Michael B. Jordan Pushes Aizen and Yhwach to the Side for the Most Iconic Bleach Villain
Although it used to be a niche interest, the anime industry is now anything but. Japan’s exports are flourishing, and one of Hollywood’s rising stars is opening up about all his anime interests as animation continues to find a global audience.
In 2019, Michael B. Jordan sat down with Gray Haddock of Rooster Teeth to talk about anime (via Buzzfeed), and it was there that the name of his favorite villain was revealed. Jordan and Haddock talked about their mutual passion for Gundam throughout the chat.
The actor claimed that Gundam Wing was his main source of upbringing, although the mecha wasn’t the source of his favorite anime villain. That title goes instead to everyone’s favorite soul-reaper anime show, Bleach.
Michael B. Jordan Revealed His Favorite Anime Villain
In the interview, Michael B. Jordan stated that his favorite anime villain is Ulquiorra from Bleach and a clip of the same has been doing the rounds on social media. Ulquiorra is undoubtedly one of the fan favorites, mostly due to the complexities of his character. Given that Jordan himself has played the role of a complex villain, the choice seems obvious.
Michael B. Jordan was asked about his favorite anime villain during the Rooster Teeth interview. He could not remember the name of the figure, but he did add that it was the fourth Arrancar, so he knew exactly who he was referring to. He was alluding to Ulquiorra Cifer, a major Espada member and antagonist from Bleach.
He said:
He’s my guy because first, four is my favorite number. When Ichigo was fighting all the Arrancar and they got to him — when he transformed into this winged beast — I remember this fight and the first time Ichigo let his Hollow side really take over and he went on a rampage. I remember that battle being super epic.
Jordan himself played the role of a villain called Killmonger in the 2018 superhero film Black Panther, and he also appeared in its 2022 sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. He has lent his voice to the character of Julian Chase in the animated television series Gen: LOCK as well.
The 36-year-old actor clearly loves anime and also revealed his top five anime recommendations, which include One Piece, Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, Bleach, and Hunter x Hunter. He further revealed that his latest film, Creed III, contains anime influences.
Who Is Ulquiorra?
One of the most intriguing antagonists, Ulquiorra made his debut in Bleach episode 113. He used to be a Hollow and experienced a sense of alienation from the rest of the world until the day he came across a tree covered with several sharp spines. He found it pleasing and sunk into it, destroying a portion of his mask and becoming an Arrancar as a result.
Later, Ulquiorra was enlisted by Aizen, and he quickly rose to the rank of 4th Espada in the Arrancar army. But what distinguished him from the others was his nihilism, which made him callous and heartless toward everyone. He showed himself as a fervent materialist and declared himself to be indifferent to human emotions.
Ulquiorra demonstrated tremendous spiritual power, and unlike most other Arrancars, he could transform into a second release form known as Segunda Etapa. He also possessed other abilities such as Sonido Master, Cero, Bala, Enhanced Hierro, Enhanced Pesquisa, Descorrer, and High-Speed Regeneration.
He was severely injured by Hollow Ichigo’s Cero and thus was unable to regenerate. He urged Ichigo to kill him and end the conflict, but the latter refused. Thus, the Arrancar simply turned to dust. However, he seemed to have grasped what it was like to have feelings in the final seconds of his life, thanks to Orihime.
