Story Analysis - Tumblr Posts

I want to talk about this part and I can't fit it all in a direct reply. I have a defense of 4 Minutes but also some criticism and understanding of where OP is coming from (spoilers for ep 4):

This episode's 4 minute jump back indicated that the real trigger is Great not advancing with Tyme rather than tied to him making shitty and harmful decisions, since he got sent back just for turning down a date invitation. Ngl that's kinda disappointing to me, I was more into this being about his character development.

So, if this is structured as a romance story, then Great advancing with Tyme is, ideally, based on him improving or changing something about himself in some way. it is the interconnection between the External Romance Arc and the Internal Character Arc. I'm saying this tentatively because obviously we don't have the full story yet, so I don't know how closely the story will follow the romance genre conventions. And as always, there may be influences and plot structures I'm not aware of.

But I'm going to assume for now that we're looking at a Romance plot arc. In this kind of arc, each of the characters has some kind of flaw that stems from unmet needs (usually emotional/psychological). It isn't a flaw that is inherently part of whot hey are, but something they have the potential to change. They can only have their happy ending if they overcome this flaw, because otherwise they just aren't compatible or their relationship can't work.

Overcoming their flaw can mean doing things that are difficult or uncomfortable for them. They are going against deeply ingrained behaviors they adapted that served them well in the past. The 4 Minutes concept is really interesting because we get to see Great's maladaptive response first, then what he will do when given the chance to overcome that response.

THere are two overlapping arcs in the romance plot. The Romance Arc, which progresses the relationship, and the Internal Character arc for one or both of the romantic interests. They depend upon one another and feed on one another. You can't separate them.

So when Great's redos advance his relationship with Tyme, it is (or should be) showing that he has emotionally earned that progression. In episode 4 his choice to save Nan did advance his relationship with Tyme. But it is also character development. He has to be willing to accept that his brother might be doing something wrong. He has to be willing to do something about it. Where he intially freezes and fails to save Nan, he has to choose to face his fear and take action instead.

It's an interesting parallel with Title locking his girlfriend in the room and Korn holding Nan for interrogation but idk exactly what to make of that. I don't know if Great of episode 1 would have gone to such an effort to help her?

That said, at this point I have mixed feelings about Great's story. I don't feel like I have a solid understaning of him to be able to feel the emotional impact of his changes. We do have his sad story/Emotional Wound, but it's unclear how that has led him to be a kind of passive person who doesn't have the instinct to do the right thing the first time around. I think any analysis would rely on a lot of assumptions.

And that's what really makes it feel like his redos are solely to get the couple together. I do think there are internal changes happening, that Great is changing when he does his redos, but so far there isn't enough there for me to 100% say the show is doing it well.

That said, we're only halfway through so we'll see how things develop.

Things That Have My Attention in 4 Minutes Episode 3

This was kind of a weird ep that gave me a bit of tonal whiplash, especially around Tyme and Great's little date.

Let's talk timelines. We know there are two main ones: 1) Original where Great is presumably having a cardiac event and where he made all the original choices the power is now letting him change, and 2) Redo where things are different based on his second chance decisions. It appears that everything we are seeing happen is part of the redo timeline, which we know because all the events are connected and influencing each other.

I'm also feeling good about my theory that at 11:04 he will get sent back to the original timeline and our redo comes to an end. We advanced to 11:02 this episode.

This episode's 4 minute jump back indicated that the real trigger is Great not advancing with Tyme rather than tied to him making shitty and harmful decisions, since he got sent back just for turning down a date invitation. Ngl that's kinda disappointing to me, I was more into this being about his character development.

If the purpose of the power is to steer Great to Tyme, and we know that he originally did a hit and run and didn't go to the hospital, that implies he met Tyme differently, and possibly later, in the original timeline. The power seems focused on changing the course of his relationship with Tyme, and the images he's been seeing of himself and Tyme together and Tyme's different messages on the Thai Tea cup may have been his consciousness briefly slipping between one timeline and another. After this ep, where we saw that Tyme was asking forgiveness, I wonder if he didn't fess up about investigating Great's family in the original timeline and the power ensured he would in the redo. Now that he's unmasked himself, is he going to tell Great that he's after his family and why?

The cold opens--Tyme injured, Tonkla murdering someone in the same manner his brother was killed, and now a second body turning up--may be things already happening in the original timeline (which is the future from our current vantage point) or they could be new future things happening as a result of these changes.

I don't think Dome is Tonkla's brother. He is alive and at the hospital in the redo timeline where Tonkla is grieving, which we know because Tyme specifically says that he is checking on him on Great's behalf. That would not make sense if Dome was actually residing in the original timeline, where Great never saved him or met Tyme at the hospital this early.

I need to know more about Nan, her connection to Tyme, and why they are being so reckless in their pursuit of this gambling operation. The way she infiltrated that compound alone with an armed man in an isolated place was wild.

We saw Great give Tyme the white doll at the end of their date, but then when he was brooding later at his apartment, both dolls were sitting on his couch. Continuity error, another consciousness slip moment, or a clue of something else going on?

Tonkla sure started fucking that cop quickly, and in the home Korn pays for. I'm worried about that kid. And the graphic nature of that scene had me clutching my pearls lmao (shoutout to the PrEP mention but boy what is your preoccupation with being fucked raw??). At least the cop seems like a better sex partner than Korn. Get your kicks in while you can, sugar baby.

Besties I really have no idea what's going on but I'm trying my best!

Concerning Juliet’s age

I find a big stumbling block that comes with teaching Romeo and Juliet is explaining Juliet’s age. Juliet is 13 - more precisely, she’s just on the cusp of turning 14. Though it’s not stated explicitly, Romeo is implied to be a teenager just a few years older than her - perhaps 15 or 16. Most people dismiss Juliet’s age by saying “that was normal back then” or “that’s just how it was.” This is fundamentally untrue, and I will explain why.

In Elizabethan England, girls could legally marry at 12 (boys at 14) but only with their father’s permission. However, it was normal for girls to marry after 18 (more commonly in early to mid twenties) and for boys to marry after 21 (more commonly in mid to late twenties). But at 14, a girl could legally marry without papa’s consent. Of course, in doing so she ran the risk of being disowned and left destitute, which is why it was so critical for a young man to obtain the father’s goodwill and permission first. Therein lies the reason why we are repeatedly told that Juliet is about to turn 14 in under 2 weeks. This was a critical turning point in her life.

In modern terms, this would be the equivalent of the law in many countries which states children can marry at 16 with their parents’ permission, or at 18 to whomever they choose - but we see it as pretty weird if someone marries at 16. They’re still a kid, we think to ourselves - why would their parents agree to this?

This is exactly the attitude we should take when we look at Romeo and Juliet’s clandestine marriage. Today it would be like two 16 year olds marrying in secret. This is NOT normal and would NOT have been received without a raised eyebrow from the audience. Modern audiences AND Elizabethan audiences both look at this and think THEY. ARE. KIDS.

Critically, it is also not normal for fathers to force daughters into marriage at this time. Lord Capulet initially makes a point of telling Juliet’s suitor Paris that “my will to her consent is but a part.” He tells Paris he wants to wait a few years before he lets Juliet marry, and informs him to woo her in the meantime. Obtaining the lady’s consent was of CRITICAL importance. It’s why so many of Shakespeare’s plays have such dazzling, well-matched lovers in them, and why men who try to force daughters to marry against their will seldom prosper. You had to let the lady make her own choice. Why?

Put simply, for her health. It was considered a scientific fact that a woman’s health was largely, if not solely, dependant on her womb. Once she reached menarche in her teenage years, it was important to see her fitted with a compatible sexual partner. (For aristocratic girls, who were healthier and enjoyed better diets, menarche generally occurred in the early teens rather than the later teens, as was more normal at the time). The womb was thought to need heat, pleasure, and conception if the woman was to flourish. Catholics might consider virginity a fit state for women, but the reformed English church thought it was borderline unhealthy - sex and marriage was sometimes even prescribed as a medical treatment. A neglected wife or widow could become sick from lack of (pleasurable) sex. Marrying an unfit sexual partner or an older man threatened to put a girl’s health at risk. An unsatisfied woman, made ill by her womb as a result - was a threat to the family unit and the stability of society as a whole. A satisfying sex life with a good husband meant a womb that had the heat it needed to thrive, and by extension a happy and healthy woman.

In Shakespeare’s plays, sexual compatibility between lovers manifests on the stage in wordplay. In Much Ado About Nothing, sparks fly as Benedick and Beatrice quarrel and banter, in comparison to the silence that pervades the relationship between Hero and Claudio, which sours very quickly. Compare to R+J - Lord Capulet tells Paris to woo Juliet, but the two do not communicate. But when Romeo and Juliet meet, their first speech takes the form of a sonnet. They might be young and foolish, but they are in love. Their speech betrays it.

Juliet, on the cusp of 14, would have been recognised as a girl who had reached a legal and biological turning point. Her sexual awakening was upon her, though she cares very little about marriage until she meets the man she loves. They talk, and he wins her wholehearted, unambiguous and enthusiastic consent - all excellent grounds for a relationship, if only she weren’t so young.

When Tybalt dies and Romeo is banished, Lord Capulet undergoes a monstrous change from doting father to tyrannical patriarch. Juilet’s consent has to take a back seat to the issue of securing the Capulet house. He needs to win back the prince’s favour and stabilise his family after the murder of his nephew. Juliet’s marriage to Paris is the best way to make that happen. Fathers didn’t ordinarily throw their daughters around the room to make them marry. Among the nobility, it was sometimes a sad fact that girls were simply expected to agree with their fathers’ choices. They might be coerced with threats of being disowned. But for the VAST majority of people in England - basically everyone non-aristocratic - the idea of forcing a daughter that young to marry would have been received with disgust. And even among the nobility it was only used as a last resort, when the welfare of the family was at stake. Note that aristocratic boys were often in the same position, and would also be coerced into advantageous marriages for the good of the family.

tl;dr:

Q. Was it normal for girls to marry at 13?

A. Hell no!

Q. Was it legal for girls to marry at 13?

A. Not without dad’s consent - Friar Lawrence performs this dodgy ceremony only because he believes it might bring peace between the houses.

Q. Was it normal for fathers to force girls into marriage?

A. Not at this time in England. In noble families, daughters were expected to conform to their parents wishes, but a girl’s consent was encouraged, and the importance of compatibility was recognised.

Q. How should we explain Juliet’s age in modern terms?

A. A modern Juliet would be a 17 year old girl who’s close to turning 18. We all agree that girls should marry whomever they love, but not at 17, right? We’d say she’s still a kid and needs to wait a bit before rushing into this marriage. We acknowledge that she’d be experiencing her sexual awakening, but marrying at this age is odd - she’s still a child and legally neither her nor Romeo should be marrying without parental permission.

Q. Would Elizabethans have seen Juliet as a child?

A. YES. The force of this tragedy comes from the youth of the lovers. The Montagues and Capulets have created such a hateful, violent and dangerous world for their kids to grow up in that the pangs of teenage passion are enough to destroy the future of their houses. Something as simple as two kids falling in love is enough to lead to tragedy. That is the crux of the story and it should not be glossed over - Shakespeare made Juliet 13 going on 14 for a reason. 

What do you think about all this mess in chapter 365? The existence of hierarchy in the society of demons was not something new, but for me it was somewhere in the background, that is, we know that demons have a ranks system but there were social elevators in it. I am asking you because I am a fan of your analysis of the mairuma universe and I am sincerely interested in hearing your opinion.

Good question!! I actually LOVE the direction the story took for the Scala test because it felt like it was going a little too well ya know? I was excited when they turned to farming because as soon as we learned about the carrots I was like, oh they should start a farm that’s the next idea. But I was like, hmm it feels too easy now doesn’t it. And then BAM fascist. But anyway, this is a great question to talk about since I previously made a post about how one of the overarching theme in the story is fascism and fighting against it through education.

The reason why I love this direction for the story is that up until now, all of the subtle hints towards more seediness and corruption has been in the background. It makes sense narratively speaking that we wouldn’t get hit with it too strongly because we like the main character are slowly learning about the world. Iruma is growing up in a relatively safe environment with him mostly being at his house, school, or a safe area like the shopping district (with some obvious exceptions to this). Iruma, having grown up in the human world, has no reason to assume or believe that there is serious systematic problems going on. Instead, he is slowly becoming exposed to this as he gets older and out into more situations where he can no longer not see it.

The signs have all been there from the start with the ranking system being the first exposure. Especially with the introduction of Kirio. The simple fact that you can get better meals if you are a higher rank in a school lunch speaks volumes to how low ranked demons are treated. Especially since we later see this stays true outside of school with Ameri and Iruma going to a segregated high rank only restaurant. And we see instances of bullying/intolerance when it comes to how students treat each other. The notable moments I remember is how the Azz fan girls treated Iruma at first when they thought he was a low rank compared to when they learned he had a higher one than they originally thought. Or the student’s comments to Kirio since he was a low rank. Or how the girls at the party treated the low rank demon girl.

We also have had the vile police system introduced to us during the Walter Park incident and when we first learned about Narnia. Prisons and the whole system is already fucked up and corrupt in the human world but it’s definitely worse in the demon world. The fact that the prisoners have to constantly give their mana up to the park not to mention the fact that it’s located underneath the park to begin with always felt gross to me. And when we first learn about Narnia, the cards start to come together. Narnia is said to treat any injustice, anything at all, on the same level. And he is shown to be cruel and ruthless in the face of what he considers crime. So if you committed tax fraud, you would probably be considered on the same level of a murderer and treated just the same. How are those even on the same level? But Narnia doesn’t care, he sees it as an opportunity to “maintain order” within the netherworld and uses that as justification for his actions. In the end, he doesn’t care about the demons he’s supposed to protect, rather he cares more about maintaining the strict hierarchy.

Add to that the fascist organization we have in the story that wants to control the netherworld to reshape it into their image. The introduction of Baal and learning about the organization kind of kicked started where the story will lead into. This has always been a story of fighting off bigotry and oppression, but it’s very subtly disguised behind what seems like a typical villain takeover plot. Because it’s subtle, we as the audience only start noticing when the themes become prevalent with the evidence stacking up higher and higher. And with the introduction of Azami, we can no longer not see what the story is trying to convey to the audience.

It’s crafted in a way to keep you unaware until we see Narnia being a full on fascist with his fascist cop buddy Azami. And the reason why it’s so effective is because the themes have always been there, just in the background. If we had all of a sudden had Azami or Narnia doing his little “maintaining order” speech without the small build up, it wouldn’t have fully hit as hard. But now that we have the Many-Ears race, a race literally known for being suppressed and subservient to higher ranks, we now see the cards fall into place. Some people wondered if the Many-Ears have done this to themselves, suppressing themselves when there was no need. But now it’s become clear that no matter how the Many-Ears came to live in this way, it’s clear that it’s not an issue of them doing this to themselves. Not fully at least. They are being used by those in power to keep them submissive to those they benefit the most. And the Many-Ears, believing they have no way of changing the system of powers, internalized and conformed to this idea as well. Being trapped in this mindset benefits the majority rule and keeps the “balance” in order. However, now they can see a better way for themselves. Now, they truly believe they have value and worth outside of being a worker for a strong ranked demon. Thus toppling over the hierarchy established.

Fascism feeds on a strict hierarchy where everyone knows their place. One cannot have fascism without it being built off the backs of those oppressed. And Narnia, being a fascist prick, has one dangerous weapon: power. He is a high rank, works within the demon border patrol, and now has become a 13 crown, one of the most powerful positions in all of the netherworld. He is almost untouchable at this current moment unless you are a fellow 13 crown (and we still don’t know how possible infighting works). The Many-Ears have no way of stopping someone like this and are basically forced to either fall into line or become seriously hurt. And even if they do fall into line, there’s no saying Azami won’t hurt them anyway. That’s the thing with cops, they can decide what goes with very little consequences (can you tell my feelings on cops?). Narnia knows, he uses this as a tool for oppression. If he has leverage, he will use it without a second thought to further his mission of control.

But here’s where education falls into the equation. The Many-Ears are no longer among the uneducated. Before, the oppressive power used their lack of knowledge to support the hierarchy. How will it work out for them if they no longer as unaware as they previously were? Once knowledge is spread, it’s hard to put a lid on it. You can’t go into their brains and erase what they know to be true. And now they are no longer fighting alone. This isn’t an us verse them battle. Fascism wants you to believe you are alone. It wants you to believe you are powerless. It wants you to believe that you are the only one that wants change. Why? Because there’s power in people, in community. No matter what happens in the next few chapters, they have people that care and want to see change too. And luckily for the Many-Ears, they have powerful allies too. One person alone can make change but a community of people can make an even greater change. And that is the reason why I love this story so much 🫶🏽

Sorry for how long this post was, I just saw this question and I’ve been dying to talk about this since the chapter dropped because I LOVE the themes of this story so much. And I love the anti cop mentality of both the main line story and the mafia story 🤭

I love this.

The use of colors to create mood.

Cold dark colors to create a sense of loneliness and sadness contrasting with the bright variety of warm colors creating a happy, companion relief.

In the tower, there is no light. Nothing but cold stinging snow stained with blood as stimutation besides the numb emptiness of the dim environment.

In the mound, there is light. The room is lit with a warm lamp, eliminating the environment and showing the variety of warm colors and companions, happy and caring, filling the room with laughter and love.

The expression and body language of Pearl.

In the tower, Pearl is closed off, lonely, tucking into herself because that is the only thing she has to cling to, to trust for comfort. She sits in the snow because it bites and it stings, either to distract from numbness, sadness, loneliness, and/or guilt, or possibly to punish herself as a way to please the guilt that haunts her from her last mistakes and faults.

In the mound, Pearl is open, still noticeably tense but no longer closed and isolated. Her scars that bled in the tower are not hidden, open for the world to see; she will not be silent about her past battle nor will she be ashamed of it. She knows what happened and she won’t hide it away. She doesn’t bury her face in her arms, instead, she shows her smile, laughing with her friends and leaning onto Gem behind her. She has people now, friends she can trust, laugh with, talk to, and even find comfort in.

How deep this is; the meaning in the contrasting pictures.

In the tower, Pearl is alone. She is trapped in her isolation, no one to watch her cry and bleed into the bitter snow. She wraps her own wounds but seems to have given up at some point, letting her cuts and scratches drip blood down her skin and onto the cold stone ground of her empty tower. She doesn’t care that it’s so cold her breathe comes out in smoky plumes or that the snow will worsen her injuries; she sits the snow anyways, wallowing in her guilt and sadness because no one is there to comfort her or even care. She’s only been met with anger so why even try anymore.

Yet, in the mound, Pearl is surrounded by joyous, trusting, trustful friends. She is not alone; she has dozens by her side, there to help if she ever needs it. Her life has changed and she’s grown with it, opening herself up to those her love her and showing her true self, not having to hide away her feelings or trauma.

She used to be in her worst state, truly alone and dead; though, somehow, through all of that horror and ache just to survive, hurting herself as a way to escape from the cruel world she was forced into, she was the last to die. But now, after years of recovery, healing, acceptance, and learning, she’s found a better life; one filled with love and joy, warm and open. She no longer has to tense her muscles and growl through her teeth just the survive. She can live, she can thrive, not having to run on fumes and the sting of pain to stay functioning.

Pearl has learned to be open, to be herself, to love and care for herself.

As someone who has gone from have multiple panic attacks per day and not daring to tell anyone about my struggle out of shame and fear of failure and miscommunication, I can relate to this artwork. After years of barely making through each day, I’ve finally healed enough to feel that I can live, enjoying everyday knowing that I won’t make it my last. The feeling to recognizing her progress, how you’ve changed and developed from her past self, and realizing how much better you are living is so incredible.

In other terms, I love this duo piece; it really tells a story and helps create a feeling by showing the contrast between the past and the present after years of healing.

Incredible use of colors, detail, and expression! have a good day! :3

something something she left the tower

been thinking about traffic pearl too much

this was done fast because i have school work to do, so thats why its messy

Now you may be seeing something right? FGT Ichigo looks kinda a lot like Yhwach.

Now we know Ichigo is a Quincy and all Quincy have Yhwach's blood running in their veins but only Ichigo looks like him to this extent when in his Final Getsuga Tensho.

Both have long dark hair.

Red crimson eyes.

And a handsome fac-

Ahem, I mean this leads me to believe that Ichigo may have been using his Quincy powers while in that state. Hey look, this is just a theory and Kubo may have just thought it's a cool design choice before the Yhwach twist and all but just let me have fun with this one okay!

Now what is Final Getsuga Tensho specifically? Some believe it's Ichigo absorbing all of Zangetsu's powers but I disagree. I think FGT is more of a fusion between them. Getsuga Tensho is a technique using Zangetsu's powers and only Ichigo can call upon the technique, it cannot be used by Zangetsu without its wielder or Ichigo without his weapon. And my proof is this line by Ichigo:

He is fighting with Zangetsu, not using him.

And there's also the fact that Zangetsu was literally fused to his hand.

Now then that we established that, let's get to this point.

Final Getsuga Tensho is not just a final technique. It's also a combination of all of Ichigo's powers. Both Shinigami, Hollow and Quincy. And why is that?

When Ichigo was fighting Zangetsu he was fighting both his Quincy (in Young lad Zangetsu) Hollow/Shinigami (In white Ichigo) in a fused state. And achieving FGT is him basically accepting both powers, and making himself a weapon for a short time, becoming Getsuga itself.

Heck we talked about his design resembling Yhwach why not talk about how his design resembles a Hollow in how the mask wraps around half of his face with little teeth and how the black spirit energy is like his Tensa Zangetsu's Getsuga Tensho (shinigami power) only strengthening my thought about it not just being a final technique/attack but a fusion of all of his powers, both mastered and latent (which is why Ishinn had Ichigo do it, not him. His wouldn't probably match Aizen)

And the nail in the coffin is what Aizen says here.

Aizen here is beyond Quincy, Shinigamis, Hollows and humans, no one can stand up to him. He's on a higher plane than all beings except Ichigo. Who overpowered him with ease, who's on a higher plane than he is.

There's only one being that can be on a higher plane than the Quincy,Hollows,Shinigami:

Yhwach, the Quincy King, the Almighty. He's the only one who could over power aizen that much and without even trying.

Now I am not saying that Ichigo is somehow using the Almighty powers, that's stupid. I am saying that he was using his Quincy powers which are from Yhwach himself. Fusing it with his other abilities to make Aizen look like a joke.

And even then, FGT is probably just an imperfect version of Ichigo's final form he used against Yhwach. Because FGT is used when Ichigo didn't fully realize and unlock his Quincy powers/Blood. And that it's a one shot weapon where he can use it only once and lose all his powers after whereas his final form where he realizes and mastered all of his powers he uses to its fullest potential and doesn't just disappear.

And that it looked like how Zangetsu looks like when he was fighting him for the Final Getsuga Tensho.

And all of this leads me to believe that Ichigo was using his Quincy powers there and that's how he overpowered Aizen that easily, especially in base.

TL;DR FGT is just an imperfect Final form that Ichigo uses against Yhwach in chapter 676.

Good night or Good morning 👍.

NaruHina 4ever

Petition to call Tensa Zangetsu YoungMan Zangetsu.

But remember. That's just a theory, a game theory. Thanks for watching.

Also this is what I was talking about when I said FGT is an imperfect version of Ichigo's final form. It's basically this.

Like both forms look very much alike and Ichigo only gets it when he absorbs quincy powers and comes to terms with them.

Now you may be seeing something right? FGT Ichigo looks kinda a lot like Yhwach.

Now we know Ichigo is a Quincy and all Quincy have Yhwach's blood running in their veins but only Ichigo looks like him to this extent when in his Final Getsuga Tensho.

Both have long dark hair.

Red crimson eyes.

And a handsome fac-

Ahem, I mean this leads me to believe that Ichigo may have been using his Quincy powers while in that state. Hey look, this is just a theory and Kubo may have just thought it's a cool design choice before the Yhwach twist and all but just let me have fun with this one okay!

Now what is Final Getsuga Tensho specifically? Some believe it's Ichigo absorbing all of Zangetsu's powers but I disagree. I think FGT is more of a fusion between them. Getsuga Tensho is a technique using Zangetsu's powers and only Ichigo can call upon the technique, it cannot be used by Zangetsu without its wielder or Ichigo without his weapon. And my proof is this line by Ichigo:

He is fighting with Zangetsu, not using him.

And there's also the fact that Zangetsu was literally fused to his hand.

Now then that we established that, let's get to this point.

Final Getsuga Tensho is not just a final technique. It's also a combination of all of Ichigo's powers. Both Shinigami, Hollow and Quincy. And why is that?

When Ichigo was fighting Zangetsu he was fighting both his Quincy (in Young lad Zangetsu) Hollow/Shinigami (In white Ichigo) in a fused state. And achieving FGT is him basically accepting both powers, and making himself a weapon for a short time, becoming Getsuga itself.

Heck we talked about his design resembling Yhwach why not talk about how his design resembles a Hollow in how the mask wraps around half of his face with little teeth and how the black spirit energy is like his Tensa Zangetsu's Getsuga Tensho (shinigami power) only strengthening my thought about it not just being a final technique/attack but a fusion of all of his powers, both mastered and latent (which is why Ishinn had Ichigo do it, not him. His wouldn't probably match Aizen)

And the nail in the coffin is what Aizen says here.

Aizen here is beyond Quincy, Shinigamis, Hollows and humans, no one can stand up to him. He's on a higher plane than all beings except Ichigo. Who overpowered him with ease, who's on a higher plane than he is.

There's only one being that can be on a higher plane than the Quincy,Hollows,Shinigami:

Yhwach, the Quincy King, the Almighty. He's the only one who could over power aizen that much and without even trying.

Now I am not saying that Ichigo is somehow using the Almighty powers, that's stupid. I am saying that he was using his Quincy powers which are from Yhwach himself. Fusing it with his other abilities to make Aizen look like a joke.

And even then, FGT is probably just an imperfect version of Ichigo's final form he used against Yhwach. Because FGT is used when Ichigo didn't fully realize and unlock his Quincy powers/Blood. And that it's a one shot weapon where he can use it only once and lose all his powers after whereas his final form where he realizes and mastered all of his powers he uses to its fullest potential and doesn't just disappear.

And that it looked like how Zangetsu looks like when he was fighting him for the Final Getsuga Tensho.

And all of this leads me to believe that Ichigo was using his Quincy powers there and that's how he overpowered Aizen that easily, especially in base.

TL;DR FGT is just an imperfect Final form that Ichigo uses against Yhwach in chapter 676.

Good night or Good morning 👍.

NaruHina 4ever

Petition to call Tensa Zangetsu YoungMan Zangetsu.