BLEACH 13 BLADES
On account of the 13th anniversary of Bleach,a fanbook by the name "Bleach 13 Blades" was released on August 2015.
The book contains :
1) 3 polls: Your favorite Shinigami(only gotei 13 & zero squad members), favorite Zanpakto and your favorite fight.
2) Tite Kubo's interview
3) A short story "Beginning of the Revival of Tomorrow"
Poll
I)Character Popularity Poll (Only Gotei 13 & Royal Guard Members)
Spoiler: Results
1)Rukia Kuchiki
2)Tōshirō Hitsugaya
3)Byakuya Kuchiki
4)Gin Ichimaru
5)Kenpachi Zaraki
6)Renji Abarai
7)Shuhei Hisagi
8)Yumichika Ayasegawa
9)Jūshirō Ukitake
10)Shunsui Kyōraku
11)Sosuke Aizen
12)Sui-Feng
13)Mayuri Kurotsuchi
14)Kisuke Urahara
15)Shinji Hirako
16)Momo Hinamori
17)Ikkaku Madarame
18)Rangiku Matsumoto
19)Kira Izuru
20)Yoruichi Shihoin
21)Hanatarō Yamada
22)Kaien Shiba & Yachiru Kusajishi
23)Sajin Komamura
24)Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto & Hiyori Sarugaki
25)Yachiru (Retsu) Unohana
26)Kensei Muguruma
27)Chojiro Sasakibe
28)Lisa Yadōmaru
29)Nanao Ise
30)Isshin Shiba
31)Ôetsu Nimaiya
32)Nemu Kurotsuchi
33)Rikichi
34)Marechiyo Oomaeda
35)Kaname Tosen
36)Genshirô Okikiba, Rôjûrû Ôtoribashi, Tenjirô Kirinji, Ichibe Hyôsube
37)Kirio Hikifune
II)Zanpaktou Popularity Poll
Spoiler: Results
1. Sode no Shirayuki
2. Senbonzakura
3. Hyorinmaru
4. Shinsou
5. Ruri'iro Kujaku / Fuji Kujaku & Kazeshini
6. Katen Kyokotsu
7. Kyouka Suigetsu
8. Zabimaru
9. Wabisuke
10. Sogyo no kotowari
11. Nozarashi
12. Suzumebachi
13. Ryujin Jakka
14. Benihime
15. Ashisogi Jizo
16. Houzukimaru
17. Tobiume
18. Haineko
19. Sanpo Ken Jyou
20. Sakanade
21. Tengen
22. Nejibana
23. Minadzuki
24. Uro Zakuro
25. Gonryoumaru & Tachikaze
26. Suzumushi, Tsuchinamazu & Kinshara
27. Engetsu & Sayafushi
28. Hisagomaru
29. Haguro Tonbo
30. Ichimonji
31. Gegetsuburi & Kubikiri Orochi
32. Itegumo
33. Tsunzakigarasu & Gagaku Kairou & Mogaribue
III)Fight Popularity Poll(Only fights involving Gotei 13 & Royal Guards)
