#rambunctious rant

These panels are from Chapter 528 in TYBW.

Ichigo had just been kicked out of the Soul Palace and rather than going home to sulk, he went to Ikumi’s house.

Personally, I interpret this in two ways.

1.) These are the people that Ichigo doesn’t want to disappoint the most. They hold and trust him in the highest regard, therefore he doesn’t want to see them again until he’s well enough to earn their support again.

He doesn’t want to show vulnerability to those he aims to impress.

Or

2.) These are the people Ichigo refuses to be vulnerable around simply because he can’t trust them.

If Ichigo ever cried in front of Isshin, he’d come out of the conversation with a black eye (Isshin’s love language, shown to nobody but Ichigo)

For Chad and Orihime, they have shown an unwillingness to allow Ichigo to be vulnerable. They seem to have trouble allowing Ichigo to be moody without either taking it personally or telling him he shouldn’t feel anything.

Prime example:

Ichigo just found out his close friend defected to the enemy’s side. To ally himself with the person who killed both their mothers.

Ichigo’s allowed to brood about that but these two don’t allow it. (Not in a slanderous way, I just think they have a perfect image of Ichigo that doesn’t include his “darker sides”)

Anyways, based on the ending of the manga the reasoning is probably the first one.

Was more important to Ichigo’s character compared to this team up:

Orihime’s team up with Ichigo fulfilled her character arc.

She’d been beating herself up and wishing internally that one day, she would no longer hold Ichigo back and could fight beside him.

It’s not even about Ichigo, it’s about her own sense of inferiority. Her own self-consciousness.

Yhwach admittedly was the worst villian to try to fight against by Ichigo’s side, but she was still brave enough to do it. And for that she did feel proud.

As for Ichigo, this team up did absolutely nothing for his character. Actually, there are two perspectives to this fight.

Orihime, who feels as though she has worked up to this. She feels as through she is fighting on equal ground with Ichigo and Yhwach. She’s fulfulling her job as the support.

Ichigo, who can’t fight to his full potential until Orihime is out of his way. He has to instruct her when to throw up her shield because she doesn’t have the battle experience to know where Yhwach is going to attack from next.

I suppose it could be argued that this team up helped Ichigo to learn to rely on his friends, specifically Orihime, therefore it helped his character arc.

Though, the results of the battle negates that argument entirely + Ichigo has shown willingness to trust his friends in battle (namely, Uryuu and the Gotei, but I digress)

So, it’s pretty fair to say that Ichigo gained nothing from this battle beside Orihime. Orihime gained everything she wanted…. somewhat.

Now, his team up with Uryuu at the end of the Fullbring Arc is completely different.

It was mutually beneficial to both Ichigo’s and Uryuu’s character arcs at the time.

During the Full Bring Arc, Ichigo had none of his human friends to rely on. Uryuu was injured from the very beginning and was unable to aid Ichigo the way he usually does.

Previous arcs (and the rest of the manga) have proven that, out of his human friends, Uryuu is the only one Ichigo fully trusts to handle himself in a battle.

Uryuu was the only one from Ichigo’s human friends that Tsukishima (and honestly, Kubo) chose not to brainwash. Uryuu was excluded from Ichigo’s psychological torture and was lumped in with the fighters that are able to remain by Ichigo’s side no matter the circumstances. (Along with Rukia, Byakuya, Renji, Ikkaku, Kenpachi and Toshirou)

This team up against Ginjo was a sense of clarity for Ichigo. It is very fair to say, when it comes to his human friends, Ichigo’s faith in them was at an all time low towards the end of the Fullbring Arc.

But Uryuu was willing to endanger himself just to take out Ginjo and Tsukishima (even though Ichigo thought Uryuu had turned on him for a brief moment) and then he proceeded to fight side by side with Ichigo against Ginjo.

Uryuu didn’t try to pull Ichigo away from the fight, he didn’t think Ichigo was wrong in the fight, he did what Ichigo needed most. He stayed by his side, tried to help analyze the villian’s motives and fought by his side without holding him back.

What Ichigo has been shown to appreciate is honesty, and without it being prodded out of him, Uryuu revealed the one secret he was keeping from him, that he had sneaking suspicions about the Substitute Soul Reaper Pass, and Ichigo was quick to let loose and got comfortable with Ishida once again.

This comfort lasted the entire series, even through Uryuu’s “betrayal”. Hence why Ichigo, in the end, admitted that he’d known that Uryuu would never turn on them without a valid reason.

Ichigo’s team up with Uryuu helped Ichigo gain trust, knowledge, perspective, and comradery. It ended with a victory that Ichigo was proud of. He didn’t regret putting Ginjo down and he’d made his choice to stand by the Soul Society despite their transgression.

