Summary

• Ichigo's family influenced him to be the hero he is.
• He became protective due to being a big brother to his sisters.
• Family were utilized to shape Ichigo's personality and drive in Bleach in a way that's rare in shonen.

Bleach's Ichigo Kurosaki is in many ways a classic hero, but there's one distinct way in which he differs significantly from his shonen peers, and that's the fact that he has a family. Ichigo's family helped to shape him into who he is, and it's fair to say he wouldn't be nearly as heroic if it weren't for them.

While many shonen heroes are orphans, or are looking for a long-lost parent, Ichigo lived a relatively normal life with his father and two sisters, Karin and Yuzu. Although he lost his mom tragically at the tender young age of 9, Ichigo still had a father to rely upon. He had a relatively normal life in other ways as well, relatively respected among his classmates (although he occasionally caught trouble for his hair color) and the community.

This relatively normal upbringing, combined with some of the unique factors about his family, are ultimately what led Ichigo to be such a hero in the first place.

Ichigo's Family Made Him into the Hero He Is

Being a Big Brother Made Ichigo Protective

Ichigo is, from the very beginning, extremely protective of others, a trait which is a direct result of him being a big brother. Long before Rukia or Orihime, Ichigo was protecting his younger sisters from spirits and other problems that might come their way. Ichigo is very defensive of Yuzu and Karin, particularly the former, who isn't yet able to see spirits clearly. When Ichigo is in his first Hollow fight with Fishbone D, it's his sisters that he's fighting to protect. It's entirely possible Ichigo may never have taken his first step towards becoming a Soul Reaper if his sisters hadn't been in danger.

Aside from shaping Ichigo's personality growing up into a protective big brother, Ichigo's family also influenced him in other ways. His father, Isshin Kurosaki, would often surprise attack him at unexpected moments, forcing Ichigo to be on alert at all times. Isshin even referred to this as "training," and given his former career as a Soul Reaper, it's understandable that he would want to prepare Ichigo for the kinds of things that are out there, and can strike at any time.

Ichigo's family also have the benefit of being plot-relevant, even if it takes quite a long time for that fact to be fully revealed. As mentioned previously, Isshin was once a Soul Reaper himself, and he ended up in the human world for reasons that are directly connected to Ichigo's powers and abilities. Even Ichigo's mother, Masaki, is revealed to have been a capable Quincy warrior, making her death to a Hollow all the more tragic. Ichigo blames himself for her death, which also factors into his need to protect those around him.

Ichigo not only has the family that many shonen heroes aren't lucky enough to have, but those family were used in a clever way to shape Ichigo's personality and explain why he is the way that he is. Ichigo's family doesn't just exist because they logically should; they play a crucial role in his character, and help to show what makes Bleach such a compelling story.