Basilisk Philosophorum

Sosuke Aizen's ideology is perhaps one of the most discussed aspects of Bleach, fundamentally connected to the work's overall meaning. Traits of his "fate" immediately emerge, such as loneliness, which became the basis for his rebellion against society and, later, against reality itself, symbolized by the Soul King.

Previously, I understood Aizen's path in the context of the Orthodox doctrine of theosis, as well as the cultural perception of Christianity in our time. Today, we will attempt to get a little closer to what Kubo might have been contextually drawing on.

Gnosticism. This term is used to describe a number of late antique philosophical and religious teachings considered Christian heresies. Attempts have been made to prove the pre-Christian origins of Gnosticism, but they cannot be confirmed archaeologically, so its status as a "heresy" remains relevant. Gnosticism's fundamental sources of influence are considered to be pagan mystery cults, Neoplatonism, and Jewish mysticism, which clashed with Christianity in the first centuries of the Common Era.

To understand Aizen's position, what's important about Gnosticism is that in these teachings, man inherently possesses "divinity," which must be "awakened" through knowledge and mystical experience, not through repentance and communion with God through the Son in theosis. "Original sin" is then ignorance of one's own nature, which is conceived and renewed in each individual by that very demiurge with the lion's head and serpentine body, the false god Yaldabaoth, creator of the material world and, in particular, human bodies. The goal of Gnosticism, like Hermeticism, then becomes the actualization of this divine nature, the "body of the deity," for man (Adam) in these systems is the Son of God, His uncreated "Hypostasis." Christ then appears as the highest angel, created and possessing a ghostly "body." The Gnostic "Father" is the One, containing all and uncontainable by anything. In His image, reflected in the waters of the abyss, the demiurge created man, but not his spirit.

Since the King's origin is mysterious, it can be said that he, too, merely emerged from the primordial waters, but did not create them. There is "something" above him that gives birth to souls. In this context, Aizen's claims seem less senseless.

Buddhism and Nietzsche. As is well known, there is no programmatic work by Nietzsche entitled "The Will to Power," but there is his first book, "The Anti-Christian" (1888), in which Nietzsche thoroughly debunks Christianity, extols Buddhism, and contrasts Christ with Dionysus. Interestingly, Dionysus Zagreus played a special role in Gnosticism: the Titans deceived him with a mirror and tore him to pieces—just as the primordial spiritual man was deceived by his own reflection in the waters of the abyss and assumed a body.

We will discuss Buddhism in the context of the concept of "Void," which is associated with the spiritual perfection to which the teachings lead. "Void" is devoid of all existence, which, as in Gnosticism and Hermeticism, is associated with prison and suffering. "Void" is even above thought—not even the gods know such a state. It is important to note that the mystical experience described in the teachings of late antiquity, including Orthodoxy, is characterized precisely by the rejection of thought altogether. However, while Christians invoke the Word of God in prayer for this purpose, since He, being the Wisdom through which the world was created and who also appeared in the flesh, is simultaneously outside of creation itself, and Hellenic mystics rely on the mediation of gods or angels, for Buddhism, both God and the gods are merely an illusion, overshadowed by a complete "Void."

This is perhaps the most mysterious question in Bleach. What exactly does Aizen mean when he says no one wanted to know "the real him"? Does he mean his heart, which he rejected during the battle in Karakura Town? Or is he speaking of his "Godlike essence"?

A mind trap. I believe that Aizen's entire ideology of his "Godlikeness" within the manga is a trick of his mind. It's a completely "rational" ideology, based on the idea of ​​might as truth. He who is most powerful has the right to establish his own truth. Hence all his crimes, committed so coldly against complete strangers, the inhabitants of Rukongai and ordinary Shinigami. Aizen's perception is distorted—and we don't know the exact reason. Perhaps the reasons lie in his childhood and the fact that Soul Society is a very cruel place. Just like medieval Japan. Incidentally, one of the main Shinto texts, the Kojiki, is an attempt by aristocratic houses to justify their power by affinity with kami. Sacralization—as in the case of Aizen.

Shintoism and Buddhism claim that any sin can be ritually cleansed, so nothing prevents any evil deed. At the same time, an abstract "righteousness of the heart" is paramount. But in Seireitei, even this is absent; there is no religion. The only support in manga is family; only there can you acquire even the rudiments of "morality." And with this minimal burden, you enter a society where everyone has their own morality. A society founded thousands of years ago by murderers who established their own rules with their power.

How can a strong young man, accustomed to violence as the norm since childhood, assert himself in such a society? Although Aizen declares his ideological opposition to Soul Society, he nevertheless, in a sense, before his defeat, adhered to the morality espoused by the most powerful of his world.

Analyses of Aizen often claim that his ideology is inspired by Nietzsche. However, I have already written that, first and foremost, we must remember that Western Christianity slowly turned into a "dead ideology" after the Great Schism and the separation of the Roman Church from the Orthodox Church. This is a distorted Christianity, but Nietzsche accepted it as the true one and spent his entire life criticizing this counterfeit. Therefore, in the context of Orthodox theology, Nietzsche's entire philosophy appears superficial, meager, and pathetic. Therefore, the entire philosophical framework of "Bleach" breaks down against the "royal path" (as Orthodoxy is called in the texts of the Holy Fathers).

A Deceived Heart. Over time, Aizen's mind managed to convince his heart that he truly possessed the essence of God: this is why the Hōgyoku gave him power. But the Hōgyoku initially only revealed the surface of his heart. However, deeper, it revealed Aizen's rejection of his own self, a rejection of the power with which he was born. Aizen was born a king, not a God—this is the focus of the previous parts of my essay.

