#ichihime is good for the soul | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

zabiume · 26 days

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LOVED your response to the ichihime ask about ichigo's feelings, and i guess i wanted to add to it by asking how you would envision ichigo's crush on her, what kind of thoughts he would think, because he's very hard to read in the romance department lol

i got another ask similar to this one about ichigo's feelings, but my inbox seems to have eaten it up because i don't see it here anymore (even though the number of unread asks it says i have still hasn't changed...), so i guess i'll answer them both here

i mean, we know their first meeting had a big impact on ichigo, even if orihime herself doesn't remember the encounter, and we also know based on what he says to rukia that he'd kind of been keeping an eye on her ever since their paths crossed in high school, so i'd say it began as a kindred soul thing: she lost someone close to her, he lost someone close to him, he knows what it's like, so he can't help but keep an eye out for her, worry about her, etc. he notes that she gets hurt every day, so i'm guessing it was a kind of situation where he'd be minding his own business or going his own way and then out of the corner of his eye, he hears/catches sight of her getting into something clumsy as usual. a dropped book here, a loud crash there.

i'd say his feelings at this time are pretty similar to orihime's feelings in the 'one way sympathies' chapter. he begins to understand her or feel closer to her because of this loss, but they're not necessarily close friends so he can't explain why he feels close to her. he mostly just ignores it all as background noise unless she's directly in front of him. we also know that she told him about her brother and her hairpins some time pre-canon, so maybe she brought it up in casual conversation once ("i never go anywhere without them" etc etc) and ichigo remembered it because he remembers seeing her and sora at the clinic and he knows how much sora meant to her. it's not unreasonable to guess that, having sisters of his own, he could kind of put himself in that situation and feel vehement about that happening to his own sisters. who would take care of them if he died? little sisters need big brothers, and having lost hers, ichigo probably couldn't help but really feel for her.

i think it's important to remember that ichigo ends up caring about people deeply very easily. after orihime encourages him to save rukia, and after she accompanies him with his other friends to help him fight a battle that has nothing to do with her, i think it's safe to say he's touched and he considers her a friend–and a cherished one at that, since she ends the arc by telling him she's sorry she couldn't protect him. ichigo doesn't get to hear people say things like that to him often, because he's....usually the one saying them. so his face in that moment speaks of fondness, tenderness, maybe even a little gratitude as orihime cries about his well-being.

ichihime really gets its push in the HM arc, though, i mean it's no surprise that the amount of ichihime fanfics probably tripled in number after the arc began. and for good reason! it's kind of incredible how many times orihime gets singled out this arc even before she gets kidnapped, like the time ichigo promised to protect her, even though chad and tatsuki were also there and also injured. it's clear that he feels like he's got something to prove in front of her, and i think, at the time, he justifies it to himself as needing to make it up to her because he let his own insecurities about his hollow get in the way of protecting her from yammy. and i don't think he's even lying to himself about it. ichigo was very, very occupied with his own trauma and the plot constantly happening all the time so i think he was satisfied with surface-level reasons of, "she's a pacifist, she has trauma with her brother and THAT'S why i've got to personally make it up to her."

but i do think, deep down, he has this tendency to only ever want to look good and strong and kind in orihime's eyes, because he likes the way she looks at him when she lets some of that love and admiration shine through. he's seen it before and i think he's a little addicted to it, because when he later remembers moments where he was proud to be a shinigami, orihime shows up there twice, both times crying about how much she cares about him lol. he clearly loves it whenever she expresses her feelings for him, though i don't think he's examining it as anything deeper than the simple joy of making his friends happy.

the repeated hand motif is another thing that i think is an important indicator of how ichigo feels at the time. here's a post i made about it a while ago that never came out of the drafts:

all this to say, i think ichigo has a feeling all throughout the HM arc that orihime left her heart with him when she said goodbye. he doesn't know how to justify this feeling, just that it exists and it's strong and he needs to prove to her that he won't be letting her down. the anime surprisingly rounds this out nicely by having ichigo hold her hand after the grimmjow fight, but so much of ichigo's behavior this arc feels like the narrative's response to orihime's insecurities about their bond in chapter 199. ichigo does some pretty balls-to-the-walls crazy things this arc for orihime, so it's kind of like he's responding to her confession with magnanimous action of his own (though he doesn't know that's what he's doing; it's subconscious behavior, coming from the part of him that heard her even when he himself was asleep—his heart. this repeats for a second time when he dies at the tower but his heart hears her again. not the physical, beating thing of course, but the metaphysical thing that transcends physical form). what does orihime mean to him at this point in the story? he would say she's his friend, of course, but to us it's clear that their bond continually reminds him of what he's fighting for. he sealed his promise to her with the kanji that makes up his name. his life's purpose lies in protecting people, and as long as there's someone to protect, someone he promised to protect, he'll never die.

fullbring arc shakes things up by a) having them get closer as friends who share mundane interests, like reading the same manga or sharing mutual friends (esp tatsuki, who he seems to have made up with) or just chilling and hanging out in his room and b) having him actually acknowledge that orihime wants to protect him, too, and is now actually capable of doing that. before, ichigo could easily brush her under the wing of his protection, but it's here that he's got to contend with the fact that he might have an equal soon—a potential battle partner, which is something he's never had before going into horn of salvation.

which brings us to the 10-year-timeskip. i've said it before, but once the surface-level reason of wanting to protect her, just like he wants to protect everyone, is swept away, i do think he's got time and space to consider the fact that he might actually have a crush on her. AKA, this, to me, is the first time he realizes it for what it is and says it out loud to himself. he's always been able to distract himself or justify his feelings to himself using plot events before, but they're in a period of peace now and that's when i think he realizes that he wants to be with her. i don't think he could have ever had that realization if he was still paranoid about her safety, because duty comes first to him, but now that he's not, i think he realizes that he just likes spending time with her and spending hours in his room, with or without their friends, just talking and relaxing. they grew up together and she's seen every side of him—pre-powers, shinigami, hollow, quincy, powerless, what have you—so i think it moves him, knowing that she's been by his side through it all, seeing him up close in all his forms and versions, and maybe he's ready now for her to see what he's like as a lover too. if she'd love that version of him, just like she did with everything else! he's sensitive and protective of his own feelings, so he'd only make that move once he had a guarantee that it would be accepted. that he would be accepted. and orihime has obviously always tried to accept him for who he is, even when he was at his worst, so he feels safe in giving this side to her too!

