Ichigo Kurosaki (Kenji)

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Ichigo Kurosaki (Kenji)
Name	Ichigo Kurosaki
Kanji	黒崎 一護
Romanji	Kurosaki Ichigo
Characteristics
Race	Human
Age	15
Gender	Male
Eyes	Brown
Hair	= Orange
Professional Status
Affiliation	Karakura Town
Occupation	Substitute Shinigami
Partner	Numerous: Rukia Kuchiki Renji Abarai Fujimaru Kudō
Base of Operations	World of the Living, Karakura Town
Personal Status
Marital Status	Single
Status	Active
Zanpakutō
Shikai	Zangetsu
Bankai	Tensa Zangetsu

Ichigo Kurosaki (黒崎 一護, Kurosaki Ichigo) is a Human who awakened Shinigami powers, eventually becoming the Substitute Shinigami charged with protecting Karakura Town. He is the son of Isshin Kurosaki and the elder brother of Karin and Yuzu.

Ichigo received his initial Shinigami powers in a high-risk gambit from Rukia Kuchiki, which granted him temporary Shinigami powers. After Rukia was taken back to the Soul Society, where it was soon discovered that she had committed a taboo in granting Ichigo his powers, she was scheduled to be executed for breaking the laws of the Soul Society. Ichigo risked his life to access his own inherent Shinigami abilities and successfully infiltrated the Soul Society, where he eventually rescued Rukia.

In the wake of Rukia's rescue Ichigo returned to his normal life, but was soon embroiled in spiritual matters again when the Arrancar specifically targeted him. Joining together with a Shinigami from the past known as Fujimaru Kudō, Ichigo travelled to the Soul Society once again, where he was subsequently embroiled in the conflict with Arturo Plateado.

History

Early childhood

Ichigo looks to his mother after a sparring match with Tatsuki.

Ichigo was born on the 15th of July, to Masaki and Isshin, fifteen years before he met Rukia. He later became a brother to twins: Karin and Yuzu. During his childhood, at age 4, he was enrolled into a karate class, where he first met Tatsuki Arisawa, who would help Ichigo when he was being bullied or was otherwise in distress. As far back as Ichigo could remember he was always capable of seeing ghosts, to the point he couldn't actually tell the difference between living people and the departed. He was noted by his peers to be constantly looking into the distance or talking to himself, and when asked by Tatsuki, Ichigo told her he could not see ghosts.

Ichigo awakens to find his mother dead atop him.

When he was nine years old, on the seventeenth of July, Ichigo's life was irrevocably changed. Whilst walking home along the river with his mother, which was swollen from heavy rain, Ichigo attempted to stop what he thought was a young girl attempting to jump into the water. Due to his inability to distinguish ghosts from real people, Ichigo failed to notice the girl as a lure for the Hollow Grand Fisher. Masaki attempted to stop Ichigo but he fell unconscious for a time and when he awoke he was lying under the body of his mother, who was covered in blood.

Ichigo along the bank.

The day after Masaki's death, Ichigo began skipping school, and would spend his time wandering along the bank of the river where his mother was killed. Tatsuki found him wandering the bank from morning to night as if he where looking for Masaki; when he was tired he would squat down and rest. When he was sufficiently rested he would go straight back to wandering along the river's bank. When he was twelve, just before the Kurosaki Clinic opened, Ichigo answered the door to find a girl who was carrying her blood-covered brother, who had been in a car accident. The clinic did not have the necessary equipment to save the girl's brother and he died before an ambulance could arrive. Ichigo would later learn that the girl was called Orihime Inoue.

Ichigo risks his life to protect Chad and the two become friends.

Ichigo eventually enrolled in Mashiba Junior High School. Shortly after he finally managed to defeat Tatsuki in a karate match, at which point he never fought her again. He regularly got into trouble and fights due to the unusual colour of his hair, which served to keep his skills polished. During one such fight Ichigo was helped by Chad. Ichigo later helped Chad against two thugs who had attacked him. When the thugs retaliated and abducted Chad, Ichigo found their leader, Yokochini, and proceeded to beat them all up and then called for an ambulance. Ichigo and Chad vowed to fight for and protect each other afterwards, becoming the best-of-friends as a result.