Spoiler: Results
1. Renji Abarai vs. Byakuya Kuchiki
2. Rukia Kuchiki vs. Aaroniero Arruruerie
3. Rukia Kuchiki vs. Aes Noedt
4. Gin Ichimaru vs. Sousuke Aizen
5. Shunsui Kyouraku vs. Coyote Starrk
6. Kenpachi Zaraki vs. Unohana Yachiru (Retsu)
7. Sui-Feng vs. Yoruichi Shihouin
8. Yumichika Ayasegawa vs. Charlotte Chuhlhourne
9. Mayuri Kurotsuchi vs. Szayelaporro Granz
10. Toushirou Hitsugaya vs. Ichimaru Gin
11. Shuuhei Hisagi & Sajin Komamura vs. Kaname Tousen
12. Shuuhei Hisagi vs. Findorr Calius
13. Toushirou vs. Tier Harribel
14. Kenpachi Zaraki vs. Nnoitra Gilga
15. Mayuri Kurotsuchi vs. Uryuu Ishida
16. Byakuya Kuchiki vs. Zommari Leroux
17. Kenpachi Zaraki vs. Gremmy Thoumeaux
18. Izuru Kira vs. Abirama Redder
19. Genryuusai Shigekuni Yamamoto vs. Shunsui Kyouraku & Juushirou Ukitake
20. Ikkaku Madarame vs. Edrad Liones
21. Sajin Komamura vs. Bambietta Basterbine.
22. Gotei 13 & Visoreds vs. Sousuke Aizen
Shinji Hirako vs. Sousuke Aizen
Ikkaku Madarame & Yumichika Ayasegawa vs. Bambietta Basterbine
23. Byakuya Kuchiki vs. Tsukishima Shuukurou
24. Mayuri Kurotsuchi vs. Toushirou Hitsugaya
25. Toushirou Hitsugaya vs. Cang Du
26. Sui-Feng & Hachigen Ushouda vs. Baraggan Louisenbairn
27. Genryuusai Shigekuni Yamamoto vs. Yhwach
28. Toushirou Hitsugaya vs. Yukio
29. Toushirou Hitsugaya & Rangiku Matsumoto vs. Bazz-B
30. Yachiru Kusajishi vs. Guenael Lee
31. Renji Abarai vs. Mask de Masculine
32. Shinji Hirako vs. Grimmjow Jaggerjaquez
33. Kisuke Urahara vs. Sousuke Aizen
34. Toushirou Hitsugaya vs. Momo Hinamori
35. Rukia Kuchiki vs. Riruka Dokugamine
Byakuya Kuchiki & Kenpachi Zaraki vs. Yammy Llargo
36. Ichibe'e Hyousube vs. Yhwach
Yoruichi Shihouin, Kisuke Urahara & Isshin Kurosaki vs. Sousuke Aizen
37. Izuru Kira vs. Momo Hinamori
38. Sousuke Aizen vs. Toushirou Hitsugaya
Genryuusai Shigekuni Yamamoto vs. Sousuke Aizen
Genryuusai Shigekuni Yamamoto vs. Driscoll Berci
Byakuya Kuchiki vs. Aes Noedt
Momo Hinamori & Rangiku Matsumoto vs. Cyan Sung-sun, Franceska Mila Rose & Emilou Apacci
Gotei 13 vs. Sousuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru & Kaname Tousen
39. Rukia Kuchiki vs. Di Roy Rinker
Toushirou Hitsugaya vs. Luppi Antenor
Ikkaku Madarame vs. Moe Shishigawara
Genryuusai Shigekuni Yamamoto vs. Royd Lloyd
Sui-Feng, Shunsui Kyouraku, Toushirou Hitsugaya & Shinji Hirako vs. Sousuke Aizen
40. Kenpachi Zaraki vs. Kaname Tousen
Renji Abarai vs. Jackie Tristan
Toushirou Hitsugaya vs. Shawlong Koufang
41. Kisuke Urahara vs. Yammy Llargo
42. Izuru Kira vs. Rangiku Matsumoto
43. Renji Abarai vs. Sousuke Aizen
Yumichika Ayasegawa vs. Shuuhei Hisagi
44. Rukia Kuchiki vs. Hollow
Kaien Shiba vs. Metastacia
Sajin Komamura vs. Choe Neng Poww
Sui-Feng vs. Ggio Vega
Genryuusai Shigekuni Yamamoto vs. Ayon
Lieutenants vs. Ayon
Yachiru Kusajishi vs. Gremmy Thoumeaux
Sajin Komamura & Kaname Tousen vs. Kenpachi Zaraki
45. Jiroubou Ikkanzaka vs. Uryuu Ishida
Shunsui Kyouraku vs. Yasutora Sado
Yoruichi Shihouin vs. Byakuya Kuchiki
Rangiku Matsumoto vs. Gin Ichimaru
Isshin Shiba vs. White
Sui-Feng vs. BG9
Ouetsu Nimaiya vs. Askin Nakk le Vaar
Rukia Kuchiki vs. Kaien Shiba
Renji Abarai vs. Sousuke Aizen
Mashiro Kuna & Kensei Muguruma vs. Shimatsu Tokumu Butai (the team who investigated the
Hollowfication)
46. Shuuhei Hisagi, Momo Hinamori & Renji Abarai vs. Hollow
Marechiyo Oomaeda vs. Nirgge Parduoc
Genryuusai Shigekuni Yamamoto vs. Wonderweiss
Kenpachi Zaraki vs. Kenpachi Azashiro
Hiyori Sarugaki vs. Toushirou Hitsugaya
Genryuusai Shigekuni Yamamoto vs. Aes Noedt
47. Rukia Kuchiki vs. Shrieker
Ganju Shiba vs. Yumichika Ayasegawa
Ikkaku Madarame vs. Tetsuzaemon Iba
Isshin Kurosaki vs. Grand Fisher
Ikkaku Madarame vs. Kenpachi Zaraki
Rangiku Matsumoto vs. Nakeem Grindina