#sorry this is so long; i just have very specific opinions about ichigo's feelings that i can't summarize with a shorter post😅#ichihime #asks #to the other older asks in my inbox....i'm sorry but i literally can't see them anymore😭 idk why this is happening #i think most of ichigo having a crush is just him going: i wonder what inoue is doing...i wonder if inoue got home safe...#i wonder if inoue would come over today if i found the right reason to invite her...👉👈#inoue looks so nice..let me not look at her at all and then scream if uryu or chad make a comment about it #he's very smart but he's also very dumb <3

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vicioux · 11 months

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ICHIHIME FIC RECS

i can't believe i've been reading ichihime fanfics for literally 10 years ✌️ my favorite flavor is definitely pining with a touch of angst, but i am also a sucker for just them giggly all over each other! thank you bleach TYBW anime revival for bringing me back to these two cutie patooties and an even bigger thank you to all the writers that have been keeping the fandom alive all these years (especially in the earlier days back in the wild wild west of ff.net and LJ lol) y'all are amazing 💖 happy reading everyone p.s you can find the rest of my fic rec lists here

🍓 alternate universe 🍞

THE BRIDE OF THE DEATH GOD by caledon A plague descended upon the village, and to appease the God of Death they offered him a bride as a sacrifice.

THE DEVIL'S PLAYTHING by marshmallowbirb High-schooler Kurosaki Ichigo discovers that he isn't as human as he once thought - and neither is his classmate, Inoue Orihime.

THE RELUCTANT BRIDEGROOM, DEATH by marshmallowbirb On a sunny summer morning, the young goddess Orihime gathers flowers on a hillside.

STARCROSS'D by child of the ashes In the vampire palace of Los Noches, there is no greater curse than beauty, and no greater crime than love.

NEXT VISIT by aurona x She can see him only with autumn comes, that man of the deep blue tree. And over the years, her love for him grows.

MOTHERHOOD by ashe flyght Orihime's family is financially unstable. So when Japan's most in demand actor, Kurosaki Ichigo offers her an unusual job will she accept it?

FINE LINES by lastlynotleast Ichigo is a tattoo artist and Orihime has skin he could draw on forever.

🍓 multichapter 🍞

THE BOND BETWEEN US by ritsu-san Post Ch. 352: Ichigo and Orihime are left to figure out this strange bond they share.

TIL DEATH DO US PART by marshmallowbirb Deemed too powerful, Ichigo is sequestered in Soul Society after defeating Aizen. Ten years later, one of his human friends dies.

THE CLOCKWORK SWITCH by sesamerolls (1 // 2 // 3) “Kurosaki-kun?” She wanted to bite back her words. This person couldn’t be him. He was a few inches taller, broader, and manlier than the youth who gave her daifuku just minutes before.

🍓 oneshots that will make you feeeeel 🍞

DEMAGNETIZE by ghosty If opposites attract, then what does that mean for us?

TACTILE by mrhooty Orihime has accepted that her boundaries will never be respected, but Ichigo is too good of a friend to allow that.

AFFIRMATION by sesamerolls Ichihime from the beginning to the end.

HOME IS WHERE THE SUN SETS by awkwardspaceturtle Using the word ‘beautiful’ didn’t seem like enough; nothing he could ever say out loud would tell her how she really looked in his eyes.

BUILD A HOUSE IN PARADISE by zabiume Ichigo and Orihime move in together.

PAPER HOUSES by zabiume Mostly, he just wanted to know if she was okay, if she was eating well and passing her courses and if, when she went to bed at night, she had someone to smile about.

PROMPTFILL by zabiume Truth serum induced angst.

PROMPTFILL by captainrukias-husband Ichigo writes a poem for Orihime.

TEMPTARE BEAST by mayelisa As Orihime watched in horror as Ichigo took on that form again, she had a sinking feeling that this day wouldn't turn out at all like she had planned.

MEMORIES IN THE RAIN by garden of magnolias If I were the rain, could I connect with someone's heart, as the rain can unite the eternally separated earth and sky?

ALWAYS SUMMER by folle Orihime is calling, calling, and Ichigo doesn't know how to not answer, except in the most important way.

BECOMING WHOLE by lovelycollision He loves her in various ways, during different stages of his life. It's after the war when he realizes that he's in the third stage, otherwise known as the beginning.

🍓 outside POV looking in 🍞

ELEVATING by sesamerolls “Okay, let’s theoretically agree Ichi-nii has a girlfriend,” said Karin, resting her palm underneath her chin.

SIMPLY BY MEASUREMENT by sesamerolls When it first began, he pretended not to notice.

PROMPTFILL by scribblles Ichigo screwed up his befuddlement into a distinctly grumpy expression. “For your information, I wasn’t daydreaming, I was thinking. Worrying, actually. And it’s about a friend. Who… happens to be a girl.”

🍓 funny fluffy oneshots 🍞

OF MICE AND MEN by garden of magnolias Ichigo realizes that getting rid of a mouse in his and Orihime's apartment is a lot more complicated when it involves his girlfriend.

I REJECT! by scribblles Keigo has a rare moment of inadvertent correctness.

RUMOUR HAS IT by fictionaryplace Ichigo and Orihime have important news, but decide to have a little fun with their friends and family before coming clean.

DELAYED REACTION by crystal dawn Orihime is feeling under the weather. Against his better judgment, Ichigo suggests she visit his father's clinic.

ICED FRAPPUCCINO by hedonysms Ichigo and Orihime get a coffee. Ichigo is simultaneously an emotional sap and a horny, utterly repressed man.

STARTING FRESH by kay sincere Ichigo doesn't have a resolution for the new year himself. But it does come to his attention that his friends could use his help.

NOSEBLEED by deathberryhime Where that little smile would have done more damage than intended to.

OUR BREATHS IN PERFECT HARMONY by iwillhaveamoonbase When Ichigo's friend talks about a cute girl at a bakery, Ichigo agrees to introduce them with no idea that the girl in question is his girlfriend.

WELL WISHERS by adverb_slut It turns out that shinigami are not so great at gift-buying, especially for a four-week-old baby.

THE ART OF SHIPPING by alice hattercandy In which, everyone ships. Even Ichigo.

🍓 anything and everything by these authors 🍞

SESAMEROLLS CAPTAINRUKIAS-HUSBAND ZABIUME (tumblr // ao3) SCRIBBLLES CRYSTALDAWN / MARSHMALLOWBIRB (ffnet // ao3) ORIHIMES RITSU-SAN (more on their LJ sunburnt-wings) TRAGICOMEDY (more on their LJ explicates)

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o0o0thorn0o0o · 8 months

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I be back.

Images by themselves below the cut because I spent way too much time on them + text because I’ve been gone for a while—‘course I got a lotta say.

It’s certainly been a while, eh? I did this last cour, too, and I swear to God if I do this for the next cour… Worst part is, I haven’t even watched it yet this time, rip :,) Will definitely do sometime later today, for sure, for sure.

So, I meant to get this done for IchiHime week (and look at how that turned out, haha), but not only was July a month full of pleasure, but it was also full of pain work. I was bordering a D for Orgo, so I spent a good portion prioritizing that—and it wasn’t for naught! Not only did I pass, but I went from a C- to a B! A freaking B, not even a B-!!! I’m still so shocked… I also ended up with over a 100 for lab, but I honestly kinda expected that. I’m just so glad I graduated without failing Orgo 2. Was infinitely better than Orgo 1, but goodbye, will never see you again. If I ever do, it’ll be too soon… Had hella good professors, though. That, I will say.

