Ichigo Kurosaki

**Ichigo Kurosaki** is a Human who has Soul Reaper powers, the second Substitute Soul Reaper after Kugo Ginjo, and the main protagonist of the *Bleach* franchise. Ichigo is the son of Isshin Kurosaki and Masaki Kurosaki, and older brother of Karin and Yuzu.

## Statistics

* **Name**: Ichigo Kurosaki, Strawberry
* **Origin**: Bleach
* **Gender**: Male
* **Age**: 17
* **Birthday**: July 15
* **Classification**: Human-Soul Reaper Hybrid, Substitute Soul Reaper, Visored, High School Student
* **Blood Type**: A
* **Height**: 181 cm (5'11.3")
* **Weight**: 66 kg (145 lbs)
* **Skin Color**: Light
* **Eye Color**: Brown
* **Hair Color**: Orange
* **Relatives**: Masaki Kurosaki (Mother, deceased), Isshin Kurosaki (Father), Karin and Yuzu Kurosaki (Younger sisters)
* **Alignment**: Good
* **Status**: Active
* **Class**: **S-Class**
* **Notable Attacks/Techniques**: Getsuga Tensho, Getsuga Tensho: Rei, Senpugiri, Meigetsu, Chiretsu Hogeki, Tenbu Renjin, Hollow Getsuga Tensho
* **Voice Actor**: Masakazu Morita, Yuki Matsuoka (young)

## Appearance

Ichigo's most distinguishing feature is his spiky orange hair, a trait he has been ridiculed for years on end, particularly when he was younger, thus earning him the nickname, "*Strawberry*". He is a tall, lean-built young man with peach skin and brown eyes, as well as having sideburns across his face. Since becoming a Soul Reaper, he has become noticeably more muscular, as noted by his sister, Karin. He likes to wear tight clothes and has a tendency to wear shirts patterned with the number 15 because his name is a homonym for the number.

In his Soul Reaper form, Ichigo wears the standard Soul Reaper attire: a black *shihakushō* and *hakama*, a white *obi*, a pair of white *tabi*, and a pair of *waraji* sandals. In addition to this, Ichigo has a thick, red rosary-like strap across his torso and around his back to hold his Zanpakuto sheath. It is shaped like a kite with a flat top and bottom. Ichigo's appearance has caused several people, including Jushiro Ukitake, to note a similarity to Kaien Shiba, the former lieutenant of Squad Thirteen. Since his Fullbring fused with his Soul Reaper powers after regaining them for a second time, he has four black vertical, tattoo lines on each of his forearms, as well as his chest and ankles that are shaped like an "X". In addition to these changes, his Fullbring also caused black bands with white ends on them to appear around his neck like high collars.

## Personality

Ichigo is well known for his punk-like attitude. He is an immensely stubborn, short-tempered, strong-wiled and impulsive young man who easily gets angry, especially when his mother or his other loved ones are brought into the situation either physically or even merely mentioned. He generally keeps his face set in a near-permanent scowl, with his eyebrows drawn together. He is also a particularly violent individual, stating that if someone picks a fight with him, then it is his obligation to fight back, and while he appears to be serious, "cool" and detached from the world (claiming, at one point, to not care what anyone thinks of him), he is a genuinely compassionate individual, showing a great deal of concern and care for those who were even his enemies, such as Grimmjow, Ulquiorra, Ginjo, and even Aizen after their battle. Ichigo also seems to follow a code of honor, displaying disgust for those who talk down about his opponents, even if they were originally his enemies to begin with. His desire to protect others not only extends to his friends and family, but all of Karakura Town and Soul Society as well.

Perhaps in tandem with him being a teenage boy, Ichigo can become noticeably uncomfortable and embarrassed by nude or promiscuous women, particularly Yoruichi Shihoin, and Rangiku Matsumoto. At the same time, he can, be very rude and disrespectful to those who are his elders and his superiors, such as Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto whom he refers to as "gramps" and referring to several of the Soul Reaper captains by their given names without using honorifics. A running gag indicates that he has difficulty remembering some people's faces and names that he comes across.

