IchiRuki VS IchiHime

I definitely appreciate the way you justified your pairing preferences here. While I wouldn't say they are without possible counter explainations, I personally aee Ichigo working better with Rukia and agree with them! I also appreciate that you are using actual reason rather than ZOMG I HATE ICHIHIME. That is extremely frustrating to see among the fanbase and makes IchiRuki fans look bad.

However, one thing I would definitely be careful of:
(This, of course, among us less freaky fans who don't try to pair poor Ichi off to guys.)

There's really nothing freaky about prefering a yaoi pairing to a het one. Of course, yes, there are freaky yaoi fans and I can understand being turned off to the fandom. (There's also freaky het fans, too.) Keep in mind that there ARE fans out there who might ship Ichigo with a male character as well as IchiRuki, and that they deserve the same respect that IchiHime fans recieved in your arguement.

This of course isn't to say you have to like yaoi with Ichigo (I don't really dig it myself) but it is always nice to see tolerance and respect! <3!

OH GODS you mean there are yaoi fans out there?!?!! XD J/K

Your post is love.

THIS.

Yes, I did step out of the line while calling yaoi-fans freaky. I do apologise for that. I've just seen too many yaoi-fan-crossdressers running around in conventions, all hyped up and taking tons of rape photos. >___>;;

i used to feel the same way.. but slowly and surely the yaoi fannish-ness creeps up on you lol. i usually dont even read much het fanfic, either cuz i find it boring or have some problem with the woman. unless of course it involves Rukia cuz she's just fan-freaking-tastic. ^-^

I assure you, I'll never swing over to yaoi-fandom. xD I don't even do crossplay on principle. ^^; But I do have several good friends who are yaoi-fans ^^

I don't blame you for calling them freaky. A few of them are ok, but 95% of them have crossed the frickin' line well into the freaky zone so its entirely justified! x_x

Anyway, I love your post; its indeed a great explanation and very nicely put as well. Bravo!

Hehe. Yeah. Most of them are scary. o_O;;

Thank you~ ♥

Orihime NEVER talks to Ichigo. It's like her mouth is shut. While Ichigo and Rukia talk a lot!

I like your argument about the hollow-side reactions. That's a good one. Ichigo needs someone strong, someone who doesn't freak out at a mere hollow. :P

Though I am going to nag on one of your things: The whole "she's living with him already" thing. Technically no, just from time to time she stays with him when she's in the human world, ne? :D

But otherwise, good! I am tempted to make one of these myself, I'd probably go on forever.

Well, that's true, they're not permanently living together :D But I remember Rukia saying somewhere in the manga when she's back to human world that she wouldn't live anywhere else than at Ichigo's - at least in the scanlation I've been reading xD

True :D But I also see you put it as a "lamer reason" So cool! :D

http://pixyteri.livejournal.com/509123.html

Check it out! Inspired by you! :3

Ichigo needs someone strong, someone who doesn't freak out at a mere hollow.

Voiced my thoughts, thank you!
If anything, Hichi should fear Rukia. She might freeze his ass and then give him a tongue-lashing from hell. *grin*

Wonderful post! <33

I have been a fan of IchiRuki since Bleach manga started, which is more than 7 years ago XDD ...I like them because they have mutuality in their relationship and they have an awesome chemistry. Overall, they just click together perfectly.

I'm not an Orihime fan, but I don't despise her. I just think she's not the right person for Ichigo. I like them only as friends. Personally, I think Orihime isn't mentally and emotionally compatible with Ichigo, and I believe Kubo has shown this in his manga.

Yeah, I agree :x Orihime-Ichigo relationship is clearly shown more as one-sided. Naturally, there is no definite proof anywhere for Ichigo's and Rukia's relationship to be fully mutual, but there's certainly much more chemistry going on between them than between Ichigo and Orihime. Orihime just isn't Ichigo's type, and I think she realises this herself too, as shown how inferior she feels when she compares herself to Rukia.

