Let Us Speculate About the Hotel California

[http://users.livejournal.com/_debbiechan_/]

Has everyone read the latest chapter -106 Turning Back the Pendulum 3?

Good.

Now that we know that one hundred years ago, Urahara knew that SS was the sort of place where "you can check out any time you like but you can never leave," it makes sense that he invented an untraceable gigai doesn't it? I used to wonder why he was banished for such a crime before. It didn't seem like such an awful offense.

But was Urahara planning on making it possible for souls to escape the fate of the Maggots Nest?

After I stopped twitching (okay I haven't stopped entirely yet but I can bring a cup of water to my lips) over the idea of Urahara having something to do with Mayuri being let loose and becoming a captain, I became concerned about Urahara's misguided compassion and how it may have set the wheels a-turning in the Bleach plot. Then I started wondering if I shouldn't be rooting for Aizen right now the way I would've been rooting for Urahara to upset the whole SS system years ago.

Then of course, I was all impressed with plotting skills of my boyfriend (Kubo and me, OTP since early 2005! YEAH!)

Then of course came the question of Isshin.

My first thought was that Isshin used Urahara's gigai to escape SS but no,
syneiam reminded me, Isshin was only in that gigai for 20 years--he was in it when Masaki was killed and maybe something happened that made him realize it was too dangerous to remain a Shinigami in the Living World?

I expect the big questions will be revealed soon--was Isshin in the special ops, was he the missing 10th division captain, was he that short short guy in the 12th division peeking on the bottom right on -107, page 10?

The Visored are all outlaws--by any stretch of the imagination, with or without Hollow tinkering, they could easily end up in the Maggots Nest.

And please, Kubo, explain what really happened to the sixth division guy who left the Gotei 13 to sell sunglasses? Was the Maggots Nest only a practice of olden times? Can Urahara et al be forgiven? What does it mean that Yama has been in contact with Urahara vis a vis this war?

Oh do go on. These flashback chapters are yummy.

Comments

[spartydragon.livejournal.com]

An internet for you for the Eagles reference. :D

And... yes. Bleach grows consistently curiouser as of late. I wonder... I wonder if Isshin tried to resign at some point, only to be thrown in the Maggots Nest. When he defeated Grand Fisher, he didn't seem particularly thrilled to have his powers back, which is starting to make sense now.

There's something straaange going on around here... >.>

[http://users.livejournal.com/_debbiechan_/]

Mirrors on the ceiling,
pink champagne on ice
We are all just prisoners here
of our own device....

XD

Sometimes I forget that Kubo is only 30 years old. He's such a retro dude. I swear he's referencing stuff like Clark Gable movies and things all the time but then again... that may just be me. This prisoners scene had Silence of the Lambs written all over it, though.

[spartydragon.livejournal.com]

Within the master's chambers
we gather for the feast
stab it with our steely knives
but we just can't kill the beast

Er, that's from memory so I could be wrong. X) I have the original AND the acoustic version of that song... still haven't been able to decide which is better...

Anyway, the retro thing isn't that weird, it all depends on what your parents listened to. Lucky for me, my Mom never lost her love of rock! :D Besides, we all know Kubo's a music buff.

Lol! Hello Clarise Urahara...

[furato.livejournal.com]

Eh, I'm younger than Kubo and, like him, a non-American, but I look back fondly at Hotel California (omg cultural imperialism!). Things you heard (or your parents made you hear) when you're a kid will follow you to the your grave. I suppose everyone turns retro once we hit 21 or something. xD

[windxalchemist.livejournal.com]

constantly, KT throws us a bone, but that bone is a part of this huge dinosaur that no one has a CLUE on what kind of dinosaur it is. XD

[http://users.livejournal.com/_debbiechan_/]

It better stand up and roar, though, by the end of the manga, or I will want my money back! It's all making sense, eh? It's got to come together and shoot fireworks eh?

[annieroo2.livejournal.com]

Wow! I didn't think anyone else around here knew who the Eagles were. :D +10 for the great Hotel California and Maggots nest connection. ;)

And after the Mayuri reveal is anyone besides me even MORE worried about our boys Renji and Ishida being in our resident freak's bondage gear?

