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If you haven't seen Part 1 and 2 of this, here's the link.

1/5. Rukia Kuchiki ~ Squad 13 captan and Number One

I don’t think I have to explain this but I’ll touch over what themes I love, some of it’s duality and how it all helps encompass her character as one of Kubo’s best.

Upbringing and Human Nature ~ Throughout the first arc, we get glimpses into how Rukia was raised and what kind of warrior culture the Soul Society had. Despite her life in the Rukon District and being treated horribly in the Kuchiki Clan, Rukia maintains that Soul Society is better than the human world, that letting an inexperienced Ichigo fight Grand Fisher on his own was considered right by her captain’s standards. However, there’s cracks in these beliefs even from the moment she met Ichigo and began making friends in the human world. It’s especially more painful when she didn’t see Renji for 40 years, and knew she would have to return to Soul Society, that her brief stay with humans was where she felt she belonged, where she didn’t feel empty in the heart.

Self-Worth and Finding the Heart ~ Saving someone usually means the rescuee wants to be saved right? Not in Rukia’s case, her self-loathing over her execution is visible throughout the SS arc. It’s tragic, she was forced to kill Kaien to stop Aizen’s Hollow experiment from continuing to use his body, that she besmirched the Kuchiki name by giving Ichigo her powers, the guy who looks alike to Kaien. Renji and her split up decades ago due to the divide between them, and compounding all of that corroded her self-esteem to the point of her accepting her execution. However, she finds what connects her to those important people and how they care for her, the heart. Therefore, deciding to stay in Soul Society and reclaiming her self-worth.

Renji declares he won’t leave her in the face of Aizen.

Byakuya Kuchiki protects her to fulfill his promise to Rukia’s sister.

Kaien’s relatives forgive her for being the one to end Kaien’s suffering.

If it can be said that the heart is unchanging, then that is strength. - Bleach Vol. 54 poem

A Soldier’s Heart and It’s Duality ~ At the crux of Rukia’s character is her bonds and how she got there through becoming a Shinigami. Kaien was her mentor who taught her to fight and the theme of “The Heart”. To not die alone, to have meaningful connections is where Rukia ensures she makes sure to support her friends through her manner. I think it’s really poignant that the way she tries to sway Ichigo out of his doubts and fears of his inner Hollow…that it doesn’t work because Ichigo hasn’t been in the shinigami life as long as she had. Ichigo’s issues are far more embedded due to how he’s been changed by them….while Kaien’s heart which Rukia metaphorically holds in her, hasn’t changed at all.

Emulating Kaien’s mannerisms because Kaien’s heart carried strength, Rukia’s way contrasts with Orihime’s nature, which ends up helping out Ichigo even for a moment in the Hueco Mundo arc. However, the soldier’s heart is what allows Rukia to continue fighting against Aaroniero the 9th Espada, because she finds strength in it to want to save Orihime, protect her loved ones, and move past the obstacle, because she cares about the reawakened connections she has.

The top three art pieces are made by @srkbom108 on Twitter. Black and White background art is done by @Mak_ai_ on Twitter. The last two art pieces are by @rakusakugk on Twitter.

Thanks for reading, if you want to see my full-length post of all three 3 parts, then here's the Quora link for it!

lmao no problem, as an old fan of the series, I do see where you’re coming from on the points you made. It’s just that after the 2022 finale, I was tired with the show and dropped it for years until Dragons Rising made me a fan again. I think that’s why some things haven’t bothered me as much except for how Season 3 was handled.

I’m actually plan on making a Ninjago side blog at some point to post my ideas and thoughts since it’s obvious that the franchise isn’t going to be ending anytime soon.

In the whole Fake Karakura Town arc, Sasakibe was tasked with guarding the barrier that enclosed the FKT fights despite him being Yamamoto's right hand man and captain level due him having a Bankai in his TYBW flashback. (Yes I know Kubo didn't plan his character out and gave a more concise reason why he mainly stayed by Yamamoto's side instead of fighting on the frontlines but I think in the Winter War against Aizen, the stakes are much higher to take action himself.)

Almost every lieutenant except Sasakibe in these battles had a moment for their character, even Iba got one where he lectured Ikkaku but it still displays his dedication to the Gotei 13 and holding another officer accountable for failing their duty. (Honestly, it makes him being Squad 7’s captain after TYBW a perfect choice despite lack of feats).

