So, Why DOESN'T Ichigo Use His HOLLOW MASK Anymore? | Bleach Discussion

[@MrTommo2304]

These are just some of my thoughts on why Ichigo doesn't use his Hollow mask anymore, but I want to know what you think! Let me know your thoughts in the comments! Would you have liked to have seen the mask again at some point?

[@LupercalRising]

The Mask was so iconic and made Ichigo way more threatening, such a shame it doesn't reappear

[@valkorian9965]

Also wondering when ichigo uses the final getsuga tenshou, he loses his shinigami powers but does that include his hollow powers? I mean like ik zangetsu and while merged in the dreamscape fight but like they were separate, would that mean the hollow and fullbring powers merge then when he gets his shinigami powers back, they join into his new form?

[@RACH90810]

He accept old man zangetsu and hollow ichigo as part of himself. Zanpakutou made from soul. Which means ichigo zanpakutou might be soul king himself. The differences between ichigo and kazui was trauma experience. Ichigo helping people worried becoming his past self the soul king and kazui helping people without worried about his past self his father and soul king. Kazui was 100% identical to his father. I think.

[@antonioransom1181]

I think you're wrong for all the right reasons. In fact, I think you're 99.99% right. I feel that your only true oversight is the fact that White/Hollow Ichigo/Zangetsu was the source of both Ichigo's Shinigami and Hollow powers. I believe Ichigo's true failing was that he tried to not only separate himself from his inner hollow but also separate his inner hollow powers from his Shinigami powers which we later find is impossible. Other than that I think you were spot on. Love the video. Also I think the horn of salvation is better/more appealing than the mask, so I no I don't want to see it again.

[@kerbalcheapplayer4860]

Hey MrTommo, I have an idea for a follow up video. Could you do a video exploring the difference between Ichigo's strange lizard form at the beginning of the Arrancar arc, and the horned vasto lorde later on? I also liked how you explored how the vizards had "imperfect" hollow powers. Could EOS Ichigo be similar to Hollow Tosen in that he could attain high speed regen?

[@nickcampbell5626]

I really like the idea of all hollow masks, even the low level monsters, being an expression of shame. Their last piece of humanity trying to hide their faces, when Ichigo managed to embrace it as part of his humanity.

[@thrilla72]

Would explain why he doesn't use the mask anymore then

[@joaquincasascortes624]

This makes a lot of sense. That is why Ichigo's final tranaformation is Horn of Salvation, he doesn't need to hide his face because he knew the blade is himself, therefore there was no sense of shame from his hollow powers.

[@HingleMcCringleberryX21J]

His mask was always so cool. Would of loved to see it in the anime, such as the scene where he goes ballistic and attacks Yhwach after seeing Byakuya.

[@bbmthegreat2209]

Then we'd have the humiliate a super saiyan form to introduce a newer one as more powerful situation

[@jocoolshow]

He’s wearing it already, Fullbring armor

[@Zxr0.]

Can you do yhwach vs Ichigo and aizen

[@Cirex2118]

Exactly, it added so much to his design 😔

[@HingleMcCringleberryX21J]

@@bbmthegreat2209 That happens anyway, his sword gets snapped like a twig and then he has to come back with even more power lol

[@obrians-brown1307]

This is my thoughts on the Hollow Mask. In the arrancar arc Ichigo was using his shingami powers. Think of it as one pool until White showed up. After conquering White his Hollow powers became another pool. So using just his bankai is one pool of power and using g the hollow mask taps into that other pool of power. I say tap because we don't see the full power of his Hollow until Ulqiorra killed him. Now after regaining his shingami powers in the fullbring arc it basically takes those two pool and put them together in one pool and if that's the case he doesn't have to use his hollow mask as he's already using all the power available to him at that point. The reason I think this is, Fullbring power is hollow based in nature. And you see it influencing his new Shinigami attire. Share your thoughts.

[@nowheresa]

That’s basically what happened lol even though it doesn’t make sense how he never realised his hollow heritage, the fact it went and came with his Shinigami power should’ve alerted something

[@mattelwood980]

This is totally my head canon. Figured the Fullbring allowed a more passive draw on those abilities as opposed to the Mask applying a direct, timed, buff.

[@1234andrewjacksmith]

I think they are still separate pools to a degree but it could be that the fullbring helped to bring them into a more perfect balance and so ichigo in essence is always using the mask aka he is always in normal hollowfication mode and horn of salvation is him taking the power to the next level and unleashing his Resurrection, could also see it as the horn is just the correct way to go about hollowfication aka what the mask does and so it replaces it and ichigo straight up admits he does not know how to call on it on his own could lean either way White even brings up that he and old man were one and the same right away and how he was linked to ichigo shinigami power

[@BlackKnightsCommander]

That's fairly close, although I think he actually tapped into both pools after accepting Tensa Zangetsu's blade in the Dangai.

[@Princeomishore]

but its always been stated that his shinigami and hollow powers where fused and linked since the start. they have always been one pool. they didn't only merge after he got his power back. they where always fused together.

[@km2460]

Ichigo’s mask and voice will forever be iconic. But I’m glad he’s at a level now where he doesn’t need to use it😊

[@dances_with_myself9305]

What would’ve been cool imo is Ichigo’s new bankai looking like how he looked when he curb stomped Ulquiorra.

[@workinprogress8978]

@@dances_with_myself9305 it sort of does, since he has half of the elements of the vasto lorde mask, which he uses to create cero like blasts with his zanpakuto

[@TheIronMask1954]

@@dances_with_myself9305 yeah i wish he got a ressureccion instead of the new bankai. Would have made bringing Grimmjow back make sense because he could have been the one to train Ichigo to do it.

[@1234andrewjacksmith]

@@TheIronMask1954 I mean horn of salvation is sort of a resurrection(may just be a form of hollowfication like the mask and so have a level of hollow power ichigo has not reached yet) and is a separate thing from his bankai that ichigo at least by end of the series can not call on at will

[@TheRadiantSoap]

​@@TheIronMask1954 He wouldnt need it. His new form is like a soul reaperified ressurection which should be 10x stronger than a regular one considering existing calcs. Assuming he is even still capable of a ressurecion anymore, considering his hollow powers are no longer sealed, it would be like adding a tiny drop to an ocean

[@af1carter]

What you do for BLEACH is so crazy... I got i to it this year and love it. There is no one who goes it the depths that you do or brings up the best conversation pieces that you do. I'm happy I found your channel. You do an amazing job, ridiculously great job.