I agree. I think it's pretty obvious by now that Ichigo isn't interested in Orihime in that way. Kubo has so many opportunities to show something, but every time he gets these opportunities, he downplays it in favor of IchiRuki. Ichigo carried Orihime on his shoulder after the fight with Grimmjaw. Her butt is next to his face, and there's no reaction from him at all. I don't what else Kubo can do to make it any clearer to the readers.

I think Orihime knows that her feelings will never be reciprocated. How could she not? When Kubo himself made her see how much of an impact Rukia is to Ichigo, not to mentioned, seeing how much Rukia means to Ichigo.

I never like IchiHime because that couple makes both characters fail at life. Although I've never liked Inoue (but I never HATED her...untill the HM arc and all the Kurosaki-kun-ing) I don't blame her for everything...she's just a kid after all. I'm all for the IchiRuki, I have money on that pool. <3 XD You have some nice points. Keep it up.

IchiRuki FTW!

Oh, true, the Kurosaki-kun-ing in HM arc is so annoying. I have a love-hate relationship with Inoue. At times I actually like her, but at times she makes me want to pull my hair out.

Could I also add that in the pilot chapter, Orihime died. Rukia didn't. Tite Kubo wasn't planning on making Orihime a major character. Now, given that this is weaker evidence, given that so many things from a pilot chapter change anyways, I'd like to think that Kubo has more love for Rukia than Orihime.

LOL Yay I forgot this! Of course Rukia was also "already dead" so to speak but meh we'll leave that detail out!

But Rukia as a shinigami was way more lively than Orihime. Ichigo and Orihime were classmates for awhile before the start of the series and he didn't even really know she existed outside of the fact that she was friends with his childhood friend, Tatsuki. He sorta vaguely recalled the girl with the dead brother, etc. She doesn't really make a large impression on him.

Plus, Orihime, if dead, would probably end up as a regular soul. Even if she had her powers awakened, etc. etc., she'd have to go to the academy and wouldn't see Ichigo for a long time.

Rukia is unique in that she opened Ichigo's world.

I like your post xD

For me, Bleach is an Ichigo x Rukia love story from the very beginning xD Haha!

I agree that IchiHime is actually cute . . .. jsut stop the ichigo worship Orihime! It annoys the hell out of me x_x Go to Ishida instead xD Ohohohoho!!!

On your last point though, I think healers are essential, even if they don't do much in the battlefield. If fighter's injured, who takes care of them? ^^; I just mean you can't ever underestimate healers xD Hehe so Ichigo with a healer actually works xD But his chemistry with Rukia's type is just hell better xD Wheee!

Heh, thank you. Orihime should really hook up with Ishida, he would be able to give her the attention and care she needs. To me, Orihime seems the sort of a person who needs these from the one she is with, and I don't think Ichigo would actually treat her that way.

And yes, healers are essential, of course, and have fully earned their respect. I just think Ichigo needs someone who can rush in to fight by his side, instead of someone who keeps away from the battle and yells 'Kurosaki-kun' way too often.

i think ICHIHIME sucks is all anyone has to say but that's neat that you made a list. these are my reasons:

1. Ichigo and Orihime don't seem to care at all and while pleasant never go anything beyond that. they dont try to spend time alone together, they dont have awkward moments, they're friends but not on more than a superficial level.
2. Their personalities have nothing in common. Rukia & Ichigo are serious, noble, honorable, self-sacrificing, darker sort of people who keep to themselves and have a hard time sharing their feelings, asking for help or getting along in alot of social situations. Orihime is well, a friendly airhead.
3. Orihime and Ichigo just have no chemistry. i can't imagine what they would even talk about or how boring or forced a 'sexy' moment between them would feel.
4. Orihime is better with other characters whereas neither Rukia nor Ichigo can be well paired otherwise (unless you put Ichigo with some dudes like you said)
5. *coughCanoncough*
6. Rukia and Ichigo are both restrained and thoughtful people but are willing to throw away their lives, bodies, souls, whatever to help/ save each other almost immediately after meeting and continuously onward.

and btw RUKIA PWNS ORIHIME IN EVERY WAY AND IS MUCH CUTER THAN HER. maybe some guys would choose a big-breasted baby voiced bimbo type over a strong, deep, complex, naturally beautiful woman like Rukia.. but not the kind of guy Ichigo is. imo Rukia and Ichigo are the main characters and Orihime's just more unimpressive fanservice. i fastforward every time she's on the screen.