[http://users.livejournal.com/_debbiechan_/]

Yeah, I've always been worried about the boys in bondage. I keep telling my friend Jasse that Mayuri is giving them a power boost but she keeps going nooooooooooooooooooo!
I bet he changed their molecular composition!

[annieroo2.livejournal.com]

Eeek! Damn I hope not, because wouldn't a change in molecular composition mean he couldn't use his Quincy powers again?

Mayuri going to heuco mundo bothers me a little though. Kisuke had to open the portal for all the captains to go through. Do you ever wonder if we're going to get a flashback on that particular Kisuke/Mayuri exchange? I'd sure like to know what those 2 had to say to each other after nearly 100 years.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_debbiechan_/]

Eeek! Damn I hope not, because wouldn't a change in molecular composition mean he couldn't use his Quincy powers again?

It was never explained what Szayel did to boost Nnoitra's power and then when Mayuri found those bodies hanging in Szayel's lab methinks he discovered one of the 8th Espada's fancy tricks and looky here, two new test subjects were handy.

I'm sure Renji and Ishida will end up all right--they're shounen good guys (I'm so NOT with the crowd predicting Renji's death) but I'm definitely creeped out over what they may have to go through...

MAYURI.

WHO KNOWS. Spy bacteria, poison wombs, no telling.

[annieroo2.livejournal.com]

*shudders* Mayuri using Szayel's experiments on the boys?! Gah that's just sooooo scary.

I don't know if I'd ever be be able to forgive your boyfriend if he killed off Ishida or Renji. *sobs at the thought*

[quaedam.livejournal.com]

That was a fabulous chapter. Yoruichi just kinda hanging out, and Urahara subduing giants with one hand. And I always love to see more of Hiyori. :D Out of all the Visoreds, we haven't seen Hutch yet--I wonder if he's in that 'maggots' nest' now (I thought at first glance that that huge guy who leapt at Hiyori was him--but it doesn't seem to have been.).

[gully-moe.livejournal.com]

Let's not forget, Mashiro hasn't shown up either.

[quaedam.livejournal.com]

. . .hey, you're right! That two-page spread showed all the Visoreds including her, but she hasn't showed up yet in the story.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_debbiechan_/]

Yoruichi was so damn cute. Like "WhatEVAH, it's Kisuke." LOL. Little Soi Fong, ever the stickler for protocol even then. Probably jealous too.

Hutch is going to turn up in the special ops--damn we should've seen him, then.

Mashiro is going to have a helluva goofy entrance, I'm sure--but I'm not expecting high power. From the color spread she didn't look to be wearing captain's white.

[tsukiryuu.livejournal.com]

True, and since she didn't appear alongside the captains for the meeting either, I'm guessing her and Hachi aren't vice-captains either. I'm actually wondering if maybe Hachi was in the 4th Division.

[norrowa.livejournal.com]

Oooh wow. I love how much KT is emphasizing the authoritarian/quasi-dystopic (although that is perhaps too strong a word) elements of Soul Society.

Of course, I also have to wonder if Urahara's intentions are truly quite as benign as they're supposed to appear.

[akiahara.livejournal.com]

i was wondering that myself... about urahara's intentions. he's always been such a mystery, and we know he's quite cunning...

so i don't buy this hearts and flowers, i just want to be friends thing. not completely.

but i can't even begin to speculate on... anything, really. i was swearing up and down that kurotsuchi couldn't have headed up the scientific research facility since urahara founded it, but now it looks like that's exactly what's about to happen. so wtf!

these chapters are simply amazing.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_debbiechan_/]

Urahara! Pure as the driven snow!

*hears Yoru say it now "Cut the act, Kisuke" *

[yawns-widely.livejournal.com]

I'm with Annie on this, great use of the song. Aizen is certainly beginning to look whiter and I am glad for this, for Hinamori x Hitsugaya aside, I've been trying to find some good in what he is doing.

