Bleach/Tropes A-G

Tropes for Bleach, A to B:

Aborted Arc: A major complaint by the fans.
- There were evidently insinuations that Orihime was modified by Aizen, which was never explored.
- A huge chunk of characters and plot points are left unresolved at the end of the Arrancar saga. Either they will be expanded at a later point, or never brought up again. At best, we'll see what happened to them in the next characters' databook.
- The backstory of Ginjo and Tsukishima.
Action Girl: A major reason of the Periphery Demographic - the majority of females are rather Badass.
Adaptation Distillation: The musicals, which cut out most of the side characters and even some of the main characters (such as Ishida). They have a great cast, great music, great acting and lot of humour, especially during the bonus songs.
Adaptation Dye Job: Happens a lot with hair colours: Matsumoto (blonde -> reddish-blonde), Nelliel (light green -> blue with green tint), Gin (white -> purple tint), Orihime (brown -> orange), Starrk (black -> brown). Harribel's skin tone was lightened between the manga and the anime. Yumichika's feathers are multi-coloured in the manga, but solid yellow and solid red in the anime.
- Possibly an attempt at a Justified Trope: Anime!Ishida Ryuuken's hair is very dark brown when he first appears in one of Uryuu's flashbacks, which surprised some fans, since it had looked light-colored in the corresponding manga scene. The first time he appears in person in the anime, his hair is completely silver/white as in the manga and it looks for a moment like the animators are just going to pretend it was always that way...and then the scene cuts to a flashback to the flashback, and it's dark again. Given that the flashback may have been up to a decade earlier, it's at least somewhat plausible Ryuuken could have gone totally gray in that time (especially given all the dangerous shit Uryuu's done since then).
- Adaptation Contact Lenses: Gin's eyes change color throughout different media, possibly because it took a long time for Kubo to reveal what colour they actually were. The anime chose to give him red eyes and some of the video games gave him yellow eyes. Kubo eventually revealed his eyes were blue and the anime changed Gin's eye colour accordingly.
Adaptation Expansion: Can be found in the form of Kurodo, Lirin, and Noba, three recurring characters exclusive to the anime. They showed up as minor antagonists in a filler story, but since Defeat Means Friendship, they've stuck around as comedy relief and occasionally useful allies. They also have a tendency to dance around during the end credits.
- "Karakurizer", a Sentai parody, was originally three or four between-chapter illustrations. The anime, bless its tarnished soul, expanded this into two very, very funny episodes^[1].
- The pre-shinigami backstory of Ikkaku has only a couple of panels in the manga. It gets an entire filler episode in the anime.
- The rather short fights in Winter War arc (you know, the ones people have been complaining about) are lengthened in the anime.
- In Grimmjow and Ichigo's first Curb Stomp Battle, Ichigo gets his face beaten in for a lot longer than in the manga. In the manga, it lasts about two or three panels; in the anime, it lasts about ten minutes. Ten looooooooong minutes.
- One of the worst is the monster Allon slapping his chest wound for almost a minute. For no reason at all.
A Day in The Limelight: Chapter 480 shows what happens when an unseated Shinigami with no real distinction gets caught up in enemies more suited to Ichigo's level. The results are NOT pretty.
Alertness Blink: Used a few times.
All Love Is Unrequited: Most of the love in this series is either one-sided, or unclear whether there are any romantic feelings in the first place.
All Just a Dream: Episode 287, it is even said that it is just a dream during the episode!
- It happens again in the monster episode (episode 304), only this time it's Komamura's dream, not Isane's. And once again, Ichigo mentions that it's got to be a dream.
All Is Well That Ends Well: Ishida brings hollow bait to a dispute where a tape measure would suffice. No one brings it up again after they're done solving the problems he created, except in the anime-only New Captain Amagai arc. Aizen gives it a passing mention in chapter 397, and that's probably the last we'll ever hear of it.
- Mayuri set up the situation that wiped out nearly every remaining Quincy (including Ishida's grandfather) and then experimented on them in the afterlife until they died again. He also rigged Shinigami from his own division to be unwitting suicide bombs. No one, not even Ishida, brings this up at any point after the Soul Society arc.
Alluring Anglerfish: Grand Fisher has a special lure.
Ambiguously Brown: Gosuke Kiganjo, Kaname Tosen, Abirama Redder, Zommari Rureaux, Tier Harribel and Yoruichi Shihoin.
Angels Pose: Rukia, Orihime and Rangiku strike it at the end of the 10th anime opening.
