Ichibē Hyōsube commands the Royal Guard as the "Monk Who Calls the Real Name," tasked with protecting the Soul King, the royal family, and the Soul King Palace. This large, broad figure possesses a bald head, piercing red eyes, bushy eyebrows, and a long black beard. He wears the standard Shinigami uniform beneath a white haori bearing the Royal Guard emblem, leaving the top open to expose his chest, and accessorizes with large red prayer beads and single-toothed tengu geta. His origins stretch back to the formation of the Three Worlds. He witnessed the Soul King's emergence from the primordial Adnyeus and the severing of the Soul King's limbs. The Soul King personally granted him his title, and he became the first to name all things within Soul Society, coining terms like "Zanpakutō," "Shikai," and "Bankai." He also originated "Shin'uchi" for the Zanpakutō's evolved form, later known as Bankai. Over a millennium ago, he negotiated a non-aggression pact with Yhwach, leader of the Lichtreich Quincy empire: the Quincy could unify if they permitted Shinigami to maintain balance across worlds. During this meeting, Yhwach activated The Almighty, but Ichibē employed the Soul King's Left Arm (later revealed as Pernida Parnkgjas) to seal that power, ensuring The Almighty would only fully manifest upon Yhwach's death. Typically displaying an upbeat, loud demeanor filled with laughter and expressive gestures, Ichibē acts as a mentor. He guided Renji Abarai to discover his Bankai's true name, Sōō Zabimaru, and facilitated growth for Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki. However, he reveals ruthless authority when defending the Soul King and cosmic balance, demanding respect for his status and cursing those who utter his name without permission into muteness. In combat, he patronizes opponents, often smiling while threatening lethal force, profoundly valuing names as the source of power. His combat abilities revolve around name manipulation. His Zanpakutō, Ichimonji, appears as a giant brush sealed. It can sever names (e.g., reducing "arm" to "ar," halving strength) and create boundary seals or conceal vast structures like the Soul King Palace. Its Shikai release command, "Blacken," transforms the brush tip into an ink-emitting blade. Anything coated by this ink loses its name and associated powers, while Ichibē gains immunity to power absorption by controlling all black in existence. His Shikai technique, Futen Taisatsuryō (Slaughterous Mausoleum of Halted Reincarnation), summons gravestones by "stealing a hundred nights from Soul Society’s future," erasing targets so completely they cannot reincarnate. His evolved Zanpakutō form, Shin'uchi, is named Shirafude Ichimonji. This white brush renames targets struck by its ink; renaming Yhwach "Black Ant" reduced him to insect-level strength. Ichibē wields supplementary techniques: Senri Tsūtenshō projects giant hands to blast foes 1,000 ri away, and Ura Hadō: Sannodō — Teppūsatsu, a wind-based Kidō spell, shattered Yhwach’s Blut Vene Anhaben barrier. He can also regenerate from total bodily destruction if someone speaks his name, utilizing their spiritual energy. During the Thousand-Year Blood War, he descended to Soul Society after Genryūsai Yamamoto's death. He oversaw transporting injured Shinigami (including Byakuya Kuchiki and Renji Abarai) and Ichigo Kurosaki to the Royal Palace for training and Bankai restoration. Later confronting Yhwach after the Quincy emperor breached the palace, Ichibē demonstrated tactical brutality: he halved Yhwach’s power via name severing, mocked his dignity, and attempted Futen Taisatsuryō for permanent erasure. When Yhwach activated The Almighty to reverse the renaming and kill him, Ichibē resurrected by compelling Ichigo to speak his name. He then tasked Ichigo with stopping Yhwach, acknowledging his own inability to prevail.