Rukia Kuchiki
Encyclopedia
Rukia is 4foot 8 .
is a fictional character
in the anime
and manga
series Bleach
created by Tite Kubo
. In the series, Rukia is a Soul Reaper in charge of slaying evil spirits known as Hollows. At the beginning, after a brief meeting with the main protagonist
of the series, Ichigo Kurosaki
, who can see supernatural beings such as Soul Reapers, she is forced to give him her powers in order to fulfill her duties as a Soul Reaper. Rukia has appeared in several other pieces of Bleach media, including the three featured films in the series, the two original video animation
s, and several video games.
Rukia was one of the first characters of the series created by Kubo, her design being the one he decided to use for all the other Soul Reapers. Reaction to Rukia's character is generally positive. Her differences from typical shōnen
heroines is praised, as is her interaction with other characters. Rukia usually ranks second in Weekly Shōnen Jump
s Bleach popularity polls. Several pieces of merchandise have been released in Rukia's likeness, including a plush doll and a figurine.
in a kimono
, which formed the basis for the design of the Soul Reapers. Because of this, Rukia was one of the first characters of the series to be created. Before deciding that every Soul Reaper had swords, Kubo thought that they all should use guns while only Rukia used a scythe. However, this was changed as he created the Soul Reaper kimono. Kubo also mentioned that Rukia did not seem like a lead character, so he created Ichigo Kurosaki
to be the series protagonist. Ichigo's initial design had black hair like Rukia; Kubo had to modify Ichigo's appearance to contrast with hers, giving Ichigo orange hair and a trademark scowl.
As for her name, Kubo stated that, because Rukia looks like a shinigami, he wanted her name to sound like a shinigamis name. When deciding upon her family name he considered using because it sounded like a name a shinigami would have, and then decided to use . He adds that he once heard something that sounded like "Kuchiki Rukia" on Japanese television, and liked it enough to use it as a name. Her first name was conceived as a result of Kubo hearing the Latin name for cosmos
on television, and later decided that the name really suited her since the Latin word from which her name is derived means "light" and Kubo sees her as "a ray of light for Ichigo." Shonen Jump
asked in an interview if Kubo had any plans to make Ichigo and Rukia a couple, but Kubo chose neither to confirm nor deny it. After designing Rukia's zanpakutō, Kubo noted he liked it a lot and made it to be the most beautiful one from the series.
When Kubo was asked to make a cover with a female character during Christmas, Kubo initially thought of using Rukia; he later changed to use Orihime Inoue
as he thought Orihime was more suitable for such role. However, Kubo commented he previously made a Christmas illustration with Rukia, and that he received request by several fans wanting to see the image. In contrast to this Kubo has found he liked Rukia more in the illustrations in which her face expresses pain such as when she is going to be executed in the manga.
in the midst of a hollow attack. After she is heavily injured by the hollow, Rukia is forced to transfer her Soul Reaper powers to Ichigo so that he can kill the hollow and save their lives and his family. While he succeeds, Rukia is left too weak to return to Soul Society, and lives with Ichigo in the human world, intending to stay until her powers are restored. Therefore, her only ability then is her kidō
spells, which are severely limited in strength and variety. She uses her kidō for such purposes as restraining, healing, or attacking others. Because of the amount of time she spends with Ichigo, Rukia has been able to gain a keen understanding of his inner workings. Rukia's relationship with Ichigo is unique, for despite the relatively short amount of time they have known each other, Ichigo can easily confide in her and considers her a true friend because she is encouraging and understands what he is feeling.During her time in the human world, Rukia remains unaccounted for in Soul Society, so Byakuya Kuchiki
and Renji Abarai
are sent to find her and return her to the Soul Society. They succeed, and upon their return Rukia is sentenced to death for giving her Soul Reaper powers to a human. Ichigo ultimately arrives in Soul Society in time to stop her execution, and tries to get her to safety.
During the arc, Rukia's past is explored. She died as an infant and was sent to Soul Society with her older sister, Hisana. Though Hisana initially tried to protect and provide for Rukia, she could not ensure her own survival while caring for a baby as well, and thus abandoned Rukia. As Rukia grew up, she befriended Renji Abarai, and entered the Soul Reaper academy, where she was adopted into the Kuchiki family. One year prior to the adoption, Hisana died after asking her husband, Byakuya Kuchiki, to find and adopt Rukia as his sister. This remains unknown to Rukia until Byakuya confesses it to her. When she was accepted into the 13th Division, Rukia befriended the lieutenant of her division, Kaien Shiba, and trained under him. During the course of a mission Kaien was possessed by a hollow and Rukia killed Kaien to protect herself.
During Rukia's bid for freedom, she is stopped by Sōsuke Aizen
and his accomplices. Aizen, having singlehandedly orchestrated Rukia's execution, reveals to her that within her soul is stored the Hōgyoku ("breakdown sphere"), a powerful artifact created and placed there by Kisuke Urahara that gives hollows Soul Reaper powers and vice versa. Wanting the Hōgyoku for himself, Aizen hoped that her death would give him access to it, but settles for a nonfatal alternative. The Hōgyoku is removed from her body, Aizen and his men flee Soul Society, and Rukia is acquitted of all charges. With the Hōgyoku, Aizen is able to create an army of arrancar, which he uses to attack Ichigo and his friends once they return to the human world. Rukia and a group of other Soul Reapers are sent to assist in fighting the arrancar, though after Aizen captures Orihime Inoue
they are recalled to Soul Society. Rukia's zanpaku-tō, , . is also revealed as a completely white blade, earning it the recognition as the most beautiful zanpakutō in Soul Society. Sode no Shirayuki utilizes ice to attack, each of its abilities being labeled as "dances" by Rukia.. During the anime's 13th season, Sode no Shirayuki manifests in a yukionna-like form, voiced by Mie Sonozaki
.
Unwilling to give up Orihime to Aizen, Rukia goes to Hueco Mundo with Ichigo to rescue her. While there, Rukia encounters the Espada, Aaroniero Arruruerie, who is revealed to have possession of Kaien's body. Saddened that she had not saved her mentor from the control of a hollow as she had previously thought, Rukia manages to kill Aaroniero. Rukia is badly injured during the battle, and it is not until Soul Society sends reinforcements to Hueco Mundo that she is revived and her wounds are healed. She later assists Ichigo in his rescue to save Orihime from the Espada Ulquiorra Cifer by engaging the remaining Arrancars until requiring support. Following Aizen's defeat and the loss of Ichigo's Soul Reaper powers, Rukia and Ichigo bid one another farewell as Ichigo loses the ability to sense Rukia's presence. Seventeen months later, Rukia, now lieutenant of 13th Division, returns to aid in restoring Ichigo's Soul Reaper powers. She then engages Riruka Dokugamine, one of the people that have stolen Ichigo's own powers.
and aids in the search for Tōshirō Hitsugaya
in Bleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion
. Rukia is also given the main focus role in the third movie, Bleach: Fade to Black, I Call Your Name
where she is kidnapped and mind-wiped by two mysterious rogues, and later transformed into 'Dark Rukia'. She is also present in both of the original video animation
s produced in the series, helping Ichigo in Memories in the Rain and combating the rogue Soul Reaper Baishin in The Sealed Sword Frenzy. In Rock Musical Bleach, a musical based on the Bleach series, she is played by Miki Satō
. In the Bleach video games, Rukia is a playable character in every game, including the Heat the Soul
and Blade Battlers
series. In some games, her human form and Soul Reaper state are available as separate characters, while Dark Rukia is playable in Heat the Soul 6 and Heat the Soul 7.
popularity polls for the series, placing in the top five most popular characters in all four polls. She was ranked as the second most popular character after Ichigo in the first two polls, and fell to third place in the third poll, being replaced by Tōshirō Hitsugaya
. In early 2008, she was voted the second most popular character in Bleach, receiving 383 votes less than the front runner, Tōshirō Hitsugaya. Her zanpakutō, Sode no Shirayuki, ranked 2nd in the zanpakutō popularity poll of the series. The Japanese music distributor Recochoku has made two annual survey of which anime characters that people would like to marry. Rukia ranked 4th in the category "The Character I Want to Be My Bride" from the 2009 survey. In a 2007 character poll from the Japanese magazine Newtype
magazine character polls, Rukia has been featured as one of the most popular female characters from any anime. She has also appeared twice in the Anime Grand Prix polls, ranking as one of the most popular female anime characters.
