Bleach Philosophy Corner

You (the internet) loved my case study on Ulquiorra (an avoidant psychopath with a heart of gold and a penchence for brain washing) the most popular bad guy of the Aizen saga. So I'm going to keep blogging about Bleach, this time about philosophy and maybe psychology too. Chansu, this is not selling out it's good blogging...

So Ichigo's friend Ishida got shanked by a mysterious bad guy with enormous power. And Ichigo, he's weaker than a wet tissue. It seems like everyone else in the show downgraded Ichigo, like our economy got downgraded by S&P. However, in this case they downgraded Ichigo to something like C. Orihime now feels it's ok to make a move on him (or fail to make a move on him), because he's pathetic.

What kind of hero is Tite Kubo making Ichigo out to be in this arc?

He's Kubo's experiment in the underdog archetype. Kubo went for this vibe during the Soul Society arc and that's why we like Bleach. But for real, in this arc Ichigo experiences being a well endowed person but with no real power at all. A lot like you and me. Ok Chansu, not like you or Luffy but this is about Ichigo and Bleach.

He might as well said "Let's walk away so my now-crappy-son doesn't hear us talking about bad things"

Ichigo for the first time in the series experiences the human dilemma. That we might not be strong enough, that our friends will downgrade us, that our parents and mentors will walk away mysteriously, that strange men will ambush our friends, that the girls that like us don't talk about that stalker guy (Orihime...), that our weaker friends will come to the foreground to flaunt their strength (CHAD...), and the list continues. Ichigo is facing the best human dilemma that shounen anime can offer. And it's the best because it offered too much for a shounen anime. Ichigo is practically that person everyone pretends to be nice to because you don't want to hurt his feelings.

But Ichigo is a shounen hero after all. He is an example of what we should do. Keep trying and keep trying again. Trust strange men... Well not that last part. We should keep trying even when we don't know if we can make it. He never lashed out at his friends for downgrading him, he just kinda stayed chill. We can assume that Kubo instilled such a "theory of mind" to Bleach, I hope. I like to believe Ichigo knows he's been downgraded worse than the S&P though Kubo didn't make this crystal clear (he's got to at least try to tell a story by showing and not by spoonfeeding everything to you).

Ichigo kept trying... Why can't we? Resilience is key...

Never use a calling card given to you by a stranger... Unless you're a shounen hero...

JRock Video of the Night!

The opening theme of Tiger and Bunny

Orion wo Nazoru by Unison Square Garden

Dream Chasers!

Are you a dream chaser? 

Like a shounen hero.

Take this simple quiz to find out.

1. Can you summarize your recent actions with a one-sided conviction?

Yes = 1pt No = -1

Shounen heroes most of the time have a one-sided conviction that keeps them striving and moving from one action to the next. Ex: "I'm gonna be king of the pirates!"

2. When you fail, do you get emotional?

Yes =1 No = 0

Shounen heroes get emotional when they lose a fight or when something goes wrong that takes away from their goal. Ex: "Ichigo Kurosaki after losing to Grimmjow" 

3. Do you find that the right people somehow become attached to you?

Yes =1 No =0

Usually when a shounen dream chaser is chasing their dreams, people somehow become attached to them. Either to join them or the be their rival. Ex: Naruto's ability to make friends out of the comrades that ostracized and his ability to negotiate with Pain/Nagato.

4. You find that when you are doing something potentially risky, you feel excited and full of energy.

Yes=1 No =-2

Shounen heroes always love the thrill of the battle, the journey, or the challenge. Ex: Yusuke Yurameshi always loves to fight stronger opponents.

5. You believe that how things turn out depend only on you and not on others.

Yes=1 No=0

Shounen heroes don't normally depend on other people and don't blame other people for failures. They know they can change the future and the world!

Scoring: 

5 = Shounen Dream Chaser!

4 = Chasing your dream!

3 = Working on the dream!

2 = Needs inspiration!

1 = Quickly make up a one sided conviction! i.e Pirate King

0 = Average person.

Negative number = Are you a shounen villian? The Akatsuki is always hiring.

Battle Shonen vs. Old School Heroes

Battle shonen is a fairly new type of storytelling, which has emerged in the late 70's and early 80's. It's a hero genre, where the stories focus on a hero who saves other people, goes on a journey, defeats an evil opponent, etc. Hero stories have been around for ages, since the times of BC and the ancients. Those who study myths still look back on these old stories and will tell you that they are important. Shonen battle, being new also bring in new themes that are different from those ancient stories.

