Renji Abarai

Renji Abarai (阿散井 恋次, Abarai Renji) is the lieutenant of the 6th Division under Captain Byakuya Kuchiki.

Background
Renji grew up in the 78th District of Rukongai, Inuzuri, with several other children. Having come to Soul Society alone, they helped each other to search for their families. One day, after stealing a jug of water, Renji and his friends were chased by a kama-wielding adult. Rukia Kuchiki tripped the adult and urged Renji's group to follow her to avoid losing the water. Rukia joined their group and they lived together as a family. They all hated Inuzuri and the people there. Renji disliked the fact that Rukia had spiritual power like he did. Ten years after Rukia joined their group, with all of their friends dead, Rukia proposed that they become Shinigami, which Renji agreed to do. As they were quite gifted with spiritual powers, they entered the Shin'ō Academy with ease, where they struggled to prove their worth among those from noble families.[9 ] The night before the welcoming ceremony for the new students of the Academy, Renji slept in a tree, against Rukia’s advice. The following morning, he fell out of the tree and landed on a headstone where a startled Izuru Kira had been praying. Having scored among the highest grades in the entrance exam, Renji was admitted into the top class along with Izuru and Momo Hinatori.[10 ]

Personality
Renji is quite dynamic. His personality varies from smug and cocky to disquieted and depressed after a major defeat, but shows himself to be an incredibly serious and determined fighter when confronted with an actual threat. Willing to fight, kill, and die for whatever he believes in, Renji is a dangerous man to those who stand in his way. Yasutora "Chad" Sado compares his fighting style to that of Ichigo Kurosaki.[7 ] Renji is determined to surpass his Captain, and it's this determination that drives Renji to grow stronger. Renji likes taiyaki (a popular fish-shaped pancake usually filled with sweet bean paste), and has a dislike for spicy food.[8 ] Renji also likes futsal, and in his free time works on assembling a team from the 6th Division, with success, more or less. The current members are himself, Rikichi, and the 4th, 8th, 13th, and 20th seated officers.[4 ]

All of Renji's sunglasses are purchased from Seireitei's popular Gin Tonbo store and cost half a year's worth of his pay check. However, every time he wears a pair, they are broken in one way or another.[8 ] On these occasions, he replaces them with a tied white bandana, until he can purchase a new pair of goggles. His dream is to wear a pair that he himself designed at least once.[4 ]

Appearance
Renji has brown eyes and long crimson hair, which is usually kept in a high ponytail. As a child, Renji's hairline was leveled. Later, he styled it in a large widow's-peak. His upper body is covered in tribal tattoos, which have increased over time, starting from his early days as an academy student[2 ] to covering his entire back, much of his chest, his extremities, and even much of his forehead.[3 ] He wears a standard Shinigami outfit, though he usually includes some sort of headgear, usually expensive glasses, or a white headband when he is saving up to purchase some new glasses. Despite being of appropriate rank, Renji does not wear his Division's lieutenant badge. While out of uniform, Renji often wears a white kimono-like type of night clothing, with pink floral patterns on it, and a dark grey sash tied around his waist. It has also been said "that the women within his Division do not mind that he usually walks around in his night clothing."[4 ]

Seventeen months after Aizen's defeat, Renji's hair has grown longer and he wears a maroon colored bandanna covering all of the tattoos on his forehead.[5 ] He also wears long dark straps on each wrist with bandages over his arms.[6 ]

Voice Actresses & Actors
Japanese : Kentaro Ito (Older)

Japanese voice actress : Reiko Kiuchi (Child)

English : Wally Wingert (Older), Yuri Lothenal (Child)