The Lust Arc = IchiHime FAIL: An Essay.

[karenai.livejournal.com]

This essay is devoted to deconstructing the Ichihime frenzy that has appeared regarding The Lust arc.

When Kubo started his seven deadly sins arc, I remember commenting that if he really went through with them, any chapter called "the Lust" was going to cause convulsions in the shipper fandom. In the end, while I was right, "The Lust" mini-arc was six chapters, concluding with "The Ash" for seven.

There was a minority that insisted this was the moment for the Ichigo x Orihime ship: Orihime asking and Ichigo delivering, Ichigo sacrificing his humanity (on a silver platter) to his beloved, a glittering moment where The Ship Of Bleach was crowned in a powerful and upstaging parallel to the Byakuya fight that capped off the end of the Soul Society arc.

I can't agree.

Now, I did not write this to soothe the anxiety from my own ship. I did not write this because I have sour grapes that this didn't happen to my ship. I did not write this because I am a vicious, evil human being who likes munching on the delicious feelings of Ichihime shippers for breakfast.

(Well, that last one is a little true.)

I mainly wrote this because I disagree. If this arc is the crowning moment of anything, it's the time Kubo Tite decided to show why Ichigo and Orihime won't ever be a couple. Together, their actions in this arc epitomize everything they don't want to happen: their worst fears come to life by their own hands.

This is what I'm arguing. If stating the obvious is being meaaaaaaaaaaaan, then I am guilty as charged. Read this at your own risk.

Disclaimers: I'm an Ichigo x Rukia shipper, yet I don't ship Ulquiorra x Orihime. Funny, that.
Warnings: I am extremely long-winded. Accordingly, VERY heavy image usage behind the cut.

( The Lust Arc = IchiHime Fail: An Essay )

A Different Sort of Shipping Essay

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