Ichigo Kurosaki
Ichigo Kurosaki is a male anime and manga character who features in Bleach.
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Biography
Origin
Ichigo Kurosaki (Japanese: 黒崎 一護, Hepburn: Kurosaki Ichigo) was a male human born as the son of Isshin Kurosaki (黒崎 一心, Kurosaki Isshin) and Masaki Kurosaki (黒崎 真咲, Kurosaki Masaki) on July 15 around 15 years ago. He later came to have two younger sisters born a few years later who were named Karin Kurosaki (黒崎 夏梨, Kurosaki Karin) and Yuzu Kurosaki (黒崎 遊子, Kurosaki Yuzu). When he was 4 years old, he came to join a karate dojo where he came to befriend Tatsuki Arisawa who managed to beat Ichigo in all their matches. Despite that, she would also help Ichigo whenever he was picked on by bullies and would also cheer him up whenever he was upset.
The 15 years old teenager attended Karakura High School which was when the manifested the ability to see ghosts.
Agent of the Soul Society
On one evening, Ichigo met the Soul Reaper Rukia Kuchiki who was part of the secret Shinigami organization known as Soul Society. At this time, the Kurosaki family was attacked by a Hollow that was a warped spirit that had turned into a monster which Soul Reapers targeted. Rukia was wounded in her attempt to shield Ichigo from harm and had to transmit her Soul Reaper powers to him so that he could use them to save his family from the Hollow. The following morning Ichigo was shocked to find that Rukia was now a part of his class and that she had altered his family's memories of the attack. She insisted he must help her do her job whilst she waited for the return of her powers. When Ichigo refused, Rukia forced his soul out of his body and took him to a park where a Hollow was about to attack and persuaded Ichigo to perform her duties. After undergoing some training with Rukia to improve his combat tactics, a Hollow bursts into his room. Rukia, who has taken to staying in his closet, forces Ichigo's soul out of his body. He cuts off part of the Hollow's mask, revealing it to be Sora Inoue. Explaining the origins of Hollows, Rukia stated that Orihime Inoue was in danger as Hollows often attacked their relatives. They rushed to Orihime's apartment where Ichigo manages to stop the Hollow before it ate Orihime's and Tatsuki's souls. At Orihime's apartment, Ichigo initially panics when he sees her soul separated from her body, but Rukia explains there is still time to save her. Still intent on eating Orihime, the Hollow attacks. During Ichigo's subsequent fight with Acidwire, Orihime, stepping in between them, gets bitten. Her influence temporarily restores Sora's conscience, prompting him to purify himself with Ichigo's Zanpakutō. Rukia explained to Ichigo Hollows defeated by a Zanpakutō are purified and sent to Soul Society. As Ichigo and Orihime talk, Rukia, healing her, erases her memory of the event.
At school, Ichigo fought off Mizuiro Kojima's suggestions of a relationship with Rukia and Reiichi Ōshima's threats about his hair color. Ichigo noticed that Sado had a parakeet with him, and there was a spirit inside it. When Rukia confirmed it was just a lonely Plus, which they should send to the Soul Society that night, Ichigo complains about missing another night of sleep. Upon returning home, Ichigo helps with the injured from a car accident, among them Sado. Ichigo notes the wound on his back was inflicted by a Hollow. The next morning, Ichigo tracks the spirit inside the parakeet using Reiraku in order to find Sado. When they find Sado, he runs away from them. Telling him it is dangerous to be by himself, Ichigo is distracted by an ill Karin. At Rukia's behest, he brings her home. Karin tells him she saw the Plus' memories, and he saw his mother being murdered. After placing her in her bed, Ichigo, rushing to help Sado, reflects on how long it had been since he last saw Karin cry. Ichigo arrives to take over fighting Shrieker. When Rukia releases him from his body, he, injuring Shrieker, notices small creatures nearby, and is told they spit out explosive leeches. After asking Shrieker if he was the one who killed the child's parents, which he confirms, Ichigo, catching one of the leeches, slams it into Shrieker's mouth. When the Hollow refuses to trigger them, Ichigo, ripping out its tongue, stabs his sword into Shrieker's leg. Asking him how it feels to be unable to move or fight and if he can savor what it is like to be murdered, Ichigo cuts through his head, and Shrieker is pulled into Hell. After Rukia explains about Hell, she tells the Plus they will send him to Soul Society, and Ichigo says he might see his mother there.
The following day, Ichigo, noting Sado's memory has been erased, receives a Gikongan from Rukia, who, after explaining its purpose, forces him to try one. Unconvinced by the artificial soul's personality, Ichigo is forced to leave it in his body when they receive an order from Soul Society. After defeating the Hollow, a concerned Ichigo, rushing back, sees his body jump out of an upstairs window and run away extremely fast. As they chase after him, Rukia tells him it must be a Mod soul. As Rukia explains what she means to an angry Ichigo, he, asking if Rukia is alright with the idea of the Mod Souls being created and killed all for Soul Society's convenience, wonders how the Mod Soul must feel about being persecuted and gaining his body. Receiving a warning about a Hollow, they, hurrying to its location, find the Mod Soul is fighting it. Rushing to his aid, Ichigo reminds him he is using his body. As the two continue arguing, they defeat the Hollow together. When Kisuke Urahara removes the Mod Soul from Ichigo's body, Ichigo, asking him what he is going to do with it, asks who he is. When Rukia gives the Mod Soul to Ichigo, he thanks her for not throwing him away. After failing to find a body to place the Mod Soul in, Ichigo, placing him in a plushie, decides to call him Kon. On the 16th of June, Ichigo, woken by Kon, scrambles to hide him and Rukia as Yuzu comes into the room to say Mizuiro is waiting for him. Apologizing to Mizuiro, he, noting his memory has been erased, remembers Rukia had told him Urahara must have worked hard. As Rukia leaves, Ichigo, complaining about Isshin not waking him up as usual, notices the date. That night, the Kurosakis hold a family meeting to discuss their trip to Masaki's grave the following day. Ichigo asks Rukia if he can take the day off from the Shinigami work, as it is the day Masaki was killed.
On the 17th of July, the Kurosaki family visits Masaki's grave. Annoyed that Rukia followed them, Ichigo, becoming angry when she asks if Masaki was killed by a Hollow, notices the same girl he saw the night Masaki died, and, running after her, tells Rukia he killed Masaki. At Masaki's grave, Ichigo, watching his family's antics, reflects on his mother's death and its impact on his family. Sensing the Reiatsu of a Hollow, Ichigo realizes the twins are easy targets. As the Hollow attempts to eat Yuzu, Ichigo, arriving, cuts the twins free. Demanding to know why the girl he saw when Masaki died is there, he asks if she is controlled by the Hollow. When Rukia tells him the Hollow is called Grand Fisher and it uses the girl as a lure to trick and devour Humans who have high levels of spiritual power, Ichigo, realizing Grand Fisher killed his mother, lunges at it. Stopping Rukia from interfering, he, insisting on fighting alone, instructs her to mind his sisters. Struggling against Grand Fisher, Ichigo is subjected to the Hollow's Transcribe ability. Transforming his lure into an image of Masaki, Grand Fisher explains about his ability. As he pierces Ichigo's chest, Ichigo, stabbing the Hollow's chest. grabs his arm, saying he has finally caught him, and slashes open his chest. Transferring its form into the lure, Grand Fisher escapes. As Rukia tries to convince Ichigo he cannot fight him any more, he, insisting he can and the Hollow is still not dead yet, soon collapses. Using most of her strength to heal his stomach wound, Rukia leaves his other injuries. When Ichigo awakens, in his Human body, in great pain, Rukia reminds him the wounds his soul receives will show up when he returns to his body. When Ichigo asks her if he lost, she tells him he won, since the Hollow fled and nobody died. However, Ichigo commented that the Grand Fisher was not dead and walked away .
