#bleach lore

[soulpager]

Hooo boy. Oh no. We're going down the rabbit hole of Shinji Hirako's hairstyle choices and what they mean, people. Buckle in.

So, this has been bugging me for a while, but oh my gawd, we need to get the story straight on Shinji's freaking hairstyles. Because I care far, far too much about this and need to get it off my chest.

So what's the deal with Shinji's hair? Let's start with his TBTP arc hair, which is CRAZY. Oh my god.

In Bleach Tankobon #71, Chapter 652, we get this short flashback from Nanao with a surprise Shinji cameo. Please ladies, take note: Aizen may appeal to the common, everyday fangirl, but we Shinji stans are RARE and WE HAVE TASTE.

(Kubo not giving this chick page time is a CRIME, I tell you. I see you, girl. You're a woman of culture.)

Anyway, we can see from the dialogue that even in the Soul Society, home to Captain Kyoraku wearing ladies kimono around, Captain Unohana's front braid, and Mashiro's green hair, Shinji is regarded as weird. Some of that is undoubtedly referring to his personality, because Shinji is absolutely a weirdo, no question. He'd tell you himself. But his hair is somehow memorable, even when a number of male captains currently wear theirs long as well.

It's long in back, with slightly shorter locks in front, and then bangs.

Okay, you say. That's just a hime cut, right?

Well. Sorta. But also no? Listen, I have no idea what Kubo was thinking (obviously), so it's entirely likely and possible this was just what he felt like drawing, subtext be damned. You know, like that time he drew powered speakers in 1891.

Kubo, I love you, but you give historians like me the hives sometimes. That's clearly a 1970s style powered speaker.

And we know it's 1891 because Bleach started in 2001 and Kubo flat out admits it's 1891 on the little omake after that chapter.

Jazz started in the late 1890s Kubo, I'll give you that one: https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20120224-travelwise-the-birthplace-of-jazz

*squints*

Are - are those BAKELITE HEADPHONES?!? From the 1960s?!? In 1891?!?

*rage-gargling noises of a suffering historian*

ANYWAY. HAIR.

So here's the thing. A lot of modern hime cuts DO have bangs:

But they also usually tend to have much shorter front locks, usually chin length.

Some even do little multi-step cuts, but you can see how short they tend to be. Shinji's is much longer, and technically back then, the modern "hime" cut didn't exist yet. So what the hell is he wearing?

He's doing a popular noblewoman's Heian era hairstyle, which often involved leaving the long hair loose or arranging it over the shoulders or in a long tail. When a girl reached the age of 16, she'd have a ceremony called "binsogi" (鬢削ぎ) that cuts the hair around her ears shorter like seen above.

This painting of Murasaki Shikibu done by Tosa Mitsuoki (土佐 光起) in the 1600s shows another good example.

So this leaves us with three things about this already that might be making those academy students think he's a weirdo:

Shinji's not a woman, and that's pretty clearly a woman's hairstyle. Cross-dressing was absolutely a thing back then, but it was generally done head-to-toe, not just a woman's haircut with men's clothes.

The Soul Society is pretty clearly based on Edo period Japan, and NOBODY WORE THEIR HAIR LIKE THIS THEN. It would be like you walking around with a beehive or a wimple in the 1990s. People would ask you what costume party you were going to.

Shinji is pretty clearly not a noble. His name, "Hirako" (平子) includes the character 平, hira. One of the kun readings for that kanji is literally "common" (Hiyori actually pokes fun at this in the manga). Kubo has been shown to be pretty deliberate with names and mannerisms, and not only does Shinji have "common" in his name, he has a commoner accent - Osaka-ben, which is often seen historically/stereotypically as somewhat crude, lowbrow, and associated with merchants (whom the nobility hated for reasons I'm not going to bore you with here).

So, not only is he wearing an outdated super feminine hairstyle, he's almost poking fun at the nobility by imitating their style as a commoner.

But wait. There's more.

Because see, every single example I can find of Heian era noblewomen hair just DOES NOT INCLUDE BANGS. Bangs are absolutely a thing in Japanese hairstyles, but they're almost invariably swept back and pinned with a comb, not left down on the forehead.

This is a lovely example from this book, which is pretty awesome and I highly recommend it: Amazon link, but it's not an affiliate, I don't do that.

So wait a second, you say. I can see that middle one on the right. What's that one?

Well, here's where we get off into the weeds, because I don't think Kubo INTENDED this (or maybe he did, he's a massive troll), but this theory amuses me immensely. I don't remotely think this is why Shinji chose this hairstyle, but the similarity is too funny not to mention.

