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With so many iconic and colorful characters,Bleachstands out with the privilege of having many designs and personalities that fans naturally gravitate towards. Among the ranks of the Espada, a couple of members remain the most beloved by far by fans. And perhaps one of the most popular characters in all ofBleachis Ulquiorra Cifer. Dear spiderEspada number 4, representing the aspect of death of emptiness, remains incredibly loved by all fans of Bleach.
Why do fans still adore this character so much, and what makes him stand out from the other members of his group? Here is why Ulquiorra is one of author Tite Kubo’s greatest creations.
Ulquiorra the Fourth Espada
Iconic in Every Sense of the Word
Ulquiorra Cifer is Espada number four and arguably one of themost powerful members of the group, as well as one of the most powerful villains in all of Bleach. But it is besides his immense strength that he became such a recognizable face for Bleach. Ulquiorra is immediately distinct thanks to his peculiar and creative design. His snow-white skin paired with his jet-black medium-length hair. As well as his big, penetrating, emerald eyes with green markings that look like teardrops coming down from them. As well as his hollow mask remnants on the side of his head, forming a horn.
Besides his facial features, Ulquiorra also seems rather unassuming and fragile compared to his teammates, as he is very short in stature and very skinny, making him seem less intimidating thanother villains who were often big and conventionally threatening. Ulquiorra seems more like a regular person in his physical characteristics, besides his face, rather than an evil, powerful villain. But beyond this, a very important element of his design is his connection to Emo and Goth fashion aesthetics. Here’s the design is reminiscent of post-punk, emo-rock aesthetics that were prevalent during the mid-2000s. For this reason, Ulquiorra attracted many fans who were also interested in this fashion trend at the time and still are to this day as adults.
Another element that makes Ulquiorra so special is his always neutral expression. As Ulquiorra represents the aspect of emptiness, he is virtually emotionless, which makes his connection to the Emo and Goth aesthetic even more apparent. This also sets him apart from his peers because of his extremely quiet personality. Many of his allies are rather boisterous and over the top,which made him stand out as a much calmer character.
Your words are those of a man who knows not true despair. If you know it not, then allow me to teach you. This is the face of true despair
Ulquiorra’s personality is also expertly portrayed in the anime thanks to his voice actor, Daisuke Namikawa, a very famous performer known for his portrayal of beloved anime characters like Hisoka fromHunter X Hunter.Daisuke gives Ulquiorra his serene and levelheaded voice, yet still sinister and threatening with great subtlety. One of the key elements of Ulquiorra’s character is his distinct voice, as he pairs a very powerful contrast to Ichigo’s loud and angry demeanor while fighting him, as it seems that, while the boy is constantly enraged and scared, Ulquiorra is always in complete control of every situation and always perfectly calm.
When it comes to Ulquiorra’s transformations,it turns him into this bat of deaththat quite literally rains despair on Ichigo as black rain falls on the boy as he witnesses his enemy becoming stronger and stronger while he was already outmatched by him in base form, but it is Segunda etapa which makes Ulquiorra one of the greatest designs in all of Bleach as he turns into this demonic bat with large horns and green and yellow eyes. His complete dominion over Ichigo is both haunting and exciting, as he looks incredibly frightening and powerful while doing so. Ulquiorra’s design in this form has been widely regarded as one of the best designs in the series and has been the inspiration for other characters in later Shōnen series.
Ulquiorra’s abilities like Cero Oscuras and Lanza del Relámpago, further emphasize his color palette as black contrasts with bright emerald green, as well as his iconic poses during the techniques. But perhaps what makes Ulquiorra so loved by fans beyond his power is his expert characterization and writing.Throughout his continuous interactions with Orihimehe’s constantly pondering about the existence of the heart and what it truly represents, as Ulquiorra does not understand emotions. He’s baffled about what human beings refer to as a heart. He did not conceive the existence of emotions or feelings or concepts that he cannot see with his two eyes, and so he asks Orihime to tell him, to explain to him what a heart is.
What is this “heart”? If I tear open that chest of yours, will I see it there? If I smash open that skull of yours, will I see it there?
He progressively becomes much more interested in humans as well as Orihime and Ichigo.It is right when he loses the battle against Ichigo and Zangetsuthat he begins to understand what the heart that humans talk about means as Ulquiorra passes away due to the extensive damage that Zangetsu inflicted upon him, as he is unable to regenerate from it. Ulquiorra asks Orihime one last time if she is afraid of him, to which she answers that she isn’t, which further closes his life with a realization of what the human heart represents and why he was always looking for it in humans.
Ulquiorra was constantly searching for something he could not understand, which makes his character much more than a simple villain who wants to defeat the main characters, making him a compelling character that showcases Tite Kubo’s expert writing. Because of his design, of his portrayal, of his powers, of his scenes, and especially because of his incredible writing and characterization, Ulquiorra remains one of the most popular characters in all ofBleach.
Bleach
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Based on Tite Kubo’s battle shonen manga, Bleach centers around Ichigo, a high school student who is dragged into the world of Soul Reapers. The original anime ended in 2012, but it was revived in 2022.
