#and she and ichigo can’t even be seen together as friends in the final arc. they’re literally almost never in the same place at the same

[greyhavensking]

do I think bleach is a good manga, narratively speaking? no

did I enjoy reading it anyway? absolutely

[natsubeatsrock]

Lower Your Expectations for Nalu

I'm going to start this post off more generously than I normally would. I don't have any real reason to. I just kind of want to reach some of the Nalu fans with this section. (Nalu fans probably shouldn’t want to read the rest.)

Generally speaking, it's better to lower your expectations for a ship becoming canon. That way, you are pleasantly surprised to see how it will happen. Sometimes a relationship should have more subtle canonization than a bombastic showing. If Mashima plans to make Nalu canon, we should be patient to see how it happens. It’s not impossible for Nalu to have some impressive showy way it becomes canon. However, it’s worth letting Mashima do his thing and let the chips fall as they may.

Alright, the kids are gone. Let's do this for real.

I've been running this blog for just over six years. You'd think that, at this point, it would be hard for me to be surprised by this fandom. I've seen all kinds of things happen, and that should be the case. I joined during a rather tenuous time where fandoms were more willing to go at it.

As it stands, the Nalu fandom is the gift that keeps on giving. Whenever I feel as though I can't think of anything else to say about this ship, something happens, and I'm brought back to writing about it. You'd think it would be me talking about how the ship functions in canon. However, fans seem willing to bend over backward to sing Nalu's praises.

I'd respect it if it weren't Nalu we're talking about. This might be one of the most overrated ships in anime. I'll never understand how most people who watch this series even passively wanted these two to become a couple. All the couples Mashima's written over the years, and this is the one he'll be judged for? (Also, maybe Gruvia, but we talked about that already.)

Still, I do have to give this some fandom credit. Mashima has taken nearly every possible opportunity to feasibly advance this ship since the Grand Magic Games ended (arguably even before that) and passed on doing much with it. On some occasions, it feels as though Mashima is directly mocking the idea that Nalu could possibly become canon. And yet, fans believe that Nalu will become canon at any moment because he draws a Twitter pic of them once every three months or so. (Yes, I did edit this sentence since Nalu Day. What of it?) 

Recently, I got an ask comparing the Nalu fandom to the MAGA crowd. I'm not personally vindictive enough against Trump or his supporters to affirm that comparison. Though, I can't act as if I haven't been thinking of an analogy to describe Nalu fans. I think a better comparison might be fans of the Dallas Cowboys. 

Cowboys fans seem to believe that their team can win the Super Bowl any season. That's not an inherently problematic perspective to take. You should hope that your team will do well. However, this often manifests itself in confidence that ignores the faults within individual Cowboys teams and the strength of their opponents. Not to mention, this ignores the objective fact that the Cowboys haven't done well in the playoffs for 25 years.

I don't think it's wrong for fans to believe that their ship will become canon. I don't know too many fans who wish their ship doesn't become canon. However, I always worry about the fans who believe their ship happening is an inevitability. Especially when things seem to be pointing away from the possibility of it happening. This is usually a recipe for toxic fandoms.

But, let me humor the idea for a moment.

What if Mashima really plans to make Nalu happen in the end?

As I'm writing this post,  we're currently in the middle of the fight between the third Dragon God. We're getting close to the real conclusion of that battle. But after that, there are two big arcs until the series truly ends. Three if they decide to have one last battle against the quest-giving dragon.

If Mashima's going to make Nalu canon, how would that work now?

There's the "realization" route. This is the one I probably see the most. Natsu and Lucy could come to the clear realization that they have come to love each other throughout the series. Of course, you'd have to imagine that whatever would bring this on is more powerful than thinking the other has died. 

Twice, throughout the series. 

Each.

On top of several other crazy things to happen to them over 600 chapters of material spanning a decade and a half. Yet, I'm supposed to believe that some random new moment will change the tide for Nalu.

The other way to do it is to have a confession. Either Natsu or Lucy decides to share with the other the fact that they are in love. Their feelings are reciprocated, and you can figure out the rest.

Depending on who you ask, we've almost gotten this a few times. Lucy's had a few opportunities to talk about her relationship with Natsu and has been fairly nice about it. A few times it's hinted that there might be more to their friendship but nothing concrete. I've even seen it hinted that Natsu was going to confess in chapter 545.

But, that's just it. We've only gotten hints at the possibility that there's more. If Natsu and Lucy actually like each other romantically, why not make it clearer earlier?

"It's because he's being subtle about their shared romantic feelings."

Yeah, I have reason to doubt that.

Jellal and Erza have feelings for each other implied throughout Fairy Tail. Sure there's explicit stuff like their meeting before the Grand Magic Games started. But there's been plenty of subtle stuff surrounding their relationship. People make hints at their potential romantic relationship all the time in canon, even as recent as the last arc.

I feel like I say this a lot when talking about Jerza. But really think about the arcs they're together in. There's Tower of Heaven, Nirvana, the Grand Magic Games, Tartarus, Alvarez Empire, and Aldoron. Their relationship is brought up or hinted at in Fantasia, Tenrou Island, Avatar, and Mercuphobia. While that looks like a large amount of material, Jerza doesn't take up much space in any of these arcs. Outside of the Grand Magic Games, Nirvana, and Alvarez, these are small moments between the two of them at best. Sometimes it's even less than that. And yet, the ship makes sense to the vast majority of the fandom.

But that might be an unfair comparison. Jellal and Erza have a history dating before the series started. 

Let's use a ship that involves characters that met after Natsu and Lucy. Gray and Juvia. (Wait, these guys again?)

The big thing with this ship has been how Gray feels about Juvia. We've known how Juvia feels about Gray literally since they met. However, we've seen Gray slowly change his views on Juvia. We didn't just jump from enemies to lovers. There was a subtle shift as the series went on.

Do you really think that Mashima couldn't do better with Natsu and Lucy? His main duo? The series is only possible because the two meet each other. But I'm supposed to believe that Mashima didn't want to make a Nalu romance seem more explicit?

If you were to ask me, the most likely route for Nalu now is a much less sexy option. If Nalu were to happen, it won't happen in a grand showing of affection. It will just... happen. We'll likely skip to some random point in time after they beat all the dragons and see them as a couple. Maybe we'll se an Earthland Nasha.

This isn't something anime/manga fans aren't used to. I know everyone likely thinks of a different series that has done this over the years. People will rag on series like Naruto and Bleach for doing this. For what it's worth, I do like both of those series and their endgame ships. 

That said, I have two problems with this option. 

First, Nalu doesn't have the kind of setup that those other ships have. You're not getting characters openly confessing before a fight. You're not getting two characters flustered over the prospect of feelings suggested to each other. Heck, you're not getting a "Silver Ray" situation.

"What about those times when Lucy was asked if she likes Natsu?"

Again, Lucy's not openly agonizing over that as part of their relationship. If this was something we were supposed to seriously consider as an option for her, we'd know.

Even then, this would only show that it's one-sided. Natsu hasn't had any similar moments where he considers liking Lucy. Anyone bringing up the waterfall scene is speculating at best. Do you really expect me to believe that Mashima will change that this far into the series?

But this doesn't even get into the second problem. Is this how you'd want Nalu to become canon? 

I've said this before, but Nalu has been expected to become canon for close to a decade. That almost feels like an exaggeration. But one of the big chapters I usually point to for Mashima potentially making Nalu more overt is Lucy Fire. That chapter turned ten years old this past March.

Nalu fans have been inventing all kinds of scenarios and situations about how Mashima will make their favorite ship happen. Wouldn't it be disappointing for fans to see that this ship would happen without any of the pomp and circumstance you'd expect a ship like this to get?

I know plenty of people who were disappointed when their favorite ship just became canon without a lot of lead-up. I didn't love getting to the end of Bleach without knowing more about how Ichigo and Orihime got together. Yes, I know the novels exist, but I (literally) paid to read the manga. I'd like to have seen it happen in the manga. (This could be about Naruto, but I only own The Last.)

This is why I believe Nalu fans should lower their expectations. Do you know the fantasy fans have for Nalu happening? Natsu and Lucy finally being hit with the overwhelming realization they love each other? A tearful confession of their feelings for each other capped with a kiss? All of their friends cheering them on, knowing they should have been a couple a long time ago? Maybe even a glimpse at their wedding and their future kid?

Congratulations, that was Rave Master's main couple. Don't expect the same thing for Nalu. If Nalu will happen, it will look much more disappointing than what fans believe it will look like.

At this point, I'm even not sure that Nalu will happen. Mashima has made every version of Nalu look more romantic except the original. I can't apologize for my skepticism on its prospects. Even actual Nalu fans are worried about if it will happen. I will enjoy seeing more of this salt in the future.

Now, there's one question you might be asking of me. How will I react to Nalu happening?

I don't have some back-pocket post prepared in case Nalu does happen. Heck, I thought of making one but ended up writing this post instead. 

However, I have been wrong about future events of Fairy Tail in the past. If I'm wrong and Mashima does make Nalu canon, then I'll talk about it. I highly doubt it will make me like the series less. It certainly won't affect anything I'm doing with the rewrite, given my rules for changes. Consider that I've been able to talk about Gruvia negatively at this point in the series. I'll absolutely continue to talk smack about Nalu if it ends up canon. 

That said, I have reason to believe that I'm right about the direction Nalu will take. And if I'm right, don't expect my tone on Nalu to stay the same. At the very least, I can promise a third Nalu edition of "My Incredibly Unpopular Thoughts" if Nalu doesn’t happen. I haven't done one in years and I can't think of a better way to celebrate the ship dying once and for all.

[muwitch]

Why the Fullbringer Arc is an important plot milestone - 2

the continuation of this post and I’m bak on my bullshit~ remember my brain will jump to things

also CFYOW spoilers

so part 2/?

key figures and themes of the arc

So last time I said that ppl disliked the majority of new characters because, as opposing to the ones we grew familiar with, the arc was differently paced and so we didn’t have time at large to form some sort of solid connection to them.

And here the magic happens, because we do not have time to get attached to the characters and they seem to be faded against the background of all the others.

But apart from COMPARISON Fullbringers are quite an independent unit that focuses not on how much reiatsu you have, but on skill

In the Can't fear your own world novel the origin of Fullbringer power is revealed and it’s shown how actually universally badass those powers are, take Tsukishima for example, who grows a tree in a second to ward off lightning, simply adding himself to the past. Atomic.

For living people even just getting close to the level of those with whom they fought (three captains and three leutenants) and not dying in the first moment (except u Giriko) is a great achievement. For people who are not Ichigo Kurosaki with a family tree rivaling GoT of course. 

There is another important motive associated with fullbringers, which I mentioned above, and this is LONELINESS. And it's served so brilliantly that I'm going to die now.

If you look and read carefully, it becomes clear that even the fullbringers gathered together are unusually, exasperately lonely. (See the cover? They reach out but never do truly connect) This is the curse of their power. This is their main weakness. This is their unusual humanity and kinship with the Hollows.

This is also why, but that’s my guess, their whole presentation is very lacking, to show how they fall out of everyday life and proper sozialising, so even we, as readers, cannot properly connect to them. Same reach out, but not hold symbolism. Or I am giving too much credit, we just don’t know?

Even the one who has assembled the whole group, Ginjo, is an even lonelier person who has terrible trust issues, who survived betrayal and persecution, and everything that he once believed in was set upside down. And even knowing what kind of person he is, fullbringers, driven by loneliness, followed him. (Though, we must admit, he weilds his words well and rolls +20 on persuation)

Because, although for a short time, he helped them to bear the burden of this loneliness.

Needless to say, the entire initial situation with OG fullbringers happened not only bc of some noble meddling, but also due to the fact that Ginjo gathered people to TAKE POWER FROM THEM SO THEY COULD LIVE A NORMAL LIFE

Ironically enough, each Fullbringer posesses a piece of SOUL KING, which is the source of their power and lures Hollows to pregnant mothers, which is such an important piece of information it makes me mad it was only explained in CFYOW. 

Although it is understandable why Kubo chose not to focus on it during the arc. My take is he planned to show the importance of Fullbringers and their origins during TYBW, but we all know it didn’t happen.

Another common theme that follows from the previous two is PTSD, which unites the characters and key figures of the arc, and the paths of experiencing trauma constitute another conflict, where Ichigo overcomes it through friends and the return of strength and motivation, as opposed to Ginjo, who choses destuctive way to handle his own trauma.

In short flashbacks shown during “Pray for Predators” chapters, we can also clearly see PSTD practically in every person’s past. Each of Fullbringers go about it differenly, most proactive being probably Riruka and most reactive being Tsukishima and Ginjo. Which is also symbolically shown that people, who can go own with their lives and finally integrate into society stay alive. Those, who cannot, go to SS and are set into new path by more drastic measures.

I will surely attribute to the pluses how Kubo shows Ichigo's PTSD, literally in 3-4 chapters showing how he cannot, like Remarque's hero, settle in peacetime, because he constantly catches triggers, for example with his substitute badge.

Through Ichigo’s thoughts is shown how he merged with his position as a substitute shinigami and constantly thinks in categories that are not very applicable to his normal life, which he seemed to have dreamed of for 16 years And now he actually got it, but absolutely does not know what to do with it.

Kubo skillfully fuels PTSD and Ichigo's anxiety which is why he is being swayed by Ginjo's words correctly spoken at the right time.

 Example: Karin speaks of his brother, they say he always fought to protect  Ginjo fuels Ichigo’s doubt , saying he must act to protect his family

Accordingly, the theme approaches the climax for a push into the plot at the time of the attack on Ishida, Ichigo gets a punch in the gut twice: first from Ishida himself, who, with his unwillingness to tell things, pokes Ichigo into his helplessness and excludes him from the circle of trust, which IS the last blow 

And then from Ishida's father, who by his behavior shows that Ichigo's efficiency now amounts to zero, so much so that he cannot even protect Orihime while she walks home, which is why he runs away in frustrated feelings, realizing the message. So this intro is absolutely veritable and ingenious.

And so that you understand how desperate Ichigo is, if not yet, then here is a panel where FATTEST visual forshadowing happens. And here is an absolutely genius moment to understand that Ichigo is not a child but a teenager with all that it implies

He may be battle-hardened, but this is a 17-year-old living boy with trust issues, and if we remember that through his manager's lips we are given a direct hint that Ichigo is still immature in a way, so the meaning of this arc as a stage of Ishigo's psychological maturation becomes clearer.