In combat, Ichigo is a vengeful force. Whenever someone harms a person or place he cares about, Ichigo will pursue that person at his own personal risk, with the intention of killing that person. Ichigo has also been known to seek revenge against those who defeat him in combat, such as he did with Grimmjow. He often taunts and belittles his opponents when fighting, sometimes even attacking without warning. Ichigo has a strong desire to win his fights in what he views as a legitimate manner. To this end, he has refused the aid of his inner Hollow and wants to fight with his own strength, even when knowing that it would allow him to win. Similarly, after regaining control of his body, he tells Ulquiorra to cut off his limbs so that they may have a fair fight and refuses to kill him when he is dying; saying that it was not the way he wanted to win. However, Ichigo's resolve in battle can waver at times, which can impede his fighting prowess and goes into a state of depression and self-loathing when he loses a major battle or lets a friend down.

## Abilities and Equipment

**Zangetsu** (*Slaying Moon*): Though he used a nameless Zanpakuto when he first received Rukia's powers, after first becoming a Soul Reaper, Ichigo's personal Zanpakuto first manifests after his training in the Shattered Shaft with Kisuke Urahara, when he awakens his own Soul Reaper powers. Shortly thereafter, he awakens his Zanpakuto's Shikai, the state in which it constantly stays from that point on.

* **Shikai**: The Shikai form of Ichigo's Zangetsu takes form of a large, elegant cleaver, which curves inward towards the backside of the blade's tip, causing it to resemble a trench knife. It has a long silver hilt, wrapped in black cloth wrappings. The sword is as tall as Ichigo is, and has a black blade with a silver edge. A small chain is attached to the base of the hilt. Ichigo has, on more than one occasion, uses Zangetsu's wide blade as a shield from incoming attacks, and deflecting energy blasts. As noted by Yoruichi, Zangetsu is a constant release Zanpakuto, meaning that it never returns to its sealed state, almost always remaining in Shikai. This is because Ichigo's spiritual power is so large and constantly in fluctuation, making him unable to control his Zanpakuto's form very well. When Zangetsu isn't in use, Ichigo can manifest a cloth, likely with the blade's own spiritual energy, and cause it to wrap itself tightly around the blade, acting as an impromptu sheath. Ichigo can then store it by attaching it to the large strap across his back. Whenever Ichigo is ready to use Zangetsu again, simply gripping the hilt will cause the spiritual cloth to unravel and fall off.

**Shikai Special Ability**: Ichigo's Shikai, is largely used for melee combat, but possesses two known special abilities:
* **Getsuga Tenshō** (*Moon Fang Heaven-Piercer*): Upon slashing with his blade, Zangetsu absorbs Ichigo's immense spiritual energy and projects it from the blade in the form of a tremendous crescent wave of energy. As stated by Zangetsu, knowing the name of an attack heightens its power compared to its strength when the wielder does not know its name. The Getsuga Tensho is a powerful technique with great force, capable of causing large-scale damage and destruction. While it is currently the only attack Ichigo knows from Zangetsu before learning Meigetsu, Ichigo has used this technique in several different manners, such as striking the ground to create an omni-directional blast to knock away incoming attacks or slashing at the ground to upturn it and crush everything in its path. After regaining his Shinigami powers, Ichigo's Getsuga Tensho has been greatly enhanced to the point where it can dispel a thunderstorm and cut Tsukishima's mansion in half, with just a single slash.
	+ **Getsuga Tenshō: Rei** (*Moon Fang Heaven-Piercer: Zero*): Ichigo dashes forward with Zangetsu in hand, carrying his foe forward and finishes with a turning-rising upward slash that unleashes a towering wave of spirit energy from the ground.
* **Senpugiri** (*Whirlwind Cutter*): A stationary spinning attack that blows away any enemies within close-range.
* **Meigetsu** (*Harvest Moon*): A new technique taught to Ichigo by Zangetsu himself in order to help Ichigo become more accustomed to him. By striking the ground, blue energy bursts from directly beneath Ichigo's target, making it a hard technique to dodge while dealing destructive blunt force to his target. This makes it one of Ichigo's most powerful attacks and often uses it as a finisher against more powerful foes. However, he can only use it while in Shikai, meaning he can't use it once he activates his Bankai.
* **Bankai**: **Tensa Zangetsu** (*Heaven Chain Slaying Moon*): Ichigo points his Zanpakuto in a straight direction, using either a single hand or both, with the cloth of his Shikai surrounding his arm and tightening during the activation. His spiritual power surges, with the smoke obscuring his being. Ichigo's Bankai is considered completely out of the ordinary for any Zanpakuto. Unlike most Bankai forms, which usually create some sort of massive creature or effect, Ichigo's Bankai compresses his power, causing the sword to shrink down to a pure-black *nodaich* (*Field Sword*), curving at the tip with three protrusions coming near the end of the blade on the blunt side, along with a black cross-guard and hilt. The cross-guard has four jagged, protruding prongs that take the shape of a manji (which is the kanji for "*ban*", meaning "*full*", as in "*full release*"). It also has a long black chain which attaches from the base of its hilt that connects to Ichigo's glove, forming a wide loop. Byakuya commented on it by saying that it looked more like a sealed state Zanpakuto than an actual Bankai. The blade itself is durable enough to withstand even the strongest of attacks, making it quite effective in blocking and deflecting incoming attacks, and can even withstand getting crushed by force. The blade is even sharp enough to cut clean through Kugo Ginjo's sword. Additionally, Ichigo's traditional Shinigami robes and white cloak are replaced by a long-sleeved, ankle-length black coat (or *shihakushō*) with a white undershirt and a dark red coloration on the coat's inside. The ends of the coat flare out into three long coattails with black and white ragged endings. The coat is held together by three black "X"'s which appear similar to the ones that appear on his body in his normal state. Similar white markings appear on his forearms and the backs of his gloved-hands in Bankai. The coat signifies how much spiritual energy Ichigo has at any given time and will only take damage proportionate to lost spiritual energy.

