TAKEHIKO SAITO

Takehiko Saito is the current 5th Division Lieutenant and teacher of Hakuda at the Shin'o Academy. Takehiko is the child of Head Captain Arata Saito and brother of the Kido Corps Officer Yuli Saito, as well as adoptive brother of Captain Chihiro Samejima and adoptive nephew to Lieutenant Gin Okumura.

At 11 years old, he and his twin sister joined the Shin'o Academy, being among the youngest joining the school at the time and joining at the same age as their father. Takehiko was a very competitive child in his Academy years, being extremely easy to get into a fight and have a temper. He would constantly challenge people and usually lost battles he fought, though he often picked battles with people far stronger than him. His most well-known battle was the very short lived fight he had against Vice Commander Tsuki Ruriko in his first year.

Despite his battle losses, it never stopped him from fighting, as he took part in the Marchen Attack and helped take down Beckett, as well as contributed to the battle against the Soul King. Takehiko also spent a few years as a 13th Division Junior Officer, working under the Captain at the time, Seji Midori. Despite this experience, Takehiko chose to join the 5th Division, becoming a seated officer but soon quickly propelling to Lieutenant.

Takehiko is also the owner of a Bakkōtō, an illegal weapon that he bought from Hueco Mundo's. The power he gained with the Bakkōtō corrupted his mind at a time, causing him to secretly join a group called Shadow Kunai, who were planning to assassinate members of the Gotei 13 and bring the system down. Takehiko was tasked with targeting the Head Captain, but eventually turned on the group, helping the Gotei 13 defeat them and arrest all of their key members.

In the current day, Takehiko serves as the 5th Division Lieutenant and lives in Saito house with his partner Keiko Hasegawa and their son, Asahi Saito-Hasegawa.