Just look at the face he has when Ginjo promises to return his powers (not to mention the hysterics after that) Is this a healthy person's face?

And here my hands are literally itching to start talking about Ginjo, because to give an antihero who, in addition, will have a much closer dynamics with Ichi than Urahara, plus for the duration of the arc  will act as a mentor and father figure, this is just genius. Don’t @ me.

But the next plus, which will then bring us further, and this is THE Forshadowing 

Everywhere, just everywhere, starting from the very first pages.

And Kubo still confuses us in the course of the narrative, but my god, when you re-read, Easter eggs are crammed almost in every chapter and I think its beautiful. Both verbal (Ginjo is such a bad actor that he has to change his memory badumts) and visual

The plus that I mentioned earlier is 100% more lively dynamics between Ginjo and Ichi, because both are people and in fact, there is much more than it may seem at first, that brings both together. And the friendly connection that they establish with each other in this arc still not 100% false placeholder. (Which is easily spotted by the way Ginjo adresses Ichigo through the arc especially last chapters). 

And at the same time, they are in many ways the antonyms of each other, in age, color scheme, design, even names and also in what gives them motivation, in how they react to this or that event. For example, Ichigo is quite an emotional guy and puts his soul into everything, so to speak, then Ginjo, for example

Plus, the latter is not only skillful manipulator, but also embittered. And through such contrast, with generally the same input data, Kubo shows us that there is always a different path, leading to the topic choice, and where each specific one can lead a character.

Which absolutely doesn’t stop Ichigo from familirizing himself right off the bat and the two of them have comedy gold moments from the start. It is more lively, than being set against 300+ y.o. Urahara (whom I love as a character).

And, cross my heart Isshin is a great character, but he’s got that father of the year award, and Urahara can only give like a little itsy bitsy of information at a time only if it benefits him or a bigger picture, so the mentor’s role goes to Ginjo, which is well earned as he is technically the First Substitute. 

Ginjo is a mentor, a guide, and the main antagonist of the arc, which in itself is an unexpected and interesting combination within the framework of  Bleach. Here is a living example, in the moment of training he can go so far as to help Ichigo overcome his psychological barrier by simply and cruelly breaking him.

Which he does in the most painful way, through the trauma and inability of Ichigo to protect his loved ones. And from the reaction of the latter, childish and naive, his immaturity can be clearly seen (see the previous points). Although we do not know this yet, Ginjo is constantly trying to teach Ichigo one lesson that he himself learned the hard way. 

Combining this with such an important praise for a teenager and faith in Ighigo’s powers, which Ichigo was deprived of for 17 months as soon as he lost his powers as a shinigami ( all relatives are trying to isolate him from this, no one believes that he can and is able to stand up for him). This is another plus of the arc, namely the whole depth of the betrayal that Ichigo experiences when the cards are revealed.

Maybe the quincy arc would go completely differently, if Ichigo felt Ishida's betrayal or reacted to the truth about his mother in a different way. Did Ginjo not temper/prepare Ichigo in the way he did, did he involuntary not strengthen Ichi internally... Who knows how Bleach would end in general.

 This is to the question of the importance of this arc yes 

P.S  Strengthening the body also benefited Ichigo.Friendly reminder that he fights in his physical body for the entire arc except the end.

And the training episode immediately appears in a different light, right? 

And in my next hot take I will focus on another really important thing which is salvation and my own bitterness of why didn’t Kubo explore the whole SS thing and now we have to fee ourselves

[mysterylover123]

Mysterylover watches Bleach episodes 53-54

mysterylover123

1. So Ruki and Grinning Guy know each other huh? (maybe they showed this already and I missed it). Apparently they’ve known each other a while.

2. Ruki immediately sticks up for Renji the minute Grinning Guy insults him. Aw. Also Bad Touch grinning guy! OMG poor Ruki.

3. We get some more worldbuilding in the fight between...um...eyepatch guy and outher reaper guy. Sorry so many names to keep track of!

4. I’m sure Ichigo’s training montage has his shirt ripped open purely for practical plot purposes.

5. Poor freaking Rukia. Someone save her already.  Ooh ShinjiHana meets Renji. Also a mysterious helper who saved Rennji, huh? We owe you plenty mystery man.

6. Ooh Renji has a fanboy now? “Rikichi” is his name. Cool. And now with the hair down too, Ren?. Rukia’s a lucky girl. 

7. HOLY CRAP WE’RE AT THE EXECUTION ALREADY?!?! That was fast.  Ooh boy her last words? What are they what are they OH GODDAMMIT WE’RE CUTTING AWAY TO SOMETHING ELSE?! 

8. More of Orihime and Mini PinkShinigami bantering. YES. And Hime has her hands on her heart while watching her. Ooh, definite new ship.

9. RUKIA ASKED FOR OUR HEROES TO BE SPARED. AW. SHE KNOWS TPOF.

10. Wow, she’s floating serenly into the sky while fire breaks out. Prettiest execution ever. It looks like a phoenix too. DAYUM. Almost worth getting executed to look this cool in your last moments

11. As Ruki is about to be executed the first person she mentally  thinks of is Renji. Also the great montage of all her friends. Aw this is so heartwarming.  Seeing her cry is pissing me off so hard at whoever orchestrated this tohugh. When we found out who’s behind this they’re gonna pay so damn hard.

12. (3...2...1...) YAS ICHIGO SAVE HER YAAAAASSSSS!!!!!!!!  Dayum he looks real cool in the fire. And casually greeting her is neat. Plus the arguing of course. GET HER THE HELL OUT OF HERE RIGHT THIS SECOND.

13. Oh and also  Might-U her right the eff now (for those following me who haven’t seen My Hero Academia, Might U is the song they played when Deku basically convinced Eri she deserved to be saved. So that’s how I refer to moments like that).

14. IS ICHIGO GONNA FIGHT THE GIANT EFFING PHOENIX!! YAS!!!! THAT WILL BE SO DAMN AWESOME I CAN’T EVEN. 

15. Also on the subject of Awesome Ichigo has a real cool cape now. And he be spinning around his sword too. 

16. The Might-U’ing is starting now! Ichigo be doing it in his friendship way. And carrying Ruki. Damn how small is Ruki? Every guy she hangs with is like 2x her size. 

17. So it seems ichi has really leveled up with his Hyperbolic time chamber or whatever training. I really hope he kicks RukiBro’s ass soon.

18. Gotta love Ichi’s confidence and optimism. Every good team needs an inspiring leader. ALSO RENJI’S BACK YAS. AND STRUGGLING AGAINST HIS PAIN AND SCREAMING FOR RUKI AS SHE SCREAMS FOR HIM TOO. YAS THEY BE SO MARRIED. 

19. AND ICHI JUST KINDA TOSSES HER TO HIM. HOLY SHIT. (if he really does end up married to Orihime then those two batshit crazy kids deserve each other)

20. Renji and Ruki are gonna be running off together throughout the rest of this arc? while he carries her while half dead? YAS. OTP. OK start up a cool fight now Ichigo. This arc ain’t over yet. BUT THANK GOD SOMEONE FINALLY SAVED RUKIA. 

[unohanadaydreams]

hello! i've found your blog a little while ago and i like it so much?? and so, i was wondering what your headcanons might be for kenpachi&yachiru post-series? i find it interesting because yachiru-nozarashi- has been trying to get zaraki to acknowledge her existence for such a long time that she manifested in a way never seen before for a zapakuto, and now it's his turn to try to make an effort to have her presence again in his life.

Aaaah thank you, omg!

Kenpachi & Yachiru

Okay, so firstly, I think that Kenpachi would probably return to the “scene of the crime” a lot. He would be making a lot of trips back to the rukongai where he first met Yachiru and he’s not exactly sure why other than it feels comforting once he gets there. No, he doesn’t feel better when he leaves, but for a few moments, when he sits in the wilderness, he doesn’t have to remember. He closes his eyes and opens them thinking ‘maybe it’ll work like that again’; it doesn’t, but he comes again and again and again and keeps trying.

The concept of an inner world is so strange to him; he’s lived so much of his life not giving a shit about the particulars of zanpakuto that his hackles are up whenever he visits. He feels on edge in a place crafted for him and Yachiru can only stave off the unease for so long. Especially toward the beginning, I think his visits to actually SEE her would be sparse and there would be a lot of hurt feelings on Yachiru’s end.

He feels more at ease doing small things that remind him Yachiru is still in the real word. He keeps confetti candy in his pocket, leaves crayons out on the dining room table, gets lost on purpose, and starts sprinkling her nicknames for his underlings into his speech. The little things that remind him yes, Yachiru is still with him even things can’t go back.

Yachiru got so used to being a shinigami that, in the beginning, it’s extremely taxing on her to not be able to explore the world like she once did. I think she would try to manifest in the beginning as she used to, with not much success and it would frustrate her to no end. She misses her friends, she misses the noise and excitement of people always being around her. She sits in Kenpachi’s inner world and waits for things to get better.

Yachiru would send little messages back with Kenpachi to tell Yumichika and Ikkaku (maybe some others, but mostly them) and it would help ease things. Kenpachi would send back responses until they were in tune enough that Yachiru just knows whats going on because they’re how they should be; connected well and truly.

Although things would be very hard to deal with and sad in the beginning, I think eventually, they would find a rhythm that works for them and they both would change, which is something that hasn’t really happened to either of them in an extremely long time. Think about Ichigo’s inner world and how much his inner world changed through out the series; I think the likelihood of Yachiru changing in appearance would be quite likely, especially as Kenpachi matures his handle on working with her. I think Yachiru is a child because Kenpachi’s handle of his zanpakto has always been rudimentary. His strength, which is massive to the point of trying to get rid of it, comes almost exclusively from himself. Yachiru’s strength combined with his? Would be ridiculous and I think they would both have to mature and become a bit more disciplined in how they battle to cope with it.

It truly would be a case of Kenpachi having to be there for Yachiru! She could have stayed silent and despondent, leaving him to stagnate after years of neglect, but she didn’t! She manifested to be his largest supporter and foster a close relationship with him and Kenpachi will have to buckle down and show an ounce of that energy. His biggest hurdle would be acclimating to the new routine and coming to terms with the fact that Yachiru is with him in a very different way now; spiritually, she’s closer even if he has a hard time seeing it that way.

I really don’t think Kenpachi would have paid one lick of attention to his zanpakuto if Yachiru hadn’t done what she did and it’s largely due to the fact that Kenpachi KNOWS Yachiru that he starts to put real effort in to working WITH her. No, meditation isn’t as fun as a nap, but Yachiru is there and maybe the next fight he gets in will show something new. No, he doesn’t like feeling trapped inside his own mind, but Yachiru is there and he can train to abandon there. No, things aren’t the way he’s used to, but Yachiru is there, so they don’t have to be.

On the subject of Yachiru manifesting like she did, it brings to question if she could realistically ever do it again? If down the line, when they are more in tune, could she do it again? Kubo seemed really fond of the zanpakuto rebellion arc and incorporated a lot of design as canon, so I’m leaning toward it’s probably likely that eventually Yachiru could shift into a “human” form again. The entire subject of zanpakuto seemed like it was going to get a lot of big reveals in the last arc, which unfortunately didn’t happen. They can take multiple forms and hold multiple souls, and “human” transformation is possible so why is it uncommon? I mean, Mayuri literally changed Renji’s zanpakuto’s souls to look like a busty woman and kid (per rebellion design) so, I think a LOT is possible.

ALSO, we may not know of many zanpakuto manifesting like this, but Nimaiya claims to know the location of every zanpakuto, created them, and has assistants who ARE zanpakuto souls. He doesn’t seem to have a connection with the current Zaraki or Yachiru and the liklihood he knows about who Yachiru is, is high, so why say nothing if it’s SO odd? This begs the question: is the status quo we see in Soul Society not what it used to be? Nimaiya’s attitude toward zanpakuto is more of working together, while SS at large seems to see them as something to conquer and alter as shinigami need.

Sure, most shinigami have soft spots for their zanpakuto, but their main concern is not “connecting meaningfully with this soul” but “how can I get stronger with the use of my zanpakuto”. Were zanpakuto universally more like Yachiru; has the procedure for discovering your zanpakuto’s name changed drastically? If you think about how Ichigo viewed his zanpakuto (how we viewed it from his POV) before he realized that Zangetsu was an ACTUAL SOUL being negatively affected by Ichigo’s pain, it doesn’t go against how SS at large treats their zanpakutos does it? 

A super indulgent one here: I think Yachiru was probably a HUGE fan of fun kid stuff in the human world and while she didn’t get to go often or maybe even at all, I think it would be so like her to manifest a huge carnival or amusement park in their shared inner world to have fun days. Also, who’s gonna believe that Kenpachi spends time in his inner world imagining ridiculous roller coasters instead of fighting? No one (except like Ikkaku and Yumichika, who expect nothing less).

[orenonahaichigoda]

Some Thoughts About Ichigo

Ichigo loves and wants to protect the world--this is clear.

He is the least likely person ever to suffer from Bystander Syndrome. He feels responsibility to fix everything. That's what drives him.

To him, being the one to protect and save others is obvious.

But, you know, notice how quickly he ties himself to Chad--someone who says "you can fight for me, AND I'LL FIGHT FOR YOU."

For all he banters with Uryu for show, once Uryu proves he won't let Ichigo fight alone, either, there's warm looks Ichigo gives him. Even if he's biting back at Uryu playing a semantics game.

For all Tatuki has been his friend since they were babies, she's mortal. Once he no longer is, really (his chain was cut!) or once he got his powers, she became someone to protect, which is why he played dumb in the scene she drives his head through a window. How we know he thought of her before was at least a goal, because he could never win against her, but beyond that, it doesn't seem terribly explored. And I always figured they weren't that close, or he'd've known Orihime a little better in episode one (two?) because Tatuki was her best friend (whether that was reciprocal or not we don't really know, either)

I feel like he's got this self-image as Atlas, and people who will share the burden with him means something special to him. I can't really go beyond that without putting my own ideas in there, which I will in RP so much, but as far as just watching the TV show, it's definitely something he values in a special way. Which makes sense, after all.