Merchandise based on Rukia's appearance has been released, including a key chain, a plush doll, and a figurine. Fumiko Orikasa
, Rukia's Japanese voice actor, liked how Rukia was developed while fighting against the arrancar, noting her to be a hero during her introductions. However, she was saddened by how after Rukia defeats the first arrancar, she is instantly stabbed by the arrancar Grimmjow. Michelle Ruff
, Rukia's English voice actress, found Rukia to be a "survivor", due to how lonely she initially was and how she has been developed through the anime series as she had to start trusting people. She also liked how cool Rukia is when she is fighting but noted it challenging how to voice Rukia due to her various attitudes. Ruff was the winner in the category "Best Voice Actress (English)" from the 2009 SPJA Industry Awards for her work as Rukia. Rukia also won in the category "Best Female Character" based on her appearances on Bleach: Memories of Nobody
.
Several publications for manga, anime, video games, and other related media have provided praise and criticism on Rukia's character. Although Chris Beveridge from Mania Entertainment noted Rukia's introduction in Bleach was typical in several others series, he praised how she interacted with her schoolmates and Ichigo. Anime News Network
's (ANN) Melissa Harper praised the differences between Rukia and stereotypical shōnen heroines, asserting that Rukia's loss of her powers and subsequent dependence on Ichigo were "a great source of both drama and comedy in the show." However, the removal of the humor from Rukia's scenes as a schoolgirl due to the English translation was lamented, although Ruff was extolled for doing an "excellent job." Carlos Alexandre from popcultureshock.com regarded her as "less of a foil to Ichigo and more like the other side of the same coin". Her actions and words were also commented by Alexendre to make Rukia deserve the respect she commands. IGN
called the scene where Rukia is forced to leave Ichigo Kurosaki
and return to Soul Society as "touchingly beautiful" and celebrated Rukia's character development during her time in the human world. Her subsequent appearances in Soul Society were criticized by ANN's Theron Martin due to her lack of activity making them "irritating given how strong a character she was in the series' early going".
is a fictional character
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
and manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series Bleach
Bleach (manga)
is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Noriaki "Tite" Kubo. Bleach follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki after he obtains the powers of a —a death personification similar to the Grim Reaper—from another Soul Reaper, Rukia Kuchiki...
created by Tite Kubo
Tite Kubo
, known by his pen name , is a Japanese manga artist. His most significant work is the manga series Bleach.-Biography:Kubo was the son of a town council member in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima. He never took drawing seriously until he was 17, and after reading the manga Saint Seiya which...
. In the series, Rukia is a Soul Reaper in charge of slaying evil spirits known as Hollows. At the beginning, after a brief meeting with the main protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the series, Ichigo Kurosaki
Ichigo Kurosaki
is a fictional character in the anime and manga franchise Bleach by Tite Kubo. He is the story's main character. The series begins with Ichigo receiving Soul Reaper powers as a result of a run-in with Rukia Kuchiki, the Soul Reaper assigned to patrol his city, Karakura Town...
, who can see supernatural beings such as Soul Reapers, she is forced to give him her powers in order to fulfill her duties as a Soul Reaper. Rukia has appeared in several other pieces of Bleach media, including the three featured films in the series, the two original video animation
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
s, and several video games.
Rukia was one of the first characters of the series created by Kubo, her design being the one he decided to use for all the other Soul Reapers. Reaction to Rukia's character is generally positive. Her differences from typical shōnen
Shonen
The term refers to manga marketed to a male audience aged roughly 10 and up. The Kanji characters literally mean "few" and "year", respectively, where the characters generally mean "comic"...
heroines is praised, as is her interaction with other characters. Rukia usually ranks second in Weekly Shōnen Jump
Weekly Shonen Jump
is a weekly shōnen manga anthology published in Japan by Shueisha under the Jump line of magazines. The first issue was released with a cover date of July 2, 1968, and it is still circulating. One of the longest-running manga magazines in Japan, it has a circulation of 2.8 million copies...
s Bleach popularity polls. Several pieces of merchandise have been released in Rukia's likeness, including a plush doll and a figurine.
