All Of Ichigo’s Forms In Bleach

Ichigo Kurosaki is a protagonist who acquires a plethora of different forms throughout the story of Bleach. While Ichigo obviously gains new abilities and powers every time he morphs into a new version of himself, he also obtains a brand new design to highlight his newfound strength. Considering the sheer amount of forms this plucky substitute Soul-Reaper picks up by the end of the series, it means there have been a ton of alternate appearances that Ichigo has shown up with, but which is considered the most visually impressive and memorable of them all?

Tite Kubo, the author of Bleach, has become renowned for his unique and stylish character designs, and nowhere can this be seen more clearly than with Ichigo, who Kubo has taken many creative liberties with throughout the years. Therefore, while not every Ichigo design has stuck with people, there are others which have since become iconic among the fanbase. Before matching them up, it should be prefaced that this list will only count canon forms shown in the manga and anime, so Ichigo’s Hell form, for example, which is only shown in a movie, won’t be considered.

11

Fullbring

Ichigo’s Regular Fullbring Form Is Quite Basic And Primarily Used For Training

• First Appearance: Episode 356

The Fullbring form that Ichigo takes on part-way through his training with X-Cution is pretty weird to say the least. It seems as though Kubo was going for a skeletal bodysuit when cooking up this design, with streaks of white and black covering Ichigo’s entire body, alongside a white line crossing over his face. While this is the same color palette seen on Hollows, this specific outfit is clearly more of a training suit, and while it’s certainly very unusual and eye-catching, it doesn’t ooze quite as much style as the others.

Ichigo wouldn’t actually have this form for all too long, as he ends up losing it after the end of the Fullbring arc when he regains his Soul Reaper powers, which is probably a good thing for many people. Still, it’s pretty creative and a bold attempt at creating something entirely unique from Kubo.

10

New Shikai

Ichigo’s Fullbring Shikai Expands His Zanpakuto And Covers Him With New Markings Across His Body

• First Appearance: Episode 361

Leading off from Ichigo’s regular Fullbring form is the brand-new Shikai that he receives during that very same arc. Ichigo’s original Shikai is already an iconic look for the Substitute Soul Reaper, and while this one isn’t quite as memorable, it’s still a feast for the eyes to look at. Some of the major differences include Ichigo’s Zanpakuto being a lot wider, alongside the large black “X” covering his chest.

He can also be seen sporting his oversized Soul Reaper Shihakusho which looks truly badass when paired with Ichigo’s more stoic and serious design seen in the Fullbring saga. It might not be quite as iconic as some of Ichigo’s other forms, but his Fullbring Shikai is still a marvel to look at.

9

Dangai

A Badass Design That Emphasizes Ichigo’s Unparalleled Strength At This Point In The Story

• First Appearance: Episode 307

A form which only shows up for a handful of chapters, but one that still manages to look stunning from a visual standpoint, is Ichigo’s Dangai transformation. This is the form Ichigo took during his final battle with Aizen, and it came as a result of Ichigo’s training with his father in the Garganta, which allowed him to bolster his strength significantly. All that training results in a disgruntled but also badass looking Ichigo who now has longer hair, sharper eyes, and only one sleeve covering an arm, with the other being wrapped around in chains.

As a sendoff to the epic Aizen saga, Kubo clearly wanted Ichigo to look the part of being the only one strong enough to take down this mighty foe, and this design certainly does a good job at conveying that. It would have been nice to have seen it stick around for a little longer, but Dangai has still become a memorable design for how effortlessly cool and stylish it is.

8

True Shikai

Ichigo’s True Shikai Shows Off The Soul Reaper’s Impressive Physical Transformation Since The Series Began

• First Appearance: TYBW Episode 13

Ichigo wouldn’t unleash his true Shikai until very late in the story, after he learns the true nature of his Zanpakuto, and more specifically, Zangetsu. Once he comes to realize the truth though, Ichigo’s Shikai begins to look much different, with him now wielding two short blades rather than one giant sword, alongside his sleeves being completely torn off to give him a much more slender and realistic appearance.

Ichigo’s physical training up to this point in the story allows him to look incredibly imposing in this form, and like a Soul Reaper who had been serving his duty for many more years than he actually has. It’s a clever design that provides a visual indication of the freedom and acceptance that Ichigo comes to inherit late in Bleach’s story.

7

New Bankai

• First Appearance: Episode 362

Just like with his Shikai, Ichigo would also have a few alterations made to his Bankai after his training with the Fullbringers, though out of the two, this is definitely the most eyecatching and memorable. While Ichigo still retains his long pitch-black cape, he also has multiple black and white X symbols running across his chest and arms as a reference to X-Cution and the powers he obtained from them.

In fact, this would be the look Ichigo would have every time he activates his Bankai in the final arc as a subtle way to reference the period that came before it. While the Fullbring saga might not be the most beloved by fans, it’s hard to argue that Kubo didn’t go above and beyond with the designs in that arc, with this being a prime example of that.

