Ganju Shiba

Ganju Shiba (志波 岩鷲, Shiba Ganju) is a resident of Rukongai in Soul Society. He is a member of the former noble Shiba Clan. He also has an older Brother,and Sister.

Background
Not much is known about Ganju's history, except that he was very loyal to his elder brother. One night, during a mission in hunting a Hollow, Kaien was killed, but not by the Hollow. Rukia Kuchiki brought Kaien's body back to the Shiba household and admitted to being Kaien's killer, which would eventually spawn Ganju's hatred towards the Shinigami.

Because of his brother's death at the hands of Rukia Kuchiki when he was still young, Ganju holds a grudge against all Shinigami. It is implied that after Kaien and his wife Miyako's death, the Shiba clan lost its status as one of the Noble Clans (which include the Kuchiki and Shihōin clans). There now remain only four Noble Clans, as the Shiba had been the fifth. Ganju eventually started his own gang in the Rukongai; however, he was still living with his older sister, and has assisted her on some occasions.

Personality
Ganju possesses a hot temper, a strong ego and a deep hatred for Shinigami. This grudge is slow to dissipate even after he learns the truth of the incident. Though he always acts tough, he has shown that he also has a softer side, easily being cowed by his older sister Kūkaku, (although he does show the ability to stand up to her) and later develops an understanding to Ichigo Kurosaki with a relationship similar to what Ichigo has with  Renji Abarai. He is noted to be rather unattractive and rather than deny this opinion, he tends to talk around the subject, especially when Yumichika Ayasegawa makes note of it. Ganju has been shown to be forgetful, like when he was sent to the World of the Living by his sister to collect information on the situation with the Bount, he was quickly and easily side tracked when he got a job as a convenient store clerk for the convenience store Hanatarō was working in, and later just as quickly forgot about the job and had to rush back in the middle of training to work his shift.

Appearance
Ganju is a tall muscular man with chin-length black hair and partially missing left eyebrow. He wears a vest, scarf, bandanna and pair of goggles.

Seventeen months after Sōsuke Aizen's defeat, Ganju's hair has grown messier and longer, extending down to his upper back. He no longer wears his bandanna.

Abilities
Hand-to-Hand Combatant: Short-tempered as Ganju is, he is shown himself an able fighter, able to hold his own against Ichigo during their short fight. His style of fighting is brawling, using lunging power strikes to take his opponent down quickly.[13 ]

Swordsmanship: Though Ganju is not a member of the Shinigami forces, he is part of the Shiba clan and can fight on a level above that of an average Shinigami, but lower than that of the higher ranking seated officers. Ganju's sword skills are limited, so he relies primarily on his arsenal of fireworks, agility, and earth magic.

Enhanced Endurance: During the few fights Ganju was a part of he has demonstrated impressive resilience. Even after several solid hits from Ichigo or slices from Yumichika, he is able to continue fighting effectively. Furthermore, during their confrontation with Zaraki, Ganju was able to retain consciousness (albeit brought down to his knees) by the powerful captain.

High Spiritual Pressure: Being of the Shiba family, Ganju possesses high spiritual pressure, enough to be acknowledged even by someone as Byakuya Kuchiki, albeit he called it weak.

Earth Magic: Ganju's earth magic doesn't seem to operate on the same principal as standard Shinigami Kidō, as it is used without incantation and is unnumbered.

Seppa (石波, Stone Wave): By moving his hand in the same pattern as the trembling current, the sign of the Shiba clan, Ganju can reduce anything he touches to sand. He normally uses this as a delay tactic, blasting through walls in order to run away, but he has demonstrated that it has other potential uses in a fight; such as when he used it to sink Ichigo's Zangetsu into the ground up to the handle, effectively rendering it useless. He can also perform "Seppa" with his feet. He has also shown the ability to project a Stone Wave in order to break the fall of himself and Ichigo upon arriving in Seireitei.

Renkan Seppa Sen (連環石波扇, Stone Wave Fan of Linked Rings): Essentially a larger version of Seppa, this technique reduces all the surfaces around Ganju, not just the part that he touches, to sand.

Fireworks Manipulation: Like his elder sister, Ganju has a knowledge of creating and using fireworks, but he's seen using old-style shakudama (灼玉, scorch ball)-type fireworks in his fighting style.

Senpen Banka (旋遍万花, Enveloping Whirl of Myriad Flowers): Ganju throws several Shakudama (灼玉, Scorch Ball) fireworks at his opponent. This technique can lightly injure an officer-level Shinigami.

Kakaku Shahō Niban: Kagizaki (花鶴射法二倍･拘咲, Crane Flower Archery Twofold Style: Wresting Bloom): A two-part incantation spell for launching and controlling a large firework. The initial spell controls the launch and its direction, then a continuation spell is used to adjust the acceleration and axial position.

Quotes
(To Hanataro Yamada) "Ichigo came all the way to Soul Society to save Kuchiki. He must want to rescue her with his own hands! Yet he has given that mission to us, and stayed back alone. In doing so, he is telling us that rescuing Kuchiki is the top priority no matter the cost! Don't you see? He has entrusted us with the task that he is willing to throw his life away for!! So we have to do everything in our power to rescue her. If we waste valuable time here, then Ichigo's sacrifice becomes meaningless!"

(About Kaien Shiba) "Sorry Aniki... I'll avenge your death next time. This time I blame my sister... because she didn't bring me up to be... a coward who runs away and leaves his friends behind!!"

(To Byakuya Kuchiki after being stabbed) "I don't know how it is with you nobles. But a coward that could be scared away by something like that... does not exist in the Shiba family!!"

Knownable Relatives
Kukaku Shiba (Older Sister)

Kaien Shiba (Older Brother/decreased)

Miyako Shiba (Sister in Law/decreased)

Voice Actors
Japanese : Wataru Takagi

English : Kyle Hebert