When Does Ichigo Find Out His Dad Is a Soul Reaper?

Isshin Kurosaki of Bleach is probably one of the most famous, lovably goofy anime dads in the show’s history. He embodies the trope of “silly but secretly deadly when he gets serious.” Isshin is fiercely protective of his children and runs his own medical clinic, but he has a wild past. He was the Captain of the 10th Division and a former Soul Reaper, which is no small feat. However, this isn’t revealed to Ichigo or us until late in the series. But when did Ichigo discover his dad was a Soul Reaper, why is Isshin no longer one, and did he ever regain that lost power? 

Ichigo found out about his father being a Soul Reaper in the battle of the False Karakura Town in episode 296. Isshin suddenly appeared in his Soul Reaper uniform, taking Aizen by surprise, and revealed his past to his son. Ichigo took this shocking information quite well, saying that he trusted his father had good reason to keep his past a secret. Then, the father and son fought side by side to defeat Aizen. 

There’s a lot to be said about Isshin Kurosaki, or Isshin Shiba, as is his real name. Let’s dive into his hidden past, why he kept it secret, and what Isshin’s past means for Ichigo’s identity as a human. 

Why did Isshin Kurosaki lose his powers, and how could he be human?

Isshin was born in the Soul Society as part of the noble Shiba clan, where he excelled as a Soul Reaper. Eventually, he worked his way up the ladder to become Captain of the 10th Division. Rangiku was his second-in-command. She was forced to do a lot of the work herself due to Isshin’s easygoing nature, which she didn’t enjoy as she’s quite easygoing herself. 

One day, Isshin received word of Soul Reapers going missing in Karakura town. Without telling anyone, he went to investigate himself. There, he encountered a White, a prototype Hollow experiment created by Aizen. 

The White weakened Aizen to the point where he couldn’t activate his Bankai. Aizen instantly took this opportunity to attack, as he couldn’t let Isshin get away with this information. 

At this exact moment, Isshin was rescued by Masaki Kurosaki, a Quincy. She made quick work of the White. Although Soul Reapers and Quincies are sworn enemies, Isshin thanked her and didn’t mention that he had come across a Quincy when he had to describe his encounter with the White. After this event, Masaki Kurosaki and her kindness were constantly in his mind. 

On another visit to the human world, Isshin encountered and saved Ryuken Ishida from a Hollow. Rather than gratitude, he was met with anger and contempt. Holding a passed-out Masaki, Ryuken was furious at Isshin for letting her get hurt by the White and get seriously injured. 

This is when Kisuke Urahara made an appearance and revealed to them that Masaki was undergoing hollowficaiton. Thanks to his scientific knowledge of Hollows, Kisuke told them that he could temporarily save Masaki from her fate but needed their help to cure her completely. 

Masaki’s soul was now half Hollow and half Quincy. A soul that’s half human and half Soul Reaper is required to suppress this. Kisuke, Ryuken, nor Isshin are human, but Kisuke had developed a Gigai that would take away the abilities of a Soul Reaper in exchange for saving Masaki’s life. 

Isshin recalled how Masaki saved him from the White, so he felt it was only right that he save her life this time. This is how Isshin can live life alongside other humans, although he’s not alive in the same way they are. 

Isshin and Masaki then fell in love, married, and had three children. The rest is history. They lived like any normal family in Karakura Town until Masaki was killed by Grand Fisher more than a decade later. Isshin still loves his wife, regularly visits her grave, and adores his children. He’s often seen being clingy over them, acting silly to make them laugh but still giving them the space they need to grow. It’s clear he doesn’t regret exchanging his Soul Reaper powers for his family. 

When did Ichigo find out about his father being a Soul Reaper?

As Aizen and Ichigo were facing off, Aizen stated that he had always kept an eye on Ichigo due to him being half-human and half-Soul Reaper. This confuses Ichigo, who is fully human as far as he knows. Isshin then appears on the scene, telling Aizen to stand down, and whisks his son away to a more private area. 

Isshin promised Ichigo to tell him everything and answer all his questions, but Ichigo interrupted him, saying he trusted he had valid reasons to keep his past hidden. Ichigo states that fighting Aizen is a much more pressing matter and that Aizen’s mind games won’t get between their teamwork as father and son. 

Ichigo takes on Gin, while Isshin takes on Aizen. With his former powers back, Isshin can fight on equal footing with Aizen. Despite all their efforts, Aizen escaped to the real Karakura Town. After this ordeal, Isshin teaches Ichigo Getsuga Tenshou a fatal move that acts as an incredible power-up but makes you lose your Soul Reaper powers in the process. 

Did Isshin get his powers back?

Isshin does get his powers back. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to fight against a formidable opponent like Aizen. After Masaki’s death, there was no need for Isshin to suppress his powers anymore. 

His powers gradually returned, as noted by Kisuke. During the beginning of the Arrancar arc, Isshin went after Grand Fisher, now in the form of an Arrancar. He killed him in one swift strike, avenging his wife. Isshin’s Captain-level powers are fully displayed, even though he’s not a Soul Reaper Captain anymore.