Great Bleach Tangents

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

Discussion for the weekend.

Beyond the many Ban Kai Kubo has yet to show us and all the debatable growing up the kids have to do, there are so many unresolved tangents in Bleach that it would take Sensei  a nice ten years at least to thoroughly pick up all the loose threads, wouldn't you say? Given our manga-ka's propensity for dropping a thread and then picking it up a hundred or more chapters later, Bleach can sometimes resemble a very wooly carpet.

What are some of your favorite loose threads and what do you think are the chances of their being woven back into the glorious Bleachverse tapestry in some spectacular way?

For example, I've always been slightly pissed that we never got a resolution to the fact that Ishida had all those spy bacteria in him by Mayuri--did he get them out? Did Orihime undo that nasty business when she healed him? But I'm resigned to the fact that this loose thread may not be very important to the Master Tapestry. More important is the fact that Aizen got locked away with the hougyoku still inside him. And how about that BIG GIANT CLUE that Kubo threw in chapter 00b about Rukia's mystery visit to Earth with Kiyone--that's overdue some explanation. Rukia's connection to hougyoku. How about Orihime's vow to destroy the hougyoku? That got brought up in one panel and never touched about again. Don't even get me started about Orihime hints of development from Kubo that have gotten nerfed.

So, while we're all cozying up to some guaranteed Isshin backstory now, there's still a LOT of unresolved Bleach to bitch about. What are your favorite seemingly forgotten tangents? (I'm sure Sensei hasn't forgotten them--he's just slow and sadistic XD)

Comments

[sweetiedogood.livejournal.com]

I wasn't trying to bash anybody. I guess I kind of admire the people can stick with it through the ups and the downs, cuz I couldn't.

I'm not saying he could be a captain now (Kite did say he wants to do the manga for like 10 more years.) I really feel like that could be a part of Ikkau's development. I watched the manga and read the anime, so that one stint with Keigo's with the club made me want to watch him in more leadership positions.

He was... I wouldn't say *good* at it, I wouldn't consider him a very good role model, but they grew. Especially that one kid. While Ikkau's methods would aren't the norm, I can imagine him with a group of kids and inspiring confidence in them through their own abilities--if they work at it and if they don't, they'd die.

Besides, I feel like everyone's selling Ikkau short right now. Everyone needs that "hey, I eff'd up, bigtime." moment. Maybe Iba's words could strike a chord in him, Kaien was against becoming lieutenant but something changed his mind.

He's not the only one who effed up in that battle. There were a lot of major screw ups between the participants and the way they underestimated their opponents. That battle should have been an eyeopener for all of those there.

[cyanglow]

Of course Ikkaku was not the only one who fucked up in that battle. Most readers know that well. That's not to say we don't still love him. And that's not to say he still didn't fuck up.

Admitting he fucked up is part of liking him, really.

[nehalenia.livejournal.com]

I didn't take what you said as bashing, and yes, in 10 years, a whole lot could happen. Ikkaku's issues will almost certainly be explored, as will Yumichika's. He was in the same boat as Ikkaku and told Charlotte he would have died rather than let Ikkaku see his zanpaktou's real shikai.

The battles of the Four Pillars showcased a lot of problems those four characters have. Kira is the one who came off the best -- and showing Kira as the real badass of those four is just the sort of twist that Kubo gets a kick out of, I suspect. Hisagi's problem with his zan -- "fearing his sword" -- was somewhat resolved in his fight with Fly!Tousen, but Ikkaku and Yumichika still have a lot of development and resolution to go through.

Nobody's trying to jump on you for thinking Ikkaku could be a captain. It could happen. I was just pointing out that based on his own words and actions, the guy isn't ready yet. If Bleach is going to last as long as Kubo says, though, we may yet see it happen.

[nyxviola.livejournal.com]

(I wholeheartedly agree with what you said about Kira!) That boy needs to be called badass more often.