SS is beginning to look very grim indeed. It disturbs me a little, if I am honest, because it's turning everything up on its head. The Quincy wars and the extermination of souls hinted at something wrong, as did the districts and the seeming lack of policing and those going hungry. I am loving these flashbacks!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_debbiechan_/]

I certainly see why Tousen would follow Aizen. And except for that little bit with Tousen going absolutely postal on Grimmjow, Tousen seemed like a really above board guy all through the manga.

[(Anonymous)]

I've thought that Aizen might really be a kind, compassionate man in his own twisted way for some time now, and the more I look at what's going on in these flashback chapters, especially this latest chapter, the more I think it's probably true.

Aizen, I think, is so disgusted by the horrible state of Seretei and the Afterlife and the whole system of Hollows and Rukongai and eating souls that he wants to destroy everything and make a more perfect world with a more benevolent afterlife, with himself as god. This is why he is able to recruit people like Tousen and Nel, because in the end, he wants to create a perfect heaven and a perfect earth. I am hoping that we will, in fact, hear Aizen declare this, at least in private, sometime in these flashbacks.

Hell, there's a part of me that would almost consider joining Aizen were I a Shinigami or Hollow in the Bleach Universe, because, honestly, the Afterlife is a pretty soul-searingly horrid place in Bleach when you sit right down and think about it.

I'm still not sure what Urahara's up to, but he's always been a "means justify the ends" type of guy, so he might still be after something ultimately "benevolent." It's just that it's gonna cause some really bad stuff to happen down the line (IE, pretty much everything Mayuri's done since then).

[wdboldstar.livejournal.com]

Ack, the above was me. Somehow I was not logged in and did not realize this.

[tsukiryuu.livejournal.com]

I have to agree with your take of Aizen and the after life. That's another thing I forgot to mention in my long-winded comment below. Besides the irony of the court of pure souls being anything but, what the hell is up with Rukongai? The souls in Rukongai are seemingly scared of and not trusting of Shinigami, as suggested by the elder's comments when they approach Ichigo and company after witnessing him defend Jidanbou from Gin. That does not speak well of SS at all. On top of that, these souls have to live an after life in poverty. I thought this was the equivalent of heaven, not hell.

Yeah, I have to admit, if I was a shinigami I'd be trying to become a Vizard and/or joining up with Aizen. Sure, not all the shinigami are bad, btu the system is messed up. Who can work for that? And now with the realization that at anytime an individual is deemed dangerous to soul society's course they're taken away and locked up for eternity, never mind that they didn't do anything and might not have done anything wrong in the future either. Well damn, talk about spending your life looking over your shoulder.

I have to wonder though, are we going to see some of the Vizard shoved there before they escape?

[wdboldstar.livejournal.com]

Oh, Rukongai, Rukongai, Rukongai. Where you live like a medieval peasant and probably never see your family again - and that's just if you managed to appear in the "GOOD" side of town. God help you if you appear in the Kusajihi or Zaraki districts, you'll be lucky to survive more than a week or two unless you're either badass or somehow gain the protection of someone who is.

If there's one thing that's always bothered me about Rukia (besides her belief that she is undeserving of love because of Kaien incident), it's that, pre-SS arc, she would tell the souls she and Ichigo buried that they were going to a better place. She grew up on the mean streets of Rukongai, she should KNOW better. I've always wondered why she said that. I honestly don't think years of being a Kuchiki dulled her memory. Maybe she thought it was better not telling them the truth, so that they'd go quietly and not turn into Hollows?

But yeah. Anyway, I have long said that while there is a Hell in Bleach, there really does not currently appear to be Heaven. Soul Society's definitely not it, at least not for anyone who doesn't live in Seretei.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_debbiechan_/]

Maybe Rukia was just giving the departed the Party Line. She was lying to them as instructed.

Because the Bleachverse is reincarnation-based, I thought of SS as a holding place, not a Heaven persay but a sort of purgatory at best where sould just put in some time and had some hard goings-on.

I've always predicted a re-structuring of HEAVEN AND EARTH by the end of Bleach, not just of SS but of the whole shebang.

[wdboldstar.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm counting on it. Something's got to give here one way or another, and even if/when Aizen is dealt with, someone's going to be bought to task. I'm hoping SOMEONE takes the King to task for what Soul Society is. Maybe Chad will talk on behalf of Parakeet boy.

