Confirmed: Cover and Colorspread for 317

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

There's going to be a SJ cover for Bleach and a colorspread for the next issue (the one due to officially hit the stands on 7/14).  YEY SPREAD! What do you think it will be? A Shinigami showdown spread? *hopes for close-up of Stark* I want to know Stark's true EYE COLOR *fangirls and laughs at everyone annoyed by Stark fans* There's yet been an Orihime and Ichigo spread this entire arc, so now would be the time if there's going to be one. So far, no other girl has shared a spread solo with Ichigo  other than Rukia. Her rescue spread with just her and Ichigo was pretty romantic, imo.

Shipper waters have been a-churning.  It's always more entertaining for me when fans stick to wild posts about the characters, though, rather than snide addresses to individuals in fandom. The great Anime Suki "Rukia or Orihime" thread gets dull when it falls into "You're ten years old" "No, you are".  That I can skip--but for some degenerate personal reason having to do with an intrinsic character flaw I'm sure, I can never get enough of essay-length posts where people tweak all their gender studies classes and wiki browsing of mythologies into Bleach plot and character prediction. I stumbled upon something the other day that mentioned Gandhi and Mozart and IchIOri in the same breath. Awkwardly, of course, but hey, the brain-energy is fun. The stoopid is fun. I feel like when I was a kid and my little sister would bomb me with Alka-seltzer tablets while I was taking a bath.

Good times.

Bleach Volume 34 with Nel on the cover in the most fanservicey art yet from Kubo-sensei goes on sale soon. As soon as anyone gets an advance copy, post the doodles and the POEM, please. I'm so curious as to what sort of poem Kubo wrote for Neliel.

Comments

[bunnisteffi.livejournal.com]

... They must all realise that, at the end of the day, Kubo-sensei's going to be the one who goes 'BANZAI!'... right? All these shipping wars just go to show exactly how insane us Bleach loonies fans can be, no?

LOL.

I'm missing out on my tankubon 32-34! I'll have to get them from Book-off the next time I'm there.

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

I don't know how many girls have told me they're embarrassed to go into the store to buy 34. LOL

[la-kalaka.livejournal.com]

My brother will be gratefull when I can buy that *grins*

And I don't care if someone see me buying that volumen (me loves girls after all *3*)

[jaina.livejournal.com]

The Neliel cover cracks me up. It's utter, utter fanservice, but...she was a tiny little kid and became an adult woman in a tiny kid's clothes! It's hard to argue that she shouldn't be dressed in scraps!

Oh, Kubo, I love you so.

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

*JOINS IN THE LOVING*

Yey for utter, utter fanservice!

[grass-angel.livejournal.com]

Don't tell me they made some bizarre Motzart/Marie Attoinette -IchiOri connection or something.
Although, I suppose more along the lines of referencing the lyrics of 'Twinkle, twinkle, little star' would make more sense considering Orihime's astronomical associations.
But still, referencing a nursery rhyme written by a five year old prodigy?

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

No, no, it wasn't like that. It wasn't a looney tunes essay, but I seem to remember it made some reference to the princess in the tower trope with Ichigo being the prince come true of Orihime's early fantasies and Ulquiorra being the dragon. Something like that.

[grass-angel.livejournal.com]

And this is why I hate fairy tales.

Did you know, by the way, there is ONE Western dragon story in which the dragon has to eat princesses? All the others are just the villagers deciding the dragon needs to eat a princess/a virgin for its sacrifice. (Says something about stereotypes as well as human nature I think...)

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

A REAL fairy tale has darkness and pain--like in HCA's where the Little Mermaid turns to seafoam at the end instead of getting her prince. The Disney cooked over versions of fairy tale--blech. I have a fondness for early Disney of the Pinocchio days but don't get me started on their warped idealizations of femininity like in Pochahantas.

Besides, Kubo is more likely referencing Orpheus and the Charon myth and a host of Tanabata stuff than he is Western fairy tales (although he's thrown the prince and princess stuff in with the kitchen sink into Bleach too--that's standard magical manga fare). You get the idea from his recent comment about being surprised that Western fanart looked Japanese that he didn't get out much--I wouldn't guess he's a big consumer of Disney fare. Just a hunch.

[kari-izumi.livejournal.com]

don't get me started on their warped idealizations of femininity like in Pochahantas.
Going on a tangent, but I've never liked Pocahontas. I never cared for the story of the 27 songs in the story, and once I learned a little bit about her history, I liked it even less. D:

[grass-angel.livejournal.com]

I loved the bit about her turning into seafoam and then into one of the spirits of the air.
*nods* Although, regardless of the era, I've always been disappointed by Disney's treatment of fairytales. Even Snow White, because I while I thought the idea of dying by red hot iron shoes nailed to your feet was gruesome, it was less lame than falling off a cliff. (That being said, they treated everything else nicely.)

The really popular (cute) stuff does make it to Japan. (They LOVE Winnie-the-pooh and the Princesses.) But Kubo isn't a girl into kawaii fashion or whatever and unless he's got a sister or something, I doubt he is a consumer either.
I think even Disney is particular to a few generations of Westerners nowdays too.
Ancient mythology and folklore is definitely a more... not universal, but more acknowledged reference than a Western popular rendition.

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

Kubo has a younger sister. No idea whether she's a Disney fan.

[xilvrin.livejournal.com]

I'm ten years old! *goes and plays with plastic ponies/*

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

I need to get a photo next time my kid has plushie Renji ride My Little Pony.