[@SK-lc7jw]

Kubo's mastery over writing concepts of trauma, depression and reflection through the lens of battles, powers and the inner world is just masterful. To have a story so spread out that Ichigo always seems like Ichigo to us, despite the fact that he has changed and progressed so much. You don't notice the changes necessarily as they happen however, when you compare him from the start and him at the end, he has changed so much. Just like how you don't notice yourself change day to day but you now is totally different to you 10 years ago when you look at it. I just love how Kubo tackled the idea of "fighting" your problems only being half the battle and that true progress comes from eventually realising you must accept them, accept your weaknesses. Accept yourself. You are not wrong, you are just you.

[@Daniel-xb4oy]

if you like this style of writing you should give monster a try

[@SK-lc7jw]

@@Daniel-xb4oy thanks, I actually have! Love it!

[@lolsnez7542]

Well said

[@Daniel-xb4oy]

@@SK-lc7jw I’m watching it right now im almost done😭 Someone recommend it to me under one of my comments about bleach so I wanted to pass it on They told me the animation might not be the best It’s so good that the animation doesn’t bother me one bit

[@SK-lc7jw]

@@Daniel-xb4oy The tackling of moral dilemmas in Monster in a realistic way *chef's kiss*

[@kevinfunk83]

I always thought this was quite clear, Ginjo even has a line where he says “I have a hollow inside me too” and he fires a cero which Ichigo just puts out his hand and catches it as if to say “old news”.

[@blackkurosaki4565]

wait did ginjo actually have a hollow? idr that

[@kevinfunk83]

@@blackkurosaki4565 I think he actually said “I have hollow powers too”. For some reason I remember it as being “I have a hollow inside me too” though. Regardless, at the time Fullbringers were beings whose mothers were attacked by hollows at birth I believe.

[@blackkurosaki4565]

@@kevinfunk83 i guess its one of those things kubo didn't have time to fully go into

[@eggseed6543]

Why he's shooting a cero? That doesn't make very much sense

[@Jammy-James2]

​@@eggseed6543probably because it's ichigos fullbring he stole, and ichigo has a hollow

[@guiltycross]

The mask in itself is the literal representation of him hiding/denying his true self. The power he gains is the superficial high one gets that goes with the acceptance one receives by pretending to be someone you are not. The time limit represents how one's true self must eventually be accepted or risk going down a self-destructive path.

[@maximus-go1um]

What about visords? Do they all have same self-acceptance problem

[@guiltycross]

@@maximus-go1um Komamura has the answer for you. Ichigo didn't have a choice. White IS part of him. Unlike Shinji and the others where the hollow soul was forced into them.

[@maximus-go1um]

@@guiltycross the answer is good but who is komamura

[@guiltycross]

@@maximus-go1um dude, if you don't know who komamura is in bleach...

[@nickdurham3946]

I hope it's revealed, maybe in the hell arc, that he gets the horn of salvation look when he goes bankai from now on. That was the absolute peak Ichigo design for me

[@Jeikobu]

I can understand that, but I think I would have liked it to show as more of a broken mask somewhat like the arrancar, or even the fused Tensa Zangetsu. Mind you that is just my opinion, I'm just not the biggest fan of the horn coming directly out of his head.

[@zach415]

This would probably make the most sense to me at least. I’ve always seen that mask as more of a metaphorical representation of how Ichigo views his Hollow powers. In fiction, masks usually represent the desire to conceal something away. Think how in Phantom of the Opera, The Phantom wears a mask to hide his disfigurement. One could say that Ichigo saw the Hollow as a disfigurement on his soul. When Ichigo dons the Horn of Salvation for the first time, it always struck me as a sense of acceptance. Ichigo is finally proud of who he is and is ready to work with both Quincy and Hollow/Shinigami spirits to defeat Yhwach. Although I don’t see it as a Bankai but as a Resurrection like the Arrancar get

[@kevinbell5674]

Unlikely since we see him activate the form while still in Shikai. There's nothing intrinsically connecting the Horn of Salvation and Tensa Zangetsu.

[@CDGage]

@@Jeikobu Bleach Brave Souls has that version of him officially voice acted and with official artwork while also being a 3D character you can use. Still love that game

[@nickdurham3946]

@@kevinbell5674 well isn't the hos form the representation of his collective powers finally blending perfectly with eachother and Ichigo himself ?

[@davidliau2336]

wow. what a great analysis. I read Bleach as a kid growing up and never really grasped the full picture of Ichigo's struggle to accept his hollow side. But this really puts it all into perspective, and gives me newfound appreciation for who I thought was a weakly developed main character (though my favorite nonetheless). I wish, somehow, I'd understood Ichigo's journey to self-acceptance when I was a kid -- I would've loved it so much more than I do already. Bravo, job well done 💯

[@vanyakalinka8305]

Ichigo accepting the Hollow in him is very reminiscent of what Carl Jung was talking about in embracing one's Shadow. Ichigo has eventually accepted that the part of him that is destructive and is ashamed of is something that's a part of his being. Integrating it onto his self revealed a higher form or state that he was able to use to slay his Cambellesque Dragon.

[@anibal5845]

Yes, exactly. I think the Lust Arc showcased this the best, since when Ichigo was pure instinct all he was doing was protecting Orihime. He had no concept beyond that, which is why he attacked Uryu as well.

[@TheSacredCowtipper88]

Perfect analogy wow

[@mizudori6211]

Damn, how dare you use Jungian thinking to explain Ichigo's powers go brrrrrrr A keen assessment for sure

[@Cicero1988]

Yes! This is an excellent analysis. I have no idea how conscious Kubo is of this dynamic in formal Jungian terms, but the way that many of the characters in Bleach reach higher and more complete inner lives is the most unique nd well-developed synthesis of Buddhist and Jungian insights that I've ever encountered.

[@redred222]

the couple times that he releases all his power are two of the best fights of the series his finally fight where he lost his powers, and the one where he dies but goes full beast mode, that was insanely awesome

[@willjoyce5013]

Don't forget Soul Society vs Byakuya, he was literally breaking under the strain of his Bankai and White had to take over

[@NodiceGaming]

this is honestly the best way to explain this ive been trying to explain to my friends myself but your execution was flawless absolutely amazing video

[@HENTAIsamus06]

you worded the symbolism of ichigo's hollow mask and inner growth/acceptance most excellently. Another great video ❤️

[@Tesserex]

When you brought up the Vizard, it made me realize, it would have been so cool if in TYBW when some of them are defeated (and then forgotten) instead they had their own hollow takeover moment like Ichigo vs Ulq where they went full beast mode and we got to see what their inner hollows could do.