Remember Aizen's gaze, which Kubo described as "gazing at the sun"? In the first part of the essay, I wrote about how such a gaze is inherent in the iconography of "gazing upon the Face of God." The symbol of St. John the Evangelist is the eagle, because it was believed that only an eagle can gaze at the sun without going blind—just as the holy apostle gazed upon God without being blinded. Those with a royal soul are born to know God. The Sacrament of Chrismation in Orthodoxy is a coronation before God. This is Aizen's dream, one that will never come true in the world of Bleach.

Aizen's Zanpakutō is a challenge to truth: are you sure of what you call truth? It is, first and foremost, a challenge from Aizen's heart to his mind: "Are you sure you are God?" And only then is it a challenge to everyone else. Aizen rejected his deceived heart, which spoke to him from his sword, and died. I think we only glimpsed the real Aizen in the final Quincy arc. He was just beginning to discover himself, literally reborn, but will we fully discover his true self in the future? Will he prove to everyone else that he was born a king?

Let's take a final look at Hinamori. She lived with her grandmother and brother. She was taught to show affection through care. The Gotei ideology doesn't touch her at all—she became a lieutenant to take care of Aizen. Therefore, it's difficult to call her a "blind follower of the system," as her conflict with Aizen is purely personal. He took her in as a child—it's perfectly normal that she would eventually develop feelings of love for him. At the time of Ichigo's "invasion," it was only the beginning of a girl's love.

Momo has been spared the intrigues and cruelty of Soul Society, so she trusts Aizen. Aizen became family to her. After joining the Gotei, she discovered tactics and combat cunning. The fact that everything could be for show is why she believed in the possibility of betrayal by Hitsugaya, who had been withdrawn, cold, and friendless since childhood. She feared he had changed too much.

Aizen had clearly grown attached to Momo. But he thought she believed his lies out of sheer naivety and couldn't bear being lied to by the person most dear to her. The last thing she told him was that she was glad Captain Aizen was alive. But for Aizen, "Captain Aizen" was dead. Aizen said goodbye to Hinamori because he wanted her to see the real him. But he didn't know his true self either: how could anyone else know him?

He was wrong about her: she was willing to come to the battlefield in the fake city just to see the real him. She was ready to learn at least a little about the real him. And he showed her how calculating and cold-blooded he could be. Perhaps Aizen did this to her because she had become desirable to him. She had belatedly begun to acknowledge him. She had become an obstacle to revealing his essence as a God.

Earlier in this series of essays, I attempted to reconstruct the original theological and esoteric context of Sousuke Aizen using references in the manga. The problem with all works that address this context is that they are too weak compared to the original teachings: Aizen's conflict is literally most understandable through this reconstruction, not by reading the manga independently. However, few Bleach readers are familiar with Orthodox or ancient Egyptian theology, so we need to discuss how "transcendence" is understood within the manga, separate from everything I've written about so far.

But first, I want to address the image of another character, whom I personally consider to be Aizen's double: I believe he was created as a commentary on Aizen by another manga artist. I'm talking about the Chimera Ant King Meruem from Yoshihiro Togashi's Hunter × Hunter manga. Although Meruem's chapters began appearing in 2005, Togashi took a hiatus and the final battle only came out in 2011, which is why it's so similar to Aizen's battle with Yamamoto. The themes and plotlines of Aizen and Meruem are very similar, sometimes even overlapping, but the conclusions are completely different. The Chimera Ant Arc is considered one of the best in Hunter × Hunter, so I'll only comment on the topic at hand, namely, the understanding of transcendence in Bleach.

According to the manga's plot, Meruem is the king of a special species of ants that can appropriate the qualities of other species by devouring them. His mother, the queen, already pregnant with him, arrived from the mysterious Dark Continent and encountered humans by chance, enabling the ants to evolve as a species in a most unexpected direction: they acquired human consciousness and even inherited the memories of their victims (the theme of reincarnation, characteristic of Buddhist cultures, is also present here). Growing the king in the womb required enormous human sacrifices, and with his birth and conquest of the world, humanity was destined to become cattle.

Like Aizen, Meruem was born a king. He was born to rule, possessing all the qualities of a true ruler, from superior intellect and iron will to physical and spiritual strength (nen). He considers no one his equal. However, he encounters a person who surpasses him—a blind girl who repeatedly outsmarts his tactical thinking in a complex board game. Meruem realizes the infinite potential of the man he was about to raise for slaughter, the value of every individual, and the injustice of a world that drives talent into poverty. He rethinks his worldview and transforms from a calculating killer into a true king.

Both mangaka reflect on the fate of the "king of the past" in the modern world and conclude that there is no place for him here and now. The King of the Spirit, thirsting for truth, noble in soul, and intolerant of compromise with greedy "aristocrats," will not be able to realize his potential today.

Now let's move on to the stated theme: transcendence. In both Bleach and Hunter × Hunter, power is linked to nature—a legacy of Shintoism. In Shinto, kami-gods are a reflection of Nature, born from the union of Heaven and Earth. In Shintoism, Heaven is hierarchically realized in Nature and at all levels of existence (the world of gods, the world of humans, and the world of the dead), and everything can become a god. This means that everyone potentially possesses the nature of a god. In this worldview, Buddhism becomes a practice that makes the state of being a god, trapped in nature, surmountable, allowing one to attain greater spiritual heights. Therefore, Shintoism and Buddhism in Japan merged into a syncretic teaching, rather than destroying each other.

Aizen believed himself to be a god trapped within the nature of the Shinigami, as we read in Chapter 401: the Hōgyoku recognized him as a god and began to "pull" him out—this first transformation reveals Aizen's royal and potentially divine nature. Gin's betrayal, however, triggers a self-rejection within Aizen—all the pain in his heart, pent up over the years, inevitably began to seep out toward the Hōgyoku.

