new fandom + the quincy key

[retro_eidas]

Just when I can't possibly be barraged with yet another fandom... another comes along of course. Within a few months, "Firefly" infected me like the plague. Then SGA came along. The newest edition to obsessive-compulsive speculating insanity? Bleach. For the non-otaku and/or minus a DLing fetish, you might not be familiar with this slice of fanon and thus this entry will mean absolutely nothing. However, it's the current hot item in anime... and my soul is all but it's bitch at the moment.

Also special thanks to new friends _debbiechan_ and mrs_urahara that propagate the :cough:hot Quincy:cough: speculating madness. Since I can't seem to join a fandom without being able to nerdily speculate about it ad infinitum, I'm not sure these poor folks realize what they've gotten themselves into. If either of you bother to read this, I apologize. A lot of it will be retread from bits of our "Significant Filler" discussion over at soul_society.

"The person who will protect this era... A Quincy is this key person." (not verbatim)
Oh the ridiculous amount of questions that statement has made for me... but it makes the sad, sad fangirl tingly in more naughty parts than I'd care to admit.

What exactly did Yoshino mean by a Quincy being "the key to save this era"? How do the Bound know this piece of information? Sounds like the makings of an impending prophecy reveal to me. Ishida part of some massive Bound prophecy... or just a prophecy in general? Something not necessarily limited to the Bound? Ryuuken? Souken? The Quincy (at least prior their genocide)? Perhaps more importantly (and scarily), the Shinigami?

Entirely hypotheticaly speaking... if the (or some... I'd say, Aizen and probably some or all of deceased Central 46) of the Shinigami are aware of this speculated prophecy regarding the Quincy and if the nature of the prophecy were threatening/apocalyptic/universe-altering/etc etc enough... What kind of precautions might they have taken? We already know now what they're capable of regarding those damn obstinate Quincy, so stubborn and proud to the point of imbalancing and threatening the end of the world they had to be permanently removed from the equation (or so we're told)... could they be capable of much more? Taking a look at Aizen, Gin and Mayuri... or hell, even those with 'good' intentions as Tousen, Yamamoto, Hinamori, Urahara and Byakuya... I'm truthfully afraid of the full extent of things they're capable of (whether it's willfully or unintentionally... by duty, honor, curiosity, misplaced justice or manipulation). Whatever their intentions. Who watches the Watchmen, indeed.

Was Mayuri purely satisfying his own insatiably sick curiousity regarding all his (apparently, mass amounts of) Quincy experiments? Or was there something more to it than that? Was he also going by orders? Orders from whom?

Was the Quincy Extermination of 200 years ago really unavoidable? Furthermore, if the extermination was such a "hard" decision as Rukia was told (via Urahara presumedly)... why or how did Mayuri get access to desecrate so many (I believe the number ranged around 1600+) Quincy for the sake of his experiments? Was he just that sly he could abscond with that many souls and go unnoticed? He doesn't seem to take much tact in keeping the Quincy experiments a secret if they're supposed to be secret (hell, he apparently carried around a memento on his person of at least one of the his favorite test subjects... Uryuu's grandfather/sensei, Souken) and he was talking about said experiments openly in Soul Society. Cpt. Kyouraku's departing comments to him in ep71 would also make me lean towards Mayuri's hobbies not necessarily secrets (and what does Kyouraku and possibly the other Shinigami know exactly about those hobbies?). I do unfortunately find it hard to believe the Shinigami didn't have some general idea what was happening to those Quincy. If Ryuuken has any kind of fuel in reigniting Uryuu's hatred of the Death Gods, this probably would be his coup de grace.

In regards to the above paragraph... one could speculate every action Ryuuken has taken was in part of some greater purpose, one that he believes (as did Souken?) is destined for Uryuu.