Noticing Ichigo's power flows into his bow when he touches it, Uryū, planning to fire an enlarged arrow at the Menos, tells Ichigo to increase his power to maximum. Stating he never controls his energy output, Ichigo says it must be at maximum all the time. When the Menos starts to charge a Cero, Ichigo, rushing towards it, blocks the Cero with his Zanpakutō. His power increasing as he resists the Cero, Ichigo repels the attack, injuring the Menos in the process. As the Menos retreats, Ichigo, claiming victory, collapses as his Zanpakutō begins to destabilize. Noting it will explode, Uryū begins to dissipate the energy by absorbing it and releasing it by firing arrows into the sky, injuring himself. Uryū tells him to make sure he lives so he can beat him later. The following day, when Rukia tells Ichigo not to pay attention to Uryū's injuries, Ichigo denies being worried. Later, when he overhears Keigo telling Mizuiro he saw Uryū talking to himself the previous day, believing it to be related to a theater, Ichigo is thankful Keigo is an idiot. Asking Uryū to join them for lunch, Ichigo later regrets it, due to the atmosphere which prevails over their meal.
One night, he went to give some food to Rukia only to find her gone and later found Kon to had been tied up. He revealed that Rukia was in trouble with Ichigo finding a note from her which said she needed to leave and that he should not look for her. Refusing to heed her words, he turned to his shinigami form and went out to look for her where he found Rukia being confronted by two other shinigami named Byakuya Kuchiki and Renji Abarai. The pair had come to the world of the living to forcibly return Rukia back to the Soul Society to be tried for her crimes. This led to a fight between Ichigo and Renji where the latter surprised Kurosaki with his superior fighting skill. However, Ichigo's Reiatsu increased allowing him to take Renji by surprise but before he could press his advantage he was attacked by Bykuya who easily defeated Kurosaki. Left badly injured, Ichigo was nearly killed but Rukia begged that he be spared with Byakuya complying as he did not think his foe would survive his wounds. It was believed though that even if Ichigo did survive then he would no longer possess any Shinigami powers. After they left, Ichigo came to note that he could not move or speak whilst he reflected over how he came to protect Rukia but instead she protected him again. Whilst Ichigo contemplated his injuries in the rain, Urahara approaches him and helped rescue Kurosaki.
When Ichigo awakens in Urahara's shop, Urahara tells him his wounds are not yet fully healed, and if he moves too much, he may die. When Ichigo asks him about Uryū's condition, Urahara states Uryū's injuries were treated on the spot, and when he left, he was worried about Ichigo, stating Ichigo was the only one who could beat the Shinigami and save Rukia. When Ichigo says he cannot do anything, as Rukia has been taken to Soul Society and he cannot follow, Urahara reveals he can send Ichigo there if he trains with Urahara for the next ten days, revealing Soul Society typically allows a grace period of one month before executions. Saying Ichigo will die if he goes there in his current condition, he reveals he purposely allowed Ichigo to fight Renji and Byakuya so he would realize this after having fought them himself. He states it will take seven days to open the gate to Soul Society, leaving Ichigo with thirteen days in Soul Society to rescue Rukia. Though unsure if he can become strong enough in ten days, Ichigo agrees to Urahara's deal. Giving Ichigo some pills to take every hour, Urahara, saying he will recover from his injuries by dinnertime, sends him to school for the final day of the term. At school, Ichigo notes how nobody appears to remember Rukia. As Misato dismisses the class for summer, Ichigo, noting Uryū's absence, thinks he would remember Rukia. As he walks home after dismissing Keigo's invitation to spend the holiday with him, he meets Orihime, who, asking him where Rukia is, notes everyone has forgotten about her, but she believed Ichigo would know. Explaining the situation to her, Ichigo is surprised she can see his Shinigami form. Noting Ichigo has already made up his mind to rescue Rukia, Orihime, telling him to go save her, insists she does not want her friend to die either. Thanking her, Ichigo, going to the Urahara Shop, shows Urahara his healed wounds. Telling Urahara he told Isshin he would be sleeping over at a friend's house, he asks Urahara to teach him well. In Urahara's training area, Ichigo's soul form is freed from his body, and he finds it difficult to move. Urahara reveals Byakuya destroyed the source of his power, leaving him without any Shinigami powers, and he must restore these in order to fight the Shinigami. Explaining about Reiryoku, stating the more one's Reiryoku rises, the sharper the movements of their spiritual body become, he says if Ichigo can manage to move even better with his spiritual body than he can with his mortal body, they will have completely recovered his Reiryoku. Urahara has Ururu Tsumugiya attack Ichigo, and she lunges at him, creating a large cloud of dust and debris. Emerging from the dust, Ichigo runs away from Ururu after another near miss. Realizing he is able to run away from her, Ichigo attempts to dodge her attacks directly. Successfully dodging, Ichigo attacks Ururu by trying to hit her headgear lightly, believing the weight difference will do the rest. When he hits and cuts her face, Ururu kicks him into a rocky outcropping. Catching Ichigo before he hits it, Tessai cushions him from the impact.
Congratulating him on clearing the lesson, Urahara asks if Ichigo is still having trouble breathing or moving, which he is not. As Urahara says he has successfully recovered his spirit energy, and the soul tends to gain the Reiryoku faster when it is in danger of being destroyed, Tessai, cutting Ichigo's Chain of Fate, pins him to the ground. Telling him the chain has already begun to corrode from the severed end, Urahara states if it reaches his chest, Ichigo will become a Hollow, but he can avoid this by becoming a Shinigami instead. The point of this lesson, which Urahara calls "Shattered Shaft," is to restore Ichigo's Shinigami powers. Dropped to the bottom of a shaft, he is bound with a Kin spell, and Urahara tells him to scale the vertical sides of the deep shaft. Revealing there is a gas at the bottom of the shaft which speeds up the corrosion process to at most 72 hours, he tells Ichigo to become a Shinigami and climb out of the hole before that, or else he will become a Hollow, and they will destroy him. After the corrosion of the chain's fifth link, Ichigo notes the process alternates between a few minutes of painful corrosion and a few hours of dormancy. Only able to attempt to escape during the dormant phases, Ichigo unsuccessfully tries to run up the wall. Asking him if he is hungry, Jinta Hanakari explains a soul feeling hungry is a sign they will soon become a Hollow. Later, as Ichigo wonders how long he has been in the hole for and how he can get out of it, Jinta runs down the shaft's wall with a platter of fruit for him. When Ichigo, denying he is hungry, says the chain is still long, Jinta reveals it has been seventy hours since he entered the shaft, and the final corrosion phase is stronger than the earlier ones. As the remaining length of the chain begins to corrode, a hole opens in Ichigo's chest, and a mask begins to form over his face. Urahara explains the mask forming before his body reforms shows Ichigo is resisting the transformation. Awakening inside his consciousness, Ichigo sees a man standing on a building. Surprised that Ichigo does not recognize him, the man says his name, but Ichigo cannot hear it. Stating it is sad, the man asks how many times he has to tell him his name before he is able to hear it, as he thought nobody in this world knew him better than Ichigo. When Ichigo falls from the building, the man, following him, states he should not worry, as Shinigami control death. As Ichigo tells him he is not currently a Shinigami, the man, telling him to focus the Reishi around him underneath his feet to stand on, urges Ichigo to remember a time when he stopped in mid-air as a Shinigami. He tells Ichigo Byakuya destroyed the powers given to him by Rukia, but Ichigo has his own Shinigami powers, which were hidden deep in his soul and awakened by Rukia's power. As the world crumbles around him, he instructs Ichigo to find it.