The Soul King in Bleach is precisely that mute, deified Nature, containing thousands of potentials. Therefore, achieving power in Bleach is linked to evolution, not spiritual transformation. One must realize one's nature within the Heavenly Nature, not break through the boundaries of Nature altogether, as in Christianity. A person must achieve the perfection of their personal nature within their heart, which is expressed through merging with their Zanpakutō, through the becoming one mind (Shinigami) and heart (sword).

Continuing somewhat with the discussion of Sousuke Aizen's regal presence, I'd like to elaborate on why he continues to attract such interest, even though Bleach itself isn't even a third as popular as it was, say, 10 years ago.

Genre. The shonen genre itself is, at its core, a heroic epic. Judging by the current industry climate, shonen can be considered a "dying" genre: people can no longer relate to grand stories of initiation and a boy's transformation into a man. One could say that the "media epic" has become a relic of the 20th century. This is somewhat paradoxical, as epic poetry is the foundation of culture. Initially, epic poetry was recited or performed to music by priests, and later by wandering singers. That is, the epic is a pure narrative, the forerunner of the novel.

In fact, Aizen is perceived precisely as the hero of a European novel in Japanese manga. That is, as an outsider, which is ironic. His aristocracy, personality, and conflict with the "monotheistic" God—all of this is reminiscent of the creative pursuits of the European intelligentsia of the 19th and 20th centuries. However, in the Japanese religious picture, God is absent: His place is taken by nature. This is why Aizen constantly used the word "evolution," and why the Soul King is perceived precisely as the "progenitor" of the Quincy, humans, Shinigami, and so on. In Bleach, there is no room for spiritual reality, only "biological" intricacies, as in Evangelion. The manga truly depicts a terrifying world, so the arbitrary rule of the Shinigami is even taken for granted.

Appearance. Aizen's appearance can be described as a blend of classical and Eastern ideals of male beauty. (Although, there is a problem: Aizen is depicted differently not only in different arcs but even in different frames.) The former is expressed in the masculine and harmonious development of his body and facial features, while the latter is expressed in his sculpted lips, long, fluffy eyelashes, languid gaze, and a certain "elegance" that can be described as "unapproachable languor." Ironically, he considered the female members of Soul Society's affection for him superficial and used it as a disguise, yet the same affection drives the majority of his actual female admirers. Although it must be said that it is difficult to perceive the regal quality of male beauty in a time when such beauty is practically nonexistent. "Sexiness," however, is overdone.

Aizen's "Oriental" features can be attributed to his Middle Eastern heritage. Interestingly, they are most clearly expressed in the Orthodox icon. Seriously, Aizen's appearance is "iconographic," even his hair and eye color are based on the canon of depictions of the prophets and kings of Israel, even Christ himself.

Personality. Aizen is a strong individual with a keen perception of the world and the people around him. He keeps his emotions in check and acts proactively, like a true king. He strives for integrity, but through negative means—by killing himself. He kills himself from the very beginning of the manga's narrative—the climax of his internal suicide can be considered the Battle of Karakura Town. No one sees him as a natural-born king or a worthy supporter, so he tries to deny himself for the sake of power, so as to desire nothing more. It's telling that Momo and Ichigo become his "triggers" before his triumph, when everyone should have recognized his greatness.

I'll express an unpopular opinion: Hinamori is a very courageous and loyal girl. To come to terms with the fact that the man who raised you hid from you and rejected you; to come forward to look him in the eye without hatred, to acknowledge his "other side"—that's powerful. It's coveted by Aizen, which is why he perceives it as an obstacle to the Royal Palace.

Ichigo, however, demonstrates the potential for development in a person who has accepted themselves. Although Kubo presents his courage as heroic, I believe it's not so compared to the classic epic. Ichigo doesn't seek to know what lies beyond the heavens and stars; he simply defends his world. He seeks neither the Golden Fleece nor the golden apples, like Aizen, but he fights out of necessity—for the right to live an ordinary life. Aizen is precisely the hero of the classic epic, who in a modern world without God has become an antagonist, who, out of desperation, fights a compassionate, strong-willed, yet very ordinary boy. Aizen knows that intelligence is actually more valuable than strength, so he “chooses” Urahara and Hirako as friends, but they do not accept him.

Purpose. I've written often about Aizen's true purpose being the truth and knowledge of God (theosis). Only God, like all of us, can truly know and appreciate him. Man is created in the image and likeness of God, so his personality seems always hidden. We can understand another person's character and way of thinking, but not their innermost essence.

To sum it up, I believe that Sousuke Aizen's outer beauty reveals the beauty of his regal soul and only then draws attention. He reminds us of former kings, of their noble courage and pursuit of truth. That's why he's more popular than Bleach itself: he literally came from another world to a manga about a boy protecting his family—a world no one else wants to know about.

Additional: For a long time, I couldn't figure out what that garment of restraining seals Aizen wears in the Quincy Arc looked like. (Mayuri, who invented it, by the way, wears a similar outfit, but more cohesive and elaborate. Aizen, on the other hand, has each body part blocked off separately.) My first thought was of the ceremonial attire of Russian tsars before the 18th century, and then the cassock of Catholic priests came to mind. I suppose it's something in between. But then again, it's interesting that both of these vestments are intended for sacred service, which underscores Aizen's unrecognized status.

Seeping crest of turbidity. Arrogant vessel of lunacy. Boil forth and deny. Grow numb and flicker. Disrupt sleep. Crawling queen of iron. Eternally self-destructing doll of mud. Unite. Repulse. Fill with soil and know your own powerlessness!

After half a year, I have finally completed my "theological" research into the image of Sosuke Aizen in the currently published chapters of the Bleach manga. Below I will outline several important points that I was able to "uncover", but which, in my opinion, have not been discussed before. The question of whether knowledge of them is necessary for a "full" understanding of Kubo's work, of course, remains open.

Usually, when analyzing Aizen, the following come up: the image of a fallen angel, Nietzsche's philosophy, idealism and Buddhism. However, my goal was to restore the context of the "Western spiritual tradition", to which both direct and indirect references can be found in the manga (there is a lot of everything). I will talk about intersections/intentional borrowings from Orthodox Christianity and the late antique magico-mystical tradition, which includes the ancient Egyptian tradition. Let me note in advance that in this “original” spiritual context, Aizen looks quite harmonious, while in the “spiritual” context of the manga universe, taken in a vacuum, he is an outsider.

The general legitimacy of Aizen’s inclusion in the “Western” context can be debated, but even Aizen’s name itself, as was recently revealed (question #814, Klub Outside), is a reference to the German “Eisen” — “iron” (Kubo meant that Aizen is “a man with an iron heart”).

So, if we restore the original layer of the questions that are touched upon in the manga, then the following emerges: 1) Kubo made the Holy Trinity the “Deity” of his “world”, which I will write about in more detail below (more precisely, he “included” God Trinity in the universe of the three worlds of Shintoism, leaving only the concepts of reincarnation and hell from Buddhism), while he completely omitted the “mystical” reality of “interaction” with God and “humanized” the Face of the Son, and made God the Father a “sacred corpse”; 2) he secured for Sosuke Aizen all the signs of possession of “sacred royalty”, necessary for the mystical “ascent to heaven”, making of him, so to speak, a “spiritual outsider”, for whom the possibility of spiritual improvement does not exist in principle. (Between you and me, this conflict of Aizen, who saw the seamy side of the world and its “Deity,” reminds me of such a genre of European literature as “black fantasy”: in my opinion, Aizen is close in type to the heroes of Meyrink and Lovecraft, who encountered the hidden otherworldly seamy side of existence, where for a person there is nothing but madness and a chilling nothingness, and his “immortality” is, at best, a monstrous biological transformation.)

First, about a certain "Christian" tendency in Japanese art: it is, apparently, the main one. The "Christianization" of Japan in the 16th-17th centuries is a tragic historical period with many martyrs. The ban on Christianity was lifted only in the 19th century: since then, reflections on Christ and His teachings have not ceased in Japanese art, both "elite" and "mass". Endo's novel "Silence" and the famous "Evangelion" are the first to come to mind. So Kubo continues the tradition in his own way. I will not undertake to criticize what he did, but I will say one thing: ironically, Christianity is as much a mystery to Kubo as his antagonist Aizen is to us.

"Becoming a God." What Aizen tried to do with the Hogyoku is called "deification" ("theosis") in Orthodox theology. This is the "basic" teaching in the tradition about becoming a god by the grace of God, participation in His nature by His gift and through His energies. Adam was created for deification, who fell, tempted by the thought of "false theosis" - about becoming a god without God. He fell into the darkness of eternal death, "decay", since only God imparts immortality, since He alone is uncreated by His nature. Becoming a deity is the goal of many religions, including the ancient Egyptian: the Egyptians tried to achieve immortality within Neberdjer ("Lord to the Limit"), the Eternal God, through union with His flesh (Osiris) and His Soul (Ra), therefore one of His titles is "Osiris in the name of Ra, Ra in the name of Osiris". This is the goal of the entire funeral cult - achieving union with God through magic and theurgy (ritual). In fact, the concept of Hogyoku itself refers to the idea that divinity can be achieved through magic, a powerful command of will. More precisely, magic as something that God Himself creates, because the Egyptians considered God to be the greatest Sorcerer, and magic - what He created the world with and what He gave people to protect them from the spirits of darkness (Apop and his retinue). Aizen's "Evolution" is also a kind of reference: in the "Book of the Dead" there are many spells for transforming from one god to another.

However, the term "theosis" itself is Orthodox and is connected with the mystery of the incarnation of God in the flesh: without this, theosis is impossible. The Divinity of Christ, having united with His human soul and body, restored them, making them such as they were in Adam before the fall. Therefore, Christ is called "the new Adam". To the new internal sanctification of human nature by the Divinity of the Son was added the sanctification by the Divinity of the Spirit, witnessed by John the Baptist, who saw the Spirit "like a dove" descending upon Christ, however, the Spirit rested upon the Son before the creation of the world, therefore the Son of God is the Anointed One (Christ) in the highest degree, exceeding the concept itself. In the Son, the Father brings to Himself by the Spirit, because the Son gives man his Divinity for the deification of body and soul, i.e., created nature, and the Spirit - for the deification of the personality itself in the image of Christ. Theosis is the restoration of the image of God in man, beyond the measure of Adam, since in the Son God has made human nature His own forever.

Theosis presupposes participation in God in close communion with Him as a Person, and therefore cannot be achieved by "evolution", since God is uncreated, and He gives His immortal uncreatedness as a gift "to those who love Him". Therefore, Ichigo's "hybridity" and Aizen's "nature that surpasses the gods" are hardly divine, since they are originally created and detached from the will of God. This is definitely "false theosis".

The nature of the Hogyoku, the "Treasure Crushing Power", remains open, but judging by the need for human sacrifices for its "awakening", it absorbs God's spirit from His images, i.e. from people (the existence of both Shinigami and Hollows is still tied to their personalities or their loss, so they are still only "humans"). Like Yahweh, the Soul King probably also distributes a piece of his soul to future "potential Shinigami", so the arguments about the "nails" and the fact that such a piece of the King is inside the Hogyoku still have a place to be.

