#the lost substitute shinigami arc

[myahandthewolf]

#mine #bleach manga #bleach tybw #bleach #shonen manga #shonen jump #shonen #grimmjow x ichigo #gin ichimaru #hollow ichigo #ichigo kurosaki #soul society arc #soul society #soul reaper #the lost substitute shinigami arc #shinigami #yhwach #sternritter #wandenreich #quincy #hollow #hueco mundo #arrancar #espada #gotei 13 #seireitei #byakuya kuchiki #rukia kuchiki #renji abarai #ulquiorra x orihime

[littleeyesofpallas]

As much as I've always been pretty critical of the Lost Agent arc, and the Fullbringers as a concept, and the way their individual powers were handled... There really were a few little nuggets worth exploring that I wish there had been better plot accomodations to do so with.

I love the whole animist idea, I just don't know that it fit very well into the Bleach world building. The idea of imbuing spirit and power and indeed a Heart into inanimate objects, especially in the context of Ichigo and Ginjo having lost shinigami powers in different ways, COULD have made for a really fascinating parallel with zanpakutou if it had been even lightly explored.

And while the idea of the Fullbringers getting their innate powers as a consequence of hollow attacks on their mothers was wildly and needlessly arbitrary, I DO wish they'd interrogated the Hollow-like nature of those powers. We got a few back stories more or less just establishing that they were all a little toxic, but not all in ways that reflected the Hollow M.O. it didn't come as a conflict of powerful desire and overindulgence. It didn't manifest as a need to consume and destroy those close to them.

It could have been really interesting to see more of how a human can have an innately hollow like personality or impulse problems. It could have been cool to see how a familiarity with hollows spiritually could have resulted in a natural need to manifest a mask, but the mask is the Fullbring, but the Fullbring is more like a zanpakutou and its shikai than like a hollow mask. So instead of putting the best of yourself into a sword that can look you in the eye and offer you power in exchange for self respect and understanding you put the worst of yourself into an object and it gives you power in exchange for indulging in your compulsions and fixations.

Really the best version of this that we got was Riruka, where her "love" is literally possessive and manifests that first time as her abducting the boy she's basically stalking. And basically no one else got this kind of relationship with their Fullbring

Arguably Yukio replacing his negligent parents with his videogame world sort of touches on a version of it as well, but he's given such a passive role in that dynamic that it doesn't quite reflect on him so much as on his parents. If anything it could have been interesting to see his life as not as bad as he'd convinced himself it was, but that he actively chose fantasy over reality, rather than being pushed towards it by circumstance.

Alternatively it could have been cool to see how the Fullbring itself could've been hollow-like. In the way a hollow puts itself into its mask, a Fullbringer puts themselves into their objects. Is the spirit given to that special object benevolent, or even ambivalent, or is it a repository for all its user's negative thoughts and feelings? Does it grow stronger only as it serves to mask more and more of their self hatred and identity issues? Like the initial threat of the inner hollow swallowing and consuming an identity that Hirako threatens Ichigo with, could the Fullbring itself have threatened to consume its user? If you put enough of yourself into the object, and the object gains power and identity, is it possible that one day the object contains more of "you" than you do? Does it begin to want power on its own? Does it start to take more of that power, that emotional investment, that connection, that heart from its human user?

It would have been an interesting vehicle for Ichigo's arc if the Fullbring has explicitly been powered by unhealthy obsession and the substitution of a fetish totem in place of real interpersonal connections: if Ichigo's implicit flaw had been his attachment to his powers as an extension of his need to protect others. The way Riruka's flaw was in how she loved people onesidedly, literally objectifying them. The way Yukio's flaw was in how he retreated into a fake reality while neglecting the real one in a desperate need for control.

#bleach #fullbringer #bleach meta #hypothetical? #theory? #headcanon? #just ''what if?'' #coulda/shoulda? #dunno what to call it

[animelga]

I saw a post on the Bleach subreddit which asked about which parts of the series people found most disappointing. And a lot of people there obviously said Chad, and I agree - But I want to be more specific. Chad in the Lost Agent arc is some of the most blatant missed potential I've ever seen.

I think its pretty easy to infer that each of Bleach's five arcs focuses on one of its five originally-introduced main characters. This is something my librarian-coded brain adores!! Our lineup, as introduced in Substitute Shinigami, is Ichigo, Rukia, Orihime, Chad and Uryu (Renji gets added to that group later, but ignore that for now). The first two are pretty obvious - Substitute Shinigami introduces us to Ichigo's character and his moral code, what he fights for, what potential he has. Rukia, or more specifically the Shinigami as a whole, are of course the focus of the Soul Society arc - even though she's trapped in a cell for lots of it, characters like Renji, Ganju and Byakuya specifically serve to explore the different sides of her character. Both her and Ichigo are of course important throughout Bleach in its entirety, but these two first arcs put them and their relationships with those close to them in the focus far more than atany point later in the series.

Arrancar arc and TYBW are pretty self-explanatorily Orihime and Uryu-focused, if arguably a bit misguided with TYBW in particular. Even though, again, Orihime spends most of Arrancar stuck in a cell, she shows tremendous growth and maturity, and the entire arc's theming of what it means to have a heart is centered entirely on her. And Uyru...well, Uryu is the center of the conflict in TYBW, despite it definitely feeling underwritten in the Manga. I think thats mainly a result of its rushed pacing by the back half though, and it seems to be getting resolved with the adaptation now. So I'll hold off on Uryu for now - his treatment is salvageable and if nothing else he's always gotten at least one golden moment to shine in all other arcs.