Rukia and Orihime have not been mentioned only because each one spends an arc being Rapunzeled. They alternate between that and fighting alongside him. Obviously, Ichigo was more invested in Orihime when saving her than when he save Rukia who was the person who gave him his ability to better protect, but he hadn't known her as a person all that long. I'm also not quite sure where, exactly, Ichigo places Renji. Uryu becomes a fake-traitor/spy in the final arc, but honestly, I don't plan to comb over that arc again. Thousand-year old mortals, a masked fighter out of a sketch comic. There were some great characters, but I only read it once. I've seen the show several times.

Eye-covered Juha Bach, but all googly eyes used for crafting would be a great gag costume, though!

Finally, is it just me, or does he always seem genuinely surprised every time he learns he doesn't have to fight alone, or every time anew person joins him?

Now I will be playing this as the way to win a special place in his heart, whatever that may be, is to help him with his burdens. Basically what Chad did pre-series. In some way, stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him. Ikumi tried to do a variation in Xcution arc, but he really can't lean on someone who can't even sense ghosts since so much is tied up in the supernatural for him.

But at the same time, his friends *sheltering him* and *keeping him wrapped in metaphorical bubble tape* after Aizen clearly made everything worse for him.

So it's clearly "shouldering the burden together" and not "shield me."

But I do feel like there's something I can't put my finger on too clearly in canon about this.

There's probably also something deeper related to this when Ichigo saves Chad from DiRoy...

[doublesidedpan]

black sun, white moon (alternatively, of monsters, swords, and colors)

Pairing: Kurosaki Ichigo/Kuchiki Rukia Rating: Teen and Up Audiences Genre: Magic Realism/Urban Fantasy Word Count: ~4600 Author's Note: very loosely based on the characters and events of the substitute shinigami arc. the use of artistic freedom may cause a difference between the attitudes of the original characters and the characters of this story. some dialogue has been lifted directly from episodes 1 and 2 of the anime.

All his life, he’s known one thing. That one thing is this – everyone sees in black and white until they meet their soulmate. (He doesn’t really care; nobody really needs color, anyway. Even without it, the world goes on like clockwork.)

Violet It’s the first color he sees when she slides into his monotonous life. Jumps inside his window on a January night, actually, would be a more accurate phrasing. There’s a monster lurking somewhere, and she’s been tasked to go after it. Or so she says. (Though for the record, he has no clue what the hell she’s talking about.) But the first thing he mutters is this:

“Why can I see the color of your eyes?”

(It doesn’t occur to him until much later that he’s seen the most vibrant shade of violet possible.)

Red The first splash of blood nearly startles him into shock. So that’s how it looks like. There was a monster, just not one that he was expecting. He couldn’t believe that he was actually seeing this but – no. Get it together. She was still here, wounded, barely able to fight, and all because of him. Because the monster was near his house, the monster was near his family, and he may not be much but he is a son and a brother, and in his stupidity, he’d thrown himself in between the monster and their front door with every intent of protecting his father and his sisters. But she was faster.

“Idiot! What made you think you could face that thing yourself?!” She props herself against a road post, her breaths ragged and shallow.

He’s speechless – he’s stupid, he knows, but he’s impulsive, and his family is one of the only things he’s cared for in this world of routine. “Please”, he begs, “you have to help me save them.”

She stares at him in deep thought, but only for a while because the thing roars in fury, and he fervently hopes to God that this was just some stupid dream, there’s no way his family would actually die, none of this could be real, it can’t be God please –

She pulls out her sword, a sleek, wicked-looking thing that she’d used to slash at the creature even as it had her between its teeth. It had staggered away, limping, but somehow he knew that its first taste of blood would draw it back soon. “Then I must give you the means to protect them.” She holds the sword steady until the point is square at his chest, the cold metal prodding unflinchingly towards the skin behind his shirt and no, there’s absolutely no way she’s thinking what he’s thinking because it makes absolutely no sense at all, why can’t she just give him the damn sword –

She must’ve guessed what he’s thinking because she shakes her head weakly. “It doesn’t work like that.” Her grip on the hilt tightens. “This is the only way. And if it fails, then it won’t matter because we’ll both be dead.”

He hesitates.

The he breathes once.

Twice.

There’s a second, chilling roar, followed by a shrill scream, and this time, his eyes set with a steely fire. Carefully, he wraps his hands on hers. . .

. . . and guides the sword through his heart.

The world disappears in a flash of blinding light.

Black He’s familiar with this color. Of course, he’d see it again. It was familiarity, it was comfort, it was a reassurance that everything was alright. That he was dreaming. That maybe the dullness of repetition had caused his imagination to become too active to the point that he had conjured up a girl in dark robes with a sword in her hands and a monster to slay. He scoffs at himself. Some dream. Still, the sight of colors for the first time leaves a painful pang in his chest.

He doesn’t really care, he tells himself. Nobody really needs color, anyway.

(He wakes up with a jolt to violet eyes and a family that knows nothing about a monster from the previous night. There’s an ocean of emotions roiling inside him, but he keeps his mouth shut and simply tells his father and his sisters that his class would be starting soon.)

Grey The rough hilt of her sword – wait, it’s not hers anymore, it’s his – feels heavy in his palm. What’s worse is that he hasn’t even unsheathed the stupid thing yet. He grits his teeth, looking onward as the boy trips on his shoelaces, leaving him defenseless in the path of the charging monster.

Since that fateful night, she’d been everywhere, his school or his home, as she kept insisting that he take over her duties since she was “still too injured to even try to fight, I mean, what the hell were you thinking when you did that?” It was embarrassing, how his friends would fawn about how quickly he’d fallen for the new transfer student (what strings she pulled, he doesn’t even want to know) or how his father would tearfully rejoice about how he’d finally have grandkids (whatever that was supposed to mean).

Three days later found them both on the school balcony, his hands in his pockets and her hands on a phone.

“I told you, I’ll be damned if I ever fought something like that again!”

“That’s absurd. Three nights ago, you fought magnificently!” He shrugged his shoulders. To be honest, he can’t even recall what truly happened the moment after he’d helped her plunge her sword into his chest. All he remembers is how it felt like liquid power had flowed into his veins, helping him wield the weapon in his hands as if he’d done it a thousand times before. And then. . .

Darkness.

“I only did it because my family was attacked.” He looked away, hands fidgeting. I’m not even sure if I’m still dreaming right now. “Not to be cruel, but I don’t think I could fight for total strangers.” He was a son and a brother, and sometimes he was a friend. But he wasn’t much apart from that.

“How –” The air around them chilled to a horrific rate. Violet eyes firmly met his own as the bloodcurdling roar of a monster pierced the air. Again? No way. . .

She quickly turned on her heel, head bowed and shoulders hunched as she sought out the creature’s trail. “Let’s go.”

For some reason, he didn’t argue.

“Hey, did you hear me?!” Her voice cuts through his reverie. He hasn’t seen it yet, but he’s pretty sure his hands are raw and red from how tightly he’s gripping the hilt of the sword. As soon as they’d come to the park, a little boy had burst from the trees running, a monster in hot pursuit. He was just about ready to slay it himself until, until –

She had stayed his hand.

“Stop!”

He whips his head towards her, enraged. “What?”

“Why should you save this boy?”

. . .What?

“Why should you save him? This child is a total stranger, right?” The hilt feels as if it would break any second in his grip.

“What the hell are you talking about?” He raises his voice, acid in his words as he practically shouts at her. There’s a bitter taste behind his tongue as he finally unsheathes his sword, order or no order. “That doesn’t mean I can’t just not save him! Not when he’s being attacked right in front of me!” He can feel it now, a strange fire in the pit of his stomach that’s rising faster than he can tell, spreading to his limbs and filling it with the desire to protect. His feet shift as he prepares to raise his sword. . .

One.

Two.

“Don’t you dare be selfish!”

All the air is knocked from his lungs in a single, crucial moment. He freezes.

Selfish?

“You should be fair to everyone!” In a haze, he could hear the boy’s cries as the latter struggles to get up, still out of range of the monster’s reach, and maybe it’s the stupid soul bond that they have, but his feet refuse to move no matter how much he wills them to despite knowing that every second he stays here listening to her is wasted –

Stop it!

“Do you think this work is that convenient for you? You wanted power to protect your family, and I gave that to you. Wanting to save only those you can reach, only those you can see. . .now that you have the means to protect, do you think you can do that?!” There’s barely a few meters between the boy and the creature now, and he knows for sure that if he doesn’t step in right now goddamnit –

“Don’t save that boy!”

Shut up, shut up, shut up!

“If you do, then be prepared to save everyone that needs your help! Be prepared to save them even if it means sacrificing yourself!” The fire is no longer just a fire now, it’s an inferno that’s engulfing him entirely and it’s furious and . . . and . . .

And in one graceful move, he leaps, slashing cleanly through the monster’s face before landing right next to the frightened boy. The monster bounds away, wounded, but he’s seen enough now to know that it would take one more strike to end it all. And try as he might, he can’t help but see the impressed glint in her eyes when he raises his face.

“So. . .are you ready?”

He twists his wrist resolutely, the sharp edge facing him as his reflection gleams on the blade. It dawns on him then, how stupid that question was. How stupid he was, because the answer to all her questions were as clear as the fire that was consuming him.

“I sure as hell ain’t!”

“. . .what?”

There’s that same, blazing determination in his eyes as he soldiers on, oblivious to her stunned gasp. “What makes you any different?” He turns his back to her, ready for the killing strike. End this now. “The other night, you risked your neck to save me. Were you thinking about your duty, then? Or did you do it because you wanted to do it as a person?” He encourages that fire, basks in its warmth. “If I’m doing this, it’s because I want to, not because it’s a damn job!” He breaks into a sprint before swinging down the sword in a final, deadly arc of metallic grey, the ripping sound of steel cutting into flesh echoing in the air.

The monster falls, then melts away into ashes.

He breathes once. Twice.

“I’m going home. See you tomorrow.”

(She was three things today.

She was right – he should be ready to save those who would need him. She was also wrong – it wasn’t because it was his duty, at least not just because of that, but because he wanted to save. But most of all, she was a spark. She’d awakened something within him, something he’d always felt inside of him but never truly acknowledged in a mundane world that made it difficult to care. The desire to speak for those who couldn’t speak for themselves. The desire to fight for those who couldn’t fight for themselves.

He may not be much, but today, he is three things too. He is a son and a brother. Now, he is also a protector.)

Orange Somehow, she’s wormed her way into his life, he thinks as they watch the sunset together. It shouldn’t be at all that surprising, really. In school, she’s a classmate. At home, she’s a neighbor. (She’s managed to rent out a room in the small but decent building right across the street from him. If anybody thinks about how curious it was that she was almost never seen without him and he was never really anywhere without her, they don’t say anything.) In the battlefield, she’s a mentor. But to him, personally. . .

What was she? He leans against the railings of the school balcony and looks on as the sun sets the sky ablaze, brilliant shades of pink, red, and orange painting the world in a masterpiece that he didn’t know was possible. That’s all it takes to push his mind back to several weeks ago, when he’d unearthed an unbelievable strength within himself. A fire.

He flexes his fingers, calloused now and uncomfortable without the hilt of a sword in its grasp. It’s been weeks too, since he’d first seen the likes of her, since he’d first held a sword in his hand, and since he’d first slain a monster.

You know how your life changes, but nobody really sees it? How different it is now, but how it feels like you were meant to do this the entire time?

Maybe that’s why he hasn’t turned himself in yet – to the hospital or the police, whichever. Were they both losing their minds? Did shared delusions actually exist? His family had no idea they were about to die that night, while news reports stated that it was a large truck that had rammed into their house that caused all that damage. The boy in the park – a supposed eyewitness swore that it was a freak explosion caused by nearby gas pipes. “It was pure luck that these two were there when it happened. God knows I wasn’t fast enough to get to that kid.”

(Although a few days after the incident, they both found the little boy again in the park, this time with his mother. It didn’t take very long for the boy to run up to him and whisper in his ear.

“Thanks for making the monster go away, mister.”)

His gaze gravitates toward her as she sits serenely on a stone stairway. And then there’s the whole soulmate bond to worry about.

“Hey.”

(“Where’d you say you were from, again?”

“Far away from here. Trust me, the commute isn’t something you’re going to enjoy.”

“. . .fair enough.” Silence. “Are there other. . .you know. . .” He trails off, the thought still too ridiculous to actually voice aloud.

She hums in response. “Mmhmm.” There’s a beat. He waits.

“Well?”

She huffs in annoyance. “You’re really nosy, you know that?” Still she stretches her arms, crossing them behind her head before leaning on them. “Everyone’s like me. Where I’m from, that is.” She raises her eyebrows as if to end the discussion. “Is that good enough for you?”

This time, it’s his turn to huff. “Fine, fine, I get it. Mysterious girl with a sword and all that. Don’t want to ruin your image.”

She laughs at that, and that warmth that radiates from the center of his chest quirks his lips into a soft smile.)

“What?”

He pauses, drinking her in as the most dazzling bursts of color bathe her entirely. She’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen.

Could she see it too?

There’s too many things he wants to say all at once, all of them fighting for the way out, but the one thing he says is this:

“Let’s go home.”

She smiles.

“Ok.”

Blue It’s way too early for this bullshit, he thinks as he slices through another monster. Today, the clear afternoon sky is peaceful, and the scene in front of him is anything but.

It was a good thing everyone had cleared out before the real fight had begun. Five down, one more to go.

“Behind you!” He hears rather than sees the giant claw headed right for him, dashing out of the way just as it lands with a heavy thud on the spot he’d stood on a split second before. Opening – strike through left arm. He springs to the side, turning at the last second before cutting through the monster’s left arm. There’s red everywhere. With both hands on the hilt and all the strength he could muster, he thrusts the blade as deeply as he could into the monster’s belly, uncaring of the way it squirms futilely or of the blood that splatters on his face and clothing.

Pathetic.

Serves you right.

The creature wails one last pitiful scream as it disintegrates into a pile of dust. Satisfied, he takes one steady step in her direction . . . right before his knees give in and he surrenders to exhaustion.

“No!”