With the buildings of his inner world dissolving into countless boxes, Ichigo, falling through a fissure into water, wonders how he can find his own powers. Remembering Uryū stating Shinigami have red Reiraku, he uses this to find a box containing a Zanpakutō's hilt. Telling him this time he ought to hear his name, the man urges him to take the hilt. As Ichigo struggles to pull out the Zanpakutō, back in the shaft, the Kidō restraining Ichigo breaks apart. When Tessai activates the next stage of the Kidō, Bankin, an explosion erupts from the shaft. As the smoke clears, Ichigo, wearing a Hollow mask and Shinigami clothes, uses his still broken Zanpakutō to smash the Hollow mask. Congratulating him on his success, Urahara says he is now a complete Shinigami. Having sworn to kill Urahara when he got out of the shaft, Ichigo hits him in the eye with the sword's hilt. Urahara starts the third lesson, which is simply to knock the hat off of Urahara's head. As Ichigo proposes a five minute time limit, Urahara draws a blade from within his cane. Overwhelming Ichigo, Urahara, revealing his sword is a Zanpakutō, activates Benihime's Shikai. As Ichigo remembers Renji using his Shikai during their fight, Urahara, telling him every Zanpakutō has a name, cuts through the remains of Ichigo's blade until just the hilt remains, saying if he continues to fight with just the hilt, he will kill him. As Ichigo, thinking he is going to die, runs away, Urahara continues to attack him. Ichigo sees the man from his inner world again, who, asking why Ichigo ran when he has not yet called him, reveals his name is Zangetsu. Stopping in his tracks, Ichigo, turning towards Urahara, calls out Zangetsu, activating his Shikai. Looking at the new form of his Zanpakutō, Ichigo, telling Urahara he might not be able to hold back, swings Zangetsu at him, who uses Chikasumi no Tate. As the dust settles, a hat-less Urahara, stating he would have lost an arm if it were not for Chikasumi no Tate, says he did not expect so much from one swing.
After completing Urahara's training, Ichigo had a relatively normal summer holiday while waiting for the gate to Soul Society to be opened. On the first of August, Ichigo and his friends gather for a fireworks festival, where they catch up. Isshin and the twins, running up to Ichigo, knock him down a bank. When Ichigo asks if they are drunk, Isshin reveals a juice seller used wine to dilute their juice instead of water. Telling the group they saved a seat on the opposite bank of the river that morning, Isshin headed off with the girls and several of Ichigo's friends.[155] Later that night, after complaining to a drunken Isshin about having to carry his sisters, Ichigo tells him he will be leaving soon, and he might not be back until the summer vacation ends. Seven days after completing his training, Ichigo is summoned to the Urahara Shop. As he leaves, Ichigo says goodbye to his sisters. Isshin lends him an amulet, which he claims Masaki gave to him, stating it will bring him good fortune. On his way to Urahara's, Ichigo meets up with Orihime. Revealing he did not know she was going until Urahara mentioned it, Ichigo asks her if she is sure about it. When they arrive at the shop, they find Sado waiting for them, and Ichigo, asking where Uryū is, says he had heard he was coming too. When Uryū, arriving in a Quincy outfit, promises to show Ichigo how powerful he has become, Ichigo criticizes him for walking the entire way there wearing that outfit. Interrupting them, Urahara invites the group inside. In the underground training area, Urahara, revealing the Senkaimon they will be using to enter Soul Society, removes Ichigo's Shinigami form from his body. As the others examine his body, Ichigo complains about them touching it freely. Explaining how the Senkaimon works, Urahara says it will only stay open for four minutes. If they do not reach Soul Society in that time, they will become trapped in the Dangai. When Yoruichi tells them only those who are truly ready for the task can go, Ichigo says everyone gathered there has already made their decision and will go to Soul Society. When Yoruichi tells him they will never return if they lose, Ichigo states they simply have to win. When the Senkaimon opens, Ichigo tells Kon to take care of his family. Entering the gate, Ichigo, Uryū, Orihime, Sado, and Yoruichi appear in the Dangai. As they run, Uryū's cape is caught by the Kōryū. Ichigo is warned not to use his Zanpakutō, as the Kōryū will trap it and he will not escape. After Sado frees Uryū, the group are chased by the Kōtotsu, and Orihime uses her shield to protect them from it, propelling them through the exit and into Soul Society
Soul Society
Past the gateway, he headed to the Seireitei but was stopped by the gatekeeper Jidanbō Ikkanzaka. Ichigo facing the giant alone where his new strength allowed him to defeat his foe who decided to reward his opponent by allowing him entry past the gate. However, before they could cross over, they were confronted by Captain Gin Ichimaru who knocked out the giant gatekeeper and denied the outsiders from entering the Seireitei. The group would end up spending time in Rukongai where they encountered and briefly fought Ganju Shiba. Ichigo and the others were brought to Kūkaku Shiba in search of a new means of entering Seireitei. Whilst there, Ichigo trained to operate the Reishūkaku they will be using to breach the protective barrier above Seireitei. Joining the group, Ganju helped Ichigo learn how to use the Reishūkaku. At dawn, they were launched from Kūkaku's Kakaku Hō fireworks cannon. Despite Ichigo's struggle to control his power input to the Reishūkaku, they successfully break through the barrier, only to be separated from each other. Grabbing Ichigo, Ganju ensured a safe landing for them, but Ichigo was confronted by Ikkaku Madarame. He would end up defeating the shinigami lieutenant with Ichigo sparing his life but learnt that as the strongest of the intruders he wold be hunted down by Captain Kenpachi Zaraki. Accidentally attracting the attention of more Shinigami, Ichigo meets up with Ganju again. Surrounded, they decide to take Hanatarō Yamada hostage as they try to escape. Stuck with Hanatarō, they take advantage of his offer to show them a shortcut through the sewers to Rukia's cell. Upon exiting the sewers, Ichigo is confronted by Renji, who gravely injures Ichigo in their ensuing battle. After a struggle, Ichigo, becoming stronger during the fight, defeats Renji with a Getsuga Tenshō. Renji begs him to rescue Rukia. In the sewers, Ichigo is healed by Hanatarō, who discovers Ichigo's Hollow mask lessened the damage from what would have been fatal blows by Renji. After recovering, Ichigo, encountering Kenpachi, initially struggles to even cut the powerful captain. After Zangetsu helps Ichigo find his resolve, Ichigo manages to injure Kenpachi. Viewing Ichigo as his equal, Kenpachi decides to unleash his full power, prompting Ichigo and Zangetsu to work together to summon his full power. After the fight ends, with both of them incapacitated, Ichigo was rescued by Yoruichi.