That only leaves Chad and Lost Agent - a perfect fit for one another, and something Kubo himself was pretty clearly going for at the start. Its Chad's disappearance that instigates the drama, he's there with Xcution to help Ichigo regain his powers, and the existence of Fullbring in general elegantly explains where Chad's powers came from in a way that's true to his character (the "pride in the color of my skin" line is still one of his best character moments imo). It is, effectively, an arc built entirely around answering the questions Chad himself asked about his powers back in the Arrancar arc.

And then...nothing. He explains his powers, helps Ichigo, he trains to get stronger in a video game, and...then falls under Tsukishima's mind powers and gets knocked unconscious. Only for the Soul Reapers to show up and do all the fighting again - even characters like Byakuya and Kenpachi, who clearly don't have any material for growth when pit against the Fullbringers, show up just to clean house. To me it reeks of Kubo deciding to include fan-favorite characters toward the end of the arc just to make people happier with it, since Lost Agent in general was so divisive. Though it was obviously earned for Rukia to return in order to give Ichigo his powers back, having everyone else also show up to do the work of other characters for them felt kind of like a slap in the face.

It feels so obvious in hindsight, but Chad and Tsukishima would have been a borderline perfect matchup for a fight to move the arc to a satisfying conclusion. Out of the entire core cast, Chad is the one who feels most motivated by his past to act - he remembers his Abuelo's words, he remembers his times in turmoil with Ichigo, he remembers just how hard he's had it in life and fights to make sure nobody else has to suffer like him. Pitting him against the character able to alter memories would've been a genuinely fantastic challenge of character, and would've made for the most satisfying Chad victory the series could've pulled. Even though Tsukishima isn't Bleach's strongest villain, he's certainly one of its scariest and most potentially dangerous, and Chad's entire personality and design is built around protecting others from such harm.

Instead, Kubo just kind of... procrastinated with Chad, always hinting at more to come, hoping maybe anotber matchup as good as Tsukishima would roll around eventually. Only for him to still gst nothing to do for all of TYBW, and his send-off being to fight some stone statues off-screen.

It's such a shame, imagining what could've been, and remembering just how damn cool Chad is when he actually gets to play with the cool kids.

#bleach #tite kubo #bleach tybw #tybw #bleach anime #bleach manga #chad yasutora #ichigo kurosaki #rukia kuchiki #uryu ishida #orihime inoue #death and the strawberry #mel alphabet soup

[greeneyedsigma]

Why I love Bleach: Adorable Protagonist, intricate power system, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez (the bitchiest antagonist turned ally ever)

And honestly the moment in the Lost Shinigami Substitute arc where Ichigo is at his lowest, looks at his dad and Urahara and well

Like, urgh, my heart!!! 😭😭😭

And Kenpachi Zaraki!

I could keep listing characters I love but I’ll stop with Kenny.

Point is, I love Bleach

#bleach #ichigo kurosaki #grimmjow jaegerjaquez #kenpachi zaraki #why I love bleach

[hitsugaya-toushirou]

If I can ask, what reads do you dislike from the fandom? It's ok if you don't want to answer, I was just curious.

I'm so sorry anon this ended up being extremely disjointed and kind of stream of consciousness 😭

In general there's too many to count honestly, but in reference to that post I made 👇

It's umm. Very bewildering to me to act like Ichigo is depressed in the Fullbring arc because he's living a normal life, instead of that y'know... He's powerless? More powerless than he's ever been in his whole life even? He didn't just lose the powers he gained over the series and get reset to zero, it went beyond that and he even lost the ability to see ghosts, which he's probably had since he was born.

Not only did he have to grapple with that, he was kind of uhh isolated? From the spiritual stuff. Rukia never visited in a gigai (she has a job to do I get it lol). His dad never feels the need to explain ANYTHING to him, leaving him open to Ginjou's manipulation. Urahara obviously has not been keeping contact with him seeing how Ichigo was so suspicious of Karin at his shop. (Neither of them stopping Tsukishima from attacking his friends and family is a whole other can of worms.) Watching his friends go off and fight Hollows while he has to sit there unable to do a thing? It's lonely. It's depressing. That's why he fell prey to such a shady group like Xcution! He was desperate for even a shred of his former power!

And you have to remember that the first half of Bleach before the timeskip takes place over... 6 months-ish? Give or take. Ichigo was constantly fighting for his life, or his soul, or his friends lives, or the worlds. He never actually got to rest with just the security of having his powers in his life lol.

Ah, it's also very funny to me to think Ichigo would join the Gotei when he dies lol. Like that is just nooot a good choice for him to make. If he was smart it would play out like this:

Gotei 13: Omg Ichigo u finally died! We have a spot open just for u!! 🤗

Ichigo: ...I'm a substitute tho 😐

And then he goes and kicks it in Rukongai with all his homies. Like obviously he'll visit plenty to hang out and give them a hand with things, but he shouldn't enlist. Could you imagine?

Let's just put him in two canon situations.

"Ichigo we need you to go slaughter an entire race of people because they won't do as they're told, and are making our jobs harder. We are giving up on diplomacy and going full genocide babey! Men, women, helpless children and elderly and all!" or "Hey! Things are kinda out of wack Ichigo :/ Can you go slaughter a bunch of Rukongai citizens to level things out? About 28,000. Thankies 😚"

Even if it's for the so-called "greater good" do you think he would do it? Absolutely not.

Okay so now what? Is he committing treason by refusing? Is he getting jailed? Is he fighting all his friends now to stop them from killing innocent people? Is he throwing a coup?

