Reception
Although only heard in two episodes, Gin's "bye bye" has been very popular with audiences.
In both the 2nd and 3rd popularity polls, Ichimaru placed 5th. However, like Renji Abarai, he missed the top 10 of the most recent poll, being replaced with newer characters like Grimmjow Jeagerjaques and Ulquiorra Cifer. Gin was among the 4 Bleach characters to make the top 100 list in Newtype Japan's 2007 list of the most popular anime characters. Tite Kubo remarked in a 2004 Shōnen Jump character commentary that Gin's popularity, especially among women, was a great surprise to him, as he had attempted to make Gin creepy and offputting in appearance.
An interesting, though little-known fact, is that during the initial character design stages, producers and Kubo himself, believed the only choice for the role of Gin's voice actor would go to singer and ex-Genesis member Phil Collins. Collins was not known for his animation voice-over work, least of all in the field of anime, but the crew were determined that he was the ideal candidate. Unfortunately, Collins turned down the opportunity however it is rumoured that the track "Don't Get Me Started" from Collins' 2002 album "Testify" is a mournful, yet resentful, assessment of his decision and presumably his regret at having not agreed to the producer's early requests.
Critics seem to take note of Gin's "interesting design;" IGN says he "has always been a rather odd character with his squinty eyes and cheesy smile" and adds "...he can swing a Zanpakutō like it is nobody's business as well, but it is his smile that gets us more than anything else...". Another IGN review of Bleach volume 17 used Gin as an example of Bleach's colorful and well-developed supporting cast, and remarked that his story would be capable of filling a manga series of its own.
Read more about this topic: Gin Ichimaru
Famous quotes containing the word reception:
“But in the reception of metaphysical formula, all depends, as regards their actual and ulterior result, on the pre-existent qualities of that soil of human nature into which they fall—the company they find already present there, on their admission into the house of thought.”
—Walter Pater (1839–1894)
“Aesthetic emotion puts man in a state favorable to the reception of erotic emotion.... Art is the accomplice of love. Take love away and there is no longer art.”
—Rémy De Gourmont (1858–1915)
“Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody’s face but their own; which is the chief reason for that kind of reception it meets in the world, and that so very few are offended with it.”
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745)