IchiRuki poems

So finally, here are the poems. Sorry it took time because I needed to gather most pics. Yes most because there are actually more than 10 poems. More than 10 pictures that go with them (well 11, I cheated my way through). Some are from JP RAWs, some are from the scans. I just put what I found. Some of them may look like “little bits”, but I’ll ask you: what other pair has that kind of “little bits”? The answer is none.

This is the beginning of the SS arc, and already Kubo grants us with a tiny poem that shows Ichigo’s determination to save Rukia. This was uncovered when the earlier chapters were republished into a deluxe version, where we had the coloured spreads with Kubo’s wordings again on them (they used to be erased by the team, or they did not have access to them because they were using Chinese scans at some point early in the SS arc).

I like this one for several reasons: first, it’s the first KaiRuki (or rather, Ruki—>Kaien) chapter, yet Ichigo is here, sharing the page with Rukia. And as we’re about to go back on Rukia’s rainy memories, we’re reminded that there is another person who suffers the same fate.

Memories in the Rain is great character development, paints a character’s background, made Rukia understand and connect with Ichigo, made her cheer him up, bonded them in a way no one else bonded in the serie… However, it doesn’t mean that it’s all sunshines and flowers. This is a sad past that reunited two characters. This is why both hate the rain.

Well, we can thank Kubo’s broken English there, but at least the message is quite amusing: when for a long time, the IchiOri had a garbage quote about “to love is to fly on a bird’s wings” or some shit like that (I really only remember the general gist of it; and because this is so ironic), Kubo had already given IchiRuki “things that take you high are not only wings” (without the broken English). Well, thanks Kubo. Lol.

Some of them may go “but that’s Zangetsu’s speaking!” Well, yeah. It doesn’t change the fact that he’s the one living inside Ichigo, at that moment, and who saw Rukia change Ichigo’s world in a way that no one else did nor could ever do again. It’s even aknowledged by Orihime (how Rukia is “the person who changed his world”). It was aknowledged prior to that by Ichigo himself, through Renji’s words to Rukia.

Then, after the SS arc, the first 2 databooks came out. And oh boy, did it stir the shippers. Ichigo and Rukia gazing at each other through the two covers (yes, that’s what the ads for those books actually claim). The symbols we never asked for, Black Sun x White Moon. The colour schemes black & orange x white & purple. Everything came from this.

And not only that, but it does say “hey, Rukia is the one who dried Ichigo’s rain”. You know what Ichigo’s rain represents? Sadness. Unhappiness. She dried all of this. What does it say? Rukia made Ichigo happy.

This notion is reinforced by Rukia’s poem inside of Vibes (no picture):

It is so telling because it paints Rukia as a gentle light (less aggressive than the Sun) that guides Ichigo, that will light the path for him in his darkest moments.

And yes, that interpretation, that I always supported, has been backed up by Kubo in an interview (regarding Rukia’s name):

Not “to Renji”, not “to everyone, not “to her friends”, no. Specifically, to Ichigo. Rukia’s name meaning has always been a hot topic amongst fans before he told the truth about it, and people found very early that Rukia in Japanese is written like the name “Lucia” which means light in katakana. There is no difference between “r” and “l” in Japanase, so that’s where it came from. Interestingly, Kubo only picked up the bits he liked. And related it to Ichigo. Yet people are insisting there’s nothing between Ichigo and Rukia? The author seems quite keen on showing them under a certain light, isn’t he?

This is how Bleach started, how deeply rooted their encounter is in the story. And even if Aizen claimed that he had manipulated everything so they would meet and thus for Ichigo to gain his powers, in the end, it doesn’t matter. Destiny is all above, so even if a character thinks that he’s manipulating another, the truth is, it’s all destiny’s scheme. And Yhwach may spout the same bullshit, Ichigo has already gone through this shit once, and proven that he didn’t care. To Ichigo, his encounter with Rukia is destiny.

And Japanese people do consider that when an encounter is destiny, it’s often more than not with a romantic outcome.

Did you know that the Fade to Black comic book had a poem? Well, there it is. Not something big, but something nice. I always like how Ichigo wants Rukia not only to be safe physically, but also cares about her well-being. And well, it’s fitting seeing how the movie ended up with a nice hug.

