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

Re: Mayuri vs. Urahara

[mrs-urahara.livejournal.com]

i dunno if Urahara really meant for his Hyougoku to get into Aizen's hand...however, I remember Urahara said to Yoruichi that they started out on the "losing" side of things, and it seems now, with their "group" that things are starting to move in "their favour". Now, i think this may have to do with Urahara's moral sense..in some regard. I believe Aizen when he said that Urahara did not want the hyougoku to get into the wrong hands and tried to hids it and destory it.NOW< this is not to say that he also used Rukia as an experiment to see what would happen to her if she would have awakended that Hyougoku inside of her. Maybe that was Urahara's intention somehow...to start his own "army" to bring down the "injustice" and "immorality" of soul society. in a way, we do not really know what the corruption is in soul society. I guess Mayuri, in a way, is a hint to some of the darker side of it.

What really struck me..was how Soul Society was supposed to be there to help guide souls to Soul Society...but then they just leave them there to rot and fend for themselves...right? there is this real play on the ideal of a "feudal" system and unfair and sheltered lives of the "masses". Look how shinigami lead a more "fulfilling" life than anyone in the outer districts. There is some of that Meiji era politics that seem to float about here.

anyhoo...i think that Urahara, from the way the manga is going, obviously wants to stop Aizen , but for what..we don't know....to get back the hyougoku? i am sure that is a wee part of it...but knowing Urahara there is mor to it.

what also struck me is how Utikake tells Ichigo that he is the "saviour" of soul society. From the looks of what happened..he did not save it, but rather opened their eyes to the truth of what is going on? utikake and shunsui, being the "oldest" captains, talked about that sense of justice. and how they felt soul society was to teach them to follow the justice that is in their hearts. Yet, yamaji seemed to believe otherwise. I think they both (shun & uti) were awakened at that moment. And, Ichigo drove the nail into the coffin. I just can't wait to see the captains make their return...though, i don't know if they will be able to fight..unless Ichigo maybe awakens some kind of strength in the other captains that help them overcome aizen's plot?

gah! sorry for the diaherrea of the mouth there. ^___^;;;

Re: Mayuri vs. Urahara

[eido.livejournal.com]

Maybe that was Urahara's intention somehow...to start his own "army" to bring down the "injustice" and "immorality" of soul society. in a way, we do not really know what the corruption is in soul society. I guess Mayuri, in a way, is a hint to some of the darker side of it.

One could say that it's everything from Mayuri's horrifying Mengele motife to even Shunsui's blaisé attitude (although he is a good man, how can he justify the boozing, napping and womanizing while those in Rukongai suffer in Edo era slums and his peers abuse their power daily or regularly and he seems to know it?) or some are so blindly bound by regulation (Commander Yama) or conflicted by honor (Byakuya's dilemma between Hisana and his parents vows) they sacrifice the innocent. We also have those with apparent misplaced sense of moral superiority or justice (Tousen) and an almost non-entity of a ruling house (where IS this supposed royal family?) ... and all of these folks have the massive godlike powers and more or less supreme power over those either without or very little spirit power (the average soul in Rukongai) and/or the living. All of the above could serve as one deadly mix with potentially inevitable, catastrophic consequences for those they're meant to protect.

What really struck me..was how Soul Society was supposed to be there to help guide souls to Soul Society...but then they just leave them there to rot and fend for themselves...right?

I know. Which makes me understand all those speculations about Soul Society being some sort of purgatory. Not Heaven, but the stage before the soul reaches or is worthy for Heaven (or readied for Reincarnation). Could you imagine dying in the present day and waking up basically in an Edo era slum without any of your family around you and where children have to steal for nourishment (Renji's and Rukia's childhood seemed straight out of "Oliver Twist")? Unless, of course, you're one of those lucky enough to have some kind of spirit power which might get you a ticket into the Shinigami Academy and Seiretei. You would become responsible for the living world, but you'd also live with the gods and their ever flowing sake, beautiful people and strong arm of Soul Society (which rather blatantly has that feudal lord relationship with Rukongai.. and you don't need to watch Kurosawa movies to know how the average peasant was treated). Otherwise, tough cookies for you and your weak spirit. Ugh.

what also struck me is how Utikake tells Ichigo that he is the "saviour" of soul society. From the looks of what happened..he did not save it, but rather opened their eyes to the truth of what is going on?

That could very well be. Hopefully it's not too late for them, but... one might wonder if Soul Society is destined to fall? Of course, a part of me really wishes it wouldn't for the fact most in SS aren't like Mayuri, Gin or Aizen... and I want to see Ukitake rise to the command (and get a woman... and some damn antibiotics).

unless Ichigo maybe awakens some kind of strength in the other captains that help them overcome aizen's plot?

Or opens their eyes to the necessity of allies (even enemies) and they CAN'T do it all alone as they have been for far, far too long. They'll have to share the power (something, I'd guess, would be the very reason why those who held the real power amongst the Shinigami - Central 46, maybe the royal family - have been so secuestered behind their high walls ... in a guise of protecting the weak, yet barricading themselves against the world around them has corrupted them or left them susceptible to corruption from within). Allies with the remaining Quincy, Vaizards, Arrancar, the Bound or whatever other supernatural forces that could be out there and wouldn't want someone like Overlord Aizen mapping their lives out for them. It seems, one way or another, the absolute reign of the Shinigami could be coming to an end... which could be the very thing Urahara (and Isshin and Yoruichi, etc) has been anticipating all along, likely even if it came to the cost of their own lives.

Re: Mayuri vs. Urahara

[mrs-urahara.livejournal.com]

". . . All of the above could serve as one deadly mix with potentially inevitable, catastrophic consequences for those they're meant to protect."
--uh! SOOO TRUE!!!!!

"Society being some sort of purgatory. Not Heaven, but the stage before the soul reaches or is worthy for Heaven (or readied for Reincarnation). "
--true. Though, when you think about the ones that die in soul society..like REnji & RUkia's friends..were they ready to go to heaven? or be reincarnated. I thought Soul Society was like this purgatory place too..that or another dimensional reality some beings pass over to.

"Could you imagine dying in the present day and waking up basically in an Edo era slum without any of your family around you and where children have to steal for nourishment (Renji's and Rukia's childhood seemed straight out of "Oliver Twist")? "
-- i think for most people that would be hell. not heaven. you are right about Rukia & renji's past being out of an oliver twist. so stur.

"and I want to see Ukitake rise to the command (and get a woman... and some damn antibiotics)."
-- OMFG! ROFLMAO!!! omg, you are sooo funny!!! poor utikake. heehee. I, too, hope ALL those things for Utikake..and if Kubo-san needs some inspiration for the embodiment of Utikake's wife..i'd be more than happy to donate myself. ;P

"...Central 46, maybe the royal family ..." PMFG! I JUST wrote about this in a post to you! ah, great minds think alike!

"opens their eyes to the necessity of allies .... It seems, one way or another, the absolute reign of the Shinigami could be coming to an end"
---yeh. i agree with all that you said there. DEFINITELY. i think there will always be the fight...but the supreme sovereignty of th shinigami is basically defunct. ^___^