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| Image via Pierrot |
Kugo Ginjo first appeared in Bleach during the Lost Substitute Shinigami arc as the main villain. He later showed up again in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc.
As the leader of the Fullbringer group, Xcution, Ginjo held a unique position in the story. Before Ichigo Kurosaki, he was the very first Substitute Shinigami.
Ginjo wasn’t purely evil, but his actions made him seem like a villain. He initially approached Ichigo, who had lost his powers and offered to help him awaken his Fullbring abilities.
However, he had hidden motives, making his character more complex and morally unclear.
The Tragic History of Kugo Ginjo in Bleach
Kugo Ginjo was the first Substitute Soul Reaper in the Soul Society before Ichigo in Bleach. He was also born as a Fullbringer because a Hollow had attacked his parents, leaving behind traces of its power in them.
When Ginjo was given the title of Substitute Soul Reaper, he received a badge, just like Ichigo, as a way to prove his identity.
Jushiro Ukitake, the captain of the 13th Division in the Gotei 13, gave Ginjo a special badge. During that time, Ginjo also met a young Fullbringer named Shukuro Tsukishima.
Seeing that Tsukishima was lonely, Ginjo encouraged him to join him, and Tsukishima agreed. From that moment on, Ginjo took Tsukishima under his wing, teaching him how to fight and use his Fullbring abilities.
Later, Ginjo uncovered the badge’s true purpose. It wasn’t just a symbol of his position, it was a tracking device. It monitored his movements and could even influence his actions.
Worse, the badge had the power to control and suppress his spiritual pressure. Ginjo realized that becoming a Substitute Shinigami had only made him a tool in a greater scheme.
The Tsunayashiro Clan was using him to collect Soul King fragments from fallen Fullbringers. Tokinada Tsunayashiro had secretly placed surveillance on the badge to keep an eye on Ginjo and his Fullbringer allies.
Things took a dark turn when the Tsunayashiro family launched a brutal attack on the Fullbringers, wiping many of them out. Enraged, Ginjo fought back, killing the Shinigami assassins sent after him.
He believed that Ukitake had betrayed him personally, and that sense of betrayal pushed him over the edge.
Becoming a Shinigami had once been a proud moment for Ginjo, but now, he felt lost and broken.
Filled with anger, he abandoned his role and began attacking other Shinigami, trying to gain more power to enhance his Fullbring. Eventually, he vanished from the Soul Society without a trace.
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| Image via Pierrot |
Kugo Ginjo Makes His Mark in the Series
Ginjo first shows up in the Bleach anime in episode 343, right after the Gotei 13 Invading Army arc. He plays the main villain in the Lost Substitute Shinigami arc. At the start of this arc, Ginjo and Ichigo meet for the first time.
Ginjo walks into Ikumi's shop, asking about Ichigo’s father, Isshin Kurosaki. He hints that there are secrets about Ichigo’s family that he doesn’t know yet.
This was all part of Ginjo’s plan to get Ichigo to trust him. To make his act more convincing, he attacks Uryu, who is already chasing Tsukishima.
Later, he even attacks Tsukishima himself to make it seem like he is on Ichigo’s side. Ginjo and his group of Fullbringers tell Ichigo that they want to help him regain his lost powers.
As the story moves forward, Ginjo's true motives are revealed. He was never really helping Ichigo—his real goal was to make Ichigo fully awaken his Fullbring, only to steal it later.
Ginjo wanted to absorb Ichigo’s power for himself and use it to take revenge on the Soul Society, which he believed had betrayed him.
But things don’t go as he planned. The Soul Reapers arrive, and Ichigo regains his Shinigami powers. With his Fullbring now enhancing his abilities, he fights Ginjo and defeats him.
Even though Ginjo was an enemy, his story doesn’t end there. In the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, he and Tsukishima return to help Ichigo.
They are brought to the Soul Palace, where they fight alongside him to settle their past debts. Tsukishima even helps Orihime restore Ichigo’s broken Bankai as a way of paying back what he owed.
Final Thoughts
Even though Kugo Ginjo is shown as a villain, he has his own reasons for what he did. His story reveals the darker side of the Soul Society, making it hard to call him completely evil. There are clear reasons behind his actions, which add depth to his character.
As the Thousand-Year Blood War arc continues, fans are still waiting to see how Ginjo will contribute to the story. Many are also hoping for a redemption arc where he makes peace with Ichigo.
