Enxie Ferite!

Haha looks like i’m gonna be out of job soon! I actually let you two coax me into joining forces with you guys to write my niche topic, heh! Alright, now for Prediction a la Impulze! Unlike my two other compatriots who’ve discussed plotholes I’m going to approach this discussion from the author’s point of view.

To start off: Chapter 1 of bleach manga, pages 3-4 :)

Bleach chapter 1, page 3-4

As we can see from the above we definitely know that at least the character profiles of Hirako Shinji and Matsumoto Rangiku have been planned from the very beginning. As to whether the author Kubotite actually intended to use this two character’s as per the current plot development remains a mystery. The two only possibilities are:

1) Kubo did intentionally wanted to develop Matsumoto as the Vice Captain of the 10th Protection Squad, and Hirako Shinji as the ex-Captain of the 5th Protection Squad, and current de-facto leader of the Vizards, consequentially implying that the Hollow, Shinigami, Vizard, Arrancar, Gaiden, Heuco Mondo and current Karakura Town arcs are planned from the beginning since the inception of the Bleach Manga itself.

-or-

2) Kubo did not have an immediate use for these two characters and had already more than enough characters to develop in the beginning of the story and planned to develop these characters as he got inspirations and after having done the ones he had in the beginning (remember at the start of Bleach the characters to develop are: Ichigo, Rukia, Chad, Ishida, Orihime, Isshin, Karin, Yuzu, Kon, Keigo, Tatsuki etc - that is more than a handful to develop within one arc and as we have seen only the first 6 characters have undergone significant development thus far. Hence Kubo did not immediately introduce two more characters. If he did he would compromise the pace and quality of the plotline.

From wikipedia on Bleach_(manga):

Bleach has been continuously serialized in the Japanese manga anthology Weekly Shōnen Jump since August 2001 and has been collected in 36 tankōbon volumes as of December 2008. Since its publication, Bleach has spawned a substantial media franchise.

Ignoring the fact that “spawning a substantial media franchise” would lead to many non-canon developments in the story we still are left with the fact that Bleach has been around since August 2001 - more than 7 years ago. That’s why I really doubt that Kubo had intended all these plot developments in the very beginning and developed the story as he gained inspiration along the way. Therefore #2 seems more likely. And if Kubo is indeed developing along #2 then it seems that Bleach might or might not be coming to an ending, as he has developed plot elements chiefly with the antagonists of the story i.e. Aizen & Co, and with the current war ongoing between the Shinigami Protection Squads and Aizen’s Espadas the story might really come to a close.

Or should it? Kubo’s style have always been peppering story twist hints throughout developmental stages as we can observe when restored Ichigo’s Shinigami powers while intentionally inducing the birth of his inner hollow, delibrately developing the characters of all the other Captains except Aizen, Ichimaru and Tosen to create a sense of mystery before revealing them as the alpha antangonists, and also with Isshin’s not addressing Kon as Ichigo and the like. We can say that wherever there are plotholes (such as the ones my two fellow writers have spotted) we can safely assume Kubo has some plan to use that for a major plot development.

Hence saying there are two greatest plotholes right now that could interfere with a direct victory for the Shinigamis against Aizen and bringing on the end of the story

1) The true intentions of Urahara Kisuke, Ishida Ryoken, Kurosaki Isshin and the Vaizards led by Hirako Shinji
2) The presence of the Squad 0, or the Royal Guard that has yet to be unveiled.

Barring the latter, which is largely shrouded in mystery the only guess we have with regards to the former is that Hirako did indirectly hint the nature of his intentions as he brought the group to intervene in the Yamamoto - Aizen battle in Karakura. The only question we cannot answer now is which side will he take? (And let’s not forget that Sarugaki Hirako did mention that she hates both humans and Shinigami as well)

Chatper -97, Page 18

So who will the Vaizards side with? It’s anyone’s guess. As per premise #2 I really don’t think Kubo might have an idea himself at this point how things will turn out (which explains the recent bout of unimportant Vice-Captain vs Fraccion fights). But if forced to guess I’d say the Vaizards are on nobody’s side but their own, and this could well turn into a triple-threat with Kisuke, Isshin and Ryuken holding the balance of things, unless Ichigo makes a return from Hueco Mondo and once again spins the wheels of fate and future. I judge this discussion inconclusive because of the nature of Kubo’s writing: 7 years of reading for me, and I still feel the story has barely moved 6 months yet developed many sub-plots and experimented with character partner/pairing dynamics. The real showdown may yet to come, but I have a feeling Kubo will want to wrap up most of the subplots concerning Ichigo’s love life (Rukia or Orihime), Kenpachi’s anscension, Ikkaku’s secret, Isshin, Kisuke and Ryuken’s intentions, Nel’s role, Tatsuki, Keigo and Co.’s significance to name a few. Once the subplots start to become resolved one by one we will have very indicative proof that indeed the end is near.

-Impulze

Bleach, Spoilers anime, Asano Keigo, Bleach, Espada, Hirako Shinji, Hollow, Ichigo Kurosaki, Isshin Kurosaki, Kubo Tite, manga, Orihime Inoue, Prediction, Ryuken Ishida, Sarugaki Hiyori, Shinigami, Sousuke Aizen, Spoilers, Tatsuki, Uryuu Ishida, Vaizard, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni