Ichigos Stance On The SSs Morality Is Definitely One Where I Also Wondered How He Act In Response To

Ichigo’s stance on the SS’s morality is definitely one where I also wondered how he act in response to it as a whole. He mainly is protecting those he cares including his friends in the SS, but on the other matters like the Quincy genocide or the falsity of the Soul King, he seems to be neutral, mainly focusing on the present, not the past actions that fuel who he's fighting. Like you said, his action to move forward with others towards a future for everyone is the antithesis to his opposition.

Him being a human also factors into the one time he’s been critically against SS was in the FB arc where he’s bold enough to ask for Ginjo’s body from them so he can bury it in the WOTL, despite Ginjo’s crimes against the SS. Like he still decided to trust them considering what they did to Ginjo, but that moment is segmented after his past actions that overturned the SS's rigid law that's lasted for thousands of years.

At the end of the day, Ichigo isn't the lonely teen he used to be with how he's developed and has let other people into his life opposed to Aizen. I say he would decide to leave the internal affairs of the Shinigami to those he trusts instead of taking things into his own hands like Aizen, and be his own figure that has Urahara's influence.

Tbh there's something about the way Ichigo, Kisuke, and Sōsuke are all reflecting off of each other in canon

Like this is sooooo influenced by my random uraichizen thoughts but

Like, considering Kisuke's Boddhisatva allegory with Guanyin/Kannon and his knowledge of the world, the idea that he preserves the status quo of the worlds by not actively doing anything in comparison to Sōsuke (from what we can see). He is a Boddhisattva in this sense. He's seen the truth, he teaches others the truth or hints at it because true Enlightenment can only be with the self. But.

Then there's the actual consequence of SS and what shinigami have to do to maintain the balance. Kisuke opposes Sōsuke and his views not because he believes it's right, but because he believes that the destruction of the worlds is not acceptable. It's a necessary evil.

Sōsuke has an ego with him wanting to become God, but there's also something almost tragic about his arc with reframing it from his perspective of Soul Society.

Soul Society is not a good place. Honestly horrible to live in. Especially when we find out that they sacrifice souls to hollows and vice versa in the name of balance.

Tbh, I ended up asking myself, from this viewpoint, is the Soul Society really worth protecting? Because it's goal is not about protecting people, but protecting the balance. Can the shinigami claim ignorance? Should they even be allowed to when they are complicit in destruction of lives? What would 'life' actually be considered in this universe? Do hollows deserve life as humans do? Except the SS ultimately sees both as a means to an end, hollows are just more of an obstacle.

Effwctively, shinigami are content sleeping on a bed of ground bones. I can see Sōsuke thinking this from a biased perspective.

But he's also not some savior either. He's arrogant and has a callousness to him that conflicts with this more sympathetic view of him.

His anger at Kisuke for knowing the truth of the world and not trying to change it seems genuine. There's an air of hypocrisy to his character I can't shake and it makes me wanna know more about why. Like the question of the greater evil vs the lesser evil.

Except Ichigo. He steps forward, finally knowing himself in full, to defeat Sōsuke, to defeat Yhwach, yet I can't help but feel like he's still so ignorant of the world he lives in. If he learned about their horrors, could he truly stand by in shadows waiting as Kisuke does, or would he become like another Sōsuke, for whatever reason. Or would he become a different path?

Sōsuke is also related to illusion and water, a reflection. We never see his bankai and I would even go so far as to think that he own powers don't work as they do in canon. There's still too many unknowns about him for me to be confident in them. But Ichigo’s own insights about Sōsuke's loneliness is just... it's so tempting to build off of that.

Because those feelings are likely a reflection of Ichigo from when he was a young age and his own confusing powers may have brought only more loneliness instead of understanding or connection.

I can't help but think that Kisuke represents Stagnation and Sōsuke represents Progess. Except poth come with an unsavory taste in the mouth. Kisuke waits, likely works towards a goal, bit it's far too slow for the people that have already suffered because of the world. Sōsuke steps forward, also hiding until he's sure of his strike, and he probably would have won if not for Ichigo. What is Ichigo then?