[@stonalisa3729]

Their Hollows were prototypes for White. They wouldn’t be as sophisticated as Ichigos White. It somewhat makes sense why they don’t

[@00J-Tone]

@@stonalisa3729 Even if thats the case its fused with their soul which is why the training Ichigo did was the same as the others. I could still see a hollow takeover being a thing as it still at its base instinct has self preservation.

[@monsesh1316]

@@stonalisa3729 And probably because they fully subjugated and accepted it unlike Ichigo who was afraid and disgusted by his hollow power which sadden and pisses White off.

[@manoelafvb]

In "We do knot always love you" and even in ATYBW we see the visoreds using their masks, what are y'all talking about? At least Mashiro uses her hollow mask to make Hisagi refine his bankai, and uses it again (but only the we do knot always love you novel states it) in the final battle to protect the shinigami academy.

[@IsaiahHollins]

The mask resembled chaos and uncontrolled state but now that he accepted zangetsu as himself it displays itself as his true Zanpecto in sword form. As Ichigo states he no longer need them to fight for him because they are him

[@RyderLComics]

My man asking the real questions. I always wondered about this, and this discussion video summarized and capped it off perfectly. Thanks MrTommo!

[@M3g4UBERn00b]

I always took it that post-Lost Agent, he had the power boost the mask would give him but 100% of the time. Like it's always on and inherent to his power.

[@carloscruzartchannel5345]

I wish we could have had white said something in the thousand year blood war when ichigo learned the truth. Also there is an awesome short I saw that someone drew white healing ichigo after he died and the look on whites face is perfect I could see kubo drawing the scene like that.

[@Spacecaptain10]

Zangetsu

[@DAVISITHO1520]

White was the hollow created by aizen. This guy is named zangetsu.

[@justinedwards5047]

I actually really like the idea that after the fullbring arc his hallow powers show up as fullbring like accents on his soul reaper garb because that's how he had learned to channel his hallow powers during his time as a fullbringer

[@Fauxkerykes]

The Blade is Me had me tearing up. He, after so much fighting externally and internally, finally excepted himself and grew past his fears and problems. It was powerful. The anime did it so so well.

[@matthewcheng4158]

Nice, Just confirming how I remember reading it and understand it. u put it in more elegant way to explain it then I would had

[@clintfoster23]

In my head cannon it always seemed that Ichigo had integrated his shadow and as a result would not need the mask anymore to utilize the power of his inner hollow. Makes me wonder if Tite Kubo reads Carl Jung, since it seems so similar to Jung's philosophical writings.

[@00J-Tone]

I heard someone say essentially the difference between fact and truth is facts are things we know happened and truth is fundamental understanding that always seems to be. I thought of truth when you said you wonder about Tite Kubo reading Carl Jung and i think even if he hasn't that truth is everywhere no matter what words we use or how we illustrate it. My favorite examples are the main religions and books they swear by. They all have many of the same core truths which is why they resonate so deeply among so many.

[@jameswilkes451]

@@00J-Tone Themes and archetypes are prevalent in all form of media and are based on storytelling formats that have existed since ancient times, such as the hero's struggle, battling one's self expressed in metaphor etc. In a way these stories are expressions of our psyche in literate form, and they can be seen in a similar way in shows like Bleach where these themes such as self acceptance are being presented.

[@fruitpunchsamuraidavid]

Man!! I live you so much, you articulate these thoughts so well! Keep the good work

[@rukiasbankaii]

sounds very logical to me! i agree with ur points :) also makes one realise how Kubo really thought everything through..so many moments from the past tie perfect into what we saw in the final arc as if everything was leading to this

[@williamclay190]

This theory is the most sound of this I've heard. You've earned a sub. It follows Kubo's style to a T and ties up all the loose ends.

[@SylverZ]

A topic that I’ve rarely seen discussed like this before. I love every thematic in Bleach and this video was really interesting!

[@TheChimpPit]

Another interesting thing though, while I dont believe the mask is gone forever, as it appears that he actively wears the mask in other ways. Such as the fulbring armour, and again, on his Shuhaksho when he completes his training at the the royal palace. His left shoulder pauldron and his lower right hip on where his sword rests, is Identical to his old hollow mask! In short, 'The Blade is Me', after that point, There is no 'Shinigami', 'Hollow' or 'Quincy' Powers individually, they are all Ichigo's Power. Although, like in the final battle, Ichigo can tap further into a certain part of himself to counteract certain foes he opposes to better suit his strengths, with dramatic results. This is seen with the Horn of Salvation form he takes in the fight.

[@BaiBai_Kaze]

Honestly this makes a lot of sense, thanks for explaining in great detail. When I was finished the manga, I'll be honest I was somewhat confused. Now hearing this makes some comfort as a Bleach fan.

[@jaybuckODT]

Bro this video is absolutely golden!!! Well done 👏🏾

[@DoctorWortspieler]

Ichigo to Hollow: "How are you still here? I already beat you!" Hollow to Ichigo: "Would being beaten once have stopped *you*?

[@Yeeterminator]

By the end of TYBW the hollow mask basically just turned into one pointy boi

[@kbonics25]

Ichigo is fully integrated with his hollow powers since he used the Final Getsuga Tencho (since white Zangetsu stabbed him) which is why when he got his shinigami powers back he has white accents on his Shihakusho unlike before where he had the hollow mask. Basically, Ichigo is always using his hollow powers... especially after he fought Aizen

[@georgenassar1953]

This is what I came here for

[@abbacuspotter9232]

its good to see some people dont miss the obvious.

[@joaquincasascortes624]

@@abbacuspotter9232 Trust me a lot of people do miss the obvious, since Kubo doesn't like to spoon-feed information and prefers to leave little hints and foreshadowing, some people think he is a bad writter because they themselves don't pay attention to Kubo's work.

[@MobileMasterTech]

Everyone has been wondering this. Great topic to discuss.