Kisuke Urahara vs. Wonderweiss
Kensei Muguruma vs. Hollow
Ikkaku Madarame vs. Choe Neng Poww
Hiyori Sarugaki vs. Gin Ichimaru
Love Aikawa & Roujuurou (Rose) Ootoribashi vs. Coyote Starrk
Kurumadani Zennosuke vs. Sousuke Aizen
Byakuya Kuchiki vs. Genryuusai Shigekuni Yamamoto
Izuru Kira vs. Bazz-B
Roujuurou (Rose) Ootoribashi vs. NaNaNa Najahkoop
Shunsui Kyouraku vs. Robert Accutrone
Kenpachi Zaraki vs. Yhwach
Shinji Hirako vs. Bambietta Basterbine
Kensei Muguruma & Roujuurou (Rose) Ootoribashi vs. Mask de Masculine
Renji Abarai vs. Bazz-B
Byakuya Kuchiki vs. PePe Waccabrada
Byakuya Kuchiki vs. PePe Waccabrada & Shuuhei Hisagi
Ouetsu Nimaiya vs. Schutzstaffel
Don Kanonji vs. Kenpachi Azashiro
Visoreds vs. Gillians
Kenpachi Kuruyashiki vs. Kenpachi Azashiro
Senjumaru Shutara vs. Nianzol Weizol
Tite Kubo's Interview
Tite's Thoughts on
Spoiler: Various Bleach Characters
Rukia: When I started drawing this manga, I was thinking of Ichigo as the protagonist of the human side and Rukia as the protagonist of Shinigami side. So when I see Rukia taking the 1st spot(on the popularity poll), I couldn't be happier.
Byakuya: Basically a male version of Rukia. Also, Senbonzakura was inspired by Yoshitsune Senbonzakura. I wanted to get the aristocratic samurai feeling on him.
Shunsui: When I draw him I think of an Italian man. Thick body hair, droopy eyes, droopy eyebrows, and a bit of playboy personality. Also, I drew Shunsui and Ukitake as a set,together.
Hitsugaya: When I visualized the Gotei 13 group, I wanted to include a childlike character and it was Hitsugaya.
Kenpachi: Kenpachi's appearances is intimidating, and I thought he should have a pet on his shoulder and I put Yachiru there.
Mayuri: I wanted a character in the Gotei 13 to be completely nuts so I came up with Mayuri. He's fun to draw.
Yamamoto: Genryuusai is such a cool character, I'm glad the readers have accepted him as the captain commander.
Gin: Gin has always had fans. He went away but I feel he has left a great impression on people.
Hisagi: He was so loved by fans. In the beginning, I didn't mean to bully him, but I just couldn't resist when I drew him (laughs)
Nimaiya: I actually came up with Nimaiya's design a long time ago as "the man who created zanpaktou"
Royal Guards:
1st Officer, Divine General of the East, Tenjirou Kirinji
2nd Officer, Divine General of the South, Kirio Hikifune
3rd Officer, Divine General of the West, Ouetsu Nimaiya
4th Officer, Divine General of the North, Senjumaru Shutara
Ichibe's would be the Central Divine General.
Spoiler: Tite Kubo Interview
1)Which character design comes first and in what order?
Initially I designed Rukia, then Renji and Byakuya, then based on the character's debut in an order,then from there I decided on the Gotei 13 captains.
2)How did you design each of the Gotei 13 characters?
I have a lot of characters' appearance in my mind. Between them, I pick those by trying to imagine which characters will group well together. Hence in regards to Gotei 13,appearance is the first.
In short I drew all the members' look first then thinking "Oh, so that's how this character is", and that's how I designed them. Therefore, I already decide on the characters' look even before they made their debut. Before the characters' debut I thought about what kind of personality should I give to the person, I create the character before I even name them. Characters who are not designed this way & added intentionally are Aizen and Hitsugaya. In the beggining, Aizen is wasn't included in the Gotei 13, I designed him because I wanted to draw (characters) that contradict to Gotei 13, but at the time, the 5th division members were not full so I just let him become the captain.