I go from ranting about Orgo to raving, even though it’s almost been a month… Oops ^^” The grade just still makes me so giddy, haha. Anyway, been mainly prioritizing drawing this (plus a part two to this, which I do have done as well, but I will be posting that sometime later today), though I did spend a good portion of the first half of this month rebooting my personal writing club. Enough about where I’ve been—let’s talk about the piece, shall we?

So, this was originally just an art idea I knew I wanted to do later, and when I saw what the first prompt was, it automatically came to the forefront of my mind. That, plus with the idea I eventually got for the second prompt, I really just had to. I actually probably could’ve gotten this done in a more reasonable time, but, see, when things are just an idea, I don’t put too, too much thought into them—only enough to consider them neat or substantial or something.

When it actually came to it, I found myself at a dilemma of just how faithful I wanted to stick with Orihime’s confession. Originally, I thought about incorporating the five specific things she mentioned into different past lives, but then I realized the timelines wouldn’t really make sense with what I was going for, especially considering Soul Society and stuff, which I had not thought about. So I kinda had to choose between previous lives or parallel lives. I initially went with the latter, but… idk, last minute, like the week of, I decided after checking the prompt list one more time that, nah, I definitely wanted previous lives. So, uh… yeah… I might still end up making a parallel lives version of this in the future, ‘cause I did like those ideas, too. We’ll see.

Anyway, I did try to make them at least somewhat reminiscent of the five things: Orihime and Hikoboshi are related to the astronaut thing ‘cause of space and stars and stuff. Heian Period IchiHime, well, it’s a bit of stretch, but I couldn’t really fit donuts in here since the timeline between them and the introduction of ice cream and the current timeline would’ve made one/two of these lives tragically short without even factoring in Soul Society—nothing wrong with tragedy, but not for this post, haha. So I went with small Chinese cakes ‘cause they’re a sweet? And they’d definitely be a very rare and special treat, so… idk.

Shinigami IchiHime’s also a bit of a stretch? You’d think I’d have the easiest time with being a teacher sometime in history, but I ended up sticking it here, and I was adamant I wanted to draw them in their academy days. So, you’ve got Orihime teaching Ichigo some kido techniques or something, idk. Maybe there’s also a kido equivalent to the dummy Hollow thing? And Orihime has a similar/equivalent position to Shuuhei for that? Idk, am just spitballing here to justify myself even though I know I don’t have to.

Then finally, we got Edo Period IchiHime, with Ichigo introducing ice cream to Orihime for the first time ever. And then of course, I shouldn’t have to explain the last one, haha.

Oh, God, I have so much to catch up on… which I will do later. And hey, since my scheduled posts are all up, I guess I’ll just use my queue to reblog posts I’ve missed since Ik I definitely will be reblogging a lot—don’t wanna bombard you with a ton of posts, aha. I will be making them daily instead of weekly, though, so that I’m not stashing them for too long. Starting tomorrow.

#bleach #inoue orihime #kurosaki ichigo #ichihime #fanart #digital art #I hate backgrounds sooo much #made my wrist fricking hurt #and what? to look subpar? bah humbug…#also ew what’s with that new dashboard setup???

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vanillaxbiscuit · 1 year

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New Year's Festival

Been play Bleach Brave Souls recently. Im not an active player so I kinda glad BBS keep giving me a good playable Orihime. Also I love some Ichihime crumbs in the games. hehehe.

Here some small Ichihime crumbs from Bleach Brave Souls The Karakura Town's New Year's Festival event.

The moment Ichigo knew Orihime wanted some steamed buns, he joined her and won the prizes just to gave it to her. My man will do anything for Orihime <3

#ichihime #ichiori #kurosaki ichigo #inoue orihime #ichigo x orihime #art #my art #vanillaxbiscuit #bleach #fanart #bleach brave souls

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titekuboisgross · 1 month

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My theory on why IR didn’t happen…

I used to be an active IchiRuki fan. I no longer am. I did have a dream about tumblr the other day tho and when I was on here that’s 90% of what I posted about. After the manga ended I ended up deleting my account. I was not only done with Bleach but anime in general. I have not watched or read Bleach since it ended. Which is nearly a decade. So my arguments won’t be as solid as they used to be when I could literally recite that series like a souther Baptist preacher can recite the Bible lol. But while I’m here (as I just made a temporary account to look at things for nostalgia’s sake) I have decided I want to post my ultimate theory as why IchiRuki didn’t happen.

So, first and foremost I want to mention I am not liberal, why do I mention my politics? Because I am about to say some things that I’m sure I’ll get attacked for by people claiming I’m just a crazy liberal. But I am actually a moderate that leans conservative, a rare thing for tumblr I know. I don’t make accusations of sexism lightly. I don’t just willy nilly call people sexist because I don’t like them. But I do think some people are sexist. Sexism is real and it’s a prevalent problem in Japan. And I think Kubo may be a misogynist.

And before you start rage typing at your keyboards please hear me out. This isn’t my theory, it’s actually my brothers who is even more on the conservative spectrum than I am. He REALLY doesn’t make claims like this lightly, but I really think he’s onto something. He said basically he believes if Kubo is telling the truth that he never intended on IchiRuki and always planned Ichihime that it’s likely because he’s sexist. Rukia is Ichigos equal, she’s smart, strong, and she stands up to Ichigo and tells him off when he needs to be told off. Orihime is I’m sorry Orihime fans, but she’s dumb, ditsy, airheaded, and most importantly submissive.

In Japan traditionally submissive women were looked upon as ideal. Obviously I know that things have changed with modern times and it’s gotten a lot better. But echos of Japans former sexist past still is present within their modern society. As are echos of our former sexist past. As a student of anthropology I can tell you women are just f**ked in most societies. While the “tiger mom” stereotype is very real do not let that fool you. The ideal TRADITIONAL wife in Japan is still very much one who is submissive to her husband. This is why Rukia could never be Ichigos lover. She was not submissive enough.

Anyway, this is my brothers theory and I think he may be onto something. I used to think, we ALL used to think Kubo was foreshadowing IchiRuki, but maybe he wasn’t? Maybe he really is just that much of a talentless hack. I mean was any of Bleach even any good besides the first two arcs? After the Soul Society arc that entire franchise became a shitshow. And IchiRuki wasn’t the only thing he foreshadowed that never amounted to anything. See this is what I mean where my arguments won’t be as strong because I haven’t read the series in years, but I know y’all know what I mean. There’s a tone of shit in Bleach that he introduced that never got brought up again. So much lore that was never developed and in the rare cases when it was it never made any sense. So maybe he is just talentless.