[@huh5950]

I think people forget that the part of him that made the mask is half of the being that represent his powers wich divided in Hollow Ichigo and Tensa Zangetsu but they fused, so there's a chance he can use that power without using the mask

[@slickamusDPrime]

Brilliantly put!!! 👏🏾👏🏾💯

[@Ultrontu]

That’s such a good question and I’ve always wondered why

[@streetvybzswag1.067]

6:07 Every time I imagine zangetsu siting there in ichigo's inner world slowly watching as the seemly endless down pour of rain floods his master's subconsciousness and buildings being shrunk must've felt suffocating it's no wonder why they where so aggressive when it came to his safety

[@ciarandoherty6180]

I think it has something to do with the Final Getsuga Tensho, my theory is that upon mastering the technique, Ichigo was able to quell the Hollow nature of his Zanpakuto. It was still apart of him, as Hollow Ichigo IS Zangetsu. However, by mastering the Final Getsuga, Hollow Ichigo/Zangetsu had acknowledged the strength of Ichigo's soul, even after very recently becoming a Vasto Lordes at the time. I think part of the reason behind training with Tensa Zangetsu was so that Ichigo could both redeem and learn to forgive himself for how the battle with Ulquiorra ended.

[@Calithilhel]

Something you didn't say explicitly is what a hollow mask is. A hollow's "heart" leaves its soul and covers its face to hide the shame and lingering humanity. I think what hollow power means for Ichigo is that he literally wears his heart on sleeve, his heart becomes his uniform and blade instead of a mask to hide and suppress his feelings. That's why I think his hollow power is being tapped at all times to some degree after his dangai training without ever wearing a mask. Could also be a hint as to why certain captains never wear their hollow masks again.

[@LupineShadowOmega]

My problem with that would be that we never see those captains come to the same sort of breakthroughs as Ichigo. Ichigo we are with him during his journey of self discovery, meanwhile the vizards just sort of drop the concept and a part of me feels like it would have been more interesting to have had a least a moment to show them tackling the same concepts. Maybe we see them struggling not to use the masks, maybe have one of them use a similar power and explain that they've all had such a breakthrough. It just doesn't feel as good or as earned without a single nod or explanation.

[@TheWiseleader]

@@LupineShadowOmega tonmo explains it here though, ichigo's hollow powers are already naturally a part of his dna, hollowification for everyone else was dangerous and their only option to live with it was to beat it into submission. but its dangerous to use as its literally trying to take over at all times

[@LupineShadowOmega]

@@TheWiseleader Except we never get that in practice. We see the Vizards using their masks in battle after the idea of beating your hollow in to submission and this wasn't something that Ichigo did that they didn't. They literally helped him with the idea because to them he was in the same state as they were. We even hear from them directly that the time limit on hollowfication was different for each of them. If it was that dangerous they definitely wouldn't have been testing it and we might even have seen something like someone being overwhelmed in battle. Plus, that runs counter to the point that we've heard time and again about Soul Reaper and Hollow powers being opposite sides to the same coin. Arrancars are literally Hollows with more Shinigami like powers and Vizards are the opposite. Ichigo might have a more complex connection to his powers, but nothing about it says that its so different from the rest who were experimented on. Because if Shinigami powers are opposite Hollow powers, then that would mean even being Hollowfied, that's still their intrinsic powers. You are still yourself. Much like with their shingami powers.

[@Calithilhel]

@@LupineShadowOmega Yeah I definitely agree that without the in-story acknowledgement any solution for the visoreds lack of masks in tybw feels shitty. Functionally the difference between them presumably is that their hollow powers aren't as fully integrated into their Zanpakutou spirits. Ichigo was born with latent hollow powers that his Zanpakutou spirit embodies, I think the visoreds either a) have foreign hollows implanted in them like what happened with Masaki in which case coexistence is likely impossible and the visoreds are therefore complete as they can be or b) a part of their "heart" was torn off and hollowfied, in which case I think varying degrees of integration are possible, from how they currently exist to possibly making the same breakthroughs as ichigo by reintegrating the hollow into their souls and Zanpakutou spirits. Although given what is known about their hollowfications, how ichigo is implied to be different from what they taught, and how those ideas of hollowfication are reinforced with masaki in tybw, I think it's much more likely that ichigo is the special case and the other visoreds are afflicted with hollow not of themselves.

[@LupineShadowOmega]

@@Calithilhel We just don't know and it only gets more head scratching when we factor in stuff like the Bankai Hollowfication.

[@haroldtorres2710]

Hey! Nice Touch of the 20th Anniversary Book One Manga in the Background!

[@LongXue]

I think it makes sense, I have a similar theory. Before Ichigo thinks that he is borrowing the power of the Hollow inside of him hence the mask, but now after the Blade is Me. He is not using the hollow's powers anymore but that hollow power is HIS power, so no need for the mask, whether he use his shinigami or hollow power they all came from the same root.

[@vengefulcloud2337]

38 seconds ago.. this is the earliest I’ve ever been to any video😂 Love your content dude!

[@Ucey365]

What an excellent video. Very informative and easily digestible.

[@ZachV2]

you explained it perfectly love it bro keep upi the good work. this was my first time watching one of your video's and you earned a sub

[@sageaizen6837]

This is the reason why : Shadow integration is a process of bringing the hidden parts of the Self into consciousness. “Shadow” is a term coined by Carl Jung to describe the repressed or denied parts of the Self. It is a light metaphor for what many others have referred to as the unconscious. Ichigo by the end says " you are me " he finally integrated his shadow

[@ianrivera9563]

You my friend just gave me a brilliant idea. Thank you.

