So...it is brought to my attention that there are arguments that goes like this:

Ulq was taunting Inoue hence Ichigo said that whether she hesitated or not, none of that matters.

But it seems that the person who came up with this argument has neglected one very important point.

When Ichigo said, "None of that matters" it also shows how much impact she has on him. Whether she hesitated or not, it does matter to him. If she hesitated, he doesn't matter , if she doesn't hesitate it also doesn't matter. That just shows how much of impact she has on him. Yes, I'm repeating it again just in case people don't get this point.

If that person were to say that Ulqlala taunting Inoue hence Ichigo said that out of romantic implications, then may I ask, why did Ichigo chose to say such sentence? "None of that matters"

Ichigo also told Ulq that he's chatty and he thought that he was the quiet type. It's like telling Ulq, "Hey, dude! Don't waste time and just finish up the fight now." Yes indeed he really wants the fight to be done and through with. But, this cannot be interpreted as zomg! he wants to end the fight soon so that he can go into lala land with Inoue, hand in hand, over the rainbow while birds chirp yada yada...oh my. How utterly ridiculous and wrong that sounds. Wait, no. It is wrong. No way in h3ll it's gonna happen when Ichigo's actions clearly speaks otherwise.

Finishing the fight is what what he must do. It's for everyone, not only Inoue. ven if it's just for her, it doesn'y amount to romance (or even potential romance for that matter) since she does need the help and among so many people, only Ichigo has such ability.

Does what Inoue did for Ichigo worth so little, only a 'Thank you' and 'Please stand back' and that's it? Where's the emotional outburst he had for Rukia when Rukia tried to protect him? And lol, after saying those thanks and step back, he is not interested in knowing the reason why she did this or that. Unlike Inoue, everything that is of Rukia matters to him. This can be seen when Hanatarou talks about Rukia. He absorbed everything and even said, "Those are my lines, idiot!!"

And of course, some people will compare this scene to the IchiRuki one many chapters back, of how he told Rukia that all her opinions were rejected and thus he does not care about her opinons at all. But note that there was an emotional outburst there. Rukia was just merely using her mouth to show that she wants to protect him, hence asking him to go back (and he understands her intentions) that's why he had that emotional outburst and even said, "I'll drag you out of here if I have to!!"

Wow. Speak about his immense desire to save her. Unlike in ch 314, Zaraki had to ask him to get his butt moving to get the girl out of there. No one needs to remind Ichigo to save Rukia during the SS arc. And in Inoue's case, Ichigo seems more calm when he said, "None of that matters" as compared to emotional! Ichigo who goes, 'All your opinions are rejected!!

To emphasize this point again:

In Rukia's case

Ichigo understands why Rukia said that and he got so flustered after that beause he really wants to save her because he wants to see her smile again and she was the one who dried the rain in his heart and changed his world.

In Inoue's case

He does not understand and doesn't bother/want to understand why she did that. Ulq was taunting her hence Ichigo said that = romance? Bah! Wow. Even if it's really for good purpose, it is so INSENSITIVE of him. He blatantly said out that why she does for this or that for him means little or nothing to him. If you truly love a person, you would want to understand that person more, just like Orihime struggles to try to understand Ichigo more, but in the end, it was always Rukia that is connected to Ichigo, not her.

Emphasis:

In Rukia's case, he has understood her intentions that's why he said that he opinions doesn't matter, because her safety comes first. Whereas in Inoue's case, it is true that he said that it doesn't matter to him hence he's also trying to protect her, but his reaction was really meh as compared to Rukia's case. And he is insensitive to her feelings. (Just see her sad face after that, due to his insensitiveness and she not being able to become his equal- again) LOL, when Ulq tried to explain why she hesitated, he shut him up and called him chatty. (Hey, he's talking about her reaction towards you, Ichigo... Don't you want to know more since you "love" her so much? Or if it's really that  you're so anxious that Ulq is taunting the 'love' of your life, why don't you say, "I'm your opponent. Face me." That would be so much shippier, but instead,  you go- none of that matters. )

Translation:

What she does for him, it doesn't matter. But he'll thank her and ask her to step back because 'thank you' is a word you say when someone does something nice for you (but not necessarily important to you) and 'please step back' just shows that she is not Ichigo's equal, and lol, this girl is just waiting to be saved anyways as what she has admitted in ch 352.

I just wanted to post regarding this issue because for one, this chapter (both parts) are all about DESTINY, a very important theme for IchiRuki.


The sand - Ichigo (ch 00a)

Rotating...

Everytime the sun and the moon touch each other
Constantly changing its appearance to something new

I personally find this sentence very interesting because it tells me that every time Ichigo and Rukia meets, there is a development between them. When a sun and a moon meets, an eclipse will occur. But in the context of Bleach, it is something poetic rather than astronomy here. Ichigo and Rukia's change of heart/feelings can be used in this context. They are not a static couple, they are constantly changing, right from the very beginning when they meet until now...their relationship isn't on the same status anymore. Ichigo and Rukia advancing further into something more than just being ambiguous is not unlikely. They are constantly changing...to something new. Got the hint there? xD

Anyways, even without this quote/sentence, by reading the manga we should be able to tell the authorial intent already. They simply aren't just nakama, they are "precious" nakama...but even so Ichigo said it after a looooong pause. Why is that so? This boy ha to come to terms with his feelings, of how they have changed..or it is changing, and so does Rukia.

If there's something that doesn't change
Is my impotence

His impotence...of not being able to protect the people around him. His initial destiny was about him being powerless, him wallowing in misery because of that "flaw" in him.

It's rotating

If destiny is made of gears
And we are the sand in between that is torn apart
There is nothing left to do but being powerless

Ichigo likened himself to the sand. The sand that is crushed under the moving gears of destiny. His gear of destiny is his intial destiny of being helpless, and it's crushing him. He is torn apart. Torn apart for being powerless, for being "impotent" and not being able to protect his mountains of people. And he feels terribly hopeless, hence the last sentence- there is nothing left to do. We can see his despair there and hopeless he thought his situation was.

I just want power

If I cannot protect by just extending my hand
I want a blade so I can reach in front of her
The power to crush destiny

Again he says, he wants power. He wants power to protect. The her here isn't referring to Rukia or Orihime...it refers to the little ghost which he had encountered earlier. He had failed to protect her, and that incident had just add to his sadness and despair.
He says he wants power to crush destiny, the destiny of him being powerless, the destiny of him being useless and full of despair. He wants to get out of such fate, he does't want to resign to it- he wants it changed and crushed because he doesn't want to be such a weak person.

Looks like a blade that is swung down

I see this as a matching word in ch 00b aka Rukia's chapter. It could be interpreted as a foreshadowing that his destiny will be changed. The blade is swung down...it could be a reference to Rukia's blade that changed his world in ch 01.

The rotator - Rukia (ch 00b)

It's rotating

If they say destiny is gears
We are the reason for turning it

Rukia says that if destiny is gear, they are the reason for turning it. She is someone who has the power for turning/changing destiny. She isn't the one who crush Ichigo with the gears just because she turns it, she is someone who can change his destiny. She is the rotator, she believes that destiny can be changed, they should be the one turning and controlling it (the gears *destiny*), instead of it controlling them. Ichigo has been under the context that his destiny is to be helpless, but Rukia is the one that believes and can be the controller (the rotator that is) of destiny/gears.

She changes it, she is the catalyst, she is able to give him that power he sought so much. She is the one that cannot be replaced. No one else in Bleach can do the same as her because this chapter is dedicated to the both of them, and how destiny plays a part in their relationship. This bond is formed way before they've met and it is connected till today.

Believing it doesn't connect, we go forth
Beyond the power of the matching gears

Both of them are from different worlds. They shouldn't have met, because they aren't supposed to. It's a crossing between two worlds, and in normal circumstances...they wouldn't have met. But they go forth, beyond normal circumstances, against all odds and norms. They overcame everything...and they met. The boundary between both worlds are hence broken down, and that's how Bleach began.

Thus the blade is swung down

The matching line with ch00a's. And indeed, the blade is swung down. She has changed his destiny/world...forever, and that's why he is where he is right now. And she is someone whom he will never, ever forget and he will protect her even if it means losing everything.