Being a Shinigami is NOT just cleansing Hollows, and Ichigo would have a deep moral opposition to a lot of it.

Like there's a group that's straight up assassinating people, and everyone knows it lol. There are people jailed not because they have committed any crime, but because maybe they could be dangerous some day. Who even knows what fully constitutes as dangerous? There's people like Mayuri obviously, but who's to say someone who advocates for switching to a new system of government isn't considered dangerous? And all we've seen is likely just the tip of the iceberg.

And to say Ichigo would change it all... Ichigo changed the hearts of the upper echelon of the Gotei a little bit but guess what... They're not in charge!!! The Seireitei is an aristocracy-based militia. The Central 46 make the rules, the Central 46 dole out the punishments. These rich haughty people who only care about their own self-interest are not gonna listen to Ichigo, they're not gonna be changed by him. So now what? Are we back to a coup? Lmao

Also like. On top of all that, for the entire series besides the epilogue, Ichigo is a teenager lol. I doubt he even understands the full workings of Japanese politics, let alone the intricacies of a feudal ghost aristocracy, that he only stepped foot in for... less than a month? And he was fighting tooth and nail for a large chunk of that lmao.

An entire government is just not something you can change with a punch or sword strike (Well I guess technically you could with a lot of sword strikes, but that's a tooon of bloodshed and not a route Ichigo would go down). Also like. It's not Ichigo's responsibility!!! It should not be on the shoulders of a child to overturn the corrupt layout of a world he doesn't live in!!!

I don't know where to end this so, apologies for the tangent <3

#asks #anon #sanpost kenjuu

[linkspooky]

what are your favorite shounen protagonists?

Ironically, despite my love of Shonen and running an entire blog analyzing Shonen Manga, there aren't a lot of protagonists I like. Not because the stereotypical shonen lead is a type of character I dislike, but rather because the stories themselves are sometimes too centered around the protagonists and don't really challenge those characters or explore their flaws.

So, to give two examples of Two Shonen Protagonists I think are written well.

THE HOMETOWN HERO - ICHIGO FROM BLEACH

Do you know who the best superhero is? Not in my opinion, the objective best my opinion is right and yours is wrong superhero is Spiderman. Peter Parker is not the strongest superhero, he doesn’t save the world, and he at most protects  a few city blocks in New York. 

He’s just some teenager who suddenly had an enormous power thrust upon him. He suddenly becomes strong, but the power he gets doesn’t magically make him a good person. He is at times irresponsible, selfish and shuns heroism. What makes Peter Parker an interesting hero is that while promoting the idea that anyone could be Spiderman, anyone could be a hero, he at the same time continually struggles and is weak, rather than being a strong and conquering hero. He’s a small time person, in a big world trying to get by protecting a few people rather than saving the world. 

I think this is what shines most about Ichigo’s character, especially in the earth days of Bleach. I know that eventually we learn Ichigo is a unique Soul Reaper / Quincy Hybrid but that’s Shonen power scaling for you. For 3/4ths of Bleach Ichigo is just a dude randomly empowered as a soul reaper who is trying to protect his closer circle of friends. While Ichigo will fight to protect someone right in front of him, he’s not a Shonen all loving hero who is trying to save everyone and protect everyone. He’s someone with a small circle of friends who will go to great lengths for them, but also always returns to his normal life at the end of the story. He’s not the strongest Shinigami, he’s the substitute Shinigami. He also doesn’t magically make friends with everyone, the relationships he has with the main five, plus Rukia and Renji later on are forged in the first part of the story, and then desmonstrated in the length he will go for those friends when they are lost to him, Rukia in the Soul Society arc, Orihime in the Hueco Mundo, and finally Ishida in the Quincy Arc. 

Ichigo’s characterization is especially strong in the first few arcs, where he’s a bit of a selfish and angry punk. He’s kind of frustrated by the fact he has to leave school constantly to fight hollows, he argues with Rukia all the time, even in the soul society arc he’s not really connected to the plots of greater soul society he literally is just there to save Rukia and leave. When a story is too centered around its protagonist, it weakens it because the protagonist isn’t as challenged, whereas Ichigo while being the hero of the story is also just one piece of a greater whole. What’s interesting about Bleach is one of the best Stories told in that universe is Can’t Fear Your Own World, written by Ryohgo Narita and Ichigo isn’t even in it, yet the story isn’t lacking without his presence. I argue this makes Ichigo a good protagonist because Ichigo can exist as one character as many in a bigger esnemble cast without devouring the story or needing everything around himself and Ichigo’s smalltime stakes and conflcits are still compelling because they matter to him. 

JUST SOME LOSER - TAKEMICHI FROM TOKYO REVENGERS

A lot of protagonists are everyman, but very few protagonists represent the fact that a lot of people are weak, and flawed and not heroes. Ichigo and Takemichi are both characters who are essentially ordinary people who are randomly given a magical power, but while Ichigo represents the idea that anyone can become a hero, Takemichi is a much more pathetic character and his flaws are flaws he can have in common with a lot of people. He’s in a dead end job, he’s cowardly rather than brave, he’s not really talented in anything and he’s directionless in his life. 

What’s interesting about him is that these Takemichi never gets stronger, he’s continually weak throughout the whole story. He’s not the strongest like Mikey, he’s not an extremely loyal and protective Lieutenant and friend like Daken. Takemichi is whiny to the point where it’s annoying, he’s ineffectual, and he fails more times than he succeeds. What’s so interesting about Tokyo Revengers is that despite the fact that Takemichi’s goal is to go back in time and save people, there are just as many people that he fails to save as he does save, people die around him all the time and he lives with those deaths and keeps going. 