Well crap, your last one just got jossed.

Sorry I reply to your comment this late ^^; The scanlators I get my bleach from were really taking their time with the chapter >_> (but the HQ is worth it <3)

No, I do not think my last argument suffered in any way with Orihime throwing in a shield mid-battle to protect Ichigo. My point was that Ichigo's partner should be someone who is able to fight by his side. And protecting him from Ulquiorra did not magically change Orihime's nature into a fighter. She heals and protects, that's what she's good at. She's too sweet to shed blood.

Besides, I was dumb-struck when I saw the shield and the first thing that came to my mind was an alarmed cry: But what about Ichigo's pride?!

(If you remember Ukitake's philosophy of there being fights for ones life and fights for ones pride, and during Ichigo's battle against Grand Fisher Rukia struggled a lot to keep herself from interfering, since she understood Ichigo wanted to fight that battle on his own)

Personally, I think even that shield-thing might be able to be turned to Rukia's favor xD

Oh man -- I have arguments to what you're saying ( in a good way!! ) and I have SOOO much more to say as well. XD

You get me started on Rukia and Orihime concerning the subject of Ichigo, I go CRAZY. I can go on and on (but I'll do my best to maintain myself.)

I believe in every way that Orihime isn't 'hotter' than Rukia. That's just in the prospect that she has larger boobs and a more curvaceous body. I think Rukia is drop dead sexy. She is curvacious, small as she is, and she's a spit fiery little fire-ball. She contrasts in a sharp and deadly way and whooo-wee, she's just packin' 4"10' of pure sex appeal to me XD

Yes, I admit, I'm baised with my woman crush for her. But honestly, in comparison, you can't exactly narrow down 'sexy' and 'hot' into specific categories. And in that sense, Rukia is neck and neck, and in my opinion, if not passing Orihime in that department. -shrugs- s'just me.

Also, you're absolutely right. Orihime and Ichigo simply do no communicate. They don't talk with one another trivially and nearly every one of their conversations are mandatory; forced - they're happening because they NEED to happen. They've never just talked with one another about day to day things. That's why I believe Orihime has created this perception of Ichigo that she loves and why she was so frightened of him in HM.

You see, Ichigo's motivation in HM was to, as stated by Grimmjow and AFFIRMED by Ichigo himself, he was there to fight; specifically, grimmjow. He wasn't there primarily to save Orihime. Grimmjow injured Rukia; something that greatly devastated Ichigo for many reasons. It angered him - his hollow was becoming uncontrollable, he was unable to protect his loved ones and he had broken the very promise he made to himself to get stronger and protect the ones that he loved - he failed to protect the very person who TOLD him to do that; Rukia herself who had brought Ichigo out of that depression.

Now, I believe Orihime has perceived Ichigo to be some sort of prince charming. Of course with a few snags here and there. She's stated it before; Ichigo's this ever celestial prince that blots out the sun in his heroic standing. So seeing him utilizing something as dark as a hollow mask just wasn't her prince charming. This 'unheroic dark being' wasn't the kurosaki-kun that she had perceived and thus, she was frightened of him.

She does not understand Ichigo; if at all, really. Orihime has an amazing ability to perceive; she has a perceptibility that no one else has and really, she's the translator for us readers. Like when she said Ichigo cheered right up when Rukia came back. We can assume that Ichigo was happy when Rukia came back, but it wasn't really fact-based that he was until Orihime stated it.
However, when she stopped Ichigo in his fight with Grimmjow to tell him that he didn't need to win, but just please don't get hurt anymore, that goes against everything Ichigo has established for himself as a fighter. Sure, he defeated Grimmjow for a moment but he got his ass handed to him by Nnoitora / Tesla moments later.