*The last sentence are all quoted from FTB aka Kubo approved IchiRuki movie, so it's quite safe to use it*

 Yeah, so I'm posting it here since I can't keep my potty mouth to myself. :X

Quote:Then I shall I repeat again what I've said. This arc is a character development for Inoue (which is inevitable since everyone in the group will get their chance), I won't deny that fact. She is the rescuee of this arc, and the focus is on her yada yada..then may I ask you, why is it halfway through the HM aka Glorious Hime the Heroine ZOMG arc, Kubo put in the TBTP arc, focused on the SS team mini arc and after what seemed like ages...he's finally back to the HM!

And FYI, Bleach has deteriorated since this arc came up, and it has been saved by the TBTP arc. Ask the Bleach fans out there who aren't shippers, they will tell you that the TBTP arc is the best thing that has happened since the SS arc, seriously.

Yeah, I can see how important Hime is in this arc. She not only had to share screen time with not one, but 2 arcs. Unlike Rukia, even when she wasn't centered in the manga, she was featured elsewhere. She had the whole FtB movie dedicated to her (and her relationship with Ichigo) *where's Inoue? She didn't even appear for goodness sake* , she had a game(s) dedicated to her, she has countless spreads, she won 2nd place in the zanpakutou poll, BBC has her songs- one solo and one duet with Ichigo and just in case you didn't realize, many people still acknowledge Rukia as the heroine.

Just go to the Japanese sites, her name is always above Inoue's.

Get this fact clear then. Ichigo is at where he is, is because of Rukia. No Rukia, therefore Ichigo's world will not be changed, he can't be the protector he is today, Inoue's powers will not be awaken since Ichigo didn't have his (don't tell me the Urahara and Isshin will help him bla bla, since that has not happen- no ifs, no buts because Bleach has started with Rukia).

And therefore (indirectly), without Rukia, there will be no Inoue's powers as well. Where will her powers that can reject the hougyoku be if it wasn't for Rukia? How can she be the "spotlight" recently if it wasn't for Rukia?

And that said, I'm not really angry or anything, but its' just that  I've replied to this topic for like 5-6 times already since such issue appear. I have my limits. >.<

Shipwars are terrible. I'm sure anyone who is involved in one knows how tiresome and irritating it is to argue with someone who doesn't respect your opinions and try to convince the others that their ship is canon by giving their so-called canon proof which is soon crushed by IchiRuki facts.

Some are good enough to reason with you, but some people are just downright rude and think that they are too smart for the others. Get a grip, man. It's not only you who knows a thing or two. I know my facts well enough to go against your fiction. >__>

This topic has caused a little disagreement between the members in the FC. It is a good discussion and it is a food for thought to some but some can already make up their mind about it. I'm the former where I have gave a really long thought about it, and I've come to a conclusion that yes, I do need a 'confession'.

But the confession I want isn't a confession by spewing just 3 words "ILU". It's more than that. It's about the mutual understanding between them, I want them to acknowledge this change of feelings in them, I want them to recognize that they do feel something special (love?) for one another. I want them to act on it. In IchiRuki's case, action does speak louder than words, and it has proven itself many times in the manga.

They are the kind who will go all out for one another, single out each other and view each other in a special category and even act/ behave differently towards one another. For that matter, I hope they will realize that they are special and in a different category from the rest of the nakama or family.

Like what Syn has said, that their bond of understanding of each other (despite Ichigo's emotions taking over) he does trust Rukia on a fair level just like how much Rukia has believed in him, and he has acknowledged  and appreciate that. Thus, it can/will enable them to sense that what they are feeling is mutual.

But anyhow, just to insert some happy news here!! I'm really glad that Rukia has her own spread for V-day and yay! the word heart ("Beautifully guide the heart"  -translated by MelodyMix) is used and it really suits the shape of the box, the occasion and of course...the MAN!!

Do you think Ichigo would act different If Senna was in the show too?

Rants and IchiRuki-ness:

You know what, personally I'm not a fan of IchiSenna (no offense) because it's a pirated version of IchiRuki. "I swear on my soul I'd save you!!"LOL..sound familiar, eh? Because that line belongs to Rukia in the SS arc.

IchiSenna took whatever scene IchiRuki had, and to make things worse, Ichigo was really OOC in MON. He will not ignore Ruka nor push her away, which is what he did exactly in the movie, and he looked at Senna's ribbon like that's his life.

