In the story of Bleach, there are hundreds of black-robed Soul Reapers who guide the spirits of the dead to the Soul Society, and the thirteen mighty Captains command them all. A Captain is a powerful fighter, of course, but Captains are also expected to set a good example with their mature personalities, discipline and unshakable conviction in the Soul Reaper way.
Fortunately, all Captains (as of the Soul Society arc) are up to the task, but some of them certainly have more mature and grown-up attitudes than others. The ten most personally mature Captains are thus easy to like and admire as leaders, and they can inspire any Soul Reaper to be more like them.
10 Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya Takes Himself Seriously But Is Still A Kid
The Captain of squad 10 is a child prodigy, Toshiro Hitsugaya. He is Momo Hinamori's childhood friend, and he once served under Captain Isshin Shiba. Now Toshiro is in charge, and he is clearly pressuring himself to succeed despite his youth. For the most part, it's working.
Toshiro takes his duties seriously, but he can't help it if he's a bratty kid on the inside. He acts dignified and mature in most scenes, but if Momo or Rangiku Matsumoto tease him, he's quick to snap back and get flustered. He'll grow out of this eventually.
9 Captain Shunsui Kyoraku Keeps Goofing Off
The leader of squad 8 is the laid-back Captain Shunsui Kyoraku, a jovial fellow who would much rather chill out with good friends and sip sake than fight. His showy antics and annoying teasing bother his Lieutenant, Nanao Ise, but she does trust him to get the job done, and for good reason.
Shunsui may be a goofball, but when duty calls, he will fight with all he's got, which is saying a lot. He clashed with Coyote Starrk in the fake Karakura Town, and insisted that they must fight. No more games.
8 Aizen Is Disciplined & Calm, But Also Deeply Arrogant
Most Soul Reaper Captains set a good example of personal maturity and dignity, though they sometimes have a personality flaw that holds them back. Captain Sosuke Aizen of squad 5 is a mature and refined man for the most part, but his extreme hubris and arrogance are practically childlike.
Aizen is convinced that he alone can become the next king who rules on the heavenly throne, and he is grossly overstepping his bounds with this ambition. A more mature, humble man would refrain from even dreaming of such things.
7 Captain Soi Fon Has A Short Temper & Takes Things Personally
Captain Soi Fon (also spelled Sui-Feng) commands squad 2, which is the assassination squad of the Gotei 13. Soi Fon received extensive training from the legendary Yoruichi Shihoin herself, and Soi Fon is determined to serve as a consummate professional and never let her emotions get in the way. She mostly succeeds.
Soi Fon knows her duty and acts with mature dignity, but she also has a rather short temper at times, and is quick to heatedly blame others for failure. She also took it personally when Yoruichi vanished, and when Yoruichi returned, Soi Fon attacked her rather than trying to talk things out.
6 Kaname Tosen Loves Justice But Gets Carried Away Sometimes
Soul Reapers are bound by justice and law to slay monstrous Hollows and guard the spirits of the dead, and Captain Kaname Tosen has his own code of justice on top of all that. He doesn't often go into detail about what true justice is, but he suggests that minimal bloodshed is involved. That's a mature viewpoint to have.
Kaname Tosen is a rather mature and collected Captain as a whole, though he gets carried away from time to time, such as when he got angry at Grimmjow Jeagerjaques and rashly wanted to execute him. Tosen also got too full of himself when he acquired Hollow powers during his final fight.
5 Captain Byakuya Kuchiki Is Disciplined But Sometimes Acts Rashly
In most regards, Captain Byakuya Kuchiki is a model leader, and he is even a nobleman, being the head of the prestigious Kuchiki family. He values honor and Soul Reaper law above all else, which put him at odds with the hero Ichigo Kurosaki during the Soul Society arc.
From time to time, though, Byakuya's cool, mature façade gives way to his aggressive "deliver justice with my own hands" side. He sometimes acts rashly or in anger, but later, he cooled off and became the perfect big brother for Rukia Kuchiki.
4 Captain Jushiro Ukitake Is Polite, Kind & Capable Of Self-Sacrifice
Captain Jushiro Ukitake is another model Soul Reaper Captain, and he's not high-strung like Byakuya is. Ukitake leads squad 13, though he is often bedridden with illness. He takes this in stride, though, and always seems cheerful and relaxed.
Only a truly mature and kind person could act like that for so long, and Ukitake is confident without being stubbornly proud or arrogant at all. Later, during the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, he gave his own life to help save the Soul King from Yhwach's wrath.
3 Captain Retsu Unohana Was Like Everyone's Doting Mom
Not all squads are dedicated to combat. Squad 4 is the medical brigade, and the Captain in charge is Retsu Unohana. She is patient, kind and highly responsible, and everyone in squad 4 looks up to her, most of all her Lieutenant, Isane Kotetsu.
It's true that Unohana had once been a thuggish criminal named Yachiru, but otherwise, she is the very image of a mature, sophisticated Captain who sets a great example for all the rest. She also enjoys teatime and flower arrangement ceremonies, among other refined arts.
2 Captain-General Yamamoto Has Earned His Rank
The leader of all Soul Reapers is the elderly Captain-General Yamamoto, who in fact created the Gotei 13 himself more than a thousand years ago. He was once a more thuggish fellow, but those days are behind him, and he is ashamed of how brutal he had once been. Age has certainly cooled him down.
Yamamoto is the ideal leader, being disciplined, polite, stern, wise and protective of all things that make the Soul Society run. He took responsibility for Yhwach's rampage and faced Yhwach (actually an imposter) himself, and ultimately died at the hands of the real Yhwach. The only tiny strike against him is that he was too proud for Orihime Inoue to restore his lost arm.
1 Captain Sajin Komamura Repays All His Debts
Although the wolf-headed Captain Sajin Komamura isn't exactly the strongest Captain, he sets an outstanding example personality-wise. He owes his life to Yamamoto, who gave him a job and a place where he belongs, and Sajin is ready to give his life for Yamamoto's sake at any time.
Sajin is polite, confident and protective, like a true leader, and he is ready to assume any risk for the sake of the mission, especially if it's for his friends. He seeks to uphold true justice, and he will sacrifice his very heart to fight enemies such as the mighty Sternritter. More Soul Reapers could stand to follow his example.