Kaien Shiba is the former lieutenant of the 13th Division, under Jūshirō Ukitake, up until his death at the hands of a Hollow that also killed his wife, Miyako Shiba. He was the brother of Kūkaku and Ganju. Kaien had a youthful appearance and was a fairly tall person. He had aqua green eyes and spiky raven black hair. He wore the normal uniform with his lieutenant badge on his left arm as customary. He had a tattoo of the Shiba family crest on his arm. It is stated that Ichigo Kurosaki closely resembles Kaien in appearance. Byakuya Kuchiki has also noted the resemblance. Kaien's siblings, Ganju and Kūkaku, do not remark upon or even openly notice Ichigo's resemblance to Kaien. Kaien, a very ethical man, was adored by many members of the 13th Division. He was outspoken and bore a rough disposition, with a down-to-earth attitude. Kaien treated his fellow company members indiscriminately, regardless of their social standing or rank. Because of this, he was popular among aristocrats and commoners alike within his Division. Kaien loved the Shinigami, never speaking out in hatred against them. He had a strong sense of duty. Kaien believed that one's "heart" was determined based on the prospects of fighting and protecting. He was a firm believer in Captain Ukitake's philosophy on fighting, which consists of two types of combat: the fight to protect life, and the fight to protect honor. Kaien took it a step further and believed that they both ended up being the same thing: "Heart." He believed that every time someone connects with another, a little bit of "heart" is born between them. He thought of "heart" as not something inside an individual, but rather what is born whenever one thinks of or remembers someone else. He believed that one's "heart" exists in others, and that it remains with his or her comrades even after death. Having held such views, he believed that people should never die alone. Kaien's favorite food was ohagi and he liked to take afternoon naps if he could.
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