Ichigo Kurosaki

Lore & Background

Ichigo's design evolved from initial sketches featuring dark hair, glasses, and softer eyes to his final appearance with orange hair, a trademark scowl, and no glasses. Author Tite Kubo modified these traits specifically to contrast with Rukia Kuchiki. During the series' first chapter, Ichigo's wristwatch was based on one Kubo wore personally; later chapters updated it to resemble Naoto Fukasawa's W11K cellphone. While Kubo found it awkward to draw Ichigo smiling cheerfully, he attributed the character's popularity to his cool appearance and warm, kind-hearted nature. Kubo stated that Ichigo's greatest strength is his considerate nature, though this same trait becomes a weakness when worrying about friends puts him in danger. Regarding romance, Kubo confirmed that Ichigo never had feelings for Orihime Inoue during the story; their relationship only became romantic offscreen in their fictional adult years.

In Their Own Story

In Karakura Town, Ichigo, a student at Karakura High School with the ability to see ghosts, meets Rukia Kuchiki after her younger sisters are attacked by a Hollow. Wounded while trying to save Ichigo, Rukia transfers her Soul Reaper powers to him so he can protect his family. Over the following months, Ichigo acts as a substitute, fighting Hollows until two high-seated officers arrive to take Rukia back for transferring power to a human. Training with Kisuke Urahara, Ichigo obtains his own Soul Reaper powers and learns the name of his Zanpakutō, Zangetsu (literally "Slaying Moon"), turning it into its Shikai state. He travels to the Soul Society with friends Sado "Chad" Yasutora, Orihime Inoue, and Uryū Ishida. There, he defeats Renji Abarai, Kenpachi Zaraki, and Byakuya Kuchiki. Against Byakuya, Ichigo learns his Bankai state, Tensa Zangetsu (literally "Heaven Chain Slaying Moon"), which increases his speed. Later, after the Arrancar arc ends, Kubo rebooted the series where Ichigo loses his powers and searches for methods to recover them. During this Lost Agent arc, he wears a new outfit resembling a tokusatsu character while developing Fullbring powers under Kūgo Ginjō before Rukia restores his Soul Reaper powers using the Reiatsu of Gotei 13's senior officers.

Reader's Guide

To understand Ichigo's journey, one must follow the specific turning points documented in the series. Initially, he faces Grand Fisher, the hollow who killed his mother when he was nine years old. To rescue Rukia from execution, he enters the Soul Society and learns Bankai, defeating Byakuya Kuchiki to expose Sousuke Aizen's betrayal. Following Aizen's flight to Hueco Mundo, Ichigo trains with the Vizard to control his internal Hollow powers while saving Orihime Inoue from Ulquiorra Cifer. He defeats Ulquiorra using this internal power and later confronts Aizen in Karakura Town, learning the Final Getsuga Tenshō technique. This ultimate move weakens Aizen but costs Ichigo all his powers. Seventeen months later, during the Lost Agent arc, he meets Kūgo Ginjō of Xcution. Ichigo unlocks Fullbring powers through his Substitute Soul Reaper Badge only to discover Ginjō and Shūkurō Tsukishima manipulated him. After learning that Ginjō was the first Substitute Soul Reaper and that the Soul Society limits their powers, Ichigo resolves to protect everyone. Rukia eventually restores his Shinigami powers via a special sword, allowing him to defeat Ginjō.

Did You Know?

• Author Tite Kubo originally intended Rukia Kuchiki to be the protagonist before shifting focus to Ichigo.
• Ichigo's wristwatch design in later chapters was based on Naoto Fukasawa's W11K cellphone.
• Masakazu Morita, Ichigo's Japanese voice actor, considers voicing him alongside Tidus from Final Fantasy X as one of his favorite roles.
• Johnny Yong Bosch found it difficult to voice scenes where Ichigo shouts for extended periods.
• Sota Fukushi played the live-action role of Ichigo in the 2018 film adaptation.