[@stefanapostol6542]

one thing that i wanna add that you probably missed or didnt think of since you didnt mention it in the video at all. the reason the mask doesnt appear is not because ichigo "accepts" or is in "harmony" with his inner hollow. Aizen and Nimaiya actually mention and explain why. during his final fight with aizen he explains that ichigo finally became one with his zanpakto and transcended basically meaning that during his training in deicide he achieved mastery of his powers and became one with them. thats why he no longer has need for the mask to use it actually. aizen is the same way after his fight with ichigo and his sword became one with him and its physical shape started to vanish and only coming out when he required it. as an example aizen no longer needed to have people see him activating his zanpakto to use kyoka suigetsu on them and you can see this when he did it juha bach when he altered his perception of time and its the same with ichigo at that point. his powers are always there now since he became one with them. what happens during the blade is me arc is not him accepting his sword since he already did that during the deicide arc where he confronted them. what happens during the blade is me "training arc" is that ichigo finally learns, lets go and moves on from the burdens that he had since he was a child and his mom died. if you look at how ichigo was portrayed in his flashbacks (such as chads flashback on how they met) and at the beginning of the series you will see that ichigo is not a kid thats at peace and has a lot of trauma. hes aggressive and picks fights a lot (even if it is for a good reason), in every fight up until his hollow appeared during byakuyas fight you can see how he is rash and even looking for fights instead of actually avoiding them. when his hollow actually appears he actually represents ichigos emotional state (the demonic version of it) and the reason ichigo is afraid of him is because it was the dark path he was on and hollow ichigo represented the culmination of it. when the blade is me "training arc" began he was actually thrown out of it because he was so lost. he had to go to his dad and learn everything that happened with him mom and how he came to be. when learning that he learned that his moms death wasnt his fault (which he still thought it was as we can see during the grandfisher fight), he learned what his hollow actually is, he found the truth and had the holes filled in about everyone who was closest to him (his dad, mom, old man zangetsu and even his hollow). after that arc what actually happened was ichigo finally letting go of all his trauma and finally being able to move forward in harmony with all of his powers that he already possessed. the reason they are much stronger at that point is because ichigo fully trusts and knows all of them and doesnt passively or actively have to push or be afraid of them as was the case with hollow ichigo. you can see this when both of the spirits inside them are looking out for him when he pulls out the twin swords compared to how he never even tried to talk with old man zangetsu or hollow ichigo after getting his powers back during the fight with ginjo. ichigos relationship to his powers are based on his state of being thats why in the beginning when he as aggressive and confident in his abilities while trying to do good things his inner world is filled with skyscrapers and after falling to despair his inner world reverted to his place of comfort, his hometown. you can further see this during his last meeting with old man zangetsu where his inner world was filled with skyscrapers again since the deicide arc where he found out that hollow ichigo was a part of it and he accepted both of them as such. then you can see how his inner world started collapsing when he found out that old man zangetsu basically lied to him from the start. hope this was clear enough and that it helps.

[@corruptangel6793]

Yeah, his Fullbring armor is definitely his "new mask," which is now permanent. It is no longer a forceful conjugation like with the mask. But, something key to note is that the armor is still separate. It's still superficially overlaid atop his Soul Reaper powers. There's still a disconnect with his powers, created by Old Man Zangetsu.

[@Graciousgates]

I feel like Kubo is truly happy that through all of his subtlties, all of his imagery and periodic hints layered through countless volumes that there's a person that is able to pick up on all of it and understand it properly. You've turned me from a casual fan to a diehard defender of this show and you are truly remarkable

[@raven-mae6744]

I think the reason ichigo doesn't use his mask again after he leaves the dangai is because when goes to face aizen, he's accepted every part of himself, including his hollow powers, and so he permanently has the hollow powers active to an extent, and giving him a permanent buff

[@GODOFAWSOMENESS1]

An excellent view of it. Pretty accurate too.

[@Marius696969]

i dont believe thats the case but i could definitely see this as an in universe reason. personally i just think kubo forgot about it.

[@willjoyce5013]

@@Marius696969 i think that'd be pretty hard to do after it being a thing from Soul Society arc to the end of the Arrancar arc. Like, that'd be on the same level as forgetting Getsuga Tenshou and seems way more intentional that he no longer needs it as a crutch

[@Marius696969]

@@willjoyce5013 it really isnt that hard considering kubo forgot plenty of other important details that randomly popped up later. histugya's bankai having its petals in some chapters and then not in others only to return later is a good example, which even ended up getting put in the anime. he went months without ichigo using the hollow mask, its perfectly understandable if he did forget. i dont know if you're an anime only fan but the last time ichigo hollowed in the manga was somewhere between chapter 354 and 365, i'm not entirely sure where. the only time we hear about ichigos inner hollow again isnt until chapter 528, thats around 163 chapters later. if we look at the release date for the volumes, since i cant find the release date for the individual chapters, 354 came in vol 41 which was released in 2009 and 528 came in vol 59 which was released in 2013. almost a full 4 years later was the idea of his inner hollow brought back up. its wouldnt be unrealistic if he literally forgot especially since he forgot a lot and ended up retconning things later. seriously, if you havent read the manga find it and read it you will see so many instances where things that were brought up in earlier chapters were totally ignored later.

[@willjoyce5013]

@@Marius696969 i don't think one bankai that pops up a couple times versus a main character's notable equipment feels like a good comparison. It'd be more like him not having a sword or Kubo forgetting bankai exists

[@antoniomatthews4319]

even though I didn’t watch this video this time around and will come back to it after the rest of blood war errors I really appreciate that you gave a spoiler warning for us anime only enjoyers

[@hankosanko]

i ve always love ichigo s original hollow mask. looks awesome, wish they brought it back even if he doesnt need it

[@CobbyMorales6747]

I always thought that Ichigo wouldn't use his hollow mask ever again because it had merge with his Fullbring powers once he got his Shinigami powers back. So to hear you make that connection made my day. Also, this was a great analysis! I love your work.

[@Marius696969]

i think kubo just forgot about it until he got to the part where ichigo fixes his sword. theres so many instances of kubo forgetting parts of his own story and retconning later. he's a good author but you can clearly tell he didnt plan anything out, he started writing a story and then just added and added and added, even overwriting things that was said earlier. this is easily seen when every interaction between ichigo and "old man" zangetsu for all intents and purposes looks like HE is his shinigami powers. pretty sure he even says "pull me out" or "take hold of me", something along those lines, during his shattered shaft training. kubo literally just retconned him being a younger ywach for the last arc. there was nothing to give even the slightest hint that the old man part of him was lying about what or who he was, or even hiding it. in fact, if the old man was a representation of his quincy powers then why didnt the hollow appear during his bankai training? the tool they used is meant to draw out the zanpakuto spirit, not remnants of the quincy founders soul that no one even knew existed within ichigo. 100% guarantee kubo literally just forgot about it until a chapter or two before the "everything but the rain" chapters and then was like well too late to incorporate it now.

[@TrueAce2146]

Well if we use what kubo told us later the the hollow/shinigami part of him didn't come out because the quincy part was in control at the time but retcon is more so the reason

[@joshbates6274]

The mask was just a way for ichigo to tap into the powers before he fully let the hollow and shinigami powers merge. Similarily his powers changed once he learnt and could accept his history of the trinity of powers that he has. aka "true bankai" etc etc

[@collinblackwell3259]

Hey Tommo, love your videos! There’s just a bit of audio distortion with the “When Ichigo is free” bit right around 5:30, just so you know!