Creation and conception
Bleach was first conceived from Tite Kubo's desire to draw a shinigamiShinigami
is the personification of death in Japan. It's unclear when the concept entered Japanese culture; it may have been imported from China , or possibly been imported from Europe during the Sengoku era—that period in European history featured a common motif of the Grim Reaper gathering souls...
in a kimono
Kimono
The is a Japanese traditional garment worn by men, women and children. The word "kimono", which literally means a "thing to wear" , has come to denote these full-length robes...
, which formed the basis for the design of the Soul Reapers. Because of this, Rukia was one of the first characters of the series to be created. Before deciding that every Soul Reaper had swords, Kubo thought that they all should use guns while only Rukia used a scythe. However, this was changed as he created the Soul Reaper kimono. Kubo also mentioned that Rukia did not seem like a lead character, so he created Ichigo Kurosaki
Ichigo Kurosaki
is a fictional character in the anime and manga franchise Bleach by Tite Kubo. He is the story's main character. The series begins with Ichigo receiving Soul Reaper powers as a result of a run-in with Rukia Kuchiki, the Soul Reaper assigned to patrol his city, Karakura Town...
to be the series protagonist. Ichigo's initial design had black hair like Rukia; Kubo had to modify Ichigo's appearance to contrast with hers, giving Ichigo orange hair and a trademark scowl.
As for her name, Kubo stated that, because Rukia looks like a shinigami, he wanted her name to sound like a shinigamis name. When deciding upon her family name he considered using because it sounded like a name a shinigami would have, and then decided to use . He adds that he once heard something that sounded like "Kuchiki Rukia" on Japanese television, and liked it enough to use it as a name. Her first name was conceived as a result of Kubo hearing the Latin name for cosmos
Cosmos (flower)
Cosmos is a genus, with the same common name of Cosmos, of about 20–26 species of annual and perennial plants in the family Asteraceae.-Range:...
on television, and later decided that the name really suited her since the Latin word from which her name is derived means "light" and Kubo sees her as "a ray of light for Ichigo." Shonen Jump
Shonen Jump (magazine)
Shonen Jump, officially stylized SHONEN JUMP and abbreviated SJ, is a shōnen manga anthology published in North America by Viz Media. It debuted in November 2002 with the first issue having a January 2003 cover date...
asked in an interview if Kubo had any plans to make Ichigo and Rukia a couple, but Kubo chose neither to confirm nor deny it. After designing Rukia's zanpakutō, Kubo noted he liked it a lot and made it to be the most beautiful one from the series.
When Kubo was asked to make a cover with a female character during Christmas, Kubo initially thought of using Rukia; he later changed to use Orihime Inoue
Orihime Inoue
is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Bleach created by Tite Kubo. She is a classmate and friend of Ichigo Kurosaki, the main character of the series. Like many other friends of Ichigo, she quickly develops spiritual powers of her own after Ichigo becomes a Soul Reaper...
as he thought Orihime was more suitable for such role. However, Kubo commented he previously made a Christmas illustration with Rukia, and that he received request by several fans wanting to see the image. In contrast to this Kubo has found he liked Rukia more in the illustrations in which her face expresses pain such as when she is going to be executed in the manga.
In Bleach
Rukia first meets Ichigo KurosakiIchigo Kurosaki
is a fictional character in the anime and manga franchise Bleach by Tite Kubo. He is the story's main character. The series begins with Ichigo receiving Soul Reaper powers as a result of a run-in with Rukia Kuchiki, the Soul Reaper assigned to patrol his city, Karakura Town...
in the midst of a hollow attack. After she is heavily injured by the hollow, Rukia is forced to transfer her Soul Reaper powers to Ichigo so that he can kill the hollow and save their lives and his family. While he succeeds, Rukia is left too weak to return to Soul Society, and lives with Ichigo in the human world, intending to stay until her powers are restored. Therefore, her only ability then is her kidō
Kido
- People :* Kido Takayoshi , was a prominent Japanese politician of the Meiji Government* Akiyuki Kido , is a Japanese ice dancer* Kōichi Kido , was a minister of the Cabinet of Japan during World War II...
