Template:Bleach character info

Ikkaku Madarame (斑目 一角, Madarame Ikkaku) is a character in the manga and anime series Bleach. He is the 3rd seat of the 11th Division in Gotei 13. His captain is Kenpachi Zaraki.

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Ikkaku is bald, a fact that is made fun of by many. The 11th Division lieutenant, Yachiru Kusajishi, calls him a cue-ball and pachinko head. He also has distinctive small red patches near his eyes, which were probably painted on.

Despite being ranked as a third seat officer in his division, it has been stated multiple times that he is at lieutenant level. According to Yumichika Ayasegawa, Ikkaku is the 2nd strongest man in the 11th Division. It is unclear whether this explicitly means that he is stronger than any other male in the division (other than Kenpachi), or whether he is the strongest person in the division (stronger than Yachiru).^[1] It was recently revealed that Ikkaku in fact has achieved bankai and is actually at captain level, a fact he intentionally hides from everyone with the exception of Yumichika and Renji Abarai. The reason is that he believes that if others knew they would try to force him into becoming a captain. Ikkaku however wishes to remain under Zaraki's command.

In terms of attitude, Ikkaku is exactly the stereotypical 11th Division member - violent, fight-loving, and rude; this has been noted by Tetsuzaemon Iba, among others. However, he has a sense of loyalty and responsibility unlike many other 11th Division members. Ikkaku is fiercely loyal to Kenpachi, for whom he wants to fight and eventually die.

Ikkaku has many personality traits in common with his division's captain Kenpachi Zaraki, which is why they seem to have so much respect for one another. Ikkaku considers fighting fun, and tries to get as much "fun" as he can out of his opponents, so much that he will take deadly risks to drag out the fight for as long as possible. During a fight with a challenging opponent he has a wide grin on his face not far off of what Zaraki has while fighting Ichigo. He refuses to get assistance in battle even if it means his own death due to his belief that the winner is only determined when the other is dead. However, if he does survive the battle, he considers it good luck. He also considers getting into a fight "good luck", and in his first appearance actually does a "luck-luck" dance because he is so excited to fight Ichigo.

Ikkaku has almost never been referred to by his last name (Madarame), which is rare in Bleach, although possibly more common in the 11th Division. Only Makizō Aramaki and Tōshirō Hitsugaya have called him Madarame so far. As an odd side note, Ikkaku appears to be one of only two Bleach characters who are left handed (the other being Uryū Ishida), seeing as the vizard who was previously thought to be left handed has been seen to be ambidextrous. However, Ikkaku has been known to switch hands as he did versus Edorad.

Not much is known about Ikkaku's history, but it's likely that he has been in the 11th Division since becoming a shinigami.

Like Rukia Kuchiki and Renji Abarai, he came from the Rukongai. At some point, he met Yumichika Ayasegawa and the two became friends. They would later have an encounter with Kenpachi Zaraki and Yachiru Kusajishi before they entered the Seireitei. Zaraki and Ikkaku fought, with Ikkaku losing and nearing death. When he asked Zaraki why he didn't kill him, Zaraki replied that if he killed Ikkaku now, he would never get another opportunity to fight Ikkaku again.

That encounter still remains clear in Ikkaku's memory and he would have no greater honor than another opportunity to fight Zaraki to the death. He had however become so loyal to Zaraki since then that he refused to become a captain because he wished to serve under Zaraki, and possibly fight him again.

It is also likely that Ikkaku was Tetsuzaemon Iba's kōhai (the opposite of senpai), since he calls Tetsuzaemon, 'Iba-san', even when insulting him. Similarly, Ikkaku was Renji Abarai's senpai and taught him how to fight.

During the events of the Soul Society arc, Ikkaku acts as foe and later friend to the main character, Ichigo Kurosaki. By the end of the arc it is clear that the two are friends, however they continue to argue over small things and try to fight each other constantly, in a similar relationship to Ichigo's with Renji Abarai, a close friend of Ikkaku's.

