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Tatsuki is a 15 year-old first year student at Karakura High School and the best friend of Inoue Orihime. She made her first appearance in Volume 1, Chapter 2, finding Orihime zoning out over thoughts of Ichigo. "Ne, Orihime, what about him do you like?", Tatsuki asks, "He's cold, his hair is a weird color, he's a brat, he's short-tempered...". Tatsuki is Orihime's knight in shining armor, the one who looks out for her, offers critical but gentle advice, and will fight till she's out cold to protect Orihime from harm.

A confident, strong-willed, athletic girl, Tatsuki holds a black-belt in karate and loves a good fight. When confronted by enemies that she couldn't see clearly, the Hollow that attacked Orihime and Chizuru at school, Tatsuki stilled called out a challenge her opponent. Even after being seriously wounded by the Hollow, Tatsuki refused to give up and fought back with tooth and claw (Volume 5, Chapter 8). She and the school karate team made it to the National Championship tournaments and would undoubtedly have won, if Tatsuki hadn’t had a broken arm; but she still came in second place. Aside from being a good athlete with a thirst for challenge, Tatsuki is apparently also a good artist. Her dream, though, is to be the future champion of women's martial arts.

Tatsuki is also fairly down-to-earth, although surprise answers tend to shock her and launch her into lecturing mode. She's mature in the sense that she's indifferent to childish things, such as Don Kanonji's signature crossed-armed, "Bo ha ha ha!" laugh (Volume 4, Chapter 2). She isn't temper-proof, however. Threats to Orihime's purity, such as Kon and Chizuru, bring out a violent Tatsuki that kicks and punches. When Orihime is truly threatened, though, Tatsuki is dead serious and fights back with no regrets.

Although Tatsuki is a normal human she, has developed spiritual powers by her association with Ichigo. Unlike Orihime and Sado, who came to their powers the same way, she does not become involved with Shinigami and Hollows until much later in the series. This is the arc of "Bleach" that is currently unfolding. Like her friends at the beginning of the story, Tatsuki's relationship with Ichigo will likely propel her into the war between the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo.

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