Who Is Uryu Ishida in Bleach?

Who is Uryu Ishida in Bleach? Take a look at one of Ichigo Kurosaki’s closest friends in the animanga series.

Who is Uryu Ishida in Bleach? (Image via Studio Pierrot)

The Bleach anime and manga series has one of the most unique worlds and power systems seen in modern Shonen titles. Tite Kubo wrote and illustrated the manga series, which eventually received an anime adaptation as time progressed. It became a part of the anime Big Three, sharing this title with One Piece and Dragon Ball. This is massive praise, and world-building elements played an important role in the series’ popularity.

The show also introduced fans to a plethora of characters throughout its course. Each character had unique abilities and specific roles in the series. There were plenty of plot twists, some of which came from a few characters betraying their friends. One such character, who seemed to be a traitor, is Uryu Ishida. This begs the question: Who is Uryu Ishida in Bleach? He is a Gemischt Quincy who was a secondary antagonist in the animanga series. He worked at the Karakura Hospital in his initial days and eventually proceeded to work for Yhwach.

Who Is Uryu Ishida in Bleach?

Uryu Ishida as seen in the anime series (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Uryu Ishida was a close friend of Ichigo Kurosaki, the protagonist of the series. He was not a pure-blooded Quincy as he was born to a Gemischt Quincy mother and an Echt Quincy father. He has a tall and lean frame, wears spectacles, and sports his school uniform. However, he wore a white double-breasted trench coat after joining the Wandenreich. Yhwach led this hidden empire to war against the Soul Society. He rarely initiates a conversation and often keeps to himself. He has a strong sense of justice, which he often refers to as the Pride of the Quincy.

The Bleach series initially portrayed Uryu Ishida as a traitor. However, he revealed his big plan as the series progressed. Yhwach, the main antagonist of the show, killed his parents. His strong sense of justice led him to devise a plan that would allow him to kill Yhwach. While he disguised himself as a Quincy traitor, he left his friends with the sole intention of defeating Yhwach. During the series, Uryu embarked on various missions with Ichigo. Some even considered him one of the few important deuteragonists in the series. However, that changed when he became Yhwach’s successor. Despite Yhwach figuring this out eventually, Uryu managed to survive and proceeded to marry Kumiko Ishida in the manga series.

What Are Uryu Ishida’s Powers in Bleach?

Uryu Ishida’s Vollstandig as seen in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Antithesis is Uryu Ishida’s strongest ability in the Bleach series. This ability works by involving two targets and switching their places. One of the targets chosen can be the user himself. For example, Uryu Ishida can use Antithesis on himself and his opponent during a battle. If Uryu is injured badly and he uses this ability, he and his opponent’s places are switched. This means Uryu will start healing while his opponent starts getting injured. He also used this on inanimate objects when he switched the medallion and Yhwach’s places at the time when the latter threw said medallion outside the Cage of Life.

He is also the only mixed-breed Quincy to withstand the effects of Auswahlen. Not only did Uryu survive, but he also retained all of his powers. Uryu Ishida’s Spirit Weapon is called Heilig Bogen. This takes the shape of a bow, and his ability to draw in Reishi can release either one or a barrage of arrows. Uryu’s Quincy form is referred to as Vollständig in the Bleach series. It enhances his Antithesis, his physical abilities, and his spiritual manipulation as well.

Uryu’s Dynamic With Ichigo in Bleach

Ichigo Kurosaki as seen in the Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War anime
Ichigo Kurosaki as seen in the Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Uryu Ishida and Ichigo Kurosaki were incredibly close friends. He was there for Ichigo when he was at his lowest. Ichigo developed a Hollow form, which took a toll on him mentally. In fact, Uryu stopped Ichigo from mutilating his opponent’s body, something Ichigo would have hated for the rest of his life. Uryu was a good friend who also helped Ichigo rescue people who were closest to him. This was when Rukia and Orihime were in danger. Uryu helped Ichigo rescue them, and one of them even became his wife when the series ended.

Uryu hated every single Soul Reaper out there. This was evident in his first interaction with Ichigo in the Bleach series. However, as the series progressed, their friendship grew. Uryu also saved Ichigo on a couple of occasions.

Can Uryu Be Considered a Deuteragonist in Bleach?

Uryu wanted to gain Yhwach’s trust only to betray him in the end (Image via Studio Pierrot)

No, Uryu Ishida cannot be considered a deuteragonist in the Bleach series. Anyone fulfilling this role is only second in importance to the main character. This is not the case in the Bleach series. However, Uryu was a loyal companion to the protagonist for quite some time. Even though he “betrayed” Ichigo, it was only with the intention to defeat Yhwach. He has accompanied Ichigo on several missions during the course of the series.

However, the main deuteragonist of this series would be Rukia. She had a massive influence on the plot and the protagonist of the series. She changed the trajectory of Ichigo’s life, which is the reason why we have the story of Bleach. Furthermore, she is a lot more important to the story than Uryu. There are several plot points that involve either Rukia or a consequence of her actions. Therefore, Uryu Ishida cannot be considered the main deuteragonist.

Conclusion

Uryu Ishida is an interesting character in Bleach. Apart from being a part of a massive plot twist, he also has an interesting set of abilities. His interactions with Ichigo entertained readers and viewers. Despite his inability to influence Yhwach’s death, his strong sense of justice never wavered. While he might not be the deuteragonist, he is one of the most important minor characters in the animanga series.


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