Fast forward to the beginning of the Fullbring arc, and we have Ichigo being emo about not seeing Rukia. This is not the first time; when Rukia was adubcted by Byakuya, back at the beginning of the SS arc, Ichigo already mopped around, wondering why the world was still going on when Rukia was not there. It’s there, in the manga. And that this feeling only strengthened through time is natural since they became even closer. 

To all those who spouts non-sense like “he’s talking about Zangetsu/his powers!” lol no. The pronoun he uses refers to a girl. Deal with it.

And honestly, I wonder how come this poem doesn’t settle it all: Ichigo needs Rukia in his life. There, it’s bluntly told. He can’t keep up with the world around him when she is not there.

This poem is known as poemgate, as it literally set the shippers on fire. Lol. One can see why since it pretty much tells which girl Ichigo wants in his life.

With Ichigo and Rukia right there, yes, it’s clear as fuck that Kubo is talking about the IchiRuki bond. It’s the strongest in Bleach. A point where Ichigo doubts everyone, his friends, his family, his allies. But not Rukia. He trusts her that much, just like she has an unbelievably high faith in him. 

And what’s more:

There, it’s written in proper English. As if Kubo was tired of the shit surrounding mistranslations lol. He managed to do yet another poem for the same spread. And it has everything: “the two that share destiny” (remember this is after Aizen claiming everything was his doing), “the ceased clock” (referring to “I wonder if I can keep up with a world that has no you in it”) will awake and start to tick once again. This is it. This is destiny written in big, bold letters.

This is the poem that reaffirms that it was Rukia who Ichigo was talking about in volume 49, for the idiots who didn’t want to believe it.

And that their reunion is special. That it sets everything in motion once again. Forget about the Fullbringers, this is *it*.

I do have a picture of the poem in Japanese, but since this is the moment the poem is referring to, I chose to put the scans instead. And I feel that, in case people would go “but Rukia doesn’t like Ichigo that way!!!”…. just look at that face when she’s thinking about him. Tell me that those aren’t the eyes of a girl in love and I will laugh at your face. She’s never made such a face.

I’ve finally finished this post. And mind you: these are only the poems. I’m not even talking about spreads (I don’t have to make up group spreads into IchiRuki, my OTP already have those spreads where they are alone together, including one at the beach with champagne and nice clothes). I don’t have to worry either, because Kubo backs up IchiRuki in his interviews too.

And more than anything, I don’t care what the others say, because IchiRuki is written in the damn plot. They are aknowledged by everyone as the closest ones. The one who is canonically in love with him is jealous of their relationship. The one who is canonically in love with her aknowledges that she wants to stay with Ichigo.

They were separated during 17 months and this only strengthened their bond.

I don’t doubt that they will become canon. If you ever doubt, and someone tells you “but it’s just shounen!” always remember:

That is all.

has this made its way over here yet because it's fucking killing me

(i literally dont care about dubbed anime discourse stop complaining in the notes)

get panini pressed, idiot

capitalism breeds innovation

Yeah that will do it.

improved

Tags via @bookdragon1811

Why are all Digivolution lines like this?

Stupid dumb little comic

By Liaw Cheng Yi on Artstation

i swear to god NOTHING makes me more pissed off then when everyone is like “oouheuehghoughough ough [thing] is so good it’s a classic you’ll love it” and they say it SO OFTEN that you resolve on principle to loathe [thing] with your entire being but when you actually get around to experiencing [thing] it literally IS That Good. physically trembling with rage at the fact that hamlet actually is one of the best plays ever written. DIE

me when shakespeare plays actually DO have modern-day relevance and universal themes:

Here’s another one from my archives. It’s the town under a rock, Setenil de las Bodegas, Spain, where around 3,000 inhabitants are living quite literally, under a rock.

The small white washed town has a unique setting along a narrow river gorge eroded by the Rio Trejo river, with many of the houses being built into and under the walls of the gorge itself.

There was a practical reason for living here.  The natural caves are ideal living quarters because they didn’t need to build whole houses to keep out the heat and cold- the cave did that. All they had to build were the façades. 

The bars, restaurants and food shops are ranked as the best in the region.

In summer, the town is vibrant.

The town used to be large store rooms for local produce, b/c of the cool environment in the rock. 

It’s fascinating to think of them building this town. 

Look at this little house.

Even though a lot of the town is under the rock, a lot of it still gets the sun. It’s like going in and out of tunnels.

https://www.messynessychic.com/

Alois Arnegger