Upon enrolling in Karakura High School Ichigo and Chad's reputations preceded them. Despite this they befriended both Keigo Asano and Mizuiro Kojima, despite the fact Keigo was initially frightened of the pair. Ichigo would also meet Uryū Ishida. He questioned Uryū as to why he didn't attend a school for the gifted, speculating that he thought Uryū would want to follow in his father's footsteps and become a doctor. Uryū however replied that he had no desire to become a doctor.

Becoming a Shinigami

Agent of the Soul Society

Ichigo prepares to receive Rukia's power.

Ichigo easily kills Fishbone D.

At the age of 15, on a Friday night in the middle of May, Ichigo finds the course of his life forever altered. Encountering Rukia Kuchiki, whom Ichigo believes is a burglar, he eventually accepts she is a ghost for only he can see her, but does not so easily accept her story of Shinigami and malevolent spirits called Hollow. Ichigo is subsequently bound by Kidō when Rukia senses the presence of a Hollow, but Ichigo breaks free of his bindings when he hears his sister Yuzu scream for help. Armed with a baseball bat Ichigo proceeds to attempt a rescue of his sister Yuzu, who is instead freed from the Hollow's grip by Rukia. Immediately after Rukia shields Ichigo with her own body, resulting in severe enough injuries that prevent her from fighting back further. Seeing Ichigo's determination, Rukia opts to transform him into a Shinigami so that he may protect his family, which Ichigo accepts despite the procedure being potentially fatal. Rukia thrusts her Zanpakutō into his chest, intending to loan him half her power, but Ichigo takes almost all of it and proceeds to easily kill the Hollow. He does, however, collapse immediately after.

Rukia appears in Ichigo's class.

Acidwire enters Ichigo's room.

The next morning, whilst at school, Ichigo is shocked when Rukia not only appears as a member of his class, but also that she has altered his family's memories of the Hollow attack. Rukia quickly makes her case for Ichigo temporarily taking over her duties as a Shinigami, and when he refuses she forces his Soul out of his body and takes him to a park where she senses a Hollow, which Ichigo promptly kills. Through no small amount of persuasion Ichigo agrees to perform Rukia's duties. Rukia proceeds to begin coaching Ichigo to help improve his combat abilities and tactics, but a Hollow appears in his room suddenly. Rukia, who has taken to living in Ichigo's closet, forces Ichigo into his Shinigami form, and a fight ensues. Ichigo breaks off part of the Hollow's mask, revealing the Hollow to be Sora Inoue. Rukia explains the origins of Hollow to Ichigo and further explains that Orihime is in danger, for Hollow often target their relatives. The duo rush to Orihime's apartment where Ichigo succeeds in saving Orihime and Tatsuki from having their souls devoured.

Ichigo watches as Sora purifies himself.

At Orihime's apartment Ichigo panics, for he sees Orihime's Soul outside her body, but is assured by Rukia that she can still be saved. Intent on eating Orihime, the Hollow attacks. In the subsequent fight with Ichigo, Orihime steps between the two and is bitten, which temporarily restores Sora's consciousness. Now in full control of his faculties, Sora lifts Ichigo's fallen Zanpakutō and impales himself upon its blade, which leads Rukia to explain the effects a Zanpakutō has on a Hollow. She further states that Sora will now go to the Soul Society. Ichigo talks briefly with Orihime as Rukia heals her, and he watches as Rukia then erases her memory of the event.

The next few days continue to be eventful for Ichigo. He denies being in a relationship with Rukia, has an altercation with Reiichi Ōshima when the latter insults Ichigo's hair colour, and notices that Chad has a parakeet with him that contains the Soul of a Plus. When Rukia says they should send the Plus to Soul Society, Ichigo bitterly complains about his lack of sleep.

Karin upset.

When Ichigo gets home however he is drafted by his father to help with the wounded from a recent car crash, where he notices Chad has been injured too. Ichigo notices that the wound on his back was caused by a Hollow. The next morning Ichigo tracks the parakeet and finds Chad, though he runs from them. Ichigo is, however, distracted by Karin, who tells him that she saw the Plus's memories; she then reveals that he saw his mother being murdered. Ichigo puts Karin to bed and reflects on how long it's been since he saw Karin cry.

Ichigo force-feeds Shrieker his own explosive leeches as a form of torture.