Damn it. That was a lot more difficult than he thought it would be. He could feel her small hands trying desperately to block the flow of blood from the gash on his arm, and despite his best efforts, he sneers. He was barely the problem here.

“Don’t,” he mumbles, the ground before him giving way to his blade as he throws his weight against it. “Just don’t. Please.”

Her hands falter.

Bloodlust.

They both knew how close he was to losing her today. In a strange reversal of events, she’d found herself on the opposite end of the monster’s rampaging path, weaponless and vulnerable. She’d been all too ready to go down fighting – he’d seen it in her eyes – and the cold, suffocating fear that squeezed around his heart told him he couldn’t bear to let that happen. The red had seeped into his vision without him knowing it, as he hacked and slit and cleaved with no care at all, not even when sharp fangs snapped at his arm with a sickening crunch. No logic, no pain. Simply the basic instinct to kill.

His hand trembles on the hilt of his sword.

“Why?” she whispers, her voice thick with disbelief. Sadness too, he thinks.

“Because. . .” Because we’re comrades, because we’re soulmates, because even if you barreled into my life without any warning, I don’t think I could stand to see you die.

“Because you’re my friend,” he says. “You’re my friend,” he repeats, and he doesn’t know if he imagines the flicker of disappointment that crosses her face. (He doesn’t know, either, if he repeated himself for her sake or for his.)

He looks up.

The clear afternoon sky coaxes his thoughts into words.

“I don’t think I could stand to see you die.”

She says nothing, choosing instead to wrap his arm around her neck and her arm on his waist to shoulder his weight.

(This time, he doesn’t imagine how tight her grip on his hip is nor the caress of her thumb on his hand. He definitely doesn’t imagine how she whispers those same words back to him when she thought he wasn’t listening.)

Green He takes her to a field just outside of the city, random clusters of trees dotting rolling fields that stretched out as far as the eye could see. It’s so tranquil and pleasant, in fact, that he falls right onto the picnic blanket the first chance that he gets. “Quiet, isn’t it?”

She sighs contentedly in agreement. It’s been a week since the last attack, and more than a few days since the term ended. It was then that he’d announced, loudly and almost irritatingly, that a break was in order. And so he’d arranged it with his father and his sisters, who had all been too welcoming of the fact that his new “friend” would be joining them. (He staunchly ignores whatever suggestive winks or nudges are thrown his way.) And in any case, future attacks would be dealt with using the sword carefully concealed in his duffel bag.

It would give them time to rest. And probably to settle whatever it was between them.

“Don’t run off too far.” He says, eyes closing as he lazes in the gentle warmth of the sun.

He vaguely registers her retort that she wasn’t a child despite her height, and really, was this warmth coming from the sun or from the inside of his chest?

He closes his eyes.

It's only moments later when a shadow falls on his face, and he grunts in mild annoyance, compelled to look for the offending stranger. “. . . hmm?”

It’s her. She plops down beside him, with neither a word nor regards for personal space, and hides her face in his chest. “Don’t say anything, you idiot. I’m cold and tired, that’s all. Let me sleep.”

He rolls his eyes in pure and utter doubt. Cold and tired. It’s summer, dummy. And you slept a solid twelve hours the night before. The corners of his lips turn up in a small smile. Yeah, right.

It doesn’t stop him from lightly hooking his arm around her waist, just so that she wouldn’t fall off.

She doesn’t stop him, either.

Maybe they don’t have to do anything to settle it.

(He catches her in the kitchen of their rented cottage, his duffel bag open on the table. The shouts of his father and sisters could still reach them here, even as they chose to enjoy the bursts of cool summer air longer.

“Were you talking to someone?”

She scrunches her eyebrows. “What do you mean? I was here by myself.”

“. . . sorry. Guess I was hearing things.”

She sighs exasperatedly, but he knows her enough to hear the undertones of fondness in that single breath. “Tch. I wouldn’t be surprised.”

He doesn’t bring up the fact that she’d answered a beat too late.)

White He wakes up with a start, limbs flailing around and head almost becoming cordial with the shiny wooden floor of his bedroom. Strange. This is the first time in months that he’s done that, the most recent one occurring right after she’d come into his life.

He’d awoken because he’d felt cold and clammy – no, that wasn’t even the best way to describe it. Unpleasant, but not entirely painful. More like . . . like . . .

Like something important had left, and he was here grasping at straws, desperate to fill that gaping hole. He scratches his neck and yawns, debating whether or not he should go back to sleep when his eyes flit lazily to where his sword was propped. Or, rather, to where it should have been propped.

No.

He runs.

“Please, let me in!” He bangs his fist relentlessly against the metal gate of the house where she was staying. Or used to stay. It doesn’t take long for the owner to show up – an old lady in her sixties wearing a pale nightgown.

“Wait a second kid, geez, want me to call the cops on you?” Her annoyance is clear as she peers at him sullenly through a small hole in the gate.

“Oh.” Her tone turns soft, and he doesn’t know if that should relieve or scare him. “It’s you.”

“She left in a hurry, you know. Wouldn’t tell me why.” The landlady unlocks the door on the far right of the second floor. “She told me to let you in here as soon as you came by.” The sound of a key being dropped on a table is heavy in his ears. “Paid a good price for the room, so I didn’t pry. Lock up when you’re done.”

“Thank you.”

There isn’t much left, just a folded piece of paper sitting on the bed that used to be hers.

He sits quietly, clutching the paper with trembling hands, until he unfolds it gently, smoothing out the creases.

Hey.

By the time you read this, I’ll have gone back to where I came from. I can already see the gears cranking in your head so my answer is this.

NO.

Don’t follow me there. I wasn’t kidding when I said the commute wasn’t something you’d enjoy. Also, you should stop thinking because you’ll hurt yourself if you keep doing that.

He scoffs, but he doesn’t deny the wry smile that spreads across his lips. I can’t believe you still have the guts to make fun of me right now.

I’ll cut to the chase. I wasn’t supposed to stay here long. At least, I wasn’t supposed to stay here and . . .

He could see the dark ink blot from where she’d scratched the lines over again and again, as if she couldn’t find the words to write down.

. . . get attached.

His heart sputters, pumping suddenly in a staccato beat.

No acquaintances, no friends. No one. An in-and-out job, if you will. But I got distracted. I wasn’t fast enough, and the rest is history.

“But you were,” he murmurs. “You were fast enough to save me.”

Those monsters may not be like anything in this world, but they’re like animals in a lot of ways. For one, they don’t go where they sense danger. So if you’re worried about that, then don’t be. No one of them would be stupid enough to come here after how many you’ve killed.

As for me . . . in some ways, I’m like those monsters too. In which way, I think you could already figure it out. I’ve already said it anyway. But fair enough, I’ll say it again.

They don’t go where they sense danger.

You don’t know how relieved I was when I realized that I could hold my sword again. I was strong enough to fight, but what was there left to fight when you’ve already finished them all? In this case, I was strong enough to go back home. I was strong enough to leave. You’ve already finished my mission here anyway.

But I was scared. And I don’t know which scared me more. Leaving or staying.

Because I heard you the first night I saw you. You said you could see the color of my eyes.

I didn’t tell you that I could see yours too.

That’s all it takes to knock the wind right out of him again.

Because of her. It’s always been because of her.

I know I told you not to come looking for me, but I know we’ll meet again. Because there’s a bond between us now that can twist and turn, but wouldn’t be broken. Because we’re soulmates. Don’t look so surprised, I can be poetic when I want to be. The language classes in your school aren’t so bad either.

This wasn’t the best way for me to say it, but we don’t always get what we want. Sometimes, we have to sacrifice things. I’ve told you that once, remember?

We’ll see each other again. Until then, she’s yours. Keep her safe.

Her? He shakes his head wildly, sweeping the entirety of the room until his gaze zooms in on a familiar outline in the corner of the room.

Right. His sword – no, not his. Hers.

He gives it a small, experimental swing before falling back on the bed.

He breathes once. Twice. And then he decides.

He’ll wait.

(It’s there that he realizes just how strong she’s helped him become.)

He’ll wait not just because their souls are fated, not just because he doesn’t want to be alone when he’s already found her.

He’ll wait, because no matter how long it will take, no matter how painful it could be, she’s taught him how to overcome it. Taught him about the strength he possessed, taught him how to use it, taught him how to wield it better than any blade he could ever hold.

She’d helped him realize who he was, how he stood out in this world of clockwork and routine.

A protector.

The colors he sees are muted now, their vibrancy slipping away as quickly as she’d left.

If his will was any weaker, he would’ve wondered if this was any way to live. Seeing in black and white would be better than this. Much less painful too.

Could I keep up with the speed of the world without you in it?

He will. He has too.

For her.

And for everyone who needs him.

Since then, he’s known three things. One thing is this – everyone sees in black and white until they meet their soulmate. The second is this – sometimes, soulmates don’t always stay. The last and the third is something he learns a little bit later on, and it is this – that soulmates always, always come back.

Author's Note: This was honestly supposed to have a different ending. Supposedly, the characters of Byakuya and Renji would come to take her away, just as in the original story. However, I wasn't sure how to translate that here as Rukia's character doesn't outright mention where she comes from. (Also, I was pressed for time as this was a requirement.) Still, I'm quite proud of this story, but I do still plan on changing the ending to one that I feel would be better for it. (Also, posting this because I want to compare it to the future version.) Thank you so much for reading.

There are several soundtracks that helped me write some scenes. All of these music belongs to the Bleach OST (in part because they may have already been the music to the episode the scene was based on). Red was influenced by On the Precipice of Defeat, while Orange and Green were influenced by both Going Home and Peaceful Afternoon.

[creative-type]

The Problem with Ichigo Kurosaki

Back when Bleach’s final chapter came out, the one thing that perplexed me most about the omnishambles that was the last arc was that Ichigo had taken over the Kurosaki clinic. 

I’d long-since given up on a satisfying end to the series and was following out of morbid fascination more than any sort of interest. I’m not a shipper and the glacial pacing and empty pages killed any spectacle that might  have been entertaining enough to cover the massive flaws of the series. I entered the Quincy arc with no expectations and still managed to be surprised by how little thought and effort Kubo put into his product. There was no personal investment left, so I didn’t care enough to get upset over how things ended up.

But Ichigo taking over his father’s clinic...that was a surprise. And through that I came to a startling realization that after almost 700 chapters and 15 years I still knew nothing about Ichigo as a character.

I want to be careful when writing this, firstly because as a self-admitted filthy casual I’m not nearly as familiar with Bleach as I am with most other things I write about. Secondly, while it’s a nice bonus I don’t think that every story necessarily requires a deep, super nuanced character driving it. 

I’m gonna use One Piece as an example here because I think it fits well. Luffy isn’t a complicated dude. He’s well-rounded with clearly defined dreams and goals, but ultimately he’s your basic Shonen power fantasy. What sets One Piece apart from almost every other manga in existence is its world building, and by creating Luffy the way he is, Oda has made a main character that facilitates the exploration of his world.

Ichigo starts off well enough for the protagonist of a monster of the week-style battle manga. I think it’s pretty apparent that Kubo wrote Bleach by the seat of his pants, because a lot of early details don’t match what we see later in the series.

...

...

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And, again, this type of writing can be done, but it has to be done carefully because without forethought it’s really easy for plots and characterization become a muddled mess. 

Early Ichigo stood out from other mainstream manga protagonists. There’s a mature edginess to early Bleach, and a strong aesthetic that highlights one of Kubo’s greatest strengths as an artist: drawing really cool shit. Ichigo isn’t a hyperactive goofball, in fact he gets pretty good grades and is generally regarded as being a reliable - if grumpy - guy. His backstory isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but again, having a main character that’s hellbent on protecting others is exactly the sort of protagonist that can drive a monster of the week-style story.

More importantly, at this point in the story Ichigo has agency as a character. In chapter 2 of the series, Rukia demands that Ichigo fulfill her duties as a soul reaper while she’s out of commission. He initially says no, but quickly changes his mind when he sees a cute kid almost get eaten. Ichigo agrees to help, but on his own terms. In his own words, he’s only paying off a debt. 

Fast forward to chapter 25. Ichigo has survived his encounter with Grand Fisher and had a nice little heart to heart with his dad. He makes the above declaration, effectively choosing to continue on as a soul reaper even after Rukia regains her powers and his “debt” is paid. 

What makes the Grand Fisher fight effective is that it highlights how much growth Ichigo needs to undergo, not as a fighter but as a character. It is vitally important for a battle manga not to have fights for the sake of fights, or even because they’re demanded by the plot. A good fight conveys story and develops characterization - a clash of ideals as much as swords. 

The problem is that this doesn’t really go anywhere. Ichigo’s gotta protect them all nature suits shorter, one-off arcs but isn’t suited for the long, sprawling epic Bleach would become. The scope of Bleach’s world and story expanded, but Ichigo stayed the same. Or rather, he devolved into something lesser. 

Ichigo’s goal to protect those he cares about is problematic in two ways:1) it requires someone to need protecting, and 2) it’s reactionary. This limits how much influence Ichigo has on the plot as a whole. It’s no wonder that the Arrancar saga is copied wholesale from the Soul Society arc because rescuing people from danger is literally the only thing Ichigo ever shows interest in doing.

Instead of taking the time to develop Ichigo as a person, Kubo instead has to create increasingly-ridiculous ways for him to play a part in the plot. This has the unfortunate side effect of making Ichigo literally everybody’s pawn to be used and manipulated in whatever way it takes for the story to get from Point A to Point B. I would think by the time Yhwach comes around he’d be sick of it, but all Ichigo is capable of doing is react, react, react, often looking very surprised when someone plays him like a fiddle yet again.

And maybe to compensate Kubo gives Ichigo a mishmash of powers and abilities, but ironically the more things that are added to Ichigo’s moveset the less unique and special each one becomes. 

It’s kind of like mixing colors. Red and blue together make purple but if you add yellow and green and orange along with it, in the end all you’re going to have is a brownish sludge. Ichigo starts the series as a human-shinigami hybrid. For the sake of brevity, I’ll call this version of Ichigo a humigami. As a humigami he has basic swordsmanship, immense spiritual power, and the ability to follow spirit ribbon thingies to find people. So far so good.