Ichigo stated in volume 13 - right in the beginning - that he did not want to survive. He wanted to win; because winning ensured survival (with some exceptions, of course), it ensured a gain in his strength and it ensured the ability to proceed yet another step toward his goal. He was very smart to choose winning. Orihime doesn't understand that; she's not a fighter, how could she?

Rukia understands completely how Ichigo's tenacity will not stop him from continuing fighting, even if the odds are against him. That's why she motivated him with all of her trust and faith in him to get stronger. And when she was injured by grimmjow, she persisted that her injuries were her own fault and he should stop sulking about what's not his responsibility (which he took it upon himself regardless.)

I respected Rukia so much when she was standing beside the Vaizord's hideout and Orihime emerged. She stated right off that as long as she could feel him there, safe and sound, she knew he'd be alright and trusted in him, regardless of his secrecy toward his closest friends. Her faith and trust in Ichigo is something special and it's something that Orihime doesn't possess.

I believe Orihime came to realize just how much of a gap there was between the two of them when she tried to kiss Ichigo and failed. I believe she knew that, even if it wasn't in the romantic way, his heart belonged to someone else (namely Rukia) and she could not insert herself between the two of them. Her love, though authentic in its own way, just isn't the type of love for Ichigo.

Her confession was sweet, but that love isn't about loving him for five lifetimes; it's about what you can do for him in the time that you are given. I think Rukia has the ability to provide for Ichigo in ways that Orihime knows she can't. She doesn't have the audacity to yell at Ichigo when he's being stupid; she upholds him too much and his wrong doing isn't in her power to correct; she's just too soft.

And now, I'm not saying that Ichigo's 'significant other' should be based on who can correct him more. It's understanding, communication, chemistry, everything that Rukia and Ichigo seemed to have established already. Their unique bond is something that Orihime has blatantly shown to have wanted but I think she realizes and accepts the fact that she won't have it.

She's not a shallow character; her jealousy is not fickle. She has never shown jealousy at all to anyone in the entire manga, not even Tatsuki with her relationship with Ichigo, regardless of them being basically best friends. She knows there's something deep and irreplaceable with Ichigo and Rukia, she had every right to be jealous of it because it's something to be jealous of.

XD With all of that said (i'm terribly sorry, that was so long) that's just the tip of the iceburg of what I could say about Orihime's, Rukia's, and Ichigo's relationship.

Hehe, you're adorable xD My that was LONG.

Sexiness is something everyone perceives differently, naturally. And Orihime's and Rukia's sexiness are so different kinds that I think you can't really even compare them. They're both gorgeous, in their own way.

About the conversations, I do agree. Ichigo's and Rukia's conversations aren't forced at all, they're natural, they jab at each other and joke around, and there are more than just one line which COULD be interpreted as something more.

And true, Ichigo's objective in SS-arc was just to save Rukia, however in HM-arc he goes there, in my opinion, mainly to kick Grimmjow's ass.

Orihime is not the type of a woman Ichigo needs. They are too different. Orihime simply isn't a match for him. Their relationship would never last. Orihime doesn't understand him well enough, she could not be there for him in the way Ichigo would need his partner to. But this goes the other way around, too. In my opinion, Ichigo isn't the type of a guy suited for Orihime either. He could not give her all the care she'd need, and in a relationship with Ichigo I think Orihime would just end up hurt.

It's sad, and I sort of pity her too. Her feelings are deep, but quite obviously one-sided. Orihime's love for Ichigo is that unrequited first love we all have at one point in our lives and which we have to find the strength to get over.

Though has anyone read the new chapter that just came out? If you haven't don't continue reading this comment. If you have then let's see what happens.
**********************Spoiler****************************
So we finally get to see Inoue protect Ichigo. And we all know that she is in love. But we could all argue that Ichigo and Rukia work more together they spend time together, but how does Ichigo really feel? Inoue in this chapter finally steps up as Ichigo's protector, which we have never seen. Maybe it has to do with the change in her powers, just like in the anime (episode 201...I think or 202). I think we won't really know Because one day Kubo decides to make it seem Ichigo and Rukia the next he is making it seem Ichigo and Orihime. I'm not really sure what's going to happen.