[@rough_builds]

Your collaboration with tekking brought me to your channel :)

[@zack01598]

Beautiful explanation!

[@sinisterpink9907]

Great analysis, thank you. It's incredible how much depth there is to the Bleach characters' internal journeys and symbolism shown in the power structures. When I watched this as a college student I thought it was all about the MC gradually becoming OP and busting out flashy powers. But your analysis vids help me understand a lot more about the story Kubo is really trying to tell. So I'm reliving Bleach with a new appreciation

[@cdmhimself2847]

The real question is, why do the stripes on Ichigo’s hollow mask change overtime?

[@Chillgamesh]

I think it shows that white is taking more control

[@LARODEO15]

@@Chillgamesh Yeah, like a ticking time bomb

[@corwinevans5823]

As White takes more control the mask fills more with red, then begins to look like Whites facial markings

[@cdmhimself2847]

@@corwinevans5823 it could be, but when ichigo obtains control of white and can summon a hollow mask, the number of stripes increased from 4 to 9.

[@Just_B0red]

It went with Ichigo's true power, the ever evolving power of Drip

[@SuperSilver316]

Yeah I always thought it was just the Fullbring stuff. Since his Hollow and Shinigami powers became one, when the Fullbring calls his shinigami powers, it also called his hollow powers. That and Fullbring is a hollow ability, so it would make some sense that his mask just became part of him when he got his powers back. The stuff that happens in the Dangai is also probably valid, though it’s less explicit, and we really have to read into the symbolism Kubo is aiming for.

[@Playhard22269]

he just fucked his original shinigami powers when he used mugetsu and now is struggling to get them back

[@whichhunter7087]

From someone who only watched the anime and didnt read the manga, I saw it as he lost Zangetsu (White and OMZ) when he used the Final Getsuga. Getting his full bring, has remanants of his hollow but they were taken by Ginjo. I never understood how much was taken. So getting powers back, I thought they were generic soul reaper powers infused with all the captains power. So it was strong but he no longer had the Hollow mask. The hollow powers being dormant from him to having them returned was unclear.

[@michaelbigam3253]

Your videos are great, thanks for making them 👍

[@tnuhenaj3752]

On the topic of the mask being symbolic of the lack of ability to reconcile with the hollow side, the zanpakuto rebellion filler arc actually supported that. To draw out the power of his inner hollow enough to beat old man zangetsu in bankai while ichigo himself was only in shikai he was not allowed to use the mask. I do believe that largely the reason he doesn't use it anymore is because kubo doesn't want him to. thats an obvious statement but i mean just as a personal want of his and not necessarily something he wants for the plot or any deeper meaning. He was over it. This is probably my biggest criticism of bleach but kubo had some ADHD with ichigo's powers. On one hand im grateful he did since if he didn't we would never have been shown such cool looking forms such as the full hollow, final getsuga tenshou and fullbring bankai. But on the other hand it feels like he really just gets bored of the designs and wants something new so he discards the old, finding an excuse in the story to do so. Interestingly ginjo also had manifestations of hollow powers but without a need for a mask. It was like linked to his bankai. I assume the white hair and facial markings were it. The same thing as the mask can be seen in the sword. although its not the same exactly since he still manifests his blades just like how he used to manifest his mask. But his sword is now a part of him. When he first has them forged it looks like he makes them disappear and i assume they go into him to be summoned later. And as kubo said the white outside on his true bankai after being broken was absorbed back into him and he can bring out the second sword whenever he wishes. This has a lot of implications. It lends credence to the claim that ichigo is stronger or at least as powerful as he was when he used the final getsuga tenshou. The next stages of zanpakuto are to completely fuse with the soul reaper so it would seem weird that it doesn't happen for ichigo at the end of series. But as we've found out, he can. Unlike mugetsu where he has no weapon and uses black energy to form something to attack with he can now materialize full blades but they can also go into his body just like with aizen. I guess he just carries the swords outside because it looks cool. Anyway thats not relevant to his hollow mask but i wanted to say it regardless.

[@The300Player]

I know it makes sense for him not to use it anymore and all but i just really really wish he never stopped using it, its so badass

[@abdallahhakeem5185]

I wish we had at least gotten a full armor visage form before he integrated it into his base

[@willjoyce5013]

I loved the evolution of the mask but it was brought far past anyone's expectations in the end, with the Vasto Lorde form. At that point there wasn't much more to go and Ichigo learned soon after to accept his other sides. It'd be maybe helpful versus the Quincies but Ichigo already is equipped for them through his birth

[@JioVega]

White was a character that motivated me to take action and push myself to be better. When he's talking to Ichigo in their 2nd battle, he tries to wake Ichigo up and pull him out of his clouded mind. I wish we got more moments with white in control. I was hoping for some banter between white and Ulquiorra, but white was being unusually quiet. Ironically though, Ywach taking Ichigo's Quincy powers pulled White out too. While Ichigo has several powerful states, this was essential to Ichigo moving from boy to man. Instead of trying to "wake this guy up", now Ichigo is a pure shinigami, and he doesn't have to worry about maintaining control over his soul. Additionally, couldn't White poison Ywach In the same way he did with Maskai? The ending seemed a bit rushed, and I wonder if that's a route that Kubo mightve taken.

[@Robyn100]

✨🙏🏾🙏🏾. Thanks for the explanation

[@damightyjex8682]

Without watching the video yet. I think it's because When ichigo is training to learn Final getsuga you see his Hollow and Quincy powers fuse together and become a become a single source of power. However at this period of time his quincy powers are still the more dominant one. When he regains his soul reaper powers the quincy part of him is still taking the lead holding back the hollow part of him (Zangetsu). This is why ichigo loses the use of his mask as the quincy power is trying to hide it and become the dominant force. Which leads to the whole premise behind the asauchi arc. As Ooetsu realised ichigo was actually fighting without his Zanpakuto (Hollow Powers) this whole time. Then when his new Zanpakuto is forged ichigo once again fuses them together but properly this time with him being in control of both of them. This leads to him getting his new hybrid hollow quincy form. As he takes aspects of both of his sources of power. Ergo no more mask, but still having the horn and fur.

