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The very small taichou of tenth division with white hair/green eyes is Hitsugaya Toushirou. Ukitake-taichou seems to have a bit of a thing for him. Pederasty much? o_0 The only taichou in constant danger from his fukutaichou's anatomy.

How can you not love Yumichika?!? He's... he's a sweetie-pie! Funnily enough he seems to like women. I think he could only love someone truly beautiful, but as soon as he found that person he wouldn't give two figs about gender. He works under Zaraki Kenpachi, the taichou with the spiked black hair, and it takes Kenpachi up to three hours to do his hair in the mornings. Yumichika often offers to help him "but he thinks that's just gross".
The episode that aired in Japan yesterday, which I'm waiting for a translation of, should FINALLY have his backstory. I once read a fanfic which suggested that the whole reason he was in eleventh division (who are, after all, the most vicious and bloodthirsty of all the divisions) was because he was "so damn fruity, [Kenpachi] never had to worry about him doing perverted stuff with Yachiru."

Eleventh Division are just one big dysfunctional homicidal family. My OC, Hideki, he of the fluffy blue hair and big yellow eyes, ended up in Eleventh as a temporary measure as he fled the Twelfth (he also wasn't a fan of Mayuri-taichou and his probing ways). Even Hideki, who is gentle and friendly and probably writes emo poetry whilst cutting himself has come to like it in the Eleventh. I originally created that guy expecting him to go into the loving and honourable Thirteenth or healing Fourth.

Mayuri-taichou scares the crap out of me. He's the one I was saying beats his daughter, though if you're on episodes where Ishida is kicking ass you probably knew that already.
Tsubaki is the name of the angry ninja fairy. You were wondering before what part of her personality he came from, weren't you? I see it this way. Remember Zangetsu's speech? To paraphrase the relevant section, "When you fight to protect someone it is 'I do not want them to be hurt.' It must be that when you fight to protect someone it is 'I will not allow them to be hurt'." I think it's a violence stemming from love. She doesn't have the conviction to use Tsubaki properly unless someone is going to kill somebody she loves at the very next moment. She used him correctly when Tatsuki was possessed, didn't she? So I suppose at the moment he's a desperate last resort.

...Episode 118 has finished downloading.

*spazzes*

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How can you not love Yumichika?!? He's... he's a sweetie-pie!

So he must redeem himself sometime in the future? Because in these episodes he was quite annoying. I mean at first I thought he was really cute, but then he started in on the whole beauty crap and it was a big turn off. Yet if he gets nicer in future episodes I may change my mind about him. Though if he is always this hung up on beauty, then I doubt I'll find him swoonable at all. LOL!

~Sid

He is undoubtedly a complete and utter wanker when it comes to beauty. His zanpakutou seems to be some sort of peacock.

Tonight's episode was complete and utter Eleventh Division fanservice! Lots and lots of incredibly sexy shirtless fighting! I mean, the character in question had even managed to shred his hakama (trousers) in the fight. It was SO MUCH WIN.

Now I have to wait for another week for the next episode. Bleach and Death Note are the only two anime I'm following week by week, and the suspense is killing me. Bleach ended on the deciding note of a battle!

To answer your question though... I don't think he does anything particularly redeeming at any point. There's just something rather loveable about Eleventh Division as far as I'm concerned. A couple of the other Shinigami make more sense as Elevenths too. Renji started in Fifth, moved to Eleventh and is now Fukutaichou at Sixth. There's definitely some Eleventh in him. Iba Tetsuzaemon, the Fukutaichou to Komamura-taichou (he of the gladiatorial helmet, and I never remember whether they're Seventh or Ninth- I always get them mixed up with Tousen Kaname and Hisagi Shuuhei) used to be in Eleventh too. I think Ikkaku thinks he's a traitor.

...I love the Eleventh.

*~Pips~*

So I take it that you like the Elventh Division? I don't know enough about each Division to choose a favorite yet. Who is second in command of the Elventh? It's not that little pink-haired girl is it? LOL! Though that would be quite the cover if she is...she would get under-estimated all the time.

~Sid

Also I've been meaning to ask you Pips...how is cosplay different from regular dressing up?

Sidonzo wrote:

Also I've been meaning to ask you Pips...how is cosplay different from regular dressing up?

It isn't particularly. Except the word cosplay (a contraction of costume play) implies a degree of acting along with the dressing up. It's just an anime fandom word really.

I think my personal favourite division are the Thirteenth, but they haven't really had a chance to come into their own yet. The Taichou is Ukitake, the white-haired consumptive biseinen noble I sw00nz for, the third seats are hilarious when they're competing for his love... "I mean respect, respect!", and Rukia's a Thirteenth too. It's just that the Eleventh are, well... the Special Division.
Yes, the pink-haired kid is the Fukutaichou. Her name's Kusajishi Yachiru. If I was in her division I would be terrified of her.
I haven't seen her so much as draw her zanpakutou yet. But I kind of get the feeling that there's some stuff the author is still saving...