spells, which are severely limited in strength and variety. She uses her kidō for such purposes as restraining, healing, or attacking others. Because of the amount of time she spends with Ichigo, Rukia has been able to gain a keen understanding of his inner workings. Rukia's relationship with Ichigo is unique, for despite the relatively short amount of time they have known each other, Ichigo can easily confide in her and considers her a true friend because she is encouraging and understands what he is feeling.During her time in the human world, Rukia remains unaccounted for in Soul Society, so Byakuya Kuchiki
Byakuya Kuchiki
is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Bleach created by Tite Kubo. He is the captain of the 6th Division in the Gotei 13. His lieutenant is Renji Abarai.-Character outline:...
and Renji Abarai
Renji Abarai
is a fictional character and major figure in the anime and manga series Bleach created by Tite Kubo. He is the lieutenant of the 6th Division in the Gotei 13 under captain Byakuya Kuchiki.- Personality :Renji is about as eccentric as any other Soul Reaper...
are sent to find her and return her to the Soul Society. They succeed, and upon their return Rukia is sentenced to death for giving her Soul Reaper powers to a human. Ichigo ultimately arrives in Soul Society in time to stop her execution, and tries to get her to safety.
During the arc, Rukia's past is explored. She died as an infant and was sent to Soul Society with her older sister, Hisana. Though Hisana initially tried to protect and provide for Rukia, she could not ensure her own survival while caring for a baby as well, and thus abandoned Rukia. As Rukia grew up, she befriended Renji Abarai, and entered the Soul Reaper academy, where she was adopted into the Kuchiki family. One year prior to the adoption, Hisana died after asking her husband, Byakuya Kuchiki, to find and adopt Rukia as his sister. This remains unknown to Rukia until Byakuya confesses it to her. When she was accepted into the 13th Division, Rukia befriended the lieutenant of her division, Kaien Shiba, and trained under him. During the course of a mission Kaien was possessed by a hollow and Rukia killed Kaien to protect herself.
Sosuke Aizen
is a fictional character and formerly the main antagonist in the anime and manga series Bleach created by Tite Kubo. He is the captain of the 5th Division when he is first introduced, but later betrays the Soul Society and becomes the series' main antagonist...
and his accomplices. Aizen, having singlehandedly orchestrated Rukia's execution, reveals to her that within her soul is stored the Hōgyoku ("breakdown sphere"), a powerful artifact created and placed there by Kisuke Urahara that gives hollows Soul Reaper powers and vice versa. Wanting the Hōgyoku for himself, Aizen hoped that her death would give him access to it, but settles for a nonfatal alternative. The Hōgyoku is removed from her body, Aizen and his men flee Soul Society, and Rukia is acquitted of all charges. With the Hōgyoku, Aizen is able to create an army of arrancar, which he uses to attack Ichigo and his friends once they return to the human world. Rukia and a group of other Soul Reapers are sent to assist in fighting the arrancar, though after Aizen captures Orihime Inoue
Orihime Inoue
is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Bleach created by Tite Kubo. She is a classmate and friend of Ichigo Kurosaki, the main character of the series. Like many other friends of Ichigo, she quickly develops spiritual powers of her own after Ichigo becomes a Soul Reaper...
they are recalled to Soul Society. Rukia's zanpaku-tō, , . is also revealed as a completely white blade, earning it the recognition as the most beautiful zanpakutō in Soul Society. Sode no Shirayuki utilizes ice to attack, each of its abilities being labeled as "dances" by Rukia.. During the anime's 13th season, Sode no Shirayuki manifests in a yukionna-like form, voiced by Mie Sonozaki
Mie Sonozaki
is a Japanese voice actress and singer represented by Remax.-Television animation:* Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto * Beyblade 2002 * Bleach * Burst Angel * Comic Party...
.
Unwilling to give up Orihime to Aizen, Rukia goes to Hueco Mundo with Ichigo to rescue her. While there, Rukia encounters the Espada, Aaroniero Arruruerie, who is revealed to have possession of Kaien's body. Saddened that she had not saved her mentor from the control of a hollow as she had previously thought, Rukia manages to kill Aaroniero. Rukia is badly injured during the battle, and it is not until Soul Society sends reinforcements to Hueco Mundo that she is revived and her wounds are healed. She later assists Ichigo in his rescue to save Orihime from the Espada Ulquiorra Cifer by engaging the remaining Arrancars until requiring support. Following Aizen's defeat and the loss of Ichigo's Soul Reaper powers, Rukia and Ichigo bid one another farewell as Ichigo loses the ability to sense Rukia's presence. Seventeen months later, Rukia, now lieutenant of 13th Division, returns to aid in restoring Ichigo's Soul Reaper powers. She then engages Riruka Dokugamine, one of the people that have stolen Ichigo's own powers.