[@asellape9270]

I wonder what the Zanpakuto of the Vizards look like. Do they bear the same hollow masks as the Vizards? Are they hollow-looking versions of the Vizards? Can their Shinigami and Hollow powers be fused like Ichigo's? It would be interesting to see.

[@matt8258]

There’s would probably be a little different just because White is the source of Ichigos shinigami powers while the other vizards were shinigami first

[@1234andrewjacksmith]

I would say they might be like the temp hollowfied version of Hyōrinmaru and it that are anything like tosen(and kubo did answer that they could do resurrection like him) then it would be merged in the exact same way ichigo horn of salvation and bankai are separate ways of manifesting the same power of zangetsu(also probably have different names in the Same way shikai and bankai have different names) and tosen resurrection and bankai are both a form of Suzumushi

[@chasinghaze0962]

Thing is they are not naturally born with hollow powers. It was external. They probably won't ever come to terms with their hollow powers imo. Even tho they use those powers, I can assume that they don't like using them. Their hollow masks are a reminder of betrayal.

[@eliotwildermann]

I'm in agreement with this love ur in depth analysis of it

[@Azzman2049]

I always loved ichigos hollow mask and hollow powers. Gave me goosebumps during his fight with grimjoww when he put on his mask

[@00J-Tone]

You explained it perfectly but from the beginning i thought it was obvious that once he fused everything, there was no longer a need or should i say even available because that power is now part of him at all times. I always thought of the mask as version 1 of growth and im glad you touched on the vizards who reject the power inside and instead use it as an outwardly tool for dire circumstances and in some cases not at all as we see later.

[@efrainlagunas]

Really cool theory, I think I'll adopt it as well since it fits so well and personally love it so much more than mine. At first I thought Ichigo lost his hollow power but then came out the blade is me and it showed he still had it. So then I thought ok so he just rejected it once he got it back and finally came to terms with it in the last arc. But it flew contrast to his fight with Tensazangestu so it was a half-hearted theory that is now going to be replaced with yours. Thanks and great work as always

[@franciscoisaac87]

Very good 2 cents. Agree with you in all of it. Kubo really knows how to link pieces of who we are and the Battles against ourselves.

[@Novashiii]

MrTommo needs to be at a 1m this is crazy

[@OLYMPICGAMESYOU]

Great video, I've re-read bleach recently, and when ulquiora watches ichigo start struggling vs Yami, he mentions that ichigo peak goes even higher than himself. I took this to mean that the vizord training made ichigo weaker, ichigo beating his hallow half is not what he needed to gain his true power, the masked ichigo was never stronger than ulquiora, but just his hollows powers were. So yeah, ichigo never needed vizor training.

[@dexholderred2469]

The reason why he doesn’t use it can be found in the Fullbringer arc. His Fullbringer is his hollow powers and once he gets his Soul Reaper powers back. They basically become one form, hence why his outfit in both Shikai and Bankai changes too.

[@HenhousetheRed]

I can't remember where I read this, but I thought Tite Kubo lamented that the masks made expressions difficult to draw for Ichigo and the Vizards, so he actually didn't like using it very much. He liked the idea of being able to design masks to use for powering-up, but the execution of the masks would mean characters can't express themselves facially, and only through their eyes. As a manga artist, this hinderance would probably be pretty irritating. Which would explain why the Vizards don't use their masks much beyond the involvement in the False Karakura Town arc, and same with Ichigo. Narratively, you can explain this (after reading TYBW) as the hollow mask was Ichigo's way of "borrowing" a fraction of his true shinigami power (White). He couldn't have full access to it unless Old Man Zangetsu (Ichigo's Quincy powers) purposefully relented and assisted Ichigo like he did in TYBW. Post-Ulquiorra, the hollow mask felt "off" to Ichigo, and he sort of lost some measure of control over it. I interpret this as White, as the zanpakuto spirit, had grown in alignment to Ichigo so that the power between Ichigo, Old Man Zangetsu and White was balanced (reflected in the mask markings). Ichigo didn't need to "borrow" that power anymore, he could probably have accessed it anytime. But his Quincy powers were still preventing him from accessing it. Dangai Ichigo has access to White as an imperfect zanpakuto, so he doesn't need the hollow mask. But he still doesn't have Old Man Zangetsu aligning himself completely to support. If you think about it, Final Getsuga Tencho Ichigo is actually kind of like another mask, where he's "borrowing" support from both his Quincy and Shinigami powers. That form also shatters like a mask.

[@seanread5556]

My takeaway was that the 'final goal' of pretty much all powers in Bleach was to truly and completely become one with them. we see this to a lesser extent with the Vizard who allow themselves to partially hollowfy and the Arrancar who are basically the same but in reverse. But going a stage above this, we see Mugetsu and ascended Aizen, who both fuse with their Zanpakuto so they are no longer master and tool, but the same transcendant being. this is further solidified by Ichigo's inner world battle prior to Mugetsu where he learns to accept his 'other selves' and they become one for his 'final battle'. By the time the Fullbringers arc wraps up, Ichigo doesn't use his mask because his Hollow powers have functionally fused with his Shinigama powers, they are one and the same now, using his Fullbring as a vector. and this is taken to its conclusion with his TRUE Bankai form, where every one of his powers are all working in perfect harmony together, all part of the one ridiculous Mary-sue that is Ichigo Kurosaki

[@jayman8001]

Amazing analysis 👍

[@animanco6833]

I always find it strange how the hollow mask not only became irrelevant during the final arc, but also almost forgotten. And though we briefly saw it again, it felt almost useless and like it really didn't give any vizard an edge in battle. edit: never mind I agree what Mr.Tommo is saying and it makes sense.

[@Deathsyth-ks8uz]

Ichigo doesn't need it anymore. Especially in the final arc.

