When Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War‘s time skip of a decade finally gave fans a glimpse of Ichigo as an adult, the reactions from the fans were swift and mostly positive. Unlike many Shonen protagonists, Ichigo Kurosaki didn’t get a radical redesign.
He looks like… himself, not just that, he looks like a really mature, but grounded adult. As a man who has lived, loved, and fought to the farthest levels of the three worlds, Ichigo deserves to enjoy his life in peace. Being able to stay grounded despite his power is extremely impressive.
In stark contrast, Naruto’s post-time-skip or adult design has remained one of the most divisive in anime fandom. Not only does he get a goofy and somewhat weird haircut, but the design also makes Naruto’s adult form feel disconnected and even frustrating to the fans.
Ichigo grew up, but Naruto leveled down
Ichigo’s adult appearance in the Bleach time-skip doesn’t scream “hero” at all. He looks like a casual working adult who still carries the calm confidence of a man who has experienced many tribulations. He not only has a normal haircut that anyone could pull off, but he also lost his permanent scowl-face and sports a smile.
Ichigo doesn’t need oversized cloaks or exaggerated symbols to show his growth. Instead, his maturity is reflected in his eyes, posture, and role as a family man. He’s still stylish without trying—exactly what you’d expect from someone who grew up in Karakura Town.
Now contrast that with Naruto. Once the spiky-haired prankster of the Hidden Leaf that everyone hated, the teenage Naruto looked particularly impressive (despite his stubborn views persisting), but adult Naruto traded all of his flair for an orange-and-black tracksuit and a painfully generic dad aesthetic.
Why do people compare ichigo’s haircut to Naruto’s dad cut?
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Is that how a 30-year-old dad of two should look? Maybe. But Naruto isn’t just anyone; he is not just the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village; he is also someone who has gone through a lot.
Why Naruto’s adult design still bothers fans
At the heart of the debate is one key issue: character identity. Ichigo never stopped feeling like Ichigo. He didn’t lose his personality with adulthood; in fact, after all the trials and battles, he has opened up.
From the somewhat closed-off teenager he was, to one who openly accepts others, Ichigo has truly grown. After truly finding peace and happiness, Ichigo embraces normalcy instead of taking it as a disgrace or a burden.
Naruto, on the other hand, feels like he was swallowed by the title of Hokage. After getting all he wanted, he does not have a whiff of the determination that he did when he was a kid. Maybe it is true that the journey is the best part. For longtime fans, his tired civil servant look is extremely disappointing.
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Ichigo’s grounded yet powerful look says more than a monologue ever could. It reminds us (and the Naruto fans) that growth doesn’t have to mean abandoning your essence. Sometimes, staying yourself (with a smile) could be the best and natural outcome.
You can currently stream Bleach and Naruto on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
