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From its fight scenes to villains, everything in Bleach screams iconic. This also extends to the protagonist. Tite Kubo’s manga is often considered the weakest among the big three. While it may not hold a cult popularity like its contemporaries, it excels in its way. It holds true with the mangaka’s writing of the hero. And there’s more to it.
Ichigo in a still from the series | Credit: Studio Pierrot Ichigo’s bada**ery dates back to the original series itself. From his style to his demeanor, Kubo created a fleshed-out hero. This holds especially true with a particular scene in the series. His character stands in contrast to the stereotypical portrayals of Shonen heroes.
Ichigo was swaggered way before Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War
Despite his outlandish appearance, Ichigo Kurosaki is anything but a mediocre hero. In a world of upbeat shonen heroes, he sets himself apart with his aloof personality. His battle IQ as well as his knowledge is often lost in translation. This extends to his overall charm as the protagonist in Kubo’s series. And there’s more to it than meets the eye.
Ichigo Kurosaki in a still from the series | Credit: Studio PierrotFrom his witnessing hollows to fighting them, he has come a long way. The character’s childhood and journey stand in contrast to other heroes. Especially with the character embodying grief and loss at an early age. His maturity and emotional growth are highlighted in Thousand Year Blood War. Fans, however, pointed out his growth early on in the series.
An Instagram reel posted by @tybw.yhwach outlined his bada** moments in the original series.
In his writing of Ichigo’s character, the mangaka debunks the delinquent stereotype. He does so by adding more depth and complexities. It also extends to other characters in his series. The layered and complex emotions run parallel with the chain of events in the series.
Tite Kubo layers the complexities in his characters
From hollows to arrancars, Bleach is laden with complex and profound themes. This is relevant to the betrayals as well as the ever-looming essence of death. It further extends to the complexities within the characters in the series. Not just Ichigo, but several other characters are brilliantly written by Tite Kubo in terms of their profoundness. And there’s more to it.
Ichigo and the Soul Reapers | Credit: Studio PierrotBe it Gin Ichimaru or Toshiro Hitsugaya, Kubo doesn’t get enough credit for writing layered characters. It is also reflected in Unohana’s character who embodies ambiguity. He revealed his process in an interview. He quoted:
Unohana became very different from how she had been, so I worried if the reader would accept that part of the story. I always intended to put Unohana in that kind of position.
When the name Yachirus first appeared in the Soul Society arc, I had already decided that it was in reference to Unohana. That’s why I didn’t show Unohana’s chest even in the illustration with all the female characters in swimsuits. But when Unohana is with Isane, who knows her true identity, she has her hair untied.
In comparison to its contemporaries Naruto and One Piece, Bleach excelled in its portrayal of maturity. What’s interesting is the consistency of this theme, throughout the series, especially with his relationships with others. The mangaka also highlights the inner conflicts brilliantly, especially with Gin Ichimaru’s character.
Ichigo’s character is often slept on because of its subversion. As a fleshed-out protagonist, he carves his excellence in most aspects. This holds especially true with his protective nature as well as intelligence. Despite his abilities, Kubo manages to make him a flawed yet relatable character.
Bleach is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available for reading on Viz Media.
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