Bleach Characters Profile #1 : Kurosaki Ichigo

Kurosaki Ichigo is the main character of Bleach, who received Shinigami (Death God) powers from a female Shinigami named Kuchiki Rukia. The power came at a cost, as by making Ichigo a Shinigami, Rukia’s powers were lost.

Ichigo lives with his father, Kurosaki Isshin, and two sisters, Yuzu and Karin. His mother Kurosaki Masaki was killed by a hollow while protecting young Ichigo from being attacked by a Hollow.

Ichigo was born with the ability to see and communicate with ghosts and spirits; as such he was able to see Rukia in her Shinigami form. Ichigo also possess an immense amount of reiatsu (spirit power), which he cannot control well. Due to that, his spirit power is constantly “leaking”, which affects the spiritually-aware people around him. Ichigo’s friends such as Inoue Orihime, Sado Yasutora (Chad) and Ishida Uryuu, are all positively affected by his strong spirit power.

Kurosaki Ichigo’s Zanpakuto

Kurosaki Ichigo’s Zanpakuto is named Zangetsu (Slicing Moon). In his Shikai (Initial release) form, Zangetsu is a giant cleaver with no handguard. He is as tall as Ichigo himself, and its blade is black in color and lined with a silver edge.

When not in use, Zangetsu is kept on Ichigo’s back with an unusual bandage-like sheath. When in battle, the bandage sheath shrinks and wrap itself as the sword’s grip. This bandage cloth can also be used offensively, as first demonstrated by Ichigo’s inner Hollow, where the bandage cloth is used to swing Zangetsu around and attack from far.

Zangetsu’s special attack is named Getsuga Tenshou, which fires a concentrated blast of reiatsu at the enemy from the tip of the blade. Ichigo first learnt this technique from Urahara Kisuke, and later mastered it after discovering its true name.

The Bankai (Final release) form of Zangetsu is considered unique among all Zanpakuto. Named Tensa Zangetsu (Chains of Heave - Slicing Moon), the sword is now an elegant black katana with a square handguard and a short broken chain dangling as the sword’s tassel. In the Bankai form, Ichigo is capable of incredible speed and agility, far superior to Shunpo (Flash step).

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