By Dina Sherman · 4/6/26 · 5 min read
Anime · Voice Acting · Fangirling Over Myself, Apparently
I never thought I’d be writing these words, but here we are — I officially have a Funko Pop. Not just any Funko Pop, either. Mine. It’s me. Well, the tiny, pink-haired, candy-chomping, perpetually cheerful, fireball version of me: Yachiru Kusajishi, perched right on the shoulder of the legendary Captain Kenpachi Zaraki, exactly where she belongs. If you’re a Bleach fan, you already know this duo.
If you found this post because you’re a Funko Pop collector who hasn’t ventured into Bleach yet — hi, hello, your life is about to change. Bleach is one of the legendary “Big Three” anime, a massive soul-reaping adventure by the genius Tite Kubo, and it is currently delivering its stunning final arc, Thousand-Year Blood War. You have so much good TV ahead of you.
Yachiru Kusajishi is the tiny, pink-haired lieutenant of Squad 11. She has zero chill in the best possible way — she gives everyone ridiculous nicknames, eats candy constantly, has a laugh that could shatter dimensions, and is the one soul in all of Soul Society that the terrifying Captain Kenpachi Zaraki would do absolutely anything for. She rides on his shoulder. She is chaotic good incarnate. She is everything.
✨ Fun fact: Yachiru actually gave Kenpachi his name. He didn’t have one before she decided he was hers. She was a tiny baby soul, looked up at this enormous terrifying man, and essentially said “you’re mine now.” If that isn’t the most Yachiru thing ever, I don’t know what is.
A little about me — in case we’re just meeting!
Hi! I’m Dina Sherman, a voice actress with over 30 years in the industry working across anime, dubbing, animation, video games, and more.
One of my most recognized roles is Yachiru Kusajishi in the English dub of Bleach — that tiny, pink-haired, gloriously unhinged lieutenant who lives on Kenpachi’s shoulder and in the hearts of anime fans everywhere. Other credits include Diona from Genshin Impact, EmmyLou from Batman the Animated Series, Carbine From Biker Mice from Mars and many more. Check out my resume https://www.dinasherman.com/resume/
Voice acting is one of those magical careers where you get to completely disappear into a character — and occasionally, if you are very lucky, that character ends up immortalized in vinyl and you make undignified noises in the collectible store. This is that story.
Back to the Funko Pop and my extremely dignified reaction
Okay, so I heard that Funko might be making this Pop figure. The anticipation was excruciating! When it finally arrived at my local Chalice Collectible store, I ran straight down there to see it IRL in real life! So there I am, box in hand. And the first thing that hits me is just how right it looks. Kenpachi’s whole deal — the height, the wild hair, the scars, the sheer unhinged energy of the man — is all there. And then your eyes travel up to that tiny passenger on his shoulder, pink hair flying, expression absolutely delighted with herself, and I just… lost it a little. I immediately started making sounds that no human language has proper words for.
You know those noises? The ones that are half-gasp, half-squeal, and somehow also a little bit wheeze? Yeah. That was me. Completely losing it over a Funko Pop. Standing in the store surrounded by strangers . Oh, and the manager’s name is also Dina. What are the odds?!
There’s Kenpachi, towering and fierce, and right up on his shoulder is this little pink-haired spit-fire that I spent so many sessions voicing in the booth. I have yelled her battle cries. I have said “Ken-chan!!” and “Come on Kenny” more times than I can count. Yachiru isn’t just a character I voiced — she’s a piece of my heart. Seeing her in Funko Pop form, riding on Kenpachi’s shoulder like she owns the place (because she does), made everything feel wonderfully full circle.
Voice acting is invisible work in the most beautiful way.
You live in the sound, in the emotion, in the moment — but you rarely hold proof of it in your hands.
This tiny pink-haired vinyl figure? She’s my proof.
The feelings I was not prepared for
The relationship between Yachiru and Kenpachi is one of the most unique bonds in all of Bleach. He’s brutal and battle-hungry; she’s bubbly, mischievous, and fiercely loyal. Yet together they form one of the most iconic pairings in anime history. Tite Kubo wrote something truly special there, and it’s a big reason why fans still celebrate this duo decades after the series began.
Here’s what nobody tells you about being a voice actor: you pour yourself into these characters and then you release them into the world and just hope they land. You don’t always get to see the impact. You don’t always get to hold it.
This Funko Pop is the funniest, most joyful, most unexpected little reminder that Yachiru landed. That people loved her enough for someone to say “yes, this character deserves to be a collectible.” That the work mattered.
I’m not crying, you’re crying, we’re all crying, and Yachiru would absolutely make fun of every single one of us for it before eating some candy and laughing. Which is honestly perfect.
What this means to me as a voice actress
Voice acting is a unique art form. You pour yourself into a character — their laughter, their tears, their battle cries — but at the end of the day, there’s often no physical artifact of that work. Your performance lives in audio, in people’s memories, in the emotional resonance you helped create. Getting a Funko Pop of a character you’ve voiced changes that in the most delightful way.
This little vinyl figure is a physical reminder that the work was real, that Yachiru touched people’s lives, and that she earned her place among the greats of anime collectible culture. For any voice actor, that means the world.
Final thoughts
Getting your first Funko Pop of a character you’ve voiced is a surreal, joyful experience that I’d wish on every voice actor. It’s a celebration of the character, the fandom, and the incredible creative journey that brought them all together.
So thank you — to the fans who have loved Yachiru and Kenpachi all these years, to the team at Bleach, and to whoever decided this dynamic duo deserved their own Funko Pop. You made one voice actress very, very happy.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a tiny pink-haired Soul Reaper to find a home for on my shelf. 🌸⚔️
Fellow Bleach fans and Funko Pop collectors — sound off!
Which figure is your crown jewel? If YOU have the Kenpachi + Yachiru Pop, I want to see your shelf setups.
Drop a comment, tag me on social, or just leave a “KEN-CHAN!!” below. I’ll know exactly what you mean. 💕