#with a little shunuki thrown in for good measure

[jennshiro]

They are so cute I can’t stand it 🥰

[jennshiro]

Can we talk about the kite flying competition please?

Bleach anime, Episode 355.

This episode is just 😘 perfection.

I’ve been in this fandom for literally one minute and I think the reason this fandom feels familiar is because of this: Fandom to me is fun and appreciation and fiction. We celebrate playing with the characters through the art of writing and value of imagination. I believe that the creators of Bleach itself are almost encouraging this playful behaviour because they play with the characters and let us all in on the game when they make episodes like this. 

Maybe this is just a romantic notion. But maybe there isn’t anything wrong with that. 

This is a two part episode. Read below for part one.

Here's part two.

This episode is fucking ridiculous! And I love every second of it. 

As if Izuru doesn’t have enough to do, basically running the squad by himself while the 3rd division is still devoid of a captain, that fucking Hisagi beautiful motherfucker assigns him a job he never agreed to. Lolz 

This is supposed to be a “non-competitive” event to promote togetherness among the squads. Okay. Sure. 

Ikkaku starts with flying a stringed kite with multiple images of Kenpachi’s face on them and, later, a gigantic kite in the shape and likeness of Zaraki Kenpachi. I mean. Come on. 

How amazing?!

He naturally takes offense at the accusation that the “[kite] string is weak” and needs to defend his squad and prove that they’re not weak. 

Yumichika is right on his heels. 

They come back with this giant-ass motherfucking kite that looks like Kenpachi. The only thing that could make this better is if the artists had added a lil Yachiru on kite-Kenpachi's shoulder.

Soifon enters the sky with her giant-ass Yoruichi kite.

And they...kite-battle? It's so absurd. They just start smashing into each other in the sky strapped to their kites.

This, of course, escalates.

Nanao says that she and Kyoraku are not getting involved in the toxic competitive behaviour of the others but then she produces an explosive defensive reaction at the statement of women being easy to beat at kite flying.

How the fuck do you even win at kite flying?

I guess Shakkaho, that’s how.

And that’s when I realize most of our “competitors” are flying a kite that looks like their squad’s captain, and even Soifon - who is a captain - is flying one that is the captain to her. 

Soifon’s captain will always be Yoruichi. She is devoted to: Yoruichi. 

Of course my 'lil shipper heart wanted the kite of Ukitake to be flown by Kyoraku. If you squint you can believe it really was.

Hisagi is flying a kite with his trademark 69 decorating it, which of course, is his everlasting tribute to Kensei.

How the fuck did Hinamori get stuck all the way up on the kite string?! This is no time to be explaining, Hisagi! 

Then, out of nowhere - because he hasn’t been seen on screen up to this point - Toshiro calls Bankai to try and save Hinamori, but they both get caught up in the whirlwind of Rangiku and Nanao’s hado blast, trying to take down Ikkaku’s kite.

And there’s Yachiru cheering for literally everybody. 

Hisagi tells Izuru to “raise [his] head” which is the same command Izuru has for his zanpakuto. I feel perfectly normal about this. 

He makes a valiant attempt to stop the Kenpachi- and Yoruichi-kite flyers but fails spectacularly and falls from the sky… right into the private quarters of old man Yama-ji. 

What was supposed to be an afternoon of camaraderie and well meaning, turned into a competitive kite flying tournament.

But hey, at least Hisagi got his headline.