After learning of Yoruichi's true Shinigami form and being partly healed, Ichigo rushes to save Hanatarō and Ganju from Byakuya. Upon his arrival, he confronts Byakuya, but, knowing Ichigo is not ready to fight someone of Byakuya's caliber, Yoruichi, stopping the fight, incapacitates Ichigo, swearing to make Ichigo stronger than Byakuya in three days. After escaping, Yoruichi, taking Ichigo to a hidden area, tells Ichigo he cannot save Rukia with his present power, asking him to undergo Bankai Training. Upon completing this training, Ichigo stops the Sōkyoku from killing Rukia, and, after sympathetic Captains Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake destroy the Sōkyoku, Ichigo, freeing Rukia, gives her to Renji to protect. After stopping three lieutenants from pursuing them, he is confronted by Byakuya once more. Coercing Byakuya into using his Bankai, Ichigo, unable to keep up just using his Shikai, reveals his own Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu, and uses his increased speed to outmaneuver Byakuya's Bankai. After Byakuya counters with his Senkei technique, after a while, Ichigo begins to slow and weaken, giving Byakuya the chance to immobilize him. As he is about to be struck down, Ichigo's inner Hollow, surfacing, injures Byakuya. After regaining control of himself, Ichigo and Byakuya prepare for one final clash. When Ichigo demands to know why Byakuya will not save his sister, Byakuya promises to answer if Ichigo wins. After their clash, Ichigo came struggles to stand whereupon Byakuya explained himself. Through a message relayed via Kidō by Isane Kotetsu, Ichigo finds out the events in Soul Society were an elaborate plot masterminded by Sōsuke Aizen. When Renji, refusing to hand over Rukia, is wounded by Aizen, Ichigo arrives to fight against the treacherous captain. Joining forces to fight off Aizen, the pair's effort proves to be futile, and Aizen, blocking their attack, cuts through Ichigo's midriff, defeating him. As Aizen takes Rukia by the collar, Ichigo interrupts him, and Aizen tells Ichigo how he had planned every move from the beginning for his goal; obtaining the Hōgyoku. After Aizen defeats Captain Sajin Komamura, Ichigo is dumbstruck at the difference in power. Continuing his explanation, Aizen states Urahara, planting the Hōgyoku inside Rukia's soul to hide it, gave her a Gigai which would ultimately reduce her to a normal Human. Ichigo helplessly looks on as Aizen, extracting the Hōgyoku from within Rukia, departed for Hueco Mundo. After being healed by Orihime, Ichigo and the others spend a week in Soul Society, where he, sparring with the 11th Division, learns from Rukia she has decided to stay in Soul Society. As they prepare to leave, Ukitake gives Ichigo a Substitute Shinigami badge which serves as a license, allowing him to hunt Hollows in his area officially.
Arrancar
After Ichigo returns from Soul Society, Isshin attacks him in bed. Ichigo blocks the attack, earning praise from Isshin. He returns the protective charm to Isshin, who, saying he does not want it, sews it to Ichigo's school uniform, leaving Ichigo to wonder if he lied about Masaki having given him the charm. At school, he realizes Tatsuki can see his Substitute Shinigami badge, which alerts him to a nearby Hollow, which he rushes to defeat. After having Uryū patch up Kon's ragged plushie, Ichigo realizes he has lost his Quincy powers as a result of going to Soul Society. That night, he is confronted by Shinji Hirako, who reveals both he and Ichigo are Visored. Ichigo shrugs off Shinji's repeated requests to join him. When Ichigo, seeming depressed, returns from school, he, brushing off his family's concerns, goes to his room, where he contemplates still being able to hear his inner Hollow, and how it has been becoming worse lately. Interrupting his thoughts, Karin reveals she knows he is a Shinigami. As Ichigo tries to dismiss this notion, the arrival of two Arrancar in Karakura Town causes Ichigo to rush off. Upon seeing Sado injured, Ichigo, battling Yammy Llargo with his Bankai, manages to cut off his arm. Ichigo's inner Hollow, interfering, paralyzes Ichigo, allowing Yammy to injure both him and Orihime. Yoruichi and Urahara arrive to protect them, prompting the Arrancar to withdraw. After his failure against Yammy, Ichigo becomes depressed that he cannot protect his friends. This mood lasts until the arrival of a Gotei 13 expeditionary force under the command of Tōshirō Hitsugaya. Rukia forces Ichigo to defeat a Hollow, all the while chastising him, and forces him to apologize to Orihime. Later that day, Ichigo, discussing the growing Arrancar threat with Hitsugaya's force, learns what the Arrancar actually are. After they discuss the mission, Ichigo, annoyed by their company, asks them when they will be leaving. When Renji tells him they cannot return to Soul Society until after the Arrancar threat is dealt with, Ichigo insists they cannot all stay at his house, and they eventually leave, except for Rukia, who convinces Isshin and Yuzu to allow her to stay in the girls' room using a cover story. During the night, six Arrancar led by Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez invaded Karakura Town where they began seeking out targets with spiritual power. Rukia states one of them has already arrived at Sado's house. Sado is attacked by Di Roy Rinker, but Ichigo arrives in time to stops him.[199] Ichigo tells Sado to let him handle the Arrancar, and Sado leaves. When Rukia, arriving, asks Ichigo what he said to Sado, Ichigo tells her he told him to step aside and let him fight. Telling Ichigo to step aside, as he already exceeded his strength when he fought Yammy, Rukia transforms into her Shinigami form, which surprises Ichigo. Chappy, the Artificial Soul possessing Rukia's Gigai, restrains Ichigo while Rukia fights. As Chappy explains Rukia's Zanpakutō to him, they are confronted by Grimmjow. As Rukia yells to Ichigo to retreat, Grimmjow impales her. Charging at Grimmjow, Ichigo, unable to harm him with his Shikai, activates his Bankai, but Grimmjow, blocking Ichigo's strikes unarmed, outmaneuvers him. Grimmjow continues to overwhelm Ichigo until he uses his black Getsuga Tenshō to attack Grimmjow. Blocking it with his arms, the Arrancar takes minimal damage, and Ichigo realizes he is in danger of his inner Hollow taking over. The fight was brought to a close when Kaname Tōsen forces Grimmjow return to Hueco Mundo. When an angry Ichigo demands Grimmjow finish their fight, Grimmjow counters by saying the only reason Ichigo is still alive is because he is leaving before their fight is finished. As the Garganta closes, Ichigo is left to ponder the events which have occurred. When Renji, arriving, asks Ichigo if he won, Ichigo states he lost, but Renji says since he is alive, it means he won. Telling him not to patronize him, as he would not be saying this if he were in Ichigo's position, Ichigo states he cannot protect anyone or even help the wounded.
Feeling unable to control his inner Hollow, Ichigo seeks out the Visored in order to gain control. At their hideout, Hiyori Sarugaki draws out his inner Hollow, which nearly kills her. The other Visored stop Ichigo, who is told he must force the Hollow into the very core of his soul. After a brief period of unappreciated training, Ichigo is sent in to his inner world to face his inner Hollow. While the Visored fight his out of control body, in his inner world, Ichigo, unable to damage the Hollow, is instead stabbed. After a brief discourse with his Hollow and another with a manifestation of Kenpachi, Ichigo learns he lacks pure fighting spirit, instead needing reasons to fight his opponents. His spirit rekindled by this revelation, Ichigo, subduing his inner Hollow, regains consciousness. Ichigo trained with Hiyori to increase the amount of time he can stay in his new masked form. A month later, Ichigo once again fights Grimmjow, though he can only remain in his masked form for eleven seconds. As he overwhelms the 6th Espada, his mask crumbles when the time limit expires, and Grimmjow counterattacks. Pinning his hands to the ground, the Espada tries to kill him with a Cero, but Rukia freezes his arm. As Grimmjow tries to kill her, Shinji, stepping in, fights him until the Arrancar retreat. When tending to Ichigo's wounds, the Visored Hachigen Ushōda reveals Ichigo's spiritual power has been contaminated somewhat by Grimmjow's, and, at his behest, Rukia takes Ichigo home to recover. While in a deep sleep, he is visited by Orihime, who heals his wounds. When Ichigo awakens, he realizes his wrist has been healed by Orihime. Hitsugaya brings him to Orihime's apartment for an emergency communication with Soul Society. Captain Ukitake tells them Orihime was taken by an Arrancar, and might have been killed. When Ichigo reveals she visited him to heal him the night before, Captain-Commander Yamamoto believes she has betrayed them. Silencing Ichigo's protest, Renji requests permission to go to Hueco Mundo to rescue her, but the request is denied. When Ichigo asks to go save Orihime by himself, Yamamoto, once again denying the request, states Ichigo is a significant asset to Soul Society. The Shinigami are ordered to return to Soul Society to fortify their defenses, leaving Ichigo alone. While being confronted by Tatsuki over Orihime's disappearance, Ichigo learns Tatsuki can see him in Shinigami form. Trying to distance himself from his friends, Ichigo goes to Urahara's shop. Ichigo is joined by Uryū and Sado, and, after some convincing, the trio agree to help each other rescue Orihime. Urahara opened a Garganta to Hueco Mundo, and they entered the portal.