**Bankai Special Ability**: Like his Shikai, Ichigo's Bankai is primarily used for melee combat, but has a unique special ability:
* **Power Augmentation**: The main benefits of Tensa Zangetsu are focused on the augmentations it grants to Ichigo, allowing him to fight on a level that would normally be impossible for a human such as himself, with a lack of experience, to do so. In Bankai, Ichigo's powers increase by a factor of ten or fifteen, due to having achieved some level of mastery over his own Zanpakuto. Ichigo is capable of standing toe-to-toe with some of the strongest opponents in his Bankai, including that of Sosuke Aizen.
	+ **Hyper-Speed Combat**: Ichigo takes all the power of his Bankai and compresses it into a small, condensed form. Then, he uses the power of the Bankai to perform high-speed combat. His new speed is so great, that it also enhances his Shunpo prowess and allows him to create dozens of afterimages to confuse his opponent.
	+ **Enhanced Getsuga Tensho**: **Tensa Zangetsu** retains the use of Getsuga Tensho and can be used in the same manners, but can be used in an enhanced form. When used in Bankai, these potent blasts are black with a red outline and their path can be controlled, with explosively augmented power and speed. During Byakuya Kuchiki's fight with Ichigo, he refers to this attack as **Kuroi Getsuga Tensho** (*Black Moon Fang Heaven-Piercer*). This technique was originally Hollow Ichigo's technique. Ichigo can keep Getsuga Tensho within Tensa Zangetsu to augment the strength of his sword swings in melee combat, or fire it from the tip of the blade as if it were a bullet; other uses for this technique could be either to trap his opponents, or scatter the Getsuga energy and release multiple Getsuga Tensho blasts to inflict damage to multiple targets.
	+ **Enhanced Strength**: Ichigo's Bankai further enhances his naturally great strength. He effortlessly blocked a punch from Yammy Llargo, an Espada known primarily for his immense strength, and cut through his Hierro with relative ease. The sudden boost in strength upon releasing allows Ichigo to break free from any attack which binds him or prevents him from moving. After his training in the Dangai, Ichigo's strength drastically increases to the point where a single swing of his sword can level a mountain. He can grab Aizen's Zanpakuto blade with his bare hand without feeling any of the exerted force, though said force could do considerable damage to the surrounding area. He can effortlessly break through **Hado #90: Kurohitsugi**, with full incantation, with just his bare hand. After his Shinigami powers are restored, Ichigo can catch a massive blast produced by Kugo Ginjo's Bankai one-handed and crush it. With only a swing of his sword, he can create a huge shockwave.
	+ **Enhanced Spiritual Power**: His already vast Reiatsu increases grandly and explosively. His spiritual pressure is so intense and rough, as well as thick and heavy, it can suffocate Humans who are in the general vicinity of his released Bankai. Ichigo's spiritual pressure is solid in his Bankai. Initially, when he activated his Bankai, he produced a white aura which shot high into the sky. Ever since Ichigo defeated his inner Hollow and affirmed his place as a Visored, he produces a deep black spiritual energy with a crimson outline, which emanates off of Ichigo's body when his spiritual pressure is exerted, replacing his white aura. After his training in the Dangai, Ichigo's ability to sense spiritual pressure has increased greatly, as he can now sense his sisters blocks away through various buildings and determine their current status. According to Sosuke Aizen, by achieving evolution into a dimension separate from Shinigami, both Shinigami and Humans have become unable to feel his Reiatsu unless he voluntarily lowers his level and allows them to interfere, in the same way a two-dimensional being is unable to interfere with a three-dimensional being. In this same way, he surmises Ichigo is standing in a dimension even higher than the one he is in. After Ichigo regains his Shinigami powers for the second time, his Bankai activation reverts back to the way it used to be, shooting a white aura high into the sky (though still emits black Reiatsu with a crimson outline when he exerts spiritual energy or uses his Hollow Mask). The released energy can break apart Yukio's chatroom, which is said to be indestructible. While in Bankai, Ichigo's vast spiritual energy turns deep black, with a crimson outline, and when Ichigo is enraged it turns reddish black with crackling energy akin to lightning.
	+ **Enhanced Bankai Duration**: Furthermore, the fact that all of his energy is "*compressed*" means that usage of his Bankai doesn't expel as much spiritual power as other Bankai from the point of activation; thus allowing him to use Tensa Zangetsu at a much longer duration than any other Bankai users of his level. From his final encounter with Grimmjow in Hueco Mundo until Aizen's defeat, Ichigo continuously stayed in his Bankai state for three months.
* **Chiretsu Hogeki** (*Earth-Rending Felling Strike*): Ichigo spins around with **Tensa Zangetsu** before launching into mid-air, then strikes the ground and damages his opponents in a swirl of black and crimson Reiatsu.
* **Tenbu Renjin** (*Swift Series of Heaven Dance*): In midair, Ichigo slashes repeatedly in all directions with **Tensa Zangetsu**, damaging all nearby enemies, or use it as a defensive move against incoming enemy attacks; he first used this technique to slash though Byakuya's million Bankai blades without knowing the name.