I used to think he intentionally gave Bleach a shit ending because he was fired. If you remember Naruto ended a year prior and Shonen Jump used the popular Naruto pairings kids to make a sequel series to milk the franchise. I always wondered if Kubo knew no one gave a shit about IchiHime and that it would be impossible to make a sequel with IchiHime kids. So he sacrificed his series so his enemies couldn’t prosper off it. That’s what I used to think he did. But I’ve since changed my mind. I was giving that man FAR too much credit. I don’t think he’s that clever to think to do that. I think he’s kinda stupid tbh. Sorry but I do. Anyway. This is all I’m posting. I again just made this account because I wanted to say hi to an old mutual I was shocked to see was still around. You can reply but I’m not gonna debate y’all like I used to. I’m over that shit now. My opinion stands and you can’t change it. Like it or hate it it’s my opinion and I’m entitled to it. If you’ve gotten this far and read all my post I hope you have a lovely day!

Edit: I forgot to add that before you say “well Kubo can’t be sexist because he creates strong female characters” THINK AGAIN! I love Quintin Tarantino but the man has said very misogynistic things in the past including that he thought a minor girl could consent. And he literally created the most badass female characters of all time. Some of my favorite female characters. Beatrix Kiddo and O-Ren-Ishi. Yes men who create strong female characters can be sexist. Never underestimate a man’s ability to demean a woman smfh

Anyway I am serious this is just a throwaway account I made so this is my only post so it’s also my goodbye post so,

#ichiruki

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recurring-polynya · 1 year

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Ok stupid ask but like how do you think the story of ichigo and his friends will be perceived in like the soul reaper/ academy, ichihime and renruki parts of it as well….because like those 4 have to be in the history books by now right?.

I don't think it's a stupid question at all! The nature of history and remembrance in Soul Society is actually one of my favorite things to talk about.

What I love about Soul Society is that it's ancient and continuous and time is sort of made up in the sense that you can have two people who are 900 years old and one looks like a teen and the other looks 90. It's sort of immune to a lot of the historical events and trends that create distinct eras in the World of the Living, things just sort of mash together instead, like a garage where you keep throwing stuff. You might think that they care very deeply about record-keeping and history, but in fact, it is an afterlife. There is such a natural tendency toward forgetting and revisionism. There are archives, but they are difficult to traverse and have a tendency to eat information rather than retain it. Probably the number one source of actual information about the Soul Society in canon Bleach is the shady guy who got kicked out and runs a candy store in the Living World. (Does anyone else think constantly about how Rukia didn't know what a Quincy was before she met Uryuu??)

So onto the question of Ichigo and his legacy. One thing to keep in mind is that while Ichigo and his nakama have done a tremendous service to Soul Society, telling those stories truthfully does not exactly paint anyone in the Seireitei power structure in a particularly good light. In fact, just about every good thing Ichigo ever did would have been completely unnecessary if the Gotei 13 could find its ass with both hands and a flashlight.

What parts of the Soul Society Arc, for example, would Soul Society consider worthy of enshrining in a text book, for the edification of future shinigami? Well, there was Aizen's betrayal, of course, which would need to be a cautionary tale. Soul Society loves to heap blame on people, heaping blame is fun, so there would probably be significant page count devoted to how evil and corrupt Aizen was, detailing his horrible deeds. You definitely don't want any young people coming to their own conclusions about Aizen or any of the points he was trying to make. Now we, the readers know that this came to light because of Ichigo storming the Seireitei, but he wasn't the one who discovered the bodies or uncovered the conspiracy, was he? No, that was Captains Hitsugaya and Unohana. I'm not sure they would necessarily merit a mention either. I feel like Soul Society history texts are very fond of the passive voice. "The bodies were discovered." When you think about it, even as it's happening, Ichigo is erased from the narrative of Rukia's execution. My memory of it was that her specific crimes were (1) staying in the Human World too long and (2) giving her powers to a human, but when I tried to look up all the places in the manga where I expected her crimes to be spelled out, it was just like "for your crimes." I think if you asked a good half the captains what she was being executed for, they wouldn't be able to answer. Further, Soul Society couldn't have cared all that much about (2) given that Byakuya just left Ichigo for dead without even checking for a pulse or anything, and I'm not sure anyone (aside from Renji and Byakuya, who didn't seem to care) made the connection that the ryouka coming to rescue Rukia was the same human she gave her powers to. There isn't even a tendency to list Ichigo and his friends by name. They are simply the ryouka, which, as Yoruichi points out is the same thing they call anyone who makes trouble in Soul Society.

If you aren't familiar with it, Color Bleach+ is sort of a databook, but it's really half omake comics and the conceit of the other half is that it's the special edition of the Seireitei Communication that was published after ryouka invasion, the issue Shuuhei is passing out to Ukitake while Rukia and Orihime are training together [Note: It is wonderful and hilarious and I recommend that everyone buy a copy, it is my prized possession]. Overall, it's a pretty lighthearted book and not meant to be taken seriously, but I do want to point out that the Seireitei Comm absolutely paints Ichigo and the gang as Serious Criminals, whose motivations are unknowable and sinister. I mean, look at the entry on Orihime, the most precious flower in the universe:

Her offenses are odious.

In other words, we're not starting out well here, but Ichigo is the one who defeats Aizen, right? And he saves the Soul Society from the Quincy War, right?

Well, you and I know that's true, of course, but if you were writing a history book, think about all the other stuff that was going on. Moving Karakura Town to Soul Society and vice versa! Guarding pillars! The Head Captain releasing his sword! I feel like it would be very easy to fill up a lot of text book space with troop movements and Central 46 debates, and to really gloss over the unflattering fact that Soul Society had to rely on the kindness of some kid that they had no actual control over to save their bacon.

But everyone knew him, right? Surely, people would talk about his deeds, right? Well, maybe. For starters, how many shinigami really do know him? The filler arcs tend to make it seem like Ichigo is pals with most of the captain class, but I think that's pretty exaggerated. Obviously, Renji and Rukia know the whole Karakura gang well. The Advance Team lived in Karakura for a month, except that Ichigo, Uryuu and then Orihime all made themselves scarce during that time, and I'm not even sure how much, say, Captain Hitsugaya got to know Chad. Obviously, Byakuya, Kenpachi, and Yachiru, and Ukitake know Ichigo decently well. Chad taught Shuuhei to play the guitar. Orihime and Rangiku are close. But for most of the other captains/vice-captains, they may know about the events that happened, but only second-hand. And also, how much do the rank-and-file troops socialize with these folks? Also, a ton of shinigami died in the war. Just a metric assload. According to We Do (Knot) Always Love You, half the Gotei was lost and two-thirds of the Academy instructors. There was a huge recruiting and rebuilding effort afterwards, and we see that ten years later, things are starting to get back to normal, but at this point, there's a lot of new people who simply weren't there.

