Masaki Kurosaki, an Echt Quincy and the wife of Isshin Kurosaki played a crucial yet tragic role in the Bleach Universe. As the mother of three – Ichigo, Karin, and Yuzu Kurosaki – Masaki was the last surviving member of her family. She was taken in by the Ishida family before her life became intertwined with Isshin’s.
Her ultimate death came at the hand of the Hallow, Grand Fisher, who left a profound impact on Ichigo’s life, but the actual cause of her demise lay deeper. She lost her Quincy power due to the Auswählen, a deadly technique of Yhwach.
He uses this technique to steal the Quincy power he deemed impure, including those with mixed blood like Masaki. Stripped of her power, Masaki rendered defenceless against the Grand Fisher, leading to her tragic death. This event not only explained her power loss but also shaped Ichigo’s path as a protector.
A Brief Explanation Of How Masaki Lost Her Powers In Bleach
Finally, Isshin revealed the actual reason for Masaki’s death. The reason for her death is that Yhwach, the progenitor of Quincy, conducted a process called Auswählen, to rob the power of Quincy, who he deemed impure and unworthy. Yhwach’s ability allows him to distribute part of his soul to others, extending to forcefully reclaiming those when necessary. Nine years before the current events, Yhwach used this technique to regain his strength during his revival.
This includes Quincy with mixed blood like Masaki. The selection process, known as Auswählen, involves choosing Quincy, whom he deems unworthy and impure, and then absorbing their power to make it his own.
This redistribution of power is fatal, especially for those who are weaker and have a lesser spiritual power. However, the true nature of the Auswählen process is a form of power redistribution. The power taken from Quincy was deemed unnecessary and is collected and redistributed to whom Yhwach considers worthy or in need of greater strength. The Quincy, with the receiving end of this process, is reborn with greater strength, making them invisible.
The Quincy with lower Reiryoku levels died instantly when their power was absorbed. However, those with higher Reiryoku, like Masaki Kurosaki, were able to survive the process. Masaki’s encounter with Grand Fisher left her defenceless, ultimately leading to her tragic death.
Why Did Yhwach Kill Masaki In Bleach?
As the Bleach story suggested, Masaki was married to Isshin, a Soul Reaper. The two have three kids — Ichigo, Karin, and Yuzu. When Ichigo was 9 years old, a Hallow named Grand Fisher targeted him. The Hallow had a unique ability to lure in humans with high spiritual energy by using the form of those he had previously devoured.
On that day, the Grand Fisher lure takes the form of a woman about to jump into the river. Unable to distinguish between the Souls and the living humans, young Ichigo rushes toward a woman to help.
Sensing the danger, Masaki followed her son to protect him. However, she was powerless against the Hallow. This was because Yhwach had taken her Quincy power with Auswählen, who he considered impure.
Stripped by her power, Masaki was defenceless against Hallow attack. In an attempt to save her son from the Hallow, Masaki lost her life. The sudden demise of her mother changed her path as a protector in the series.
Where To Watch Bleach?
The part of Big-Three, Bleach is one of the popular Shonen anime series that follows the life of Ichigo Kuroshaki. You can watch the anime on Netflix.
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