See, that's a kamuro haircut. A kamuro is a young girl between 5 to 9 years old that is a courtesan in training to a very high ranking courtesan. (There was eventually a rule codified in the Yoshiwara pleasure district that high ranking oirans could have two kamuro and mid-tier could have one.) The girls wore their hair like that while it was growing out long enough to be able to style in an updo.

Now, this hairstyle is too short in back to be what Shinji's wearing. But it's also the only style I can dig up that had any kind of bangs at ALL during the Edo period (as far as I can determine, bangs just were not a thing in the Heian era.)

So Shinji is either wearing the outdated noblewoman's hairstyle WRONG (which is my theory) or he's added the bangs to remind people of a kamuro hairstyle. Which is extra weird, because he's not the right age or gender, and he's not an oiran's attendant. He could also be imitating something from the world of the living at the time, but the length of his hair and shorter front locks tends to disprove that; that is VERY much a Heian style.

So yeah, he's absolutely, positively messing with people from the get go here. Like, this is peak Shinji Hirako going, "I'm going to deliberately come off as weird just so I can gauge how you react and see what kind of person you are by your reaction to me."

Except here's the thing. He later cuts his hair while in the world of the living, right? And this bothers me immensely because everybody, including the Viz translators, refer to it as a "bowl cut".

No. This is a bowl cut.

It's literally a home haircut for guys you get by slapping a bowl on your head and cutting around it against the rim of the bowl. Shinji doesn't have a bowl cut, and neither does Soi Fon, and the original Japanese was making a joke about a kappa that they didn't bother to translate.

This is a Yokai called a kappa, btw. They have an indent in their head they keep water in. Hiyori was just finding another way to call Shinji hideous, basically.

I've seen some people call it a pageboy.

Noooooo. It's naaaaaawt a pageboy. He's wearing a bob.

Okay, semantics. Point is, he's STILL wearing (traditionally speaking) a woman's hairstyle. We don't know how many hair revolutions he went through in the last 100 years, but you have to be supremely confident, because it can be difficult to pull off, regardless of gender.

(Seriously, some guys look amazing with bobs, especially when the lines are less severe and chopped.)

Also, Shinji appreciation time, because you either pull off those straight bangs or you don't. It is, as Tim Gunn says, "A lotta look."

But hang on, hold everything. When did bobs even show up in Japan?

Whelp. Actually quite a bit earlier than you'd think. Here's a postcard from the Meiji era:

HANG THE FUCK ON ARE THOSE KAMURO AGAIN?

Yep.

So it's entirely possible he's leaning on this weird imagery to further unsettle people, but having a haircut similar to a child attendant is a wee bit squicky and I don't think that's honestly what was intended.

So what was Kubo going for here?

Well, the bob came to Japan around the 1920-1930 period, along with jazz, and it was an iconic hairstyle for women, particularly for the "Modern Girl" or "moga" (and the bob was called a moga, the association was so strong).

You can read more about this cool Kiyoshi Kobayakawa print, "Tipsy", here.

You know what was really popular in Osaka, even after it started getting censored in Tokyo as WWII picked up?

Jazz.

You know who loves Osaka and jazz?

Shinji Hirako.

I'm not going to rant about this right now, I have a whole other post about Shinji and wartime jazz.

I honestly think by the time Kisuke figured out how to fix the Soul Suicide issue with the Vizards that it was just getting to be the jazz age. They would have had to move around quite a bit, since Aizen was actively looking for them, and Shinji in particular (in fact, in the manga he specifically only calls out Shinji. Aizen just DOES NOT LIKE his former Captain, but he also respects the guy enough to be concerned about him being a loose cannon.) So they might have been in Osaka for a while instead of Tokyo, where Karakura is located. (It's not a real place, but Kubo has addressed it.)

I think Shinji stuck with his thing of wearing women's haircuts (it mentions this specifically in a databook and I can't find the reference now that I want it, ugh) and got a moga bob right around the time the jazz age was picking up and he knew he was going to live long enough to get a shot at Aizen. And I think he just stuck with it, honestly. Our boy was rocking a Heian hime for DECADES after it had gone out of style CENTURIES before. He's not going to change up everything on a whim (though I think he started fucking with his bangs purely to enhance the weird confusion of Sakanade's reversing sight.)

Also, since Hiyori's rampage sliced off part of his hair already, he'd have gotten a haircut asap to fix that, once he wasn't in any mortal peril. Our man likes to be stylin'.

Have this fun compilation of 10 decades of women's hairstyles in Japan. You've earned it.

