Rukia Kuchiki is a fictional character and protagonist in the anime and manga series Bleach created by Tite Kubo. Rukia is an unseated shinigami in the 13th Division under Jūshirō Ukitake. She meets Ichigo Kurosaki, a high school student, and through a set of circumstances, he obtains her powers, forcing her to take up residence in his home and him to take her place as a shinigami. Rukia was voted the second most popular Bleach character after Ichigo in the first two Shonen Jump s polls, but fell to third place in the third poll. As of the fourth poll she is still the second most popular, surpassing Ichigo Kurosaki by 66 votes, and behind Tōshirō Hitsugaya by 383 votes.