BLEACH Reveals Its First-Ever Official Blood Chains Ichigo Figure
Image by Charlotte DavisBLEACH has already revealed the first official figure of Ichigo Kurosaki’s new “Blood Chains Ichigo” form, just one week after the transformation made its surprise anime debut.
The new MASTERLISE figure will serve as the A Prize in “Ichiban Kuji BLEACH Stirring Souls vol.5,” joining the previously revealed Bankai Kenpachi Zaraki, adult Toshiro Hitsugaya, and Thunder Beast Yoruichi Shihouin figures in one of the strongest Thousand-Year Blood War lineups Bandai has released to date.
Blood Chains Ichigo only made its first appearance on August 22 during Episode 45 “DEFEND YOU” of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Calamity, making the speed of its first figure announcement particularly surprising.
The transformation was created specifically for the anime, with original BLEACH creator and chief supervisor Tite Kubo personally designing and naming the new form.
Blood Chains Ichigo is described by Kubo as the ultimate form produced when Ichigo awakens the Hollow blood lying dormant within him, enters a state of “semi-Hollowfication” and then releases Bankai, transforming alongside his Zanpakuto.
The form gives Ichigo two horns reminiscent of his earlier complete Hollow transformation, while the spiritual pressure known as the “Blood Chains” erupts around his neck, hands and feet.
It emerges during Ichigo’s battle against Yhwach after the Quincy emperor absorbs the Soul King, pushing Ichigo’s spiritual pressure, physical abilities and reaction speed into what the anime officially describes as an entirely new level of power.
That makes this figure considerably more significant for collectors than another variation of Ichigo’s familiar Soul Reaper appearance, as it becomes the first physical release based on a transformation that did not exist in the original manga and has only just entered BLEACH canon through the anime.
Bandai had previously kept the identity of the Stirring Souls vol.5 A Prize hidden while revealing the rest of its headline figures, with early lineup information confirming only that the slot belonged to an Ichigo Kurosaki MASTERLISE.
The mystery also makes considerably more sense following Blood Chains Ichigo’s anime debut, as revealing the figure alongside the other prizes would have exposed one of The Calamity’s biggest new additions before Episode 45 aired.
The rest of Stirring Souls vol.5 follows the same late-Thousand-Year Blood War focus, with the B Prize recreating Toshiro Hitsugaya after Daiguren Hyorinmaru reaches its completed state and transforms him into an adult.
Yoruichi Shihouin is the C Prize with the first official figure of her Shunko: Raiju Senkei: Shunryu Kokubyo Senki “Thunder Beast” transformation, while Kenpachi Zaraki in his Bankai form appears as the Last One Prize.
US collectors will also have a much easier way to get Blood Chains Ichigo without relying on the Japanese lottery, as both GameStop and BigBadToyStore already list a corresponding MASTERLISE Ichibansho release under the temporary name “Character A”.
Both listings confirm an approximately 19 cm non-articulated figure based on BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War, with a US price of $64.99 (approx. £48 GBP).
GameStop currently has its Character A release available to pre-order, while BigBadToyStore lists the same figure at $64.99 with an estimated November 2026 arrival.
In Japan, “Ichiban Kuji BLEACH Stirring Souls vol.5” will launch through participating 7-Eleven, Ito-Yokado, and Youme Town locations on September 19, 2026, with each lottery entry priced at ¥850 (approx. $5 USD / £4 GBP).
That means Blood Chains Ichigo will receive its first official figure less than a month after the form itself was introduced, an exceptionally fast turnaround for one of the biggest anime-original additions to BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War.
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