__Height:__ 173 cm (5'8")
__Rank:__ Lieutenant of the 3rd Division

Izuru Kira was born to a family of lesser nobility, his parents having been dead since he was young. While in the Shinigami Academy, Kira befriended Momo Hinamori, Renji Abarai, and Shūhei Hisagi, and they were often seen spending time together. After graduation, Kira, along with Renji and Momo, was sent to the 5th Division, where he stayed until Gin Ichimaru became Captain of the 3rd Division. Kira is loyal to both his friends and his duties, perhaps to a fault. Despite the close friendship he shares with Momo Hinamori, Kira shows that his loyalty knows no boundaries when he defends his captain while she is in a grief-induced rage from her own Captain's apparent death. Despite this, he calls himself a "monster" afterwards for raising his sword against her.  Kira's Zanpakutō is Wabisuke. Its Shikai command is "Raise your head." When activated, Wabisuke's Shikai bends the blade into a square hook. In this form, Wabisuke doubles the weight of whatever it strikes. The ability affects both inanimate objects and living beings. Though a seemingly pointless ability in sword combat, the effect is cumulative. With a second hit from Wabisuke, the weight will double again and so on, exponentially. Thus, after seven or eight blocked attacks, his opponents are unable to lift their own swords. Once Wabisuke's effect becomes noticeable, Kira's opponents often fall to their knees with their heads bent down, as if in apology, thus the name of Kira's Zanpakutō. 

Ichigo Kurosaki is a rather normal high school student apart from the fact he has the ability to see ghosts. This ability never impacted his life in a major way until the day he encounters the Shinigami Kuchiki Rukia, who saves him and his family's lives from a Hollow, a corrupt spirit that devours human souls. 
 
Wounded during the fight against the Hollow, Rukia chooses the only option available to defeat the monster and passes her Shinigami powers to Ichigo. Now forced to act as a substitute until Rukia recovers, Ichigo hunts down the Hollows that plague his town.

__Height:__ 177 cm (5'9.75")

On October 26, 2022, it was reported that Sakurai had been engaging in an extramarital affair with a writer of his *P.S. Genki Desu. Takahiro* radio program. A month prior, it was publicly disclosed that he had been married to a former voice actress for nearly 20 years, although the writer had allegedly not been aware of his marriage as they had been in a relationship for 10 years and intending to marry. His previously announced roles as [Haruaki Karuma](https://anilist.co/character/290233) in [AYAKA](https://anilist.co/anime/155982/AYAKA/) and [Kusuriuri](https://anilist.co/character/2865) in [Mononoke (Movie)](https://anilist.co/anime/151117/Mononoke-Movie/) had been recast as a result.

On March 31, 2023, it was jointly announced with his talent agency "Intention" that they are ending their contract, as Sakurai requested to leave as a way of taking sole responsibility of his actions and for self-reflection.

Non-Anime Roles:
-Passenger in "Arknights" (VG/Mobile) (Japanese)
-Su in "Honkai Impact 3rd" (VG) (Japanese)
-Cloud Strife in "FINAL FANTASY 7 REMAKE" (Japanese)

Was it all just a coincidence, or was it inevitable?
 
Ichigo Kurosaki gained the powers of a Soul Reaper through a chance encounter. As a Substitute
Soul Reaper, Ichigo became caught in the turmoil of the Soul Society, a place where deceased
souls gather. But with help from his friends, Ichigo overcame every challenge to become even
stronger.
 
When new Soul Reapers and a new enemy appear in his hometown of Karakura, Ichigo jumps
back into the battlefield with his Zanpakuto to help those in need. Meanwhile, the Soul Society
is observing a sudden surge in the number of Hollows being destroyed in the World of the Living.
They also receive separate reports of residents in the Rukon District having gone missing. Finally,
the Seireitei, home of the Soul Reapers, comes under attack by a group calling themselves the
Wandenreich.
 
Led by Yhwach, the father of all Quincies, the Wandenreich declare war against the Soul Reapers
with the following message: "Five days from now, the Soul Society will be annihilated by the
Wandenreich."
 
The history and truth kept hidden by the Soul Reapers for a thousand long years is finally brought
to light.
 
All things must come to an end as Ichigo Kurosaki's final battle begins!

[Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/elmikedeleon/)

A Mexican voice actor.

Ichigo Kurosaki has always been able to see ghosts, but this ability doesn't change his life nearly as much as his close encounter with Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper and member of the mysterious Soul Society. While fighting a Hollow, an evil spirit that preys on humans who display psychic energy, Rukia attempts to lend Ichigo some of her powers so that he can save his family; but much to her surprise, Ichigo absorbs every last drop of her energy. Now a full-fledged Soul Reaper himself, Ichigo quickly learns that the world he inhabits is one full of dangerous spirits and, along with Rukia— who is slowly regaining her powers— it's Ichigo's job to protect the innocent from Hollows and help the spirits themselves find peace. 
(Source: Viz Media) 
Note: Chapter count includes the 12-chapter “Turn Back The Pendulum” side story and 8 extra chapters.

The third part of BLEACH: Sennen Kessen-hen.

In Karakura Town, there has been a sudden outbreak of unidentifiable spirits called "blanks" (vacant souls) while in the skies of Soul Society, the real world has been reflected. A mysterious female shinigami called Senna has appeared before Ichigo along with a man named Ganryu, leading a group called the "Dark Ones."
 
(Source: Anime News Network)

A valuable artifact known as "King's Seal" ("Ouin") is stolen by a mysterious group of people during transport in the Soul Society. Toshiro Hitsugaya, the 10th Division Captain of Gotei 13, is assigned to transport the seal, fights the leader of the group, and shortly after, goes missing. After the incident, the Seireitei declares Hitsugaya a traitor and orders the capture and execution of Hitsugaya. Ichigo Kurosaki refuses to believe this, and along with Rangiku Matsumoto, Rukia Kuchiki, and Renji Abarai, swears to uncover the real mastermind of the stolen seal, find Hitsugaya, and clear his name. Meanwhile, a rogue Hitsugaya searches for the perpetrators and uncovers a dark secret regarding a long dead shinigami. 
(Source: Anime News Network)

A new one-shot to celebrate Bleach's 20th anniversary.

A Shinigami named Baishin who was sealed by Soul Society long ago is set free on Earth. On a fateful day Ichigo encounters him and has roughly half of his reiatsu drained. Its now up to Ichigo and Soul Society to finally put a stop to Baishin and his destruction.

An animated adaptation of several chapters of Colourful Bleach. Released with the "TV Animation BLEACH 5th Anniversary Box."

The novel focuses on the reconstruction of Soul Society after Yhwach's defeat, and on the official couples' love lives and marriage: specifically, on Rukia and Renji's childhood friend romance.
