Of all the villains in Bleach, Sōsuke Aizen is by far the most menacing. The cold and calculating former captain of Gotei 13, has more feats than losses. This holds especially true for his wit, intellect, and combat prowess.
He is one of the well-written characters in terms of his villainy. His ambitions and zeal outclass other villains, even Yhwach, for that matter. But there’s more to his character than meets the eye as his VA reveals.
Hayami Shou, Aizen’s VA, opened up about the character’s charm and appeal in an interview. His ideals and belief systems are integral to understanding Kubo’s literary brilliance. Especially with his conception of fleshed-out characters in his stories.
Bleach VA opens up about Aizen’s motives
While Yhwach is deemed as the powerful villain, Aizen stands undisputed in the Bleach series. Both characters are evenly matched in terms of their abilities and physical prowess. His Shikai, however, gives him an upper hand against the Quincy King.
While the Thousand Year Blood War has yet to showcase the battle between Aizen and Yhwach, one thing is certain. His motives and ambitions often remain cryptic and ambiguous, mostly. This is especially true with his solitary confinement in Muken.
As a former captain of the 5th Division, Aizen had a calm and compassionate demeanor. This was nothing but a farce that further outlined his duality. His motives to go against Seiritei and gain the Hogyoku were child’s play.
Compared to his manipulation of his comrades and their hollowfication, the Hogyoku seems like a saintly act. This ties well with his control over the Arrancars, especially Espada. And while he is a sinister character, his voice actor thinks otherwise.
In an interview, Hayami Shou attributed Aizen’s duality to his appeal. He quotes:
I guess it’s “tsundere”. I think Aizen’s fierce battles with Ichigo up until now are actually out of love. I feel like he’s trying to teach Ichigo something.
So I think that the fierce Aizen is “dere” and the gentle Captain Aizen is the opposite, “tsun”.
Whether or not Aizen has “love” for Ichigo is not known. What we know is that the character outlines Kubo’s literary brilliance in terms of his moral conflicts and ambiguity.
Tite Kubo’s literary brilliance lies in his storytelling
Be it Aizen or Uryu, Tite Kubo encapsulates his literary brilliance through his fleshed-out characters. In their criticism of the series, most fans overlook the literary masterpiece that Kubo’s manga is. This applies to both the villains and the side characters in his story.
The series is lauded for unpacking dark and disturbing themes such as death, loss, and insanity. Above all, it has some of the best characters in terms of backstories and development.
Perhaps one of the most heart-wrenching moments in the series has majorly to do with Gin Ichimaru. The character also seems to be Hayami-san’s favorite as he revealed in the interview. He quoted:
It’s Gin Ichimaru. In a way, I think he’s the most manly character in BLEACH. He’s always been by Aizen’s side, waiting for an opportunity to take revenge.
I like how Gin keeps to himself and the strength to stick to his beliefs.
Both Gin and Uryu are some of the morally ambiguous characters that underline the mangaka’s brilliance. Both represent a moral conflict along with ambiguity that Kubo unpacks in his series.
It is this very trait that sets the series apart from its contemporaries. Its compelling themes coupled with its complex characters take the cake.
Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War is available for streaming on Hulu. The manga is available for reading on Viz Media.