The key word is struggle. Struggle, struggle, struggle. Takemichi struggles with flaws that never truly go away. Even in the best future timeline, he’s still working at a video rental store. There are future timelines where his future self becomes the villain and corrupted. 

Despite being so inherently flawed a person, Takemichi is also someone who is appreciated by the people around him, because he goes out of his way to forge those connections. One of my favorite quotes of Takemichi is that “Everyone sucks, but that’s why we need other people.” 

Takemichi is flawed in which ways everyone are flawed, we are all cowards sometimes, we are all weak in the face of challenges, but Takemichi shows us our flaws can be the reason we sympathize with each other and form friendships rather than fighting each other. Takemichi is a loser in life, but he’s also a good friend to have, because even though he’s not the strongest or the bravest, he learns from his many mistakes and because he has made so many he sympathizes with others who make similiar mistakes instead of judging them.

One reason reason that Shonen Power of Friendship protaognists often fall flat is because the story doesn’t go out of their way to demonstrate why everyone likes the protagonist because everyone just instantly loves them without it feeling earned. Whereas, we know why Takemichi forms strong bonds with the people around him, he is someone who will be there for you in a pinch, and he won’t judge you because he’s been there before and had similiar struggles. While reading the story, I never question why someone like Mikey would hang out with a loser like Takemichi, because the story goes to show how much Takemichi cares for Mikey and tries to be there for him.  I know why this loser is the protagonist of the story too, because as beaten and bruised as he can get he has a strong heart. 

#askspookies #metasks #Takemichi #Takemichi Tr #Takemichi Hanagaki #Tokyo Revengers #Ichigo Kurosaki #Bleach #Ichigo #bleach meta

[lesbiansanemi]

God nothing hits like early bleach, the substitute shinigami arc and rukia’s execution arc are just. Ugh. Something about the crunchy-ass early 2000s-ness of it that the rest of the series lost (not just animation wise but aesthetic wise), when there was still hope that all the potential would be capitalized on, idk, it was just fun and getting to fall in love with all the characters because pretty much every single one introduced was great and engaging. I just really really wish the series had kept that early vibe that it started losing once the visoreds were introduced, they got the last little tail end of it. As soon as we got to the heuco mundo arc this all vanished and it’s so upsetting, the series just lost a lot of its personality, if that makes sense, I wish it had kept it so badly

#like they’re all the same characters but they all started taking themselves way too seriously after that point #and I do get that that’s when the Big Plot actually started picking up (which is a whole other thing I have thoughts on) #but like… idk the series just lost a lot of its early charm and appeal #which is funny considering the hueco mundo arc is actually my favorite one #but idk I’m watching the first arc for fun today #and I forgot how much of ASSHOLES rukia and ichigo were and how fun their dynamic was #and yeah I fucking miss it it’s just not the same the rest of the series #not to mention tatsuki actually got a lot of focus #even Chad and Orihime and uryu felt a lot more genuine than they did the rest of the series #(though that’s because it was before they were reduce to being Ichigo’s love interest and then cannon fodder to shittily power scale enemies #by getting the shit beat out of them because kubo didn’t know how else to do it) #idk like I said! I just wish the series had stuck a lot better to its earlier aesthetic #like it still could have worked with the more ‘serious’ plot lines v easily considering how well it meshed with rukia’s execution #I JUST MISS RUKIA YELLING AT FLIP PHONES AND ICHIGO BEING BAD AT SNEAKING OUT WINDOWS AND TATSUKI RAGGING ON THEM #AND THEIR NORMAL ASS CLASSMATES TALKING ABOUT HOW FUCKING WEIRD THEY ALL WERE LIKE IT WAS SO GOOD 😩😩😩 #imagine that energy being applied to the hueco mundo arc it would have been great #it even would have been fun to see it come back during the fullbringer arc as a bunch of fun callbacks to the early bleach that was #being alluded to that entire arc with parallels #anyways once again weeping the potential this series had #someone watch it so we can talk about it and set up our own insanely convoluted canon for funsies on discord or something lmfao #kaz rambles

[azulawriting]

The Fullbring arc, oh boy

Recently, I watched a video essay detailing how the fullbring arc was, in fact, the best arc in Bleach. The reasons given were somewhat compelling before I read the arc. I mean, I don’t think I could’ve enjoyed the Soul Society arc as much as I did if it wasn’t for the Substitute Shinigami arc, which still is, to me, the main reason why I got hooked on this show/manga. I daresay that the first arc of Bleach is even more enjoyable in manga format. There’s a bunch of cut content that makes it all the more addicting to me, even now.

When it comes to my impressions of the Fullbring arc in the anime, I was surprised to know it wasn’t yet another filler arc. I think that, like many others back then, ending Bleach after Aizen’s defeat was a good decision. It was the culmination of the story, and I really wasn’t sure where the story would even go after it. The Fullbring Arc was interesting as a time skip and how Ichigo would deal with being a completely normal human being while all his friends were not, but I would not have “dragged it” for an entire arc, however brief it could be.

My feelings towards this arc have somewhat changed with the manga, but not that much. I think that, in hindsight, it is a necessary arc for TYBW and it introduces a “power-up” for characters like Orihime and Chad, which will become useful for the upcoming arc. I think Ichigo’s introspection about where he would go with no powers is rather powerful, and it gets to shine a little bit more in the manga, but it is not part of my favourite arcs in this manga. Again, I don’t think the magic of the Substitute Shinigami arc will ever be reached again, though I will admit the Fullbring Arc gets very close.