But I don't want Ichigo with Orihime!

I really don't think much Orihime x Ichigo stuff'll happen :o. It's just had its opportunity far too many times. I know Kubo has an amazing talent with character relationships, but Orihime and Ichigo had SO much time to develop a bond, but they never did.

Their bond as friends - and strong friends - is pretty much stuck. I think Orihime realizes that she HAS that power to protect and she WILL protect the ones she love. I don't really think Ichigo will suddenly turn around and see 'oh wow, i realized suddenly that i really like her'. It's just too much time gone by that he could have done all this. There has been just too much time for him to do that on his own :\

Sorry, I didn't mean this as a 'jump on you!!' i was just resonding xD But the only way I see Ichigo and Orihime is if Ichigo pities her and stays with her because it's 'convenient' and 'she deserves it.' On the flip side, I can see him trying to sway her from him because of his flaws.

Either way, I do not think, romantic or not, that any relationship can surpass the depths of Ichigo's and Rukia's relationship :o

That's a good theory,tho~ and I don't want them to happen either XD

No it's okay that you explained. I've been to some forums and other journals where people are really rude for stating their opinion. It's just that I tend to hyperventilate at the thought of Ichigo and Orihime staying together.
I'd be perfectly fine if Ichigo stays alone though.

Thanks for supporting IchiRuki and for being kind to Orihime ^^

Lovely post!!!! It was very mature and reasonable and brought out all the points clearly. Hime is a friend, and will always be one. Ichigo doesn't really understand her, her strength or her feelings, he treats her like a glass puppet. I feel very bad for Hime most of the time, she's sweet and beautiful and yet she's made to feel so inadequate. She's known Ichigo for years, but a stranger knows him better now. And that must hurt her very much.

Here's to Ichigo and Rukia- Banzai!

ps: Give the yaoi a chance... it's hot! I am a most dedicated IchiRuki fan but I still melt at GrimmXIchi! -drools-

Oh, good points you have there. I especially agree with the Hollow thing. I never paid much attention until I saw that. Whoa..

I personally see no appeal in the IchiHime pairing. And I don't think that she is better looking than Rukia. Hime, to me, is pretty in the standard guys-wet-dream to me, and outside of that, very plain. Rukia on the other hand is more pretty, if not more beautiful, for her personality. Despite seeming a bit cold sometimes. It's the depth to her character, her strength, and confidence that I believe has and/or would draw Ichigo to her.

I feel Ichigo appreciates and holds her regard at a higher level than any other because she is a warrior in her own right, and, because of that, gets his need to protect and fight. Despite their seeming age difference. Ichigo probably likes that he looks like her protector (due to her slight form), even though he knows she can do it herself. Because we all know that Ichigo has to feel like/be the savior. (Such a softy underneath all his huff and gruff he is!)

Physically, Rukia is pretty, in a fairy sort of way, that compliments Ichigo's stature, and even his coloring. To me Orihime and Ichigo clash more often than not, and that's not just color wise, but personality wise too. I feel that if Ichigo ever took her feelings seriously, he would become either very bored, very fast, or, frustrated because she would never truly understand him in the way Rukia seems to effortlessly. (Plus, I think Rukia would be jealous, and show him how much better she is for him. Someone should write a fic like that, it'd be interesting.)

I'm not bashing your opinion of Orihime or anything, or anyone else's for that matter. I don't hate her, she's just there to me. A character that, if taken out of the picture all together, would hardly effect the story over all. (I know she a major part of the HM arch, but that's how I feel.) It's just, I find her way too soft for Ichigo. And Ichigo and Rukia just seem made for each other to me, there is no other pairing that seems to get/compliment each other as a whole so completely.

And that is my response (long reasoning) to yours. Sorry if it's too long. It just all spilled out when I was only trying to agree with you. *scratches back of head* Oops? ^_~*

Velvet_Black

what chapter when orihime is curing fainted rukia in your blog?

That scene is in Volume 24, but I'm not sure about the chapter, sorry. I don't have the older chapters on my laptop so I can't check it.