Bleach Ichigo

I’ve read a lot of manga in my days, and I’ve got to say that I have yet to come across another character like Ichigo. I’m not saying that Ichigo doesn’t share some of the same characteristics that have become all too familiar in manga protagonist. I’m not saying that Ichigo is completely original. What I am saying is that despite similarities to other lead characters, I have never really compared Ichigo to any other character.

When you look at the “big three” manga today (Naruto, Bleach, One Piece), plot aside Ichigo has to be the most dynamic character. Until recent, I’ve always viewed Naruto as the stereotypical, thumbs up, can’t do wrong kind of character. This isn’t a knock against Naruto, but it’s a little hard to believe that a kid who grew up hated and with no parents would end up so… good.

I think a big part of why I find Ichigo so engaging is how Kubo has developed his character. Kubo has managed to make Ichigo into a character that I can relate to in real life. I love Ichigo’s patented scowl  and his tough demeanor. I like that below the surface Ichigo is a very sensitive and caring individual.

The fact that Kubo relates Ichigo’s development as a soul reaper directly to his development emotionally is a huge plus for me. It’s not something you see every day in manga were intense training is all you need to grow in power. However, no matter how gifted Ichigo is and how much potential he has, Kubo has allowed us to see him struggle due to certain emotional issues. This makes Ichigo a much more rounded character in my book.

Will Ichigo ever have the honor of being mentioned as one of the greatest manga characters ever? Probably not. And that is really disappointing to me. I think that a lot of times Ichigo (and Kubo) does not get enough credit. I think a lot of readers are still stuck in the dragonball  mode where power level is all that matters when Kubo likes to focus on other more subtle accepts of a fight which brings in lots of variables.

Ichigo has won his spot as my favorite manga character. Has he won you over?