Sorry, but the real Ichi will not do that. Ichigo will not ignore Rukia, but everything fades to the background each time there's an IchiRuki interaction. Ichigo's look in ch 213 is in it's more glorious state than during the stare at the ribbon look.

Ichigo barely knew Senna, but he acts like she is the ray of light in his life, the pillar of strength for him and the one who made him happy and dries the rain in his heart. Sorry, that is Rukia, not Senna.

Senna is just like another version of Rukia, and that's even not bona fide, real Kubo's work. I'd prefer to stick to the manga Ichigo, thanks.

This is a continuation of my post in the IchiRuki FC at BA the other day.

Yeap, as maaaany people have noticed, people from the opposite camp are really excited about the latest chapter. Not that I care, but I just want to bring this up that, seriously- there is nothing worth being happy about. Unless of course, people are being deluded with their non-existent sense of logic, or perhaps using the little pea-sized brain of theirs to think that Bleach starts from the HM arc and the KK and SS arc never happened- or at least they can turn a blind eye to it.

It amuses me that how their obsession for a ship so non-existent can poison their brain and make them hallucinate that Bleach isn't about Ichigo and Rukia but about Ichigo and some pawn which they claimed to be the heroine and that Aizen has said that she's worthless- already. *Yeah, bet they are trying to find ways to nullify this point right now*

[CLICK HERE]

[CLICK HERE]

Aah, the so-called perfect/protective scene by IchiHime fans.

---

I won't talk about why Inoue hesitated but I'll talk about Ichigo's reaction here.

Ichigo: I don't need to hear you go on about hesitation or whatever, none of that matters.

It also means that it does not matter to Ichigo whether Inoue hesitated or not. Even if she does not hesitated, it does not matter to him, and now that she hesitated- it also not important to him.

Sure now people are gonna say:

Ichigo is so good to Inoue!! Even if she hesitated in protecting him, he still wants to protect her!!

Wrong. Seriously wrong.

First things first.

It simply shows Inoue's actions, behaviour, feelings does not matter to Ichigo at all. None of that matters to him.

[CLICK HERE]

This simply proves it. He is more interested in finishing the fight with Ulq. He finds Ulq chatty, and his talk about Inoue does not interest him at all and he just wants to finish Ulq off ASAP without interference. And yes, Ichigo's attention went back to Ulq immediately after that. The talk about Inoue's hesitation or whatever does not spark any interest in him and that shows how OBLIVIOUS is he about Inoue's feelings for him.

And that itself has made her sad. Just look at that panel again. She isn't looking glad, happy or grateful. She almost seemed hurt and yet again, she failed in becoming Ichigo's equal which she desired so much. Unlike Rukia, she has made it clear that she wants to be his equal- to be able to protect him just as much as he has /wants to protect(ed) her. And she has proved her point in her fight against D-Roy. xD

Second thing.

Even if she hesitated in protecting him, he still wants to protect her!!

Again, this is simply over exaggerated. Ichigo wants to protect everybody, regardless they want it or not- as long as they NEED it. Heck, he even protected Grimmjow- his enemy who doesn't want his protection, but simply needs it. Whether she hesitated or not is not an issue. He'll protect just about anyone, and Inoue isn't an exception.

Then people wil argue that Rukia also didn't want Ichigo's protection, but simply needs it. So it's not love or anything right?

Then let me tell these people that IchiRuki is different from IchiGrimm.

Rukia wanted Ichigo not to save her is for his own safety. It's a concern for him, she was being selfless even if she needed that protection. Whereas Grimmjow doesn't care two hoots about Ichigo's safety or anything, it was about his pride of losing to an enemy and as an enemy. These are totally two different dynamics they have there.

[CLICK HERE]

Yeah, the last panel. So much 'love' there I heard.

They neglected the fact that Ichigo is so thoughtless. He actually wanted to fire Getsuga Tenshou right at Inoue. Yeah, sure it's for good purpose, but it also shows how cao shuai/ insensitive Ichigo is. He's a little dumb here (no offense), but he should know better that his Getsuga Tenshou isn't child's play, and yes, it could be fatal to both the Loli twins and Inoue- the so-called love of his life.