Hueco Mundo
As Ichigo, Sado, and Uryū enter Hueco Mundo, they are promptly attacked by two Arrancar, Demoura Zodd and Aisslinger Wernarr. Ichigo is told to stay back as Sado and Uryū engage the two Arrancar by themselves. Once they win, the room and passageway collapses around them, forcing the trio to race outside, where they see Las Noches. Seeing Nel Tu being chased by three Hollows, they, intervening, are surprised to learn the child is an Arrancar, and her pursuers are her two "brothers" and their pet playing a game. Travelling toward Las Noches, the expanded group comes under attack by the sand-based Hollow, Runuganga. The Hollow is immune to their attacks, but the group is saved by Renji and Rukia, who defeat it. Breaking into Las Noches, Ichigo and his group split up. Following Ichigo, Nel catches up to him just as he is attacked by Dordoni Alessandro Del Socaccio. Trying to defeat the Privaron Espada without his Bankai, Ichigo is unable to do so. When Dordoni fires a Cero at Ichigo, Nel, intervening, absorbs the blast before firing it back at him. Dordoni attacks Nel, prompting Ichigo to use his Bankai to save her. Dordoni tries to convince Ichigo to use his Hollow mask, which he ultimately does, defeating Dordoni in an instant upon doing so. Partly healed by Nel, Dordoni attacks Ichigo, who, blocking the attack, runs away with Nel after Dordoni gives his life to keep the Exequias from stopping them. Upon sensing Rukia's defeat, Ichigo is confronted by Ulquiorra. When Ulquiorra tells Ichigo Rukia has been killed, Ichigo, attempting to leave to save her, reasons he and Ulquiorra have no reason to fight. When Ulquiorra successfully goads Ichigo into fighting, Ichigo delivers an extremely powerful attack, but Ulquiorra, suffering little damage, counterattacks, revealing himself to be the 4th Espada. Impaling Ichigo's chest with his hand, Ulquiorra leaves. Grimmjow arrived at this point with Orihime who he had heal Ichigo as he wanted to fight the substitute shinigami at his full strength. As their battle ensues, the advantage shifts between the two combatants. When Ichigo uses his Hollow mask to protect Orihime and Nel from Grimmjow's Gran Rey Cero, Grimmjow, seeing Ichigo is finally at his full strength, releases his Resurrección, fiercely attacking Ichigo. As both combatants are heavily injured, Grimmjow prepares to strike down Ichigo, whom Orihime begs not to get hurt anymore. Stopping Grimmjow's attack, Ichigo slashes him. Enraged at the injury, Grimmjow, impaling Ichigo through the stomach, uses his most powerful attack, Desgarrón. Overcoming this, Ichigo defeats Grimmjow. As the 6th Espada tries to attack once more, Ichigo stops him. Nnoitra Gilga, appearing, incapacitates Grimmjow and, attacking Ichigo, reveals he is the 5th Espada. As they fight, Nnoitra recognizes Nel as the former third Espada, Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck. As Nel denies this, Nnoitra attacks Ichigo again. Seeing Ichigo hurt, Nel, transforming into her adult form, battles Nnoitra, but eventually reverts to her child form. When Nnoitra kicks Nel, the enraged Ichigo, attacking again, is slammed into the ground. As Tesra Lindocruz moves in to kill Ichigo, Kenpachi, arriving, defeats Tesra. As Kenpachi and Nnoitra fight, Orihime heals Ichigo and Nel. As Orihime defends Yachiru Kusajishi, Ichigo, trying to stop Orihime, is stunned when he cannot break through her healing shield. After Kenpachi defeats Nnoitra, Coyote Starrk recovers Orihime. Trying to stop him, Ichigo is unable to do so. Using Tenteikūra, Aizen, announcing Orihime's location, says he is leaving to destroy Karakura Town. After Kenpachi explains his duty as a Substitute Shinigami, Ichigo, telling Kenpachi his duty is to protect his friends, rushes to rescue Orihime. Upon arriving at the tower where Orihime is being held, he is attacked by the Exequias. Renji, Chad, and Rukia arrive to fight them so Ichigo can continue on. Ichigo finds Orihime under the guard of Ulquiorra, who draws his Zanpakutō to fight him.
As Ichigo's fight with Ulquiorra continues, Orihime, shielding Ichigo from an attack by Ulquiorra, is ambushed by other Arrancar, and Ulquiorra prevents Ichigo from helping her. When Yammy Llargo and Uryū Ishida battle, Orihime is removed from danger. Telling Uryū to protect her, Ichigo, donning his Hollow mask, gains the upper hand against Ulquiorra. Moving the fight to the top of Las Noches, Ulquiorra releases his Zanpakutō, Murciélago. Surviving his first attack, Ichigo quickly realizes how much stronger and faster Ulquiorra is. After a series of attacks, Ulquiorra asks Ichigo why he will not give up. Revealing he always knew Ulquiorra was stronger, Ichigo states nothing he sees him do will stop him from fighting. Trying to make Ichigo feel despair, Ulquiorra, activating Resurreccíon: Segunda Etapa, completely overwhelms him before firing a Cero through his chest, seemingly killing him. Trying to heal him, Orihime pleads for Ichigo to help Uryū fight Ulquiorra. Hearing Orihime's desperate cry for help, Ichigo, transforming into a new Hollow form, quickly defeats Ulquiorra. After he injures Uryū, Ulquiorra manages to attack him again, resulting in Ichigo being restored to normal, the hole in his chest healed. Regaining his senses, he came to be shocked at the damage he had done when he rampaged in his Hollow state. He then came to see Ulquiorra Cifer who was badly wounded from their fight and had lost several wings. Looking to continue their fight, Ichigo wanted a fair battle between them and even offered to lose his arm and leg so that they would be equals despite the objections of his comrades. However, no fight occurred as Ulquiorra found out that the injuries he sustained from the Hollow Ichigo had been fatal and his body was turning to dust as he died. After recovering slightly from his battle, Ichigo saves Rukia from Yammy. While noting the strange feeling of his newly altered Hollow mask, he is attacked by Yammy. As Ichigo realizes he is unable to summon his mask again, Byakuya and Kenpachi arrive to take over the fight. It was then that the other four shinigami Captains arrived at the scene where Byakuya and Kenpachi helped fight off Yammy. Zaraki looked to continue the battle himself whilst Byakuya told Ichigo that he needed to return to the world of the living to defend Karakura Town. He though had no means of returning without a Garganta though Mayuri Kurotsuchi had the means of opening the portal. Despite his initial objections, Ichigo was convinced to return back where he was accompanied by Captain Retsu Unohana with Kurosaki using his spirit energy to create a path back home. During his travel, Captain Unohana queried him on his prior encounter with Aizen where he revealed that Sosuke had never used his shikai on him. This was seen as fortunate development to Unohana who believed Ichigo having never seen Aizen's shikai meant that he was not exposed to the renegade's complete hypnosis technique. However, Ichigo's power had been severely depleted in recent battles with Unohana tried to heal him during their travel through the portal.
