The epilogue of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War introduces fans to Ichigo and Rukia's children, and the addition of the one-shot Manga suggests that a spin-off series is in order.
Following the epic battle against King Yhwach, fans were gifted a glimpse into the future, and many were shocked at how their favourite Bleach characters paired off. Many assumed that Ichigo would end up with Rukia, but it was Inoue Orihime he waited for at the end of the aisle.
The lovebirds have raised a son together, Kazui Kurosaki, who shares a striking resemblance to his father - a mini-Berry-chan. Rukia, however, starts a family with Renji Abarai and a feisty red-headed daughter named Ichika Abarai. The children are said to have been born a decade after King Yhwach's destruction.
Kazui Kurosaki
With (mostly) human parents, it is no surprise that Kazui has spent his childhood in Karakura Town. The young boy takes after Ichigo, as a human-Shinigami hybrid with his own Zanpakuto, although its name has yet to be discovered.
He is able to interact with the remaining particles of Yhwach's Reiatsu and is rarely without his blue hoodie, which can still be seen poking out from under his traditional Shinigami robes. When dealing with lost Souls, Kazui disregards the conventional Konsō in favor of an eldritch-inspired ritual.
Ichika Abarai
In stark contrast, little Ichika has the opportunity to apprentice for the Gotei 13 whilst training under Ikakku Madarame, having been raised in Seireitei. Her Katana-shaped Zanpakuto has a lightning-bolt tsuba (hilt), the Shikai and Bankai of which are still unknown. This trouble-starter first meets Kuzai after abandoning her parents at the Bon Festival in pursuit of more exciting things. Her independent and rebellious nature often lands Ichika in trouble or danger - coming face to face with a Jigoku no Gaki and other monsters in the one-shot Manga.
Due to his upbringing in Karakura Town, the mini-Shinigami has likely not had much exposure to the supernatural realm and will undoubtedly need to look to Ichika for wisdom if the two do inevitably pair up for adventures. Much like her father, however, this power imbalance might boost her ego past the point of arrogance, causing more chaos than clarification. The youngsters appear to butt heads already, as Ichika blatantly sizes up Kazui when they first meet. However, the young boy does not seem phased, and his blasé personality appears to infuriate Ichika immensely. These brief interactions perfectly set up the humorous rapport fans hope to see between the two.
A Potential Bleach Spin-Off
Hopefully, this story will revolve around Ichika and Kazui's Shinigami training and the development of the relationships with their Zanpakutos. Neither child has performed a Bankai yet, although Ichika has had substantially more sword training, being the next generation of Gotei 13 members. Viewers will certainly gain insight into her relationship with Ikakku Madarame and a behind-the-scenes look at the Shinigami training process. Kazui's path, however, could go either way. He could possibly join his new friend as an apprentice for the Gotei 13, or he could take a leaf out of Ichigo's book and fight alongside the Shinigami whilst maintaining autonomy. The fate of these young Soul Reapers is undeniably intertwined in some shape or form, as their first encounter is the opening scene of the epilogue episode.
IchiRuki fans are gravely disappointed that their favorite main characters did not end up together but may feel a spark of hope and familiarity when watching Kuzai and Ichika together. Their banter and energy reflect that of Ichigo and Rukia, suggesting a possible romance in the future which could inadvertently satisfy those IchiRuki cravings. The one-shot Manga gives greater insights into how these two interact with each other, giving more fuel to the fires of those hoping for a spin-off series. The latest one-shot Manga also introduces the concept of the ‘Spirit Class,’ which classifies reishi based on their power and inevitably denies Captains and higher ranks from ascending into Soul Society after death. The concept of Hell is explored more deeply and will likely become a predominant theme in any upcoming Bleach releases.
The Success Story of Boruto
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations first aired in 2017, one month after Naruto's final episode was released. Many fans quickly jumped on board, eager to see what else was in store for the series. Naruto has, arguably, one of the largest fan bases - which Boruto inherited without much effort. Considering the fact that Bleach fans have waited over a decade for the next installment, one could assume that a sequel with Ichigo and Rukia's children would be just as successful as Boruto has been. Tite Kubo has already prospered from the popularity of the Bleach-inspired spin-off, Burn The Witch, so fans have faith that he can succeed once again.
Potential Disaster with Yashahime
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Kubo, however, needs to be careful not to follow in the footsteps of Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon, which was less successful. One of the gravest disappointments in Yahahime is that Inuyasha, Kagome, and Sango are absent from the storyline and, without the familiar lead characters to turn to, many fans feel this spin-off is too disjointed from the original canon. If Kubo plans on creating a Bleach sequel, one hopes that it takes inspiration from the one-shot manga, which combines both generations within the story as a whole. Yashahime admirers were further dissatisfied by the pairing of Sesshomaru and Rin, and Bleach fans shared their sentiments when Ichigo and Rukia were not matched up.