For decades, shōnen anime and manga have dominated the industry, shaping generations with their larger-than-life heroes and epic battles. However, female characters often existed only on the sidelines or with little character development or depth. Typically, they served as supportive figures, love interests, or archetypes defined by beauty or vulnerability.

Any opportunities for depth, agency, and complexity were often rare and instead handed to male leads. Yet, there is one character that stands out for defying the norms and subverting expectations in the early 2000s. Rukia Kuchiki from Bleach combined strength, intelligence, and emotional complexity in a way that forever changed the genre.

Rukia Stands Out as One of Anime’s Most Iconic Characters

Rukia Kuchiki makes her entrance

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