Rose has purple eyes, long, wavy, blond hair and a perpetually bored expression. Rose wears a black suit with a thigh-length, black jacket. He also wears a white frilled shirt with frilled cuffs (or large cuffs) and high collar, which he commonly keeps untucked. During his initial time as captain, he kept his hair somewhat straighter with a small black ribbon tied near the end. He wore the standard Shinigami robes and a sleeveless captain's haori, but with a frilled collared shirt under it.
Seventeen months after Aizen's defeat, Rose returns to his original Shinigami attire with shorter, slicked-back hair with the addition of a single lock falling into his face.
A seemingly foppish man with a disinterested air, Rose is one of the more laid-back members of the Visored. He is frequently seen tuning his guitar and chatting with Love rather than paying attention to what is going on around him. He's interested in music and often discusses whatever singles that have recently come out, such as the then-latest Prince of Darkness album. He also enjoys reading manga, a pastime shared with Love and Lisa, although he becomes irritated if anyone spoils it for him.
Despite the disinterested behavior he exhibits, he seems to care for his fellow Visored; he smiles happily when he realizes that Hachi is happy to have met Orihime, due to the notable similarities regarding their healing abilities. He also states that "the family is growing", due to Ichigo and Orihime coming to stay with them, even claiming that the aforementioned humans' partner/counterpart, Hiyori and Hachi, were similarly happy. Rose seems to pay close attention to dramatic effect while in battle, as seen with his starting a speech on the Human nature to band together against a common enemy and his attempt to dramatically rise from the rubble of a building he was hurled into, leading to an unimpressed Love smacking him in response at both occasions.
Approximately 112 years ago, Rose was promoted to captain of the 3rd Division. Two years later, Rose arrives at the 1st Division barracks to attend the meeting to introduce the new captain of the 12th Division. Rose was later seen waiting with the other captains as the newly appointed 12th Division captain, Kisuke Urahara arrives late to the meeting.
9 years later, Rose was dispatched with Love Aikawa, Shinji Hirako, Hachigen Ushōda, and Lisa Yadōmaru to investigate the disappearance of Rukongai residents and Kensei Muguruma and the members of his division. Rose followed right behind Love as they showed up at the site of the disappearances after Shinji arrived. He then noticed a Hollowfied Kensei and was greatly surprised at his current state. He immediately asked if the creature before them was Kensei. Shinji stated that he didn't know if it was Kensei, but that if they didn't draw their swords, they were as good as dead. Rose watched as Love went to attack the Hollowfied Kensei and saw Love outmatched and attacked. Rose took out his Zanpakutō and resolved to attack Kensei alongside Lisa. After attacking Kensei several times, the Hollowfied captain forced him backwards.
Before Rose could attack again, he was brutally ambushed by a Hollowfied Mashiro Kuna, causing him to crash down into the ground below. Kensei was attacking Lisa and about to land a devastating blow, but was stopped by a Kidō blast in the back from Rose, who has just climbed out of the large crater made by him crashing into the ground from Mashiro's previous attack. Rose told him to stop, as he wasn't the sort of weakling who would attack a woman. Kensei proceeded toward him, but Rose was saved by the intervention of Hachi, who used "Kin" Bakudō #99. Rose and the others began discussing what to do next when Hiyori attacked Shinji and revealed herself to be Hollowfied as well. Before anyone could act, a darkness fell around the rescue squad and they were attacked by an unseen assailant.
The assailant was Kaname Tōsen, Mugurama's 5th Seat, who was acting under the orders of Sōsuke Aizen, the person behind the disappearances and Hollowfication experiments. Just as Aizen gave the order to kill the Hollowfied Shinigami, Captain Kisuke Urahara and Tessai Tsukabishi, captain of the Kidō Corps showed up and saved them from destruction. Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, and Tōsen made their escape, and Tessai used Forbidden Kidō to preserve and transport them to the 12th Division barracks. In his lab, Urahara tried to reverse the process using his created item, the Hōgyoku. Unfortunately, it ended up as a failed process, not having the desired effect Urahara expected.
The next day, Urahara and Tessai were arrested under the orders of the Central 46. The Hollowfied Shinigami were sentenced to execution as Hollows. Before any of their sentences could be executed, however, both were rescued by Yoruichi Shihōin, who brought them to a secret underground area.
In the secluded area, she had also brought Hachi and the other Hollowfied Shinigami, along with the prototype for the new Gigai that Urahara was working on. With that epiphany, Urahara resolved to make ten Reiatsu-blocking Gigai to aid him, Tessai, and the eight victims escape to the Real World, where they would find a way to undo the Hollowfication process.