#Mayuri: idk what you're talking about I've been a nasty bitch from birth

[unohanadaydreams]

Hello again! I'm probably gonna chuck a few different asks at ya but first I wanted to invite that ramble on Mayuri and the dynamic he has with Jizo or about him in general if you'd like~ I'd love to read more character analysis about our fave clown scientist.

I am reserving my spot to over analyze Mayuri. It’s very rambly sorry.

Okay, so Jizo is a protector of people/deceased souls of children.

This tells us a few things.

1. Mayuri is protected by Jizo.

2. Mayuri craves protection.

3. Mayuri either died as a child or went through something traumatic enough as a child that it immediately ended with the event aka. the metaphorical death of childhood. My guess is on the latter.

Mayuri is protected by Jizo through the obvious means of poison. But also by his zanpakuto itself. Jizo’s appearance and abilities are off putting. This heavily reflects Mayuri--his appearance and abilities (extendo arm, ect) are off putting to most people.

I believe Mayuri calls attention to himself through his appearance, while also masking himself in strange, off putting attire so that people do not look TOO close. They see what he wants them too.

And likewise, people see what they want out of Jizo, while ignoring the meaning of the zanpakuto’s name and TRUE nature. Jizo is part of a shield Mayuri has constructed to hide his vulnerabilities as a person with feelings and flaws. (He refuses to alter his brain in the same way he alters his body bc Intellect)

Mayuri craves protection and it’s evident in how he raises Nemu as well as how he attacks others AS WELL as how he treats Jizo. Nemu, from the very start, bodily shields him even when it isn’t explicitly necessary. She was created by him and therefore her feelings of gladness for him continuing to live and her arc of understanding that her true objective was ALWAYS to protect him was pretty fitting.

Mayuri can not even face let alone acknowledge his love for his daugther until she is dead and he does so vaguely, merely calling her a great Experiment. His kindness was relayed only through Akon and even then, he does not refer to her as anything other than an accomplishment to lord over Urahara (which like BIG LMAO).

Literally admitting to Nemu that he even viewed her as his biggest accomplishment, as one would speak about an object, was embarrassing for him.

He straight up can’t admit he is PROUD of making Nemu because that would imply he in any way cares about her. Fucking astounding, the lengths he will go through to deny he knows what affection or love or anything approaching those emotions are.

With his attacks--he often uses methods physically impede his opponents from approaching him. He prefers long range or ‘stealth’ methods. Blowing up his own people, stabbing opponents through Nemu, ect. He does not have any large, impressive displays of sword fighting. He prefer to flex his mind and be creative in proving he is Superior to others.

And with Jizo, he literally punishes his sword for attacking him. While many captains would understand that an enemies abilities were at fault, Mayuri isn’t one of them.

He snaps off Jizo in Szayelaporro’s body and states directly that it’s because the sword attacked him. Obviously there is a large theme of ‘control’ going on here in tandem with his need to be protected. But nevertheless: he purposely breaks his sword like a kid having a tantrum that caretaker didn’t keep them from scraping their knee.

Mayuri’s childhood ended suddenly/early or he simply never had one. It was gone before he realized he should’ve had one, maybe.

This is evident in how he treats Nemu, yes, but also how he treats Akon. From the very start, Akon is not treated with the same kiddy gloves we see Hiyori, Nanao, or even Byakuya given in the pendulum arc. And Mayuri isn’t even fully in control here.

And that’s not even getting into how Urahara releasing Mayuri with no further consequence or stipulation and then leaving him the research & development center was essentially rewarding whatever behavior got him in isolation within the Maggot’s Nest and is the start of his decent into what he be becomes.

Or that Urahara knowing he was down there means he knew what he did and knew that only the promise of Control and Power would sway him out--presumably a promise to restore or trump what he lost when arrested.

It’s further evident in how he acts as a person. He explains things to excess, a sign he did not feel listened to or his opinion valued as a child, and will go off if he feels ignored.

He is quick to throw literal foot stamping fucking fits. Like a toddler. Over small things. He seeks approval from people like Urahara and intellectual opponents alike--he wants it to be acknowledge that he is Smarter.

Trauma wise, he has low empathy for others and the people he does care about are still treated like shit. This is VERY common for abused children. He does not value his physical form. He’ll turn himself into fucking goo--he doesn’t care. That goes beyond ‘scientific improvement’ and straight into ‘i have only been valued and validated for my intellect so that’s all that matters’.

He also hides his physical body behind clothes baggier even than the soul reaper uniform already is, paints over his skin, and generally wears eye catching clothes that distract from HIM. Making one’s body repulsive and offputting is specifically a common response to sexual abuse.

Which would also help to explain his adversity to affection tbh.

It’s very possible that all of this happened while he was a living soul and his arrival to the rukongai was after for a further and more literal interpretation of ‘deceased soul’.

ALSO Look at literally anything the science department designs and tell me it doesn’t fall into the following categories: 1. edgy my chemical romance teen who reads cosmic horror or 2. legitimately cute and child friendly designs that activate your Animal Crossing brain.

IN conclusion:

Mayuri was abused, he craves protection, he finds any form of emotion that pertains to human connection horrible, he portrays only valuing intellect, and Jizo is not ironically named such.

I DEFINITELY went off on some tangents but uuuuuuuh (: