Kimiko Kōtaku

Kimiko Kōtaku (光沢后子, "Shiny Queen") is a Sōzōshin/ hybrid and the commanding officer of the Royal Guard. Her specialisation is. She is known as "the Gestalt Queen" (形状后妃, Keijōkōhi).

Appearance
Kimiko is a youthful-looking woman of average height with a slender and superbly toned physique. Her face is diamond-shaped and exhibits somewhat sharp and solemn features, with high cheekbones and a small aquline nose. Furthermore, she has medium complexion. Her straight light blond hair is styled in a pixie cut, her eyebrows thin and eyelashes long. The colour of her eyes is emerald.

She wears a regal indigo kimono adorned with lavender flower motifs and a dark pink sash. She has the haori of the Royal Guard draped over it. Additionally, she wears ordinary white ' and '.

Personality
Unusually cool and collected, Kōtaku is a rather stern person. Distant and dignified, she is not one to approach others in a friendly manner, an ally or not. That callous attitude may be off-putting at first, though she acts with prominent composure and is actually quite a reasonable person. Deep down, she sincerely cares about her colleagues and duties. However, she habitually conceals that with a harsh or unemotional façade most of the time. More than that, she is a ruthless, uncompromising warrior who exhibits unwavering determination in combat. Kimiko often fights in a state of tranquil fury with precision and conviction that is as methodical as it is merciless. She is not one to spare her enemies and requires a solid reason to do so.

She treats her father, Hikari Maebure, with moderately suppressed hostility and disdain. She does not acknowledge him as her parent and, in fact, currently only Katashi Hamasaki is aware of their blood relationship. Moreover, she displays a great degree of familiarity with Duo Wen Tian and is completely unperturbed by her antics. She treats her colleague with atypical lenience.

History
Kimiko Kōtaku is the illegitimate child of Hikari Maebure and Ayako Kōtaku, a half-Sōzōshin female warrior.

Kimiko had been the founding Captain of the Thirteenth Division before she was promoted to the Royal Guard.

Trivia

 * Kimiko was aware of her younger half-brother, Akihiko Maebure, even though he had never learnt of her existence. The author thinks they would have got along with each other if they had had the chance to meet.

The Chiaroscuro Arc

 * Chiaroscuro: Trepidation
 * Chiaroscuro: Complication
 * Chiaroscuro: Aggravation
 * Chiaroscuro: Retribution
 * Chiaroscuro: Conclusion

Bleach: Black Flower

 * Black Flower: Crooked Thorn