And yay! for UlqHime fans. Ulq seems to know of this fact and has protected her from Ichigo's 'lovelove' blow indirectly.

In ch 342, all Ichigo does is just thank her and asked her to step back. He acknowledged that she has tried to protect him, thanked her and that's that. Like what I've mentioned above, it simply does not matter to him why she does this and why she does that. It just does not interest him- thus he asking Ulq to shut up.

Whereas...

[CLICK HERE]

He acknowledges and understands why Rukia has wanted to protect him, thus rejecting all her opinions because he wanted to save her. It was different from ch 342 where Ichigo just told Inoue to step back whereas here, he got all emotional and became very overprotective of Rukia; for fear that she tells him to save himself again- which of course he didn't.

If it was Rukia which was powerless at that time tried to do that like in ch 342, he'd have gone all emotional- just like the page above. (And Rukia only used her mouth, and not even lifting her fingers yet- and he's like that )

They have a few pages to themselves, emotional and epic reunion, plus their dorky little squabbles- all in full view in front of Byakuya and the rest. Kubo sure has spent a lot of time on IchiRuki. <3

The 3rd party's opinion tells the READER what the the character in question feels, but not necessarily that the character in question knows it, because well, there are no direct confessions.

We (the reader) know what Ichigo means to Rukia and vice versa through the thoughts of other characters, the conversation Rukia has with another character and Ichigo's talk with someone else.

When Kubo's interview of IchiRuki being not romantic yet came out, there was a big hoo-haa in both fandoms alike. I really gave a long thought about it. And like what majority agreed on, Kubo wasn't lying, he's telling the truth.

How much do Ichigo and Rukia actually knows what they felt for each other? We (the reader) knows what they felt, but do they know it?

Ichigo and Rukia have an unspoken understanding between them, a good chemistry, they are connected in many ways- through destiny and also through interactions they had. But is that enough to bring their relationship to a romantic level?

BUT, there are also snippets of confession- direct/indirect, it means A LOT to the the said characters.

Rukia's talk with Hanatarou. It gave an insight to not only us, the readers but also Ichigo, the character himself what his lady felt for him, her feelings, her thoughts- it means so much to him. Hence after that, he has made his emotions known as well. "Idiot, those are my lines!". And yes, from there, we know what he feels for Rukia.

Ichigo's talk with Renji. Though Ichigo did not say that she was the one who dried the rain to Renji (because that's so cheesy, or probably the dorky head doesn't realize it yet ) but later Renji made Ichigo's feelings and thoughts known to Rukia, and she appreciates it.

And yes, the famous "Man In My Heart" speech. It was a DIRECT 'confession' how what Rukia felt for Ichigo. It was that important to Ichigo to know that he has a place in her heart, and hence, his confidence grew- his determination was back, he was happy and has regained his old self. <--- which we all love

Ch 317's mutual understanding from both sides. Ichigo received Rukia's "Save the reunion/ greetings of reunion for later!" and they reached the mutual understanding. It also dawns me that Ichigo is a kid at times, needing Rukia's words/actions to comfort him. But nah, that is just sometimes, he has matured a lot since SS arc.

But even so, I'm not saying that we must have a loud ILU! confession to make IchiRuki work. It is already working despite most of the time the POV of a 3rd party is used, but Kubo has also placed direct 'confession' of thoughts and feelings of the characters for each other.

Kubo's words "Their change in their feelings for each other" being the focus point is really true because to achieve a romantic status in their relationship, or for their relationship to become canon, they have to also realize it bring their relationship to another level.

We, the readers know a lot of what they felt for each other (like in ch 340, Rukia looks towards Ichigo's direction because of concern), but I also believe that character interaction is also very important. A very interesting fact that Sinta has brought up a few months ago is that Ichigo and Rukia advanced too quickly, hence there are a separations etc, so to prevent stagnation- as he has noted. xD

Kubo's main ship is IchiRuki is cannot be doubt, because even when the characters aren't interacting, he gave us an insight (through other characters) to what they feel. And interestingly, what Ichigo and Rukia is to each other/ what they have done for each other/ what have they bring or gave each other remains fresh and vivid in their minds despite the short time they had spent together. (And that also shows how much impact they have on each other. xD)