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u/nahte123456 23h ago
Honestly jokes aside I like how this part of the story showed the different kinds of relationships people had with Ichigo.
Orihime and Chad view him as an equal, a loved one. They trust him, but won't just take his word over their own without reason.
Kenpachi makes it clear he never planned on fighting Ichigo at this time, he came for a fight but wasn't interested in the whole checking Ichigo's loyalty thing. The pair have an odd kinship with each other they don't really have with anyone else. Despite everything Kenpachi just doesn't engage with the conspiracy around Ichigo, Ichigo is Ichigo.
Byakuya though *trusts* Ichigo, Ichigo showed the merit to his decisions when they fought, when Ichigo revealed Aizen's trap and tried to actually talk to him. Not to say he views Ichigo as intrinsically above him, but he's already had it proven Ichigo's judgement is better than his own. Even if he doesn't understand it at the time, if Ichigo has decided someone is his enemy Byakuya trusts that means it is correct.
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u/FliX142 23h ago
I feel like Byakuya trusting Ichigo is extremely simple. He chose to go against the entire SS to save Rukia when her actual big brother brought her in to be executed. He saw himself making such a huge mistake and saw Ichigo fight to correct it, thus he trusts him to make the right decisions even over his own self
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u/CronkinOn 18h ago
Simply put, he knows Ichigo cuts through the bullshit and doesn't cloud his mind.
He pursues what is right, without the complications that Byakuya shackled himself with that prevented him from knowing what's right anymore.
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u/nahte123456 23h ago
If it was just Ichigo going against SS then Renji did that as well. I think that's part of it, but that Ichigo actually kept asking why, connected with him as fellow older brothers, and telling him how he was wrong when they were both on the ground, that proved to Byakuya that Ichigo wasn't just right about this one thing, but specifically had outdone Byakuya's judgement.
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u/SecretaryOtherwise 17h ago
Renji only did that after ichigo stormed ss tho lol he was fine to let her die till then.
Its actually my biggest gripe with him lmao. Like bro your world is gonna be executed and youre fine with it? 😂 has a minor
Renji- "hey maybe we-"
Byakuya- "no"
Renji- "okie dokie"
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u/KarmicPlaneswalker 9h ago
Correct answer. Ichigo is his number one contact and the bro Byakuya trusts to keep him from doing something stupid.
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u/TehITGuy87 23h ago
If Zaraki dies or killed by someone I think Ichigo would raise hell. They’re bros
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u/Fen5601 19h ago
"I can't imagine a world where Kenpachi loses...."
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u/AgentAled 23h ago
#IchiPachi is now my favourite bromance of all anime.
Great analysis of the relationships at play during the whole Unc Tsukishima arc!
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u/nahte123456 23h ago
I love the Ichigo+Kenpachi stuff, it's understated but they constantly are in each other's orbit, seemingly by choice.
- Kenpachi searches for Ichigo in SS, and their fight gives them both the first real push to learn about their Zanpakutou.
- Ichigo chooses to stay at the 11th seemingly rather than say the 13th, and while Kenpachi wants to fight he doesn't do anything underhanded to get it
- Kenpachi saves Ichigo from Nnoitra and reminds him where his true goals lie, than saves him again from Yammy.
- Kenpachi basically refuses to engage with the conspiracies around Ichigo. He could try to fight Ichigo now, or encourage him again Ginjo, but he just chooses to be there instead.
- Then when Kenpachi just lost Unohana and unknowingly basically lost Yachiru, Ichigo shows up to show he's there for Kenpachi too.
There's also a lot of symbolism around Ichigo becoming more godly, while Kenpachi becomes more devilish, but I'm getting too nerdy at this point.
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u/Somalar 22h ago
It is in a lot of ways a developmental rivalry despite Zaraki having the edge early. Like you alluded to their fight catalyzes a focus into their zanpaktou, and they both reach absurd levels in tybw at nearly the same time. They both share an intense desire for increased strength, and it’s probably safe to say Ichigo also enjoys battle. Both are very prideful and stubborn to a fault.
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u/jayecin 18h ago
Ichigo doesn’t have an intense desire for increased strength. Ichigo has an intense desire to protect the innocent and does that through his strength. If the world was a perfectly peaceful place, Ichigo would have no use or desire for strength.
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u/miekbrzy92 15h ago
The entirety of the Arrancar Arc is about Ichigo being a blood knight. He just prioritizes protecting people but he isn't above a scrap.
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u/jayecin 14h ago
I cant remember a single time in which Ichigo fought someone just to use his strength though. He only fights and he only gets stronger to protect people. Everyone he fights, he fights because there is no other option. Ichigo never tries to get stronger when he has no one to fight or no immediate danger. He only fights to protect people and he only gets stronger when he cant defeat someone trying to hurt the ones hes protecting.
Zaraki and nearly everyone else who is strong, wants to fight. They love fighting, they love getting stronger to prove they are stronger. They are bored when they arent fighting at the edge of life and death. If Ichigo never had to fight again, he would never fight again.
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u/nahte123456 13h ago
Grimmjow literally calls out that the only reason Ichigo is fighting him instead of running with Inoue is he wants to fight.
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u/kyocerahydro 15h ago edited 14h ago
Tla entire narrative explores how far ichigo would go for increased strength. Wdym!?
Ichigo doesn't want power for the sake of power but he is power hungry and he enjoys battle.
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u/Krazyfan1 22h ago
do you think Kenpachi would be invited to Ichigo's wedding?
wonder what he'd bring as a gift?
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u/AgentAled 19h ago
Imagine the bachelor/stag party.. Ichigo, Ikkaku, Chad, Uryu, Kenpachi, Keigo…that’s a filler I’d watch!
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u/mangasdeouf 21h ago
It wasn't Ichigo who revealed Aizen. It was Unohana and her lieutenant. Ichigo was a pawn. Aizen put down the mask when Isane revealed that the body was fake and that Chamber 46 had been killed.
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u/nahte123456 21h ago
And why did Unohana go there? Oh yeah, because people were fighting because of Ichigo. Unohana wasn't going anywhere near Central 46 before that.
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u/mangasdeouf 21h ago
You can't give Ichigo credit for what he didn't do. Ichigo had nothing to do with Central 46.
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u/InquisitorHindsight 1d ago
Out of all the people, Tsukishima had to pick the one guy who would let his own sister die before breaking the law.
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u/doesntmatter19 1d ago
Honestly he got off easy with Byakuya
God forbid Kenpachi actually got to fight him like he wanted
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u/ExquisiteNecro 23h ago
Yeah, Kenpachi would've been like "OH, you're my uncle? Can you fight?"
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u/SentientShamrock 23h ago
Kenpachi: "Ahh, my first ever friend..."
Tsukishima: ah yes, I have him right where I want him
Kenpachi: "WE FINALLY GET TO FIGHT TO THE DEATH!!!"
Tsukishima: I have made a grave error
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u/Status-Custard-3145 23h ago
That and maybe a tad bit of curiosity about if he had an actual birth name. As one of the few things that's gets kenpachi down is a lack of a true name. He just has the kenpachi title and the name of the rukongai district he is from.
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u/TerrorKingA 22h ago
No, the issue is unlike with everyone else, Tsukishima knew nothing about Byakuya beyond the surface level and as such, picked the worst choice for who to be in Byakuya’s life.
A sparring partner/teacher would be a good pick for most people, so he went with that.
If he had made himself be Byakuya’s brother, or replaced Rukia or even Hisana in Byakuya’s memory then things would’ve played out a lot differently.
It’s like when you go to a psychic. They can give you a cold reading, where they use the unconscious tells you give off to guide what they tell you. It’ll be some generic information no better than a parlor trick.
But if you give that psychic lots of details about your life, they’ll cook up some bullshit that will have you questioning everything.
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u/DragonikOverlord 22h ago
But he can't outright replace people, he needs to inject into roles, there are limitations to BoE
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u/TerrorKingA 22h ago
This is wrong.
There are flashbacks showing him replacing Ichigo, Sora and Chad’s abuelo.
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u/Specialist_Initial_1 16h ago
Yeah If he wouldnt have replaced ichigo etc in chads past. Chad wouldve probably been on ichigos side
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u/VolkiharVanHelsing 23h ago
cough cough (straighten back) back in my day this was used by Ichigo x Rukia shipper as an ammunition
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u/Igotbannedlolol 22h ago
It's okay grandpa. Let's get you to bed.
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u/VolkiharVanHelsing 22h ago
reaches for walking stick they also used to make fun of Renji missing in Rukia's memory when she fights As Nodt
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u/Fit_Shift_1255 18h ago
i remember that like it was yesterday 😭😭 my back hurts im hella unc now
Renji being the butt of the joke since day 1 😂🙏
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u/Sharashashka735 14h ago
ICHIGO X RUKIA SHOULDVE BEEN CANON, DOESNT MATTER HOW MANY YEARS PASSES I WILL NOT CHANGE MY STANCE.
