#i went with 'yet that coolheadedness prevails' because i felt that it reflected the relationship ichimaru was drawing

[bleachbleachbleach]

Chapter 065

I love this panel, because whenever I read the English translation my first instinct is to read it as Ichimaru and Zaraki not having adjutants at all, period, like that’s some kind of burn and as though Byakuya hasn’t had his current VC for a whole whopping paltry 2 months. I mean, that’s not how it’s supposed to be read, because of course they do have VCs, just not present with them currently. But does that change how I read it every single time? NO.

Beyond that, though, it’s just a fascinating panel. My personal translation of Byakuya’s line is: 

Two captain-class shinigami out together, both without their adjutants. // What do you want with me?

Byakuya suggests that this is an unusual occurrence--for captains to be together? for captains to be without their VC? Probably not the latter, since it’s not as though Byakuya expects Renji to be attached to him. Surely it’s the combination of two captains in the same place at the same time (why?) and without their VCs, which I feel like the grammar supports. Byakuya lines these two ideas up to parallel each other, which I wanted to preserve that in my translation. Since the divisions heretofore operate so autonomously, any time more than one captain is in a place, it’s likely a formal occasion. He’s remarking upon the fact that not only are Ichimaru and Zaraki hanging out (and tag teaming him), especially since they haven’t brought the appropriate accoutrements (VCs), if this meeting of three captains was to be made reasonable. 

So Byakuya’s like, clearly this is not a formal inquiry, so why are you here and why are you talking to me? I simp for arcane Gotei niceties/social expectations, so this FEEDS me.

Especially since in context, this is Byakuya’s greeting to these two, after they essentially come up behind him and accost with with metacommentary on his life:

Such composure, 6th Captain-san! // Splendid, splendid! 

Ichimaru is both bubbles, even though they look like they’re being spoken by different people--different fonts (corresponding with different levels of formality), and in this case also different colors: The light blue bubble is normal (Kansai) speech, and then Ichimaru opts for the honorific form in the indigo bubble. He switches registers (and into a super serif font lol), which I think Byakuya reacts to more than the comment about his composure. 

Because it’s laying it on a little thick, considering Ichimaru also continues, Your sister is going to die, yet that coolheadedness prevails. // Fittingly executed, 6th Captain-san. The perfect reflection of a shinigami!

This isn’t captured in my translation, so maybe there are better ways to do this, but the phrase さすが (sasuga) appears as ザッスが, which I read as vocal emphasis. Such praise big wow

Another thing that isn’t captured that I wish were is that the words Ichimaru uses for “composure” and “coolheadedness” both begin with 冷 (rei), for coldness, and I like that repetition.

I just feel like there’s interpersonal madness going on here. Is it respectful? Is it the exact opposite of respectful? Does every other conversation in Soul Society devolve into threat of imminent violence even before “wartime exceptions” are granted?

Byakuya then assures Ichimaru and Zaraki that none of this concerns them. 

The idea of Byakuya referring to any captain, much less freakin’ Ichimaru and Zaraki, as his “brothers” absolutely cracks me up, but also... he kind of does? He uses the phrase 兄等 (keira) as a pronoun, which I’ve never seen before. 兄 (ani) does usually mean brother, and 等 (ra) is a grouping/pluralizing word. The dictionary says that it can be used as a masculine, respectful “you” and is homophonous with 卿, another archaic respectful “you.” Of course, Byakuya doesn’t choose 卿 but 兄, which seems to suggest he does understand Ichimaru and Zaraki to be close colleagues who, at least, are not strangers, with some suggestion of the fraternal? Like, this is a language choice he made.

The rest of the sentence isn’t overly formal--just speech between colleagues, though still in high contrast to Zaraki’s drawl--but Byakuya does use a lot of kanji for words that aren’t always written in kanji in manga, which makes his bubbles feel fancy. So re: his choice of address, it’s hard for me to say if he’s just being well-bred or if Byakuya actually does regard Ichimaru and Zaraki as...well, known entities, I guess I would say. Of course, he and Zaraki then get into a bitching match about social class and seem wont to draw blades, had Ichimaru not tied Zaraki up and run away. Idk, I went into some epic rabbitholes [x x x x] with this one, and as usual all this is beyond my ken. Blah blah usual disclaimer that I do not speak Japanese, etc.

It was really fun, though! And I’m kind of into the fact that this whole conversation is about Ichimaru’s commentary on Byakuya’s relationship with his sister, but also about what fraternity does or doesn’t even mean within the Gotei. Clearly the Gotei 13 is not a “we’re like a family!” workplace, lol, but the dance of relationalities between all these characters is my favorite thing in the whole world.