Bankotsu is the young and charismatic leader of the Band of Seven, a notorious group of mercenaries from the anime Inuyasha. He is easily recognized by his youthful appearance, which belies his deadly reputation. Bankotsu has long black hair tied into a distinctive braid that extends down his back, dark blue sharp eyes, and a tanned complexion. He bears a unique facial marking on his forehead, which in his case symbolizes youth. His battle attire consists of a white haori and hakama, black arm and leg protectors, and a suit of armor with a pattern resembling blue ferns, all fastened with a long orange cord. His constant companion is his massive halberd, Banryu, an enormous weapon so heavy that it took three ordinary men to carry it, yet Bankotsu wields it with ease, often resting it on his right shoulder.

The background of Bankotsu is that he was the leader of the seven deadly mercenaries known as the Shichinintai a decade before the main story. Their reputation for carrying out massacres and killing anyone in their path, including innocent people, made them feared throughout feudal Japan. This brutality led the feudal lords to unite and ambush the band, resulting in their capture and execution. Years later, a weakened Naraku resurrects Bankotsu and his six comrades using shards of the Shikon Jewel, tasking them with eliminating his enemies, including Inuyasha and his group.

In terms of personality, Bankotsu is a complex figure. He carries himself with an air of confidence and appears carefree and laid back in moments of rest, often drinking sake with his comrades. However, this exterior masks an authoritative, proud, and extremely cruel nature when engaged in battle. He is a mercenary to his core and makes no apologies for his love of fighting and killing, stating he does not need a reason to kill and that he has always been that way. Despite his bloodthirsty tendencies, he holds a strong moral code among his own men; he deeply values loyalty and friendship, despises betrayal, and is fiercely protective of his companions, viewing them as a family. This is demonstrated when he seeks vengeance for their deaths and when he confronts a fellow member for murdering another comrade to steal a jewel shard. He also looks down on those who abuse the weak, showing a lack of interest in fighting those who cannot defend themselves.

Bankotsu's primary motivation is his own enjoyment of battle and his desire to live life to the fullest as a warrior. He does not concern himself with abstract concepts like an afterlife, believing that once a person is dead, everything is over, so one should do as they please while alive. His role in the story is as a major antagonist, serving as a powerful direct opponent for Inuyasha. He is the strongest of the Band of Seven and often acts as their main combatant against the protagonist.

Key relationships define much of his character. His most significant bond is with his fellow mercenaries, particularly Jakotsu, whom he trusts completely. He views the entire band as his brothers and expects unwavering loyalty in return. This makes the eventual betrayal by another member, Renkotsu, a profound violation that Bankotsu punishes with lethal force. His relationship with Naraku is purely transactional; he accepts the demon's offer for a second chance at life in exchange for his services as a warrior, but he does not trust Naraku and maintains his own agenda.

Throughout his resurrection arc, Bankotsu shows little development in terms of changing his nature, but the story does reveal deeper layers of his philosophy. He becomes increasingly determined to prove his strength, culminating in a final, desperate battle. His development is more about the tragedy of his position; he is a character who lives entirely for combat and camaraderie in the present, with his eventual downfall brought about by his own overwhelming power and the machinations of Naraku.

Bankotsu possesses a range of notable abilities that make him a formidable foe. Even without the enhancement of the Shikon Jewel shards, his physical prowess was inhuman, allowing him to single-handedly defeat entire battalions of soldiers. The jewel shards amplify his strength, speed, and durability to supernatural levels, enabling him to match Inuyasha in combat. He is a master warrior and swordsman, displaying refined skill with his halberd as well as in hand-to-hand combat. His primary weapon, Banryu, is not only a massive blade but also a conduit for powerful energy attacks. His techniques include the Banryuusen, an attack similar to Inuyasha's Wind Scar but with a purple energy; the Ryuuraisen, an anime-only technique that summons and manipulates a storm of lightning bolts; and powerful heat blasts. His ultimate attack, which leads to his demise, is a massive sphere of fiery, hate-fueled energy formed by combining his own power with the two jewel shards embedded in Banryu. This attack is so powerful that it is ultimately turned against him by Inuyasha's Bakuryuha technique.