Highlights
- Ichigo’s impulsiveness often leads to his defeat in battle, as he charges in without strategizing or thinking of a plan, leaving him vulnerable to more skilled opponents.
- While Ichigo’s self-sacrificing nature shows loyalty and love, it also puts him at risk, as enemies use his willingness to sacrifice himself for others as a means to manipulate and defeat him.
- Ichigo’s hot-headed and stubborn nature often cloud his judgment in battle, leaving him emotionally controlled by his opponents and unwilling to listen or adapt to different strategies. This stubbornness can strain his relationships with others.
Throughout the Bleach anime and manga series, Ichigo Kurosaki has developed as an individual by developing powers and getting strong enough to protect himself and his family. Despite his development, Ichigo still has some inherent weaknesses that can be used against him in battle. Some of his weaknesses do not stem from a lack of ability but from his attitude and way of handling certain things.
RELATED: Bleach: Ichigo’s Best Friends, Ranked
Despite his various weaknesses, Ichigo has managed to trump various notorious and powerful villains, such as Aizen. However, there is only so much he can achieve with his weaknesses weighing him down, and his adversaries only get stronger and stronger throughout Bleach.
1 Impulsive
One of Ichigo’s many trademarks is his impulsiveness. Ichigo tends to charge into battle without strategizing or even thinking of a plan. And so, when met with a vastly superior opponent, Ichigo is often beaten without even knowing how he lost. This is seen when Ichigo faces Byakuya Kuchiki for the first time when Byakuya comes to the human world to take back Rukia to be executed. Despite knowing little about the Shinigami and their world, Ichigo takes on Byakuya to take back Rukia. Unfortunately, his weakness and impulsiveness only keep him and Rukia at the mercy of Byakuya, endangering them both.
Over the course of the series, Ichigo has gotten much stronger than when he first met Byakuya. However, his impulsiveness remains and still gets him into trouble when he does things without thinking. Thankfully, although impulsive, Ichigo has survived many moments of recklessness, but how long can his not-so-smart decisions keep him out of trouble?
2 Self-Sacrificing
Many anime characters who aspire to be heroes and paragons of good virtue often have the common trait of sacrificing themselves for others, and Ichigo is no exception. While being able to sacrifice oneself for others can be seen as a show of loyalty and love, it also shows self-neglect, especially when the situation at hand is way beyond Ichigo’s capacity to handle.
Ichigo has sacrificed himself to save many of his friends and family. However, his very habit of putting his life on the line for his friends and family puts him at risk, as many would make use of this trait of his. Various enemies have used the death or maltreatment of his allies and close relatives to get into Ichigo’s mind and orchestrate his downfall. While he often manages to get out of such situations, his self-sacrificing nature may lead to his downfall. Moreover, hardly anything good comes out of neglecting one’s self.
3 Hot-Headed
Ichigo is certainly not among the smartest of anime characters, and his hot-headed nature proves it to a large degree. While he often tries to maintain a calm, composed, and “cool” nature, when provoked, Ichigo retaliates and hardly tries to diffuse the situation. He is extremely prone to anger and can be easily provoked. When provoked, his emotions cloud his thoughts, and he is unable to think carefully about his next move, leaving him outsmarted and emotionally controlled by his opponents.
RELATED: Bleach: Most Powerful Quotes By Ichigo
Ichigo’s hot-headed and outspoken nature is something he has acknowledged. Having acknowledged this demeanor of his, Ichigo is sometimes able to remain calm when provoked, realizing that there is something bigger at play. However, more often than not, the provocation of his enemies tends to affect him, and he usually rushes into battle, allowing his short temper and instincts to take the lead rather than logic. Thankfully, Ichigo’s rash decisions have reduced as the series progresses, although they still serve as one of his weak points.
4 Stubborn
Having a stubborn protagonist is a popular trope among various shonen anime. Luffy from One Piece and Naruto also have their share of stubbornness. While Ichigo’s stubbornness has done well for his gritty and resilient nature, it prevents him from seeing wisdom when shown, as he is always hell-bent on doing things his own way. Objecting to change and refusing to do anything any other way than yours is usually not seen as the makings of a greater leader.
RELATED: Bleach: Best Arcs In The Anime
One of his most popular moments of being stubborn and refusing to listen is during The Lost Substitute Shinigami arc. In this arc, Ichigo’s reiatsu begins to take over his right arm. Seeing that Ichigo is beginning to get tired, Jackie orders him to abort the training, but Ichigo, being Ichigo, remains adamant and continues putting himself at risk until Jackie stops him by force. This stubborn and inflexible nature of Ichigo often puts him in strained relationships with others. Thankfully, Ichigo manages to work out his reiatsu, even if barely.
5 Self-doubt
Having confidence and resolve in oneself during a battle is crucial. Unfortunately, Ichigo’s confidence sometimes wavers during battles, and his abilities fall below what he’d normally be capable of. When his resolve wavers, his fighting prowess is impeded, and his adversaries often have him at their mercy at such moments. Thankfully, Ichigo often manages to rise up with the help of his friends and family, but what fuels his self-doubt?
Much of Ichigo’s self-doubt comes from his inability to protect a friend or an ally, or if he loses a major battle. While losses are a part of life and often shape one’s character, they tend to break Ichigo, sending him into a downward spiral for a time. This lack of unshakeable self-confidence is one of the many weaknesses that can be used against Ichigo. However, perhaps it’s also one of the things that make him a relatable character.
Bleach
- Release Date
- October 5, 2004
- Genres
- Action, Adventure, Fantasy
- Seasons
- 17
- Streaming Sevice
- Hulu
Leave a Reply