**Zanjutsu Master**: In terms of fighting style while in his Shinigami form, Ichigo relies mainly on swordplay. Aside from his initial training with Urahara, he is essentially on a "learn as you go" training regimen; thusly, his skill has developed by fighting rather than formal instruction, becoming even more capable with every fight. His overall skill allows him to fight evenly against sword masters of Byakuya Kuchiki and Kenpachi Zaraki's caliber. While usually fighting right-handed, Ichigo appears to be ambidextrous, as he is proficient in wielding Zangetsu in his left hand.

**Expert Hand-to-Hand Combatant**: Physically, Ichigo's Human/Shinigami body is in top form. Ichigo has been trained in martial arts since he was a small child, both professionally and by his father. He has repeatedly shown great agility and coordination in his attacks. In addition to having powerful kicks and punches, Ichigo is proficient in counterattacks, takedowns, and body locks. He has repeatedly caught an opponent's weapon strikes with a single hand. He can also use his unarmed combat skills in conjunction with his swordsmanship to gain a greater edge in battle. He effortlessly defeats multiple bullies and gangsters on a regular basis, and is a better martial artist than Tatsuki Arisawa, who is ranked the second strongest girl in all of Japan despite her fighting with a broken arm. While he has stopped training, constant attacks from bullies and his father keep his skills fresh. It should be noted that he was able to effortlessly knocked out three lieutenants in rapid succession, while bare-handed, with a single strike each.

**Shunpo Expert**: Though not particularly versed in its various techniques, Ichigo is proficient enough in the technique itself to keep up with and even surprise high-level Shinigami with his speed. Byakuya Kuchiki, one of the most proficient users of Shunpo in Soul Society, complimented Ichigo's growing mastery of the technique. During his first demonstration of this skill, he knocked out three lieutenants and grabbed his Zanpakutō before any of them hit the ground.

