TV-Series
Description
Neliel Tu Oderschvank Bambina is an Arrancar from the Bleach series who was originally the Tercera Espada, the third-ranked Espada serving under Sōsuke Aizen. She is also commonly known as Nel Tu. Her hollow mask remnants take the form of a cartoonish skull perched on her head, and she has short green hair and large eyes in her childlike appearance. In her true adult form, she is a slender, well-proportioned woman with long green hair and a more refined mask that includes two curved horns, and a large number three tattooed on her back marks her former rank.
Neliel’s backstory involves betrayal by her fellow Espada, Nnoitra Gilga, who harbored resentment toward her because of her superior strength and because she was female. With the help of the scientist Szayelaporro Granz, Nnoitra ambushed Neliel, forcibly removing the masks of her Fracción, Pesche Guatiche and Dondochakka Birstanne, and then attacking Neliel herself. The attack cracked her hollow mask, causing her to lose nearly all of her spiritual power, shrink into a childlike body, and suffer complete amnesia. Blaming themselves for the attack, Pesche and Dondochakka took the childlike Neliel into hiding in the deserts of Hueco Mundo, pretending to be her older adoptive brothers to protect her.
In her child form, Neliel is good-natured, energetic, and prone to mispronouncing words, such as calling Ichigo Kurosaki “Itsygo.” She has a self-proclaimed masochistic streak and initially believes that Soul Reapers are evil, which makes her afraid of them. Despite that fear, she quickly becomes attached to Ichigo after he saves her from a fall, and she decides to follow him into Las Noches during the Hueco Mundo arc. In this form, her main abilities are limited to a weak healing property in her saliva (which she believes is just spit) and the ability to swallow a Cero blast and spit it back out, though she cannot add her own power to it.
During a confrontation with Nnoitra, who is torturing Ichigo, the trauma and emotional intensity cause Neliel to revert to her adult form and regain her memories and full power. As an adult, she is much more composed, logical, and mature. She speaks with a calm, measured tone and holds a deep disdain for pointless violence, preferring to avoid combat unless it is necessary for self-defense or protection. She is notably pacifistic, refusing to harm opponents who are already defeated or wounded. Her fighting philosophy contrasts sharply with Nnoitra’s bloodlust, and she considers fighting based on hatred or mere competition to be animalistic and unworthy of a true warrior. Despite her regal composure, she retains a childlike affection for Ichigo, often hugging him with unintentional force.
In battle, Neliel’s primary ability is the Cero Doble. She can absorb an opponent’s Cero by swallowing it and then fire it back combined with her own Cero, creating a blast with multiplied power. Her Zanpakutō, Gamuza, is released with the command “Sing, Gamuza.” Upon release, she transforms into a half-human, half-ibex centaur-like being with a double-headed white lance. Her horns become long and segmented, and she gains armor over her shoulders and hands. One of her signature techniques in this form is Lanzador Verde, where she throws her spinning lance at high speed, drilling through anything it hits.
Neliel’s role in the story moves her from an amnesiac child tagging along with Ichigo’s group to a powerful ally who regains her past and helps fight against Aizen’s forces. After the events of the Fake Karakura Town arc, she returns to her child form due to exhausting her power. Later, Kisuke Urahara develops a device that allows her to maintain her adult form permanently. In the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, she works alongside Tier Harribel to protect and rule Hueco Mundo in the wake of Yhwach’s invasion, fighting against the Quincy and defending the surviving Arrancar.
Key relationships include her former Fracción, Pesche and Dondochakka, who remain loyal to her even in her child form and act as her guardians. Her bond with Ichigo is one of the most significant; she develops a deep trust and affection for him, and he becomes a motivating factor in her desire to protect others. Her relationship with Nnoitra is defined by his jealousy and her refusal to give him the fight he craves, ultimately leading to her downfall and later her return to confront him. She also respects Harribel, with whom she cooperates in ruling Hueco Mundo.
