the Seireitei.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-20">[21 ]

Beast Swords Saga
After Muramasa's defeat, Nanao reports to Kyōraku and Ukitake about the Tōjū. Knowing that only Captain Kurotsuchi can figure out a way to solve this problem, Shunsui sends Nanao with a box of sweets to bribe the scientist to help them. Kurotsuchi initially refuses to help, but Nemu accepts the sweets and apologizes for her captain's lack of interest.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-21">[22 ] Later on, after several items go missing in the Fourth Division compound, she assists in the investigation of the underground sewers. During the journey, she, along with Hanatarō Yamada,Ikkaku Madarame, and his Zanpakutō, Hōzukimaru, run into a powerful squid-like Tōjū and are washed away by the overflowing sewer water caused when Hanatarō triggered a booby trap. Soon after, she meets Hanatarō's Zanpakutō, Hisagomaru. Suddenly, the squid-like Tōjū reappears and attacks the group. After the Tōjū's defeat, Nanao and her search party return above ground, where she is congratulated by her captain.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-22">[23 ]

Later, she is sent by her captain on a mission to defeat another Tōjū along with the much quieter half of Katen Kyōkotsu. She initially finds the girl disturbing to be around, due to her aggressiveness and the way she tortures the Tōjū they were sent to kill. As a result, Nanao uses a Kidō spell on Katen Kyōkotsu while the spirit is battling the Tōjū, but her interference allows the Tōjū to escape. She enlists the help of Rangiku Matsumoto in order to try and get the girl to come out of her shell, but both women fail drastically. Afterwards, she notices that the spirit likes flowers, and thus places one in her hair as a gift. Suddenly, both are ambushed by the Tōjū from before. Before the Tōjū can move in to make the kill, however, they are saved by Captain Shunsui Kyōraku's timely arrival. Later, at a party, Katen Kyōkotsu puts a flower in Nanao's hair, signifying that they are friends. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-23">[24 ]

Gotei 13 Invasion army Saga
In the Human World, Rangiku and Nanao complete their share of the cleansing of the area around Karakura Town. They had been setting up barriers for the past month. Rangiku suggests that they celebrate, prompting Nanao to note that Rangiku has seemed somewhat depressed recently. Rangiku receives an order to return to Soul Society. Nanao opens a Senkaimon and the pair enter the Dangai, noting that while it is the designated path, it is creepy. As Rangiku notices something odd, their Hell Butterflies turn into energy. The following day, Nanao and Rangiku arrive in Seireitei and are brought before Captain Yamamoto. When questioned, they insist that only three hours have passed since Hitsugaya ordered them to return.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-24">[25 ]

Later, Nanao appears with other members of the Gotei 13 in the Human World as they escape the Dangai and fend off Kagerōza Inaba.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-25">[26 ] After fending off Inaba and forcing him to retreat, Nanao joins other members of the Gotei 13 as they hold a meeting in Ichigo's room.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-26">[27 ] A few days later, the Shinigami gather in Ichigo's room once again. Nanao reports that Retsu Unohana has escaped Seireitei, has informed her that the Reigai are very powerful without their limiters and that Captain-Commander Yamamoto's wounds will take time to heal. As they discuss what to do with Nozomi, who wishes to help fight Inaba, Nanao insists that without knowing what her powers are, they cannot put her at risk as Inaba is targeting her.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-27">[28 ] While in the Human World, she assists Captain Unohana in treating the wounded.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-28">[29 ]

The 10 Thousand Year Blood War Saga
While the captains are in a meeting, the lieutenants gather and discuss the situation with the Wandenreich and recent disappearances of Hollows and Rukongai residents. She listens as Izuru deduces that Shinigami were likely involved in the disappearance of the Rukongai denizens.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-29">[30 ] When the Wandenreich attack Seireitei, Nanao notices the assault and rushes outside.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30">[31 ]

Nanao visits Shunsui after the Wandenreich assault and complains that he does not answer her when she knocks on the door. Shunsui states that this may be the last time they meet and apologizes. Shunsui later becomes Captain-Commander and appoints her as his co-lieutenant of the 1st Division along with Genshirō Okikiba when he moves to that Division.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-31">[32 ] She is also present with Shunsui when the Wandenreich invade Soul Society for the second time.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-32">[33 ] Nanao stands close by her captain as he is confronted by Jugram Haschwalth, who is prevented from approaching or attack due to a specialized Kidō barrier, Hakūdan Keppeki. She explains the ability of the barrier, to which Haschwalth acknowledges who she is and her skill in Kidō. He then asks her whether the other captains are capable of this Kidō spell, to which she admits they are not. Haschwalth states that it is unfortunate because if they had been they would have been able to die fighting instead of being executed. She and her captain are then startled by an explosion not far from where they are.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-33">[34 ]

She and her captain then listen to Kisuke Urahara's message regarding Bankai recovery.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-34">[35 ] Later, when Haschwalth draws his sword and states it is his role to tip the balance in favor of the Wandenreich, Shunsui moves in front of Nanao as the wall behind them is destroyed. Revealing he had gradually absorbed the Reishi on his side of the barrier, Haschwalth notes it took him a considerable amount of time to do so and says it is a splendid technique. Asking Haschwalth if she should feel honored, Nanao makes a motion with her hand, causing a wall of hexagons to appear as she reveals she created a new wall while Haschwalth was absorbing Reishi. When Haschwalth notes this wall appears to have been made with a different technique, Nanao confirms this and explains how the wall is comprised of smaller hexagonal plates joined together before asking Haschwalth if it appears to be weaker because it is not a single wall. Haschwalth confirms this before noting the appearance of it being weak is too obvious to be true. As the Sternritter prepares to attack, he receives an order to leave, surprising Nanao.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-35">[36 ]

Video Games
Nanao appears as a playable character in the Bleach: Heat the Soul series from the 3rd to the 7th, where she carries her book with her in battle and can attack with a Reiatsu-enhanced palm at close range, similar to what she tried to use to finish off Sado.

Quotes

 * (To Shunsui Kyoraku) "What is wrong with you, Captain Kyōraku. That Ryoka is still alive. Shall I finish him off?"

Trivia

 * Nanao writes a serialized article in the Seireitei Communication called Please Don't Get Carried Away (大概にしてください, Taigai ni Shi te Kudasai) which is one of the top three most popular columns and is very popular among the male readers. The column resounds with readers' problems and complaints.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-39">[40 ]

Voice Actresses
Japanese : Hitomi Nabatame

English :  Kate Higgins