*~Pips~*

Oh my freakin' God!!! Ichigo kicked Renji's ASS in number 31!!! That whole part when he was remembering training with Urahara and then when Ichigo says, "Sorry for the wait, Renji. Here is my resolve." I got chills!

Renji has got to be the hottest character in the show though. Ichigo is cute, but Renji is like smokin' hot!!!

~Sid *still has chills*

Oh and I have a question for you Pips. What is your favorite Bleach episode of all time? You don't have to give any spoilers...just the number and maybe a brief sentence about what it is about. That way I can look forward to seeing it if I haven't and reflect back on it if I have.

That's easy! Episode forty-nine, 'Rukia's Nightmare,' which gives a later part of Rukia's backstory, explains some things about the Shiba clan and firmly establishes the characters of the Thirteenth Division.

So. Much. Win. I must have watched it a dozen times by now.

Isn't Renji's scream at the end of episode thirty-one the hottest?

*~Pips~*

Ok, I need to stop posting after every episode that I watch! LOL! But I do have to comment on number 32 before I take a break. I LOVE Renji now. His and Rukia's backstory...just wow. And when she got accepted into the noble family and she told Renji I wanted to cry out to him, "You fool. She doesn't want you to be happy that she is going because she loves you!" LOL! I think he knew that though, but didn't want to hold her back. And the ending where he begs Ichigo to save her...so sad! I LOVE it!

~Sid

Oooops! We cross posted, Pips. I look forward to seeing that episode then. And EVERYTHING about Renji is hot! *fans self*

Keep posting after every episode that you watch! I am living through you while I wait for next Thursday.

Byakuya's backstory is pretty hardcore too. I wonder how many more characters have absolutely amazing backstories left to tell? There haven't been many shown since the filler arc (seriously, skip episodes 70-100 at the very least; they are entirely superfluous) couldn't, but now they're getting back on track I think next episode will have backstory for Kenpachi, Yachiru, Yumichika and Ikkaku. I seriously cannot wait.

*~Pips~*

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Keep posting after every episode that you watch! I am living through you while I wait for next Thursday.

OK then! Because I sure love to talk about things I love! LOL! I'm glad you told me what episodes to skip as you have mentioned before that there were some episodes that are just filler. I hate those kind. The next episode you are going to watch sounds great.

So I take it from episode 32 that you can also be born into the soul society? Does that mean that the souls there can have children? So you have souls that are there because they were human and then died and then souls that are born there from other souls?

I'm just trying to get it straight in my head.

~Sid

There seems to be some debate amongst fans around that. Five theories spring to mind. Some of these could have been disproved in the manga by now, but I'm trying to stay out of Bleach debate on large websites though, because I always end up getting spoilered.

1. Only souls conceived in Soul Society can themselves conceive in Soul Society
2. Any soul with reiatsu can conceive in Soul Society
3. Any soul with reiatsu can conceive in Soul Society, but Rukongaians will have difficulty
4. Any soul can conceive in Soul Society
5. Any soul can conceive in Soul Society, but Rukongaians will have difficulty.

I tend to lean towards one or three. I think the implication was that nobles are nobles because they're born there, but I just can't remember where that came from any more.

Poor Kaname's backstory is all but obliterated from the anime. I wonder why they did that?

*~Pips~*

Ok, well I'll lean the way you are for now, unless I ever find out otherwise. Those seem like sound explanations to me.

I just watched number 33. A lot of the comments were whining about the fact that it was a filler episode and wasn't focused on Ichigo. For the most part I agree because I REALLY don't like that TV personality (It probably drives you crazy that I can't remember any of their names, huh? LOL!). He's extremely annoying. Yet I did like the part with Yuzu and the cat. It was VERY touching and sweet. I feel really nerdy getting tears in my eyes at stuff like that, but I do.

~Sid

Oooooo...I really like 37 and some more of Chad's backstory. And Ichigo is the BOMB!!! When he picked up that guy's cell to call for an ambulance and then counts the guys so he knows how many ambulances need to be sent! You GO, Ichigo!!

I noticed that they show each devision captain and lieutenant during the credits...which is really helping me sort them all out. Yet since I didn't realize at first that is what was being shown at the ending credits I missed like the first few they showed. I hope they repeat them.

~Sid

There's no repeats, (one for each division, taking up the entire run of a theme tune) but there's a guy on youtube who uploaded them all without credits. I'll have to have a dig around. They're really hard to find, but I've turned them up about half a dozen times when I've wanted to. I really should bookmark them. I think you'll like the one for Third Division.

Chad. Aaaah.

Don Kan'onji is sort of a dick, but I can't help liking him and thinking he must have some sort of part to play later. Episode thirty-three was based on the little side sketches that had been running all the way through the Soul Society arc in the manga. You're getting through the story fast! Soon you'll have the Shinigami Zukan instead of the Illustrated Death God Guide. The Shinigami Zukan sketches are a world of win.