Animal Motifs / Animal Stereotypes: Several characters in the show. First, you have Gin Ichimaru, aka 'Fox Face' and compared to, well, a fox. Then you have Yoruichi Shihouin who is likened to a black cat; hell, who am I kidding? Yoruichi can turn into a black cat. Next up is Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, who is likened to a panther. After all, his sword is named Pantera and then there is the matter of his released form, in which his appearance becomes decidedly more feline not to mention the fact that he actually was a panther-like Adjuchas-class Menos before becoming an Arrancar. Starrk (wolves, fitting with the whole lone wolf thing), Komamura (he is a dog, for christ's sake), and Hallibel (shark) all qualify. Gin is also a pretty snake-like individual. Then there's Neliel, whose adult form's skull has goat horns on it. Not to mention her release form, which is literally part-goat. Her Zanpakuto, also, is named Gamuza; which appears to mean Chamois, a type of goat, in Spanish. In short, every single one of the Espada.
Animated Actors: Some of the Omake have the characters as these.
Anime Hair: Rukia. Hitsugaya. Most of the non-Arrancar haircuts are actually fairly reasonable for an anime, though.
Apathy Killed the Cat: Many characters over the course of the series, usually played for laughs; Ichigo is a frequent participant.
The Archer: Old-school Quincies.
An Arm and A Leg: Several people, including major characters, have lost their limbs in the midst of their battles -- on some occasions, their limbs have been reattached successfully.
- Byakuya Kuchiki severed the tendons in his left arm and leg during his battle with Zommari.
Arc Villain: Most of the Filler Villains.
Art Evolution: Basically Kubo re-polishing his style; the real differences are in the eyes. Some reference!
Art Shift: In the Stinger of Episode 350, for no apparent reason.
Artificial Riverbank: All of Karakura Town is built around a big river with suck banks. Said river is good for watching fireworks, doing exercise, and being devoured by The Heartless.
Artistic Age
Ascended Meme: From one of the previews in the Zanpakuto Tales filler arc. "Isn't Kenpachi's Zanpakuto going to materialize?" "Of course not. If his Zanpakuto materialized, Soul Society would be destroyed and the show would be over." "Oh, so the studio stepped in."
- Also, the "Leek Spin Girl" meme has appeared as an official card in the Bleach CCG. Orihime - Leek Spin.
Ascended Extra: Tite Kubo's love of minor characters is well-known and oft-expressed, so it's not surprising that this happens a lot. Many of the captains and lieutenants from the 13 Squads are good examples.
Asskicking Equals Authority: The Gotei 13.
Asskicking Pose: Parodied/Subverted with Tatsufusa, 8th Division 3rd seat, and his Zanpakuto-flailing.
As You Know: Used often in the anime. An egregious one happens in the Invading Army arc, when a random Shinigami says "Ichigo Kurosaki, who has been imprisoned for being in the Dangai, has escaped!" to Ukitake and Kyoraku, who already knew why Ichigo was imprisoned.
Author Appeal: There's a reason why some fans call him Titty Kubo. He also likes to dress up his characters in different outfits on the splash pages.
- He's also got a thing for drawing closeups of people's teeth.
Awesome but Impractical: There are a number of impractically huge weapons in the series, such as Renji's flail, Baraggan's axe, Nnoitra's sickle and Ikkaku's Bankai...thing. Currently in first place is Soifon's cruise missile Bankai--it looks kind of cool, but she absolutely hates it because it is so impractical for her preferred combat style, being huge, heavy, noisy, flashy, unhideable, and using too much power for her to do it again too many times.
- Not to mention that her Shikai is absurdly broken anyway. Because what does a speedster need? A weapon that can kill anything by hitting the same spot twice!
Awesomeness By Analysis: Kisuke Urahara, Uryu Ishida, Izuru Kira, Szayelaporro Granz and Mayuri Kurotsuchi (though the last two do most of their analysis in advance).
An Axe to Grind: Jidanbou (before Ichigo destroyed his weapons) and Baraggan, both normally and released.
Badass: Who in this manga isn't? Even most of the minor characters will get a brief moment to shine.
Badass Long Robe
Bad Cop Incompetent Cop
Bandage Babe: Fairly common in Bleach as it allows for shinigami, including female shinigami, to be stripped down at the chest without revealing anything. In Chapter 422, both Renji and Rukia are this at the same time.
Barbie Doll Anatomy: Although Bleach makes liberal use of Scenery Censor to hide the worst, it's quite clear that this trope is at work as well, especially whenever Yoruichi is stripped down.
Bare Your Midriff: Harribel, Nelliel, Mila-Rose, Lilynette, Loly and Charlotte Cuulhorne.
