Was Ichimaru Gin a good guy in Bleach? Explained

The Bleach anime and manga series is one of the most popular shonen titles among anime and manga fans. It also achieved the status of one among the Big Three, which says a lot about the series’ popularity among fans. One reason this series is popular is because the anime has a plethora of characters that differ widely in terms of personality and combat abilities.

One such character who is quite popular is Ichimaru Gin. There are plenty of discussions surrounding this character owing to his actions in the animanga series. There are two factions within the fanbase - one that believes Ichimaru is a good guy and the other that is convinced of his nefarious intentions.

The character operates in a morally gray area. He is a character who did despicable things but did so with good intentions.

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Ichimaru Gin’s origins in the Bleach series

Ichimaru Gin’s origins are traced back to Rukongai, where he met Rangiku for the first time. He saw her unconscious and gave her a dried persimmon. They bonded over their shared love for the fruit. Soon, the two of them started living together, and they became rather close. Rangiku didn’t even know when her birthday was. Ichimaru Gin and Rangiku decided that the day that they met would be her birthday. He also realized that Sōsuke Aizen stole a portion of Rangiku’s soul using the Hogyoku.

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Why did he ally with and then betray Aizen?

Rangiku was close to Ichimaru Gin (Image via Studio Pierrot)

As stated earlier, Aizen’s actions angered Ichimaru Gin in the Bleach series. Rangiku was incredibly close to Gin, and he thoroughly cherished her company. They have known each other since they were kids. At a very young age, Gin realized that Sōsuke Aizen stole a portion of Rangiku’s soul.

Ever since then, Gin promised to destroy Aizen and kill him for what he had done. However, this could not be a straightforward battle because Aizen is one of the most calculated individuals in the series whose combat abilities were also unmatched. Gin did everything he could that was in his power, to side with Aizen, earn his trust, and eventually destroy him when he was at his most vulnerable. The reason fans question Gin’s intentions is that of the heinous acts he committed purely to gain Aizen’s trust.

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Gin’s good guy status, explained

As stated earlier, Gin is one of those characters who operates in a morally gray area. Things aren’t all black and white, and this is a character that best represents that statement. Their experiences and the people they surround themselves with shape every person’s sense of moral justice. With that in mind, it is important to note that Rangiku was one of the most important people in Gin’s life.

When she was hurt, Gin wanted to do everything he could to exact revenge. So far, his intentions have been great, and on paper, he is a good guy. However, how he executed these actions in the Bleach series causes debates. He killed people and betrayed the Soul Society to achieve his goal.

Stay tuned for more anime and manga news as 2024 progresses.

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