I will give the manga credit where it’s due in that it made the stakes about Ichigo’s character and how poorly he could handle ever coming back to being a nobody, basically. I think it’s something not a lot of shonen manga have tackled something as heavy as “what would happen if MC lost his powers but the threats didn’t stop?”. His dependence on Ginjo and Execution built a good betrayal plotline but, and I do feel bad to say this, I don’t find any of the new characters all that enjoyable. And that’s my main issue with it. The first arc introduced a varied and interesting cast of side characters, but there’s not much of that in this arc. Tsukishima is somewhat interesting as a villain due to his power, but not much else. The same goes for the rest of Execution, who, at least to me, don’t stray too far from being tropes.

It’s a shame, really. I appreciated the flashbacks for Ginjo and Tsukishima in particular, but man do I wish we had more. Then again, that would have perhaps played against the mystery/betrayal plotline that was decently built over the span of the arc.

I don’t think I’ll continue reading the manga from this point on. I hated the Quincy arc for how rushed and outright bad it was. The anime is airing right now and I’m honestly more interested in revisiting the arc by watching the adaptation. From what I’ve heard, Kubo has the reins and will add some anime-original content to improve the arc. So far, I like the anime and I hope a certain captain does not miraculously come back to the battlefield. If he does, for any reason at all, I’ll have to wonder if the rest of the arc will be improved or just rehash the mistakes from the manga. I don’t want it to come to that.

Before I finish this post, I wanted to add one last thing. Since I mentioned Kazui in my first post ever about bleach in this blog, I do plan on making an even longer rant on the Hell chapter and my problems with it, as well as speculate as to where it could go, assuming it ever gets another chapter. I might do this old blog justice again and write something short for the Hell arc, but I doubt I will even get the time for it. We’ll see.

#bleach #manga review #fullbring #hell chapter review coming soon???

[ariparri]

Simple designs for Haruna’s hairstyles for some of the arcs!

When the Gotei 13 was founded

To match with her wild personality, Haruna, who went by the name Ikaruga during this time, had her hair in a high ponytail that had her locks flow over her head to make it seem like she just had short wild hair.

I consider this the most difficult out of all of Haruna’s hairstyles to draw. Trying to get her hair right is a struggle. It’s not supposed to be perfect, it’s supposed to be wild. I’m just a perfectionist :;(∩´﹏`∩);:

Turn Back the Pendulum Arc

Cleaning up her act after being promoted to the Kidō Corps, Haruna started wearing her hair in a bun with some of her locks forming a loop into the bun.

The easiest one to draw, one of the reasons why I like drawing Haruna in her Kidō uniform.

Soul Society Arc

Haruna’s hair is now in a side ponytail held up by a plum blossom hair piece. This hairstyle is kept throughout the anime from the Soul Society Arc up to the Lost Substitute Shinigami Arc.

Second easiest one and my all time favorite of Haruna’s hairstyles. I don’t know why but I just love the style of this one.

TYBW/CFYW

In the light novels, Haruna’s hair is tied up into a side bun with some loose locks flowing. I find this hairstyle to be a bit of a challenge. I don’t often draw OCs with hairstyles that show off the foreheads, so I wanted to give this one a go!

Echoing Jaws of Hell Arc

The hairstyle for Echoing Jaws of Hell, another hairstyle I consider to be difficult to draw but I actually love! Haruna’s hair is pulled back into a low ponytail with two braids at the top of her head trail back to the ponytail.

═════ ✥.❖.✥ ═════

They all were supposed to have side/back views but I got lazy halfway through sketching ʕ⁎̯͡⁎ʔ

Tell me which one is your favorite though!( ˊ̱˂˃ˋ̱ )

🚫No Reposting🚫

#ariparri #haruna kisaragi #bleach #bleach oc #soul reaper oc #Kidō Corps oc #bleach anime #bleach manga #soul reaper #Kidō Corps #hairstyle designs

[black--sun]

Is Ichigo actually still in his human body? does he consider that maybe he's in a gigai? or that his body has always been a gigai since birth? does he ever feel like his human body is gonna give out under the weight of his power?

@jaegersol

Is Ichigo actually still in his human body? does he consider that maybe he's in a gigai?

This is actually a really interesting concept, and I’ve heard it detailed out quite a few times. I personally do not hold to this idea, though, and I’ll tell you why.

Ichigo would have to either be ignorant of the body switch or he’d have to be okay with not being human anymore. Since Ichigo says repeatedly through the series that he’s human, I’m inclined to think that’s something that means a lot to him. He clearly does not believe he is no longer human. I mean. Maybe human is a state of mind. Which would move us on to the idea that someone replaced his body, and he’s simply ignorant of the switch. And this is squicky, but the most plausible reasoning I’ve heard. However, considering how proud Ichigo is of his humanity, this would be a rather large breech of trust. To remove his human body, effectively killing him, replace it without his knowledge, and then conceal that truth. That would be so very close to a betrayal. Which I think Ichigo would forgive. I can’t imagine it wouldn’t hurt him if he learned of it. That means to keep him ignorant, it would need to be concealed on a widespread basis. Bleach is full of a lot of smart people. I have a hard time thinking it would go unnoticed. But it’s still possible.

HOWEVER.