In other media
Rukia has made several appearances outside of the Bleach anime and manga. She appears in all of the featured films in the series: she fights the Dark Ones with other Soul Reaper comrades in Bleach: Memories of NobodyBleach: Memories of Nobody
Bleach: Memories of Nobody is a 2006 animated film adaptation of the anime and manga series Bleach. Directed by Noriyuki Abe and written by Masashi Sogo, the film was first released in Japanese theaters on December 16, 2006. The DVD was released in Japan on September 5, 2007...
and aids in the search for Tōshirō Hitsugaya
Toshiro Hitsugaya
is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Bleach created by Tite Kubo. In the series, Hitsugaya is the captain of the 10th Division in the Gotei 13, a group of Soul Reapers protecting Soul Society. His lieutenant is Rangiku Matsumoto...
in Bleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion
Bleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion
is the second animated film adaptation of the anime and manga series Bleach. The film is directed by Noriyuki Abe and co-written by Michiko Yokote and Masahiro Ōkubo, and the theatrical release was on December 22, 2007. The theme music for the movie is by Sambomaster...
. Rukia is also given the main focus role in the third movie, Bleach: Fade to Black, I Call Your Name
Bleach: Fade to Black, I Call Your Name
is the third animated film adaptation of the anime and manga series Bleach. Directed by Noriyuki Abe, the film was released December 13, 2008. The film's theme music was "Koyoi, Tsuki wa Miezu Tomo", performed by Porno Graffiti and its screenplay was written by Natsuko Takahashi, who is a...
where she is kidnapped and mind-wiped by two mysterious rogues, and later transformed into 'Dark Rukia'. She is also present in both of the original video animation
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
s produced in the series, helping Ichigo in Memories in the Rain and combating the rogue Soul Reaper Baishin in The Sealed Sword Frenzy. In Rock Musical Bleach, a musical based on the Bleach series, she is played by Miki Satō
Miki Sato
Miki Satō born April 15, 1980 in Fukushima Prefecture is a Japanese actress. She has appeared in the musical Bleach.Her name means "beautiful and precious".-Musical:* Bleach Jump festa as Rukia Kuchiki...
. In the Bleach video games, Rukia is a playable character in every game, including the Heat the Soul
Bleach: Heat the Soul (series)
The series is a series of 3-D cel-shaded fighting games for the PSP based on the popular manga and anime series Bleach by Tite Kubo. Each installment is developed by Eighting and published by SCEI. All installments have been released only in Japan....
and Blade Battlers
Bleach: Blade Battlers (series)
The is a series of fighting games released only in Japan for the PlayStation 2 based on the manga and anime Bleach by Tite Kubo. There are two games in the series, both developed by Racjin and designed by SCEI. Both games became best-sellers in Japan....
series. In some games, her human form and Soul Reaper state are available as separate characters, while Dark Rukia is playable in Heat the Soul 6 and Heat the Soul 7.
Reception
Rukia has ranked highly in the Weekly Shōnen JumpWeekly Shonen Jump
is a weekly shōnen manga anthology published in Japan by Shueisha under the Jump line of magazines. The first issue was released with a cover date of July 2, 1968, and it is still circulating. One of the longest-running manga magazines in Japan, it has a circulation of 2.8 million copies...
popularity polls for the series, placing in the top five most popular characters in all four polls. She was ranked as the second most popular character after Ichigo in the first two polls, and fell to third place in the third poll, being replaced by Tōshirō Hitsugaya
Toshiro Hitsugaya
is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Bleach created by Tite Kubo. In the series, Hitsugaya is the captain of the 10th Division in the Gotei 13, a group of Soul Reapers protecting Soul Society. His lieutenant is Rangiku Matsumoto...