The entire intellectual outcome of my last Philosophy lesson:


*~Pips~*

I've watched up to 43 now. Yoruichi is really gorgeous and I love her non-chalant attitude about nudity. I about died laughing when Ichigo screamed, "Put on some damn undewear!" Although I have to wonder why she and Urahara and company are helping Ichigo. What do they know that we don't? Also I have another question about souls that are born in the Soul Society like Renji and Rukia...where are their parents? Why do the children run the streets alone?

Mayuri is a horrible freak! I hope he dies a painful death. LOL! Oh and Ishida is SO cute when he is crushing on Orihime. I just want to give him a big hug. Now go kick that freak's ass Ishida, you know you want to!

I'm off to watch 44!

~Sid

ETA: Oh and AWESOME Urahara drawing, Pips! I use to draw during class too!

And now you can know my OT3: Urahara/Yoruichi/Sui Feng.
Renji and Rukia were humans that died. Rather than finding a family, like Shibata Yuuichi (the cockatiel boy) they chose to form a gang. Rukia is very like somebody born in Soul Society, because she has to have been too young to remember her death.

There's a couple of nice little references to flesh out the idea that being noble/born in Soul Society are one and the same. In one flashback episode, "The Avengers", I think it was, (or is that the one that you got Renji and Rukia's backstory from? In which case you already know this- no, can't be, that was "Stars and the Stray") a young Kira Izuru is shown praying at his parent's shrine. Later on he introduces himself to Renji, who claims that only nobles insist on shaking hands, and refuses to do it. The Kuchiki household were NOT happy about Rukia being taken in, even though by that time Byakuya was the head of the house.

A question with regard to future episodes. I've had theories that have recently been discredited in manga spoilers. This is stuff that's not even close to being animated yet. Should I respond as if my theories are still sound? Because avoiding talking about certain things, should you ask me, is more conspicuous than mentioning a theory which I now know to be disproved.

I like how comfortable Orihime is around Ishida- "I thought I was with Tatsuki for a minute!" She's also deeply perceptive about his feelings later on, though I suppose she's like that with everyone. One-sided Orihime/Ichigo is pretty much the only canon relationship. I think Ishida would be so much better for her.

Mayuri would probably enjoy a slow and painful death.

ETA: "Bottom half first! Bottom half first! Oh my god, what sort of person dresses like that?!?"

*~Pips~*

*wants to be able to watch them all on DVD right NOW*

I just realised something! Ukitake looks just like Ren!

ETA: By which of course I mean Ukitake looks just like Ryo...
I have to find reference pictures for this.

Houkiboushi pt. 1: The Sixth Division
Featuring Kuchiki Byakuya-taichou and Abarai Renji-fukutaichou

Houkiboushi pt. 2: The Third Division
Featuring Ichimaru Gin-taichou, Kira Izuru-fukutaichou and Abarai Renji

Houkiboushi pt. 3: The Eleventh Division
Featuring Zaraki Kenpachi-taichou, Kusajishi Yachiru-fukutaichou, Third Seat Madarame Ikkaku, Fifth Seat Ayasekawa Yumichika and Makizou Aramaki

Houkiboushi pt. 4: The Twelfth Division
Featuring Kurosutchi Mayuri-taichou, Kurosutchi Nemu-fukutaichou and SPOILERS for Dawn

Houkiboushi pt. 5: The Fourth Division
Featuring Unohana Retsu-taichou, Kotetsu Isane-fukutaichou, Third Seat Yasochika Iemura and Seventh Seat Yamada Hanatarou

Houkiboushi pt. 6: The Second Division
Featuring Sui Feng-taichou, Oomeda Marechiyo-fukutaichou and SPOILERS for Dawn

Houkiboushi pt. 7: The Ninth Division
Featuring Kaname Tousen-taichou and Hisagi Shuuhei-fukutaichou

Houkiboushi pt. 8: The Seventh Division
Featuring Komamura Saijin-taichou and Iba Tetsuzaemon-fukutaichou

Houkiboushi pt. 9: The Fifth Division
Featuring Aizen Souske-taichou and Hinamori Momo-fukutaichou

Houkiboushi pt. 10: The Tenth Division
Featuring Hitsugaya Toushirou-taichou and Matsumoto Rangiku-fukutaichou

Houkiboushi pt. 11: The First Division
Featuring Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni-soutaichou and Sasakibe Chojirou-fukutaichou

Houkiboushi pt.12: The Eighth Division
Featuring Kyoraku Shunsui-taichou and Ise Nanao-fukutaichou

And last but not least... swoon
Houkiboushi pt. 13: The Thirteenth Division
Featuring Ukitake Jyuushirou-taichou, Third Seat Kotetsu Kiyone, Third Seat Kotsubaki Sentarou and Kuchiki Rukia. Also mild character spoilers for episode forty-nine.