The most likely full roster based on everything we know

So we have 9 weeks until the game releases now and we can start to really lock down what we think the roster will be.

Since they started with the Monday character trailers we have gotten a new character on most Mondays, but there have been a couple that have been skipped for various reasons. We have never gotten an actual double drop, since they just skipped a week before when they came out with Bankai Ichigo and Ulquiorra.

Therefore I think there will at most be 9 more characters in the game. Here I have tried to speculate to the best of my ability about those 9 characters based on everything we know about the game. All the reasons are layed out. Since they might still skip a couple of weeks, two characters are just maybe's, but I obviously hope both of them are in.

1. Komamura

We see him in the story trailer in FKT (where many characters were absent) and he has fights vs both Kenpachi and Tosen (and Aizen twice, in theory), all of which are in the game. He also has a fight vs Poww who is in the game according to the IMDB actor breakdown. He is also directly mentioned as a friend of Tosen on Tosen's character page on the Japanese website. Mentions there leads more credence to characters being playable, as most of the characters mentioned in other characters profiles are playable.

2. Ikkaku

Is a very popular character who is the opponent in Ichigo's first real fight in SS Arc. Almost certain that this fight is in the story mode, so he should be. His Bankai reveal was also a big moment and his opponent there Edrad is mentioned on Grimmjow's character page (one of only two fraccion to get a mention). And as said Poww is in the game according to IMDB and he is Ikkaku's opponent in FKT.

3. Momo

Is a woman, which I believe raises the chances of any character. Both because there isn't a lot of women in this game to begin with (5 out of 25 so far) and because Tamsoft in particular loves to put anime women in their games because they know that they sell. She is also very popular in Japan. In terms of fights, she has Toshiro and the tres bestias and Gin if you want to stretch it a little bit. Her Japanese voice actress also said she was in the game, but it is unclear if that was story mode or playable. She is directly mentioned to be friends with Toshiro on Toshiro's page on the website. In exactly the same way that Rangiku is mentioned on Gin's page. She is also mentioned in Kira's character page and on Aizen's page. She has the record, along with Ichigo and Rukia as the character with the most mentions on other character pages.

4. Dangai Ichigo

Of course very popular and has an evolution that everyone would love to play. I feel like they can't just make him a skin and then get away with it. On the Japanese website we can also see that there's still at least 1 more character to be revealed for the world of the living. And I don't believe it's Orihime and another Vizard seems doubtful, especially since Hiyori is the only one mentioned on Shinji's character page and she is already part of his kit. But if someone isn't actually truly in as a separate character from the ones mentioned here, it would probably be him.

5. Starrk

Of course the number 1 Espada and one of the most popular. His major opponent Shunsui just got revealed, so it really would be surprising if he wasn't in.

6. Harribel

As I said before a women have a higher chance to get in and Harribel is already pretty popular. We also know that some Toshiro's final Kikon move is from the fight against her.

7. Nnoitra

I would also say Nnoitra and his fight against Kenpachi is one of the more popular in Arrancar arc and besides that he has fights vs Nel, Ichigo and Chad (if we call that a fight). Since he is pretty much the only person that Nel fights in the source material he is essentially important as a way to include her in the story. Nnoitra is also mentioned (together with Szayelaporro) on Nel's character page. And Kenpachi's final Kikon move seems to be the one finishes off Nnoitra with.

The maybe's.

If we don't get the full 9 characters one or both of these 2 are probably going to be the ones missing:

8. Barrangan

Personally I think it would be pretty surprising if the 2nd Espada wasn't on the rooster, but we gotta accept that if might not get in. The things going in his favor is that he is popular and people would probably be annoyed if he weren't there. And it creates a weird gap as the 1-7 are otherwise all there. He of course does also have an important fight and we have seen Soi-Fon without an arm in the story mode trailer, so they will at least tackle it in some way.

The things against him is that the primary fighter he is up against is Hachi, who I don't think will be playable unfortunately. So that creates a weird situation for his fight regardless where you at best could play Soi Fon and then somehow have Hachi as support. In reality though she doesn't do much as she can't touch him. And that's the next issue. His power is so broken that it is close to impossible to make if they stick to the source material. So it might be a little hard to make him, though if you accept that maybe he just does damage over time or something it would probably work fine. I could see them just handling him in a cutscene though, but it would be a shame.

9. Aareonnino

A character I am personally a big fan of so I would be sad if he wasn't there, but it might happen. The things going for Aareonnino is that his fight vs Rukia is probably her most important in the whole series and since you would be playing as Kaien most of the time (who is probably more popular than he is) the devs are essentially getting two characters for the price of one. He is also just very unique and they would probably be able to do some fun stuff with him in terms of gameplay.

The things going against him is that he only does have a single fight, even if it is important. Pretty much all other characters have at least 2. If they wanted to, they might be able to make Kaien's fight vs the hollow from the Rukia flashback playable with part of his kit though. Him or Kaien aren't mentioned on a single character page and his ressurection is so big and weird that is so probably pretty much impossible to make playable. So they would probably have to make his Shikai his Awakening, but maybe they feel his kit before is too boring. I could see a world where he is a story only boss fight, but I hope he is in.

Bigger characters I don't think will be in the main game:

Orihime

Simply doesn't fight enough in the story mode and doesn't have a enough abilities in the source material to create a kit from, like they have done with every other character. I have written long about this is other threads. Will be prominent in story mode though, as she should be.

White

No reason for him to be a separate character and take up a slot with another Ichigo, when he can easily be a skin for Shikai Ichigo. If they plan on sticking close to the source material they might not want him fighting anyone other than Ichigo regardless.

Zommari

Just not popular enough and only a single fight.

Yammy

There's no way to make his ressurection work in the game. It's too big for actual fighting in a regular way. So story mode boss only.

Hisagi

He is cool and will almost certainly be DLC down the line. But he isn't that important for story mode. His interaction in the Tosen fight can just be a cutscene.

Kensei

I would love another Vizard, but he doesn't have any fights that he really has to be a playable part of in story mode. Having the Wonderweise fight would be cool, but Wonderweise probably won't be playable either.

Yumichika

Ganju is not playable for sure and with Hisagi not being playable either you have already lost two of his fights. So he only has one left vs Charlotte who for sure also isn't playable. So they don't really need to make him for story mode.

Isshin

Doesn't really show enough abilities in Arrancar arc, since we only see his Shikai later. The Grand Fisher fight can be skipped and vs Aizen you already have Yoruichi and Urahara. But he could definitely be DLC.