Bleach/Headscratchers/Orihime

• When Ichigo picks Orihime up after the Grimmjow fight...shouldn't her dress have some blood on it? I mean, the boy was covered in blood, so wouldn't it make sense that her WHITE dress was a little stained?
  • Kubo never really pays any attention to little details like that. It's one of the many faults of his storytelling, along with having all of these little Fridge Logic moments in the story.
    • The Grimmjow fight wasn't that bloody on Ichigo's part. He came out of it with one or two wounds. You can clearly see some blood on Ichigo's face, and a litte on/around his shoulders but that's about it. The blood was most likely drying by then, so it wouldn't result in a very large stain on her dress anyway. Besides, the scene after the fight ends is more light-hearted, and is a nice break; it wasn't meant to be taken so seriously. Also, with the way Ichigo is holding her, there would've been a red stain in a very awkward place.
• When Orihime goes to the Soul Society to train with Rukia in the Arrancar arc, she's wearing a sleeveless sweater over the standard girls' uniform. By the time the arrancar attack, she's wearing a long-sleeved sweater (and in the part where Ichigo goes to class before heading to Hueco Mundo, he, Mizuiro, Keigo and Tatsuki are wearing it, too), which seems to imply that over the course of the month, the Karakura high school uniform changed, like it did just before Kon's introduction and just before the Soul Reapers arrive at the class. This brings to mind two questions 1)Where and how did Orihime get the new uniform. Did she go back home, or did she bring it with her? Also 2)Why is she continuing to wear her school uniform in Soul Society?
  • ...it's more comfortable? Come to think of it, it bothers me too.
  • A school having Summer and Winter uniforms that are different is not exactly unheard of in Japan...as for why she was still wearing her uniform in SS...uh...she felt out of place around all the shinigami who constantly wear uniform? TK just wanted to draw her alternate uniform?
    • The uniform changing isn't what's strange. It would be natural for Orihime to still be wearing her third uniform^[1] having not had the opportunity to go back to get other clothes. What's strange is she apparently went back at some point, got the fourth uniform and continued wearing it even when not required to do so (if she hadn't had it already brought it along).

• Is anyone else bugged by the fact that Orihime has so far not actually confessed to Ichigo or given him any further indication of her feelings since her saying goodbye to him while he slept? You'd think Orihime would say something to him when seeing him again despite thinking they would be forever separated, or after two instances in which she thought he had died. Now Ichigo's heading off to Karakura Town, making it unlikely that resolution will come any time soon.
  • I always figured that she was the type who didn't really need him to love her back, just being his friend and loving him was enough for her. I just get that impression since her jealousy issues actually had nothing to do with romance, just her inferiority complex. Besides, the ball is in Ichigo's court, he needs to make it clear to the audience he has feelings for Orihime before the romance thing can be resolved. Probably.
    • That's probably true, but it's a bit frustrating to see Ichigo leave without even saying anything to Orihime, who had been the person whom he came to Hueco Mundo to save, or even any follow-up on his going into "super-hollow" mode to save Orihime; if Kubo introduces that Orihime has feelings for Ichigo, he should have some resolution to them, whether they decide to remain friends or if she falls in love with him. It also bugs me that Ichigo rarely thinks about Orihime except for when she's kidnapped, and nearly all of their encounters have been initiated by Orihime (except for the one time in the Arrancar arc where Rukia dragged Ichigo before her), which shows that his feelings toward her haven't changed much over time. It makes one wonder when or if Orihime will get any closer to Ichigo, given the number of missed opportunities and slow development, and it's disheartening to see that nothing appears to be happening between them.
    • I think Ichigo's feelings towards her have developed, it's just very subtle. Her well-being becomes his Berserk Button in Hueco Mundo, and she somehow affects him. It could be that she just gets a whole 'nother side of his protective instincts, her being that smiling, friendly girl he knows. Whatever feelings he has in regards to her, he definitely is hell-bent on protecting her.