. In early 2008, she was voted the second most popular character in Bleach, receiving 383 votes less than the front runner, Tōshirō Hitsugaya. Her zanpakutō, Sode no Shirayuki, ranked 2nd in the zanpakutō popularity poll of the series. The Japanese music distributor Recochoku has made two annual survey of which anime characters that people would like to marry. Rukia ranked 4th in the category "The Character I Want to Be My Bride" from the 2009 survey. In a 2007 character poll from the Japanese magazine Newtype
Newtype (magazine)
is a monthly magazine publication originating from Japan, covering anime and manga . It was launched by publishing company Kadokawa Shoten on March 8, 1985 with its April issue, and has since seen regular release on the 10th of every month in its home country...
magazine character polls, Rukia has been featured as one of the most popular female characters from any anime. She has also appeared twice in the Anime Grand Prix polls, ranking as one of the most popular female anime characters.
Merchandise based on Rukia's appearance has been released, including a key chain, a plush doll, and a figurine. Fumiko Orikasa
Fumiko Orikasa
is a Japanese voice actress and singer who works for Atomic Monkey. Her record label is Geneon Entertainment. Shopping is one of her hobbies. She is a skilled dancer, and is referred to as "Oririn" by fellow voice actors and fans. She also performed a fair number of anime insert and character image...
, Rukia's Japanese voice actor, liked how Rukia was developed while fighting against the arrancar, noting her to be a hero during her introductions. However, she was saddened by how after Rukia defeats the first arrancar, she is instantly stabbed by the arrancar Grimmjow. Michelle Ruff
Michelle Ruff
Michelle Suzanne Ruff is an American voice actress known for her work in anime and video games.-Anime roles:* Angel Tales - Akane the fox* Ai Yori Aoshi - Aoi Sakuraba* Arc the Lad - Meril...
, Rukia's English voice actress, found Rukia to be a "survivor", due to how lonely she initially was and how she has been developed through the anime series as she had to start trusting people. She also liked how cool Rukia is when she is fighting but noted it challenging how to voice Rukia due to her various attitudes. Ruff was the winner in the category "Best Voice Actress (English)" from the 2009 SPJA Industry Awards for her work as Rukia. Rukia also won in the category "Best Female Character" based on her appearances on Bleach: Memories of Nobody
Bleach: Memories of Nobody
Bleach: Memories of Nobody is a 2006 animated film adaptation of the anime and manga series Bleach. Directed by Noriyuki Abe and written by Masashi Sogo, the film was first released in Japanese theaters on December 16, 2006. The DVD was released in Japan on September 5, 2007...
.
Several publications for manga, anime, video games, and other related media have provided praise and criticism on Rukia's character. Although Chris Beveridge from Mania Entertainment noted Rukia's introduction in Bleach was typical in several others series, he praised how she interacted with her schoolmates and Ichigo. Anime News Network
Anime News Network
Anime News Network is an anime industry news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, Japanese popular music and other otaku-related culture within North America, Australia and Japan. Additionally, it sometimes features similar happenings throughout the Anglosphere and elsewhere in the...
's (ANN) Melissa Harper praised the differences between Rukia and stereotypical shōnen heroines, asserting that Rukia's loss of her powers and subsequent dependence on Ichigo were "a great source of both drama and comedy in the show." However, the removal of the humor from Rukia's scenes as a schoolgirl due to the English translation was lamented, although Ruff was extolled for doing an "excellent job." Carlos Alexandre from popcultureshock.com regarded her as "less of a foil to Ichigo and more like the other side of the same coin". Her actions and words were also commented by Alexendre to make Rukia deserve the respect she commands. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
called the scene where Rukia is forced to leave Ichigo Kurosaki
Ichigo Kurosaki
is a fictional character in the anime and manga franchise Bleach by Tite Kubo. He is the story's main character. The series begins with Ichigo receiving Soul Reaper powers as a result of a run-in with Rukia Kuchiki, the Soul Reaper assigned to patrol his city, Karakura Town...
and return to Soul Society as "touchingly beautiful" and celebrated Rukia's character development during her time in the human world. Her subsequent appearances in Soul Society were criticized by ANN's Theron Martin due to her lack of activity making them "irritating given how strong a character she was in the series' early going".