So here's my take on it. I think Ichigo et al's contributions are greatly diminished in the official texts. I think that most of the decisions and actions that were taken was attributed to Yamamoto (or later Kyouraku) and the Central 46 (even when they did nothing). The captains probably get about the right amount of credit. The vice-captains get about 1/10 of the credit they deserve. Kurosaki Ichigo and his pals are a footnote.

That being said, the guys still exists. Most people who serve in Squad 13 have probably seen him walking around and said hi to him and have probably seen him spar with their captain or her husband, likewise Squad 11, and know that this guy is for real and that his power level is horrifying, even when he's just goofing around with his pals. I think he takes on sort of a cryptid state actually: everyone knows he was a real guy who was involved to some degree in the wars, but was he really a human-shinigami-Hollow-Quincy hybrid? Sounds fake to me. Lost son of the banished clan? If you say so. I think there are a ton of Kurosaki Ichigo stories, and some are very real and some are very fake and I think after a few dozen years, it's hard to remember which are which, even for the people who were there. His friends likewise take on slightly legendary status: Orihime, his beautiful and kind lady-love with her otherworldly healing gifts. Chad, his lion-hearted, faithful companion, of unparalleled physical strength. And of course, Uryuu, Ichigo's narrative foil, brought back from the side of evil by their bonds of companionship. It really does have the ring of a folktale, doesn't it?

70 or 80 years from current time, when Ichigo makes the permanent move to Soul Society, I feel like he's going to introduce himself and people will be like "Oh, you must have been named after the Great Hero of Soul Society, eh? There were three Kurosaki Ichigos in my middle school" and Ichigo is just like "yes, that's it exactly."

You mentioned Rukia and Renji, and of course, they are there and exist, with all the concomitant weirdness that shinigami captains who don't hold themselves completely apart from normal people have. Ukitake was thousands of years old, and on one hand, he liked to send everyone he knew cardso on their birthdays, but on the other, I feel like sometimes he would drop some casual allusion to how much work there was during the smallpox epidemic of 735, or perhaps mention one of the dozens of times he had to face down some ultra-powerful opponent who would have collapsed all of reality, except he can't actually remember the guy's name, there have been so many. Renji and Rukia are very very young in comparison, but I feel like they are very much on their way to becoming that guy. They have seen some shit. I think Renji, in particular, will be running a drill and launch into some aside about the time he killed 17 Menos who happened to be standing in a row in the Forest of Menos in the depths of Hueco Mundo, back when he had his worse bankai, anyway, guys, don't line up like that, it makes you vulnerable. Hey, is it lunchtime yet? It's not necessarily that no one believes the stories they tell, it's that the stories they tell are simply unbelievable. Unreconcilable with your daily experience. They're heroes of the Winter War and the Thousand-Year Blood War, because of course there are, but there will surely be more wars and more dimensional collapses and more Valleys of Screams and at some point, they're just Old Shinigami Captains, because that's just what you turn into if you manage to not die enough times.

I think there actually is one accurate account of the Karakura Kids' contributions to Soul Society and that only exists because it is the duty of the Kuchiki to compile and guard the history of Soul Society and Byakuya is autistic enough to want to record the actual truth and not the official version. Rukia and Renji actually wrote down most of it, and then Byakuya translated it into over-flowery, formal academic language, and it sits on a shelf in his library somewhere, gathering dust. In case someone ever wanted to read it.

#bleach meta #soul society worldbuilding #i have read plenty of fanfics where ichigo is sort of a celebrity in soul society and to me this is much more fun #this was a fun question! thanks for the ask!

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a-particular-quetzalcoatl · 1 year

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*smacks the table*

Just because I’m a Ichiruki fan, does not mean I don’t like Rukia x Renji. I think Renji is great. He’s a good guy, and gets his relationship with Rukia mostly fixed by the end of the Soul Society arc.

What I don’t like is that they don’t really do anything with their relationship until the VERY END OF BLEACH. Very little relationship development occurs for them while Ichigo and Rukia get some emotional moments together.

Their dynamic as “estranged childhood friends who have reconnected” is great. It’s just that I like the dynamic between Ichigo and Rukia MORE.

Also that I’m not a big fan of Ichihime, but that’s because I feel it’s a somewhat problematic relationship in that Orihime throws herself at Ichigo but there is very little reconciliation of said feelings, as most of the things Ichigo does for her... he has done and probably would do for the rest of his friends.

#bleach #bleach manga #bleach anime #ichiruki #rukia x renji #rukia x ichigo

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bansept · 2 years

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Morning worry

This is my piece for the Ichihime Exchange Challenge! A gift for @killer-mata !

It's my first time participating, so I hope everyone will enjoy it!

-----

Ichigo gently ran his fingers through his wife's hair, enjoying the divine texture of it, letting his short nails scrap the back of her scalp lightly.

The two of them had just woken up from a way too short night of sleep that had started with Kazui being caught red-handed trying to escape from his room. Not out of rebellion, but more out of the growing and irresistible urge to help the lonely souls outside, a feeling they both could understand. Kazui had looked sad for a second, but he was clever. He knew it was to protect him. At least Ichigo hoped he knew.

Orihime gently placed her hands on both his knees, humming a tune from a childish song to herself. They were seating on their bed, Ichigo behind her with his legs spread out for her to settle in between, caressing her hair while trying to tame it.

For years, with Yuzu specifically, he had tried to understand where to place her pins on the side of her head, not too high to not pull her hair, and not too low to avoid looking like a drenched dog. Ichigo was certain Yuzu kept her hair the way he did it to please him. With Orihime, he enjoyed observing her from afar. In high school, he would notice the way she'd curl her hair behind her ears. When dating, Orihime tried some new hairstyles, including some braids and other intricate techniques he couldn't dare try to interpret.

Now, as a married couple, he carefully tended to her hair, drying it, combing it. She let him, glad her dear husband took such good care of her.

"You look a bit tired. You okay?"

Orihime closed her eyes and placed her head on his shoulder, chin pointing at him.

"Yeah... I just have a long day ahead. And I'm sad I won't be joining you to meet the lieutenants."

She pouted and he kissed her forehead, wrapping both of his arms around her thin waist to pull her against his chest.

"I know... But it's just one night, one hollow to catch. Nothing very interesting."

"Still, I would have liked to see Renji and Rukia. It's been too long."

"Hime, it's been 2 weeks since you last chatted with Rukia."

At his words, Orihime opened her eyes again, flashing him a huge smile.

"As I said, too long. I can't help it if I'm her best friend and we need to discuss things between us women."

Ichigo rolled his eyes, muttering a "be my guest" before raising her back into a seated position to keep brushing her hair.

Of course, Rukia and Renji were always busy with official Soul Society orders, now that they were officers. It didn't quite matter to him: his life was still the same if he met them or not. But to Orihime, it made the time stretch agonizingly slowly.

"What do you even talk about with her?"

He was grumbling teasingly, one hand holding her hair while the other delicately combed the thick mass.