Barefoot Poverty: Becomes a plot point during the final arc - the denizens of Soul Society's worst districts are disappearing en masse, leaving only footprints, including some shoe prints. It's revealed that people who live within Districts 50-80 are so poverty-stricken, none have been known to wear shoes for 550 years. This clues in Lieutenant Kira to the fact that the conclusion villagers killed each other is wrong and that entire villages are being slaughtered by shinigami. Thanks to Kira's revelation, it's discovered that, because a huge number of hollows were annihilated by Quincies, Mayuri's men comitted mass murder to avoid a pan-dimensional disaster that could destroy entire worlds: killing spirit-dwelling villagers counter-balanced the destroyed hollows in a case of Balancing Deaths Books.
Barely There Swimwear: In the Beach Episode based on the manga omakes, the women are shopping for swimwear and Isane is mourning the fact all the cute costumes are for shorter women. Her sister Kiyone finds her a swimsuit that she can wear, the catch being that it's entirely too revealing and skimpy for Isane to even contemplate wearing it. Her captain, Unohana intervenes and takes Kiyone's side, further shocking Isane. Then she reveals the swimming costume she's going to wear... and even Kiyone's jaw hits the floor. Only Isane's and Unohana's swimwear are commented on in-universe so only they fit this trope.
Battle Aura: Spiritual force is initially depicted as wind, but later in the series develops into auras. Certain high-power characters can even incapacitate weaker opponents simply by releasing their auras.
Beach Episode: Episode 228, and the omake of Volume 26, which also includes Orihime licking off the juices left from the Naughty Tentacles of some artificially created watermelon monsters created by the 12th division.
The Beautiful Elite: Thanks to Art Evolution, nearly the entire cast is very attractive, but instead of limiting them to just effeminate boys and pretty girls, we have muscular and handsome men (Shunsui, Isshin, Ichigo, Hisagi, Grimmjow, Renji), voluptuous women (Orihime, Rangiku, Harribel), gorgeous Bishonen and attractive women (Byakuya, Noba, Ulquiorra, Szayel, Ishida, Ggio, Yoruichi, Neliel, Rukia), Sajin Komamura, Yachiru, and lovely faces for the rest, which just about covers all the different tastes.
Become Your Weapon: Trope Maker - the Arrancar all merge with their Zanpakuto when they want to go One Winged Angel.
Berserk Button: Several, listed here.
Between My Legs: Ichigo, Rukia and Yuzu had this shot.
Beware the Nice Ones: Retsu Unohana, Shunsui Kyoraku, Sosuke Aizen, Jushiro Ukitake, Coyote Starrk...
Beyond the Impossible: For the in-universe we have Aizen who seeks to break the physical rules separating Shinigami from Hollow. he gives this big long speech at the end of the Soul Society arc about how hard these rules are. Now for the meta:
- While most people associate this with Aizen, it is worth noting that everything since Chapter 238 has supposedly happened in one day. Almost 200 chapters covering one day. Four arcs (not counting filler), in one day.
- Also, the chapter numbers. Bleach was already unique for having fractional and negative numbered chapters, but now it has a Chapter i, as in the imaginary number i.
BFG: Soifon's Bankai.
- Also, in the anime filler Sword Fiend arc, Hanatarou's materialized Zanpakuto, Hisagomaru, unfolds a BFG from the hidden compartment in his chest after absorbing enough pain energy.
- Adding to Hisagomaru's situation is that he, a one or two foot tall Bic-logo looking robot uses a BFG the size of a bus.
- No mention of Ururu's missile launcher? It's three times as big as she is!
BFS: Do you have to ask?
- Special prize goes to Gin's sword. In shikai form, Shinsou can extend to 100 times its normal length. In bankai, the damn thing is long enough to reach the outskirts of Karakura Town (which is a pretty big place) from roughly the center of the city.
- And then there's the building-size spear Sokyoku that's used as an execution device.
- Ginjou can turn his necklace into one of these.
Big Bad: Barring filler and movie villains, that would be Sosuke Aizen, though he's been regulated to Disc One Final Boss status following his defeat.
- Big Bad Duumvirate: In the Lost Agent arc, Shukuro Tsukishima and Kugo Ginjo, natch.
- The newest Big Bad is the leader of the Vandenreich, a Quincy with a mustache, Badass Cape and serious Bad Boss tendencies.
Big Bra to Fill: The stage adaptation.
Big Breasts Big Deal: Several examples.
- Type I: Isane, during the anime adaptation of the Beach Episode.
- Type III. Most of the buxom babes fall under this category.
- Type IV. Rangiku and Yoruichi will switch between Type III and Type IV as it suits them.
- Type V. Orihime.