The concept of "energy" is associated with deification. Energy is what reveals the power of the one who pours it out. God's energy is uncreated, and that of angels (including fallen ones) and people is created. "False theosis" is based on borrowing or even stealing the energy of "gods", fallen angels who were created before humans. Here we can remember that Yahweh "stole" the energy of the King of Souls. Aizen's series of transformations reveals signs of "false deification" at the very end.

The first transformation reveals to us the royal dignity of Aizen. This is revealed in the purple color of his eyes and his robe, divided into four halves, which symbolize dominion over the four cardinal directions. The second transformation reveals the classic symbolism of theosis - the entry of a saint into the ranks of angels. Six wings indicate the first rank - Seraphim. The third transformation reveals the false nature of this path to deification, because Aizen's personality is not healed in his "deity", but rejected.

St. Maximus the Confessor taught about the "logoi" hidden in the universe. The Son of God, God the Word, is like a "receptacle" of these "logoi". The image of God in man is also such a "logos", which is the prototype or predetermination about man, which can be fulfilled or rejected by free will. And this "prototype" is closely connected with personality, since, being fulfilled in God, it reveals the true "I" of man in the deity given by God. In deification, the true personality shines, clothed in deity, and in false theosis it is suppressed or rejected. At the same time, personality is fundamentally connected with the body, because the Lord Himself was resurrected in his own body, the general Resurrection will be in bodies and miracles are performed through the relics of saints. Therefore, all the transformations in "Bleach" are a "shell" over the bodies of the characters, and Eisen was no exception. The monstrous form of Aizen's last transformation is associated with the concept of "sacred horror", known in paganism in connection with the contemplation of statues of gods - this "fear" is already mentioned in the Babylonian tradition, one of the earliest, along with the ancient Egyptian. Such contemplation could drive one crazy or even kill, therefore, most often, the cult statue was kept in a special ark, which was opened personally by the king or priest only during the ritual or holiday. For a person, his own body serves as such an "ark".

What should this ark hide from the idle in itself? The radiance of the created man, who has become the sanctuary of the Trinity of Deity. Monastic asceticism is aimed at cleansing the mind from passions and connecting it with the heart - then it begins to "shine", connecting with the luminous Glory of the Deity. Hence the symbolism of the halo. Aizen's very aspiration to the highest secrets of the world reveals to us that his mind was created by the Creator of all things for the knowledge of God, for shining in the light of the King of Glory, that he could have been granted a high measure, if he knew the teaching, which does not exist in his world. (This can be asserted boldly, since among the Orthodox saints there are many former magicians, for whom knowledge and power were the goals, who were persecuted and whose books were burned. God turned them to himself precisely by demonstrating that their charms are nothing before Him.)

The King of Souls and his "son". The image of the King of Souls, it seems to me, is more inspired by Gnostic and Kabbalistic positions. In Gnosticism, God the Father is rejected as a false demiurge, and in Kabbalah He is hidden: in order to see only His empty Throne, it is necessary to pass the Chambers of His Heavenly Palace filled with angels, calling out magical formulas and the names of angelic guards. It is believed that the entire universe rests only on His name "Existing" (Yahweh), for this name is special. Firstly, God Himself named it, it was not given by man. Secondly, it points to His own "being": He alone exists by His own will, while everything else exists by His will and by Him.

As for the Quincy King, "Yahweh", everything is much simpler. Firstly, the name "Existing" in the Orthodox tradition is really adopted by Christ: it is this name, written in the Greek letters Ο, Ω and Ν, that we see in the cross-shaped halo of Christ on all icons, mosaics, miniatures, etc. This is due to the fact that all prophecies, including those made by Moses himself, were given by the Son in the Spirit and for the sake of the Son's coming into the world in the flesh. In some prophetic texts, it is even clear where the Father speaks and where the Son speaks.

Secondly, the very story of the "birth" of "Yahweh" in the world of the living, as well as his "abilities" are allusions to Christ - this is the last and most difficult. The abilities of "Yahweh" are inspired by the theology of the Body of Christ as the Church.

Let's compare. In Kubo we see the following. 1) The eternal existence of "Yahweh" as the son of the King. 2) The ability to heal mental and physical illnesses in those who touched him. 3) The ability to bestow "supernatural" abilities, with the recipient's new state being transmitted as "angelic", as well as the delivery of these abilities with blood. 4) The posthumous connection of the recipient's personality with "Yahweh", as well as the presence of a part of his soul in each "descendant".

Now the "original". 1) The eternal existence of the Son "in the bosom of the Father" (before the creation of the world - as "the Word not yet spoken"). 2) The healings performed by Christ during His earthly ministry, as well as those given by Him through prayers and through shrines. 3) The various gifts of the Holy Spirit given by Him to every Christian at Baptism and assimilated by him as his own in the Eucharist. 4) The posthumous vision of the Face of God by the saints, promised in Revelation. (No one can see the Face of God in this age and remain alive, therefore God appeared to Moses "from the back". It is interesting that the Egyptians also expected to see the Face of God only after the end of the world, when His Body and Soul, corroded during creation, will become one again.) Also, in every Christian, by grace, the "image of Christ", according to which Adam was created, is recreated. He is also the "image of God", which in theosis can become a "likeness". (It is interesting to mention the hierarchy here, because God gives His grace to everyone in their own measure according to the angelic and ecclesiastical hierarchy. Therefore, at the top of that hierarchy, which "gives birth to kings and gods" (chapter 383), there must be "the King of kings and the God of gods". Otherwise, it is simply hellish tyranny, in which fear and passion rule, as shown in the manga.)

A separate point remains the question of the Holy Spirit, the third Person. The Spirit reveals the Son and reveals Himself through Him. The Spirit is the Father's eternal royal anointing of the Word, and the Word is revealed only in the Spirit as the true King in all His Glory, who bought salvation for those who betrayed Him with His blood.

Aizen's royal dignity. Aizen is truly endowed with all the virtues of a king from birth, so he can be spoken of as the possessor of "sacred royalty". These qualities are a brilliant mind (created for the knowledge of God), a strong will (to worthily "stand in God" and for Him, carrying out the struggle with the fallen "sons of darkness"), as well as an inner nobility, distorted by loneliness (but created for love and service to others). All these qualities are given to him at birth, but developed under the influence of circumstances as shown in the manga.

The above-mentioned hierarchy, "giving birth to kings and gods", before the Incarnation included a "priest-king", who could also be a prophet. Since religion and magic were one then, it can be said that the "magician king", as were the three wise men who came "from the East" to worship the Messiah. Such a "king-magician" was the Egyptian king, whose vital "energy" was "borrowed" by the magical creative power of God by right of his "birth" from the [solar] Creator during the coronation (the king was also the only full-fledged priest in Egypt, he transferred his powers to the priesthood). This power was personified into a separate deity named Heka (the word "magic" itself is his name), depicted as a baby in crowns and with royal attributes of power in his hands. The word "hekau" denoted the magical energy contained in magical texts, the word of the Eternal God that creates reality (as in Genesis, in the ancient Egyptian tradition the world was created by 7 sayings of God). Therefore, for Aizen, such spiritual power (reireku) growing from birth is the power of the king.

My first encounter with Tite Kubo's manga was in 2010 or 2011. It was my childhood, my "visual aesthetics" were largely formed thanks to "Bleach". However, I previously considered this hobby of mine somewhat embarrassing and even shameful, because from a very early age I was interested in more serious things, for example, the culture of Ancient Egypt, Japan, book illustration, "horror literature", German romanticism, etc. This essay of mine can be called a reconciliation with childhood.

Previously, Sosuke Aizen was not my favorite hero: I was able to appreciate his beauty only within the framework of a religious-esoteric context. And here are the conclusions I come to now, before the "Arc of Hell" has begun.

Firstly, Aizen is truly a phenomenal, amazing antagonist who has transcended his storyline, manga and even the shonen genre as a whole. His “invisible presence” can now be felt almost everywhere in the industry. His storyline, image and design are created almost perfectly - he even looks more like a hero from “classic literature”. For Kubo as an artist, this is definitely a success.

Secondly, the “non-authorial” concept of the manga that I discovered is quite surprising, since it concerns the position of Christianity in the modern world. It is natural to object: how are “Bleach” and Christianity related? However, I have already written earlier that for Japan, Christianity is a pressing “problem” that Japanese culture cannot “assimilate”. True Christianity, preserved in Orthodoxy, has little in common with how it is understood and presented in culture. In world culture, only an empty, sometimes ugly, incomprehensible and, for many, funny shell remains. This is how Christianity is depicted in the form of the "Cult of the Royal Family" in "Bleach". Kubo, without knowing it, using the "codes" of Western culture, once again exposed the "West's" longing for the embodied God, which is extremely acutely experienced by those who seek the truth about the universe. At the same time, "Bleach" retains the key moments associated with "sacred royalty" and Christianity, and Aizen himself as a person was definitely created for the knowledge of God, for theosis. After all, Adam was created for theosis.

In manga analyses, Aizen is often credited with the ideology of Nietzsche. However, Nietzsche is only a symptom of the "chronic disease" of society in the spiritual sense. The reason is the Schism of the Churches of 1054, which entailed the West's retreat from Orthodox dogmatics and moral tradition, the rejection of the theology of theosis and the doctrine of charm and obsession with passions. In this context, Aizen's struggle touches on deeper layers of meaning hidden behind Nietzsche's protest. (I like to say: no Western philosopher could stand even one conversation with an Orthodox saint, especially a desert hermit.)

From Kubo's recent answer to question #814, we learn that Aizen's surname comes from the German "Eisen" ("iron"), and is not a reference to the Buddhist deity of the same name. So Aizen is embedded in a "Western" cultural context from the very beginning (according to God's Plan, of course). And culture always has its origins in religion.

I think that Aizen fascinates us so much because he is a living relic of the past, the time of kings and aristocracy in a world where there is no moral or spiritual perfection, and Aizen himself is often valued only for his physical beauty. Our world, disfigured by two World Wars, longs to see again those kings who bowed only to God, and not to passions and money. The cultural figures who came from the First World War turned art into a hellish pit, full of horror, perverted death and debauchery. The vile breath of hell is felt everywhere, and such characters as Aizen still sober us up, reminding us that the "paradise" around us is in fact "hell".

Regarding the future "Arc of Hell": I am waiting for Aizen to become a real king. His inner nobility, intelligence, spiritual thirst and aristocracy should bear legitimate fruit. I would like to see the denouement of Aizen's plot conflicts (especially with Hinamori). We are waiting for victory over hell: Christ won, opening the doors of Heaven. Only that hell remains, which begins in our culture and ends where there is darkness of ignorance and despair. Victory over hell, according to Orthodox theology, was part of the royal ministry of Christ, who was also a prophet and a priest. So it is natural that the true king kept the gates of hell locked.

The more I analyze Tite Kubo's manga, the more confidently I can say that the basis of the world of "Bleach", or rather its "divine" basis, is "Western monotheism", a mixture of the foundations of Judaism and Christianity.

In my observations, such a tendency is one of the "highways" of Japanese art: when it is necessary to depict the "transcendental" underside of the world, then the Japanese often resort to "Christian symbolism". Perhaps this is because for the Japanese, Christianity is an alien phenomenon that cannot be ignored. The "Christianization" of Japan in the 16th-17th centuries is a tragic historical period with many martyrs. The ban on Christianity was lifted only in the 19th century - since then, reflections on Christ and His teachings have not ceased in Japanese art, both elite and popular. Endo's novel "Silence" and "Evangelion" are probably the most famous examples.