But with the introduction of the Soul Society and the massive influx of characters, Ichigo is no longer The Special. Kubo has two choices here: further develop Ichigo’s shinigami powers or add something new into the mix. Kubo elects to do both, and Ichigo gains his hollow masks AND learns bankai in a matter of days. 

Now a human-shinigami-hollow (humagollow for short), Ichigo saves the day only to get curb-stomped by Aizen. The post-Soul Society chapters would have been a good place to do some old-fashioned character development, but while there is some nice closure chapters nothing really changes before the next major arc kicks in.

Put yourself in Ichigo’s shoes here. You’ve gone through the gauntlet to save a friend from her execution, witnessed the slums of the afterlife, fought several life or death battles against an organization who keeps, among other things, genocidal maniacs in their employ. You’ve seen corruption, you’ve seen conspiracy, you’ve seen a totalitarian regime that insists on following the letter of the law over common sense and justice. You’ve lived your entire life striving to protect those weaker than yourself and the last several months sending spirits to what you thought was a peaceful, idyllic afterlife.

Would you leave the Soul Society in good terms? Would you consider them allies and fight their wars? Would you be okay with leaving your friend, who you risked life and limb to save, in the very environment that wanted her dead just days before? Would you not have questions and demand answers?

Apparently not, if you’re Ichigo Kurosaki.

Fast forward again to the introduction of the arrancar and visored. It’s about this time where Ichigo loses everything that made him unique as a character. A whole host of characters are introduced that have a mix of shinigami and hollow powers (which, despite ostensibly being antithetical to one another are functionally identical) and it’s revealed that Ichigo isn’t even the only shinigami in his family. 

Isshin’s fight verses Grand Fisher becomes especially egregious when we the audience get this little tidbit about how all high-level shinigami compress their sword’s spiritual power into a smaller form

because back when Ichigo first showed off his bankai one of the notable things about it was that it was kind of tiny - a direct contrast to how most releases worked. 

It’s the same for all of Ichigo’s other attacks. His bankai is supposed to boost his speed to incredible levels, but he’s constantly out maneuvered by enemies, the surprise attack from behind being a Kubo specialty. His main ability is nothing but a giant energy slash, easily replicated by a shinigami’s kido or a hollow’s cero.

By having Isshin steal the Grand Fisher fight from Ichigo, Kubo robs his main character of a chance to show off how he’s changed since the early part of the series and robs him of his uniqueness as a fighter. The fight itself is not good, memorable, or fun enough to counterbalance how much the author is crapping on its protagonist, a trend that unfortunately gets worse as time goes on.

Anyway, through training Ichigo becomes a human visored (hisored) and goes off to Hueco Mundo to kick ass and get his ass kicked in about equal measure, and once again questions are brought up, if not explicitly than implicitly through the course of the narrative, that are never even addressed.

1) If it weren’t already obvious, the Soul Society cements itself as being absolutely terrible by its treatment of the visoreds. Are they really the good guys here, and why is no one trying to reform their more archaic and barbaric practices?

Unfortunate Implication: Ichigo is willing to ally with complete assholes to accomplish his goals. The whole “protecting those who can’t protect themselves” schtick only applies when people he cares about are in danger.

Conclusion: Ichigo is kind of an asshole, or at least apathetic to the plight of others, a direct contrast to his characterization thus far

2) If hollows are impure spirits, and high-level hollows spirits who have evolved by consuming countless others, would it not be in the best interest of Nel and other “good” arrancar to be purified? Is it even appropriate to think of hollows who have evolved as individuals or a conglomeration of all the souls that have been consumed? Are hollows inherently evil, or has the Soul Society’s understanding of the hollow/non-hollow spirit dynamic been flawed this entire time?

Unfortunate Implication: Either Ichigo doesn’t think through the logical conclusion of having hollows as allies enough to question what he’s been taught about hollows thus far, or he’s okay with leaving countless spirits in an impure state and damning them to a miserable existence of insatiable hunger and denying them access to the proper afterlife/reincarnation cycle

Conclusion: Ichigo isn’t as smart as he’s presented to be, or he’s okay with making friends with the very monsters he’s sworn to destroy...as long as they’re cute and helpful

This is what I mean when Ichigo devolves as a character. By the time the Fullbringer arc rolls around (for those keeping score at home, Ichigo has gone from hisored to fullbringer back to humigami) Kubo has built a world full of shades of grey, but continues time and time again to have Ichigo play it as if it were black and white. The reveal that Ichigo is, in fact, a quincigami is just the icing on the cake, stealing the one thing that made Ishida unique only for it to go absolutely nowhere and confuse an already muddled backstory.

All of these changes in power and the complete disregard for the moral quandaries brought up by the story mean that any change in Ichigo is superficial, like a skin change in a video game. He might look cool and give his attacks spiffy names, but it’s all an excuse for Kubo to draw him in different outfits because once again, all Kubo really cares about is drawing really cool shit. Everything else is secondary. Nothing has to make sense. Who cares about Ichigo’s hopes and dreams and desires when he can have two swords that he’ll never use in battle. Oh, it’s the epilogue and Ichigo needs to be a grown up doing grown up stuff...might as well make him a doctor. It was good enough for his old man, right? It wasn’t as if he said anything against taking over his father’s clinic some day.

Then again, Ichigo never said that’s what he’d like to do either. Almost 700 chapters and 15 years went by and Ichigo never once said what he wanted to do with his life when he grew up.

And that, my friends, is a problem.

[yeonchi]

Kisekae Insights #15: Hiroki and Akari’s Strawberry Mysteries Part 1 (with Hybrid explanation)

These next two instalments weren’t easy for me to write. Off the bat, the subject of these instalments is the relationship between the protagonist, Hiroki Ichigo, and his wife, Akari Ichigo. Why wasn’t it easy for me to talk about it? The subject and the storylines associated with it are heavily based on elements of my life and their associated fantasies.

Writing the review for Can You Hear Me? has really inspired me to talk about some high school friends who I wasn’t necessarily friends with (I say that because I never hung out with them much). In that review, I mentioned my high school crush as one person I was reminded of after watching the episode. The character of Akari is based on her, but this infatuation goes way deeper than you think given how much effort I put into writing her storylines in my project.

Portions of these storylines were inspired from the final episodes of certain TVB dramas from 2013-14. As such, I feel obligated to provide content (trigger) warnings as these storylines contain themes associated with mental illness, suicide and domestic violence.

In case you haven’t seen, I’m going to be giving my answer to the Hybrid in this instalment. I’m leaving the IRL context until Part 2 in the next instalment and I’ll also be taking a break after that. For now, enjoy the rollercoaster as we start going down the rabbit hole that is Hiroki and Akari’s relationship.

Hiroki Ichigo: The Enigma Beneath

You will notice that the character profiles for Hiroki and Akari are different from the ones I’ve done so far, particularly in that they have no job or personality descriptions. Aside from being officers or superheroes, any job I give them ends up being forgotten once the story arc gets going (I wish Chibnall could say the same about Yaz), so they don’t end up mattering anyway. As for Hiroki’s personality, I’ve already covered that in #2.

I’ve detailed Hiroki in his final incarnation here because most of the storyline revolves around this incarnation, but his previous incarnations do have significance in the storyline likewise.

Also, you will notice that I’ve designated Hiroki as the Hybrid. I’ve never really liked the Hybrid arc because it gave too many possibilities that pointed to multiple figures potentially being the Hybrid. Steven Moffat did reveal that the Hybrid was supposed to be the Doctor and Clara together, but to me, that’s just a red herring for the identity of the real Hybrid. This is my answer to the Hybrid arc – Hiroki Ichigo is the Hybrid.

Here are some of the criteria given for the Hybrid throughout Series 11 (BBC Series 9). The Hybrid is a creature crossbred from two warrior races, supposedly the Time Lords and the Daleks. According to all Matrix prophecies, the Hybrid will stand in the ruins of Gallifrey and unravel the Web of Time, breaking a billion billion hearts to heal its own.

Let’s break down the Doctor’s final line in Heaven Sent:

“The Hybrid is not half-Dalek. Nothing is half-Dalek. The Daleks would never allow that.” Just because the Doctor can say it can’t be half-Dalek doesn’t mean that it isn’t. Besides, Hiroki isn’t half-Dalek anyway – technically, he is part-Kaled, the Kaleds being the ancestors of the Daleks. But since the Kaleds are synonymous with the Daleks, this fulfills the Dalek portion of the Hybrid.

“The Hybrid destined to conquer Gallifrey and stand in its ruins… is me.” Some people believe “me” refers to Ashildr, also known as Me, but I think that the Doctor accusing Ashildr of being the Hybrid is just him deflecting the blame because he was in denial of being the Hybrid (plus, the Doctor seemed to prefer calling her Ashildr instead of Me). The Doctor was born from Hiroki, so the Doctor saying that is a bit of a stretch. However, to be fair, the Doctor didn’t even know who the Hybrid really was until Rassilon told him in Space Squad Part 3. In comparison, Hiroki realised that he was the Hybrid in the Decade finale.

Now, for the time being, Hiroki has never stepped foot on Gallifrey, but I’m planning on rectifying that in Soulbound Series 4. As for unravelling the Web of Time, that’s already been done if you count all the timeline changes I’m going to detail, so hopefully I won’t need to address that again. Since Hiroki is a warrior, you can bet that he’s broken as many hearts as he’s willing to break in order to heal his own.

So how did Hiroki become the Hybrid? Firstly, Hiroki was born a human with Time Lord and Jenova DNA (see #2). Later on, in 2012, Hiroki became part-Kaled/Dalek after his DNA got mixed up with Akari’s during a regeneration (read on to find out).

In 2018, during Age of Riders Forever, Hiroki found himself being pursued by alternate versions of himself who had banded together and based themselves in the Capital (like the Citadel of Ricks in Rick and Morty). Hiroki upgrades his vortex manipulator so he can travel in time. After incorporating Kamen Rider Wizard’s Time Ring into his manipulator and using his own body to calibrate it, Hiroki manages to go into the past and make contact with his past self multiple times.

At some point, Hiroki was found and brought to the Council (the equivalent of the Council of Ricks), where he was given a mission to detonate a memory bomb in exchange for leniency. He does so, but when the Council comes to pick him up, he refuses to go back with them and teleports away. Hiroki’s travels had caused numerous paradoxes, but his vortex manipulator caused the temporal energy to build up inside his body, which would rip him apart and scatter him throughout the Time Vortex instead of ending the universe.

Sure enough, Hiroki’s body was ripped apart, but his consciousness was saved by his ex-wife and her family that he saved inside the supercomputer in Dewey’s library on Never Land. They then sent Hiroki back out and made him a new body using fairy dust, pollen, the happiness of everyone on the Mainland, the remains of his DNA from his old body and about half a field’s worth of dandelion seeds. After that, Hiroki leads the fairies and Flowertots in an attack on the Capital, saving his friends while killing the Council and all the other versions of himself. With Hiroki now being part-fairy and part-Flowertot, he gained the ability to utilise some forms of Never Land magic, but because he doesn’t possess a source of magic or a connection to one, it requires some time to recharge naturally.

And so, that was the story of how Hiroki became the Hybrid.

Akari Ichigo: Mystery Girl Becomes Seductress Becomes Assassin Becomes Wife

I didn’t put a personality description for Akari in the pic mainly because she’s based on my crush and I have no idea what her personality is like. Therefore, my personality description for her would only be based on my impressions of her and what I think she would be like in the project. Needless to say, I didn’t put a lot of thought into it. When she’s good, she cares for Hiroki really much (though it’s mostly because of the hypnotic seduction perfume), but when she’s evil, she just doesn’t care about him. In the Series 9 finale, there’s a bit where she literally says “I’m gonna put a cap in your ass” in a yandere-like manner before Hiroki smacks her around and shoots her in the head, but we’ll come back to that in Part 2.

Originally, I was of the belief that Akari was born in 1998, making her six months younger than Hiroki, but I later found that I was one year off; Akari was actually born in 1999, making her eighteen months younger than Hiroki. This change doesn’t affect the story a lot, but I am kind of pissed that I didn’t know this earlier.

Akari’s paternal grandfather is a Kaled named Antoni, meaning that from him, she has a link to the Daleks. Akari was used by both her family and the Daleks as a tool to get to the Doctor by having her seduce and kill Hiroki. They didn’t know that Akari would end up getting seduced herself and before they knew it, she ended up getting in too deep that they had to wrench her off him with the help of Girl Power.

On top of that, they also didn’t know that Akari had made such an impact on Hiroki that he went to extreme lengths to either take her back or kill her. Akari never loved Hiroki, but she never had the guts to say it to his face and break off their relationship amicably. At the end of the Last Great Time War, when Girl Power were defeated for good, Akari got back with Hiroki and all was well again. Or so they thought…

The introductions are over. Let’s get into the story. Before I do, I want to clarify that Hiroki and Akari weren’t known by those names until 2014 onwards.

First meeting retcon

Based on the release order of my stories, Hiroki and Akari originally met in 2011 when they were in their secondary school armies. However, paradoxes, timeline changes and retcons have made that first meeting WAY earlier than that.

The root reason why schools were forming armies and fighting each other goes back to the 90’s when the state government established Arming Schools for the Future alongside One Country Two (Naming) Systems. Towards the end of the 90’s, a member of Akari’s family became an MP to prevent those two programs from being abolished when the opposition party formed government.

After Antoni went off to fight in the Time War, Kaled agent Neramix met with his children and helped them incite a war between the schools to support the Dalek cause. The two armies that they incited happened to be the kindergarten armies that Hiroki and Akari were in.

In March 2003, the two armies went into battle. This was the first battle of the Time War on Earth and the first battle for Hiroki and Akari. During the battle, Akari runs away from her unit and hides. Hiroki spots her and sneaks away from his unit to follow her. After encountering each other, they hide together and talk to pass the time. Akari doesn’t want to fight because she doesn’t want to make the world scarier than it already is, but Hiroki fights because he wants to make the world nice again. Hiroki decides to escape with Akari and take her home, but after a distraction involving two incarnations of the Doctor and some TARDISes, Parker finds Hiroki and drags him back into the battle, leaving Akari wondering what happened.

