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Masaki Kurosaki might be a minor character, but she played a pivotal role in Bleach.
Ichigo's mother is the main reason why he's alive in the first place. Had it not been for her sacrifice against the Grand Fisher, he would've been dead. Her demise took a major toll on the Kurosaki family.
Of course, there's no way her past can be discussed without bringing up manga spoilers from the Thousand Year Blood War. Ichigo owes a great deal of gratitude to his deceased mother. Here's a quick look at why Masaki played such a crucial part in this series.
Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.
Bleach fans should know who Ichigo's mother is and why she's important
Masaki Kurosaki is a Quincy
Ichigo's mother is a Quincy, a special race that can detect both Hollows and souls. Long before the start of the Bleach series, many Quincy have been wiped out by the Shinigami. This was the result of Quincies hunting too many Hollows, which could've resulted in the world's destruction.
During her teenage years, Masaki was taken under protection by the Ishida family. She was also meant to marry Ryuken, whom Bleach fans may recognize as Uryu's father. The Ishida family wanted to preserve their Quincy bloodlines. Of course, the arranged marriage didn't end up happening.
How did she meet Isshin?
Many years before Ichigo was born, Masaki noticed a high spiritual energy from two sources. This ended up being Isshin Shiba and a powerful Hollow.
She fired off arrows made of her Reiatsu, but the creature was too fast for her. Masaki allowed herself to get bitten, for the sole purpose of shooting the Hollow at close range. Before the monster could self-destruct, Isshin protected her from the explosive blast. This is how Ichigo's parents met in Bleach.
The incident left her with a Hollow Hole, which formed on her chest. Kisuke Urahara explained how they needed to connect their souls in order for her survival. Isshin gave up being a Shinigami and even protected her from the Hollow spirit. Later on, she graduated from high school and married Isshin.
She was eventually killed by a Hollow
Grand Fisher is among the first major antagonists in the Bleach series. The Hollow would often use a lure to attract unsuspecting humans to its location.
Ichigo was only nine years old when he encountered the monster. He was walking with his mother near a river bank when the Grand Fisher cast out his lure. Ichigo thought he saw a little girl jumping into the water, so he ran after her.
Masaki went after Ichigo to protect him from the King Fisher. Unfortunately, her Quincy powers were stolen by Yhwach via the Auswahlen. This wasn't revealed until near the end of the Bleach series in the Thousand Year Blood War. The Grand Fisher ended up killing Masaki shortly afterwards.
She left behind a powerful legacy
Masaki is the main reason why Ichigo has so many powers in the Bleach series. More importantly, she was also a loving figure who cared for her children. In addition to Ichigo, she also gave birth to Karin and Yuzu. The family would make yearly trips to her grave to pay their respects.
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