Bleach stands as one of the "big three" of its time, and this series boasts not only an excellent combat system and a stellar soundtrack but also a heartfelt and gritty hero, Kurosaki Ichigo, who stands out from the likes of Uzumaki Naruto, Monkey D. Luffy and Son Goku. Those other characters embody the "loud and dumb" archetype, but not Ichigo.
Ichigo is more like Urameshi Yusuke of Yu Yu Hakusho fame -- a somewhat withdrawn but compassionate fellow who is fiercely loyal to his friends and a standoffish punk to everyone else. Ichigo can be accurately described with his astrological sign, Cancer, but he can also be analyzed with the MBTI test to get the full measure of his surprisingly complicated personality.
Ichigo's MBTI Personality Type: ISFP-T, The Adventurer
Kurosaki Ichigo is a multi-faceted being who is defined by much more than a singular shonen-style goal or a big appetite. He was a cheerful and outgoing child until his mother Masaki's tragic death, which had a profound impact on him. Ever since then, Ichigo has been a more withdrawn and defensive person, only allowing a few trusted and cherished friends into his life while maintaining a strong independent streak. He's warm-hearted and makes his own rules, marking him as an ISFP, the Adventurer of the MBTI chart.
ISFP stands for Introverted Observant Feeling Prospecting, with some turbulence thrown in. This is the Adventurer archetype, one of the four "explorer" types. Unlike Entertainers or Entrepreneurs, who try to hog the spotlight, an Adventurer like Ichigo is creative and open-minded while also being relatively withdrawn and reclusive, and they don't open up too easily to others. To an Adventurer like Ichigo, life is indeed one big adventure where tradition, rules and hierarchy are inconveniences at best and an oppressive yoke at worst, meaning ISFPs need to run free and enjoy the world on their terms.
They are therefore often artists and risk-takers, although they aren't too quick to share these adventures with other people. ISFPs are introverted, and they need plenty of time alone to recharge. Similarly, they won't make friends with just anyone. Fortunately, the friendships they do forge are strong and compassionate.
Adventurers like to explore other people's emotions as well as the world around them, and they always strive to keep everyone happy and in harmony, making them somewhat similar to the Defender, Advocate and Mediator types. Better yet, Adventurers are likely to speak up and act on other people's behalf, fearlessly challenging the rules or tradition if it means helping another person be their true self and find happiness.
Then again, Adventurers tend to get easily stressed from handling so many external emotions, and they might burn themselves out if they aren't careful. Their expressive and independent streak might also lead them to become overly competitive despite their empathetic nature, and they may easily form grudges with anyone who wrongs them or interferes with their lifestyle.
Kurosaki Ichigo As An Adventurer In Bleach
Kurosaki Ichigo's punkish exterior often hides his true nature as a warm-hearted ISFP, and in the eyes of many of his classmates, he is actually nothing like an Adventurer. However, that's only because they haven't yet been welcomed into this introverted shonen hero's personal life. Ichigo's good friend Chad understands just how compassionate Ichigo can be, and the same is true of Ichigo's Quincy ally Ishida Uryu and his best friend and later lover Inoue Orihime. They all know what Ichigo is really about.
Ichigo's Adventurer streak is a literal one in the story of Bleach, with Ichigo being a fearless and flexible hero who can quickly get used to anything or anyone if it means saving the day and helping his beloved friends. He has befriended women who can turn into cats and friendly Arrancars, been shot out of a spirit cannon, hiked across the Hueco Mundo desert, visited the mysterious Visoreds in their warehouse and far more, none of which fazed him at all.
Most notably, Ichigo carried out all these breathtaking adventures on his own accord, refusing to follow the orders of his father, Kisuke or even Captain-General Yamamoto. Ichigo must do things his way and for his reasons, such as when he ditched school to challenge the Soul Reapers to rescue Rukia in a faraway land. Ichigo did the same thing when he defied Captain-General Yamamoto to rescue Orihime from Las Noches.
Ichigo is also fiercely loyal to his friends, and he's much more empathetic than his punkish nature would suggest. In his first scene, he beat up some punks who damaged the roadside shrine dedicated to a young girl's ghost, comforting the lonely spirit after the punks ran off. In a flashback, Ichigo rescued Chad without hesitation, beating up yet more punks to help someone in need. Ichigo and Chad quickly came to an understanding and swore to defend one another with all their strength. Ichigo has pushed himself to extraordinary lengths not to save the world or become Hokage, but to save his dearest friends and maintain the "heart" that connects them.