Fake Karakura Town
Jumping out of the Garganta, Ichigo, trying to defeat Aizen in one blow, is blocked by a barrier. As Ichigo thinks he should have used his mask, Aizen tries to unnerve Ichigo. As Ichigo begins to waiver, Sajin Komamura, appearing beside him, tells Ichigo not to be taken in by Aizen's words. As he states the Shinigami and Visored will not let him see Aizen's Shikai, they all gather around him. Reluctantly resolving to trust in his allies and watch for now, Ichigo waits for an opening as Aizen defeats some of the Shinigami. When the captains and Visored are tricked by Aizen into attacking Momo Hinamori, Ichigo asks them what they are doing as they realize the truth. When the remaining Shinigami are cut down, Captain-Commander Yamamoto, engaging Aizen in battle, tells Ichigo to fall back. At the end of their battle, Ichigo attacks Aizen with a Getsuga Tenshō. As Aizen's wounds are healed by the Hōgyoku, which he has implanted in his chest, he, complementing Ichigo's Reiatsu, says he has grown, just as he had planned. Listing various important moments in the development of Ichigo's power, Aizen tells him all of his battles have taken place exactly as he desired. An angry Ichigo listens as Aizen, stating he believed Ichigo to be the perfect subject for his research, claims all of Ichigo's victories were by his own doing. Attacking, Ichigo states his claims do not match those he made in Soul Society. Asking why Ichigo believes he told the truth back then, Aizen claims responsibility for the events which have led Ichigo to this point. When Ichigo asks him when he came to the conclusion he would be a perfect research subject, Aizen, stating he has known about Ichigo from the day he was born, is interrupted by Isshin, who, taking his son away, says he will answer any questions later. Saying he has none, Ichigo, stating Isshin must have had a reason to keep things a secret, thanks his father and returns to Aizen's location, where he fights Gin Ichimaru.
When Gin asks if Ichigo remembers their previous fight, Ichigo, explaining his philosophy on battle, notes he could not feel Gin's heart in his blade when they last fought. As Gin releases his Bankai, Kamishini no Yari, Ichigo is able to stop his attacks, and as they continue exchanging attacks, Ichigo determines the speed of Gin's blade is its true danger, seeing beyond Gin's attempts to distract from this. When the Hōgyoku begins to envelop Aizen, a shocked Ichigo asks Isshin what is occurring. As Ichigo watches Urahara, Isshin, and Yoruichi battle Aizen, Gin stating his back is wide open, tells Ichigo to relax, and the two discuss Aizen and Ichigo's allies. Gin uses his Butō and Butō Renjin techniques, causing Ichigo to don his Hollow mask. Telling him to run away, as he cannot win, Gin, moving to finish Ichigo off, is stopped by Aizen. Ichigo notices Urahara, Yoruichi and Isshin lying on the ground, and when Aizen and Gin leave via Senkaimon, Ichigo protests. Telling Ichigo to open a Senkaimon to follow them and defend the real Karakura Town, Isshin, struggling to persuade the despondent Ichigo to go, eventually succeeds. Within the Dangai, his father Isshin noted the absence of the Kōtotsu which he concluded was somehow destroyed by Aizen. He determined that this offered him and his son a rare opportunity as the distortion in this space meant that time went faster than in the other world. Isshin believed that this would allow his son to spend three months in this space to commune with Zangetsu and learn the final Getsuga Tenshō. He then suppressed the restrictive current in the area whilst Ichigo conducted the Jinzen so that he could commune with his sword. Inside the inner world, Ichigo found himself surrounded by water and was met by a new form of Zangetsu that was his true appearance. Zangetsu then attacked him with Ichigo stating that he wanted to learn the final Getsgua Tensho but the zanpakto refused to teach him. This led to Kurosaki revisiting his prior encounters with Zangetsu and realising that the only way to learn the technique was by surrendering to his sword. Thus, he allowed himself to be struck by the blade where it was discovered that it could never have harmed Ichigo. As such, he learnt the final technique and that Zangetsu only wanted to protect him as he revealed that using the final Getsuga Tensho would ultimately strip him of his shinigami powers.
Later, Ichigo, now taller and with longer hair from his time in the Dangai, arrives with his unconscious father in Karakura Town. Placing Isshin on the ground, he, thanking him, searches for his sisters' Reiatsu to make sure they are safe. Greeting his friends, Ichigo, telling them to stay where they are, grabs Aizen and, bringing him outside Karakura Town, throws him into the ground. As the two clash, causing significant damage to the surrounding area, Aizen, commenting on their changed appearances, gloats. Stopping Aizen's blade with his bare hand, Ichigo, asking Aizen if his feat is really that hard to believe, asks him if he is scared of what is in front of his eyes right now. When Aizen uses "Kurohitsugi" on him, Ichigo destroys the spell, explaining to a stunned Aizen he did not notice Ichigo is stronger than him, and moves in to strike. As they fight, Aizen, transforming, fires an immensely powerful blast at Ichigo, who, surviving, sustains some damage. Grabbing him, Aizen gloats, but Ichigo slashes at his chest, forcing Aizen to release him. Tired of Aizen's logic, Ichigo, activating the "Final Getsuga Tenshō", explains the technique, and, using Mugetsu, severely wounds and weakens Aizen. Watching as Aizen, his wounds healing once again, begins to revert to a more normal form, Ichigo, falling to the ground as his Shinigami powers weaken, looks on as Aizen is bound by Urahara's Kidō. After the two converse briefly, Aizen is finally sealed as Ichigo looks away. After the battle with Aizen, Ichigo, asking Urahara where everyone is, asks if everyone's memories have been erased. Saying no, which relieves Ichigo, Urahara tells him Aizen's punishment will be dealt with by Central 46. Asking him if Aizen was really rejected by the Hōgyoku, Ichigo, wondering if Aizen himself wished to lose his power, explains his theory of Aizen wishing to just be a Shinigami. When Orihime, Uryū, Rukia, Sado, and Renji arrive, Ichigo, greeting them, collapses, screaming in pain. A month later, Ichigo, regaining consciousness, finds himself back home, surrounded by Orihime, Rukia, Uryū, and Chad. When Rukia reveals Urahara told them he has lost his Shinigami power, Ichigo tells Rukia he will most likely have to give back his Substitute Shinigami title. Revealing the first stage of loss brings intense pain, loss of consciousness, and a reverse flow of the time his body experienced in the Dangai, she further explains he lost his Shinigami powers at that point. In the second stage, his remaining Reiatsu stabilizes, he wakes up, and the remainder of his spiritual power completely disappears. Saying he expected this to happen, Ichigo, asking if he can go outside, notes he can no longer sense spiritual presences any more, and it is becoming harder to see Rukia. As Rukia starts to fade before his eyes, Ichigo, asking her to give his best regards to everyone, says goodbye and thanked her.
Lost Substitute Shinigami
Seventeen months after defeating Aizen, Ichigo, starting his third year in high school, notes ever since his powers disappeared, Karin's have been getting stronger. Since she has not asked him about it, Ichigo figures she is dealing with it well. At school, Ichigo, finding his Substitute Shinigami Badge in his bag, notes it has lost its abilities. Noticing Uryū running out of the classroom, aware he took over the Hollow extermination he used to cover, he notes to himself it is probably better for Uryū to handle it than Zennosuke Kurumadani. At lunch, Keigo and Ichigo discuss future careers. When Keigo mentions Ichigo's grades were good when he began high school, but started slipping during the second half of his first year, Ichigo states he still did well despite the interference of his Shinigami duties. When Keigo asks about Rukia, Ichigo, asking why he brought her up, states she is not assigned to Karakura Town any more. Ichigo insists he is fine with his now peaceful life. As he walks home, Ichigo, stopping an armed thief, reflects on how he still has the body and reflexes of someone trained to fight and win. Returning the stolen property to its owner, Kūgo Ginjō, Ichigo asks for him to keep his actions a secret. The next day, Ichigo has a dream in which he sees silhouettes of Renji, Byakuya and Rukia telling him to wake up. When he awakens to the sound of Isshin, who pounces on him, Ichigo dodges, sending Isshin through an open window. Dismissing Isshin's complaints, Ichigo says he would go to Soul Society if he died. Annoyed, Ichigo, blaming the weird dreams he has had recently on his father, demands he apologize to him. At school, Ichigo rented his services to Satoda who was a member of the soccer club. As Ichigo prepares for practice, he bickers with Tatsuki, who reminds him to call his boss, Ikumi Unagiya, or he will be scolded by her again. Rushing out to call Ikumi, Ichigo has a short exchange with her about being fired. As he hangs up his phone, a gang arrives at the school looking for him. Ichigo sees the thief he had previously beaten up with them. When the gang leader demands Ichigo come forth, Uryū confronts the group, prompting Ichigo to rush to him to prevent the incident from worsening. The two bicker at one another as they beat up the gang members. Before they finish, another gangster, Yokochini, appearing, asks Ichigo if he still remembers him. When he fails to remember him, Ichigo states he neither wants to nor cares about his past. Yokochini and his men are beaten by Ikumi, who, taking Ichigo away in a van, takes him to her office.
