The range of characters in Tite Kubo’s Bleach is quite varied. From evil antagonists like Sosuke Aizen and Yhwach to model main characters like Kurosaki Ichigo and Uriyu Ishida, Bleach’s characters come in different shapes and sizes. But the thing that connects them to the fans the most is the growth and development that they attain during the narrative.
For many fans, Sosuke Aizen is the best Bleach character who is the perfect representation of everything evil and wicked. His character development throughout the series is top-notch, but there is one Bleach character who has outdone Aizen in terms of growth and progress in the series.
This character is none other than Kuchiki Byakuya, the 28th head of the Kuchiki Clan and the captain of the 6th Division in the Gotei 13. Byakuya was initially introduced as a major villain in Bleach, but his transformation within the narrative changed his character completely. Thus, his development in the entire series is the best, as fans accepted him through all the changes.
Kuchiki Byakuya’s Character When Bleach Started
When Bleach started, Byakuya was portrayed as an arrogant aristocrat who kept the respect and fame of his clan as his top priority. He was rude, ignorant, and unsympathetic, but the level of his strength had ensured the respect he deserved. This is why, even though he was portrayed as an antagonistic character, fans quickly fell in love with him.
He was a stickler for law and order. So much so that he even agreed to the death sentence of his sister Kuchiki Rukia, who gave her powers to Ichigo. However, there was an underlying emotion of care and love towards Rukia that Byakuya could not portray initially. He was confused about his love for Rukia and his duties as the head of the Kuchiki clan.
He was the “cool” character who was too confident in his powers and did not care much for the world, aside from his duties. But after his interaction with Ichigo, he slowly transitioned to become a better character who would eventually go on to help the same people whom he hated at the beginning of Bleach.
Kuchiki Byakuya’s Growth Needs To Be Studied
While Byakuya went through multiple emotional transformations in Bleach, the biggest one that fans ever witnessed was after the Soul Society arc ended. When Ichigo made Byakuya realize that his bonds with others were more important than his duties as a captain and the head of the Kuchiki clan, he took a positive turn toward life.
He was much more supportive of Ichigo’s actions and even defended him against other villains like Tsukishima. He provided him assistance multiple times in battles, which was never expected from him when his character was first introduced in Bleach.
The most shocking aspect of his growth was when Byakuya decided to rely on Ichigo to save the Soul Society after it was attacked by Yhwach and his army. Byakuya was on the brink of death, and at that moment he chose to trust Ichigo and handed over the responsibility of the Soul Society, which was the final aspect that proved that he had the most amount of growth since Bleach started.
Bleach is available to watch on Hulu.
