When it comes to the smash hit anime/manga franchise Bleach, there's no shortage of popular characters in the fandom. It's not limited to Ichigo and his friends; many fans love Grimmjow or Ulquiorra, Yoruichi, or the ice-wielding child Captain, Toshiro Hitsugaya. This boy is a fan favorite, from his unique appearance to his cool-guy attitude and impressive ice-based zanpakuto, Hyorinmaru.
A lot of fan art and fan fiction are based on Toshiro, and while it's easy to see that he's an ice user in combat, there's more to his character than "that kid with the ice dragon." When you consider every aspect of his character, it's clear that a lot of effort was put into his design. What are 10 things that make Toshiro who he is?
10 He's a child prodigy
Toshiro Hitsugaya is the youngest Captain to ever stand in the Gotei 13, and this boy didn't get that rank through nepotism. He earned it, and Toshiro ranks among the most powerful fighters in all of Bleach. He stood up to Tier Halibel, one of the most powerful hollows alive, and nearly matched her blow for blow during the battle over the fake Karakura Town. He also dealt a serious blow to the temporary Sexta Espada, Luppi Antenor. He's a hollow hunter all the way.
9 He's a strict one
Toshiro is mature beyond his years. While he still has his childish side (more on that later), most observers will see a boy who's more mature than most of his grown peers! While Shunsui Kyoraku goofs off and Ukitake acts more like a cool uncle, Toshiro is all business while he's on the clock, and no doubt it's inspiring to his subordinates. It's really just his personality, and yes, that means he clashes with the free-spirited Rangiku Matsumoto more than once! They're still good friends, though, and each would give their life for the other.
8 He Met Rangiku as a civilian
Not only are Hitsugaya and Rangiku adorable on screen together, but their relationship predates Toshiro's Soul Reaper days. A one-shot from the author depicts Hitsugaya's earlier life, when his inner ice power, Hyorinmaru, longed to be released, and it kept manifesting itself at random. One day, Rangiku met him at a shop, and urged him to join the Gotei 13 and put those powers to good use. Rangiku was already a member of Squad 10 at the time, serving under the one and only Isshin Shiba.
7 He's Momo's friend
There's a good reason Hitsugaya and Momo hang out together on screen: they're childhood friends! The one-shot manga chapter described above also shows how Momo was Hitsugaya's friend in those days, and she went ahead of him to enroll at the Soul Reaper Academy. Hitsugaya wished her the best, but for a time, had no interest in joining, too. Much later, Hitsugaya was nearly consumed with rage when Captain Aizen exploited and nearly killed Momo, and Hitsugaya attacked Aizen for all it was worth. Hitsugaya is a bit cold at times... but he's always there for his friends, much like Ichigo himself.
6 He has an adult form
For years, many Bleach fans must have daydreamed about what a grown-up Toshiro Hitsugaya would look like. Well, wonder no more! Late in the battle against the Quincies (manga only), Hitsugaya unlocks a bonus form, where he appears as a fully grown man, with enhanced ice powers. It was a desperate move, but Hitsugaya was up against Sternritter "M" Gerard Valkyrie. It was ice vs the warrior of God, and this is not a battle to miss.
5 He's shipped with Karin
Fans love to arrange relationships with anime characters, and this act is known as "shipping." Bleach has all kinds of pairings, and even Hitsugaya gets one! He's often shipped with Karin Kurosaki, since they're kind of similar: tough, serious kids who know how to look after the people they love. The fans call it HitsuKarin, and all kinds of fan art and fan fiction depict this pairing. Rangiku must be very happy for them both!
4 His power is still developing
Toshiro is still a growing boy, and this means that his Soul Reaper powers are still growing, too. That's saying a lot, since Captain Hitsugaya is so powerful already, able to fight Espadas and survive. According to Shunsui Kyoraku, Hitsugaya's potential for growth is almost limitless, and he believes that Hitsugaya's power might exceed his own some day. Let's hope so, because the Soul Society is never short on enemies!
3 He investigated Aizen
Sosuke Aizen's treacherous plot was brilliant, but he didn't quite escape everyone's notice while carrying it out. Retsu Unohana soon realized that Aizen's dead "body" was a duplicate, and Toshiro's keen intuition set him on the path to uncover Aizen's scheme. Hitsugaya didn't have the power to actually stop his fellow Captain, but it proves Toshiro's intelligence and cunning that he caught a whiff of Aizen's plan. He and Rangiku discovered the slaughtered bodies of Central 46, and right after Aizen stabbed Momo, Hitsugaya was on the scene.
2 He led the advance team
Not only is thus boy wonder trusted with an entire Squad, but he was also appointed to lead an advance team to the World of the Living. Why? Aizen's plot was advancing fast, and Yamamoto was sure that deadly arrancars were on the way (which they were). So, the Hitsugaya Advance Team was formed, and Renji was recruited for the job, and Ikkaku and Yumichika came, too. Sensing that something fun was happening, Rangiku hopped right on board, and the Advance Team was ready!
1 He has his childish side
As mentioned earlier, Hitsugaya is mature for his age, but he's really still a kid. We can cut him some slack, though, since he's still growing, and he's got a lot of responsibilities to juggle. For one thing, every time Momo calls him by his silly childhood nickname, Toshiro responds with an even more crude name (let's not repeat it here). He sometimes loses his temper and throws mini-tantrums, and during the Advance Team's mission, he stubbornly refused to stay in a house with Rangiku and Orihime (he thought they were too loud). There he was, sitting on the roof, watching the night sky... idly complaining how hungry he was. Quit being stubborn and come inside for dinner, Captain!