Tite Kubo has undoubtedly made some of the best and most unique characters for Bleach. However, some of them take the crown and have become iconic characters beloved by fans. Regardless to say, Kenpachi Zaraki is one of them.
No matter how much you praise Kenpachi, it’s never enough. He is one of the toughest and most savage of the Gotei 13 and looks intimidating despite a pink-haired kid sitting on his shoulders. It is only expected that the author loved creating him, too.
Tite Kubo Prefers Drawing ‘Rough and Tough’ Characters Like Kenpachi Zaraki
In an interview with Shonen Jump, Tite Kubo was asked if he enjoyed drawing any particular character in Bleach. The author’s answer has Kenpachi Zaraki fans jumping in joy.
If any character could be labelled as rough and tough, it is Kenpachi. He battled two captains despite being untrained. He dethroned the previous captain of the 11th Division to take over the position. He lives for battles and revels in the adrenaline rush that it gives him. In fact, he even holds back at times so a fight could last longer.
The author further revealed that he liked drawing fierce characters and those who are a bit unusual. He enjoys drawing secondary characters the most, which includes Mayuri. Zaraki also has an iconic character design that sets him apart from the rest of the Bleach characters. His fights are one of the best additions to Bleach as well, and it is clear that Kubo adores the character.
Tite Kubo Regretted Kenpachi Zaraki’s Iconic Hairstyle
Ironically, the one thing that set Kenpachi Zaraki apart from the rest of the characters was regretted the most by Tite Kubo. Kenpachi has a wild appearance with stringy black hair that reaches past his shoulders. His hair was tied in long, spiky strands with bells attached to their ends.
In a character commentary, Kubo revealed:
Kenpachi has an extremely detailed hairstyle, which can be cumbersome to draw. Since mangakas always have to worry about meeting their deadlines, the additional load of drawing Zaraki’s hair could become boring over time. However, fans love Zaraki’s crazy hairdo, which suits his unique and aggressive personality.
But Tite Kubo might have restricted Kenpachi’s appearances in Bleach due to the intricate hairstyle. No matter how beloved of a character he is, since his hairstyle was hard to draw, Kubo could have subconsciously given him less and less screen time.
The Bleach manga is available to read on Viz Media, and the anime is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.