#bleach meta

What I find compelling about Ichigo and Rukia is that they are the only Shinigami characters with a different colour of Zanpakuto, black and white respectively, and it is probably more than a design choice once viewed through the perspective of their origins.

Kubo gives Ichigo and Rukia opposing celestial titles: Ichigo is the Black Sun, despite his black Zanpakuto being named Zangetsu, “Slaying Moon,” while Rukia is the White Moon, whose white Zanpakuto and technique, Tsukishiro, “Moon White,” directly correspond with that title.

But beyond their titles, Ichigo’s nature as a hybrid of all races (Human, Fullbringer, Quincy, and Hollow) is what makes him a candidate for Reio, and that nature may be reflected in the black colour of his Zanpakuto, a colour that is later revealed to be associated with Reio’s power.

Okay, so I went down a complete Bleach rabbit hole recently I needed that after my exams

starting with character theme songs by @my-my-my —and I stumbled onto something interesting about Aizen’s birthday (May 29th)

That lead me to overanalyze again~

If I had any money I would love to ask Kubo that if it really was just a coincidence… but actually if he has not thought of this if I would be him I would just lie about it because it’s too good xD

May 29, 1453

The Fall of Constantinople

First off, May 29th is the exact date of the Fall of Constantinople. It was the capital of the Byzantine Empire and was seen as this unbeatable, eternal powerhouse.

And then, it collapsed—nobody thought a system that absolute could fall so suddenly like on a single one day.

Tell me that doesn't mirror Aizen’s betrayal in the Soul Society. The Gotei 13 and the Central 46 represented an ancient, seemingly untouchable status quo. Nobody inside the ranks could have ever thought that someone on the inside would casually shatter their order overnight.

OR it represents his being since it was said he is an "envoy born with an sublime purpose" like literally on his birthday date it was the death of an old order that was seen as unstoppable… the symbolism ahhh~

People that share his birthdate

Aizen’s iconic "No one has stood on the top of the world... from now on, I will stand at the top" is peak "rising above standard morality to replace a fake God."

Many jump from that to Friedrich Nietzsche and his concept of the Übermensch (the Overman) and I understand I watched that Analyse too— it’s great I don’t argue against that!!

HOWEVER there is also someone else (someone very problematic if I may add)

The German philosopher Oswald Spengler (born May 29, 1880).

Spengler is famous for The Decline of the West, where he argued that civilizations aren't permanent. They grow, peak, and eventually freeze into a corrupt, stagnant state. According to Spengler, when a system reaches that decaying end-stage, a powerful, ruthless figure inevitably rises up to shatter the old order shaping a new better one— it’s called Caesarism.

Well for me that sounds a bit drastic but who am I I’m just a cucumber🥒

But anyway, that is literally Aizen's entire worldview. He looks at the Gotei 13 and the Soul King, sees a stagnant, decaying institution built on a lie, and decides he's the one destined to bring down the old era— it may be because of his selfish ego but Caesarism doesn’t really care about morals like the Übermensch.

Here is a quote from him that I ripped into shreds cause the original is way to to long:

"A power can be overthrown only by another power, not by a principle..."

Aizen never tried to reform Soul Society through debate or moral arguments— he played the part and slaughtered behind people’s back — the people that were in power before him (the central 46)

"...the triumph of the will-to-power and not the victory of truths, discoveries, or money that signifies. World-history is the world court, and it has ever decided in favour of the stronger, fuller, and more self-assured life decreed to it..."

Well if it is not that Aizen's core philosophy— He looks down upon people who hide behind "truths" or worship a fake status quo. Aizen believes his own supreme "stronger and fuller" and well also self assured…

"Money is overthrown and abolished only by blood."

Well money does not really play a part in the bleach universe but rather names and power— but the choice that he made killing the central 46 killing/ experimenting on civilians not by the wish to harm but rather for the goal to overthrown and he sees it as the only right option.

"The sword is victorious over the money, the master-will subdues again the plunderer-will."