    • The kid is hell-bent on protecting everyone, it's his nature. Don't take what happened as an exclusive feeling for Orihime. It has been stated by Word of God that Ichigo has no romantic interest in anyone, and that includes Inoue. Said interview also said that IchiRuki were Platonic Life Partners in Bleach, and I quote: "More than friends, but not quite lovers." I don't want to start a Flame War, but I don't see how IchiHime can happen. If one were to look at the SS and HM Rescue arcs, you'll see that they are as different as black and white. Here's a link to a discussion on the subject My essays are under the title Saiyan5Nine-Tails, there's three of them, and they are LONG! The first one is the best for comparing IchiRuki and IchiHime: http://forum.fanfiction.net/topic/48593/7284287/9. Orihime says she loves Ichigo, but how true is that statement if she can't accept his Hollow side, such as when she first saw his mask, she was frightened by it, because she couldn't see her reflection in them, and has twice in this arc, when Ichigo used his mask against Grimmjow, and when IchiDemon fought Ulquiorra, she asked: "Is that really Kurosaki-Kun?" Her faith in Ichigo brings to mind Aizen's recent speech to Shinji about faith, hope and relliance; those who are weak seek those stronger than them to have faith in, and it continues with the strong seeking those greater than them, and the greater seek those even greater still. "That is how Gods are born"-Sousuke Aizen. Orihime sees herself as weak in battle, so she places her faith in Ichigo, who himself believes he has to protect everyone, and henceforth thinks himself as one of the "Gods" Aizen described.
    • There is no way to offend me, I'm simply an Rukia/Ichigo/Orihime shipper, so there is no bone to pick with me. However, I am quite sure Orihime loves Ichigo truly, and I'm under the impression he may like her too. I just think it's the most logical conclusion in the romantic field, if there are ships at all.
    • I sure hope you aren't refering to the argument "Ichigo is alive and Rukia is dead= Ichigo x Orihime most logical pairing bit", are you? That didn't stop Ichigo's parents from getting together. I may as well go all out and say it: life can be cruel, since everything defines destiny, not what you want. Before all of this happened, Orihime had only ever heard about Ichigo from Tatsuki: a third-person outlook told by someone who knew Ichigo since he was four. Rukia, on the other hand, has had first-hand experience with Ichigo and his feelings, is able to understand him, and can discern his feelings with just a look into his eyes. In chapter 378, she knew something went terribly wrong up above the dome, when she saw Ichigo's eyes were "not the eyes of a victor, and not the eyes of a man prepared to strike down his foe." She discerned all that with but a glance, and saw beyond his bravado. If you would care to click on the link above, and read my comparison, you'll see how I've outlined the differences between Soul Society and Hueco Mundo, and how they affect Ichigo. Besides, it has been stated that Ichigo has no romantic interest in anyone whatsoever by the writer himself. Plus, as mentioned above, Ichigo wants to protect everyone. It is what the people of a certain IchiRuki Fanclub call his "Hero Complex". And the holding hands after the Grimmjow fight NEVER HAPPENED IN THE MANGA!! Sorry, I just needed to get that point across...
    • I wasn't referring to anything, actually, I just wanted to say what I thought was more likely, if it ends with pairs at all. Really, I just want all those characters (except maybe Aizen, Tousen and Gin) to find their happy endings and I don't care who with, so long as they're happy, it will be okay by my standards.
    • Is Orihime even alive anymore? I mean, she has been "living" in Hueco Mundo for a while now. I do not know what kind of food (or tea) they can get there, but you have to wonder if even a spiritually powerful human, possibly especially a spiritually powerful human, could survive in that environment for that long. And, while I do not THINK she's become an Arrancar, Nel is proof that personality and emotion are not fool-proof methods of telling, and her uniform would prevent anyone from seeing a hole...
      • She's only been in Hueco Mundo for about a day or two. Ulquiorra offers her some food with the intention of keeping her alive, but it's unclear whether she ate it, even after being ordered to do so.