[xilvrin.livejournal.com]

Renji and my little ponies? been there and done that (photo from last year....) http://silvanoir.deviantart.com/art/Bleach-candy-mountain-66101016

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

OMG, you just rocked my seven year old's world! I have My Little Ponies in my DA gallery too! http://debbiechan.deviantart.com/art/My-Little-Ponies-for-Sophie-52353377

[xilvrin.livejournal.com]

Neat! at least you have the excuse of having kids, my only excuse is nostalgia. The pink pony was the first pony I'd owned, a christmas gift when I was only 2 years old and held on to over the years, and I think one of the first few lines of ponies that came out. The blue one I bought when they started selling MLPs again, and bought on impulse because I was feeling nostalgic.

The photo is a paradoy of the web cartoon "Charlie the Unicorn". Not sure if you've ever seen it, here's a link if you haven't:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5im0Ssyyus
if you like dumb humor, you'll like it.

[xilvrin.livejournal.com]

(1 year old. sorry, extra braindead this morning)

[vraieesprit.livejournal.com]

...

I had to come out of lurker mode to comment on that because I laughed so hard ;D

This is speaking as a Bleach fan and a 24-year-collector of My Little Pony...

Renji looks so pissed.

Ah well. He could've been stuck with Bonnie-chan ^_^

Vraie *goes back a-lurking*

[07janina07.livejournal.com]

And then the canoness of Ichiruki is question after Kubo has drawn Ichigo and Rukia in a Yuu Watase way. This one and the The sotry of Destiny spread are so shoujo they hurt. Kubo's eventual ship is Ichiruki, I am just biting my nails asking myself when is he going to show them again. I want some interaction and Kubo is a sadist to us all.;_;

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

Hmmm, I hadn't thought of that spread as being particularly Yuu Watase but now that you mention it, it's the only crayon soft color one. I remember when I first saw it I was struck by Rukia's soft light blue hair. Kinda shoujo, maybe deliberately so? But the forest of swords and Ichigo's face make it safely in ADVENTURE!land

[07janina07.livejournal.com]

Tons of shoujo have the same composition of art fro the main couple. They are always shown together. Either one of them faces is shown and the other is shown full body. Seen tons of those throughout the years. Kubo is such a shoujo man is not even funny, I never thought it was official art until I check a couple of times.

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

Yeah, the strangeness of the art does leap out at you in comparison to other spreads. I love the crayon. Rukia's especially lovely in this spread.

Well, if we get an Ichigo-Orihime spread, I'm backing down on my IchiRuki canon certainty. But I'm expecting Shinigami showdown spread. Either that or UlquiHime EYESMEX spread? XD

[wdboldstar.livejournal.com]

Dangit, now I'm afraid of what will happen if it IS an IchiOri spread.

Well, it won't be. Totally. If it's an Ulquihime eyesmex thread, I will -- Okay, well, I'm already gay for Kubo, but I will be even more so.

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

Eh, it'll be a fighting pose spread. But I dont think we've seen the last of UlquiHime eyesmex in the manga!

[deathlike.livejournal.com]

I don't act like an adult anyway XDDD I still need to go back to my gaming spree

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

I AM REALLY TEN. R U OLDER OR YOUNGER THAN ME?

[la-kalaka.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking about that, Kubo hasn't done such a IchiHime cover yet.

I'm sooo grateful xDDDDDDDDDDD Of course I luuv Hime, but that poves a lot about the Ichigo and Orihime relationship that Kubo have in mind.

[fanartist.livejournal.com]

I feel like when I was a kid and my little sister would bomb me with Alka-seltzer tablets while I was taking a bath.

XDD

Though IMO... I think it'll be another spread with multiple characters. Though I'm hoping for something that's a little more fun like the last color spread... (innuendo would be ACE, though :D)

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

hi fanartist! Don't think I've seen you around here before. Your work is great!

I'm pretty sure it'll be a multiple character spread. I'd rather have the main cast but since they were featured last time I'm calling a Shinigami/Espada fighting spread. Aizen, Gin and Tousen would be cool.

[fanartist.livejournal.com]

Thanks *^^*

Heh heh ^^ Just recently found this place and devoured the Kubo interviews an other bits I've been missing out on ^^a

I'll definitely be lurking about, and hopefully I'll have some nice photos of Kubo-san to share when I get back from Comic Con :3

YHEY FOR BLEACHNESS

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

<3333333333333333333333333333

YAY! There are going to be SO many new pix of Mr. Camera Shy. Ho ho ho.

[shinigami-lucia.livejournal.com]

I would love to see a color spread of Ichigo, Rukia, Orihime, Ishida, Renji, & Chad, dressed for a Tanabata festival ♥

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

But there's no Bleach for Tanabata week! T__T I like the original cast doing ordinary stuffs spreads too. I'd totally campaign for a Tanabata spread if I could. *holds big chocolate and mandarin out for Kubo-chan* <3

[shinigami-lucia.livejournal.com]

LOL, I know there's no Bleach for Tanabata week XD ....I just want an excuse for them to wear nice yukatas and making wishes on a bamboo tree XD

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

I wonder what they'd wish for.

[khyata.livejournal.com]

Laugh at me, why don't you. But you know I love you, so I wouldn't mind if you chuckled at my Stark fangasm annoyance XD. I know I'm in the severe minority, so I'll just have to deal. Tee-hee.

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

Shows you what a big Stark fan I am that I don't even have an icon of him yet! I want color spread!

*loves you back*

[khyata.livejournal.com]

Who needs a Stark icon when you have fabulous Yoruichi iconage? ;) Speaking of Stark icons and the like, when we start seeing more of him, I'll get to coloring and make a banner or two for you. *hugs*