I was doing a bit of musing today about the lifespans of Bleach characters: specifically, Rukongai citizens and shinigami. We know that it's possible to grow old in Soul Society, since Rukia and Renji both went from kids to adults, and Yamamoto is an old man. However, how long someone can actually live in Soul Society is rather ambiguous, since certain character so less signs of aging than others. For example, Hiyori Sarugaki had the appearance of an early teen (13-14 years old) in the Pendulum flashback arc, but she has almost the exact same appearance 110 years later. By contrast, Nanao Ise was a small child during the flashback chapters, but is a grown woman today. And then we have Yachiru, who's never seemed to mature beyond than five years old.
So what's the deal? Exactly how long does it take for souls to live their natural lifespan?
Well, I Googled the question and was quickly prompted with this forum discussion, in which the topic creator estimates that the average human soul lives about 800 - 900 years old. That sounds pretty good so far, and he also states that shinigami live somewhere around 2000 years. That sounds pretty close to what I estimated, since Yamamoto has been a shinigami for a millennium or two.
However, my ultimate guess is that most characters' lifespans are dependent upon their Reiryoku (spiritual power) level. Rukongai citizens, the bottom of the reiryoku barrel (aside from ordinary mortal beings), live roughly 800 - 900 years, but shinigami tend to twice that time. A bankai-level individual (such as old man Yama) would live between 2000 - 3000 years, if not longer.
Okay, so now we know how long they live, but how do they age? Yamamoto's been old forever, and there's still the Hiyori/Nanao puzzle I posited a while back. Well, it seems to me that shinigami age in a manner similar to trees--that is to say, they mature from childhood to adulthood relatively quickly, but they remain at peak maturation for a long time afterward. Once again, let's look at the Pendulum arc. The characters who were children at the time (Hisagi Shuhei, Akon, and Nanao) have all grown to adulthood within a century, while the characters who were already Adults (Kisuke Urahara, Juushiro Ukitake, Sousuke Aizen) hardly show any signs of aging. But again, part of the problem is that these are bankai-users, so they could be exceptions rather than the rule. Soifon, it seems, was a late teenager during the Pendulum arc, but now she's a fully mature woman.
I can't find a concrete answer to the question, and what we've got to work with is horribly confusing, so I suppose all I can do is give my own estimation. As far as Hiyori/Nanao, I believe the simple answer is the fact that Hiyori became a Vizard during the Pendulum arc, and thus halted all further aging. Like Claudia from Interview with the Vampire, Hiyori seems to be stuck in the body of a child forever, no matter how grown up she actually is. This would also make sense considering that Lilynette states that Arrancar don't age (this also implies that their physical forms don't reflect the souls' actual age). It would make sense that Hollow don't age either, and thus, a shinigami with an inner Hollow (a Vizard) would possess the same effect.
So, what does this mean for Substitute Shini like Ichigo? Who knows. Ichigo breaks all of the rules: he's still mortal, and his shinigami body is separate from his physical body. Therefore, it's possible that his physical body will age while his soul will remain that of a teen forever. (Kind of interesting when you think about it, hm? That would mean that Ichigo would still be a force to be reckoned with even after he's become an old man stuck in Depends diapers.)
As for Yachiru, I honestly have no clue, since we don't know exactly how much time has passed since she and Kenpachi met up. That makes any speculation kind of pointless. Yes, I'm aware that the Pendulum arc hints that Zaraki became the Kenpachi just shy of a century ago, but he's never shown during that arc. So, until I know for sure, I can't make that call.
So, let's recap. Time for an official Bleach Channel ruling:
- Pluses (wandering, earth-bound spirits) don't "age" so much as they deteriorate into Hollow.
- Hollow, in any form, do not age or possess a level of maturity to begin with.
- Rukongai citizens live between 800 - 900 years, showing gradual age during this time.
- Shingami live approximately 2000 years, although adulthood and middle age last for a very long time.
- Bankai-level shinigami live for 3000 years or more, depending on their level of strength.
- Vizard do not age. However, a Sub Vizard 's mortal body will age as normal.
I think that pretty much sums it up for now. Whew. I need a bit of a breather.
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