Tite Kubo's hit animated series Bleach is a Shonen anime starring Ichigo Kurosaki, a high school student turned Soul Reaper. His ordinary life is turned upside down when he meets Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper assigned to his hometown, and he soon meets a few more, notably Byakuya Kuchiki and Renji Abarai.
So, what is there to know about Renji? This red-headed Soul Reaper is Byakuya's Lieutenant, and his shikai and bankai elongate his zanpakuto into a multi-segmented, far-reaching melee weapon. He began the series as Ichigo's enemy, but before long, the both of them teamed up to rescue Rukia, then take down Sosuke Aizen (alongside Uryu and others). It's not Bleach without Renji, so let's review ten facts that make him who he is.
10 He's Like Ikkaku
Renji and Ikkaku aren't just similar; they are friends. Often, they spar to keep each other sharp, and once upon a time, Renji approached Ikakku for a little extra training. And boy, did he learn a thing or two.
What is more, both men greatly admire their respective Captains, while also aspiring to rival and defeat those Captains to become the strongest someday. Also, both of them rank among the few non-Captain characters who can use Bankai, along with Ichigo.
9 He Introduced Shikai
See that? This is Zabimaru, Renji's shikai, or the first stage of a zanpakuto's release. Once Renji says "Roar, Zabimaru!", this sword elongates and has many bladed sections that can act like a whip. Renji can easily use it to take on foes like the Exequias (pictured).
Zabimaru also has the honor of being the first shikai ever shown in the series, when Renji used it to challenge Ichigo late in the anime's first season. Ichigo had already met Rukia, sure, but she was in no condition to use Sode no Shirayuki (her shikai). Instead, it was Renji who gave us our shikai debut.
8 He Has Loose Kido Control
A Soul Reaper relies heavily on his or her zanpakuto in combat, especially when they can call upon shikai or even bankai. But don't forget kido, the magic system among Soul Reapers. Some kido spells are meant for restraining enemies or healing allies, and some are destructive.
Rukia, Kisuke Urahara, and Byakuya rank among the most proficient kido users we've seen so far, and while Renji can use them too, he's second-rate. His firepower is decent (just as Szayelaporro), but he can't control them very well. In fact, his academy instructors fussed at him for his sloppy kido use. It still comes in handy once in a while, though.
7 He's A Good Battle Partner
We mentioned earlier that Renji became a friend once he and Ichigo agreed that they needed to rescue Rukia, rather than uphold the Soul Society's laws. By the time Aizen outed himself as the villain, Renji was ready to help, and he and Ichigo fought well together. They didn't defeat Aizen, but it does show what a good teammate Renji makes.
Renji shows us this aptitude a second time against the aforementioned Szayelaporro Grantz. Once Uryu joined the battle, he and Renji played to their strengths and dealt a serious blow to their Espada enemy. Once again, this didn't win the day for Renji, but he came close.
6 He's Like Ichigo
These guys really think alike, don't they? Renji didn't like it when Uryu openly compared him to Ichigo, but it's easy to see what Uryu was getting at. Both of them care deeply for Rukia, and they defied Captain Kuchiki to save her life.
They are both headstrong as well, and if they can't think their way out of a situation, then they will use brute force. For example, Renji countered Szayelaporro's clone army by activating bankai, forcing his clones to do the same. All of this bulky bankai in one room blew the whole structure apart, giving Renji's side an edge.
5 He's Sentimental
Renji felt a bit self-conscious about it, but we thought it was a pretty cool scene, and it shows what a fine friend Renji is. Once Ichigo's five-person group stepped into Las Noches, they realized that they had to go their separate ways to cover more ground.
To boost everyone's spirits and steel their resolve, Renji offered a sort of battle chant, and everyone put their hands together, as shown. This little psychological edge helped him and his friends get through some tough situations, let us tell you that.
4 His Close Relationship To Zabimaru
What's up with that baboon with a snake for a tail? You're looking at the manifestation of Zabimaru, Renji's zanpakuto. Once Renji lost to Ichigo, he re-assessed his relationship to his weapon.
Strictly speaking, zanpakuto can think for themselves, and they are really more like battle partners. This held back Kenpachi for the longest time, given how he didn't even know Nozarashi's name, but Renji and Zabimaru are close. Later, when fighting the Sternritter, Renji unlocked the next level of his zanpakuto through their close partnership, and this helped him take down a scarily powerful Sternritter.
3 His Love Of Sports
We never really saw this part of Renji, but it's a confirmed fact about his character. Not only is Renji a fine Soul Reaper and a tough guy, but he likes sports, too. Sports are a fine way to get some exercise and show your competitive spirit.
Renji, for his part, formed a five-man futsal team. For those unfamiliar with it, futsal is an indoor variant of soccer on a smaller field, and players need to emphasize creativity, technique, and improvisation to get ahead. Not a bad choice, Renji.
2 His Squad Rotation
We know Renji as a member of Squad 6, serving under Captain Byakuya Kuchiki. But he didn't start there. Upon graduating from the academy, he was assigned to Captain Aizen's Squad 5, along with Momo and Izuru.
Why? Aizen thought that these three youths were troublesome, and he kept them close so he could monitor them. Later, though, Renji transferred to the hard-hitting Squad 11, and he got some forehead tattoos there. From there, he finally moved on to his current position in Squad 6.
1 He Has A Column
Many of the Lieutenants and Captains are not only fighters, but they are also journalists. This is a fun way to spend some free time, and they can share their ideas and opinions in the Seireitei communication newspaper.
Renji's own column is known as "Let's Do Shikai," and in it, he explains battle strategy for any reader who wants to learn more. After all the extra time and effort Renji has put into his skills, it's only natural that he wants to share it, and help others catch up to him. His column gets plenty of readership, too.