Jaina (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
effervescible) wrote2007-07-25 03:44 pm
effervescible) wrote2007-07-25 03:44 pm
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Some thoughts on last week's Bleach
Betcha thought I was gonna join the HP reaction post crowd, huh? Well, I am, though y'all have covered it better than I can. But first, some thoughts on our Grimmy.
So I'm glad KT FINALLY explained a bit more about the hierarchy of hollows and arrancar, because I could never wrap my mind around it until now. It's not just stratified ranks of power; it's like hollow evolution. Gillian to adjucha to vastolord, though as with bankai, it's not an inevitable progression but something that requires the strength to be worked toward.
So basically...they're pokemon.
Especially interesting is the notion that adjucha and above must keep consuming souls or other hollows in order to keep from devolving. For those that crave the power, that adds a layer of fear, since if they lose it, it can't be regained. It makes me re-consider Grimmjow's attitude toward Ichigo as an enemy, and what he represents. No solid new conclusions yet, but it does add a new perspective.
Speaking of Grimmjow, I found his words to Ichigo before/during their fight to be rather interesting. I don't think they can be taken as gospel truth; yeah, Grimmjow says Ichigo is there to fight him, not to save Orihime, but that is a bit of bullshit. I do not for a second think that Ichigo's reaction to her kidnapping was "Oh, goodie! Now I can go to Hueco Mundo and fight that guy!" He's there to save Orihime. But the best villains do speak some degree of truth, and I do think Ichigo is getting a certain amount of satisfaction from this fight. Grimmjow nearly killed Rukia himself--twice. He led the attack on Karakura that got Ichigo's friends hurt. And while he's not the one who kidnapped Orihime, he's the closest representative of the group that did. That's three good reasons to have a personal stake in the fight.
For the record, I don't think Grimmjow is going to win, but I don't think he's going to die, either.
As for Orihime, I've kept my head down and not been involved in any 'shipping shenanigans (sigh, that sounds so twee) but I will say that I don't really get the outrage at her comment about (basically) being freaked out because she can't see herself reflected in Ichigo's hollow-y eyes. To me, that read as a statement on his apparent reduced humanity when he's in that form, not a commentary on how Orihime thinks it's all about her.
I do kinda love that Nell was bitching her out to be supportive. Not because I have anything against Orihime; I just think Nell bitching people out is really cute.
Anyway, as cool as this fight is gonna be in future re-reads, it is starting to drag, and it is well past time we catch up with Rukia, not to mention poor forgotten Chad, whose loss was overshadowed in a big way by the appearance of Kaiencar. I'm also tired of watching Orihime be the one who gets kicked around or stands on the sidelines supportively, so hopefully she'll get to do something soon.
So I'm glad KT FINALLY explained a bit more about the hierarchy of hollows and arrancar, because I could never wrap my mind around it until now. It's not just stratified ranks of power; it's like hollow evolution. Gillian to adjucha to vastolord, though as with bankai, it's not an inevitable progression but something that requires the strength to be worked toward.
So basically...they're pokemon.
Especially interesting is the notion that adjucha and above must keep consuming souls or other hollows in order to keep from devolving. For those that crave the power, that adds a layer of fear, since if they lose it, it can't be regained. It makes me re-consider Grimmjow's attitude toward Ichigo as an enemy, and what he represents. No solid new conclusions yet, but it does add a new perspective.
Speaking of Grimmjow, I found his words to Ichigo before/during their fight to be rather interesting. I don't think they can be taken as gospel truth; yeah, Grimmjow says Ichigo is there to fight him, not to save Orihime, but that is a bit of bullshit. I do not for a second think that Ichigo's reaction to her kidnapping was "Oh, goodie! Now I can go to Hueco Mundo and fight that guy!" He's there to save Orihime. But the best villains do speak some degree of truth, and I do think Ichigo is getting a certain amount of satisfaction from this fight. Grimmjow nearly killed Rukia himself--twice. He led the attack on Karakura that got Ichigo's friends hurt. And while he's not the one who kidnapped Orihime, he's the closest representative of the group that did. That's three good reasons to have a personal stake in the fight.
For the record, I don't think Grimmjow is going to win, but I don't think he's going to die, either.
As for Orihime, I've kept my head down and not been involved in any 'shipping shenanigans (sigh, that sounds so twee) but I will say that I don't really get the outrage at her comment about (basically) being freaked out because she can't see herself reflected in Ichigo's hollow-y eyes. To me, that read as a statement on his apparent reduced humanity when he's in that form, not a commentary on how Orihime thinks it's all about her.
I do kinda love that Nell was bitching her out to be supportive. Not because I have anything against Orihime; I just think Nell bitching people out is really cute.
Anyway, as cool as this fight is gonna be in future re-reads, it is starting to drag, and it is well past time we catch up with Rukia, not to mention poor forgotten Chad, whose loss was overshadowed in a big way by the appearance of Kaiencar. I'm also tired of watching Orihime be the one who gets kicked around or stands on the sidelines supportively, so hopefully she'll get to do something soon.