[furato.livejournal.com]

I've always thought that Rukia lied, and Kubo intended for us to pick up that Rukia lied (her pause before speaking to Shibata). After all, if you're dead and some death god shows up and tells you afterlife sucks, you wouldn't be able to pass in peace. You probably even want to escape and wander forever as a spirit, hence making you vulnerable to Hollows, which is precisely what Gotei 13 do not want.

[grass-angel.livejournal.com]

You forgot the part about how SS will quell any uprising that realises how messed up the system is by a) instilling loyalty into the lower officers so they wouldn't/couldn't dare move a finger against their beloved squad leader, b) managing higher-ranked officers by their peers or, finally, c) locking them up like crazies.

And since there is no instruction from 'God' this system is entirely run by SS itself, meaning the twelve captains, the central 46 and possibly the Royal guard. (Two of which I'm beginning to think is a bunch of people previously in important positions who have expressed displeasure at the system and is really just another system of keeping the naysayers quiet. Why else would the 'most loyal' captains Shunsui, Ukitake and Unohana not have been 'promoted' to either central 46 positions or to the Royal guard?) The system is entirely flawed, which is exactly why, as you've pointed out, Aizen started walking down his current path in order to correct it.

And yeah I think if most people were a shinigami smart enough to see all this and keep their mouths shut about it for as long as it took to learn about Aizen's plan, they would probably skip to his side in the end too.

[nehalenia.livejournal.com]

OK, I finally got to read it and... Wow. Just... wow.

Man, I just knew it was going to be Mayuri in there. Is it wrong of me to get so excited? Not b/c I like Mayuri -- tho he is strangely fascinating in a horrifying kind of way -- but because from the first he's been connected with my favorite boy Ishida, and it looks like they aren't done with each other yet. To me, more Mayuri seems to indicate more Ishida. And some further weird connection. Which makes me go all kind of shuddery in a deliciously icky sort of way.

This is just incredible stuff.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_debbiechan_/]

To me, more Mayuri seems to indicate more Ishida.

Haha, first thing I told my friend Jasse when the spoilers came out. I'm so Ishida-centric sometimes.

[tsukiryuu.livejournal.com]

First of all - so glad to see I'm not the only one that loves the Eagles around here. Kudos for the song analogy.

Now, see, here's why I've never been able to look at Aizen and go "Evil bad guy, grrr". Kubo wrote a very interesting and complex character here. Initially he appears so kind and warm hearted, it was an illusion, he's a manipulative bastard hell bent on ruling the world. - Or is he?

When it was first revealed what happened to the Quincy, I could see the seriousness that their existence posed to the balance, but at the same time, I thought SS pulled out a nuke to take care of a rodent problem. Then you throw in the Bount thing (which is admittedly just the anime, but still) and there is a very dark lining to this silver cloud of SS. Then we have the mod souls and the torture and dissection of the Quincy by Mayuri - and these are the good guys? WTF?

Of course, we did get a very good idea of how wrong SS can be very early in the series. Remember, Rukia transfers her powers to Ichigo since she is unable to beat the hollow and so Ichigo can protect his family. No formal investigation was conducted, they just saw she had been there too long, and an order was sent to retrieve her and kill the human she transferred the powers to. Yes, Aizen was behind this, but no one batted an eye at this procedure. An innocent human (who they're protecting by the way) got caught up in this mess, kill him, bring back the shinigami and her faux body and let's be done with it. No one seemed to think that part of the procedure was odd. They only started raising eyebrows when it was revealed Rukia would be executed for the crime, one not usually punishable by death, and that she would be executed in a manner usually reserved for captains. Plus the shrinking deadline. That alone was our first clue that things weren't all that right in SS.

To tell the truth, I only really started thinking of Aizen as "bad" because he wants to kill a bunch of people to make a key. But then, truth be told, I see him more of a shade of gray. I just can't fault him for wanting to take down SS and reshape it.