6

First Shikai

Arguably Ichigo’s Most Recognizable Design Which Appears Plenty Of Times In The Earlier Episodes

• First Episode: Episode 31

Without a doubt, one of Ichigo’s most recognizable looks in the series that he wore for many of the earlier episodes is his regular Shikai. While it may not be too flashy, the Shikai design says a lot about Ichigo as a character. For one, it reminds viewers that Ichigo is largely a fish out of water, as while all the other Gotei 13 members have small additions and ornaments tied to their outfits, Ichigo’s is mostly plain, and while it still looks cool, it emphasizes that this isn’t his usual go-to attire.

Additionally, the sheer size of Ichigo’s Zanpakuto when he enters Shikai provides a subtle glimpse at the immense underlying Spiritual Pressure that he possesses, which would become much more relevant later on in the story.

5

Final Gestuga Tensho

Ichigo Almost Looks Like A Villain With How Intimidating This Jawdropping Design Is

• First Appearance: Episode 309

In the climax of Ichigo’s battle with Aizen, the former whips out one final attack to take down the traitorous captain once and for all, Mugestu. Before incinerating Aizen with this ability though, Ichigo first assumes his Final Getsuga Tensho form, which almost makes him look like a villain with how eerie and haunting it is to look at. In this form, Ichigo’s hair turns black and grows down to his knees, while almost his entire body, including much of his face, is covered in gray scales which seem to replicate bandages.

This is Ichigo at full-power before he lost his Soul reaper abilities, so it makes sense why Kubo would decide to use such an epic design to demonstrate his newfound power. Though this appearance makes Ichigo pretty unrecognizable, once Aizen is down and the form begins to crack apart, the real Ichigo is then restored back to his original form, with the Final Getsuga never to be seen again.

4

Vasto Lorde

By Far Ichigo’s Scariest Look Is Also One Of His Most Iconic

• First Appearance: Episode 271

Vasto Lorde is the result of Ichigo’s inner Hollow taking over his body after he suffered a miserable defeat at the hands of the formidable Espada known as Ulquiorra. This design is wildly different from anything Ichigo had been seen sporting before, or even after this point in the story, with Ichigo’s entire body being covered in Hollow-like markings running across his chest and arms, alongside the hole at the center.

Of course, it’s impossible to talk about this iconic form without also mentioning Ichigo’s mask, which is probably one of the most terrifying in the series with its devilish grin and blacked-out eyes. Ichigo still manages to keep some of his Soul Reaper uniform on, but this just goes to represent how much of his humanity had been lost when he briefly ran wild as a Vasto Lorde.

3

Hollow Mask

The Hollow Mask Is A Simple Addition That Makes Ichigo Look Like A True Monster

• First Appearance: Episode 19

The Hollow Mask would become somewhat of a crux for Ichigo during his adventures and a powerful tool that he could use to bolster his strength in intense scenarios, despite him being fearful of doing so. However, whenever Ichigo did decide to don the mask for a fight, it gave him a jawdropping appearance which presents him as much more dangerous and malicious than he was before, primarily thanks to the creepy smile and giant teeth.

While Ichigo’s Soul Reaper outfit remains largely the same when he sports the mask, the design of the mask itself has actually changed a little throughout the story, eventually incorporating many more red and black lines covering the one half of it. He may not have used it in a long while, but no Bleach fan can ever forget the few occasions where Ichigo pulled out the mask due to how amazing it looks visually.

2

Bankai

Ichigo’s Stylish Original Bankai Has Become A Design That’s Synonymous With The Character

• First Appearance: Episode 58

The moment Ichigo reveals his Bankai against Byakuya is one of the most iconic scenes in the entire series, and while the power-up he received was one thing, he also gained an entirely new look that really made him look more like a genuine Soul Reaper. This form exchanges the baggy robe for a much more simple and minimalistic outfit that sticks much closer to his body, with the bottom of the cloak being ripped and torn to almost resemble a flame pattern.

It’s a testament to Tite Kubo’s character designs that he is able to emphasize just how powerful someone is from their appearance alone, and that’s certainly the case with Ichigo’s Bankai, which manages to look incredibly intimidating, while also still being a real joy to look at too.

1

True Bankai

A Visual Representation Of Ichigo’s Inner Harmony And Acceptance Of His Lineage

• First Appearance: Chapter 678

Ichigo’s true Bankai is only shown for a brief few panels in the original manga, which is a shame considering how much care and attention clearly went into its design. The most notable difference of this Bankai is the Horn of Salvation that Ichigo grows on the left side of his head, along with the black stripes reaching from his head down to his arms. This is supposed to represent how Ichigo had finally reached a balance between all of his powers, especially the Hollow within him which was always trying to take him over.

In this form, though, Ichigo’s design includes references to each part of his lineage, from the white blade representing his inner Quincy, to his traditional Soul Reaper garments, and of course, the Horn seen on his head feeding into the Hollow. His Zanpakuto is also notable in this design as being one single blade, which again is symbolic of Ichigo finding harmony within himself as he is finally able to use all of his powers in conjunction with one another.