Aizen views himself as that "master-will" stepping up to end the rule of a stagnant dead regime that hides behind a multitude corpse that has been plundered (The soul king)

Whether Kubo did this intentionally or it's just cosmic alignment, the date match May 29th, the Fall of Constantinople, Spengler’s Caesarism we will probably never know but I’m interested of what you guys think 🥒💚

And other stuff look at the my young Aizen sketch 🧚‍♀️

I should have maybe done that before like drawing a face body ref sheet cause I notice that the face of his constantly changes with every picture I did but drawing consistent proportions is so FRIGGEN hard especially since I try to draw in his style— my own style is very different ahaha 😅

How I look at her knowing her fav is Ichimaru Gin:

Tsukishima having the ability to replace somebody in another person’s past with himself, to override their strongest relationship and make it be with himself instead

Tsukishima seemingly taken in by a total stranger when he was a child, and no one objecting, no one trying to take him back, no one fighting for him

Tsukishima with no parents claiming rightful custody over Ginjo

Tsukishima who, in one way or another, was seemingly left behind by the people who were most supposed to hold onto him

Tsukishima’s ability making him important enough that you stay. That you protect him. That you devalue all other bonds in comparison.

Tsukishima unwaveringly devoted to the one person who has stayed, or let him stay, of his own volition up until now

how is benihime "reconstructing" organs and limbs, like his eyes? out of spiritual matter?

Wouldn't it be fun if the Bleach plot let Aizen reach the Soul King's Palace just for him to find out that he cannot replace the Soul King even with his transcendence, because either he has no human/Quincy element in him -> and the Soul King embodies all four beings (Human/Hollow/Quincy/Soul Reaper) or because he actually doesn't have enough power to hold the Three Realms together and they would start collapsing if he tried.

(Bleach lore & Buddhism):

It makes a perfect sense that Captains in Bleach are sent to Hell after death, let me explain why (through the Buddhism lens):

In Buddhism, there are 6 realms of existence and 6 classes of beings (this is a leader of existence that a soul climbs on their way to enlightenment, or fells from due to karma).

Classes:

Hell beings - in Bleach we only saw Szayelapporo in the Hell state but with the Hell arc, I guess we are going to learn more. This is an existence of the most suffering, caused by the very bad karma accumulated in previous lives. This state of being is a consequence of doing 'wrong' things and collating karmic sins.

Hungry Spirits - in Bleach they are Hollows living in Hueco Mundo, always hungry, always eating Souls and their own comrades. This is a state of being full of suffering due to bad karma, and never-ending craving of what the lack.

Animals - well, these are actual cats and dogs, the existence better than a Hollow but still filled with suffering due to the fear for survival and lack on knowledge/meant to receive the teachings to improve your karma.

Human beings - again, this one is obvious, this state is actually preferable because the paths to receive the teaching, burn off the bad karma and collect the good karma through good deeds is the easiest. This state of being contains suffering due to attachment.

Demi-gods (Asuras) - they might be equivalent of Shinigami in Bleach (Gods of Death), they are characterized by jealousy of actual gods (I'm looking at you, Aizen). These beings are powerful but still not free from suffering and still collecting karma (good or bad).

Gods (Deva/Devi) - the highest state of being that beings can reach and be reborn as when they collect especially good karma in their previous lives, beings very powerful, pure, living an existence free from suffering and filled with joy. Perhaps Squad Zero might represent these kind of existence? Or perhaps the Noble Houses?

So the trick is, the longer a Soul lives a joyful, suffering free life, the more karma they burn. Which leads to all their karma being wasted (in no new good karma is collected, that is) and since Gods are still not enlightened, they are very likely to be reborn in Hell. Because no good karma is left for them.

This is what I think is happening to a very strong Shinigami in Bleach like Yamamoto, Ukitake, etc. They symbolize the very top of existence and so their karma symbolically is used up as they live their existence in fighting, and not practice to better understand themselves. And so they end up in Hell.

This not necessary means that these characters did something sinful to collect negative karma (although through war they might) but more like the privilege of being powerful in the world of Bleach comes with the cost of burning out good karma and being reborn in Hell.