Ichigo’s team up with Orihime ended with Ichigo in absolute despair. His zanpakuto was broken, he didn’t have any will to fight left. Then, he proceeded to get his zanpakuto restored by someone else and he fought alongside Aizen in a more successful tag team and came out victorious against Yhwach.

Back in Soul Society Arc, there were so many relevant questions and plot points that the story needed to unravel:

Ichigo and the gang need to save Rukia.

What is going on with Gin Ichimaru?

Who killed Captain Aizen?

What is Rukia’s past and why does she feel that she deserves to die?

Does Ishida still hold hatred towards the Soul Reapers despite coming to Soul Society to save one?

Will Orihime be able to uphold her promise to protect Ichigo?

Ganju’s story. Who killed his beloved older brother?

What is Kenpachi’s deal? Why is he seeking out Ichigo?

Why is Byakuya is adamant about Rukia being executed?

Why is there seemingly no love between Byakuya and Rukia?

Why does Renji blame Ichigo for Rukia’s upcoming execution when he was the one that dragged her back to the Soul Society?

Will Hitsugaya be able to uncover Gin’s schemes?

Why does Rangiku seem so attached to Gin?

Why does Komumora wear the face cover that he does?

Why does Central 46 keep changing the execution orders?

Why did Shunsui spare Chad?

And so on.

In Soul Society, everyone had their own ambitions, their own goals and their unique abilities. Everyone had a stake whether they were friend or foe.

There was so much mystery and the story was unraveling beautifully.

In comparison, TYBW’s plot is just vaguely: “Oh damn, Yhwach is trying to take over the world, we gotta kill him!”

None of the fights feel personal.

No one was excited for Hitsugaya vs Bazz-B. No one was excited about Renji vs Mask De Masculine. No one was excited for Shunsui vs Lille Baro.

All of this being because no one is connected, there are no storylines, just fights.

Even in the winter war, there was a reason why everyone fought who they did.

Komumura and Hisagi fought Tōsen for a reason. Rangiku confronted Gin for a reason. Shinji fought Aizen for a reason.

Ichigo fought Grimmjow and Ulquiorra for relevant reasons.

Of course age is a complicated issue considering there are older captains like Shunsui and the late Unohana who are in tip-top shape despite being hundreds of years old.

But for Ichigo’s case, he is in his prime now and the Soul Society are heavily dependent on Ichigo’s skills as a Soul Reaper.

I really try to give characters the benefit of the doubt before being overly critical of their behavior but sometimes it comes to the point where you give up. Ichigo is a character I’ve come to love. A character who is at war with his mother’s killer, a war to preserve the three worlds, a war against his mother’s people. He deserves to be at his best.

That being said, as Ichigo goes to fight his biggest battle, why is it that the dream team Kubo chose is Ganju, Orihime and Chad?

No, genuinely, why was that the crack team? Perhaps I am missing something, maybe it’s some hidden symbolism that I am not catching, but there’s got to be an amazing explanation as to why that is the team that was chosen. Cause I really do not think Kubo could’ve chosen a worse team for the advance troop with Ichigo.

A sad truth: Ichigo only ever wins when he is by himself. When he fought Kenpachi, he told Hanatarou and Ganju to leave, then he was able to beat Kenpachi. When he fought Byakuya, Orihime talked about staying back because she would only hold him back, then Ichigo was able to beat Byakuya. The Arrancar arc, Chad and Orihime’s whole storyline was about not wanting to hold Ichigo back. In HM, Ichigo’s confidence was restored and was able to beat Grimmjow by himself. Ulquiorra… well I suppose Zangetsu took care of him. Against Aizen, when he tried to believe in the Gotei’s abilities, he lost. Against Aizen again, when he believed in his own abilities, he won.

Fullbring arc, Chad and Orihime say this:

It’s a nice sentiment, and you’d think it’s the start of them really pulling their weight but then a few chapters later:

They actively hold him back from killing Tsukishima. And yes, I know they were not in their right mind but we literally see Byakuya putting his loyalty for Ichigo above his own memories.

There is no progression for them after this point which is why I am so frustrated that this is Ichigo’s final arc team. They both don’t understand that some battles, Ichigo doesn’t need them by his side. It’s sad but he always performs his best when he’s by himself.

Chad wanted to be able to fight by Ichigo’s side like the old days and Orihime didn’t want to be lonely. That’s their reasonings for wanting to fight alongside him in the Arrancar Arc and both of those reasons completely dismiss the fact that the battles Ichigo is facing is beyond their level.

This whole rant came to me because in today’s episode, Yukio chose to sit out of the war.

He has no interest in the war, he has no personal stakes in the war and he is able to recognize that he probably wouldn’t make a difference in the war. And Ichigo recognizes it too, so he bars Riruka and Yukio from the war. He really should’ve barred Chad and Orihime too.

