Shiba, Kaien

志波海燕

Kaien Shiba served as the lieutenant of the 13th Division under Juushiro Ukitake until he was killed by a Hollow, which also took the life of his wife, Miyako Shiba.
Kaien, a man of strong ethics, was admired by many members of the 13th Division. He was outspoken and had a rough disposition, yet his down-to-earth attitude was one of the reasons everyone looked up to him. Kaien treated his fellow division members indiscriminately, regardless of their social standing or rank. Consequently, he was popular among both aristocrats and commoners within his Division.
He was the first person in Seireitei to treat Rukia like an ordinary person after her adoption into the Kuchiki family. Before he arrived, she was met with careful respect to her face while being talked about and criticized behind her back. She was grateful that Kaien treated her as an equal, and it has been hinted that Rukia may have developed romantic feelings for him because of this. She did not pursue him, however, because Kaien was already married to Miyako Shiba, the third seat of the 13th Division.
Kaien believed that one's "heart" was defined by the prospects of fighting and protecting. He firmly supported Captain Ukitake's combat policy, which distinguishes between two types of fighting: 1) The fight to protect life, and 2) The fight to protect honor. Kaien took this further, believing both ultimately amounted to the same thing: "Heart." He believed that every time one connected with another, a little bit of "heart" was born between them. He viewed "heart" not as something internal, but rather as what emerges whenever you think of or remember someone else. He believed that one's "heart" resides in others and remains with comrades even after death. Holding these views, he believed that people should never die alone.
Kaien's favorite food was ohagi, and he liked to take afternoon naps when he could.