[bleachplease]

Why all Captains go to Hell?

(Bleach lore & Buddhism):

It makes a perfect sense that Captains in Bleach are sent to Hell after death, let me explain why (through the Buddhism lens):

In Buddhism, there are 6 realms of existence and 6 classes of beings (this is a leader of existence that a soul climbs on their way to enlightenment, or fells from due to karma).

Classes:

Hell beings - in Bleach we only saw Szayelapporo in the Hell state but with the Hell arc, I guess we are going to learn more. This is an existence of the most suffering, caused by the very bad karma accumulated in previous lives. This state of being is a consequence of doing 'wrong' things and collating karmic sins.

Hungry Spirits - in Bleach they are Hollows living in Hueco Mundo, always hungry, always eating Souls and their own comrades. This is a state of being full of suffering due to bad karma, and never-ending craving of what the lack.

Animals - well, these are actual cats and dogs, the existence better than a Hollow but still filled with suffering due to the fear for survival and lack on knowledge/meant to receive the teachings to improve your karma.

Human beings - again, this one is obvious, this state is actually preferable because the paths to receive the teaching, burn off the bad karma and collect the good karma through good deeds is the easiest. This state of being contains suffering due to attachment.

Demi-gods (Asuras) - they might be equivalent of Shinigami in Bleach (Gods of Death), they are characterized by jealousy of actual gods (I'm looking at you, Aizen). These beings are powerful but still not free from suffering and still collecting karma (good or bad).

Gods (Deva/Devi) - the highest state of being that beings can reach and be reborn as when they collect especially good karma in their previous lives, beings very powerful, pure, living an existence free from suffering and filled with joy. Perhaps Squad Zero might represent these kind of existence? Or perhaps the Noble Houses?

So the trick is, the longer a Soul lives a joyful, suffering free life, the more karma they burn. Which leads to all their karma being wasted (in no new good karma is collected, that is) and since Gods are still not enlightened, they are very likely to be reborn in Hell. Because no good karma is left for them.

This is what I think is happening to a very strong Shinigami in Bleach like Yamamoto, Ukitake, etc. They symbolize the very top of existence and so their karma symbolically is used up as they live their existence in fighting, and not practice to better understand themselves. And so they end up in Hell.

This not necessary means that these characters did something sinful to collect negative karma (although through war they might) but more like the privilege of being powerful in the world of Bleach comes with the cost of burning out good karma and being reborn in Hell.

At least that's how I see it, looking of the 6 realms of existence.

[ficticiousdelicious]

Was catching up on the Klub Outside Q&As and... Q&A Translation Source: wheelsome (tumblr)

LMFAO

Us: 'can they read and write?' Kubo: *immediately ribs on Grimmjow because it's funny*

[sashi-ya]

Katagiri didn't suffer the Auswählen, Uryu did. Katagiri had Antithesis? DID SHE EXCHANGE HER LIFE FOR URYU'S?

THAT'S WHY YHWACH TOLD URYU "WHY DO YOU THINK YOU SURVIVED THE AUSWAHLEN? BECAUSE HE KNEW, HE FUCKING KNEW. EITHER HE GAVE HIS MOTHER'S SCHRIFT BACK, OR he knew he inherited it, so in order to "avoid" the treason he knew it was going to happen he might have played the "oh boy here, have a new power" idk but either way fuck Yhwach.

This could also be the reason why Ryuken kinda resents Uryu in a way... since they are meant to be "opposite" to Ichigo and Isshin, while Isshin does not blame Ichigo for Masaki dying for his son, deep inside Ryuken probably does. And it's HELLA painful. Poor family, completely destroyed T-T

[bb-bluearcher]

Bleach Lore: Part 01 (Quincy Part 01)

Of course, the first thing I wanna talk about lore wise are the Quincies.

First, let’s talk about Quincy biology.

Quincy doesn't look all that different from regular humans (do not let the Wandenreich make you think otherwise), just that their mediumship is a part of their own biology. Absorbing reishi is as important as drinking water, eating food, and breathing air as even their very cells are affected from generations of reishi manipulation since the first Quincy.

But what truly stands Quincies apart from other humans is their lack of a Soul Chain. What connects the Quincy's soul to their body is a strong silvery, spiritual thread.

Similar to the Shinigami, the Quincies do have ‘vents’ in their wrists, ankles, and neck, though their ‘vents’ have evolved to ‘take in’ reishi while also ‘venting out’ reiatsu. The Quincies have additional ‘vents’, the largest ones, on their back near the shoulder blades. While Quincies can subconsciously absorb reishi from any part of their body, conscious absorption occurs in the vents, with most occurring in the back.