**Enhanced Strength**: Even while not in his Shinigami form, Ichigo is deceptively strong, smashing a man's head through a concrete road with a single kick. When he is in his Shinigami body, Ichigo's already impressive strength is greatly enhanced. He has knocked out three Soul Reaper lieutenants with a single punch each, one of which shattered one of their Zanpakuto at the same time. His strength is great enough to easily stop repeated axe blows from Jidanbo before shattering Jidanbo's axes in a single swing, and hurl Rukia a dozen meters into Renji's arms and send them both skidding several meters more, achieving both feats with a single hand. With a single kick, he can break down and launch a large chunk of a stone wall. After regaining his Soul Reaper powers, one swing from his Zanpakuto produced a shockwave powerful enough to overwhelm Kugo Ginjo, making the Fullbringer mistake it for a **Getsuga Tensho**.

**Enhanced Speed & Reflexes**: Even before learning Shunpo, Ichigo is a very fast and agile fighter. Ichigo possesses great reflexes, dodging a strike with no wasted effort and immediately counterattacking. He can strike quickly, without warning, and in rapid succession. His speed allows him to follow the movements of faster opponents to better analyze their movements, and block otherwise fatal strikes.

**Enhanced Endurance**: When in his Soul Reaper form, Ichigo's physical endurance is strengthened to the point where he can continue fighting effectively after receiving many injuries and can survive attacks that would easily kill normal humans. It was stated by Rukia that a Soul Reaper's life force is their spiritual power. As such, Ichigo can withstand attacks which would be fatal to most Soul Reapers. Uryu once stated Ichigo was a monster in this regard, and Aizen commented on his ability to continue moving despite grave injuries.

**Enhanced Durability**: While only a teenage Human, Ichigo has shown himself to be a highly resilient man, as shown from his ability to safely break free from a binding spell (albeit a low-level one) and withstand an assault from a large Hollow. While in his Soul Reaper form, Ichigo is much more durable that he was in human form: during his last fight with Kugo Ginjo, he withstood a direct hit from the **Getsuga Tensho** created by said opponent, and the damage was only done to one of his arms and part of his face.

**Keen Intellect**: Despite his somewhat punkish attitude, Ichigo is analytical, perceptive, and deductive. In his high school, Ichigo's grades are almost always near the top, despite his work as a Substitute Soul Reaper. Aside from that, Ichigo can determine the pattern of his opponent's battle methods and form a proper counter-strategy to defeat his opponent's attacks.

**Advanced Growth Rate**: According to both Aizen and Urahara, Ichigo's most astounding ability is his growth rate; he grasps the basic control of advanced techniques in days where it would take several years for even the most gifted Soul Reapers. Shortly after gaining Soul Reaper powers and with no previous training, he began learning advanced spiritual energy sensing techniques by sheer instinct. While it takes most Soul Reapers at least 10 years to achieve Bankai, he did so in two days (albeit with the assistance of a special device invented by Urahara which was originally intended for three days). He gains considerable experience in the use of Flash Step while training with Yoruichi, which was done over the same period as his Bankai. Besides his improvements in his Soul Reaper abilities, Ichigo greatly increased the time he could maintain his Hollow mask, from eleven seconds to considerably longer amounts of time. During his first fight with Ulquiorra, he is instantly incapacitated by one Cero blast, even with his Hollow mask (which broke within a second), but only a few hours later, he withstands another Cero from Ulquiorra without undergoing Hollowfication, and can analyze Ulquiorra's movements much better than before, when he had "felt like [he] was fighting a machine or a statue" and failed to predict and counter his attacks.

**Strong Willpower**: Ichigo has a strong sense of willpower, able to resist the power of his inner Hollow and break free of his control when his Hollow tried to take control; his willpower was strong enough to help regaining his resolve to fight after breaking free from his despair from both his own, and from outside help.

**Spiritual Awareness**: Since he was a child, Ichigo has had an innate ability to clearly see spiritual beings and sense their presence. After becoming a Shinigami, his senses have continued to improve with time, learning various advanced sensing techniques, such as using a spirit ribbon to find Yūichi Shibata (in bird form). Even from a considerable distance, he can detect the condition of a being with spiritual power. During his intense fight against Kenpachi Zaraki, he clearly sensed and recognized Sado's energy signature even as it weakened, despite the considerable distance between them.

