The supernatural action anime Bleach is all about spirits and the afterlife, a world where Soul Reapers in black robes slay hollows and escort the souls of the dead to the afterlife, the Soul Society. Soul Reapers aren't like the Grim Reaper, though; they are like people, and Ichigo soon meets many of them during his battle to rescue Rukia. One of them is Ikkaku Madarame.
Ikkaku was one of Ichigo's first opponents during the Soul Society arc, a tough-talking member of Squad 11 with a distinct love of battle, just like his Captain. He's not the most powerful Soul Reaper, but he will never back down from a challenge, and he has grown only stronger since we first met him. Which ten vital facts best describe who he truly is?
10 He's Like Renji
This is Ikkaku in his pre-Soul Reaper days, and even then, he was a fearsome swordsman, roaming the Rukongai to find worthy opponents. He tasted defeat at Kenpachi's hands and was encouraged to survive to learn and fight again.
Now, Ikkaku idolizes Kenpachi and aspires to surpass him someday, a relationship similar to the one between Renji Abarai and Byakuya Kuchiki in Squad 6. Ikkaku and Renji also faced Ichigo as enemies during the Soul Society invasion, then became Ichigo's allies later.
9 He Dresses Casually
Ikkaku dutifully wears the black robes of Soul Reapers, but like his Captain, he doesn't always dress to the nines. Later in the series, he tore off the sleeves so he could show off those biceps, and he doesn't wear the white tabi socks that come with the Soul Reaper uniform, either.
This gives Ikkaku a casual and lean look, and it suits him. When he and the other members of the Hitsugaya Advance Team disguised themselves as high school students, Ikkaku didn't wear socks then either, and his school uniform was a bit sloppy. It's always Casual Friday for him.
8 He's Uptight
Ikkaku isn't above humor (he definitely gets some funny scenes), but to him, nothing is funny. He has dedicated his entire life to Squad 11 and his Captain, and he will quickly confront anyone or anything that gets in the way.
For example, he doesn't take well to all the "you're bald" jokes people make about him, and when Ichigo's classmates teased him, he dared them to approach and held a wooden sword at the ready. And when he visited a convenience store, he thought long and hard about the rice balls he found there. He couldn't fathom how the store stocked so many rice balls, so fast.
7 Battlefield Honor
Many of Ikkaku's defining traits revolve around his love of battle and manly things in general, and that includes his code of honor. He adopted it from Kenpachi, and even if his enemies take him lightly, he will take them seriously all the same.
Against the arrancar Edorad Leones, Ikkaku was disappointed that Edorad wouldn't announce his name at the start of the battle, but Ikkaku gave his name and rank anyway as a matter of course. He openly boasted that his sense of honor was different than his opponent's.
6 Everyday Honor
Here comes more honor. Ikkaku is not only a gracious warrior on the battlefield, but he makes sure to act in a proper and dignified manner around strangers, too. After defeating Edorad, Ikkaku was welcomed into Keigo Asano's household.
At once, Keigo's big sister Mizuho took a liking to him and gave him silly clothes to wear. Ikkaku couldn't stand them, but he didn't complain or resist, either, since that would be a serious lack of gratitude for the hospitality. Rangiku, meanwhile, was happy to be a huge burden on Orihime!
5 Self-Limiting In Battle
Ikkaku, even by Squad 11 standards, takes the honor and integrity of battle quite seriously, and like his Captain, he begins a battle at partial strength so he can draw out the fight and enjoy it longer. It's something to savor.
But Ikkaku can't get away with this as Kenpachi can. He nearly got himself killed against Edorad, and he lost to the massive arrancar Poww later on (and got yelled at for it). It seems that the time for enjoying battle is over; he just needs to win, period.
4 He And Iba Get Along
This is Tetsuzaemon Iba, Lieutenant of Squad 7 (and later its Captain). He and Ikkaku are good friends, bonding over their common interest in all things manly. Iba is styled like a typical Yakuza gangster, and by now, we certainly know what Ikkaku is like.
Both of them like to spend their free time sharing a drink, passing a gourd of sake back and forth while chatting about whatever comes to mind. They also co-author a column in the Seireitei Communication known as Many Silence. Now that sounds like fun.
3 He's Held In High Esteem
Anyone who has a bankai like that is bound to be taken seriously, and Ikkaku certainly is. He is not a Captain or a prodigy like Toshiro Hitsugaya, but many people look up to him. When Captains Aizen, Tosen, and Ichimaru defected to the hollows, Renji urged Ikkaku to claim one of the vacancy Captain slots (he declined).
Also, Yamamoto proudly said that the four pillars in the fake Karakura Town were guarded by some of the Gotei 13's "finest warriors," and that included Ikkaku. Lastly, out of respect, Iba promised not to tell anyone about Ikkaku's secret bankai until Ikkaku had a chance to perfect it.
2 He's Recklessly Brave
This probably doesn't come as a surprise, does it? Ikkaku has no fear whatsoever, and he only becomes more motivated to fight when his opponent displays overwhelming power. He basks in a good challenge and the tougher, the better.
But he will do this even at the cost of his own life, and when the arrancar Poww performed his fearsome release, Ikkaku refused to run, even when Iba tried to carry him away. He also refused to "fight like a coward"; that is, use sneak attacks. Defying death is all a part of what Ikkaku does.
1 Life Lessons
Let's expand on our first point, about Ikkaku and Kenpachi. In those days, both of them were lone swordsmen roaming the Rukongai District, looking for proper challenges, and Ikkaku saw no future except for the next fight. Then he lost to Kenpachi and was overwhelmed with shame.
In fact, Ikkaku urged Kenpachi to kill him and finish things with honor, until Kenpachi scolded him and taught him the value of his own life. With these lessons in mind, Ikkaku swore to live long enough to become more powerful and savor the fights yet to come. Though at times, as we mentioned earlier, Ikkaku goes to reckless and dangerous extremes to find those good fights. Perhaps he should review Kenpachi's lesson.