Summary
In chapter 686 ofBLEACH, the final chapter following Ichigo’s victory over Yhwach to end theThousand-Year Blood Wararc, there is a 10-year time-skip, and we see the aftermath of the great war. The chapter introduces Kazui Kurosaki, a bright and cheery little boy of about seven years old who bears the signature orange hair of his father, series protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki.
Kazui’s introduction is not simply a marker of the bright future that followed the climactic battle against the Quincy invasion of Soul Society, but an important final event that truly signals the end of not only the war,but the Quincy King himself. Just who is Kazui Kurosaki?
The Son of Ichigo Kurosaki and Orihime Inoue
A Human With Shinigami Powers
As the son of Ichigo and Orihime, Kazui is primed to be an extremely powerful character, although, he has only been seen in brief appearances at the very end of the original series, and inthe Echoing Jaws of Hell arc one-shot. He is a human with Shinigami powers, and unlike his father, doesn’t need some kind of external apparatus to draw out his Shinigami powers. He was born during the ten years following the defeat of Yhwach, and lives with his parents in Karakura Town. His Shinigami form bears the standard Shihakushо̄, but he also wears his favourite hoodie with it. His Zanpakutо̄ has not yet been shown in totality, but the colour scheme and the guard reflect the colours of Ichigo’s first Zanpakutо̄ in the series, while the guard is the same Manji shape seen in the design of Ichigo’s original Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu. We do not yet know the name or abilities of Kazui’s Zanpakutо̄; however, given Ichigo’s own inheritance of Shinigami powers from his father, Isshin Kurosaki (neé Shiba), and the continuation of the moon-inspired nomenclature of their Zanpakutо̄, it is likely that Kazui’s Zanpakuto will have a name also relating to the moon in some aspect.
Given his father’s unique composition, and the fact that both of his parents are Fullbringers, it is speculated byfans like Redditor Zachgetsuthat the Shinigami powers are a manifestation of a Fullbring, with the object of affinity being his hoodie (it is part of his character description that he likes his hoodie and dislikes nothing), and his Shihakushо̄ simply manifests over his plain clothes. As stated in theCan’t Fear Your Own World novels, second-generation Fullbringers are rare, but not impossible. During the final chapter ofBLEACH, set ten years after Yhwach is defeated, Kazui is depicted as a rambunctious child who is fast on his feet and is usually at Hiyori Sarugaki’s place of residence, often without permission. While there on this particular occasion, Kazui encounters a vestige of Yhwach’s reiatsu and touches it. It dissipates, leading to speculation that Kazui may have rejection abilities like his mother; abilities so powerful theycan counteract The Almighty. In addition to Shinigami powers, his father’s Hollow aspect grants Kazui to move between realms at will, and he can use Garganta to do so.
Personality and Temperament
There’s Nothing He Dislikes
Kazui is a bright and cheerful boy who is unmistakably Ichigo’s son, but like his smoothed out hair, he is a much happier individual than his father, reflecting Ichigo’s personality before his mother’s death. His facial features also reflect his mother Orihime, and it is her gentle cheerfulness that appears most emphasized in his design. As a testament to his embodiment of “good-naturedness”, Kazui canonically dislikes nothing, and interacts with the world through the lens of an innocent curiosity above all else.
He is not frightened by the countless souls he encounters; many of which he sends on their waynot by means of aKonsо̄, but through some other force. In theNo Breaths From Hellone-shot, Kazui even witnesses the Gates of Hell, but the smile on his face didn’t waver. It’s clear that Kazui is a character with immense potential and may blow open theBLEACHuniverse with an unprecedented kind of power stemming from his kaleidoscopic heritage. Should Kubo have plans to createa continuation of theBLEACHstorywith Kazui at the center, it would most definitely be an interesting exploration of an already complicated tapestry of “truths” in theBLEACHversethat are defied by characters like Kazui and his father.
Further reading:Zachgetsu on Reddit
Bleach
Based on Tite Kubo’s battle shonen manga, Bleach centers around Ichigo, a high school student who is dragged into the world of Soul Reapers. The original anime ended in 2012, but it was revived in 2022.