Big Damn Heroes: This manga thrives on this trope with multiple examples that just keep on coming.
Big Eater: Yoruichi in the anime episode #114, after fighting the Arrancar Yammy Riyalgo.
- Yachiru, to the point of being a Running Gag.
- Yammy too, although his is sometimes a bit more sini- Wait a sec, why do all their names start with Y?
  - Y don't know.
Big Good: One could say the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, Genryusai Yamamoto, the most powerful Shinigami for over 2000 years, although he never provides direct support to the main cast - just his own pack of protagonists - and even then, only rarely.
- It's all up for individual interpretation, as some people say it's Shinji Hirako, the unofficial leader of the Vizards, who's far more of a direct threat to Aizen. Others look to Kisuke Urahara, the only character that can match Aizen mentally, acting as a Guile Hero Trickster Mentor to Ichigo's gang. And even then, a few would point at Isshin Kurosaki, a former captain and Ichigo's father, the only one that actually managed to personally exhaust Aizen in a fight without releasing his zanpakuto, as well as the only all-star top-tier fighter (sans Ichigo himself) left standing after the Fake Karakura arc ends.
Big No: Multiple examples.
Bird Run
Bishonen: There are plenty of examples in this story, including (but not limited to): Uryuu, Ryuuken, Aizen, Byakuya, Ukitake, Kira, Yumichika, Luppi, Szayelaporro, Tensa Zangetsu, Tsukishima, Yukio.
Bishonen Line: Hollows of Menos class and higher shrink down and get less monstrous-looking as they get stronger; the ultimate hollow class Vasto Lorde are basically humans with masks. Also, Aizen unlocks the power of hollows by removing their mask...and the change in power is shown by them becoming more human-like.
- The Espada's releases are an example of this as one goes up by number until you reach the top 3. Yammy, Aaroniero, Szayel, and Zommari (10th through 7th respectively) are outright monstrous, but they get progressively smaller and arguably less scary. 6th through 3rd Espadas Grimmjow, Nnoitra, Ulquiorra, and Harribel (whose release gives her a much more Stripperific outfit and changes her sword into a BFS, but that's it.) are animal based. Number 2 Baraggan defies the pattern by becoming a skeleton with a flaming fur coat, and 1st Espada Starrk gets it back on track with an eyepatch and a change of clothes. And a pair of really cool guns...only for the pattern to once again be defied by Yammy, as he's Espada #0 as well.
- Ichigo's sword. It started out as a positively enormous katana-thing that grew as his power did. However, it was all volume, no density. When he underwent Training From Hell and learned to release his shikai, it settled into a single shape: like a giant, black cleaver. His Bankai form further reduces in size to a black daito (Japanese long sword that is slightly larger than a katana). It also concentrates his power and increases his speed immensely. This is reflected in the way his sword's spirit looks. Zangetsu is a Cool Old Guy. Tensa Zangetsu is a Bishonen.
- YMMV on this, but pretty much the whole cast, with obvious exceptions. It may double as Art Evolution, but can be this if one takes into account the changes in the characters themselves as time goes on, and the fact that usually, these changes align with the shift in the art.
  - This is mostly prevalent in Ichigo, though the trope is played straight with his appearance during his final battle with Aizen, complete with Expository Hairstyle Change.
Bittersweet Ending: The end of the Arrancar arc. Ichigo has defeated the Big Bad and all his friends are safe, but he's sacrificed his powers and that means he'll never be able to see one of his friends again.
- The end of the Zanpakutou arc and also the end of the Beast Swords mini-arc extension.
Bizarrchitecture: Kuukaku Shiba's house moves. A lot.
- The layout (or at least the corridors) of Las Noches (or at least Szayel's section) can apparently be magically changed from a control room. It wasn't even mentioned that Las Noches is the size of a small country?
- Las Noches has nothing on the Seireitei, which is labyrinthine for the sake of confusing invaders.
Black and Gray Morality: Despite being guardians of the afterlife and major protagonists in their own right, the Shinigami/Soul Reapers are far from saints, and as likable as they can be, a number of the Captains can be just as ruthless, arrogant, manipulative, psychotic, homicidal and/or morally-ambiguous as the antagonists are. At best, they are guilty of negligence in not making the lives of their charges easier (we're lookin' at you Unohana.). One of the few things that helps their hero cred is that their everlasting adversaries are the cannibalistic Hollows and that the former Big Bad (a Shinigami himself) was a MASSIVE prick. They also merrily employ a certain Jerkass-bordering-on-Complete Monster who is guilty of partial genocide, a fact they gleefully ignore.
