Ichigo VA Masakazu Morita shares his best memories of working on BLEACH: Thousand Year Blood War.

Key Takeaways

• Voice actor Masakazu Morita reflects on working with BLEACH creator Taito Kubo on the Thousand Year Blood War arc.
• Morita's evolving approach to voicing Ichigo includes using a deeper voice and aiming to better embody the character.
• Valuable interactions with fans, such as inspiring them to become firefighters, motivate Morita's performance as Ichigo.

The 2024 New York Comic Con took place in October, and one of the most exciting draws was Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War A panel in which the voice actors of characters from Tite Kubo's masterpiece talk about their experience working on the climactic final arc of the series. The series is having a great time touring across the United States in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the anime adaptation, and Masakazu Morita, who voices series protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki, spoke to VIZ Media about his perspective and favorite memories from working on it. that thousand year blood clot arc, at the LA Fireside Chat event, veteran seiyu spoke about how his voice has grown and changed over the 20 years he has been involved in production.

Best memories from Morita's work Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War It's something that puts a smile on the faces of fans, especially those who felt scorned. bleach Animation was originally covered. So what was your favorite thing about Ichigo’s return? bleach?

Mr. Kubo's Intervention

Morita likes receiving guidance from BLEACH writers

Morita's thoughts on his best memories from his work Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War The question was asked, ‘What was the most memorable discovery you made while dubbing?’ Bleach: Thousand Year Blood WarThere was no direct answer to the question, as one cannot exactly say 'discovery' what he likes the most, but what he enjoys most about being involved in the project is the involvement of series creator Taito Kubo.

According to Morita, Kubo was closely involved in the production side of things, attending recording sessions for the Part 1 series which he attended remotely, and was physically present in the studio for all voice recordings. For Morita, being able to ask Kubo questions directly during the recording sessions was a “huge help.”

At the LA Fireside Chat event held at Japan House in Los Angeles earlier this month, Morita answered questions about changes in his vocal range and his approach to Ichigo's voice. Initially, the voice was created to fit the character, but at the time, Morita did not feel that he was actually embodying the character.

Although he doesn't feel like his performance has been perfected yet, he feels closer to the character's ideal voice and has used the iconic “BAN-KAI” line (with the absolutely necessary dramatic pause between syllables that is Ichigo's essence). To show how his voice reaches a lower register than before.

“I believe you all have an Uryu deep inside your heart, Ichigo and Rukia. So I will continue to work hard this season and next season and I hope BLEACH finds a place in your hearts. Your heart forever.”

– Masakazu Morita, the voice actor of Ichigo Kurosaki, the main character of Bleach

Morita's most precious moment

WHAT FANS GET FROM BLEACH

During the aforementioned LA fireside chat, Morita shared a few words with fans of the series, recalling various moments with them at Anime Expo 2023 that he greatly cherished and appreciated. Fans enthusiastically told him they had been watching him. bleach They grew up inspired by the series' characters from a young age, and went on to dedicate their lives to protecting, caring, and being a guiding light for others.

While signing autographs at AX 2023, a large man approached Morita, and Morita looked up at the man with tears in his eyes. Because his decision to become a firefighter was inspired by Ichigo's passionate desire to protect those close to him and his incompetence. If you feel like someone is in danger, look away. For Morita, there has been no better moment than having this kind of interaction with fans of the series in his 20 years of playing Ichigo Kurosaki, and he's using that positive energy to boost his performance as the iconic character going forward.

The currently airing BLEACH: Thousand Year Bloodbath Part 3 is available on Hulu and Disney+.