Why didn't Rukia, Rangiku and Toshirou recognize Isshin?


**Note: this question contains spoilers for the manga.**

* * *

We know that Isshin Kurosaki left the Soul Society because he wanted to
protect Masaki and help her with the matter of her hollowification. Then they
had children, etc., etc.

But before that, Isshin was the captain of the 10th Squad. Rangiku was his
lieutenant and Toshirou was the third officer of Squad 10. We also have Rukia,
who was in those days already in Squad 13 (if I remember the timeline
correctly), so she _must_ have known and been able to recognise the captains.

And then we are back to the main story - Rukia met Isshin and didn't recognize
him. And after that, Rangiku, Toshirou, Ikkaku, Yumichika... **all of them**
should immediately have recognized the ex-captain of Sqad 10, am I right?
**Why didn't any of them recognize Isshin?**

Is there an explanation for this, or was this a plot hole created by Tite
Kubo? Maybe he hadn't created Isshin's story when he released the Saving Rukia
arc and the first Arrancar invasion on Karakura Town arc? Or is there
something I missed?




I feel that Toshiro and Rangiku didn't know about Ichigo's father Isshin as
they didn't meet face to face at Karakura Town. Also, at that time Isshin was
just a normal human being without any powers, so Toshiro, Rangiku or any other
members of Soul Society didn't sense him or meet him by face. So, it's obvious
they didn't know about Isshin.

Only Rukia meet Ichigo's father face to face. But, she didn't recognise him.
Maybe its a plot hole, or she didn't know about Isshin at that time by face,
that's why she didn't recognise him.