    • One thing that also bugs me is how apparently, the Hogyoku has been forgotten about, and Ichigo and the Soul Reapers' objective is now just to kill Aizen; he isn't making any arrancars at this point (and the only time we ever saw him make one was the time he made Wonderweiss), and it doesn't seem like the Hogyoku is necessary to make the Key. Destroying the Hogyoku was supposed to be Orihime's contribution to the battle, something even more important than her healing and limited fighting skills, but now that it's gone and Aizen no longer has any use for her, it seems like she's lost her purpose. She didn't even seem to heal Ichigo after his fight with Ulquiorra; his high-speed regeneration apparently healed himself. It seems like the plotlines that defined her character (her feelings for Ichigo and her desire to prove useful to him) are being forgotten much like Chad and Uryu's were.
    • I don't think Aizen is done with her yet, he usually tends to kill those who are no longer of any use to him. He told Orihime he would be back for her; I think he still has something more to do with Orihime. Of course, she may just act as his lure to the Six Hearts Club. Though, it could be that Orihime falls right into Aizen's trap, assuming she does get to the Hou-whatsit at all.
    • Of course he isn't done with her. The man's practically Bleach's Xanatos. He's probably just waiting patiently for her to heal the Hogyoku while he whittles down Soul Society's fighting (if that happens), and testing his resources against the other captains in close-combat (we've already seen that Tousen's mask is superior to the other Vizards). The man wouldn't show the girl the Hogyoku, and tell her she can reject anything from existence, would he? I've got a WMG posted about his plans, so go and read it, and see what I'm getting at. He most likely liked to her about her power's extent, to get her to do what he wants her to, by intentionally lying to her, and point her powers in the direction he wants them to "Just as planned".
    • New troper to the conversation. On the subject of Orihime not "accepting Ichigo's hollow side", I think you're looking at it the wrong way. I think it's entirely possible for her to love him even though she's afraid of his inner hollow. Ichigo talks to Shirosaki like he's a seperate entity from himself. And whenever Shirosaki takes over, it's like Ichigo is a different person completely. When Shirosaki took over fully during the fight with Ulquiorra, he went on a rampage; brutally ripping off Ulquiorra's arm and throwing it at him. That's something that Ichigo would never do. Orihime's fear when seeing Ichigo with the hollow mask is forshadowing of that event.

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• I just realized something. Orihime, for all rights and purposes, should be invincible, just like Aizen. I think the only think keeping her from being invincible is the total lack of offensive capabilities. Think about it. She was planning to "undo" the Hogyoku. What's stopping her from "undoing" you?
  • I'd like to think that the more powerful something is, the harder it is to undo. I bet undoing the Hogyoku itself would've been an extremely hard feat for her. Maybe she could stop a regular human from existing, but it's very unlikely she'll do such a thing in the first place.
• The scene where Grimmjow wants Orihime to heal Ichigo and she says "no, you're just going to make him fight you." If Ichigo had a broken arm or something, this would make sense. But he doesn't. Ulquiorra punched a gigantic hole in his chest and left him to bleed out. Her options are to let him die, or fix him so that he has a chance to beat Grimmjow, and her first reaction is no. What the heck is up with that?
  • He was no longer dead at the time, and I'm pretty sure he was conscious since he talked to Nel and Orihime a few pages (maybe a chapter?) beforehand. That, and he could stand on his own and had enough strength to stop Grimmjow from choking Orihime, so he was not in top health, but he was definitely alive and kicking.

• Why is Uryuu still in hospital after being attacked by the Fullbring guy? Why hasn't Orihime healed him? For that matter, is Yamamoto still missing an arm? Arm-healing is Orihime's fricking speciality, surely there ought to have been a panel or two that showed her restoring it, or at least offering to and getting refused.
  • Its because he was put in the hospital first so nurses, other patients, and the surgeons who were most likely with his dad have seen him arm-less. Therefore it will seem a bit odd if his arm were to just magically regrow according to their perspective. However if you think about if this makes the future a bit scary, how will he get a new arm, and go through recovery to gain full control over it.
  • Similarly, what about Soifon? Then again, it's suggested that, as in Momo's case, the doctors in Soul Society can replace organs.