I have already written about the names of Adonai and Yahweh here. However, I forgot about one important detail that finally puts everything in its place. The fact is that on Orthodox mosaics and icons depicting Christ, the Greek monogram of the name Yahweh, "Existing" - ΟΩΝ, is placed inside His halo. In Orthodox theology, the name Yahweh is applied to God the Son, Jesus Christ, who, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, spoke to Moses and other prophets of Judea. It is typical for biblical prophecies that the Persons of the Holy Trinity speak alternately, especially for prophecies about the Messiah.

I believe that now we can say directly: the prototype of the King of Souls is God the Father, and the prototype of the King of Quincy is God the Son, Christ. I described in detail the coincidence of the Quincy King's abilities with the teaching about the Body of Christ as the Church here.

Now it is absolutely clear that Sosuke Aizen tried to perform theosis.

In his manga, Kubo certainly did not intend to reflect on theological topics. For him, the things described in all parts of this essay are just the entourage. The topics he touches on are at best of a "philosophical" or "moral" nature (morality): it is enough to recall Aizen's speech about courage from chapter 686. Therefore, I will refrain from criticism, although I am very saddened by the way Christianity is depicted in world art. As in the case of Aizen, no one knows the real Christianity revealed in Orthodox theology.

In the Bleach fan reviews, I have often seen comparisons of Aizen to a fallen angel. I find such a comparison superficial in light of the theology of Orthodox Christianity and the religious context that I present in all parts of this essay. I think it is much more complex. Aizen is a human after all, because the focus of the narrative is his personality. The existence of both Shinigami and Hollows depends significantly on what kind of personality they had in life, even if they do not remember it. Therefore, in order to “ascend” to heaven, he must choose between theurgy and theosis. And it was because of the attempt to reject his own personality that Aizen failed. He chose power over himself, and Ichigo chose himself over power. In addition, Aizen relied on fear as a basis for development, but fear is an alien state for a perfect person, which must be defeated by courage (which Aizen realized later). (That is why there is a special rank of saints - martyrs. And courage is one of the Christian virtues.)

As I wrote earlier, Aizen is a true king in every sense - we understand this primarily due to his energy, his reiatsu (read more here). In addition, he is a genius, richly gifted with various talents and has a strong will. Although he was not born into a royal family, everything indicates that for heaven he is a king. More precisely, he is a king born of heaven, but in the context of those religious-esoteric coordinates that we rely on.

It is precisely his royal status that is indicated by the first transformation of the Hogyoku. The four "cuts" of his clothes correspond to the four cardinal directions, and his long hair indicates his functions as an intermediary between heaven and earth, because shamans and magicians usually do not cut their hair, especially in the Far East. And, of course, the "royal purple" of his eyes and the lining of his robe.

The second transformation of the Hogyoku already points to the "angelic" nature of the transcendental state that Aizen is trying to achieve. However, this is not the nature of God, but the nature of His creation. Angels are "firstborn spirits", whose nature is often compared to fire, like the nature of God Himself (but this is a symbolic comparison). Angels were created by God before the world and man.

In Orthodox iconography, angels are depicted as beautiful men (like God the Trinity, they are all men), in armor (after all, they are "heavenly warriors") and with headbands that symbolize royal crowns. God is the King par excellence, therefore His "holy royalty" is transmitted to all His servants, angels and people. At the same time, Orthodox theology claims that the human soul is no different in nature from an angel. Both angels and people receive their "divinity" from God. According to the Tradition of the Orthodox Church, there are 9 angelic ranks: Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Archangels, Angels. It is believed that Satan was a Cherubim.

Satan wanted to be equal to God because of his pride, so he "died" and was cast out of heaven. Having fallen away from God, he lost his "divinity". And since there is nothing outside of God, he died an eternal death and became a receptacle of darkness. A third of the angels followed him. Paradise is in the 7th heaven - this is what the devil was responsible for when he was an angel. Therefore, he hated Adam, who was created more perfect than the angels, and decided to drag him with him into the darkness of eternal death, non-existence. The fallen angels, following Satan, wanted to be worshiped as gods, so all the statues of gods are actually "bodies" for the fallen angels. These "bodies" are conductors of death and darkness. Therefore, the concept of deity is often associated with the concept of "sacred horror", when a person even gets goosebumps from fear of a statue of a god. This is a painful horror.

In the iconography of Orthodox Christianity, fallen angels are depicted simply as black, because they contain darkness. The monstrous features of their bodies are a departure from the iconographic canon. They are black in body, usually without clothes and with disheveled hair. Darkness, deprivation of royalty (royal clothes) and madness, from which they tear out their hair.

It is interesting that the Hogyoku seems to show Aizen the other side of the world, because there are no "angels" next to the Soul King. If the Soul King were a real God, then his Right Hand would have healed Ukitake, and would not have destroyed his body. The Soul King is a "divine" corpse that requires human sacrifices. Eternal death.

Why are Aizen's transformations different from the state of the Soul King himself? I think it has to do with Aizen's will. He always strived for the truth, taking into account all the facts. And the fact that he rejected the rule of the Soul King allowed him to break through to the truth for a moment. However, Aizen is sinful, so his "ascension" ultimately became false. He is a proud killer who believes that he has the right to judge people, that is, a killer twice over. He is possessed by darkness, which was shown in the third transformation of the Hogyoku. (But it is worth saying that Aizen always hopes for reciprocity even from those who have already rejected him. He expects a change from everyone he knows.)

Since becoming a god (theosis) is accomplished only with the help of God's energy, all other "transcendental" states are "false theosis", that is, possession. The "royal sanctuary" of God, man, becomes the temple of death. The opposite of the saints are vampires.

