“You have no tension”: Ichigo Voice Actor’s Favorite Bleach Character Proves Why Tite Kubo’s Magnum Opus Deserved the Ultimate Adaptation
Bleach while it was at the prime of its popularity, earned its place as one of the Big Three Shonen’s. However, unfortunately for Tite Kubo, his magnum opus was canceled back in 2012 due to a massive drop in the no. of fans along with other factors. However, Bleach made its return in October 2022 and has ever since been a fan favorite among fans.
The new seasons also brought beloved characters of the series and also introduced some new ones. Johnny Yong Bosch, the English voice actor for Ichigo, had an interview with GameRant where he revealed his favorite character in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War.
Ichigo’s VA champions the unexpected character who has helped revive the show
As mentioned earlier, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War has brought in tons of characters for fans to enjoy. But the character that has been making the most noise out of all is none other than the dark messiah himself, Yhwach.
Playing the main antagonist of the series, Yhwach has managed to bring quite a lot of depth to the story with his disturbed and brutal nature. During an interview with GameRant, Johnny Yong Bosch would also reveal that the Father of the Quincy was one of his favorite characters in the show. When asked to name his favorite character in Wandenreich, Bosch simply said;
“Yhwach, because without an ultimate antagonist, you have no tension.”
Johnny Yong Bosch’s answer totally makes sense as without a proper antagonist, the show would not live up to its expectation. However, Bleach was always successful with the antagonists in the series going through with fans. Mainly because of Tite Kubo’s mastery of creating characters that bring chills down the spine.
Despite there being numerous villains in the series, most fans stand with Johnny Yong Bosch’s choice for Yhwach being one of, if not the best antagonists the show has to offer. And here is why!
Why the Quincy King makes a Godly antagonist for Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War
Yhwach in the Bleach series, isn’t just another strong villain. The King of Quincies has the sinister power to have constant growth due to his ability to absorb abilities. This unstoppable force paired with a mind that seeks to merge the world of the living with the soul society, disrupting the balance of both realms, makes him an incredibly vile individual.
Yhwach’s Quincy heritage also throws a wrench into Ichigo’s own identity. However, this makes him the perfect antagonist for Ichigo, as being a Quincy-Shinigami hybrid himself, Ichigo must confront his own lineage and grapple with the potential darkness it represents.
The Quincy King is a fanatic who believes in his own righteousness. He views his actions as a necessary means to purify the world. This makes him a villain whose mindset cannot be easily swayed. This unwavering principle makes him the best opponent for Ichigo’s more empathetic approach.
You can stream BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War on Hulu.