    • Manga has explained this, now. Strangely enough it seems that Ishida still had his arm (?), which now bugs ME, but eh. Evidently Ishida initially refused her offer to heal him.
• Riddle me this. Orihime's powers are supposedly to bend time and space to the point where she can reject anything from reality. If that's true...couldn't she simply, I don't know, reject Ichigo's loss of powers? Like, reject that the powers are lost after using Mugetsu?
  • Consider that she's not capable of healing all wounds, blocking all attacks, or even fighting effectively. Aizen explained the nature of her powers, but not the extent of them. They're still growing.
• Even if Tsukishima cuts Orihime with his fullbring, isn't her power at least slightly autonomous? We see that she sent one of her fairies to heal Chad during the Hueco Mundo arc, so we know that they're essentially capable of operating under their own power. So why is it that when she's brainwashed, her power, which most likely functions with its own memories and personality, doesn't stop working when she tries to do something stupid?
  • Inoue's powers are highly tied in with her emotions, so now that she has an emotional connection to Tsukishima, however fabricated it may be, she would not allow her powers to do anything to harm him and instead sees him as someone she needs to protect. She is also at the point and has been for some time where she does not need to call out to her fairies to summon them. She knowingly and purposely sent one to Chad, she just didn't have to say the incantation. Ultimately, she controls her powers, so even if on some level they disagree with her decisions, which has not been documented as of yet, they still have no choice but to do as she wishes.
• What the heck are Orehime's powers? They've been described as being shinigami-like, as opposed to Chad's hollow-like Fullbringer powers, and nobody in the Fullbring arc has called her a Fullbringer, so that would imply that they're something different, but nobodies offered any explanation yet. Are living humans with unique supernatural powers common, maybe?
  • Hachi says her powers are closer to a Vizard's than a Shinigami's, so its likely there's some Hollow in their. My guess? Its a Fullbring that has been "officially" called that.
    • Hacchi didn't really say that because he was focused on comparing her barrier abilities to his barrier abilities. It was mostly the other Visoreds that somewhat ambiguously viewed it as that. Hacchi said her hairpins were more like a zanpakutou and was puzzled by her abilities. He also couldn't heal Ichigo's hollow-caused wounds because Visored powers were hollow-influenced and would only make it worse. Even being around the Visoreds was damaging to Ichigo's recovery yet Orihime healed his wounds in the blink of an eye with none of the Visored problems which also displays a big difference between hers and Hacchi's powers. Whatever Orihime's powers are, we haven't been given any answers yet. Ryuken said that her powers are "human powers" rather than "shinigami powers" or "hollow powers", but since he listed Sado's powers, Ginjou's powers and Quincy powers under the same category, that doesn't tell us anything either. The Quincy back story does tell us that the quincies formed from magic-hunters that got together to develop their powers into a form that mimicked the shinigami and Yamamoto said the human world did have a history of spirit-rich regions where humans with spiritual abilities tended to gather. It does seem that magic-wielding humans do exist in the Bleach-verse even if we haven't seen much of them in the story.
• During the Hueco Mundo Arc, Aizen shows Orihime the Hogyoku to show that he's telling the truth about his plans, but all to indirectly troll with Orihime's mind so she would eventually develop a bit of trust in him (this doesn't happen). Then when she leaves by herself, she resolves to devise a way to get the Hogyoku herself with the powers she's been practicing beforehand, now that she knows where he's keeping it. ...THIS NEVER COMES UP AGAIN. Is there some excuse for this other than Kubo's habit of leaving plots dangling?

1. ↑ I count four uniforms in the series. 1)The first uniform at the beginning of the series- apparently the winter one- which has a gray jacket over the standard uniform. 2)The one that debuts in the Kon arc, and just has the standard shirt, neckwear and shorts/skirt. 3)The one that debuts after the fight with Grimmjow's Fracciones, which has the aforementioned sleeveless sweater. 4)The one Orihime is wearing just before going back to the real world and being kidnapped, with the long-sleeved sweater