If he lost his humanity, the same logic that says he’s stronger for being a hybrid, would dictate that he would be weaker to lose any of those species. Ichigo is a Human, a Quincy, a Fullbringer, a Shinigami, a Hollow, and sometimes a Zanpakuto, as seen when he becomes Getsuga etc. His strength comes from being an amalgamation. His Human, Quincy, and Fullbringer sides are mortal. To become only Shinigami/Hollow would make him considerably weaker. And I know what you’re going to say, you’re going to say Ash, Ichigo’s Quincy powers go with him when he leaves his body. And that is correct, his Quincy abilities have merged with his Zanpakuto. Actually, they all end up merging into one. He is a special case. However, it doesn’t change the fact that Quincy are human and spiritual beings, they’re both.

I suppose since the body snatching and switch would’ve happened toward the beginning of the series, it could be argued that maybe he is in a gigai and he is weaker than he would’ve otherwise been, BUT that seems like quite a gamble for someone to make, and honestly, inefficient, sloppy work with no obvious benefit.

Also consider when we see him in the seventeen month time-skip, he’s still capable of awakening his Fullbring, which implies humanity. Now, a gigai can turn spirits into humans. We’ve seen it before, BUT why make him human or even imitate it when he was already human??? Inefficient. Sloppy.

I would need to see a long list of benefits for destroying his true body and replacing it with a fake body. Even a super powered gigai. Benefits that outweigh the potential loss of trust, considering he‘s basically being dehumanized at that point just so he’ll make a better weapon.

Also, while we’re speaking of the seventeen month time-skip—Ichigo was completely without his spiritual powers during that time. He would’ve been a plus soul in a gigai. I hope it’s making sense why this would be an awful, awful thing to do to him. He would be dead inside an artificial body. To be fair, he seemed as if he might feel that way. And it still wouldn’t be the worst thing that’s been done to him in the series. So. Still possible.

HOWEVER AGAIN.

It’s made clear toward the end of the arc that he’s considered a substitute Shinigami. His humanity is an important factor in this.

Umm, I could talk about how his human body, strengthened by his Quincy blood, would be ideal for what he puts it through, and might be responsible for his superhuman strength. Ishida wasn’t the only one to keep his Quincy abilities through the Auswahlen. Ichigo did as well. His Quincy blood isn’t weak or lesser than. It is an asset. Why remove it? Quincy power resonates in the soul and the body. A Quincy doesn’t need to remove their body to access their spiritual powers. His body is a benefit.

He also ages like a human. A Shinigami might age inside a gigai if it simulates humanity, but again, why bother simulating humanity? He was already human.

None of this is a definite yes or no. I could make an argument around it, because a lot of bleach lore is fluid. But there are more cons than pros to this theory.

As for what happens to Ichigo’s body when he’s outside of it, I’ve always imagined this to be something like an OBE, astral projection, and the like. The spirit leaves the body; the body is in a sleeping state. Obviously, that’s a problem if a spirit leaves long term, but if simple, un-spiritually aware humans can keep a body alive when it’s non-responsive, surely someone capable of making a fake body realistic enough to pass as a human could manage it. If not, there’s Kon. If that fails, Ichigo’s father is a literal doctor possessing literal doctor equipment. But let's be honest, these are not reliable people. They could’ve absolutely let him die. I’d believe it and someone needs to call child services.

or that his body has always been a gigai since birth?

To what purpose? Masaki was quite human. And according to Urahara, Isshin’s body was something of a shinigami-human hybrid while Masaki was alive. If Isshin couldn't work up enough DNA to pass on, Ichigo wouldn't exist.

does he ever feel like his human body is gonna give out under the weight of his power?

See above where I talked about his exceptional Quincy pedigree. He seems like he was having a harder time dealing with his exceptional power while in his spirit body. Remember Zangetsu's comments about him shaking because he couldn't handle the power of his bankai?

#jaegersol #tsp activity check #ahhh i hate answering questions #i always sound aggressive #im really not and open to counter-points #ooc #long post

[rojurose-a]

@ROJUROSE'S VERSES

BLEACH

🎸 verse 🎸 turn back the pendulum arc     This verse takes place from the time Rose was born up until 110+ years prior to the series.

🎸 verse 🎸 arrancar arc     This verse takes place during Ichigo's training with the Vizards and when they meet Orihime for the first time.

🎸 verse 🎸 fake karakura town arc     This verse takes place during the battle between the Gotei 13 and the Arrancar + Aizen.

🎸 verse 🎸 reinstated arc     This verse takes place in-between the Fake Karakura Town arc and the TYBW arc when Rose gets reinstated as Third Division Captain. This also includes the Lost Substitute Shinigami arc.

🎸 verse 🎸 tybw arc     This verse takes place during the events of the TYBW arc when the Gotei 13 fight the Quincies.

🎸 verse 🎸 post series arc     This verse takes place after the events of the TYBW arc. This will include the Echoing Jaws of Hell arc.

OTHER

verse 》》》 crack     This one is strictly use for shits and giggles.

verse 》》》 to be determined     This one is used for any, and all, crossover threads for I’ll be making references to Bleach and the likes.

[littleeyesofpallas]

...共に夜一殿の家敷に お世話になった身

...tomo ni Yourichi-dono no yashiki ni osewaninatta mi

"...Together, at Lord Yoruichi's estate, bodies/one's self(ones' selves(?)) taken care of'

So, there is a bit of nuance lost here. Osewaninaru[お世話になる] has a variety of simultaneous meanings that don't all come across in any one English translation

"to receive favor; to receive assistance; to receive help"

"to be looked after; to be taken care of; to become dependent (on)"

and, "to become much obliged (to someone); to become indebted"

What this is saying is that Tessai and Urahara were taken in by the Shihouin estate and that as direct consequence of this they are indebted to said family and estate. In a very samurai-esque sense of this dynamic they're honor bound to her, but they are also basically indentured servants. (Funny enough it's got echos of the way Renji first spoke to Rukia way back at the end of the Substitute Shinigami arc)

On the one hand, since we know Urahara and Yoruichi grew up together, it sounds like they were taken into the family's care as kids and raised along side Yoruichi. Possibly as orphans or possibly as children of a family already indebted to the Shihouin.

And I've mentioned before that Yoruichi and Yuushirou have a naming convention that heavily suggests two middle Shihouin children. (Yoruichi:"night+1" and Yushiro:"night+4+son" implying a "night 2" and "night 3") It's a bit of a stretch but if we take this as a kind of fully legal adoption, sans family inheritance, it's possible that Urahara and Tessai were basically the 2nd and 3rd children of the main branch of the family.

But notably Tessai phrases this as "bodies indebted" which is less about personal responsibility and makes it sound more like they are regarded as property. So, there is also some room to say that they're effectively prisoners on parole, charge of the Onmitsukido private prison system and released into service basically the same way Mayuri was under Urahara.

And we know from Akon's cameo in TBtP that there is precedent for them having imprisoned children.

#bleach #urahara kisuke #tessai tsukabishi #i realize there was no preface to this #and i cant think of one now #ive seen this come up in conversation before #but im never near my computer when it happens #and i always forget by the time im home #bleach meta

[bleachmerchandisestore]

When does Ichigo regain its strength in Bleach?

Bleach is one of the ongoing anime series and with the anniversary of becoming one of the "big three of the era on Shonen Jump magazine," we can't exclude the love and admiration we have for Ichigo. Ichigo Kurosaki, the main character, has joined the list of the most famous characters thanks to the introduction of powers that quickly made him a respected force in the Soul Society. Ichigo has gone through some major challenges to achieve his fame and ultimate power.

The anime series, based on the original manga by Tite Kubo called Bleach, also aired from October 2004 to March 2012 on TV Tokyo, and we will witness Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, the final manga spin-off, in October 2022.

Bleach picks up Ichigo's story as he becomes the most powerful Soul Reaper and protects humans from evil spirits. Ichigo resides in Karakura town when he becomes a Shinigami (Soul Substitute). He is not alone with such power in the town as he gradually learns about the powers that his classmates like Ishida, Orihime Inoue, and Yasutora Sado possess.

Some stories are introduced throughout the manga, including the battles between Ichigo and his friends versus spiritual humans, immortals, The Hollow, and more.

However, as the story progresses, Ichigo loses his power and must regain it to protect his loved ones. While it is unclear when Ichigo will regain his power, it is likely to happen in the upcoming manga spin-off.

In conclusion, Ichigo is one of the most popular and powerful characters in Bleach, and his journey to regain his power will undoubtedly be an exciting one for fans.

When did Ichigo lose power?

Ichigo possesses an immense power. His speed and strength are truly astonishing, which leads to an increase in his fighting capabilities in battles. The source of Ichigo's power is not limited, as his Zanpakuto can take on the form of Tensa Zangetsu's Bankai.

Coming to his Shinigami powers, he also has the power of Hollow, which usually allows him to enter into the Hollow form - a state that makes him even stronger and uncontrollable, and his speed increases. As his Hollow powers are uncontrollable, he is often afraid to use them because he fears that he may lose them if he cannot learn to control them. Ichigo's Quincy abilities also exist, allowing him to increase his defensive and offensive powers.

In the fourth part, we see how Kagerōza Inaba creates modified soul copies of many members, and then he puts them into the Reigai bodies. Inaba tries to capture Nozomi Kujō to merge with her and become a primitive form, Ōko Yushima. But this is prevented because Nozomi sacrifices herself to defeat Inaba, and Ichigo loses his power in the process. Ichigo loses the ability to use his spiritual energy in the intense battle with Sosuke Aizen.

This is mainly because Aizen was the strongest player in the Bleach world at that time, and Ichigo had to sacrifice some to continue the fight. Ichigo is then trained in Dangai, where he learns his ultimate form, Getsuga Tenshou, but the drawback is that this form will lead to the sacrifice of his power without their return. Dangai is a realm where time does not pass, so Ichigo can easily confront Aizen without spending years of actual training.

After the battle with Aizen, Ichigo loses all of his power when he successfully defeats Aizen.

When does Ichigo regain its strength?

Ichigo Kurosaki is one of the strongest forces, but unfortunately, he lost his power. His immense spiritual energy and shinigami ability have certainly been missed, but fortunately, he regained them in Chapter 362. In the Fullbring arc, we see Ichigo struggling and trying to live his normal life after losing his Shinigami abilities in the Karakura battle. After Aizen's defeat, Ichigo meets the "Fullbringers," who claim to have developed awareness of their own spirituality.

Therefore, they can manipulate the present souls in everything by focusing on the spiritual power of others rather than their own. Ichigo learns to manifest his Fullbring power, truly embodying a weaker, spirit-infused form of his own strength. Ichigo slowly regains his spiritual energy, but surprisingly, the leader of the Fullbringer group - Ginjo, actually intends to steal Ichigo's power. At this point, Ichigo gains his power back once again when stabbed by Rukia's sword (which carries the spiritual energy of many of the 13 Gotei captains).