Inside the Unagiya shop, Ikumi, showing Ichigo a pile of work documents, says he seldom does them, yelling at him to get to work. When Kūgo enters the store, Ichigo recognizes him as the man whose bag he recovered. When Ichigo asks what he wants from him, Kūgo, showing him a picture of Isshin, asks for background information on him. Ichigo says Isshin is his father, and he can tell him anything he wants to know. Questioning whether Ichigo even knows enough to answer, Kūgo says he should not even know about his family yet. When Ichigo tries to ask him what he means, Ikumi, interrupting, says she is closing shop for the day and will consider the job. As he leaves, Kūgo tells Ichigo to go to the Urahara Shop. Whilst there, Ichigo came to witness Karin leaving and wondered why she was there. Kūgo approaches, calling Urahara a shady character. As Ichigo tries to defend Urahara, Kūgo, questioning how much he knows about Urahara, warns him to act quickly to defend his family. Telling Kūgo he does not trust him, Ichigo is given a business card. Ichigo goes home, where Yuzu greets him with the results of her first exam, which she excelled at. Congratulating her, Ichigo, telling her to show it to Isshin, asks where he is. When she tells him he is not there, Ichigo, going up to his room, states he could find Isshin if he still had his Shinigami powers. Visiting with some leftover bread from her job, Orihime asks him if something happened recently or if he is being followed, which Ichigo denies. At dinnertime, Ichigo, rushing to Karakura Hospital, looking for the injured Uryū, finds Orihime is already there. When he asks where Sado is, Orihime tells him he did not answer when he was called. After Ryūken Ishida reveals the cause of Uryū's wounds, Ichigo asks what happened. After Uryū states it had nothing to do with him, Ichigo offers to walk Orihime home, but Ryūken, deciding to drive her home instead, tells Ichigo he should get home as well. After thanking him, Ichigo runs off, frustrated there is something going on which he can do nothing about. When he dials the number on the card Kūgo gave him, a voice welcomes him to Xcution. Ichigo is given a complex dialing sequence to follow, which puts him through to Kūgo. After Ichigo complains about the complicated nature of the phone call, Kūgo arranges a meeting on the following evening at an address in Naruki City. The following day, when Orihime asks Ichigo if he knew what happened to Sado, who is absent from school, Ichigo, stating he does not know, declines an offer to go to Sado's house with her.
Later that evening, Ichigo arrived at the meeting place, he is greeted by Kūgo. Ichigo tells him his friend was attacked, and he wants his help. When Kūgo asks if Ichigo trusts him, Ichigo says he is probably not a normal Human. Giving a vague answer, Kūgo notes Ichigo has nobody else to count on. Inside the building, Kūgo, jinges about his request to investigate Isshin, insists it was a ruse to gain Ichigo's interest. As they enter Xcution's hideout, where Ichigo sees some of the other members of the group, Kūgo reveals they aim to restore his Shinigami powers. When Ichigo demands to know how and why they intend to do this, Kūgo, insisting on taking their time, reveals the members of Xcution are Fullbringers, demonstrating their abilities. When a complaining Riruka Dokugamine enters the room, Ichigo asks Kūgo who she is. When he, introducing her, tells her to come in, she is followed inside by Yasutora Sado, surprising Ichigo. When Ichigo angrily asks Sado why he is there and why he has not been going to school, Kūgo tells him to calm down so he can explain everything. As Ichigo glares at him, Kūgo reveals a Fullbringer is a person who had a parent who was attacked by a Hollow before their birth. Traces of the Hollow's powers remain in their mother's bodies and are passed on to them at birth. These powers are more like Hollow than Shinigami powers. He further explains Fullbringers do not enjoy their powers, similar to the way Ichigo hated his Hollow powers. Kūgo says he wants to erase his powers, and they have learned they can pass their powers on to someone who possesses both Human and Shinigami powers. Ichigo realizes he was not the first person born from a Shinigami and a Human. Kūgo says they have old allies who have reverted to being Human, and they will help Ichigo get his Shinigami powers back so he can help them become normal Humans. He explains Sado offered to help them because it meant Ichigo getting his powers back. Asking Sado to confirm this, Ichigo listens as he explains he sees the pain Ichigo feels at not being able to protect the people he cares about. He tells Ichigo he does not have to hide it, and his feeling this pain means this is who he is. When Kūgo says they will restore his Shinigami powers and add their own powers on top of that, Ichigo accepted this deal.
Overview
Personality and attributes
In appearance, Ichigo Kurosaki was a male human who was a fairly tall learn-built young man who had peach skin and brown eyes. His most distinguishing feature was his spiky orange hair which was a trait that often led to him being ridiculed by others for years.
The entity within him was called the Hollow Ichigo (虚 (ホロウ) 一護, Horō Ichigo) or as The Hollow within Ichigo (一護の内面 (ないめん) の虚 (ホロウ), Ichigo no naimen no Horō) or as the White Ichigo (白一護, Shiro Ichigo).
When he was a child, he considered his mother to be the center of his world where he always smiled when he was with her as she regularly held his hand. Ichigo was noted to had cried whenever he lost a match in the dojo he attended but would smile again as he saw his mother Masaki come to pick him up.
As a teenager, he was shown to be stubborn, short-tempered, strong-willed and impulsive. He claimed that he did not care what other people thought of him. Though he often attempted to remain detached and wanted to keep a 'cool' image. Generally, he kept his face set in a near-permanent scowl, with his eyebrows drawn together. His outspoken, hot-headed demeanor was a trait Ichigo himself had acknowledged, and that if somebody picked a fight with him then he could not help but fight back. He coldly referred to his teachers as "instructors".
He claimed that he had difficulty in remembering people's faces and names.
A capable student, he was ranked 23rd in his year at school who studied regularly and did not neglect his schoolwork. He worked hard in order to overcome the misconceptions many have about him based on his hair color and fighting.
During his time as a shinigami, he claimed that he could get a handle on a opponent's emotions and thoughts as they fought with their sword. This did not allow him to predict a person's moves but rather allowed him to understand his foe better.
Kurosaki had said that he despised those who mistreated their allies in any way even if they were his own enemies.
Ichigo was the son of Isshin Kurosaki (黒崎 一心, Kurosaki Isshin) and his wife Masaki Kurosaki (黒崎 真咲, Kurosaki Masaki).
He had two younger sisters with these being Karin Kurosaki and Yuzu Kurosaki.
Powers and abilities
Though seemingly human, Ichigo was actually the child of a Quincy and a Shinigami. Before he was born, his mother was attacked by the experimental Hollow known as White who bit Masaki Kurosaki with the intent of making her a target for Hollowfication as part of its final 'transfer' stage. Having entered her soul, the day after the battle it starts to Hollowfy her, putting her at risk of Soul Suicide. This was prevented through the use of a special Gigai invented by Kisuke Urahara, Isshin was able to link his soul to both Masaki's soul and White, suppressing her Hollowfication. White's influence would later be passed onto Ichigo Kurosaki after Isshin and Masaki had their son.
It was shown that he had a sharp mind who had proven to be analytical, perceptive, and deductive.
