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What makesBleachone of the most riveting and popular Shonen series is its characters. Even decades after its premiere, the series stands exemplary in terms of its storytelling and well-written characters. More specifically, this applies to the series’ grey and morally complex characters. In his writing of layered antagonists, Kubo may have overdone himself in most aspects. This holds for this tragic anti-villain in the series.
In particular, Gin Ichimaru has often been compared to yet another anti-villain from Masashi Kishimoto’s series. Be it his actions or his past, his trajectory outlines loss and tragedy in every sense. But most of all, it is symbolic of his devotion. It only makes sense for him to have his spinoff series.
Above all, Gin and Itachi are the same yet different. Both share similitude in terms of their devotion. And though their paths are different, they parallel with the theme of tragedy.
Bleach’sunsung hero deserves his spinoff series
Of all the tragic heroes inBleach, Gin Ichimaru’s fate is nothing short of gut-wrenching. As a former captain of the 3rd Division, he was also a member of the Gotei 13. Eventually, he defected the Seireitei and joined hands with Sosuke Aizen.
His actions, however, were far-fetched from villainy. It would be an understatement to say Kubo perfected the trope of greyscale antagonists with Gin. This ties well with his inner conflict which exemplifies his ambiguity.
Amidst his alliance with Aizen, Gin’s devotion to Rangiku had most fans deeming him Severus Snape. And though it sounds ideal, it may not be the case considering the wide chasm between both characters.
Other than that, he is skilled at the craft of masking his emotions. It is marvelous how his character issymbolic of a snake. The metaphor fits well with his conception and his ambiguous moves. This only makes him worthy of his spinoff series.
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Despite being one of themost powerful Captainsin the Seireitei, Gin’s trajectory was short yet impactful. To say he is a fleshed-out character would be an understatement considering Kubo’s impeccable characterization.
Interestingly, he does share traits with yet another tragic hero in the Shonen genre. This is evident in both his and Itachi’s dire fate in their respective series. Both characters have parallels of loss and loyalty in terms of their development.
The parallels of tragedy between Itachi and Gin
The commonality betweenItachi Uchihaand Gin Ichimaru is their tragedy in the Shonenverse. Often, fans from both fandom communities have drawn similarities between both characters. And though they share similitude, they are different in several aspects.
The common thread between their paths is that of tragedy, loss, and suffering. Both die as anti-villain before their loved ones’ eyes. And while they share the common trope of double agent, they’re different in terms of their devotion.
While Itachi Uchiha is devoted to the Leaf Village, his emotions stem from his loyalty and patriotism. He is duty-bound with his motive to protect his brother and the village. His actions border on the extremes albeit his care and concern for Sasuke.
Conversely, Gin’s motives aretied to his vengeance. His plan to destroy Aizen stems from his unspoken love for Rangiku. Moreover, he excelled in tricking one of the most cunning characters in the series, Aizen. While this itself is a feat, Kubo wasted his character by killing him off as most fans suggest.
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All in all, both characters are the unsung yet tragic anti-villains in the Shonenverse. While their deaths were pivotal for the plot development, they truly deserved better.
Bleachis available for streaming on Netflix. The manga is available for reading on Shueisha’s Manga Plus app.
Himanshi Jeswani
Anime Writer
Articles Published :993
Himanshi Jeswani is an anime writer at Fandomwire, with her work spanning over 900 articles. Her articles cover shojo, shonen, seinen, and all things beyond. Her interests, however, aren’t limited to simply anime. She has a penchant for exploring different genres of manga, be it horror, yanki, music, and food. She brings out her specialization and expertise in the performing arts through her articles. As a writer, she strives to bridge the gap between the viewers and the medium itself. To her, anime is a revolutionary medium that is capable of creating communities and stories after all.