Neliel’s development is marked by the restoration of her identity and the growth of her resolve to fight not for glory or revenge, but for the protection of those she cares about. She transitions from a lost child to a confident warrior and leader, embodying themes of compassion over aggression and the idea that true strength lies in mercy and the will to defend rather than to dominate. Her notable abilities, including Cero Doble and Gamuza’s release, make her a formidable combatant whose power is matched by her restraint.
Neliel’s backstory involves betrayal by her fellow Espada, Nnoitra Gilga, who harbored resentment toward her because of her superior strength and because she was female. With the help of the scientist Szayelaporro Granz, Nnoitra ambushed Neliel, forcibly removing the masks of her Fracción, Pesche Guatiche and Dondochakka Birstanne, and then attacking Neliel herself. The attack cracked her hollow mask, causing her to lose nearly all of her spiritual power, shrink into a childlike body, and suffer complete amnesia. Blaming themselves for the attack, Pesche and Dondochakka took the childlike Neliel into hiding in the deserts of Hueco Mundo, pretending to be her older adoptive brothers to protect her.
In her child form, Neliel is good-natured, energetic, and prone to mispronouncing words, such as calling Ichigo Kurosaki “Itsygo.” She has a self-proclaimed masochistic streak and initially believes that Soul Reapers are evil, which makes her afraid of them. Despite that fear, she quickly becomes attached to Ichigo after he saves her from a fall, and she decides to follow him into Las Noches during the Hueco Mundo arc. In this form, her main abilities are limited to a weak healing property in her saliva (which she believes is just spit) and the ability to swallow a Cero blast and spit it back out, though she cannot add her own power to it.
During a confrontation with Nnoitra, who is torturing Ichigo, the trauma and emotional intensity cause Neliel to revert to her adult form and regain her memories and full power. As an adult, she is much more composed, logical, and mature. She speaks with a calm, measured tone and holds a deep disdain for pointless violence, preferring to avoid combat unless it is necessary for self-defense or protection. She is notably pacifistic, refusing to harm opponents who are already defeated or wounded. Her fighting philosophy contrasts sharply with Nnoitra’s bloodlust, and she considers fighting based on hatred or mere competition to be animalistic and unworthy of a true warrior. Despite her regal composure, she retains a childlike affection for Ichigo, often hugging him with unintentional force.
In battle, Neliel’s primary ability is the Cero Doble. She can absorb an opponent’s Cero by swallowing it and then fire it back combined with her own Cero, creating a blast with multiplied power. Her Zanpakutō, Gamuza, is released with the command “Sing, Gamuza.” Upon release, she transforms into a half-human, half-ibex centaur-like being with a double-headed white lance. Her horns become long and segmented, and she gains armor over her shoulders and hands. One of her signature techniques in this form is Lanzador Verde, where she throws her spinning lance at high speed, drilling through anything it hits.
Neliel’s role in the story moves her from an amnesiac child tagging along with Ichigo’s group to a powerful ally who regains her past and helps fight against Aizen’s forces. After the events of the Fake Karakura Town arc, she returns to her child form due to exhausting her power. Later, Kisuke Urahara develops a device that allows her to maintain her adult form permanently. In the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, she works alongside Tier Harribel to protect and rule Hueco Mundo in the wake of Yhwach’s invasion, fighting against the Quincy and defending the surviving Arrancar.
Key relationships include her former Fracción, Pesche and Dondochakka, who remain loyal to her even in her child form and act as her guardians. Her bond with Ichigo is one of the most significant; she develops a deep trust and affection for him, and he becomes a motivating factor in her desire to protect others. Her relationship with Nnoitra is defined by his jealousy and her refusal to give him the fight he craves, ultimately leading to her downfall and later her return to confront him. She also respects Harribel, with whom she cooperates in ruling Hueco Mundo.
Neliel’s development is marked by the restoration of her identity and the growth of her resolve to fight not for glory or revenge, but for the protection of those she cares about. She transitions from a lost child to a confident warrior and leader, embodying themes of compassion over aggression and the idea that true strength lies in mercy and the will to defend rather than to dominate. Her notable abilities, including Cero Doble and Gamuza’s release, make her a formidable combatant whose power is matched by her restraint.