Summary
Nnoitra Gilga holds the position of the Fifth Espada, a rank denoted by the number five tattooed on his tongue. He is an exceptionally tall and slender arrancar, towering over Yasutora Sado by at least a foot even when hunched over. His appearance features long black hair and a perpetually wide grin that exposes his upper teeth. He wears an eyepatch and three bracelets on each wrist, along with a distinctive arrancar uniform characterized by an oversized, spoon-shaped hood, though his attire previously featured a standard collar and shorter hair. The remnants of his hollow mask and hole are not visible. Nnoitra displays a rude and lecherous demeanor, highlighted by his snake-like eye and his derogatory nickname for Orihime Inoue, "pet-sama." He once inquired of Ulquiorra regarding the progress of his "training" with Orihime, prompting Ulquiorra to turn away and label him disgusting. Flashbacks to his tenure as the Eighth Espada reveal his staunch male chauvinism, as he frequently attempted to demote women deemed stronger than men, such as Nel Tu, to lower ranks. While he initially seems sadistic, he lacks the desire to kill those he considers weaklings, as doing so does not help him prove his status as the strongest Espada. However, he has no qualms about fighting strong opponents who are injured or exhausted, a tactic criticized by both Ichigo and Grimmjow. Despite his resentment toward females, Nnoitra is not entirely devoid of emotion regarding his subordinates. When Tesla engaged Kenpachi Zaraki, Nnoitra screamed for Tesla to retreat to avoid death, although the excitement of a new battle quickly erased this concern. His zanpakutō, Santa Teresa, resembles a giant ax with two crescent moon blades fused at the back; flashbacks indicate it originally possessed only one crescent. Upon release, Nnoitra grows two additional pairs of arms, each hand wielding an identical scythe-like weapon. In this state, his wounds heal instantly, and he can regenerate severed limbs. Nnoitra arrived at the battlefield between Ichigo Kurosaki and Grimmjow Jeagerjaques. While torturing the exhausted Ichigo, his former subordinate Neliel Tu Oderschvank returned in her adult form to protect him. Although she nearly defeated him again, her amnesia returned, leaving her vulnerable. Kenpachi Zaraki soon joined the fray, leading to a clash where both warriors savored their ability to survive each other's devastating blows. Nnoitra ultimately met what he considered a warrior's death, passing away a split second before his body struck the ground.
