Bleach; OMG am I talking about Bleach?

..you know, we've all been going *ajsdlkajfklsjdasja* over the fact the Vaizards weren't a gimmick [thank god, should have always trusted you, Kubo-sensei] and that they are EVEN MORE BADASS than before...

...but I feel that I was forgetting something. Someone. Who I always wondered about but everyone overshadowed in the recent chapters. And now -that we're in the past- I'm wondering if this is a count down to the end of the past arc, or THE END of the series.

And.

WTF IS UP WITH ISSHIN

Come on Kubo-sensei. Lay it on us. I KNOW you won't let me down. You didn't show he was a shinigami [and suspected a captain, wtf was that white shoulder coat for if not?] for nothing!

...and what squad was he in? Pleeeaaaase let me knooooow DX