"Well, we talk about our husbands and how grumpy they get." That made him smile. "About new types of food, of cute little things, and about Kazui and Ichika."

"Ah, yes, Ichika must be a junior now, no?"

"Mhm! Aaand... She might have a little crush."

Ichigo only hummed, waiting for more information. He didn't get any more, and stopped his action.

"What?"

Orihime smiled teasingly, as if she didn't know what he was asking. She always did enjoy leaving him cooking before answering. Ichigo went to tickle her side, and his wife quickly surrendered.

"Apparently, Ichika has a crush on Kazui."

Ichigo stared at her, eyes starting to squeeze a frown between his brows. A what? No, at that age you didn't have crushes. You had some attraction, but it was childish.

"Isn't she older than Kazui?"

"By 2 years, it's fine!"

"Nuh-huh! And she's the child of that midget and her baboon!"

Orihime pulled his face to her own, shutting him up with a quick kiss before staring at him seriously, a smile still on her lips.

"First, don't insult the few friends you have, and second, of course she'd get a crush! She's 9, and it's perfectly normal. And it doesn't mean they're going to get married tomorrow. I just thought it was cute."

Ichigo's mouth twisted in discomfort, but he didn't rebuke her. Yeah, maybe it was a normal thing to get a crush. He wouldn't know, the only time he had a crush, he had fought invisible dead people with her, and married her. And that didn't happen when he was 7.

Orihime knew Ichigo wanted Kazui to live his life to the fullest. Experience all human and normal moments he could before their son would have to fight creatures from a parallel world. And yet, he wanted to keep him close, protected and as innocent as the day he was born.

"Kazui doesn't know about it. He's as dense as you are. But you have to accept that he's growing up, and he'll have to be interested in something else than us one day."

The man nodded, combing her hair again and again, losing his focus in its rich color.

"If that gremlin of a captain tries to match them, she's gonna get her ass beaten."

Orihime shook her head at his comment, knowing very well he was only joking. Hopefully.

She knew how protective Ichigo was.

#bleach #ichihime #ichigo kurosaki #orihime kurosaki #ichihime fanfiction #ichihime writing #ichihime exchange challenge

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rays-of-fire-and-ice · 2 years

Note

The ship meme for Hitsuhina, Renruki, Ichihime, Ginran, Byahisa, Grimmnel, and Rukihime please?

Send me a ship

Hitsuhina

You saw this coming, I saw this coming, if you didn't see it coming, you can look at my blog and see why this my OTP.

Renruki

LOVE this ship! I've talked about several times before, but if Hitsuhina weren't my OTP, I'm certain these two would be.

Ichihime

Just good wholesomeness all around. They;re cute together, they work well together, and I think they're what they each needed: Orihime is empathetic and can help Ichigo open up more, and Ichigo is a stable presence, a base for Orihime to finally have a stable life and family.

Ginran

I still like this ship, but I remember a time where I LOVED it. I've always been a sucker for childhood friends who have feelings for each other, so of course Ginran had me from the start. They feel like a pair with a lot of history together, knowing things about the other that no else does and thinking about each other often when they're a part. Finding out how they met and how important they were to each other as children made ship these two hard, and then of course wanting to see Rangiku confront Gin just made me stick with them to see how it ended. I sobbed a river the first time I read Gin's death, and even to this day, when I go back and either read the chapter or watch the anime version, it gets me every time.

As for why I went from LOVING to liking this ship...I think it's two things. First, looking back at Gin's reaction to finding Rangiku after she was attacked by Aizen's men and had something important taken from her, it was a terrible way to go about things. Of course, he's a child, but the thing about Gin is he was a smart and cunning one. He single-handedly tracked down Aizen, gained his favour by killing grown adults, and twisted and warped himself to become the perfect solider for Aizen; of course, this was all in the name of avenging Rangiku, who he was leaving behind in the Rukongai, and eventually in his life almost entirely. Also, as time went on, I came to think about how if Gin lived Aizen's attack, the ship can't really work. In a way, it hinges on the fact Gin dedicated himself to avenging Rangiku, the person he loves and cares about the most, and that his tragic death shows the true feelings of both himself and Rangiku, who doesn't know why Aizen killed him or why he betrayed the Soul Society. If Gin had lived, he'd probably be sentenced to imprisonment and Rangiku may visit him. She'd likely find out why he did what he did, or may she doesn't find out. Regardless, even though she still cares about him, Gin wasn't there for her in the way she needed him to be in childhood, he never told her where he went or what he did, and the distance between them - created by Gin in the first place because of his focus of avenging Rangiku - is too much. I don;t see Rangiku willingly overlooking everything and wanting to be by his side again with all fo that in mind. I'd like to think that just like it went down in the manga, Rangiku would choose to move on with her life, even if Gin can no longer be a part of it, and Gin would recognise just how too far he went.

Byahisa

We need more of this ship! I want to know how they met, what was it about Hisana that Byakuya go against his family and traidition for her, what their courtship was like, what they talked about, and if Byakuya talks about Hisana more openly now that Rukia knows the truth. I've said it before, but a great anime only film for BLEACH would be the story of these two. Yes, it wouldn't be very 'shounen' but you can throw in some action scenes or some great conspiracy plot, just keep the focus on these two.

Grimmnel

They're a Brotp for me, and I love their dynamic! They kind of remind me of two siblings, with one being the older, more resposbile one and other being the daredevil who basically screams 'You can't tell me what to do!' everytime they decide to run off and rebel. Nel can be childish, but she also knows when to get serious and how to keep wildcards like Grimmjow in check,and of course she doesn't abide by Grimmjow insulting Ichigo or trying to goad him into a fight, so she's got Ichigo's back on that one. I can see Grimmjow eventually having the tiniest small spot for Nel. I can see him not ever admitting it, but that he likes fighting alongside her and respects her on some level.

Rukihime

I love these two as a brotp and also as a ship. I've spoken about them a few times on the blog, but they have such good chemistry together. Orihime brings out the softer sides of Rukia, and Rukia always has Orihime's back and helps her to get stronger. I wish we got more interactions between these two in the manga, and if there's a new arc coming or if there's a chance in the anime for filler, I hope they get to have more moments together!

Thanks for sending these in!

#hitsuhina #ichihime #renruki #ginran #rukihime #byahisa #grimmjow #nel #bleach #asks #ask meme #toshiro hitsugaya #momo hinamori #byakuya kuchiki #hissana kuchiki #gin ichimaru #rangiku matsumoto #ichigo kurosaki #orihime inoue

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zabiume · 2 years

Note

Hello I'm sorry for asking that and you don't have to answer at all but do you know fics where it's Ichigo who's being protected? Or do you mind sharing Bleach fics that you like?

I just can't find ones that I like idk I must be searching so badly. Again you don't have to answer this ask

Have a nice day!