[@GraveEnd]

He probably doesn’t understand why it doesn’t work for ichigos character anymore since his powers are in unison

[@GraveEnd]

The mask was him forcing out his hollow powers in an incorrect way

[@animanco6833]

@@GraveEnd No I understand it. I just immediately comment before listening the whole thing

[@christianramos1359]

I agree with it for the most part. I agree that he is in harmony with his hollow powers after his dangai training which creates a perfect balance between his hollow and soul reaper powers. But even later when he finds out everything about himself and truly harmonizes his true powers, he activated the horn of salvation. The horn of salvation is a transformation just as the hollow mask was. You can’t just say that because dangai Ichigo harmonized his soul reaper and hollow powers that ichigo (after getting his soul reaper powers back with the full bring amp) doesn’t need to undergo some type of transformation to use his hollow sides full power if he literally had to undergo the horn of salvation transformation to bring out the full force of his hollow powers against Yhwah. Lastly, it is stated that his hollow and Fullbring powers aren’t the same exact thing. It is shown that Ichigo’s powers are made from 5 different things (soul reaper, hollow, Quincy, full bring, and human) So you can’t just say that his hollow powers took on the form of his full bring marks/clothing when ichigo uses his soul reaper powers. Sorry if it’s too wordy and hard to follow.. but I hope some of you will understand what I’m trying to say 😅

[@SamsarasArt]

I like that you mentioned the fullbring being the evolution of the hollow mask

[@NekoLilyK]

You touched on this, but people might have forgotten that when he acquired his Fullbring powers that was basically the result of his hollow abilities giving him new power. He had no Shinigami powers, so he was using only the Hollow portion of them. When he got his Shinigami powers back, his outfit shows the signs of his Fullbring/Hollow powers. In other words, he's literally always in full power mode now and his mask is basically permanently active.

[@drumanaut]

Man from some. Of these colorized panels I wish they would have done the vertical stripes on his second hollow mask design in black. It looks so slick that way.

[@CrazyFoo501]

Obviously Ichigo's Horn Of Salvation is a more in tune form of his hollow mask at the end of the TYBW Arc But I use to wonder why Ichigo never used his hollow mask as Fullbringer-Shinigami then I was reminded by Reddit Fullbring powers are hollow based so they were basically infused into that form

[@Mythicalmage]

It's worth noting that this is a pretty standard story structure (obviously slightly reconfigured to fit a Shonen manga/anime format). Ichigo, as he is in the TYBW has achieved the level of "Master of both worlds" mastering both sides of himself. I'd argue this moment, sometimes called Plot Point 2, is concluded with The Blade is Me. though you could also argue it's the end of the Fullbring arc. At this point Ichigo knows and accepts the Truth, after going down to the "dark knight of the soul" in the Fullbring arc, and, as I'd argue, in the beginning of TYBW. Looking at it this way means that Deicide is the midpoint of Ichigo's journe and the first plot point is, perhaps, the battle with Byakuya and the following shakeup to the world of Bleach

[@DrUsmanJamil]

Excellent analysis.

[@ultimateshadeofwar]

9:17 I mean you even just have to read the words he says when he talks to Ichigo, the first time when he appear on the Kenpachi fight, he call Ichigo Partner, so he tries to teach him what it means to be partners. Then when Ichigo ignores him and tries to force him down he calls him King, because that's how Ichigo is acting and if he wants to be one, he is going to teach him what it means to be a king, to oppress others, to oppress himself. And now in Deicide he calls him Ichigo, since he has come to ask him to teach him something.

[@masonwatshisname7836]

Truly deserving of a like❤❤

[@ultimate3000]

I feel like its just because each arc focuses on a specific aspect of himself. the soul society raid to save rukia is focused on his soul reaper side, the arrancar arc is his hollow side, and the 1000 year blood war is his quincy side. The fullbringer is a focus on his human side too. just a theory

[@shameronstar7220]

Wow, this was a fantastic literary breakdown of Ichigo's internal journey.

[@raphaelsilva6071]

what I think is: as his powers is/are/were "divided" in parts, it became obsolete to focus on just 1 part if he got a balance of them later and can use a lot more power. same way for his Fullbringer powers that never appeared again its like Goku going SSJ1 and use part of his powers if he can go SSJG and use a lot more

[@moogleprotip]

my explanation: Ichigo starts as basically a homuculus. He's human, quincy, hollow, and soul reaper from the get go. However due to his parents and his father's gigai, Ichigo's spiritual pressure is extremely gated since his powers are all intertwined around white. As Urahara mentioned when he bound Isshin to Misaki, even his kids will keep his power bound as white was passed along. So Ichigo can see spirits but because white's bound to Isshin, he has no powers at all besides spirit sight. When Rukia gives him her power, This tips the soul balance towards soul reaper meaning White's more repressed (hence why when Byakuya pierces him the first time in the human world, he doesn't hollowfy there's too much soul reaper energy at that time, white's in full suppression.). Once he awakens his powers, Ywach's portion of power becomes central to this configuration (I would like to have a massive discussion on if his second Zanpakuto is really his quincy weapon). He stops using the mask though after his fight with Ulquiorra because A) he lost FULL CONTROL and white damn near killed Uryuu and B) after the training in his soul world, White and Ywach merged into a singular entity for him to acquire mugestu. That part annoys me because TYBW he's basically rediscovering this exact point that they are two sides of his powers, no explanation how they separated again or how he got that original form again. But when Ichigo says this blade is me, that's really all there is to it. he treated his powers as separate entities until that very point, hence why when he bankai he partially transforms into his Vasto Lorde form because he's accepted the fact that's been running essentially from a part of his very being.

[@PanthorPapa84]

I think the reason he doesn't use his mask anymore is because as you said he accepts his inner hollow. The mask is submission of the hollows powers to the host, but the final getsuga made things clear. While he didn't know the hollow was actually zangetsu he knew the hollow wasn't his enemy. Ichigo didn't hate white anymore and you can see that in how he accepted white after learning the truth like he finally had a way of labeling the relationship for what it was. The filler Zanpakuto ark kinda adds perspective, everyone had a similar relationship with their Zanpakuto spirit as ichigo and white. The biggest difference between white and other zanpakuto spirits is since he has the powers of a hollow, he was able to act like a visord hollow. Another thing i just thought of is that maybe his growth stagna8was caused by making his hollow submit to him because he had no idea he was a quincy and he was effectively limiting his own soul reaper powers by suppressing white. Also maybe white was able to act more like a hollow than a zanpakuto is because Ichigo didn't actually have a zanpakuto so white was free and intangible.

[@in-craig-ible6160]

The Visored transformation donning their masks is the coolest transformation in Bleach in my opinion. Always loved when they did it, every one had a different technique.

[@rikuto6690]

The fullbring arc was important in that process since the fullbring powers are more akin to hollow power state by Ginjo, Ichigo learned how to use his hollow power in the good way. When he regain his shinigam powers both merge to give the design we had before. Basically Ichigo was always in a "hollow mask" state after regaining his power. At least that's how i see it