Ichigo eventually intervenes in the battle between Rukia, Chad and the Hollow Shrieker. Ichigo notices small creatures nearby and is told that they spit explosive leeches. Ichigo forcibly rams these leeches into Shrieker's mouth and proceeds to question Shrieker, the murder of the Plus's mother which Karin revealed to him included, and proceeds to systematically torture the Hollow; at one point he even rips out Shrieker's tongue, and stabs him in the leg when he refuses to speak further. Ichigo proceeds to angrily slay Shrieker which summons the Gates of Hell, and Rukia proceeds to explain the nature of Hell to Ichigo. They then send the Plus to Soul Society, with Ichigo suggesting that the Plus may even see his mother there.

Ichigo getting kicked by Kon, who inhabits Ichigo's physical body.

Urahara arrives to reclaim his bad merchandise.

Rukia, fearing her time is limited, opts to give Ichigo the means to enter his Shinigami form without her assistance and introduces him to Gikongan, which Ichigo leaves in charge of his body as he goes off to confront a Hollow. The artificial Soul that inhabits Ichigo's body however is not a traditional artificial Soul, but rather a Modified Soul, and this Mod-Soul hijacks Ichigo's body and causes a number of incidents before being confronted by Ichigo, though the Mod-Soul runs away. Ichigo later confronts another Hollow and finds the Mod-Soul fighting it already, and Ichigo intervenes, reminding the Mod-Soul that it is in his body. The pair work together to defeat the Hollow. The Mod-Soul is subsequently ejected from Ichigo's body by Kisuke Urahara, but instead of being destroyed, Rukia gives Ichigo the Mod-Soul to keep. Ichigo opts to call the Mod-Soul Kon and places him in the body of a lion plushy, who then becomes Ichigo's willing partner. When Kon wakes Ichigo on the 16th of June, Ichigo complains that Isshin hadn't woken him as usual, but he then notices the date. That night the Kurosaki family hold a family meeting to discuss their trip to Masaki's grave, and Ichigo asks Rukia for the day off as tomorrow was the day his mother was killed.

Trials of a Substitute

Ichigo and Ikkaku have a sparring match after a verbal spat.

After Orihime healed the wounds he sustained against Byakuya and Aizen, Ichigo spent a week in the Soul Society. He spent the majority of his time with members of the 11th Division, specifically Ikkaku, and it was here that Ichigo learned from Rukia that she was staying in the Soul Society. As Ichigo and his friends prepare to leave, Captain Ukitake presents to Ichigo a badge, which serves as a license that identifies Ichigo as a Substitute Shinigami. This badge allows him to hunt Hollow officially; Ichigo thus becomes the official Shinigami attached to Karakura Town. Ichigo quickly learns that the badge, aside from alerting him to the presence of Hollow, is next to useless as a form of identification.

Blank Incident

Main article -- Bleach: Memories of Nobody.

The 3rd Phantom

Main article -- Bleach: The 3rd Phantom.

Fujimaru helps Ichigo defeat a Menos Grande.

Some weeks after the events in Soul Society, Ichigo has settled into his new regime as Karakura Town's Substitute Shinigami, where he helps protect wayward Souls alongside Uryū, Orihime and Chad, with occasional (and unwanted) help from Don Kanonji. One night, where he works alongside his friends to send two Plus to Soul Society, Ichigo inadvertently meets displaced Shinigami Fujimaru Kudō and the wayward Soul Shiyo, where he also stumbles on Don Kanonji, whom Ichigo tells to get back. Ichigo and Fujimaru work together to defeat a Menos Grande. After successfully dealing with the threat Ichigo shows Fujimaru and Shiyo the way to Kisuke Urahara shop, and is surprised when Urahara recognises Fujimaru. Before he can question Urahara further, Urahara reminds Ichigo that the sun will soon be up and that he should really get some sleep.

Shinji manifests his Hollow Mask.

As directed by Urahara, Ichigo heads home to get some sleep but is interrupted by Hiyori Sarugaki and Shinji Hirako, who ask him to join the Visored after Shinji explains what he, Hiyori and Ichigo are. When Ichigo declines repeatedly Hiyori attempts to attack him, threatening to kill him, but she is spirited away comically by Shinji. Although perturbed the encounter nevertheless leads Ichigo to contemplate the offer when he returns home, especially since his Inner Hollow has been surfacing more frequently since his battle with Byakuya.

Synopsis

Main article -- Bleach (Kenji Hiroshi).