3)In the past 13 years, did you have change in awareness of characters design?
Name and look etc, in the real world arc I still restrain it deliberately, but after the appearance of shinigami I became more flexible. In the arrancar arc, the design of characters' hairstyle has become more fancy.
4)After Yamajii dies, Shunsui became the captain commander. Your thoughts ?
I still quite like Yamamoto's character. Up until now his presence was absolute. His influence is very significant. Once he's gone, I wondered what will happen, I wanted to draw thiat feeling. That's why I decided to let him live before the final arc and let him die in the final arc. But at the same time it's hard to pick who will be the next captain.
I decided to pick Shunsui as the next captain commander, because he is the only one that has tolerance like Genryuusai. Even though Ukitake is quite similar, his body is weak, furthermore I've already decided to let him fall on other place.
5)Do you have particular feelings for any characters?
Who would that be, I love all of them. Hitsugaya has a strong link towards Aizen, at the time I just thought it'll be good if he's quite popular. He's not on Ichigo's side but as part of the Gotei 13 he plays the central role to find the culprit, so I'm pretty happy that he's quite popular (laugh)
6)Which character you find easiest to draw and easiest to control?
Mayuri. When Mayuri and Kenpachi appear, the story goes smoothly. I also enjoy thinking about the techniques that Mayuri could use in the battle. He's the kind of character that I can draw where his performance is different to others, and without the use of swords to battle. Kenpachi is the opposite, it's good to draw a battle which only depends on sword.
7)The battle between Kenpachi and Unohana gives us a great impression
Unohana and her current character have a vast difference, so I was a bit worried when I drew the battle, thinking the readers may not accept it. From the beginning, I've always decided to draw Unohana this way. In the Soul Society arc, the name Yachiru was meant for Unohana. Hence, Unohana never show her chest in the all girls bikini color page. But when she's with Isane, who knew her real identity,she lays down her hair.
8)Soi fon and Yoruichi, it seems like a lot of readers love these two.
I wanted to draw Yoruichi's subordinate so I created Soi fon. It seems like JUMP never illustrates a female teacher student or trust relationship, so I decided to plan Soi fon and Yoruichi's relationship carefully.
9)Do you have any stories or characters you find it hard draw?
Not that I know of. Komamura is pretty modest compared to others, so it's hard to describe his good side.The others have quite distinctive personalities. Therefore I'm pretty happy to learn that some readers do understand Komamura's merit.
10)Komamura goes humanoid.
Originally I designed him to transform from a human to a beast, so I thought of drawing another form at some point. The design is western knight. Initially I wanted to draw him in all armor suit, hence I thought of hiding his face. When I decided Komamura's name, his face beneath his hat is formed. Komamura's personality is also similar to that of a knight.
11) It looks like Gin betrays, but in reality that's the story. When did you decided to plan this?
I was thinking for quite a while when two kinds of development happened. Is he going to remain as an enemy, or change for the sake of Rangiku. I drew while I was still thinking, in the end I took it to the point where I can still continue the story with either of the development.
12)In the soul society arc, Gin makes a lot of suspicious moves. Many readers thought that Aizen is the good guy and Gin is the bad guy.
To be honest, this makes me happy. Cause that's what I wanted Gin to act like, the bad guy before revealing Aizen's motive.
13)Within the Gotei 13 team, Mayuri has quite a unique personality.Why ?
It's rare to see someone who changes his face with just a make up. In the TBTP arc, Mayuri was thrown into the maggots nest, but this made his fans more happy (laugh)
14)What about the Royal Guards?
It's better if the royal guards are bunch of weirdos, that's what I was thinking when I drew them. Their appearance looks like they have been there quite some time, that kind of feeling. The royal guards have quite a feature. (laugh)
15)We've come into the final arc, how will the story go?
I'm thinking "there are quite a few character's battle that I haven't illustrated yet, it'll be good if I can draw them". The final arc has to recover some of the moments that have been foreshadowed up until now, it also has a festival kind of feel, perhaps I will make everyone appear.
Beginning of the Revival of Tomorrow
he story is about Central 46, featuring Kira, Mayuri, Shaz Domino (Quincy) and the young sage Nayura.This story also reveals how Izuru Kira was revived before he made a surprise comeback in Chapter 654 .
Check out the summary of the story in this thread -> Kira's Revival
What do you think of the poll results and the interview?