Character Profile: Ikkaku Madarame

Ikkaku is tall and bald, with a habitually cross expression which belies his essentially friendly personality. He is the third seat of eleventh company, meaning that he is the third most powerful soul reaper in that company. His zanpaku-to is named Houzukimaru, and its true form is a three-piece nunchaku which at first glance appears to be a long spear. He often uses this deceptive appearance to his advantage in battle. He also keeps Houzukimaru's hilt filled with a healing ointment, which he uses to stop the bleeding of minor wounds, enabling him to fight for a longer period. His bankai (the ultimate technique of his zanpaku-to) is called Houzukimaru Ryuumon, and its appearance is that of a huge, bladed nunchaku, at least three times Ikkaku's own height.

Ikkaku admires those who are stronger than him, and often ends up befriending people who have defeated him in a fair fight. It was in this way that he came to be friends with Kurosaki Ichigo, and it was also in this way that he came to fight under Captain Zaraki Kenpachi, whom he idolizes. Ikkaku is the only non-captain-class soul reaper to have achieved bankai, but refused the position of captain when Abarai Renji suggested it, saying that it was his one wish to fight and die under Captain Zaraki's command. In fact, he does not want anyone to know that he has achieved bankai, for fear that they might try to make him a captain. The only people who know about it are Renji, and Ikkaku's best friend, fifth seat Ayasegawa Yumichika.

Like most members of eleventh company, Ikkaku takes great joy in fighting, but he also believes strongly in etiquette and fair play. For instance, he believes that it is polite for one to introduce oneself to the opponent before fighting, and becomes offended when an opponent refuses to give their name. Originally, Ikkaku believed that it was better to die than to lose a fight, but Captain Zaraki persuaded him to consider himself lucky every time an opponent allowed him to live, as he could then go on to defeat that person at a later date. He still, however, refuses to walk away from any fight, no matter how disadvantaged he may be, until he literally can no longer move. On the whole, he is not an overly argumentative person, although he does become very angry if someone happens to mention the fact that he has no hair. He also does not get along well with Assistant Captain Kusajishi Yachiru, but is forced to submit to her nevertheless.

Ikkaku is best friends with Yamachika. He challenged Kenpachi, who ended up kicking Ikkaku's butt. Ikkaku later finds out that Kenpachi is now the squad 11 captain, so he goes to the Soul Society and joins squad 11. He now fights under the command of Kenpachi. He later ends up defeating an Arrancar.