The fact that someone like Mayuri is a captain is appalling to me and any government that who keep someone like him in such a high position of authority, and essentially turn a blind eye to his acts, while adapting a self-righteous air is really grotesque. Methinks this is why I like reading fanfics where SS puts a price on Ichigo's head when it becomes public knowledge he's a vizard. I could so see them taking that route, whether his shinigami friends agreed or not.

Now, with the revelations of the Vizard as former captains, this Maggots Nest, well, to be frank, I'm starting to want Aizen to kick some major ass. There are some serious problems in this court of pure souls.

Oh wow, comment got long. Sorry! One last thing to mention, is it just me or did Yoruichi seem sad when she looked at Soi Fong during their battle in the retrieval arc? When Soi Fong boasts about having taken over Yoruichi's former role, she seems very sad and disappointed. I wonder if Yoruichi saw the wrong in some of SS' actions and was saddened to see her protege falling in line.

[gully-moe.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I remember when watching Bleach, I viewed SS as the enemies. After all it was what Ichigo was fighting against. Mayuri seemed to be the evilest of them all, being that he uses his subordinates by killing them in order to kill the ryoka. Plus he and Ishida should have grudges against one another, yet Mayuri is helping him in HM. I'm not saying that Mayuri is pure evil, but he just appears to be the evil type, yet he's still working for SS, and his job is to protect souls.

You may be right about Aizen. I hope we can understand Aizen more.

[tsukiryuu.livejournal.com]

See, with Mayuri, I'm just freaked he's doing stuff to Ishida and Renji. o.O I don't know if it's helping yet. This is the guy who took the chance to pump Ishida full of spy-bacteria after all.

Also, I don't know if it's just me or what, but I've always gotten the impression that Mayuri could care less about SS and is just there because it gives him the chance to head the research department and continue his experiments and research. Whenever he makes an appearance to aid SS it seems more like he's doing so for a chance to study a specimen, not doing his job.

Syzael - ooh, I wanna see what these arrancar can do
Bount - ooh, I want a bount to study
Ryoka - ooh, the girl is unique, I want to study her
Ishida - eh, I've already studied the Quincy- wait! You can do that? Let me study you!

^^; That could be just my take on him though, I fully admit this.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_debbiechan_/]

Not your take alone. It's how Kubo wants us to see him, I'm sure.
Remember Isane broadcasting her message to everyone near the end of SS arc and Mayuri coming out of the shower going "I have no interest."
He's not in the organization for its mission statement; he's looking out for number one.

Aizen on the other hand has ideals. He said something about G-d's throne being unoccupied too long. He's not just power hungry--I've always suspected he's a Reformer.

[tsukiryuu.livejournal.com]

That's a very good point, one I should have mentioned. ^^; Also, when the Ryouka invade SS, during the captain's meeting, Mayuri makes it very clear that the invasion of SS is of no interest to him, just his research. Clearly not in it for anything but himself. Which brings me back to my take on SS itself. Urahara apparently thought prisoners in the Maggot's Nest could be used, it seems like SS is using Mayuri and turning a blind eye to his activities so long as they get the results they need. Ends justify the means, much?

[grass-angel.livejournal.com]

Well, at least we know why Urahara was exiled instead of imprisoned. That's if he was actually booted out of SS at all and didn't just take a hike of his own volition.

I still think that Isshin looka-like is the same guy who appeared on Ishida's quincy pants.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_debbiechan_/]

I don't get it. SS wouldn't exile people according to this chapter--what happened to Urahara?

[grass-angel.livejournal.com]

Think about it. Urahara knows the ins and outs of the system and how it works. Don't you think he could exploit it somehow, possibly even leading to all those contained in the system escaping?

[windstalk.livejournal.com]

I have always wanted to ask this question. Since Isshin was a Shinigami, doesn't it mean that he is already dead? When did he marry Masaki? When he was a Shinigami? Then Ichigo isn't really human, is he? Does it mean when Shinigami stay in a gigai, they become humans (temporarily)?

Now I want to know who was Rose's predecessor and if he/she is in the Maggot's Nest. Also, I desperately want to know who Mashiro is and I could hazard a guess that she is from her uniform in the Secret Mobile Corps from the colour splash.