Next, let’s start with equipment.

First, I wanna bring up the soul-synthesized glass and soul-synthesized silver. I’d imagine that either the Quincies have discovered these materials from spiritually enriched areas or used their reishi manipulation to infuse reishi into silver/metal and glass (Quincy alchemists?). These are the essential materials to make their tools, such as the Quincy Cross, Gintō, and the Seele Schneider, and even machinery (and maybe even glasses. How else would Uryū’s glasses be able to withstand everything Uryū is doing?). I also wanna add my own idea, soul-synthesized thread, for their Quincy uniforms (and perhaps the Sanrei Glove and Leiden Handt) and maybe even their regular clothes for added protection. I’ve also thought about soul-synthesized paper for things like talismans (like the Japanese Ofuda or, for a more Western/Christian motif, the holy card or the himmelsbrief). Really, anything can get ‘soul-synthesized’ through…I guess spiritual alchemic means.

The scene where Ryūken and Kanae were suited up to assist Masaki with her fight against White pretty much proves that the Quincy do have and use physical bows (the Silberbogen, as I will call them) and I don’t mean the small bows Ryūken (while training Uryū) and Uryū (during his fight against Ginjo and the start of the TYBW) were shown to be using (at least I don’t think)…actually, maybe the bows Ryūken and Uryū used in those moments were Silberbogen. Did we ever see them manifest and dissipate these bows?

Hell, the bow Uryū used in Letzt Stil didn’t disappear even though he wasn’t fighting. It was attached to his back…Wait, I forgot about the bow from the Sanrei Glove–

My take on the function of Silberbogen is they help concentrate reishi into stronger arrows and perhaps even give the arrow different properties. The drawback to using a Silberbogen is that it’ll overheat from prolonged and/or consistent use without giving it a break.

Anything made from these materials are referred to as Artefakts.

Lastly, I wanna talk about is the Quincy’s Kraft.

Kraft, from the German word for strength/power/force, is the Quincy’s ‘magic system’, like Kidō, and the most fundamental form of the Kraft is reishi manipulation. Before learning other Krafts, a Quincy must first learn to properly manipulate reishi. The vents are central reishi manipulation as they use the reiatsu they are ‘venting out’ to gather and control the ambient spirit particles. Hirenkyaku is possible thanks to the ‘vents’ in the ankles.

Once mastered, Quincies can manipulate reishi to do many things, such as creating Spirit Threads. The use of Artefakts also helps with giving better concentration and shape to their manipulation, such as forming the Heilig Bogen with the Quincy cross.

Various fighting styles have been developed over the years centered around Heilig Pfeil archery, Gintō usage, Spirit Thread combat (like Ransotengai), and more.

Outside of combat, reishi manipulation have also been used for alchemic means, such as changing the properties of reishi (like liquidizing it, making it solid and cold like ice, or hot and wispy like fire). Healing techniques are also developed, usually through the use of Spirit Threads.

—----------------------------------------------

And there we have it for now!

I wasn’t sure how to continue this, so I hope you enjoyed what I had.

I liked all of this, but my current favorite is the Spirit Thread thing. Kubo coulda have fun with it for Uryū…but no. Uryū used it for Ransotengai ONCE…and never used it again.

I have seen some people talking about how Uryū should have used Ransotengai when he got his stomach ruptured by Szayel and to that I say…it probably would not have been a good idea. Like…at all. First off, it probably hurts like hell. Second, the internal bleeding.

And I know the move was used by the Jail Sternritter (I still can’t remember his name) and Bambietta…but they are not Uryū!

I might make a post on possible Spirit Thread techniques. It won’t be part of the lore stuff. It’s more focused on Uryū cuz I can see him use this fighting style.

[rudzcrudz]

Fun fact there’s a retcon with Ichigos age this posted was written before tybw anime was made but I think they still say in the anime that it had been 9 years since masaki dead

https://www.reddit.com/r/bleach/comments/1630ysi/masakis_death_timeline_retcon_ichigos_age_retcon/

Omg literally thank you so much, I NEEDED this chart. (Screenshots below from the Reddit post)

It also makes me feel better about all these Ichigo/Orihime edits I keep seeing of people simping over their TYBW versions, lol.

[fractoluminescence]

When I scrolled by a retweet of another Q&A translation mentioning an underwear question I'll admit this was not what I thought the post it was potentially talking about would be like

[writemessybleach]

I'm asking ChatGPT to explain Bleach lore to me and it's making more sense than watching the show.