Tite Kubo’s Bleach series was once one of the most popular manga series to air. The character designs and writings in the series certainly had a massive role to play in the growing popularity of the series.
With plenty of lovable protagonists and possibly one of the most sinister antagonists in Sōsuke Aizen, it’s not surprising to see anime fans defend Tite Kubo despite his brief fall from grace back in 2012. During a Shonen Jump interview back in June 2007, Kubo gave an insight into some of the characters he enjoys writing.
Characters in Bleach who Tite Kubo claims embody his artistic vision
Bleach certainly has a wide array of characters that all have their own individualistic characteristics that set them apart from each other. Even the character designs for the series are such that shows Tite Kubo’s incredible skills as an animator and not just a storyteller.
All the way back in June 2007, when Bleach was at the peak of its popularity, he gave an interview with Shonen Jump where he talked about his favorite characters to sketch. When asked if there are characters that Kubo enjoys drawing more than others, He said;
I tend to prefer characters that are rough and tough. They seem more three-dimensional. I’d say someone like Kenpachi. Komamura’s fun to draw, too. Behind his headgear, he’s got the face of the wolf — something you normally wouldn’t think to draw.
I like characters that aren’t typical or a bit unusual. I enjoy drawing secondary characters. It’s also fun drawing Mayuri.
The one character that Tite Kubo claimed to have had trouble drawing in the past was Inoue Orihime, given that he knew that he had to draw the character perfectly. Especially knowing that she was set to be an important character in the future. The Bleach series has tons of characters that balance out the power scaling in the show. One such is the Quincy Group, who are some of the strongest in the series. Tite Kubo dived deeper into what inspired him to create them.
Bleach designed a combat challenge for Ichigo using the Quincy Group
The Quincy characters play a massive role in the series, with characters such as Uryū Ishida and King Yhwach holding great significance in the story. During an interview at the San Diego Comic-Con back in 2008, Tite Kubo gave an in-depth explanation of where he found the inspiration for the Quincy Group. When asked where he found the idea, he stated;
I created Qunicies to be Ichigo’s rival characters, so i put Uryu in white clothing (compared to the black kimono worn by the Soul Reapers). Qunicies use arrows because they’re long range weapons, so it’s difficult for Ichigo to fight them with his sword, which is more for short range combat. The Quincy cross has 5 points, kind of like the the Japanese 5-pointed star. 5 points, quintet, Quincy! Quincies use arrows, so if you call them Qunicy archers, it sounds like a name, so I kind of liked that.
While the main focus of Bleach at the beginning was the fights and battles, Tite Kubo slowly started to reveal that his characters go beyond just fighting prowesses. The backstories, motivations, and internal conflicts of each character in Bleach help the viewers connect with the character on a much deeper level.
You can stream Bleach on Hulu.
These drawing challenges — and Kubo’s honest accounting of them — are part of why fans believe a remake is necessary, and why Tite Kubo has stated he would be open to a Bleach remake — but only under one specific condition.
Frequently asked questions
Which Bleach characters did Tite Kubo say he most enjoys drawing?
In a June 2007 Shonen Jump interview, Tite Kubo said he prefers characters that are “rough and tough” because they feel more three-dimensional. He pointed to Kenpachi as an example and said Komamura is fun to draw because of the wolf face hidden behind his headgear. He added that he likes unusual, non-typical designs, enjoys drawing secondary characters, and that Mayuri is also fun to sketch.
Why did Tite Kubo find Orihime Inoue difficult to draw?
According to the article, Kubo said Orihime Inoue was a character he had trouble drawing because he knew he had to render her perfectly, since she was set to become an important character later in the story. He contrasted this with the tougher secondary characters like Kenpachi and Mayuri, whom he found easier and more enjoyable to draw.
Where did Tite Kubo get the inspiration for the Quincy in Bleach?
At San Diego Comic-Con in 2008, Kubo explained he created the Quincy as rival characters to Ichigo, dressing Uryu Ishida in white to contrast with the Soul Reapers’ black kimono. He gave them long-range bow-and-arrow weapons so they would be awkward for Ichigo’s short-range sword to fight. He also noted the Quincy cross has five points, echoing the Japanese five-pointed star, and liked the “five points, quintet, Quincy” wordplay along with calling them Quincy archers.