If the anime stays true to the manga, Orihime and Chad make no contributions from here on out. Orihime has her big fight with Ichigo and Yhwach but because it ultimate ends in failure, I’m not sure it’s a proper contribution.

And does Ichigo even have faith in them? Because I noticed in today’s episode, Ichigo just straight up doesn’t tell Orihime and Chad what Yhwach’s power is. Like when Chad asked about it, Ichigo turned away and both Orihime and Chad felt dejected. But we know for a fact Ichigo knows what his power is because:

He literally told him what it was. So, did Ichigo deliberately not tell them?

Let’s put into perspective how absurd this team up is. Mentally imagine, after Ichigo fought Yammy and he was about to go to the Fake Karakura to fight Aizen, imagine Orihime and Chad tagged along. Sounds stupid right? Because it is, and this is exactly what is happening right now. They are not characters meant for the front lines and that is established from the very beginning of the manga.

And I don’t know if their characters have always been like this or if Kubo suddenly changed them up but they are displaying a new level of incompetence in this arc.

Ichigo just got done in by the enemy, what should we do?

Stay on the floor and gasp.

Ichigo gets a quincy arrow right to the face, what should we do?

Stay put and yell his name.

Ichigo is passed out in front of the enemy, that must mean the enemy is strong! What should we do?

Run straight at him and get ensnared in his spell as well, instead of using ranged attacks and assessing the situation.

At least Orihime redeems herself and helps Ichigo take on Yhwach, but since we can’t have nice things, they eventually get ragdolled. And when Kubo could’ve given her a great moment to fix Zangetsu, of course, the moment goes to someone else.

Generally speaking: You can take these two out of the war and the only difference would be Yoruichi not having an arm. THAT’S IT.

The last person Chad won against is that non-Espada dude. The one that got demoted. And the last person Orihime beat was the Hollow that hurt Tatsuki. So they went from:

Random Hollows —> Yhwach

Ichigo is condemned to hell for being too powerful.

Chad and Orihime will pass onto the Soul Society.

And Uryuu is condemned to some unnamed world where dead quincies go. A world that is close to Hell according to Kubo.

I know Squad 0 is shady as hell but imagine that the reason they constructed Ichigo’s armor with the Ouken (the key to the Soul King) is because they knew that if Ichigo had it on, Yhwach would not be able to use his ability on Ichigo.

And that would be Ichigo’s key to victory.

(Though, I personally prefer if Ichigo’s role as a Soul King candidate was enough to be immune to the Almighty.

He then made renji, part of the main . Later intertruce the visored. Should kubo even make so many character?

Thank you for the ask!

It’s not necessarily that I think that Kubo should’ve changed the main cast, it’s more so that I think that Kubo should’ve done more with the main support cast so that they don’t seem so out of place all the time.

Regarding the humans (though, Uryuu doesn’t fully count as a human) they should’ve become the peak of their respective race/ability.

Chad should’ve been given the chance to become one of the strongest Fullbringers but he was overshadowed by Tsukishima and Ginjou whose abilities are stronger and better.

Orihime should’ve been thoroughly trained to act and function as a healer. Her abilities aren’t suited for offensive battles like the ones Ichigo engages in. And the smartest man in the manga told her this and she disregarded this (with the help of Rukia) And because of that, she was inserted into battles and situations where her powers couldn’t be used to their fullest potential.

Uryuu already is at the peak of the Quincies. Hes Yhwach’s successor, he is strong enough to battle Squad 0, he can fight Ichigo without automatically dying and he can beat Renji, who’d gotten “Soul King Level Training”.

If Kubo had built up their strength and importance, then the humans wouldn’t seem so out of place all the time but alas, he didn’t.

Also, all of the things I mentioned (besides Uryuu) is for arcs before the TYBW. Even if Chad became a powerful Fullbring and Orihime became the best healer, I still would be against them going to the Royal Palace with Ichigo.

As for the second question:

The Vizards aren’t a part of the main cast so I don’t think there was anything wrong with making them. I think they represent

1.) Soul Reapers that are victims of Aizen’s crimes.

2.) Soul Society’s (mainly Central 46’s) willingness to throw away anything they deem as imperfect in their eyes.

So, I think they were necessary characters.

And for Renji, I do understand why he was put in the main cast I just don’t understand why it had to come at the cost of Rukia’s importance.

For example, his participation in the final fight with Ichigo. Why did Renji deserve that spot over the person Ichigo started the story with? Who was generally recognized as the protagonist of the Soul Reapers.

He was rewarded a new fight against Uryuu, the deuteragonist of TYBW. It would’ve been more interesting to give that fight to Rukia. Give her a chance to grow as a character rather than reducing her to Renji’s sidekick.

And even in the novels, suddenly Renji is Ichigo’s best friend. He’s the one nudging Ichigo to ask Orihime out. Despite knowing nothing about the dynamic and never interacting with Orihime.