What exactly did Urahara do that was so bad that led to his exile from Soul Society? Particularly considering some of Mengele-taicho's hobbies (and he isn't only still partaking in said hobbies, but is the current 12th Division Captain. The frickin' promoted him. Jesus). What did he do that was so much worse than what Mayuri has done/is doing? Sure the Hogyoku could be bad enough. However... I do wonder if Mayuri has friends in very high places. He may not have ascended into HellHeaven a la Aizen, but another compadre perhaps?

I'm also wondering if Urahara's exile was so involuntary as it sounds. The word "exile" tends to exclaim 'involuntary', of course and I don't doubt it was completely serious and all forcible on the part of Shinigami's ruling body ... but I can't help but wonder just a little 'self-imposed' might factor in as well? Ditto Tessai (who I'd bet anything was Urahara's koutaicho), Yoriuchi and Isshin. I mean to say, Urahara might not have completely regretted leaving. Urahara, possibly Tessai, Yoriuchi and Isshin... all were in *high* positions of power. Until they were just... not anymore. Could it be they may have learned some very dirty and very ugly secrets about SS and wanted to leave (in utter moral disagreement and possibly in fear of their lives. Loose lips sink hellheaven-bound ships, after all)? Yoruichi took it all a step further and was apparently all but *dead* to the Shinigami for a CENTURY. Since I don't follow the manga as closely as I probably should... I'd guess Isshin also possibly faked his death (my guess? Kenpachi believes he'd killed him. Isshin just screams former 11th Division taicho to me).

And on an entirely unrelated venue... what the hell is Cpt. Komamura? Unfortunate recipient of a high level demon spell gone bad? Youkai? Possibly more likely, a hanyou (he seems to have a similar sort of shame/angst as young Inuyasha did. Consequence of a taboo youkai/human union... and made to feel that way most of his life, up until meeting Commander Yamamoto and Tousen)?

Comments

[mrs-urahara.livejournal.com]

"Methinks it has more to do to the threat Urahara placed on Soul Society itself, then any potential threat to other parties "
---aye, there's the rub. ^___^

"The very high-ups at Soul Society may not care too much how many Quincy Mayuri tortures and dissects... just as long as it doesn't effect them or their cushy positions of supreme power."
--a part of me is also inclined to believe that they do not really know waht is going on in Mayuri's "lab". If Urahara was able to great the Hyuogoku under the radar..god knows what Mayuri gets away with. It's just like our own society, neh? I am sure there are experiments that are just atrocious, yet we have no idea about it. It reminds me of the movie "From Hell" which is a fanatastic look at Jack the Ripper really being an instrument of the queen, but went too far.

"heee And I'd bet Shunsui had probably been calling him that since his school days"
---that's mmy boy. I was jus rewatching that battle with Yamaji. Utikake always addresses him in the honorifics...Shunsui addresses him as "Yamaji". ANd, when SHunsui and Utikake escape..you SEE the relationship that Old man Yama has with the two, for he addresses Kyuoraku as "shunsui", and his this "fatherly" tone with him. very kawaii.

just want to correct a mistake on how Taichos get their post. I was rewatching the fight with Tousen & kenpachi and he stated three ways:
1. you take an examination in the presence of old man yamaji and three other squad captains, and receive the apporval from them.
2. You are nominated by 6 captains and have the approval from 4 out of the other 7 remaining.
3. YOu challenge the present captain to a dual in front of 200 squad members and win.

now, from some of the hints given..OBVIOUSLY utikake and Shunsui were hand-picked by Yamaji (what was ALSO interesting to hear Yamaji say, is basically, that SHunsui & Utikake were the FIRST captains, and Yamaji decided to create a group of captains from his "fatherly" connection to these tow...very interestin).
1. now, Rukia mentioned that Byakuya became captain shortly before adopting her into the kuchiki clan. Now, this leads me to believe why Yourichi would call him "byayuya-boy". SO, my inclination is to surmise that he became a captain right after she left, so maybe 75 years or so? (i mean how much time is "shortly before" in SS?)now, i am wondering it his having to be from one of the NOBLEST clans had to do with him getting in. If the clan is able to get RUkia into a Squad without an examination or graduation...i think Byakuya (not to say is he did not have talent) got in a bit more easily than the others.