Thanks to that interaction, Neramix had what he needed to slowly mould Akari into Hiroki’s future killer. Neramix would be killed by Kamen Rider Decade soon after, but his intention was to have Antoni’s grandchildren, namely Akari’s brother and cousins, oversee this plan and fight in the Time War in place of their parents.

Over the next few years, Hiroki and Akari would meet out of nowhere, but little did they know that these meetings were a result of time manipulations by the Daleks. On top of that, additional changes to the timeline led them to meet more frequently.

By February 2010, Akari’s primary school army had become part of the Oda Army. Parker was planning a campaign for his primary school army to defeat the Oda, Mōri and Date armies and conquer their territories. He arranged for Hiroki to “defect” to Akari’s army and act as a spy for a few weeks. When the invasion occurred, Hiroki returned to his army, breaking Akari’s heart. Another few weeks later, the two of them reconciled when their armies encountered each other again in battle.

The date of their “first meeting” was rapidly approaching and at the way the timeline was going, the Web of Time would become damaged. In December 2010, during the primary school armies’ graduation ceremonies, the Master (Harold Saxon) used a dimensional splitter to transport them into a pocket dimension and pit them against each other in a “Graduation Battle Royale”. Hiroki and Akari met each other again, but Kamen Rider Decade arrives and fights them as he attempts to detonate a memory bomb (a replica of a forbidden weapon of the same name in the Omega Arsenal) between them. Decade evades them and successfully detonates the memory bomb just as the armies are returned to their rightful locations.

The memory bomb would supposedly restore people’s memories of the correct timelines and erase the memories of Hiroki and Akari interacting with each other before 2011. As a side effect, however, their timelines were burst open with metaphorical superglue on the broken ends. A couple of months later, in February 2011, Hiroki and Akari were in the same secondary school army. At the end of their first day, Hiroki and Akari encounter each other again, weeks before their actual first meeting. They accidentally touch hands as they dodge a falling flowerpot and as a result, they discover that they are fading out of existence until they touch hands. After seeing the Doctor, they discover that they have “Intertwined Pinkie Syndrome” – well, not really, but their timelines were fused and if they were to let go of each other, they would fade out of existence as their timelines would have no beginning or no end.

As such, Hiroki and Akari were forced to live together for the time being. The next few days went a bit like the two music videos below (because this storyline was inspired from them):

Later, the Doctor discovers that the effects can be reversed if Hiroki and Akari are willing to sacrifice their lives to save someone. At the same time, the two stop an old lady from being hit by a reversing van. Their hands let go, but they do not disappear. Their timelines return to normal and they go back to their own lives.

Without the courage to say “I’m sorry”

Finally, Hiroki and Akari meet each other for the first time in March 2011. Hiroki begins to fall in love with Akari and before long, their friends become aware of this along with Akari’s cousins, Daniel and David, meaning that the pieces of their plan are finally coming together. They formed the Teiro Army and began taking action by intruding into Hiroki’s battles. Eventually, after Parker’s death and the fall of the Sanada Army, they built up enough strength to ally with other armies, who have affiliations with Hiroki, and turned them against him.

Over the course of the next 16 months, Hiroki’s friends encouraged him to talk to Akari and ask her out, but he never ended up doing so, either because she was with her friends or he couldn’t muster up the courage to do so even when she was alone. He got more acquainted with Akari’s friends than Akari herself. When Akari and her friends founded Girl Power in February 2012, Hiroki just happened to be on the other side of Hong Kong. Eventually, Maya, one of Akari’s friends, tells Hiroki to talk to Akari before it is too late.

In May 2012, Hiroki writes a love letter for Akari, though this was partly as a result of a plot by his friends. She shows it to her cousins, who then launch an attack on Hiroki and his allies, the Takeda Army. Despite fighting each other in the battle, neither of them even brings up the love letter.

Later, in July 2012, the Teiro Army takes over Hiroki’s secondary school army, forcing him to escape with the Takeda Army. Daniel contacts Hiroki and tells him that they have taken his friends hostage. Hiroki realises what is going on and calls out Akari for being too scared to tell him face-to-face about the love letter, causing her to snap and agree to meet him alone.

Sure enough, the two of them meet alone in a hall or stadium. After some pressure from Hiroki, Akari admits that she doesn’t love him the same way he loves her, but they can still be friends. Hiroki accepts her offer, but Daniel throws some rape gas (that he stole from the police) at them, saying that they don’t deserve each other.

Going on a tangent for a bit, rape gas is similar to tear gas, but the principle of how it works is basically “rape or be raped” – depending on a person’s mental state, they would either faint or develop the urge to sexually assault anyone in sight. In July 2011, the police first tested the rape gas at a university, where protesters and counter-protesters were protesting about kids fighting in armies, racism/crime, climate change, the fact that you can drive from Melbourne to Tokyo in a matter of hours and ACAB. However, this time around, Daniel modified the rape gas, meaning that Hiroki or Akari would have to violate or kill the other person in order to get out alive.

Hiroki and Akari managed to resist the effects of the gas, fighting each other until Parker and a few others, who had managed to free themselves, break in and save them. Parker dispels the effects of the rape gas from them, causing them to lose their memories of the past couple of hours as they are knocked out. They regain consciousness later before Hiroki, Parker and their allies purge the Teiro Army and their allies from the city.

Under his spell

Following the final battle against the Teiro Army, the Arming Schools for the Future program was abolished and the armies would become schools again once the holidays were over. Hiroki was given the privilege to choose whether he would stay with his army or leave and he chose to leave. For a while, Parker gave Hiroki a choice to join him or become a ronin (wanderer), but he refused because of Akari. The reason why he decided to leave was because people had become afraid of him following the events of the battle. Instead of joining Parker or the Takeda Army, he decided to become a ronin because aside from fighting, he had nothing else to live for.

Hiroki decided to travel the land while Akari went to Okinawa with her cousins, Narutaki and Veronica. Hiroki’s travels would eventually lead him to Okinawa, where a parallel version of himself from a parallel universe would help him ask Akari out by spraying him with some hypnotic seduction perfume. Akari became caught in the perfume’s spell and so, she and Hiroki became a couple.

A few months later in November, the Salacian Time War came along. Hiroki and Akari were not involved in the war itself, but they played a role in its endgame. Hiroki and Akari were hanging out with the latter’s friends when Daniel had them kidnapped and taken to their base in the Serra do Mar mountain range, codenamed “the forests of Wanmokai”. Hiroki is subjected to a weapon known as the Dehydrator, which sucks the strength out of the victim and drives their brain to the point of insanity. After a while, he manages to untie himself before falling to the ground. Following a meta-crisis regeneration which results in Takumi Kamijō being born and escaping from the base, Hiroki and Akari are found by Parker, who teleports them back to his base in Santos.

Later, Parker and the others are trying to power up the Harmony Signal, but even with Ultimate Madoka’s help, they still can’t get it fully charged. Hiroki is still struggling to regenerate following the meta-crisis and requires a catalyst in order to regenerate, so he decides to propose to Akari. As they kiss, Hiroki regenerates, but his DNA gets mixed up with Akari’s, making him part-Kaled (fulfilling the Time Lord and Dalek requirements for the Hybrid) and making his subsequent prototypes their children. The new prototype, Kumiko Hayashi, is able to provide Parker with enough energy to fully charge the Harmony Signal.

At this point, some people would say that dating for 3-4 months before proposing is a bit fast, but when you think about it, they’ve known each other for nearly two years, or nine years with seven on-and-off.

After another year of dating and getting caught in turbulent events, Hiroki and Akari got married in December 2013, with Princess Celestia acting as their celebrant and singer Miyuki Nakajima featuring as a guest at their reception.

A chaotic marriage

Even before his wedding, Hiroki had suspected that Girl Power was plotting something behind the scenes and that if he were to walk into their trap, he would die. Borrowing the Pony Doctor’s TARDIS, Hiroki went on a farewell tour in order to delay his own wedding, but upon hearing that his old friend, one of the commanders from his primary school army, had died, Hiroki decides to accept his fate.

The day after Hiroki and Akari’s wedding, a man named Reona Yukawa (a man from a hentai game with an IQ of 256) worked with the Master to save Antoni from the Crucible. Soon after, the Daleks begin attacking Hong Kong. Hiroki and Akari work with the Fourth Doctor as they meet with Parker and Violet, who defeat the Daleks with newer Daleks. For context, it is the bronze (Time War) Daleks fighting against the coloured Daleks of the New Dalek Paradigm. Despite their reception, I’ve never liked how the latter was underused throughout the series, so I thought I’d give them some love here. Meanwhile, the Fifth Doctor is in seclusion on Paris Island with Marco Wong and his wife, Princess Maritan (from the manga that teaches Japanese people how to swear in English with army imagery).

Suddenly, Antoni transports the landmasses containing the Doctor and his friends to their base at Koshi Castle in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Hiroki, his prototypes and their partners are taken and they have their germ cells taken and placed in the Progenitor, rendering them infertile as the Daleks breed super-soldiers out of them. Soon after, Akari is kidnapped and brainwashed by Girl Power, who pairs her with a new husband, a white man (I don’t know why I pointed that out, that makes me sound racist) named Shaun. When Hiroki and the Fourth Doctor find them, Hiroki tries to grab Akari, but he is shot by all the Girl Power officers. The Fourth Doctor runs away to find Parker and Violet while Hiroki makes his way back to his TARDIS and regenerates into a new prototype, a four-year-old boy who would be named Kyōya Shinomiya.

In the Progenitor, a baby is being grown from Hiroki and Akari’s DNA – their daughter, who would be named Kasumi Shinomiya. Due to Takumi’s interference, the baby would end up in Manchester in December 2005, coincidentally the same place where Akari and Shaun would encounter Kyōya and Kasumi and form a family together. Meanwhile, Hiroki, having lost his magical boy powers following his regeneration, accepts a deal from the witch Walpurgisnacht and manifests into a female incarnation who would call herself Momoka Mizutani. Momoka opened up a Hong Kong-style café in Salford, with red drone Daleks disguising as her human staff, and for the next eight years, Momoka would become acquainted with the Shinomiya family as they became regular customers. She also uses an infostamp to make contact with Kyōya, unbeknownst to the rest of his family.

Eight years later, the Fourth and Fifth Doctors arrive in Manchester. They encounter each other and head to Momoka’s café to talk. Just as they learn who actually owns the café (Hiroki), Ayaka Kikuchi comes in with her army and engages in a shootout with Momoka and the Daleks. After defeating Ayaka’s army, Momoka transmats herself and the Shinomiya family to her ship, where she prepares to have Ayaka, Shaun, Kyōya and Kasumi exterminated using the Yashio’ori, a mythical weapon (from Warriors Orochi 3) capable of firing Dalek energy rays like machine guns or a concentrated laser beam that can pierce even dwarf star alloy. Unfortunately, the Yashio’ori was sabotaged by Ayaka and her allies so that the laser beam would not charge after Momoka fired it once during a demonstration.

Momoka is killed in the ensuing battle, but Walpurgisnacht took over her body and regenerated her, allowing her to continue with her plan. She searches out people who had wronged her over the years and enacts her own brutal justice on them. She also begins to experience psychosis brought on by a regenerative crisis, causing her to hallucinate her previous incarnation. The Doctors and Parker catch on to this and begin searching for her. Parker and Violet encounter her at UNIT and they convince her to surrender herself and not give up hope that things will be better. As Momoka proclaims that she still has unfinished business to take care of, Parker and Violet decide to work together with her so they can help her find the help she needs.

After confronting the Shinomiya family again, Momoka shoots Akari in the arm and kidnaps Shaun. She takes a video of him confessing to stealing Hiroki’s wife from him and sends it to Parker and the Doctors. Under the guise of delivering the ransom money to Momoka, Violet picks her up at a carpark and takes her to a getaway car she and Parker left for her. However, when they get there, Momoka is cornered, so she lets Violet go before she shoots herself in the head. Her body disappears as her TARDIS takes her away.

All this time, Reona, Antoni and the Master had used the distraction provided by their allies to prepare an army to start another Parallax War. The Daleks prepare to bind Akari and Shaun’s minds together as they prepare to become the emperor and empress of the new Girl Empire, but Kyōya, Kasumi and Momoka had been working to prevent this. Momoka summoned Hiroki’s past incarnations, along with his prototypes and even Storm Dasher, to fire infostamps at the throne, separating Akari from Shaun and breaking her from her conditioning. As the mind-breaker’s efficiency approaches 100%, Momoka uses a key to connect her mind with Akari, intertwining their timelines and making their previous encounters with each other fixed points in time.

Akari is freed, but all the Daleks turn on Reona, Antoni and the Master. After the first two are exterminated, the Master destroys Koshi Castle with a nuclear device before escaping, killing all the Daleks and super-soldiers with it. Girl Power managed to escape as well and most of their members went into hiding, but Shaun was apprehended off-screen, convicted of war crimes and sentenced to cryogenic suspension. Following this, Momoka regenerated into Hiroki, her final incarnation, and got back together with Akari. As a result of events, they (and some others) were eight years older than they should be.

This storyline was inspired by the final episodes of A Great Way to Care II (仁心解碼II), with Momoka being based on the character Apple Lam Chung-yan (林頌恩) played by Tavia Yeung (楊怡). Momoka would become a prototype and return in Series 9.

Anyway, I think that’s enough for now. If you thought that last storyline was harrowing enough, wait till you get to Part 2. It’s the part where things get turbulent and I cross the lines of morality so many times that you’ll be calling me an incel before you even get to the IRL context. My judgement day is nigh. See you in the next instalment.

[i-am-shepard-commander]

So. 

It’s been a year since Bleach’s end.

I’ve seen a couple of blogs that have posted where they are at now that we’ve had twelve months to digest the final chapter and read the follow-up light novellas and I thought, after some deliberation, that I’d do the same.

Part of me is grateful that Bleach ended the way it did. Perhaps that sounds a bit ridiculous--how can I be happy with the shitshow that was 686?--but I am. Of course, I am still upset that I wasted so much money purchasing the Bleach volumes (for while I did read the scans online after they were translated, I still wanted to support the manga through legal means; I am glad that I followed the scans, however, since now I can save myself a whole lot of money by not buying the later volumes) and other Bleach merchandise (namely, Sode no Shirayuki; that’s right--I bought a freaking sword), disappointed in Kubo for his treatment of the fandom and blatant disregard for his own work and established canon, but...I’m grateful.