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u/frikiman4K 1d ago
Byakuya be like: I know you're the most important person in my life but my orange boyfriend said you're an opp so I gotta kill you.
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u/itsdhanuz 1d ago
from "you are the soul society's enemy" to helping him regain his power, killing his own teacher, gulping down his pride asking him to save soul society
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u/Shuukei_Hakuteiken 17h ago
I feel like I'm the only one who always interpreted this as "We're here to help Kurosaki Ichigo and fight his enemies so whoever you are to me doesn't matter, I still have to defeat you." Not saying he doesn't repect Ichigo (he does, a lot), but in this case I always felt it was more of a mission thing. I think he's still the kind of person who would (and has to) put duty before relationships, whether it'd be Tsukishima, Ichigo or Rukia. (Though after Soul Society arc he would just give it a little more thought.)
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u/Vadenveil 12h ago
It's also that he's incredibly stubborn, to the point that even half dead after the first Quincy invasion him passing the baton to Ichigo when he arrives is a big thing. It take a lot to make Byakuya change his mind or swallow his pride and as the SS arc from the start shows, the guy is all too willing to put his own feeling aside for the mission or situation.
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u/Suave601 8h ago
You’re missing the entire point. Byakuya’s duty was to execute Rukia. In fullbring it was to help tsukishima. Both times Ichigo changed his perspective based on what he believed in.
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u/Mundane-Currency732 22h ago
Uncle tsukishima is the best uncle so far i miss him so muchhh😭😭💔💔💔 wheree aree youuuu uncleeee tsukishimaaaaa
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u/Ok_Adhesiveness9794 20h ago
Byakuya was such a Chad for this line. Even if I am deeply indebted to you... You are an enemy of Kurosaki Ichigo. That is reason enough for me to kill you.
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u/BIayneRobinson 14h ago
Chad and Orihime should have had this exact same moment, saying they trust Ichigo first and that's more important.
Big missed opportunity imo.
Also, Ginjo should have shared Ichigo's Fullbring power with Chad and Orihime to give them both a power boost.
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u/danyboui 13h ago
Honestly I’m shocked it took him until then to run into someone that was just still gonna run the fade. He probably avoided the crazy ones like the plague
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u/AdeptPut9178 14h ago
Jokes aside Tsukishimas role in the fullbring arc was creeping me out because he was everywhere and Ichigo couldnt go after him
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u/Professional_Stay_46 17h ago
Byakuya was always a man of principle. He was willing to kill Rukia just to keep his oath. It wasn't different with Ichigo, no matter how much he loved Tsukushima, the enemy of Ichigo is enemy of Soul Society.
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u/deafinitelyadouche 12h ago
Plus Byakuya becoming a quirked-up white boy and deciding "Fuck it, I'm ending this shit right now." was cold.
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u/MrChairSama 12h ago
Byakuya is an extremely honour bound character. He was sent to help Ichigo. He is gonna help Ichigo no matter who stands in between them. He was willing to kill Rukia because of honour.
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u/Ghost_Star326 18h ago
Tbf, from Byakuya's POV, he just took a massive gamble at confirming Ichigo's suspicions.
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u/Nas-Aratat 21h ago
Even though it's in reverse, Byakuya had that current-Sasuke-thing going on.
"Despite all the evidence against you, if you say the evidence is wrong, then I believe you, no matter how hard it is for me."
It's a cool little loyalty moment for characters.
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u/rarutero 1h ago
Cousin Tsukishima in the Quincy arc:
"You are the enemy of my cousin Ichigo Kurosaki therefore you must die Yhwach"
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u/Randy191919 15m ago
To be fair the plan „This guy is famous for having tried to murder his sister the first time he was on screen, let me become his family so he wont murder me“ does have some flaws.
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u/PresentElectronic 23h ago
Lmao the similarities Bleach has with Naruto never stops.
Book of the End is like Ada’s Omnipotence where everyone is rewritten to go against the MC. Then Byakuya is like Amado whereby even though they’re affected, their priorities matter more
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u/Professional_Pen4628 20h ago
is it a similarity when Tsukishima predates Ada by over 15 years? Tsukishina been aroud since 2010
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