Hi! No problem! Honestly I don't read many Bleach fics these days, but I do have a few old favorites.

IchiHime

The Will to Protect by hyapporankan - Set right after the battle against Yhwach, and probably my favorite Hurt/Comfort IchiHime fic!

love sought is good, but given unsought is better by orihimes on ao3 (@ichihimies on Tumblr) - Another short and tender Hurt/Comfort. Ichigo isn't being protected physically here, but he is being protected emotionally if that counts.

welcome sunrise with the morning glory by @fictionaryplace - Set shortly after Ichigo loses his powers. I genuinely love Orihime’s POV here, the perfect balance of angst and humor, and Ichigo’s characterization especially is so::chef’s kiss:: I’d recommend everything by this author honestly, their Tumblr has a lot of great stuff.

Making Peace with Purgatory by Child of the Ashes - This is kind of old, and the author’s works are very popular but I thought it was worth mentioning because it’s one of my all-time-favorites, and inspired me to start writing again when I got back into Bleach, so definitely worth checking out!

Always Summer by folle - This is a fic from 2011 that I found a few months ago and was impressed. Angst, set right after the Winter War, and there’s this scene where Ichigo, Uryuu, and Orihime give their opinions on Hamlet and Ophelia and I am obsessed with the tension in the air because I am obsessed with IchiIshiHime tension.

it’s cold without you by urfriendlyneighborhoodpan - Set in a canon divergent verse where Ichigo is forced to stay back in Soul Society (like Shunsui implied in TYBW). The writing is so good, the characterization is brilliant, and it’s so sad, but in a beautiful way? The author has been around for a while and goes by @captainrukias-husband on Tumblr, but if you haven’t heard of them then you should definitely head over to their blog and read all their works because they’re one of my favorite writers!

demagnetize by ghosty - This author only has two Bleach fics up on AO3, but they’re both super worth reading! I love their characterization of Ichigo, and they’re so good at writing Awkward Fluff without it being too awkward. A+

There’s a paradise they couldn’t capture; that bright infinity inside your eyes - I’m asexual, so finding a well-written Ace!Ichihime fic was so special to me! This is a really cute fluffly fic of Ace!IchiHime on their wedding night.

Becoming Whole by lovelycollision - Post!TYBW, really well-written exploration of Ichigo and his feelings for Orihime + a teeny little confession in the end that I adore.

Asano Keigo Is Cooler than You by die kaiserin - An IchiHime story told from Keigo’s perspective. This is one of my favorite IchiHime fluff fics of all time! Ichigo is so good here, and this fic is so funny without trying too hard! 100/100.

If you’re looking for more lighthearted stuff, I’d recommend scribblles (@/scribblles on Tumblr). They’re not active anymore, but if you check out their blog you should find their fics! They always bring a smile to my face!

Also: If you don’t mind old fics (and LiveJournal’s user interface lmao), you should really check out To What Is by damning_dance and literally everything by revenue_rice. Mind you, To What Is was written in 2005, and the characterization is so perfect that it will make you believe IchiHime writers had some kind of sixth sense about what canon!IchiHime would look like in 10 years.

Now, if you don’t mind unfinished fics, nemutai on LJ wrote this fic where Ichigo decides to confess after Orihime moves on (and she [spoiler alert]: rejects him). I think this was meant to be a three-part series where they eventually get togeither in the end, but the author only got around to part one (Orihime’s POV) and two (Ichigo’s POV). Nemutai, if you’re somehow magically reading this, I would give my right arm away for an update, but honestly anon if you don’t mind unfinished stuff you should absolutely read this. The author has some interesting takes on both their characterizations here, and they write a really great Tatsuki too.

RenRuki

The Heart is a Muscle by polynya (@recurring-polynya on Tumblr) - This is a fantastic, canon-compliant series that explores the in-between/little-explored moments of Bleach and how Rukia and Renji managed to come together across each arc. The world-building is immaculate, the characterization is superb and I especially love Polynya’s characterization of the shinigami characters! She puts so much thought into the lore and every single idea is so well-executed. If you like RenRuki, or shinigami in general, I’d recommend starting with this series and then reading everything else by her! She also has a really good What-If-Byakuya-Died-in-TYBW AU, which is tastefully angsty, and really well-written! Absolute fave, do check it out!

that which cannot be seen by nymja - This is a fic where Renji dies, and is reincarnated into the World of the Living. Told mostly through Ichika’s POV, and just so, so good!

Misc

Weapons by Random One-Shot - A character study of the Karakura Quartet (plus Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiro). Short, but really compelling! I love the author’s flow, and how uncompromising it is, and I especially love their interpretation of Ichigo, Uryuu, Orihime and Chad (my faves, lolol).

anyone’s ghost by fathomfive - I think about this fic so often, it’s so great and probably my most favorite Bleach fic of all time. Post-Winter War character study of Shinji and Momo, and how they pick up the pieces after Aizen’s betrayal/departure. It’s one of the most thoughtful explorations of Shinji as a character, and Momo here is just top notch brilliant! I especially love the author’s dialogue and use of metaphor; would leave 1,000 kudos if I could tbh.

attrition by tragakes - Mostly canon-compliant exploration of GrimmUlqui, but it diverges somewhere towards the end of it. I’m obsessed with the author’s language and writing style + their interpretation of the characters, but also: this fic is dark. Pay attention to the tags/warnings if you’re checking it out!

balance of power by elektra (@ulquiorracifer on Tumblr) - Ela’s Ulquiorra is so good, and everything about this series makes me stare at a wall for at least an hour after that. They really get him, and their writing style is just so immersive, you should absolutely give it a try. Kazui, Orihime and the other Arrancars make minor appearances, but Ulquiorra and Szayel are the main focus. I also liked love is a bloodsport which is a Post-HM GrimmUlqui fic (Ela’s Grimmjow is just. chefs kiss.)

A Leap Over the Line by doublejoint - TatsuHime, Pining!Orihime. This fic is just so perfect (I do love a pining!Orihime, sue me) and their banter is just so cute and perfectly in-character!

And, if you're new here, would it be too self-absorbed to plug my AO3 too?

#that's all i've got for now i think #asks

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rayereil · 1 year

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Uryu’s time to shine! I’d forgotten that his chapters also include Chad and Orihime getting their powers, so this will be split into four parts. Here’s part one for today: Uryu’s introduction!

I remember reading these Uryu chapters a thousand times over. Uryu is one of my favorite characters (both when I first read Bleach and now).

The humor of early Bleach is unmatched. I miss it in later chapters, honestly.

There’s a lot of humor between Ichigo and his friend group. I just picked this scene but there’s a lot in this arc! It’s also nicely juxtaposed with deep insight about Ichigo before we hop into Keigo’s humor. Also, the comedy of Ichigo and Chad ranking in the top 50 was perfect too.

