Personality: Even as an average person, the teenage years are some of the most difficult in one's life, but the fact that his bright, orange hair made Ichigo stand out, physically, and thus made him a target to bullies, but also garnered him a 'delinquent' label on his first day of school. But, Ichigo was never willing to let someone else's expectations beat him down. His teachers call him a delinquent because of his hair and he “gets back at them” by getting good grades and studying a lot. His carefully cultivated aloof, stand alone persona at school hides a smart boy, but brash, and thus temperamental, and reckless.
The strong desire to protect his loved ones stems from several things, but most especially from his mother, and the guilt he still has over the knowledge that she died to protect him from a hollow when he was only a child. Ichigo had adored his mother, and states that "I want to protect my mom, who protects me". Her death was a vital, if not the single most important aspect of his self-identity.
Ichigo's name even means "first guardian", meaning that he was born first, but also that as an older brother it's his responsibility to protect his sisters. His relationship with his father is a little less easily defined, but Isshin has encouraged this protector idea in Ichigo as well; arguably due to Isshin also having secrets of his own. Tireless, and merciless with himself, and his obsession with being strong enough to protect everyone, Ichigo's strengths are driven chiefly by loyalty, and his own moral code. This deep streak of reckless chivalry has been the source of a good amount of his strength, and he has no qualms with speaking his mind on a subject, and sharing his opinions ( or his fists, as the case may be?). To some it’s a mark of immaturity, but at sixteen, he’s had to do a lot of growing up in a short period of time. Yet, sometimes his age asserts itself, and his naiveté on issues has led to much embarrassment for him. His apparent aversion to boobs is less about not liking them, and more about being so terribly shy, combined with respecting women enough to not trivialize them for just their bodies. At least, that's how he sees it.
In many ways Ichigo's personal tragedies have always set him apart. He's never been quite "normal" from his appearance, to being able to see ghosts, to being a highschool student, and shinigami at the same time. This dual life has had deep effect on his soul as well. During his first fight with Kuchiki Byakuya to save Rukia from execution, Ichigo actually did fall unconscious, and something like another personality took over. For the short time this inner hollow was in control of his body, all of Ichigo's strength, and speed took such a quantum leap that he wounded Byakuya before Ichigo, himself, was able to regain control; ripping the forming mask off his face. After meeting Hirako Shinji, Ichigo learned that a small group of shinigami had similar circumstances, yet they had subdued the hollow within themselves, and now wielded stronger, blended powers. They called themselves "The Vizards" because they could use, and release their hollow masks at will. Shinji at first tried to recruit Ichigo, but Ichigo refuses to join the vizards. Instead he demands to be taught how to control his inner hollow, which after a small scuffle, Shinji ends up agreeing to. The Vizards were still in the midst of training Ichigo when Orihime was kidnapped, and Ichigo took off to Hueco Mundo. After fighting almost nonstop through arrancar, and then Espada, Ichigo proved he could use, and recall his hollow mask reliably.
Kurosaki Ichigo || Bleach || Part 4 of ?
Even as an average person, the teenage years are some of the most difficult in one's life, but the fact that his bright, orange hair made Ichigo stand out, physically, and thus made him a target to bullies, but also garnered him a 'delinquent' label on his first day of school. But, Ichigo was never willing to let someone else's expectations beat him down. His teachers call him a delinquent because of his hair and he “gets back at them” by getting good grades and studying a lot. His carefully cultivated aloof, stand alone persona at school hides a smart boy, but brash, and thus temperamental, and reckless.
The strong desire to protect his loved ones stems from several things, but most especially from his mother, and the guilt he still has over the knowledge that she died to protect him from a hollow when he was only a child. Ichigo had adored his mother, and states that "I want to protect my mom, who protects me". Her death was a vital, if not the single most important aspect of his self-identity.
Ichigo's name even means "first guardian", meaning that he was born first, but also that as an older brother it's his responsibility to protect his sisters. His relationship with his father is a little less easily defined, but Isshin has encouraged this protector idea in Ichigo as well; arguably due to Isshin also having secrets of his own. Tireless, and merciless with himself, and his obsession with being strong enough to protect everyone, Ichigo's strengths are driven chiefly by loyalty, and his own moral code. This deep streak of reckless chivalry has been the source of a good amount of his strength, and he has no qualms with speaking his mind on a subject, and sharing his opinions ( or his fists, as the case may be?). To some it’s a mark of immaturity, but at sixteen, he’s had to do a lot of growing up in a short period of time. Yet, sometimes his age asserts itself, and his naiveté on issues has led to much embarrassment for him. His apparent aversion to boobs is less about not liking them, and more about being so terribly shy, combined with respecting women enough to not trivialize them for just their bodies. At least, that's how he sees it.
In many ways Ichigo's personal tragedies have always set him apart. He's never been quite "normal" from his appearance, to being able to see ghosts, to being a highschool student, and shinigami at the same time. This dual life has had deep effect on his soul as well.
During his first fight with Kuchiki Byakuya to save Rukia from execution, Ichigo actually did fall unconscious, and something like another personality took over. For the short time this inner hollow was in control of his body, all of Ichigo's strength, and speed took such a quantum leap that he wounded Byakuya before Ichigo, himself, was able to regain control; ripping the forming mask off his face. After meeting Hirako Shinji, Ichigo learned that a small group of shinigami had similar circumstances, yet they had subdued the hollow within themselves, and now wielded stronger, blended powers. They called themselves "The Vizards" because they could use, and release their hollow masks at will. Shinji at first tried to recruit Ichigo, but Ichigo refuses to join the vizards. Instead he demands to be taught how to control his inner hollow, which after a small scuffle, Shinji ends up agreeing to. The Vizards were still in the midst of training Ichigo when Orihime was kidnapped, and Ichigo took off to Hueco Mundo. After fighting almost nonstop through arrancar, and then Espada, Ichigo proved he could use, and recall his hollow mask reliably.