The only part of the Soul King that's named is his heart, which can bring about miracles, things unexplained due to emotions and desires. It acts similar to the Hōgyoku. Ichigo speculates that Sōsuke may have actually wanted to lose to him and that's... also a lot of implication about Sōsuke's character. There's also the idea that Sōsuke may have built Ichigo up. To what? Defeat him? Stand by his side? To make him less lonely? Or are these Ichigo’s unreliable feelings, are they simply Ichigo’s own reflected onto Sōsuke?

Both of Kisuke and Sōsuke's plans and views come with a price. And Ichigo remains ignorant, but he stills fights for everyone to not pay that price, even his enemies.

In a way, it's like Sōsuke decided to pay a huge price upfront to pay back later, Kisuke is frugal and making sure to balance everything while moving forward but that means people can't attain true wealth within their lifetime. Yhwach decided to destroy the concept itself despite that it means everyone will then have to pay that price.

Ichigo, is just, bursting through all of that. But he's also only one person. And idk, that feels important to how change must be made collectively when it's about a whole society. All Ichigo does is step forward, with other people, like the beginning of a wave.

Like, this is the end of the post but SŌSUKE AND KANAME??????? That alone needs a whole thesis and how it informs both of their characters since the only person Sōsuke actually trusts out of everyone is Kaname

What captains think about in their captain meetings

As requested by anon. :)

We already imagined what the espada think about in their meetings. But what might be on the captains’ minds during theirs?

1. Unohana

“Murder.”

“Murder.”

“Murder.”

“I really need to tell Isane what a nice job she did with those pillow covers. They are making all of the patients so happy, and that is so important.”

“Murder.”

2. Kensei

“I wonder what Mashiro is doing right now. Getting into trouble, probably.”

“Ugh she drives me nuts! Why did I want her to be my lieutenant again?”

“And Shuhei had better be working. Not daydreaming about Matsumoto like usual.”

“I need to get back to those idiots.”

“Why is Soi Fon glaring at me?”

3. Soi Fon

“Ugh. Kensei never pays attention in these meetings.”

“Of course, he’s a visored. Associated with Urahara Kisuke, so naturally he’s trouble.”

“I can’t BELIEVE the head captain let those visored come back.”

“Man, these meetings would be so much better if Yoruichi-sama had come back instead of those idiots.”

“I hope she does come back. She’ll see how strong I am. Love me. Be beautiful. Be - SOI FON STOP IT PAY ATTENTION!”

4. Aizen

“If only you knew, head captain, that during this meeting, I have come up with the next eleven steps of my plan.”

“And I narrated my own actions to myself the whole time. Because I am a multitasker”

“Aizen thought to himself. Smugly.”

“I can feel you watching me, Gin.”

“This meeting would be so much better with tea.”

5. Gin

“I will kill you dead, Aizen Sosuke.”

“Now that I know your weakness, I could do it anytime.”

“I could even do it…..right now.”

“But nah.”

“Never hurts to wait a while.”

5. Kenpachi

“This is dumb.”

“I don’t even know what’s going on.”

“Why do we even have these meetings?”

“Instead of meetings, we should all just fight each other.”

“I’d fight Kuchiki Byakuya so hard. That would be so awesome.”

6. Byakuya

“I can feel your eyes on me, barbarian.”

“I am going to have take such a long bath.”

“Hitsugaya is still wearing that scarf. Took the idea from me, of course.”

“I am a fashion icon.”

“Recognize.”

7. Hitsugaya

“Holyshitholyshitholyshit Kuchiki is looking at me.”

“Stand up straight, Hitsugaya. Be tall. Look smart.”

“As tall as you can, anyway.”

“Stop that! No short jokes in your own head!”

“I wonder if Kuchiki would be amused if I told him a short joke.”

“Maybe I should try that. One day.”

8. Komamura

“What an excellent point the head captain has made.”

“He is very wise as well as very strong.”

“I am glad that we can have these meetings so that I can see true leadership in action.”

“I hope that he is proud of me.”

“Maybe one day….he will pat me on the head as I have always dreamed.”

9. Shinji

“I did not miss these meetings. Ugh. It’s like being in school. Only standing up.”

“Like, at least in high school we had desks.”

“Although at least the head captain doesn’t give us homework. Homework sucks.”

“Okay well at least the meeting must be almost over. It’s been…….FIVE MINUTES?!?”

“I won’t survive this.”

