GENERAL
The Visored (仮面の軍勢 (ヴァイザード), Vaizādo) is a group of Shinigami that have acquired Hollow powers. Following the battle at the Fake Karakura Town, they have become central combatants against Sōsuke Aizen's Espada and Aizen himself.
Overview
The Visored are the antithesis to the Arrancar as Shinigami who have obtained Hollow powers.
Having begun as Shinigami, the Visored appear entirely Human and, barring those times where they are using their powers, are indistinguishable from ordinary Shinigami. To gain access to their Hollow powers, a Visored dons a Hollow mask. This allows them to augment their Shinigami abilities with Hollow powers, as well as giving them access to some of the more generic Hollow abilities. Their spiritual pressure likewise changes into a mix of Hollow and Shinigami. This process of donning one's Hollow mask is referred to as Hollowfication.
Visored have been shown to be former captain and lieutenant level Shinigami. They are considered criminals by the Soul Society for committing the ultimate taboo of acquiring Hollow powers; their status as former leaders of Soul Society also marks them as traitors.
During their introduction, they are viewed as reclusive and are thought to have loyalty only to themselves, for it was unknown what role they would take in the upcoming battle in the fake Karakura Town. However, they are still considered to be valuable allies in the war against Sōsuke Aizen's army of Arrancar, according to Kisuke Urahara. The Visored haven't shown any sort of hierarchy, preferring a loose-knit organization.
Their intentions are finally revealed when they arrive at the Battle of the Fake Karakura Town. Even after the events that made them outlaws by Soul Society 100 years ago, the Visored bear no ill will toward the Gotei 13, but they prefer not to consider themselves allies of the former organization they belonged to either. Instead, they expressively confirm themselves enemies of Aizen, and by extension, the Espada, and state that they are allies of Ichigo Kurosaki.
History Turn Back the Pendulum arc
Around 100 years before the current storyline, people in Soul Society started to disappear, but more than simple death, there were no bodies found; only the victims' clothes remained. The situation caused a great uproar in the Gotei 13 as investigative groups were sent out and not heard from again. Due to this, the 9th Division's command structure took it upon themselves to investigate the situation: Kensei Muguruma, then-captain of the Ninth Division, Mashiro Kuna, his lieutenant at the time, and their subordinates (comprising the 3rd to 6th Seats). They were all mysteriously cut down by a then-unknown assailant that succeeded in taking them all by surprise using some unknown method.
When their Reiatsu disappeared in a manner similar to the previous disappearances, the Gotei 13 became worried and sent out a new investigation team personally hand picked by Captain-Commander Yamamoto to see what had happened. Captains Shinji Hirako of the 5th Division, Love Aikawa of the 7th Division and Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi of the 3rd Division, along with the Kidō Corps' lieutenant Hachigen Ushōda and Kyōraku's lieutenant Lisa Yadōmaru, all set out to find the missing Shinigami.[9]Urahara's lieutenant, Hiyori Sarugaki was already on her way to collect samples of the disappearance site per Urahara's request.
When the group finally arrived they found Hiyori and then themselves under attack by a Hollowfied Kensei and Mashiro. Even while working as a team they were overpowered by the brutal attacks from the former fellow Shinigami. When Hachi arrived, he bound Mashiro and Kensei using Kidō. Hiyori, now being held by Shinji, begins to succumb to the Hollowfication process and attacks Shinji without warning. The others were then surrounded by a pitch black darkness that also rendered them unable to sense each other, where they were systematically cut down. After the darkness is lifted Shinji is the only one still conscious to see that it was all Kaname Tōsen, Kensei's 6th Seat, using his Bankai against them.