2...from what Komamaru says about his placement as a squad captain, it seems he was fostered in by Yamaji (though, i am apt to think this was more as an act of kindness and empathy on Yamaji's part)

3. this would mean that the other captains got in through the traditional ways. now, the only other one i am curious about is Hitsugaya ...he is the "tenken" of the squad captains, and i deem he MAY have done the examination process. I don't think Aizen or Gin would have voted for him. . .not to mention Tousen. so, that one is a curious one. For it seems, alot of people have a "jealous" streak towards little hitsu, neh? I can see Kenpachi not caring, as long as he can "put up a good fight". heehee.

[eido.livejournal.com]

a part of me is also inclined to believe that they do not really know waht is going on in Mayuri's "lab".

You know... any way you look at it, it just looks really bad on Soul Society. Either they didn't know about Mayuri's lab/hobbies due to their own negligence (not keeping a closer eye on the actions of their own), they knew about it but did nothing OR they authorized it.

If Urahara was able to great the Hyuogoku under the radar... god knows what Mayuri gets away with.

That's true... which is disturbing on too many levels to think about.

It's just like our own society, neh?

Unfortunately, yes. I have wondered about Kubo-san's choice of song inspiration for Ichigo's character ("News from the Front" by Bad Religion, reading the lyrics it seems a fairly evident anti-war song or at least about the disillusionment of war). Specifically regarding Urahara and Mayuri... Urahara does seem very similar in several ways to J. Robert Oppenheimer. A genius, somewhat eccentric and suave in his intelligence. Also, in his own right, had been ultimately exiled for those he'd worked for (Oppenheimer had incredible difficulty finding work again in his field after WWII, partly - or supposedly - c/o his political opinions / associations in college). He'd also been regretful, even horrified, by the consequences of his inventions (illustrated in Oppenheimer's famous quoting of the Bhagavad Gita, "I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds"). The Hogyoku = the atomic bomb? Mayuri, on the other hand, may be another reference to the horrors of war, but the more openly remorseless, monstrous sort. Either Mengele or - regarding the Quincy experiments - a more unfortunately local reference for Kubo in Unit 731 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_731).

[mrs-urahara.livejournal.com]

"He'd also been regretful, even horrified, by the consequences of his inventions (illustrated in Oppenheimer's famous quoting of the Bhagavad Gita, "I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds"). The Hogyoku = the atomic bomb?"
--YES!! I totally see where you are going with all of it! A power so unimaginable that it will destroy the world. God knows what is lurking in Aizen's goal. He's ruler over the Hollow domain. which also brings up another thread..how did he soo easily become the head of that domain?? I mean, really, he just waltzes in and is made the leader? there's definitely more to than what Kubo san eithere has teh time or mental space to write about it..PLEASE kubo satiate our carnal Bleach needs. heehee

" Mayuri, on the other hand, may be another reference to the horrors of war, but the more openly remorseless, monstrous sort. Either Mengele or - regarding the Quincy experiments - a more unfortunately local reference for Kubo in Unit 731."
---i never knew about Unit 731. You know your Asian history. ^___^. I DO however, remember my friend Yukiko telling me how the Japanese government still pays (literally they give money) CHina and neighboring provinces for all the crimes and whatnot during WW11. I know she says that most Japenese feel ashamed and embarrassed at what happened, but also want to move on. The chinese, just recently, were complaining that Japan was not paying enough (and teh Japanese were paying ALOT). after readin that wee article you linked, I am sure Mayuri does represent a part of the "fight" against the "evils" the Shinigami could and have faced.

as far as that Unit 731---you KNOW that stuff goes on today still. it's just a scary world we live in..yet, there is sooo much power for change, hope and LOVE baby!. ^___^ Godknows Kubo-san provides HOURS of LUST,,,errr LOVE for me. ;P