- Evil Versus Evil: The Arrancars are definitely a problem, but the Shinigami aren't much better.
Black Eyes of Crazy: The Hollows.
Blood From the Mouth: To excess. Getting stabbed in the shoulder really shouldn't make you cough up blood.
Blood Knight: Kenpachi Zaraki, Ikkaku Madarame, Nnoitra Gilga, Ichigo Kurosaki, Abirama Redder, Hollow Ichigo, Kazeshini and Yumichika Ayasegawa.
Blue Blood: There is definitely an aristocracy in this story. In fact, the majority of Gotei 13 shinigami are at least minor nobility, with an increasing content of commoners. Some of the most prominant characters are as high-born as it's possible to get without being part of the Royal Realm.
Book Ends: Nearly all the major arcs end with Ichigo and Rukia parting ways.
Bowdlerize: Many, many examples. See trope page for full list.
Brain Bleach: Renji and Uryuu's reaction says it all. From Mayuri's point-of-view it's actually an example of Fridge Brilliance - she's a Sexy Secretary and he's a Mad Scientist, and the concept of sexual healing does exist, so why not?
- Yumichika reacts to Charlotte Cuulhorne as if Cuulhorne's appearance is this. When trying to close his eyes to block out the horror fails, he decides the only solution is to wipe Charlotte out of existence. As a general rule, the fanbase is in full agreement with Yumichika on this matter.
Breaking the Fourth Wall: Happens from time to time, mostly in the previews. In the story itself it's usually Kon who does it.
- Reference the above Brain Bleach video. Uryu complains to Mayuri that his healing of Nemu was too inappropriate to air on TV.
- Also, in the manga chapter 425, we have the second panel on this page. It's enough to make anyone read it twice, then roll around on the floor for a little while.
Break the Cutie: Hinamori Momo, to a T. Orihime also undergoes the process in the Hueco Mundo arc.
- - Orihime's better now. I don't even think she remembers Ulquiorra.
- Hitsugaya in chapter 392/episode 293, all the way.
- Rukia in flashbacks involving Kaien and when fighting Aaroniero.
Brilliant but Lazy: Kenpachi, Kyouraku, Rangiku and Ikkaku are all good examples of talented warriors who would rather nap or drink than actually do their jobs. Kenpachi, Kyouraku and Ikkaku's laziness even stems to their fighting styles. Kenpachi fights in a lazy style to make the fun last as long as possible. Kyouraku is a dandy who hates fighting and prefers mind games. Ikkaku's reached the only position in the military he cares about - Kenpachi's highest ranking subordinate (excluding Yachiru) - which means he has to fight in a way that keeps him there, which means hiding the fact he's much too talented for that rank.
Broken Pedestal: Aizen, Tousen...
Brought Down to Normal: It doesn't stick, of course...
- Happens to Ichigo at the end of the Substitute Shinigami arc, when Byakuya stabs Ruka's powers out of Ichigo, while mocking the fact that even if he survived, he would be no different than an average human. Urahara treats his wounds and helps him awaken his own power.
- Happens to Ishida after using a Dangerous Forbidden Technique during the Soul Society arc. His father busts out a special technique to restores his powers.
- Happens to Ichigo again at the end of the Deicide arc after he uses a Dangerous Forbidden Technique against Aizen. This technique was also responsible for his dad's loss of power sometime before the series started; his dad eventually gets his power back.
- Happens to Ichigo again in the Lost Substitute Shinigami arc, when his freshly-acquired Fullbring power is stolen. The Gotei 13 immediately show up and restore his shinigami powers.
Butterfly of Death and Rebirth: Jigoku-cho, aka hell butterflies, naturally.
Butt Monkey: Tetsuzaemon Iba (as president of the Soul Reaper Men's association), and don't even get started on Hanataro "world's most bullied kid" Yamada. Lately, Uryu tends to become this when Mayuri is around.
- If you thought, "Are you forgetting Kon, how the hell do you forget Kon?", then that's because everyone forgets Kon. That's why he's pissed all the time.
- Keigo is the poster child for butt monkey.
- Marechiyo Ōmaeda. Okay, he got a brief moment to shine and then became a butt monkey twice as hard. Particularly buttmonkey'd in the anime omakes and filler stories.
- Tatsuki, judging by her encounters with spiritual beings.
Buxom Is Better: Keigo and Kon have this attitude, although Kon is willing to make an exception for Rukia.
By the Eyes of The Blind
By the Power of Greyskull: Bankai that include transformations like Ichigo count as the word is necessary to activate the change. Arrancar Resurreccion count too as they always transform.

↑ 214 and 215, FYI

[1] 214 and 215, FYI

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