Part III

Main articles -- Bleach: Resurgent Phantom & Bleach: Tower of Night.

Resurgent Phantom

• 3rd Phantom: Back to the Grind (mentioned)

Part IV

Main article -- Bleach: Cataclysm.

Part V

Main article -- TBA.

Equipment

• Substitute Shinigami Badge:

Powers & Abilities

Vast Spiritual Energy: Ichigo is at best an anomaly; he has no control over his immense spiritual power, and its level and force rises and falls seemingly in relation to Ichigo's own mood and resolve. Ulquiorra noted that, at its highest fluctuation, Ichigo's power surpassed his own. When facing opposition with clear conviction and no doubt, Ichigo is capable of outputting power comparable to the likes of Kenpachi Zaraki and Byakuya Kuchiki. Even when battle-worn and fighting at roughly half of his full strength, Ichigo was noted to give off Captain-level power. Despite a lack of refined control Ichigo has demonstrated a number of advanced applications, chief amongst them the ability to track targets and dampen incoming damage by using his reiatsu as a cushion.

Advanced Growth Rate:

Keen Intellect:

Zanjutsu Expertise:

Hakuda Expertise:

Hohō Expertise:

Enhanced Strength:

Enhanced Durability:

Immense Endurance:

Enhanced Speed:

Zanpakutō

Zangetsu (斬月, Slaying Moon).

• Shikai:

Shikai Special Ability:

• Getsuga Tenshō (月牙天衝, Moon Fang Heaven-Piercer).

• Bankai: Tensa Zangetsu (天鎖斬月, Heavenly Chain Slaying Moon).

Bankai Special Ability:

• Enhanced Spiritual Energy:

• Enhanced Physical Abilities:

• Enhanced Getsuga Tenshō:

• Enhanced Bankai Duration:

Hollowfication

It is currently unknown how Ichigo came to possess an Inner Hollow, but he is not a unique case. The Visored exhibit the same trait but, uniquely, Sōsuke Aizen was instrumental in their creation; Ichigo's case appears to be a result of the unique method used to regain his Shinigami powers after having Rukia's forcibly stripped from him by Byakuya Kuchiki. His Inner Hollow repeatedly manifested itself following Ichigo's battle with Byakuya, where Ichigo was repeatedly threatened, before he regained control of himself.

Ichigo possessed by his Inner Hollow.

• Possessed Form: When Ichigo's Inner Hollow manifests itself Ichigo essentially becomes a backseat driver, with the Hollow exerting near-complete control of Ichigo's body. This is marked by the appearance of a partial Hollow mask spreading to eventually cover Ichigo's face, and yellow irises. Byakuya was shocked by the sudden change that came over Ichigo; Hollow Ichigo fought like a berserker, showing little to no regard for his own well-being, all-the-while laughing manically.

• Enhanced Spiritual Energy:

• Enhanced Physical Abilities:

• Kuroi Getsuga (黒い月牙, Black Moon Fang):

Behind the Scenes

Author's Notes

• This version of Ichigo is based on how Ichigo is portrayed in the Bleach: The 3rd Phantom video game, which takes place after the Soul Society arc of the canon Bleach manga, and subsequently supersedes the manga's canon with its own story. As the events of Bleach: Resurgent Phantom take place following the past segment of the aforementioned video game, in what would be 3rd Phantom's story-line, Ichigo's overall fate is greatly affected. As the game's canon replaces the manga continuity this version of Ichigo never went to Hueco Mundo to rescue Orihime, for she was never captured.

• Some of the prominent changes are:

• As a result of the differing focus Ichigo doesn't demonstrate any control over his Hollowfication. Events in the game ensure the second Arrancar invasion, which is where Ichigo prepares by training with the Visored, never takes place. He instead goes to the Soul Society.

• Ichigo's status as a Quincy is also left unstated. The true nature of his Zanpakutō was also left unexplored; as such Ichigo mainly demonstrates the abilities he demonstrated either during the Soul Society arc or in the 3rd Phantom video game.

• No mention was made of surviving Quincy; in the 3rd Phantom continuity, Uryū and his father are specifically stated to be the last of their kind. Fujimaru and Matsuri, who both attended the Shinō Academy, state they never even heard of the Quincy. This shows the subject is no longer taught at the Academy. As such the Quincy Blood War does not occur.