Into the meat here…

Uryu’s introduction is excellent. We see him briefly in the Don Kanoji stuff, then his lurking presence is noted a few times before he finally reveals himself. It’s a great way to build suspense. Uryu comes across as a real threat and we get some nice world building on top of it. I’ll touch on that a bit later… overall, he gets style points for his introduction! Also, I’m a big fan of this Quincy cross design. The star is fine (though it always reminds me of a starfish), but you can’t beat how badass this version of the Quincy Cross is.

TatsuHime! And Orihime being excellent in general. I enjoy that she’s super smart (another reason to love IshiHime, but I digress). I wish Kubo put it to more use. Now, academic intelligence is different than, say, tactical or battle intelligence, but it’s specifically noted she’s smart… and she doesn’t have to be smart or a tactical genius to be important, I just wish Kubo highlighted her intelligence more. We see she’s somewhat emotionally intelligent, but that doesn’t make you top 3 in school tests scores. I don’t recall Orihime using her keen intellect for… anything, actually. Maybe it’ll happen in Soul Society, then I can be pleasantly wrong.

Since I’m cynical, I’d say Kubo added this only to build on the ‘big boob girl is kind of ditzy but surprisingly smart’ cliche. It’s why there’s no narrative payoff for this scene. She’s just smart but also has big boobs (Tatsuki even implies this).

Orihime is still the best though, so it’s whatever.

Moving on!

Uryu sewing! I love him. Also Orihime being crafty! IshiHime begins. I’ll wax poetic about this when we get there, but eventual IshiHime would’ve been my het-romance preference. It’d require good character growth for both Uryu and Orihime… Ah well.

Notably, Ichihime is showing up a bit here. Orihime is once again not speaking her true feelings and Ichigo is once again not noticing her feelings or concerns. If this actually improves on both fronts, the ship will have more sway with me. For now, Ichigo is completely oblivious and dismissive - though this makes a level of sense. They still aren’t good friends here. To him, Orihime is a nice friend of Tatsuki’s. He’s not going to share his thoughts with her. Meanwhile, Orihime would really like a connection with him, but is clumsy and awkward about how to achieve that. Other than losing a loved one, they don’t have much in common; and don’t have any similar interests or goals. He won’t talk to her and she can’t make him talk. One-sided love done perfectly, honestly.

Now the world building!

There’s some level of discourse out in the fandom about Kubo’s foreshadowing ability. For example, ‘Kubo knew about TYBW events (the history of the Quincy’s and Zangetsu) from the very start!’.

Ill keep this somewhat short. He didn’t.

He didn’t plan all 600+ chapters of his story from the start, and plot holes are everywhere. That doesn’t make him a bad writer (there are plenty of other things that make him a bad writer). Over 600 weekly chapters for a series that grows in complexity… of course there’ll be plot holes, plot devices, ret-con, and contradictions!

Here’s some proof (and for fun, I’ll point out more as they pop up).

The world building here is excellent. The Quincey were around, then 200 years ago they were exterminated (by Soul Society). A first hint Soul Society may not be “heaven” as previously described (though Soul Society has yet to be implicated). Uryu’s rage at Shinigami (especially after we learn about his grandfather in later chapters) makes perfect sense. Uryu’s reaction to Ichigo also makes sense. We also learn over the SS arc that Quincy are rare since they’ve been exterminated. Mayuri has some specifics he discusses in his fight against Uryu.

There’s absolutely zero indication that the Quincy are alive and kicking, that Ichigo is part Quincy (his spiritual energy is red for goodness sakes), or that 1000 years ago there was a big war and only 200 years ago did Soul Society decide to finish the job. Sure, once could say Kisuke is lying, or Ichigo’s spiritual energy is red because it’s related Rukia’s or because his Quincy powers aren’t awakened yet… but twisting ourselves into knots to “prove” Kubo planned this when the more obvious answer is right there?

I believe he had plans for the Quincy. He didn’t just introduce a rival “species” to Shinigami for fun. But there’s no way he knew the specifics. Later on, once he figured out the details, he ret-conned what he could, left plot holes for the rest, and viola! TYBW. No problem with that. That’s just showbiz.

Anyways… I prefer this level of world building and wish he would’ve fleshed out the 200 year old extermination instead of making everything so much grander in TYBW. Kubo’s strategy for Ret-con is mostly to add scaffolding instead of furnish the interior. Not my preference, but here we are…

Back to Uryu!

The hollow bait never comes back, but it’s an interesting concept! It was probably used by Quincy to attract hollows and keep them from killing communities… wonder what would happen if you used it in Huecho Mundo. Also, I imagine the bait is just spiritual energy (did he talk about its composition and I just ignored it?), but it’s be pretty funny if it was like catnip for cats. I digress…

I like that, up until now, we’ve only seen cool, composed Uryu. Now we see Uryu with righteous indignation! We see him being emotional and confrontational. I also love the recklessly protective characters, who actively try to protect everyone even when it puts those same people at risk. The ones who burden themselves with protecting others for their brand of Justice. It’s *chefs kiss* Such a contradiction in their characterization! Such complexities!

Also, IchiIshi begins. They were my first fave gay ship, and I still love them together. They grow together through the series and have excellent banter.

And for quick reference: No, I don’t believe Ichigo and Uryu are related. Yeah, Kubo had some throwaway lines in EBTR about Masaki being cousins with Ryuken, but this comes across as a front for the Ishida family. They bring her into the house, say she’s their cousin to avoid scandal, and eventually the plan would be Masaki and Ryuken get married. I actually happened upon some interesting information about foster care/orphans/unwanted children in Japan (while reading about one of my favorite video games). Like many places, there seems to be a stigma against orphaned/unwanted kids. It can even impact that person’s ability to get a job or housing. So Masaki being orphaned would’ve been a huge “stain” on the Ishida family. Ryuken could never be allowed to marry someone “like that”. So bringing her into the family, pretending she was a relative instead of a stranger, makes sense. I believe some level of cousin-marriage is allowed in Japan (like most places), so Ryuken marrying his “cousin” isn’t scandalous, but him marrying an orphan would’ve been. So, by bringing Masaki in, the Ishida’s get to keep one of the last pure-blooded Quincy close by to ensure her safety, and they avoid scandal. Masaki wasn’t brought into the family out of compassion (we can see that by how she’s treated). It was all political. Masaki is well aware of that too (Ryuken even mentions it).

Anyways…

There are great emotional stakes here. Uryu is purposefully doing this to prove a point. He’s being a reckless teenager with trauma and a grudge, and Ichigo ends up helping him through it. Yes, we’ll see Ichigo be super strong because he’s the MC and the shounen plot demands it, but the emotional storytelling here? Excellent.

I’m also excited to see Chad and Orihime gain their powers… we’re moving towards Soul Society! Full speed ahead!

Alright! Part two: Chad is next!

#Raye reads #bleach #uryuu ishida #ichigo kurosaki #rukia kuchiki #kisuke urahara

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