Chapter 686 was the kick in the ass I needed to go back to my own projects, continue my own creative pursuits and endeavors. Chapter 686 was the splash of cold water I needed to wake up and realize how much time I was spending on trivial matters, on fandom, on dealing with toxic people (and while this one took a while to sink in, once it did, I began prioritizing things in my life and became a much happier person for it). Chapter 686 showed me the power of fandom, illustrated how a passionate fanbase can be both a blessing and curse, refreshing and yet vile at the same time. Chapter 686 taught me that an author can do whatever they want without regard to anyone else’s feelings on the matter or even established canon; on the flip side, 686 also taught me why it’s bad to lead fans on and while, yes, a work is its creators, it is also the fans’--there is a fine line between doing what you want and blindsiding your fans, between balancing your own desires but also acknowledging the desires of your followers (who without you would have been nothing to begin with). Chapter 686 reaffirmed my belief that canon is not always “canon”.

In a way, I am also grateful to all the IchiHime and pro-ending stans that have argued with me throughout the year(s). I have become quite adept at debate and quickly finding the flaws in my opponent’s logic, a skill that was developed through repeated written sparring here on Tumblr and other social media sites. I could still do without the death threats, though, and if any of my fanatical former IchiHime sparring partners happen to be reading this (and I’m sure some are despite my blocking them; how else would I get an influx of anon hate after every Bleach related post I make otherwise?), please. Go outside. Get some sun. Breathe the fresh air. Get a life.

This particularly applies to a popular artist that I stopped following because she condoned the harassment of IchiRuki shippers simply because she felt like they “deserved” it due to how they treated a fictional character (i.e. Orihime). (Side note, I didn’t even know that this artist was into Bleach because they literally never talked/posted about it until the last chapter; many would probably instantly recognize the artist if I posted her name, but this is not a callout post nor do I wish to start any drama, so please respect my decision to not list her name here.) While I have no doubt in my mind that this post will never reach her, I still feel the need to mention this here as, to this day, I am utterly appalled at how a fictional character’s “feelings” were taken into consideration above an actual person’s and that someone can be more concerned with the fake rather than the real.

Despite the aforementioned problematic elements of the fandom (fanatical shippers--and I don’t just mean the IchiHime ones, either), I am pleased that, a year later, the IchiRuki portion continues to thrive, stronger now than perhaps ever before. This is something the fandom of Bleach, specifically the IchiRuki elements, have reiterated for me--that just because something isn’t canon doesn’t mean that I can’t enjoy it (which, again, I knew beforehand, but it was comforting to see my fellow shippers stick to it and not let the hammer of “canon” destroy everything we’d built together though the years).

The power of fandom is really an astonishing thing, especially in this day and age. And I wish I could see more using it for good rather than evil.

With all that being said: My post highlighting the initial issues I had with the ending is still getting notes. My review of the last volume is still getting likes on Goodreads. The vast majority of the fandom still outright rejects the end, and not just because of ships but for a variety of reasons that start as far back as the Winter War arc. A lot of people are still reeling from the impact of 686, and while some may laugh at these individuals and call them foolish, bear in mind that some have been actively involved and invested in the series since nearly its creation, that Bleach was something that was a part of their life for over a decade (and, for many of us, that is almost half our time on this earth), that they spent their own money on, that they put their own money into, that blew up in their face.

Ultimately, regardless of what I wrote above...I don’t think I regret the time I spent in Bleach, even with its end. I met a lot of great people, made a lot of good friends both in my every day life and online. Bleach inspired me to draw again. Bleach made me laugh. Bleach made me cry. Bleach helped me to grow.

But, most of all, Bleach gave me Ichigo and Rukia.

[recentanimenews]

How One Piece Became An Anime About Love (But Not Romance)

  If a group of characters get together in a fictional setting, we inevitably start wondering which ones will make out. We can't help it. After years of seeing them in sitcoms and movies, concepts like the "Will They/Won't They" couple and the "Forbidden Relationship" are embedded in our pop-culture consciousness. Two good-looking people bicker in the sitcom's pilot episode? They'll kiss by the season finale. The quirky co-worker seems determined to get the solemn, nerdy employee to live a little bit? You can already hear the wedding bells.

  This feeling extends to anime, too, and we've watched it happen a lot: Vegeta got with Bulma, Hinata got with Naruto, Ichigo got with Orihime. But there is a certain anime series that has shied away from grand displays of romance like this, despite being entirely about how we need to love one another. And if you've read the title of this article, you know what that series is: One Piece.

    Now, One Piece is not entirely romance-less. Creator Eiichiro Oda has said that since One Piece is for young boys, there will be no relationships among the members of the Straw Hat Crew, so much of the "romance" that does show up is of the goofy, unrequited variety. Most notably this occurs with Sanji and, well, every woman that he meets on the Grand Line, because no matter what, Sanji gonna Sanji, apparently. The chef's declarations of love are frequent, but luckily, very few people have even slightly entertained him on the prospect of matrimony. And so Sanji is left where he should be, with his heart on his sleeve (and his eyes.)

  But Oda has also said that the crew is "in love" with adventure, and while they definitely embrace the thrill and danger and fulfillment that comes with sailing around and discovering new places and dismantling Shichibukai dictatorships, they're also very much in love with each other. And that's one of the most important messages of One Piece as a whole—How one of the best loves you can have is a love for your friends. 

  Throughout One Piece, the Straw Hats have constantly shown their affection for each other, whether it's through literal embraces (If Luffy hasn't seen you in a while, he can and will throw his whole body at you) or openness (The Straw Hats freely cry around each other all the time, as their captain has made it clear through phrases like "Say you want to live!" and "Say what you really want!" that, above all things, he values emotional honesty). 

      They're also willing to stand up for each other in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, pushing past their weaknesses because they know they're needed and valued. Heck, Usopp's entire character arc thus far is based around his acknowledgment that his crew loves him unconditionally, thus making him braver at times than he ever thought he could be. Robin's arc is built around her once thinking that no one would ever accept her or even want her on this earth, and now she knows, absolutely, that the Straw Hats will never let her down. 

  Many of them have announced that Luffy WILL be King of the Pirates, and what is that if not love? It's certainly devotion against all odds. And that's why I'm uncomfortable with anyone that tries to make a huge stink about how their love for their friends is different from their romantic love. Like, duh, of course, it is. I don't need the reason why I'm not buying roses for my boy Jon (Though if you want roses, bro, I got you) but I am buying them for my wife explained to me. But it's also the kind of thing that keeps dudes from hugging and instead places them in this weird handshake purgatory. It's the kind of thing that makes people unsure of what they can share with others. It traps people in this mindset that if they can't talk about something with their romantic partner, then they just can't talk about it at all.

  We often use the phrase "It takes a village" when referring to child-rearing because it can be tough and it's great for a kid to have so much help and positive influence. But it's also applicable to the emotional upkeep of an adult person, and you could use the phrase "It takes a crew" and apply it to One Piece. Because none of the members of the Straw Hats would have the amount of inner strength that they do without the love of the others. And I know that the love and support of my own friends has been incredible for me, and I can only hope to return it to them. 

    In short, while One Piece may not have a lot of what we typically consider "romance" in fiction, it is truly a tale about love. And I hope that, by reading it, you become more open to sharing yours. Presumably by getting all of your friends to read and watch One Piece. Nothing says "I adore you" like some dope anime.

  What is your favorite declaration in One Piece? What is the most important message that you've taken from this silly, awesome pirate manga? Let me know in the comments!

    ------------------

  Daniel Dockery is a Senior Staff Writer for Crunchyroll. Follow him on Twitter!

  Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

    By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[saranel]

Do you think UraYoru has lil parallelism with IchiRuki bond and chemistry ???? 😊😆🐕🎩 🐇🍓✨

Tagging @cocosy who asked the same question

I think they have some big differences in terms of dynamic, seeing as how the personalities and combinations involved are quite dissimilar, but I can definitely see ways in which they are alike.

Fights against Yammy are pretty romantic, I guess?

(more under the cut)

1. Chemistry

Okay, let’s start with the obvious one! There’s a reason both are such popular pairings (the most popular for each character by far), and chemistry has a lot to do with it.

Anyone who’s ever done any creative writing can attest to this, but certain characters simply take over and do the work for you, so to speak, once you become familiar enough with them.  I’ve only ever written the one IchiRuki fic, but when I tried to write dialogue for them, it just… flowed.  Same with Kisuke and Yoruichi.  I may have to tweak and polish to get the final result feeling as IC as I can make it, but the way they interact with each other feels natural and easy to replicate on paper.

And it’s all due to the fact that these two pairs have been set up in canon to work so well together.  Both Ichigo and Kisuke interact with plenty of other characters in the story with fun results, but when they interact with Rukia and Yoruichi respectively?  That’s when we get sparks. 

2. Bond

As a pair with such a long history, Kisuke and Yoruichi have an understandably deep connection.  There’s little doubt in my mind that they ‘clicked’ from the start, whenever that may have been, but there’s no denying that their centuries-spanning relationship contributes to their intimacy (both platonic and romantic).

For earlier adopters of the manga, I imagine the wait from the moment Yoruichi first gave the audience a glimpse of her shared past with Kisuke, to seeing them share panel time again must’ve built a lot of hype.  Kubo went on to be a tease for years concerning those two.  The nature of their relationship was even brought up in Kisuke’s Radio Kon interview, so this was obviously something the readers were wondering about from early on.  

And I think that one of the earliest events of the Arrancar arc was basically Kubo’s response to the audience’s rising curiosity:

Kisuke and Yoruichi were a big mystery to us at that point (NOT TO MENTION ELEVEN YEARS LATER), and Kubo displays some tremendous, economical storytelling here by giving us a succinct, yet rich answer as to what exactly Kisuke and Yoruichi are to each other:

Partners.

In every sense of the word.

I’ve often seen fans talk about the shadier aspects of Kisuke’s character and exclaim, aghast, “Does Yoruichi even know about this?!!!” and it always makes me laugh.  Because honestly, does anyone truly believe there is a single thing Yoruichi doesn’t know about him by this point?

Yoruichi knows exactly who this man is and she accepts him, warts and all. And vice versa. 

They know each other well enough that words are hardly ever needed:

And this is why it astounds me that Ichigo and Rukia reach such a level of understanding in only a few short months.  

Like I said, I firmly believe that Kisuke and Yoruichi were also a pair that developed a deep bond very fast, but given their long-standing relationship, they serve as an example of an unbreakable bond in the manga.  No one in their right mind is going to dispute those two are close, so when it becomes easy to draw a comparison between them and other pairs in the manga, that’s when you know it’s real:

^^^ What she actually says is more along the lines of: “Well I thought I might as well use this piece of crap you made so you wouldn’t whine, but without it, I would’ve dodged just fine!”  which is a tsundere’s way of saying ‘I love you’

And now you know why Kisuke wears that little half-smile in that panel ;)

3. Personalities

A few months ago, I made this super long post about the bond between mentor and student, and in writing it, I was surprised to discover ways in which Kisuke and Ichigo are alike that I hadn’t considered before. 

I like to think that this is one of the reasons Kisuke chose to mentor Ichigo: because he sees everything good about himself in his student, but none of his worse qualities. He sees a version of himself that was once more optimistic and a little less pragmatic, fiercely protective in a way that bordered on carelessness. 

Kisuke was a lot like Ichigo before the events of TBTP and his exile, and though he learned to trust in his subordinates and colleagues, his more sentimental side always shines through when someone he loves is in danger, façade and common sense be damned.  He couldn’t stop himself from following Hiyori, and he couldn’t stop himself from rushing to Yoruichi’s aid, either, instead of joining Ichigo against Yhwach.  

Similarly, Ichigo is the ‘softie’ of the pair to contrast Rukia’s stricter, more militaristic personality.  It’s Ichigo who found a little ‘sister’ to protect in the middle of the damn Hueco Mundo desert, Ichigo who will fiercely defend and show concern for people who were once his enemies:

It’s Kisuke and Ichigo who will drive away even the people they love in order to protect them (it’s worth noting that Rukia also does this at a certain point, but the circumstances are different and I’ll get to why shortly):

And it’s a similarity Kisuke himself remarks upon:

That’s not to say that Rukia and Yoruichi are cold in comparison, or not just as protective; not by a long shot.  But perhaps because they were both raised as nobility, they often fight a visible war with their own feelings:

In Yoruichi’s case, this is far more pronounced, to the point that she appears borderline emotionally stunted at times (see: tsundere).  Yoruichi was most likely taught that emotions are a weakness since she was a child (see: Byakuya, too).  I have this headcanon (last section) that Yoruichi must’ve been a very lonely child before she met Kisuke, carrying the immense weight of a legacy on her shoulders from a very young age.  And if, as I suspect, she had to compete with other candidates to earn the title of Clan Head, she was forced to sacrifice many things about herself in the altar of duty.    

Rukia’s upbringing for the first few years of her life was radically different, but we know for a fact that she was forced to grow up fast, in order to survive on her own in the Rukongai.  When she lost every single friend but Renji, she was the one who kept on pressing forward, the one who suggested entering the Academy.  And in a perfect storm of terrible events, her own feelings of inadequacy were only exacerbated when she was adopted by the Kuchiki Clan and treated so abysmally by Byakuya.  Rukia has been swallowing her own feelings since she could crawl: she swallowed the pain of being alone for a big part of her childhood so she could toughen up and survive, she swallowed the pain of losing her friends, the pain of under-performing in the academy, of being so blatantly ignored by Byakuya, the tremendous guilt over what happened with Kaien. 

What’s fascinating to me is that despite all this pressure, despite their loyalty and recorded sense of duty to the Gotei, both these women are in possession of a heart that always steers them in the right direction when it matters:

At this point, even Rukia has resigned herself to the fact that Ichigo is going to die.  She doesn’t think there’s any chance of survival, and yet instead of begging and pleading for forgiveness, for mercy, she doesn’t hesitate to make matters even worse for herself. She is literally throwing her life away just so she can be there for him in his final moments.

And then, of course, there’s this:

Do I even need to say anything here?

Yoruichi was a woman who had everything: beauty, wealth, status, respect, power, a family, friends, apprentices, and she left it all behind without a moment’s hesitation, when she didn’t even have to.

