When two seasoned manga artists discuss their iconic works, the word legendary becomes an understatement. On Shonen manga, there have been a handful of anime that have made their way to the canon. Bleach by Tite Kubo and My Hero Academia by Kohei Horikoshi are perfect examples.
While My Hero Academia made its debut in 2014, Bleach carved its name in the niche’ of Shonen anime and is considered to be JUMP’s big 3 along with Naruto and One Piece.
While both mangakas worked in the shonen genre, their storytelling methods were completely different. From epic battles to shocking revelations, both mangas have had their fair share of iconic moments. However, in an interview with the Bleach author, Horikoshi san revealed his favorite character from the series that even Kubo sensei couldn’t craft into a villain.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi’s character as an ambiguous antagonist in Tite Kubo’s Bleach
Bleach written by Tite Kubo showcased several antagonists but nothing comes on par with Mayuri’s sadistic and sociopathic tendencies. His utter disdain and disregard for human life coupled with his obsession with his goals makes him the ideal candidate for the villain.
In an interview that was later published in My Hero Academia Ultra Analysis, Horikoshi revealed his favorite character from Kubo sensei’s iconic manga to be Mayuri Kurotsuchi. His reasoning for picking this character was the author’s unpredictability. He quoted:
When it comes to Mayuri, anything goes. The dread that comes from not knowing what he’s plotting makes him a standout character.
To say the least, Mayuri’s character reflects the cliche of a mad scientist who, in his pursuit of knowledge has his obsession prevailing over his senses. However, as sadistic as he was, the author didn’t want to paint him as a villain. Rather, he wanted to show a difference of opinion rather than reflecting binaries.
Furthermore, the author decided to paint him as an ambiguous character so that the readers are unable to anticipate his moves. To add to that, Mayuri is an underrated character whose abilities are often slept on.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi’s scientific prowess in Bleach shows Tite Kubo’s craftsmanship as a mangaka
Apart from being the stereotypical obsessive and diabolical scientist that he is, Mayuri Kurotsuchi and his scientific prowess are often slept on. Apart from being the captain of the 12th Division in the Gotei 13th, he’s also the President of the Shinigami Research Institute.
In addition to creating Nemu and other artificial beings in the laboratory, he is shown to have resistance to drugs and injuries. He also can liquify his body as seen during his fight with Uryu Ishida. This ability also allows him to camouflage perfectly.
To add to that, he was able to modify his bankai which could potentially end Aizen and gather intel about his opponents. Furthermore, his modified bankai can poison and potentially consume the enemies. Besides, he is an unmatched and formidable opponent when it comes to intellect and invention.
Furthermore, he can modify Nemu and grant her regeneration. This is also evident when he’s able to regenerate, endure, and withstand pain during battles. This was evident during his fight with Uryu Ishida when his body was blown off. His invention of the regenerative serum that allows him to grow limbs further proves his genius as a chemist and seasoned researcher.
In addition to that, his ability to revive Arrancars during the Wandenreich invasion only proves his excellence as a scientist.
Bleach is available for streaming on Crunchyroll
