Bleach is a classic action shonen series that stars Ichigo Kurosaki as the hero, but he couldn't have gotten this far without the help of Rukia Kuchiki, a black-robed Soul Reaper who lent him her powers one fateful night. Ever since then, Rukia has played a major role in the story, and she's had more than a few moments of glory.
What is Rukia capable of? She has a zanpakuto capable of shikai, and she can use advanced kido spells, too. And as a proper shonen hero, Rukia starts the series with some powers at her disposal, and she grows stronger and learns new abilities. But even then, she's got a few weaknesses too, and all this makes her a well-balanced character.
10 STRENGTH: Rukia's Affinity For Kido Spells
Rukia may not be on the same level as kido experts like Kisuke Uarahra or her foster brother Byakuya Kuchiki, but overall, Rukia has a distinct talent for kido spells. She relies heavily on them during combat against the vicious Arrancar and later, the Sternritters.
In fact, Rukia was proficient at kido even as a street urchin in the Rukongai district, and she dazzled her friends with her remarkable ability to manifest and control spirit energy, despite having no formal training at the time.
9 WEAKNESS: Rukia Needs To Speak Kido Incantations
By default, kido spells require a poetic incantation to be spoken aloud before being cast, and this takes some time. Kido spells are a bit slow to cast as a result, and Rukia has not yet reached a level where she can skip the incantations.
By contrast, experts like Captain Sosuke Aizen and Byakuya can bypass the incantation and cast the spell quickly. Rukia, however, is in no position to just skip the incantation. She needs to buy herself some time before casting those spells.
8 STRENGTH: She Is Clever With Kido
Fortunately, Rukia has a clever mind, and she has realized that there are ways to deal with her incantation drawback when using kido spells. For example, Rukia might mutter the incantation under her breath before a fight starts, so her opponent doesn't realize what's happening until it's too late.
What is more, Rukia has learned to speak two incantations at once, so she can fire one kido spell, then immediately use another. She did this while fighting Aaroniero Arurruerie, casting Riku Jokoto and then an explosive kido spell right after.
7 WEAKNESS: Her (Formerly) Cold Relationship With Byakuya
Rukia's big sister Hisana had been Byakuya's wife, and her dying wish was for Byakuya to find and adopt Rukia. Byakuya fulfilled Hisana's wish, but only by the letter. He didn't personally care much for Rukia, and he largely ignored her. He was preoccupied with the law and his late wife's memory.
Rukia didn't receive many words of encouragement from Byakuya; in fact, she almost feared him. Poor Rukia missed out on a lot of emotional support that could have accelerated her growth as a Soul Reaper, and she had to rely only on herself and her trainers.
6 STRENGTH: Byakuya's New Respect For Rukia
Fortunately, Byakuya's and Rukia's relationship underwent some changes, such as during the Soul Society arc. By the end of that arc, Rukia and Byakuya were on good terms again, and this greatly motivated Rukia as a Soul Reaper. The fire had been stoked in her heart.
Later, during the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, Rukia was able to defeat Sternritter As Nodt because Byakuya supported her, and helped walk her through the use of Hakka no Togame (her new bankai). Having a caring big sibling can make all the difference.
5 WEAKNESS: Her Mediocre Sword Skills
Rukia is a fully-fledged Soul Reaper and she knows her duty, but swordplay really isn't her forte. Some Soul Reapers, such as Captain Hitsugaya and Byakuya, are a master of the sword. Rukia simply can't keep up.
In fact, Rukia admitted this to herself, during a flashback while fighting Aaroniero. She always favored kido spells and shikai, and her conventional sword skills were not up to snuff. Without the aid of kido, Rukia may get overwhelmed in combat before long.
4 STRENGTH: Rukia's Tough But Kind Personality
Some Soul Reapers, such as Captain Kenpachi Zaraki, are simply thugs, while others, such as Hanataro, are rather meek and gentle. Rukia strikes a perfect balance, being a no-nonsense Soul Reaper who deeply cares for others.
Rukia is sharp and professional, and she can easily use her tough personality to keep Ichigo in shape and focus him on the mission at hand. But she is also compassionate and gentle, and that makes her a great friend to Orihime Inoue.
3 WEAKNESS: Her Guilt Concerning Kaien Shiba's Death
One night, Kaien Shiba of squad 13 went out of control. Why? He was possessed by Metastacia, an experimental Hollow that Aizen had created, and Rukia had no choice but to dispatch Kaien with her own two hands.
Rukia was wracked with guilt ever since, especially Kaien had been a gifted and popular Soul Reaper. This guilt soured her relationship with the entire Shiba family, and up to a point, it weakened her resolve while fighting Aaroniero.
2 STRENGTH: Rukia Has Kaien's Heart
To Rukia's credit, she has learned how to turn many of her weaknesses into strengths, and that includes her tragic memories with Kaien Shiba. Before his death, Kaien had told Rukia that the heart that formed between them could outlast his death.
Rukia remembered that when Aaroniero had her back to the wall, and at last, her guilt over Kaien's death was gone for good. She used the strength of Kaien's heart to strengthen her resolve, and she finally slew Aaroniero once and for all.
1 WEAKNESS: Rukia's Gigai Body
This is an issue that affected Rukia during the show's first season. Once she gave her Soul Reaper powers to Ichigo, Rukia had almost no power left for herself, and she had to inhabit a gigai, or artificial body.
That gigai was sapping what little spiritual power Rukia had left, and she struggled to cast her kido spells, even when she spoke the incantation. During Season 1, Rukia was mainly a coach and strategist for Ichigo and his friend Chad, rather than a fellow fighter. Rukia certainly found this frustrating.