10. Tosen

“I hate listening to you speak, Yamamoto Genryusai.”

“All you speak are lies.”

“There is no justice here.”

“There is no justice anywhere.”

“Except maybe with Komamura.”

11. Kyoraku

“I hope Ukitake is doing okay. Looks a bit wobbly.”

“I should go and have tea with him later. See how he’s doing.”

“If Nanao-chan will give me the time off, anyway!”

“Look at all these youngsters. Paying such good attention.”

“Hopefully no one can tell I’m not listening.”

12. Kurotsuchi

“I wonder what Komamura’s brain looks like.”

“If I gave Unohana my new adrenaline drug, would she snap and kill everyone, or just go after Kenpachi?”

“This meeting is going a ridiculously long time. I should make some more time drugs.”

“Maybe one to speed up time for these meetings. And one that stops time, just for fun.”

“Now which captain could I trick into testing them for me?”

13. Rose

“They say that if you imagine the end of a song, it will no longer be stuck in your head.”

“But what if it’s a song you’re writing, and it doesn’t have an end yet?”

“Then I guess it just stays in your head forever.”

“Like pain. And grief.”

“I wonder if bone would make a good guitar pick.”

14. Ukitake

“I’m so glad I felt well enough to be here!”

“A little wobbly, but that is okay.”

“Pretty sure Kiyone and Sentaro are right outside, so if I faint, they’ll come and collect me.”

“I should have tea with Kyoraku later. See how he’s doing.”

“Hopefully I’ll be well enough for that.”

Every time the Sternritter celebrate Valentine's Day, the number of their grunts dwindles down💀 (primarily due to Bambietta).

sternritters valentine cards <3

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Here’s a tiny comic, that turns out to be pretty large on tumblr. Sorry for that. Also the quality is shit but I had to hurry up with this and I am too lazy to deal with tumblrs resizing, so… hmmm it’s the idea that counts, right?

Happy New Year!

Really true insight, it'll be intriguing if the final chapter gets adapted and people see the full-circle of Aizen's journey to this realization.

Honestly, Bleach is a series that took time for me to understand it's core message on the importance of connections with those who make your life meaningful, especially when that message isn't in your face like other shonen.

Looking at Aizen's actions through that lens makes me think "Aizen doesn't need a backstory to make you feel sorry for him" because his very nature is so devoid of what makes us human no matter how we change as people. So many of Bleach's characters have connections they make with each other and wouldn't be who they are without their friends and adversaries.

It always surprises me when Aizen is mostly perceived as this genius-evil-mastermind like oh he is so crazy, who knows what he'll do next!! (and he is, to a certain extent, don't get me wrong) but the silent victory has Ichigo acknowledge him as a sympathetic but ultimately misguided man who sacrificed everything for godhood only to be reduced to....utter loneliness. And I find that interesting!

Of course, this isn't a Conclusive Take (tm) as Urahara's silence definitely leaves a lot of what Aizen did as up to interpretation, but the loneliness of godhood is definitely an interesting theme, especially when you consider how often it occurs in literature, where the trope of the 'God' character playing around with lives due to his own boredom is so common (see: Frankenstein, all of Greek mythology, etc etc). It isn't a stretch to say Ichigo, the Arrancar, the Vizards, the Hogyoku and even Urahara were all just an experiment to him – pawns he played with to ease his own boredom. It isn't exactly that he's evil...per se. It's that he's innately unable to relate to the lives and struggles of mortal beings, because his quest for more power/scientific discovery/pushing the limitations of nature render him devoid of empathy. The intent is not malicious, it's just...curiosity. Which makes him 10× more creepy, but ultimately not one- dimensional.

I think I read somewhere that people found Aizen to be out-of-character here in his dialogue to Yhwach in 686, but I think this is his character arc coming to a close. When he says 'people,' I think what he really means is himself and how he understands it now, now that he himself isn't as invincible as he once strived to be. When you try to alter the cycle of life, when you try to exist beyond social/existential constructs, it's ultimately a very lonely and isolating existence, and that sometimes the status quo is just a means to an end of connecting with other people (ghosts, whatever) and living in social harmony.

What could have been....Uryu vs Senjumaru to see who is the best tailor of Bleach.....

……………= _,= ★