Physically, Ichigo's human body was in top shape where he had been trained in martial arts since he was a small child with this being both professional and by his father. He was shown to had repeatedly demonstrated great agility and coordination in his attacks. In addition to having powerful kicks and punches, Ichigo is proficient in counterattacks, takedowns, and body locks. He has repeatedly caught an opponent's weapon strikes with a single hand
One of his most astounding ability was his talent to grow quickly where he could grasp the basic control of advanced techniques in days where it would take several years for even the most gifted Shinigami. By sheer instinct, he was able to learn advanced spiritual energy sensing techniques.
On several occasions, Ichigo was said to possess incredible reserves of spiritual energy reserves. It was said that despite him being a substitute shinigami that his spirit energy had grown to the point of being equal to a Gotei 13 Captain.
After Ichigo learned the truth about the source of his Shinigami powers and reforged his Zanpakutō, his Hollow and Quincy came into balance with one another; however, should Ichigo's inner Hollow be woken by large amounts of Quincy Reiatsu, this balance will be disrupted, and Ichigo can meld with his inner Hollow, resulting in a powerful transformation.[545] In this form, the left side of Ichigo's face and neck change to resemble the form his inner Hollow took on while fighting Ulquiorra Cifer, as well as his former Hollowfication; his left eye inverts in color with a black sclera and yellow iris, he has dark marks running down his face and along his neck, and he gains a long, forward-pointing horn on the left side of his head. While in this form, the larger blade of Zangetsu turns white.
He came to wield a Zanpakutō which was known as Zangetsu (斬月, Slaying Moon) though at first he was not aware of its true nature. At first, it looked like a standard yet oversized katana with an equally oversized brown sheath hung by a strap across his back over his right shoulder.
One of its special abilities was a technique known as Getsuga Tenshō (月牙天衝, Moon Fang Heaven-Piercer; "Piercer of Heaven" in the English anime) whereby during a slash his sword absorbed his spiritual energy and released it as a highly condensed spiritual energy that was a slash attack flying towards at a target.
A variation of this was the Getsuga Jūjishō (月牙十字衝, Moon Fang Cross-Shaped Piercer) where he fired a Getsuga Tenshō with each blade of his true Shikai and fused them into a large, cross-shaped blast of energy.
Ichigo came to master the Bankai (卍解, Final Release) technique that was the second and final upgraded form of a Zanpakutō where his took the shape of Tensa Zangetsu (天鎖斬月, Heaven Chain Slaying Moon).
Through communion with his sword, he was able to learn the Saigo no Getsuga Tenshō (最後の月牙天衝, The Final Moon Fang Heaven-Piercer). This was referred to as the final Getsuga Tensho as use of the ability would result in the user losing their shinigami powers. Using this power allowed Ichigo to become Getsuga (月牙, Moon Fang) itself and resulted in a transformation. When using this form, his hair changed in color as it became black and rapidly grew to waist-length. For the duration of the transformation, he was capable of using Mugetsu (無月, Moonless Sky) whereby he was able to generate a blade of deep black Reiatsu in his hand that he could wield in a fight. Doing so causes a massive veil of black Reiatsu to erupt upwards and towards his target with it darkening the sky and heavily damaging anything caught within the blast.
Ichigo also possessed what was initially believed to be an inner Hollow that was possessing him. At first, this entity would take over Kurosaki's body whenever Ichigo fell unconscious in a fight. Upon taking over his body, Ichigo's sclera blackened and his irises glowed golden-yellow whilst he formed Hollow mask over a portion of his face. Should the mask be broken or torn off then Ichigo came to regain control of his body. Sometimes, Ichigo would regain consciousness and physically fight the inner Hollow by ripping off the mask so that he could take back his body. Through training, Ichigo came to learnt to harness this form which he achieved particularly amongst the Visored. He was able to manifest a Hollow mask in order to take into the greater power offered to him in this state but only for a limited time. During this time, Ichigo as conscious and in full control of his power. Later on, the inner Hollow was capable of conducting a full possession of his body Ichigo's entire body turned into a hollow creature. This included a jaw point and rounded forehead where his new muscular form took that of a white humanoid lizard with three-toed feet as well as a tail. Unlike a Hollow though, he was able to make use of weapons which in his case was his Zanpakutō.
In this state, Kurosaki gained a number of new abilities that included:
- Sonído (響転 (ソニード), Sonīdo; Spanish for "Sound", Japanese for "Reverberating Turn") :
- Cero (虚閃 (セロ), Sero; Spanish for "Zero", Japanese for "Hollow Flash"; Viz "Doom Blast") :
After leaving the Soul Society, he was given a Substitute Shinigami Badge (代行証 死神代行, Daikōshō Shinigami Daikō) by Ukitake with this being a pendant that signified his status as a Substitute Shinigami that allowed him to operate in the Human World.
Notes
- Tōshirō Hitsugaya was created by Tite Kubo where he featured in the setting of the Bleach universe.
In other media
Television
- In Bleach, Ichigo Kurosaki appeared in the setting of the anime television series adaptation where he was voiced by Japanese actor Masakazu Morita and by English actor Johnny Yong Bosch in the dub. One original arc for the anime was the Bount Arc. Ichigo, unaware he is unable to perform Bankai outside of Soul Society, faces three Modified Souls in a series of games, set by Urahara, which involve kidnapping Ichigo's friends, all unbeknownst to Ichigo. Ichigo undergoes training with three the Mod Souls, Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba. After the training, which is unsuccessful, he, finding out about the Bount, confronts Yoshino Sōma. Unable to win, despite the help of Rukia, Ichigo is unintentionally saved by another Bount, Ryō Utagawa. Later, when Utagawa tries to eat Uryū's soul, a battle between him and Ichigo's group ensues. While visiting Uryū in the hospital, the group is met by water-manipulating Bount twins Hō and Ban. Ichigo fights them, but they prove to be tough to beat. He discovers when the twins are separated, their ability to control their Dolls was greatly reduced. With some assistance from Ganju Shiba, the group kills the weakened Dolls with fireworks. Ichigo and company infiltrate Jin Kariya's mansion in search of Uryu. Ichigo engages Utagawa in battle, during which he obliterates a large portion of the house, surprising both Utagawa and Maki Ichinose. When Ichinose confronts Ichigo, the two fight until Kariya, taking over, overpowers Ichigo. As Ichigo is on the brink of defeat, Urahara and his assistants arrive to rescue them. Later, Ichigo fights Gō Koga and his Doll, Dalk, after the Bitto nearly kill Keigo. When Ichigo is beaten, his inner Hollow takes over. Managing to repel his inner Hollow, Ichigo succumbs to his previous injuries. When Izuru Kira, appearing, disables the Doll, Koga retreats. As Ichigo invades the Bount hideout with Sado, Orihime, Rukia, Renji, and the Mod Souls, four Shinigami lieutenants, who had entered the cave earlier and fought Ugaki's Doll, Gesell, assist them. When Renji and Ichigo, continuing into the depths of the cave, find Ugaki, Renji decides to take on Gesell with his Bankai so Ichigo will have the strength to take on the remaining Bount. As the cave begins to crumble, Yumichika Ayasegawa convinces Ichigo to leave them behind and go further into the cave. When Ichigo finds the remaining Bount, they open a portal to Soul Society. Ichigo starts a battle with Kariya, who, defeating Ichigo, threatens to kill him with Zangetsu, convincing Ichigo to recover his will to fight and regain his ability to use his Bankai. As the fight continues, with both adversaries now evenly matched, they are interrupted by Uryū, who helps the Bount reach Soul Society, believing he will get stronger there and defeat the Bount.
Films
Video games
- In Jump Force, Ichigo Kurosaki appeared as a playable character in the setting of the crossover fighting video game where he was voiced by Japanese actor Masakazu Morita.
Appearances
- Bleach:
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