Bleach Is Able to Turn 3 Key Characters Into Soul Reapers, Says Creator

Bleach has been around the block a few times, and over the years, it has given its heroes intense power boosts. Ichigo Kurosaki is the best example of this truth as he went from a simple high schooler to the savior of the Soul Society. From Renji to Hitsugaya, Bleach has taken the time to level up the fandom’s fave characters. And according to series creator Tite Kubo, there are three characters in Bleach he could see becoming Soul Reapers.

Can you guess the crew in question? Well, you don’t have to look far. Taking to his blog, Kubo admitted Ichigo’s best friends could become Soul Reapers like him if they were given a sword. So if you ever wanted to see Orihime wield a Zanpakuto, don’t count yourself out!

Should Ichigo Share His Soul Society Skills?

Writing to fans, Kubo said he feels it “is possible” for Chad, Orihime, and even Uryu to obtain a Zanpakuto. They would each get unique powers as Soul Reapers, of course, but would need to undergo training. Kubo says the trio would need an Asauchi to start the process, and this nameless blade would one day turn into a full-blown Zanpakuto. So when Ichigo began training with Keisuke and Yoruichi, they should have extended an offer to his friends.

Of course, there isn’t much need for these three heroes to dedicate themselves to the Soul Society. Uryu is a very powerful Quincy, so his use of spiritual energy is very different from how a Soul Reaper uses it. As for Chad and Orihime, their natural use of spiritual power could be honed differently. We see Orihime channel her power through her hair clips, and Chad’s power greatly boosts his hand-to-hand combat. But if they want to boost to their power even further in the future, Yoruichi has a solid (if hellish) training plan ready to go.

What Is Coming Up Next for Bleach?

There is little need for Bleach to gift Soul Reaper abilities to Ichigo’s crew, but the idea is definitely interesting. The series would be very different if Ichigo were not the only Soul Reaper from Earth fighting for the Soul Society. Still, none of Ichigo’s friends could attain his power level. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War has explained the potency of Ichigo’s bloodline. He’s got ties to the Soul Reapers, the Quincies, and Hollows; That is a one-of-a-kind mix right there.

As Bleach moves forward, fans will get to see more of Ichigo’s power laid out. The third cour of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War will premiere on October 5. Fans will be able to check out the premiere stateside over on Hulu and/or Disney+. Beyond the anime’s comeback, Bleach is still mum about its sequel. Back in 2021, Kubo published a one-shot “New Breathes From Hell” that acts as a sequel to Bleach. The finale ended by teasing fans with a full-blown story arc, but nothing has come from it. So if Kubo has plans on continuing Bleach, maybe the manga will touch upon this Zanpakuto promise.

What do you think about this latest Bleach teaser? Does the series need to give Ichigo’s friends Soul Reaper forms? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.