Ginjo becomes stronger while Ichigo regains possession of his Zangetsu, even becoming stronger than before and regaining his power.

This causes Ichigo to regain possession of his Zangetsu and become stronger than ever before.

Visit us: https://bleachmerchandise.store

#bleachmerchandise #bleachmerchandisestore

[jasonblaze72]

#Bleach

[flakkertmblr]

BLEACH

Finished

Bleach is possibly my favorite of the big 3 (although I haven’t read Naruto yet). The characters, fights, art style, and plot all click for me. The power system is always very exciting to see and usually very cool looking. Bleach may have some small issues appear later on during the Thousand Year Blood War arc. However, the series both pre and post-time skip, stays entertaining in my opinion.

Favorite characters

Ichigo

Grimmjow

Kenpachi

Ichibe

Rukia

The arcs rated

Arancarr Arc

Thousand Year Blood War

Hueco Mundo Arc

Lost Substitute Shinigami Arc

Soul Society

Agent of the Shinigami

Rating: 9/10

[i-dor-u]

jushiro ukitake x reader; never been better.

NOTE: So I found this through my drafts and I thought it was too cute not to share. I’ve always loved Jushiro’s character so much, he’s just too precious for his own good. The action of this drabble takes place during The Lost Substitute Shinigami arc I guess, probably around the end when Jushiro’s condition has gotten bad. I hope I can write more of Bleach as I am eagerly for the anime to make its comeback.

pairing: jushiro ukitake x gn!/fem!reader;

content warnings: mentions of sensitive topics (illness, death), a fair share of angst but fluff for the most part, possible spelling errors;

content synopsis: you search for your husband whereas he quietly tends to the bonsai in a nearby garden, then you share a quiet and intimate moment.

word count: 726.

currently playing: vangelis — rosetta.

more of my works...

"Kiyone, where is Captain Ukitake?"

Your enchanting voice extracts your usually kind and polite manners as you approach your husband's underling with small steps. Kiyone turns around to face you, only for you to notice a glimpse of surprise and immediate humility in her expression before she humbly stutters, "Master [Name]! The Captain is currently in the garden, probably trimming the bonsai..." the third seated officer explains respectfully, "I can guide you to him if you wish!" Kiyone's noisy phrasing made you escape a gentle chuckle. She was always unyielding when it came to displaying unbridled respect for you and, while it was admirable, it often made you fall in thoughts about how you wish Jushiro's people treated you more as a friend than a superior. But this much can't be helped, or so you thought. "That's alright, I will go by myself. Thank you, Kiyone. Have a lovely day ahead!" You add, imitating the same amount of respect and offering Kiyone a smile just as you resumed your road.

While you willingly tried not to prance your way to your husband out of excitement, you were headed with gentle, unheard steps only to quickly reach the garden and have Jushiro’s frame captured by your curious sight. It was just as Kiyone said, he was trimming the bonsai; he'd always refer to himself as unskilled in doing so, but you contradicted him in your thoughts when faced with his nearly blind concentration, dexterity and the masterful outcome of his work. Once you cease your pacing, you notice a satisfied smile on your husband's lips once his deed was done and he began inspecting it.

"What do you think, [Name]? I think it doesn't look all that bad," said Jushiro while his soft gaze added further analysis to the freshly trimmed bonsai. You could swear you appeared unnoticed; but it seems that his Captain reflexes aren't to be trifled with. Your lips form a smile once you pick them up from a surprised expression you previously showed. "Jushiro..." You softly spoke as you approach him before stroking a portion of his snow-white hair only for the sake of feeling him under your touch, "How are you feeling?" Jushiro smiles delicately when faced with your question. He's grown rather accustomed to your constant worry and, while it pained him on the inside, he found it rightful, considering that his existence could cease at any time if it succumbed to his unforgiving illness. The concern in your eyes becomes immediately an evident factor, despite your many attempts to stash it behind your usually calm and collected exterior. It becomes monstrously difficult to display strength as you acknowledge more and more worst-case scenarios. He’s getting worse, isn’t he? Your mind wanders against your will. You’ve already learned that tinkering with various tasks round and round was just a tactic for your Taichou to distract himself from the paralyzing pain that his body permanently put him through. Your eyes ached at this thought alone.

It happens in a heartbeat.

When Captain Ukitake strokes your cheek, it's as if you're magically brought back from your unyielding negative thoughts. When faced with his smile, you instantly melt into his cup, second-guessing if God could really take this man away from you. His thumb travels further down to the nape of your neck only for it to make contact with his rough skin as the product of his hellish training and battles. His touch, despite feeling heavy on you at times, offered you so much comfort, and you trusted it entirely. Your smile expanded, only to block out the tears which threatened to fall from your already uncontrollably glistening eyes. "Now that you're here, I could swear I've never been better," Added Jushiro after a moment of silence which feels to have lasted an eternity. His voice makes it hard for you to maintain a regular heartbeat every now and then. You unleash your emotions, embracing Jushiro’s body and capturing his flowing haori gently into your grasp, only to bring your beloved close to your own exterior and feel him entirely. All the worry, nightmarish anxiety ceases at once as you acknowledge Jushiro's arms surrounding your figure, fully absorbing the sentiment of protection he blessed you with while gradually banishing your fears like he always would.

And you could swear you've never been better.

#bleach #bleach anime #bleach imagines #bleach headcanons #jushiro ukitake #jushiro bleach #jushiro x reader #bleach x reader #reader insert #fan fiction #jushiro ukitake x reader #jushiro ukitake bleach #bleach fanfiction #❲⌕❳ loading maze...