Instead, while Yamamoto is setting Ennetsu Jigoku up, Sasakibe can make up for the Captain-Commander's inaction in the battle by fighting in his stead as his right-hand man. It would be a good way to display his strength and show him saving the other lieutenants as a lieutenant himself. Since Hisagi's lightning kido didn't work on Ayon, Sasakibe's Shikai would be a demonstration of the difference between an elemental Kido and elemental Kido-type zanpakuto considering his own skilled lightning/weather control. (Also, he could fight the Tres Bestia afterwards while leaving Harribel to Toshiro, a fellow shinigami that also controls weather.)

Compared to how he was easily taken out in the Soul Society arc by Ichigo, this rewritten moment serves to re-introduce his character as a lieutenant like the fight against Findor did for Hisagi who was beaten by 5th seat Yumichika in Soul Society before his ability was revealed. This leads up to him in TYBW where his death/flashback can be more impactful to the viewer. Plus, Hisagi is present when Driscoll uses Sasakibe's Bankai so him previously being saved by that same lieutenant adds to the moment's weight of witnessing the stolen Bankai being used against Yamamoto.

(Disclaimer: As a Hindu, my intentions with this post are to note the similarities from Hindu mythology that appear in Naruto's character and it's other aspects since Kishimoto has taken inspiration from Eastern religion in certain aspects of the characters and the plot, not to disrespect or mock Hinduism as a whole.)

Parallels between Naruto/Vishnu 

Both share similar circumstances from being born to important people (in Krishna/Rama's case) and don't see their parents for years from the point of birth or exile.

Naruto had the weight of being the Nine-Tails jinchuuriki from Minato choosing him to contain Kurama to defeat Obito while Krishna/Rama were fated to kill evil kings from birth and were separated from their parents to go on their path.

Both struggled with with duty to one's people despite personal attachments where Naruto walked the line between protecting his village and protecting those he loved who the village considered a threat while Rama listened to the people of his kingdom, banishing his wife who was perceived as immoral despite his deep love for her.

Both use their right hand to throw a powerful spinning disk to punish/attack their enemies (Sudarshan Chakra and Rasenshuriken)

Both display multiple arms and heads when displaying their powers in their ultimate form (As Krishna, he did it before the Mahabharata war started while Naruto did it in the VOTE after the war ended).

Both have the ability to transform into women to trick others (Vishnu's Mohini avatar and Naruto's Sexy no Jutsu).

Both have loyal warriors associated with a bird of prey motif who have been an adversary to snakes/snake-like foes, for family-related matters (Garuda and Sasuke).

Sasuke symbolizes himself as becoming a hawk when fighting Orochimaru and even designates his team as 'Taka'. In contrast to that, Garuda is born as a eagle-like man with wings and a beak, from the start.

The snake entities in their respective stories like Orochimaru and the Nagas have the desire to obtain immortality which they attempt through offerings like Orochimaru trying to steal Sasuke's body by promising power to kill Itachi and the Nagas promising Garuda to release his mother, Vinata, from servitude in exchange of him stealing the Amrita (nectar of immortality) from the Devas for them.

However, Sasuke and Garuda are crafty and utilize their own scheme which denies their foe what they want: when the Nagas went for rites after releasing his mother, Garuda quickly returned the Amrita back to the Devas while Sasuke planned to kill Orochimaru before the body transfer ritual, biding his time for years under the pretense he would hand his body over.

Vishnu had a son/incarnation named Kama who represented desire and wants. Naruto’s adopted son Kawaki wields a Karma seal (which is spelled Kama in Japanese), the seal was said to fulfill the desires of several antagonistic characters in Boruto.

Kama is also associated with flowers as a symbol of love, this is displayed in Kawaki who fixated greatly on fixing a flower vase to show love/care towards Naruto's family.

Both represent righteousness and preservation with Naruto being the one out of many prophesied to bring peace and Vishnu incarnated several times to do the same, with ancient sages (Great Toad Sage and various rishis) foreseeing their impact on the world.

like this just feels like stalking at this point XD

LOL this is the 2nd time I got an ask like this! Can’t someone just like good comments on this website without stalker slander 💔

Seriously tho, I’ll link my first response to the other ask to answer your question 😅 and clear up any confusion.