Both these women seem to struggle with expressing affection at times, but their actions always speak louder than words.  And when it comes to giving their men a swift kick up the ass when they desperately need it, they don’t hesitate even for a second:

4. Bonus: Design

It’s a well-known fact that Kubo’s original concept art for Bleach (then ‘Snipe’) had Ichigo in glasses, with black hair, but he famously changed the design specifically so it would match Rukia’s:

“Before the story was decided a Shingami uniform popped up into my mind. Unlike the design we have now it was like a uniform from Catholic school where they wore a black jacket over a white blouse with a black bowtie… and they carried a huge scissors. I thought that was what Shinigami was like. After that, to match Rukia’s design I changed Ichigo’s character design. Like Rukia had black hair so it’s best if Ichigo didn’t have black hair.”  

– Tite Kubo

And I just… I live for this kind of crap in fiction, because when it’s applied to a pair that already works well on so many different levels, it becomes the icing on the cake:

THEY LOOK SO DAMN GOOD TOGETHER.  

I love that they’re opposites in many ways, but still similar in plenty of others.  There’s always a great deal of love for pairs that are completely opposite, but from personal experience, these kinds of relationships aren’t built to last.  Give me pairs that complement each other, not pairs that are always in disagreement.  Pairs that challenge each other, but can still coexist harmoniously.  Ichigo and Rukia have their moments of tension, there’s spark, there’s passion, but they’re on the same wavelength where it counts.

And I can’t help but feel this also applies to Kisuke and Yoruichi to a T.

Kubo never made a similar declaration about Kisuke and Yoruichi’s design, but looking at this panel*** makes me think that he applied the same design philosophy here as well.

Black hair, fair hair; dark skin, pale skin; black uniform with white obi, white uniform with black obi; black turtleneck, white undershirt.

Even in their color versions, they are created to look harmonious: the pale yellow of Kisuke’s hair is complementary (i.e. opposite on the color wheel) to the purple undertones in Yoruichi’s; her golden eyes are similarly complementary to his bluish grey eyes; green, purple and orange form a color triad:

Yoruichi shows up early enough in the manga (albeit in her cat form) to make me think that Kubo conceived of Kisuke and Yoruichi as a pair from the beginning.  They were designed to look good together, and they do.  

*** Not to mention that in the manga, this panel is framed in black, making it a memory.  And since it’s Yoruichi speaking, this is her memory.  Notice how Kisuke looks on ahead, looking happy and lively, while Yoruichi is the one who’s looking at him, showcasing a gentle, affectionate smile we’ve never seen before or since in the manga.  

She’s always been a happy, laid-back person, but expressions of open, genuine affection are extremely rare from her, and the fact that she looks at him with such pride, smiles at him so softly, is really all the proof I need, tbh.

[recentanimenews]

Bookshelf Briefs 11/15/19

Accomplishments of the Duke’s Daughter, Vol. 5 | By Reai and Suki Umemiya | Seven Seas – We actually get a welcome reminder that Iris is a “reincarnated into an otome game” heroine in this volume, something that’s mostly been ignored aside from her accounting skills. But when her younger brother tries to apologize to her for what happened at school, her Japanese self wants to forgive him but the “Iris” part of her just can’t. It’s well handled. Elsewhere, Iris is going around looking into Yuri and also threats to her kingdom, and it’s starting to get her into trouble. She’s also falling for Dean, despite trying to have nothing to do with romance again. We end with a cliffhanger involving excommunication! Still a lot of fun—I’d love to read the novels. – Sean Gaffney

Anne Happy, Vol. 10 | By Cotoji | Yen Press – This final volume doesn’t really “wrap up” the main plot—there is no magical anti-bad-luck MacGuffin that can fix things. We do get a very small flashback of their teacher which shows that she had perhaps worse circumstances than the rest of them, but has learned to keep happy and carry on, so to speak. Which is the moral of the series, really—smile even though life is bringing you down. Hibari is the one who needs that lesson here, as a chance at a family reunion is once again fouled up by her parents’ busy lives. That said, we do see here that luck can also be changed through determination, which is nice. And is that some slight yuri at the end? Anne Happy was never anything but fluff, but it was highly entertaining fluff. Good ending. – Sean Gaffney

Dreamin’ Sun, Vol. 10 | By Ichigo Takano | Seven Seas – Well, I did it. I persevered to the end and finished Dreamin’ Sun. To the end, I never was fully convinced by the relationship between Shimana and Taiga, and that includes the big finale here, in which the gang is able to get Taiga’s dad to stop meddling in his son’s affairs—we never really get a good explanation why Taiga has remained under his thumb for so long—and thus Taiga is able to go to college (alongside Shimana) and finally pursue his dream of becoming a teacher. They also get married and I must boggle at the detail that they do so after having only kissed once, two years ago. I don’t expect realism in shoujo romance, but I guess my credulity has its limits. I did like Zen and Saeko, though. In the end, this never came close to measuring up to orange. Oh well. – Michelle Smith

Durarara!! re: Dollars Arc, Vol. 5 | By Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Aogiri | Yen Press – Izaya is setting up his plots again here, when he’s not fighting with his sisters, but the real villains this time around are Ruri’s psycho fans, who bat Shinra bloody and also attack Anri. Fortunately, she is saved by her two best frie3nds. Unfortunately, one of them, Mikado, is revealed to now be the leader of the Blue Squares, much to Masaomi’s horror. You know all this from the light novel and the anime—once again the manga gets third place. Still, some of the fight scenes are good, and if you’re looking for a manga version of the story, this is that. Damning with faint praise. We’re still only up to book eight or so, too. You really should try the light novels, which have now finished. – Sean Gaffney

Fruits Basket Another, Vol. 3 | By Natsuki Takaya| Yen Press – The first chapter of this final volume once again irritated me for burying me in next-gen cast all at once (along with Hiro’s sister, who again is not a main character so gets to be seen). It gets better as it goes along, with a serious look at not letting your parents’ abuse become your own fault. Sawa, it turns out, is connected to the Sohmas in a far more serious way than she remembered, and one flashback scene verges on terrifying. (Shiki says “she slipped on snow,” but that’s not what we see.) Notably, the situation is not resolved—she’s still living with her mom in the end—but then, we also learn it didn’t resolve itself for the Furuba cast either—Ren is making Shiki’s life miserable, because she’s like that. As such, this justifies this spinoff’s existence—barely. – Sean Gaffney

Fruits Basket Another, Vol. 3 | By Natsuki Takaya | Yen Press – In this final volume, we learn more about Sawa’s psychotic mother, including that she had some involvement with the Sohma family in the past. When Sawa asks about this, with much dread, Mutsuki reveals the full story and that everyone knew who she was all along. In fact, Shiki was central to this past event and, with Ren continuing her reign of terror he felt kinship with Sawa and worried about what had become of her. The Sohmas were indeed trying to help her, but they were also trying to help Shiki, too. In the end, this did come around to being genuinely compelling and I wish there were more, because as Sawa notes, she still hasn’t made it out of her horrible situation. If only we could’ve been spared one last appearance by Takei-sensei. Sigh. – Michelle Smith

High School Prodigies Have It Easy Even in Another World!, Vol. 5 | By Riku Misora and Kotaro Yamada | Yen Press – The start of this book gives all the fanservice that four was missing and more, as we get naked massages before a bath. Half of this is tolerable, as Ringo tries to find it in her shy self to go on a date with Tsukasa, and we get her tragic past, which (surprise!) involves a lot of child abuse. The second half involves making more medicine since the penicillin isn’t prevalent enough—time for sulfa drugs. Sadly, there’s an evil doctor who’s in the way, so our heroin doctor, um, lobotomizes him? And this is presented as good and/or humorous? Yeah, OK, I’m out. This was a mildly entertaining take on the isekai fantasy with an entire group of OP geniuses, but what the hell? – Sean Gaffney

An Incurable Case of Love, Vol. 1 | By Maki Enjoji | Viz Media – Several of Enjoji’s manga series are now available in English, but An Incurable Case of Love is actually the first that I’ve read. Five years ago, Nanase was inspired to go into medicine after meeting an attractive and accomplished young doctor in the hopes of meeting him again. Unsurprisingly, Tendo’s not quite the person she expected him to be when she finally gets the chance to work with him. In reality, her idealized prince has a harsh and exacting personality. Even though Nanase’s original motivation for becoming a nurse was perhaps less than pure, and while it may not be immediately obvious to some, she really does take both herself and her chosen profession seriously. Had it been otherwise, I don’t think I would have liked the manga, but the first volume is a largely enjoyable start to the series and I’m always glad to see more josei being translated. – Ash Brown

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Part 4: Diamond Is Unbreakable, Vol. 3 | By Hirohiko Araki| Viz Media – One of my initial exposures to Araki’s aptly named manga series JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure was actually through a tangentially-related work, Rohan at the Louvre, which features the character Rohan Kishibe, a rather intense genius manga creator. Rohan made his first appearance in Diamond Is Unbreakable, so I’ve been looking forward to his introduction since I started reading the series. His debut happens towards the end of this particular volume, following several other short story arcs including one, much to my delight, that proves any manga can indeed be a food manga. This volume has a fair amount of humor to go along with its strange brand of horror and absurd action, too. As a whole, this part of the series comes across a bit more episodic and perhaps slightly more comedic than its predecessors. I’m enjoying Diamond Is Unbreakble in all of its glorious ridiculousness a great deal. – Ash Brown

My Hero Academia SMASH!, Vol. 2 | By Hirofumi Neda| Viz Media – I don’t think I reviewed the first volume of this gag series spinoff to the famous shonen manga, but that’s a shame, as it’s really well handled. The gags are personality-based, and the series is not afraid to veer totally away from the source material when needed—half the sports festival is different events, and some battles that don’t lend themselves to gags are omitted. And then there’s Gran Torino, who does not live up to the adorable tsundere granddaughter teaching Izuku in his dreams. There’s a lot of great Uraraka stuff here, for her fans, and a lot of great Yaoyorozu gags as well, though her fans may be a bit annoyed at how socially inept she’s shown to be. Basically, this is hilarious. – Sean Gaffney

Our Wonderful Days, Vol. 1 | By Kei Hamuro | Seven Seas – Given the cover art and the magazine that this ran in, I was expecting that I’d be reading about the lead couple on the cover. And I am, and they’re both cute—I like the fact that, despite having the “serious black-haired girl” personality type, Mafuyu is the only one whose grades are bad. But I’m actually more drawn to the other couple, Nana and Minori, best friends to main girl Koharu, who live in an apartment together to attend school and behave exactly like a married couple without actually being one. How yuri this will get is still unknown—so far we’re still at “I may like her”—but if you like your slice-of-life high school with a dash of sweet and cute, this will put a smile on your face. – Sean Gaffney

Shortcake Cake, Vol. 6 | By suu Morishita | VIZ Manga – I really loved how this volume of Shortcake Cake portrays Ten’s reaction to Chiaki’s surprising confession. She tries to let him down gently, and is upset about hurting her friend and conscientious about not leading him on. It’s not played for the drama of a love triangle—it’s just sad. And yet, she still does like Riku very much and wants to let him know that her feelings have changed, but now the Chiaki situation has made everything more complicated. Some really cute scenes ensue, but actually most of the volume takes place in Ten’s head as she worries and overthinks everything. We’re halfway through the series at this point and, though it seems like she and Riku will officially get together in the next volume, that’s a lot of time for things to go wrong somehow. Man, I love Margaret shoujo. – Michelle Smith

Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san, Vol. 2 | By Honda | Yen Press – The second volume of Skull-Face Bookseller Honda-san is much like the first, with Honda covering more aspects of the bookselling business, including the talented distribution chief with a knack for anticipating what will sell, dealing with “harmful publications,” wholesalers who never supply as many copies as are requested, the difficulty in promoting books that are receiving high-profile adaptations (particularly when bonus items feature popular idols), and dealing with a customer who happens to be a yakuza. It’s pleasant, but I was kind of bummed to learn that after Honda published the chapter about customer service training, she got in some trouble with her bosses and now has to get their approval for everything she writes and worries about being fired. That’s a shame. – Michelle Smith

Snow White with the Red Hair, Vol. 4 | By Sorata Akiduki | Viz Media – If I didn’t know better, I’d swear that this series was going to end with the next volume. The reason for that is a very surprise mutual confession between our two leads, something which I was not expecting to happen for at least a dozen more volumes. It is really well handled, though, and shows that these two shoujo protagonists are actually smart enough to pick up on signals. We also get some backstory for one of Zen’s two guards, Mitsuhide, who is asked by Zen’s older brother to watch over him and therefore must gain the trust of someone who doesn’t trust very easily—and even when he does, he seems to be betrayed. Zen and Shirayuki are very good for each other, and I’m excited to see where this goes. – Sean Gaffney

Snow White with the Red Hair, Vol. 4 | By Sorata Akiduki | VIZ Media – This volume almost feels like a final volume, what with Zen and Shirayuki affirming their feelings for one another and their determination to stay by the other’s side, come what may. The final page seems to suggest a happy ending. Except this is volume four and there are 21 volumes so far. Maybe this was the point where the series changed magazines? In any case, it’s a very nice volume, with Shirayuki showing her willingness to act in Zen’s stead when his station prevents him from doing so—and giving us a glimpse of the upbringing that led to her always trying hard and being independent—as well as a revealing flashback to six years ago when Zen’s friend betrayed him but he found a new person to trust in Mitsuhide. I really enjoy this series! – Michelle Smith

The Water Dragon’s Bride, Vol. 11 | By Rei Toma | Viz Media – There’s some gorgeous art here, which is good as it may take the mind away from the fact that this is really drawn out for a finale. The basic premise—send Asahi back and the water dragon dies—is obvious, despite Asahi’s protests, and you get the sense that the other gods will eventually do something about it, but it does take forever to happen, with lots of longing pages with no dialogue. Also, how does Asahi return to her normal life so quickly? Still, it’s a happy ending, and the last two pages of the “afterword” 4-kon section make up for it with a hysterical deconstruction of why the Water Dragon won the romance war and Subaru did not. Despite not quite sticking the landing, this was a very good series. – Sean Gaffney

By: Ash Brown