**Immense Spiritual Power**: Ichigo has been noted on several occasions to have tremendously vast levels of spiritual energy, well beyond most other Soul Reapers. He is capable of defeating a Gillian before awakening his true power with only his sealed Zanpakuto. His spiritual power is noted to be heavy, which surprised Renji Abarai. Ichigo constantly gives off Reiatsu at the level of a captain. Even when worn-out in battle, he can continue fighting effectively while still using Getsuga Tensho or unleashing and maintaining his Bankai. Even at less than half-strength, his spiritual energy is comparable to a captain-level fighter. His energy is strong enough to hold back the **Sokyoku**, a halberd with the destructive force equivalent to one million Zanpakuto combined, using only his single Zanpakuto. In addition, he was also able to sense Aizen's Reiatsu after he reached the end of his crysalysis stage before he started his Dangai training, a feat Isshin, Yoruichi and Kisuke could not accomplish. His Reiatsu color is light-blue, and when visible, takes the shape of a menacing skeletal skull that bares a resemblance to his hollow mask.

* **Novice Reiatsu Control**: Ichigo's spiritual energy is rather difficult for him to control, as he has no formal training in controlling it, and upon Hollowfication, his Reiatsu fluctuates wildly, with it being unreadable at its lowest point and at its highest point greater than that of the Cuatro Espada Ulquiorra Schiffer. Due to this, and him having far more spiritual energy than his body can consciously contain, it leaks out constantly, preventing him from hiding it and effectively making stealth impossible when dealing with other spiritually-aware beings. He has learned how to harden his spiritual energy to enhance the strength of his attacks, or use it as a barrier to reduce the impact of attacks on him, if not negating them completely. He possesses some skill in channeling his spiritual power, as destroyed the Arbor of the Sokyoku, a seemingly impossible feat which surprised the Gotei 13, by channeling his spiritual power through his sword into the execution stand.

**Hollow Mask**: Ichigo's Hollow Mask has the appearance of what could best be described as a menacing skull. The mask is white and has two thick vertical red-black stripes shaped like an "X", covering the most of the front portion of the mask, which are in between the widened eye-holes and covered on the top portion of the jaw.

The Hollow mask was originally a sign of Ichigo's possession by the his inner Hollow, but after his training with the Visored, it merely indicates he is utilizing his Hollow powers. To access Hollow Ichigo's power, Ichigo must summon the mask onto his face. He normally does this by placing one of his hands over his face, and concentrating spiritual matter on it in order to manifest the mask (previously, it had appeared on its own before he mastered the Hollow within him), summoning the mask in a "ripping" fashion. With the mask in place, Ichigo's eyes irises become yellow, and he has black sclera and pupils. His voice has a slight Hollow echo to it. With the mask, he gains access to increased physical enhancements. Strangely, though most of the other Visored have been able to shift the position of the mask while apparently still retaining the abilities of their Hollowfied state, as well as using general Hollow abilities, Ichigo has never done either.
* **Power Augmentation**: While wearing the mask, Ichigo's Hollow powers supplement his Shinigami powers, giving him a vast increase in many capabilities.
	+ **Augmented Getsuga Tensho**: When Ichigo wears his mask, the power, speed, blast area, force, and size of the **Getsuga Tensho** becomes drastically augmented, to the point of seriously harming a foe. When used with his Bankai and Hollow mask in combination, his **Getsuga Tensho** is stated to be his ultimate attack. Ichigo's tremendous speed lets him to move faster than the **Getsuga Tensho** itself, allowing him to fire multiple blasts from different directions. Ulquiorra Cifer believes his **Getsuga Tensho** is Ichigo's strongest attack, comparing it to an Espada's black Cero, particularly a **Cero Oscuras**. The black **Getsuga Tensho** was first displayed by Ichigo's inner Hollow, and initially carried the risk of causing his inner Hollow to surface if used too much. With Ichigo's later control over his inner Hollow, this is no longer a problem. With the use of his new mask, he can fire a **Getsuga Tensho** powerful enough to send Yammy Riyalgo falling down head first while he was in his much larger and stronger Resurrección state, and cut a high-rise building in half.
	+ **Enhanced Strength**: In Hollow form, Ichigo's strength has been greatly enhanced. In his second fight with Grimmjow, he overpowered Grimmjow's Cero. In his third fight with Grimmjow, he blocked the destructive force of an Espada's strongest Cero, the **Gran Rey Cero**, fired by Grimmjow. After he unleashed his Hollowfication in his latest battle with Ulquiorra, he slightly broke his sword with a single slash. He effortlessly blocked a Cero fired by Ulquiorra.
	+ **Enhanced Speed**: While wearing his mask, Ichigo's already formidable speed is greatly enhanced. During his second battle against Grimmjow, Ichigo's speed completely overwhelmed the Espada, who was unable to follow Ichigo's movement, and forced him completely on the defensive with his barrage of attacks. His attacks become so fast the opponent cannot even perceive them until after they are hit. He becomes fast enough to outrun his own **Getsuga Tensho**, allowing him to strike and enhance them, or launch simultaneous attacks at the opponent from different angles.
	+ **Enhanced Durability**: While wearing the mask, Ichigo's formidable durability is increased greatly. During his third fight with Grimmjow, he is thrown through various buildings and obstructions and emerges unharmed. Ichigo shielded Orihime and Nel from a barrage of Grimmjow's dart bullets, which have enough destructive force to destroy a large building.
	+ **Enhanced Spiritual Power**: While wearing the mask, Ichigo's vast spiritual energy drastically increases. Upon witnessing his enormous spiritual energy, one of the Privaron Espada, Dordoni Alessandro Del Socaccio, described it as amazing. The Cuatro Espada, Ulquiorra Schiffer, stated his Spiritual Pressure was higher than his own (though he also stated it was fluctuating). During Ichigo's fight with Grimmjow, the Tercera Espada, Tier Harribel, note the volume, concentration, and catastrophic nature of his Spiritual Pressure did not seem like that of a Human, but more like that of an Espada. Even Sosuke Aizen complimented his Reiatsu, stating he had grown. It has been noted multiple times that with the mask on, his spiritual energy changes into something similar to that of a Hollow, or even an Arrancar (maybe Espada by several high-ranking Arrancar). Ichigo can use the combined spiritual energy released in his Bankai activation and Hollowfication to launch himself in the air.
* **Mask Regeneration**: If Ichigo has enough spiritual power, he can repair small amounts of damage inflicted upon his mask. This is displayed during his third fight with Grimmjow, and during his most recent fight with Ulquiorra.
* **Hollow Combat**: When Ichigo fights with his mask on, his fighting style becomes more instinctive than practiced. The Hollow mask makes Ichigo more ruthless, akin to the battle style of Hollow Ichigo. Throughout the duration of the Hollowfication, Ichigo displays less concern for injuries to his person, even ignoring grievous wounds to continue fighting. Ulquiorra Cifer stated Ichigo in this form resembles an Arrancar, and his movements are similar to theirs'.
* **Increased Mask Duration**: After subjugating his inner Hollow, Ichigo can use his Hollow mask while retaining his personality, but could originally only wear it for four seconds at a time. After training with the Visored, the limit increases to eleven seconds. His time limit and Hollow powers greatly increase during his third battle with Grimmjow. The reasons behind Ichigo now being capable of fighting entire battles with his mask currently remain unknown. Grimmjow speculated Ichigo's improvements came from a subconscious need. It is unknown if the time limit of his new mask has changed, though the mask began deteriorating immediately after he fired a **Getsuga Tensho** at Sosuke Aizen with it on. Once he gained resolve to fight Aizen, the mask was used much longer, but began dispersing again once he lost his composure.
* **Mask Re-Summon**: He can call his mask a second time after it shatters. When used for the first time, the mask immediately broke apart. Later, this is no longer a problem. In his first fight with Ulquiorra, though unseen, it was used to help defend against Ulquiorra's Cero (though the mask was destroyed), and again during his most recent confrontation with him, after he enters his released form. Once Ichigo's mask changed in his battle with Yammy Llargo, he noticed his mask felt different, as if it was heavier, and he was unable to re-summon it for a brief period of time. Tensa Zangetsu states the oddities of the new mask come from Ichigo's fear of the Hollow form he took to defeat Ulquiorra Cifer, where his sanity was overwhelmed by its power, and he cannot Hollowfy properly.

## Weaknesses

Ichigo will rush into stuff without thinking first.

He can be too merciful on opponents.

He has lacked the desire to fight several times, which hindered his full capabilities and overall willpower.

Loses control of his Hollowfication powers when his inner Hollow dominates him in terms of willpower.

## Relationships

*Main Article: Ichigo Kurosaki/Relationships*