Summary
Having a personal arc for an anime character can help to make them feel more real, intriguing, and in some cases, relatable. The truth is though, creating a well-rounded journey for a character that sees them develop from one person to another isn’t an easy feat, and only the most talented of authors are able to pull it off for numerous characters at once.
One such mangaka who has been able to flesh out his characters with this amount of depth is Tite Kubo in his immensely popular manga,Bleach. The narrative may follow Ichigo the majority of the time, but many ofhis allies, and even enemies, have also gone on their own individual personal adventures, which has caused them to see the world in a different light by the end of their time in the story.
8Byakuya Kuchiki
Byakuya’s Sense Of Justice Is Challenged By Ichigo’s Persistness
Byakuya is presented as thebig bad main villainfor much of the Soul Society arc before the real mastermind reveals himself during the final moments. Byakuya seems more than fine having his own sister locked up and sent for execution, but when he comes face to face with Ichigo, his resolve begins to waver.
The mighty captain begins to let down his guard when he realizes that following the law so adamantly, even if it’s considered just, won’t always bring order and peace to the wider population of the Soul Society and could instead simply inflict fear. Byakuya’s tragic past saw him promise to never disobey the law, but once he becomes Ichigo’s ally, he learns how to enact justice in a fairer and less authoritarian way than before, and even acts as one of the spiky-haired Soul Reaper’s closest companions.
7Renji Abarai
Renji Turns From Subservient Soldier To A Man Willing To Stand For What He Believes In
Renji and Rukia were inseparable as children, but when they eventually worked their way up to the Soul Society, Rukia was inducted into the Kuchiki royal family, leaving Renji all alone. As a result, he became subservient to his captain, Byakuya, and even though he disagreed with Rukia’s execution, he felt he was too powerless to change the system he had agreed to serve.
Ichigo was the wake-up call Renji needed, as during their fight, Renji started to question why he wouldn’t just let his newfound enemy pass by, since he was saving Rukia, after all. Renji even goes as far as to challenge Byakuya himself, and though he lost miserably, this symbol of bravery proved that he had come quite a long way since meeting Ichigo. His powers have also developed alongside his sense of character, as evident by his formidable show of strength against Masc de Masculine in theThousand Year Blood War.
6Gin Ichimaru
Gin’s Growing Confidence In Ichigo Makes Him More Optimistic For The Future Ahead
Gin, who initially seems to be nothing more than one ofAizen’slackeys, was actually biding his time in order to take out the evil mastermind for himself. As a result, he masks himself as some sort of malicious killer for much of the series, but during this time, cracks begin to show that he’s not who he seems.
Though he was always waiting to take Aizen out, Gin also shows that he has become proud of Ichigo and views him in a very different light than when they first met in the Soul Society. His relationship with Rangiku also grows and develops through the series as he slowly unravels his real feelings towards her not long before his own demise.
5Orihime Inoue
Orihime’s Journey Sees Her Recognizing Her Place Within The Team
Orihime often struggles throughout theBleachstory to find her role within the team. While Ichigo already possesses immense amounts of power, alongside Uryu, Orihime once felt very self-conscious about her more passive abilities that were primarily centered around healing rather than fighting. Nowhere is this more evident than at the beginning of theArrancar arcwhere, when visiting Ichigo in the middle of training, Orihime doubts her own strength, with this weakness eventually being exposed by Ulquiorra, who proceeds to kidnap her.
After a while though, Orihime began to accept the extent of her abilities and became much more confident in what unique attributes she could bring to the table. By reflecting on all the lives she has saved, including Ichigo’s, Orihime has been able to accept her position as the healer of the group, rather than a liability to the team. All of this leads to her finally being able to stand side by side with Ichigo with full confidence during the final bout in the series.
4Retsu Unohana
Unohana’s Soft Demeanor Develops Into Something Much More Sinister
After Unohana let go of the Kenpachi title, she tried to change her demeanor and become a more calm and caring individual who did away with the bloodthirst and mindless killing. As a result, in the series, she starts off as somewhat ofa friendly grandmotherwho simply wants what is best for the people around her, without any real offensive powers of her own.
As the story goes on though, subtle hints are dropped that she may be a little stronger than many people think, until her savage backstory is unveiled in the Thousand Year Blood War. Unohana’s seriousness shines through at several moments, such as when Yamamoto faces off against Yhwach, as she begins thinking about going back to her old ways to take on this new set of foes. While her arc in the story ofBleachitself is therefore fascinating to watch, it’s also just as intriguing to see how her character changed over time to become such a deadly killer in her past life, and how her undying loyalty to Yamamoto came to be.
3Ulquiorra Cifer
Being Around Humans Helps Ulquiorra To Understand The Purpose Of Faith And Hope
When Ulquiorra took on the responsibility of watching over Orihime while she remained captive, he never could have thought that he would actually begin understanding and even sympathizing with humans. Ulquiorra’s character, at least to begin with, is very much defined by emptiness, as he starts off in the story having virtually no emotion and ultimately feeling numb to the chaotic events that surround him.
As he observes Orihime though, he begins to question why she continues to hold hope if there’s a high chance Ichigo won’t be able to save her. By the time he faces off against Ichigo for the final time, Ulquiorra’s ‘humanity’ even starts to weigh him down, as his opponent becomes more Hollow and, as a result, more powerful. By the end of his life, Ulquiorra comes to recognize what the ‘heart’ really is, and why it’s worth having hope, no matter how dire the situation.
2Uryu Ishida
Uryu Must Battle His Own Instinctive Discrimination Against The Soul Reapers
As one of thelast remaining pure Quincy,Uryu was always taught to hate the Soul Reapers with an undying passion. As a result, he and Ichigo, who quickly assumes the role of Soul Reaper early in the story, don’t exactly start off on great terms. Eventually, though, Uryu begins to realize that a single individual like Ichigo can’t be defined by the group he relates with. Uryu not only teams up with Ichigo, but even sacrifices himself for him in the Arrancar Arc, proving how much his outlook has begun to change.
All of this reaches a climactic head in the Thousand Year Blood War where Uryu is forced to prove his loyalty to the Quincy, or his newfound friendship with Ichigo. Uryu is put in a truly unique position within the story where he faces numerous personal challenges that help him grow, mature, and develop as a character.
1Ichigo Kurosaki
A Tale Of Loss, Growth, And In The End, Acceptance For The Show’s Protagonist
TheBleachstory is essentially one big personal journey for its plucky protagonist, Ichigo Kurosaki. When the series begins, Ichigo knows next to nothing about himself, and when he is thrust into the position of Soul Reaper, he is forced to question his own sense of duty and justice, which pushes him to accept the position.
When his inner hollow makes itself known though, Ichigo must confront a power which he knows will tear him apart, but which can also lend him a little extra power to save his friends. Alongside all of this, Ichigo is also confronted with the fact that his knowledge about his mother, and by extension, his lineage, is something he has never learned about and must come to accept. By the end of the story, Ichigo not only understands who he is as a person, but also the nature ofhis Zanpakuto, his unwavering dedication to doing what’s right, and his purpose in the wider world.
