Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War arc showcases numerous formidable individuals belonging to the Quincy race, most of whom are affiliated with the Sternritter organization. They are the most powerful among all the Quincy and often receive unique designations based on the abilities granted to them by their leader, Yhwach.
Their primary objective was to cleanse the Soul Society of all Shinigami. Leveraging their distinctive powers in conjunction with their medallions for stealing Bankai, they made substantial headway toward achieving this goal. Furthermore, they possess special forms known as Vollstandig, which significantly enhance their combat capabilities.
Within the series, there is a diverse array of Sternritters clan members, and one of them is the much-admired antagonist Giselle Gewelle, identified as Sternritter Z (Z for The Zombie). Initially introduced as one of the Bambi sisters, Giselle’s appearance and personality piqued the curiosity of fans.
Giselle boasts azure eyes and long, ebony hair cascading down to her lower back, featuring two strands that are tied up to resemble antennae. However, it’s important to note that appearances can be misleading, and this applies aptly to Giselle. In the Thousand Year Blood War arc, the true gender identity of this Quincy character was unveiled.
Giselle Gewelle’s Gender Identity Revelation
Giselle was revealed to have a male biological composition, yet in Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, she identifies herself as a woman. In chapter 588, Yumichika Ayasegawa detects a ‘masculine aroma’ emanating from her, surprising many who believed she had a female biological makeup.
In chapter 591, Arrancar Charlotte also remarks on the similarity between them and Giselle, suggesting she concealed her biological gender as a male. There’s some inconsistency in how Giselle’s gender is portrayed and perceived by characters in the story.
Some, like Yumichika and Charlotte, see her as male, while others, including Mayuri Kurotsuchi and the Quincy girls, don’t explicitly identify her as such. The clarification from Tite Kubo, the creator of Bleach, is crucial. According to Kubo, Giselle is biologically male.
Giselle Gewelle is a villain from Bleach is apart of the sterinritter as the zombie. Giselle's gender has been something controversial but kubo in one interview said that Giselle is male on page 288 so make of that what you will. pic.twitter.com/PgMbaNVbb7
— @Toxin45 (@Toxin45) April 9, 2022
This statement should be considered the definitive source of Giselle’s gender identity within the story. In light of this, it seems Yumichika and Charlotte were not mistaken in their perception, as it aligns with the creator’s intent. However, the ambiguity can lead to discussions and interpretations among fans, common in complex storytelling.
Tite Kubo confirmed that Giselle in Bleach is Biologically Male
It’s important to make a clear distinction between an individual’s biological s*x and their gender identity. Gender refers to the socially constructed characteristics associated with being male or female, while biological s*x relates to an individual’s physiological or biological makeup.
I can and will fight transphobes when Giselle gets animated in Bleach, I’ve seen way too many disrespect and misunderstandings on her over the years >:( https://t.co/JojdDw2D93 pic.twitter.com/kYmvWggKke
— kayomin 💀🧟 (@pastasofa) December 20, 2021
While Tite Kubo confirmed that Giselle is biologically male, he didn’t explicitly specify her gender identity. Throughout the Thousand Year Blood War arc in Bleach, Giselle consistently identifies as a woman and reacts negatively when referred to as a man by characters like Yumichika and Charlotte.
Regardless of her biological s*x, Giselle identifies as a woman. Her Quincy sisters likely acknowledge her gender identity and use female pronouns when addressing her. There’s also a possibility that Mayuri Kurotsuchi was aware of Giselle’s biological s*x but chose not to disclose it.
Some fans consider Giselle to be a transgender woman based on the combination of her biological and societal attributes. Ultimately, Giselle’s gender identity is female because she identifies as such, irrespective of her biological composition. She remains a captivating and complex character in the series.
Source: @Toxic45 / @pastasofa