The vampire myth as we know it was born in Orthodox countries, in Eastern Europe. In reality, vampires are sorcerers or people buried outside the Orthodox rite. Often these are noblemen, since under the influence of the politics and wealth of the Catholic authorities they converted from Orthodoxy to Catholicism, that is, they became heretics. Their thirst for blood was associated with the fact that in Catholicism, for the laity, the Eucharist is performed only with bread. Therefore, a typical vampire is an aristocrat who has become interested in the occult or has rejected the "Greek faith", Orthodox Christianity. After death, his personality is deformed, loses the "image of God", and he returns "different".

Moreover, in the Western European esoteric tradition itself, magical knowledge is considered a gift from fallen angels. This is enshrined in the fundamental texts of the tradition - in the Hermetic Corpus and in the Book of Enoch. According to Orthodox Christianity, this knowledge is given so that man cannot approach God. So that he does not even know about theosis or rejects it himself. Because theosis is a path created by the sacrifice of God, Christ, specifically for the salvation of man, which is possible only in becoming a god. After all, this is what Adam was created for. This is probably why all the transformations of the Hogyoku were a "shell" over Aizen's real body. Because while a person is alive, he can still choose the truth, choose theosis. And after death, immediately judgment. Moreover, Adam's body was created before his soul.

In the Bleach manga, Aizen's power was shown primarily through his high spiritual power (reiryoku), which only grew over time. At the beginning of the story, Aizen's spiritual power already exceeds the level of a captain, by the end of the manga, his power is capable of resisting the power of the Soul King, who has taken the form of eyed creatures (while destroying the "bodies" of the Shinigami located near Aizen himself).

In the world of Bleach, reiryoku can be called the "foundation" of all combat abilities. Zanpakutō, kidō and hadō, physical strength - all this is fueled by spiritual power. In other words, reiryoku is what we understand by the word "energy". According to the definition made in antiquity, energy "reveals the power of that which pours it out." Aizen is endowed with incredible "power" from birth, which distinguishes him from other Shinigami. Earlier we wrote that Shinigami are "heavenly deities", if we use Shinto terminology. That is why Aizen says that he has "surpassed the gods".

In the first part of the essay, I wrote that Aizen is endowed with the "sacred royalty" characteristic of the ancient Egyptian religion. This sacred royalty can be felt through his reiatsu. That is, Aizen potentially possesses the highest magical power, which the Egyptians associated with the power of God, with which he created reality. Such power implies the ability to influence reality and even the ability to re-create reality itself. This "magical energy" is characteristic of every person, although the king has it most of all. In Ancient Egypt, this energy was associated with the concept of "ka", life energy and what remains of a person after his death as a "ghost".

The magical power of God — Neberdger (Re-Osiris), Amun-Re — was personified into a separate deity Heka, depicted wearing a crown and with symbols of royal power. The very name of this deity is the word "magic". That is, royal power = magical power. Each magical text contains "hekau" — magic, with the help of which, through "Hu" (the will of God) and "Sia" (the word of God), the world was created. In other words, the Egyptians believed that God created everything that exists with the help of His will, word and magical power.

A clear example of this principle at work is Hado No. 90. The will is directed into the words of the spell, which is fueled by spiritual power. And Aizen's reiatsu in some sense approached the spiritual power of the members of the royal family, and even surpassed it. Remember the four pupils in the eyes of the King of Souls? Aizen's robe was also divided into four parts - all of these are symbols of dominion over the four cardinal directions.

In this context, the Hogyoku is a magical artifact. It was probably created using the four elements of nature, but human sacrifices were required to activate it. The Hogyoku also embodies the will of its owner - this is an attempt to obtain the magical power of God, with which reality is created. However, this is done with the help of black magic.

The image of Sosuke Aizen, the main antagonist of Tite Kubo's manga "Bleach", has a mysterious appeal. It can be said that Aizen has the charisma of a true king. This phrase is the key to who Aizen is in a religious and esoteric context. After all, chrisma is oil, as well as the ritual of anointing a king or prophet with this oil in Ancient Israel, which became the Sacrament of Chrismation in Christianity. In this essay, I draw on three spiritual traditions - ancient Egyptian, Hermetic and Orthodox in order to prove that Aizen has "sacred royalty" and is a king-magician seeking God in a world where He has become just an idol.

The reader will probably be surprised by the fact that this essay will not only talk about Aizen, but also about ancient Egyptian and Orthodox theology. The first is due to the fact that the doctrine of "sacred royalty" was born and was most developed in Ancient Egypt, and the religious and magical tradition of this country was highly revered in the Hellenic world, penetrating European culture through Neoplatonism, Hermeticism, and Kabbalah. In particular, it is ancient Egyptian theology that answers the question of why Aizen has such a powerful reiatsu (see here). However, Aizen's goal of becoming God is quite real - this is what is called "theosis" in Orthodoxy. In addition, the state that Aizen achieves with the help of the Hogyoku is transmitted through the appearance of a seraphim, the highest angel among the 9 angelic ranks in Orthodox Christianity.

My essay on the fact that Aizen is an unrecognized king in his own world, born from heaven. That he is a king in a world where there is no true spiritual "ascent to heaven." A king doomed to die without the "breath of life" that comes from God.

Sketch - *

Part 1. Egyptian context - **

Part 1, addition. Egyptian context - ***

Part 2. Hermetic context - ****

Part 3. "Sacred Royalty" and Orthodox Christianity - *****

Summary - ******

Reiatsu - *******

"Angel" of the Hogyoku - ********

Kubo's Concept and Christianity - *********

Conclusion (2025) - **********

"Black Coffin" and the radiance of Sosuke Aizen's mind - *

On Aizen's Appeal - **

On Transcendence in Bleach - ***