When Ichigo and Ganju Shiba first enter Seireitei, they come across Ikkaku and Yumichika Ayasegawa. Ganju runs away, and Yumichika gives chase, leaving Ichigo and Ikkaku alone to fight. They do so, with Ichigo narrowly winning, though both he and Ikkaku are badly injured. (Ikkaku was cut down his chest, where he now has a lasting scar.) Ikkaku considered himself lucky first at having found an opponent without trying, and then for not being killed in the battle. It is interesting to note that Ikkaku did not activate his Bankai at this point, though he did possess it.

Later on in the arc, he accompanied his Captain to take Ganju, Uryū Ishida, Sado Yasutora and Inoue Orihime to Ichigo, so that the former may fight again with him, and fought with Tetsuzaemon Iba. This 'fight' consisted of the two of them drinking sake in between short, drunken bouts.

After the events of Soul Society, he joined Yumichika, Renji Abarai, Rukia Kuchiki, Tōshirō Hitsugaya and Rangiku Matsumoto on the mission to the Living World.

During Grimmjow Jaggerjack's attack on anyone in the human world with any semblance of spirit power, Ikkaku fought one of the arrancar Grimmjow brought with him, Edorad Leones. Staying true to his personality, Ikkaku takes great delight in the battle. Eventually he defeated Edorad by reluctantly revealing his final release (bankai).

After striking a deal with Keigo Asano, Ikkaku and Yumichika found a place to stay while in the real world. Keigo's sister, Mizuho, also seems to really like Ikkaku.

Currently, The Espada have launched a second attack on the human world, and he and Yumichika Ayasegawa are preparing to fight Rupi. As it stands Yumichika is meant to fight Rupi as Ikkaku doesn't like 2 on 1 fights. Rupi is insistent that not only they both fight, but also Rangiku Matsumoto and Tōshirō Hitsugaya fight him as well. While Hitsugaya was [supposedly] quikcly dealt with, Rupi used his release to trap the other three, including Ikkaku. The fight is currently ongoing.

Ikkaku's zanpakutō is Hōzukimaru (鬼灯丸, lit. demon light/lamp). It is a normal katana, although the hilt of Hōzukimaru is hollow, containing a substance that halts bleeding when applied to a wound.

Its initial release (shikai) looks like a naginata, causing many opponents to believe it to be such, but it is actually a three-section staff (三節棍 sansetsukon); thus a three section naginata. It is triggered by Ikkaku slamming the sheath into the hilt of the katana and saying the word 'Grow!' (延びろ nobiro). In order to split it into a three-section staff, Ikkaku says 'Split!' (裂けろ sakero). The sections can independently reconnect and separate again at will.

Ikkaku has also achieved bankai, the name of which is Ryūmon Hōzukimaru (龍紋鬼灯丸, lit. dragon crest demon lamp). It keeps the three-section theme - one end-section is a one-sided blade with an 'L'-shaped curve; the opposite end is shaped similar to the mouth of a trumpet if you flatten it out: the sides have no blade but the curve at the end does. Both of the end sections have a part that narrows down for a handle, then widens back to its normal size. The middle section is far larger than the other two and consists of a curved blade with a handle across a gap at the bottom, and has a dragon engraved in the middle. Utterly massive, the ease with which Ikkaku wields this monstrous weapon is evidence of his inhuman strength. Ikkaku usually holds one end-piece in each hand and carries the center portion of Hōzukimaru on his shoulders.

This bankai is unusual in that it offers no demon arts (kidō) powers, and doesn't increase Ikkaku's defense or speed; it only increases his power. Once he releases his bankai, the ink on the dragon crest will slowly fill up with crimson dye as Ikkaku's spiritual pressure rises.^[2] When the crest is completely filled in, Ryūmon Hōzukimaru is at its full power.

Ikkaku, along with Renji and Ichigo, are the only shinigami so far who are known to have achieved bankai who have never been captains within the Gotei 13.

• According to Yachiru Kusajishi's profile in volume 13, the wheels on her zanpakutō were put on by Ikkaku, who turns out to be handy with tools, after she continually pestered him to do it.