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Among all the Captains of the Gotei 13 inBleach, the one Captain who is the most enigmatic is without a doubt Mayuri Kurotsuchi. The captain of the 12th Division and the President of the Shinigami Research Institute, Mayuri’s character has always brought a sense of curiosity and fear within the minds of fans, and the main reason behind it is his appearance.
Mayuri is one of the most weird-looking characters in the history of anime who hides behind a mask. The character has changed his appearance multiple times, but every time he comes out to be even scarier and more gothic. Even his abilities within the series add substance to his dark and fearful appearance, which fans have questioned from the beginning ofBleach.
While Tite Kubo has never explicitly revealed the reason behind Mayuri hiding his face behind his mask, he has talked about the inspiration behind the character’s appearance. But considering his personality and his character development inBleach,it is safe to say that the reason behind Mayuri’s face mask will surely be dark.
Tite Kubo’s Inspiration For Mayuri Kurotsuchi’s Appearance
During an interview with the Jet Artbook Volume 1, which was later translated and shared byMissStormCalleron Tumblr, theBleachmangaka talked about Mayuri’s character. Kubo pointed out that he was actually inspired by the American musician, Marilyn Manson for Mayuri as he was a big fan of him.
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Kubo stated:
Originally Mayuri’s face makeup came to be designed in such a way because I liked Marilyn Manson back in those days. However, I didn’t want to do it exactly the same, so I altered the effect of the makeup. That was all I needed to change the impression by a considerable amount. Since Marylin Manson’s makeup is unique, if I had left it untouched, people would end up saying “it’s literally Manson!”
Kubo revealed that although he was inspired by Manson, he didn’t want Mayuri to look exactly like the frontman, so he altered his makeup and design a little bit. These little changes completely changedMayuri’s appearance inBleach.
Kubo pointed out that he drew multiple designs for Mayuri that were inspired by Manson, and then asked his niece to choose one for him. That design was evidently finalized and became the overall physical appearance of Mayuri’s character inBleach.
Mayuri’s Reason For Keeping His Identity Hidden
Ever sinceBleachstarted, Mayuri has almost always kept his identity hidden behind a mask. He has rarely shown his face, and althoughTite Kubohas never officially revealed the reason behind it, Mayuri’s dark personality and his development in the story explain it quite easily.
Mayuri is an unhinged scientist who deals with the grotesque and macabre elements ofBleach.Not only that, he enjoys it more than anyone else, which in a way explains his mindset. Mayuri does not care about the living as much as he cares about the dead, which makes him unhinged from other characters. Thus, he tries to dehumanize himself by hiding behind the dark mask.
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It helpshim maintain his uniqueness within the storyand also fits perfectly with his mindset and personality. He likes intimidating others, and the frightening look perfectly helps with it. So in a way, Kubo is hinting at his personality and his character development through the hidden identity inBleach.This is why he is one of the greatest manga creators in the world.
Bleachis available to watch on Hulu.
Tarun Kohli
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2957
Tarun Kohli is the Senior Anime Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,900 published articles. He currently specializes in critiquing One Piece and other Shonen anime. A passionate fan of the genre, his love for thoughtful analysis reflects his genuine appreciation for the art of anime. His deep understanding of anime culture has earned recognition from industry figures such as Adi Shankar and the creators of Blood of Zeus.
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