Everyday, millions of people watch anime. They watch Full Metal Alchemists, One Piece, Naruto, Cowboy Bebops or Bleach. And I must say I’m one of them. Anime is one of the most popular types of art in the world. This Japanese technique is nothing short of breathtaking and spectacular. Why I like Anime? Because their plots are super catchy and captivate people like you. I like anime and their characters and how they’re different with other characters in non-anime shows. I like most anime characters and their dialogue (for the characters) is really magnetic – like super funny, interesting and there’s tons of fighting that’s actually enjoyable to watch! It’s the deep meaning of a plot, or the sheer silliness of the situation, mixed in with some fantasy, that makes anime fans, fanatic or casual, get lost in their own world. Oh and you learn a new language and culture too! And one of my favorite Anime is Bleach and my favorite character of course the main man Ichigo Kurosaki. Maybe I well explain here why I like Ichigo Kurosaki of Bleach.
Ichigo Kurosaki is not only one of Bleach’s most popular characters, but also one of the most popular characters in all of the anime and manga world. Ichigo was born on July 15th, as the son of Isshin Kurosaki and Masaki Kurosaki. Ichigo has two sisters Karin Kurosaki and Yuzu Kurosaki. Ichigo claims that his name comes from: ichi for first prize and go for guardian angel, although his father told him that his name means “he who protects”. Ichigo looks like a normal teenage boy; the one exception to that is his spiky orange hair, a trait that he has been ridiculed about for years.
As a Human teenager, Ichigo’s personality is much more complex. Stubborn, short-tempered, strong-willed and impulsive, he attempts to maintain a detached and “cool” image, despite claiming not to care about what other people think about him. His attitude makes for some great laughs especially when paired with his father. He is caring and never gives up!
However, the discovery of Rukia Kuchiki changed his life forever. He was given the power to defend himself and his companions, and never stopped fighting for what he believed in. Ichigo is an extremely rare case. Despite being a Shinigami, he is still a living Human being and resides in the Human World, rather than in Soul Society. His status in the Soul Society remains ambiguous. His “rank” as substitute Shinigami (shinigami daik?) was accepted by most of the others so he can continue to fight Hollows and defend his home town properly. His only wish was to defend those he cared about. He would gladly sacrifice his life for anyone who was in need, and stands as an honorable warrior who has no fear of combat. Due to his Hollow powers, Ichigo is technically classified as a Visored, but he still thinks and refers to himself as a Shinigami. For all purposes, Ichigo is a Human in physical body and Visored in spiritual body, thus making his situation even rarer.
Ichigo is alerted to the presence of Hollows by his Substitute Badge, an artifact given to him by Ukitake, who claims it symbolizes the formalizing of Ichigo’s Substitute Shinigami position.
Ichigo’s Hollow mask manifests in the appearance of what could best be described as a menacing skull. The mask is white and originally had only three dark red stripes on the left side, and has since increased in number. While wearing the mask, Ichigo’s Hollow powers supplement his Shinigami powers, giving him a vast increase in both strength and speed.
As a Shinigami, Ichigo abilities are greatly enhanced, granting him amazing strength, speed and a powerful sword called a Zanpakuto. The Zanpakuto (soul-cutting sword) is the Shinigami‘s weapon that is a manifestation of their soul and personality. He is able to use this Zanpakuto to destroy Hollows (devouring spirits) and other spiritual beings, as well as fire powerful, focused blasts from the blades edge. When Ichigo first becomes a Shinigami, his Zanpakuto is a standard-looking katana, but over-sized with an equally-oversized brown sheathe hung by a strap over his right shoulder. It has a rectangular bronze hand guard with gently inward-curved edges, a stylized flame pattern on the long sides, and a simple decorative slit on the short ones. The handle is red with two light blue tassels on the end of the handle.
The Shikai Zangetsu form looks like an over sized elegant cleaver rather than a formal “katana”. He has no tsuba and no proper hilt; what Ichigo holds is the cloth-wrapped tang. The sword is as tall as Ichigo is, 1.75 meters, and has a black blade with a silver edge. Unlike most Zanpakuto, which can be sealed into their original form, Zangetsu is always in its Shikai form.
Bankai: Tensa Zangetsu (Heaven Chain Slaying Moon): It is considered completely out of the ordinary for any Zanpakuto. Unlike most Bankai forms, which usually create some sort of massive creature or effect, Ichigo’s Bankai actually shrinks his sword down to a daito (Japanese long sword) with a black blade instead. The cross guard has four prongs bent out to form the shape of the manji (which is the kanji for “ban,” meaning “full“, as in “full release“). The blade itself can endure even the strongest of attacks, making it quite effective in blocking and deflecting incoming attacks; it can even withstand getting crushed by force.