In ancient stories, the bad guys and even the rivals were animal-like human beings or animals. This was a big theme in old school hero stories. The hero would defeat a dragon or a bull or a centaur or something. That represents people overcoming their animal-like desires, the ones that the opponent has.

In battle shonen, these bad guys are usually people. We have new themes, people getting in other people's way. This reflects today's world. We're not worrying about our animal selves or people who are animal-like. We're worried about people as people, who are villianous.

I'll use Hitman Reborn as a new school example. The heroes use box weapons which are animals that fight for them. This is like using your animal instincts at will to achieve goals. It's a new school idea. Back in the ancient times they weren't thinking about that, not without technology. The bad guys are usually people who can become like animals but they still keep their intelligence as people. Compared to old school bad guys these bad guys are super powered, they can use their animal instincts at will and even use the most brutal animal attributes to fight.

Psychology of the Shounen Hero, Part 1

Shounen is a type of storytelling in Japan aimed at young males. Battle shouen is a subset of shounen where the main character is also a hero and battles the forces threatening his or her way of life.

The hero archetype has been defined by C. G. Jung as the constructs that personify the hero. While the hero archetype isn't restricted to "hero stories" alone and can also apply to dramas and comedies. But I've noticed themes in shounen stories that may be different from the original limits of defined hero and villian archetypes. It might be just because in America we are used to the Superman or Spiderman who is straightforward and to the point, in most cases.

The shounen hero sometimes makes sacrifices. This may or may not be the same as originally defined. For example, in Bleach, Ichigo Kurosaki had to sacrifice his spiritual energy to defeat the arch-nemesis Aizen Sousuke. It's not clear if Ichigo's spiritual energy will make a comeback...




The shounen hero sometimes has an opposite character who's abilities are similar and different at the same time. For example, in Naruto Shippuuden, Naruto and Sasuke are rivals. Naruto's signature attack, the Rasengan, can only be done when he has his clones helping him stabilize the orb. That implies that he draws on the strength of his friends to fight. While Sasuke, his rival uses another signature energy attack where he grabs his opposite arm to bring out the energy. Which surely indicates self-reliance and may also indicate the pain, both physical and mental, of such an attack. Physcal pain being from the production of the electricity and mental pain from being alone. this theme may have also been portrayed at the beginning of the second Shippuuden movie where a lonely Sasuke fired a chidori electric blast into a waterfall while at the same time holding his head under the waterfall. I would take a guess that the creators wanted to portary Sasuke's bitterness at being lonely, and also showing a semblence to training.

 Right before Sasuke practically electrocuted himself :(

You shouldn't have ran away from your friends O.o Just jokes..

Shounen stories will often host a character who has an uncontrollable shadow side tied to the very bad guys they face. These shows include, Naruto, Yu Yu Hakusho, Bleach, DragonballZ, and others. Usually one would think that the hero can control every aspect of themselves and that's usually the case at the end of the story or arc. The heroes often struggle with their shadow intensely througout the story and may even fight or make temporary sacrifices to it but only to control it in the end.



I told you! Reading can be fun! ^_^
Stay tuned for part 2!

Jpop Video of the Night!

Giri Giri Hero by Mihimaru GT
The title means "Barely Qualified Hero"
At a time where I feel barely qualified to do anything, I just wanted something to pick us all up!

Lyric added by: outsiders
Stop beating around the bush
Bring your doubt, come on and jump in
Because there’s no use winning
Under someone else’s rules

Even if you lose your accurate map
Bring your fears, come on and jump in
Can You Control yourself to be a winner again
I’m tired of making happy faces

It’s dangerous so don’t try to get on board
Check your left and right, it starts right here

*Going on with unfading passion
Even if you hide tears because you overextended yourself, I’ll protect you
I’m your barely qualified HERO

**I’ll set the story straighter than yesterday
Even if I don’t put on a flashy costume
I’m your barely qualified HERO

I talk like I know what’s going on
My insensitivity is too much of a good thing
I hear footsteps in my heart, thud, thud
Enemies surround me on all sides, I can’t believe it
But I’m captivated in wonder
At how I’m always saved by you
I never realized you were always brave, my hero

You don’t know until you’ve tried
Take it head-on, come on and jump in
Can You Control yourself to be a winner again
You can’t give up tomorrow

“We’ve arrived at your destination”
It’s not enough…I’m a selfish creature

Going on to burn the unfading passion
They can call me clumsy or hate me, but I’ll protect you
I’m your barely qualified HERO

I’ll make the story straighter than yesterday
My cape won’t help me to fly and the wind holds me down
But I’m still your barely qualified HERO

“I’m an exceptional player, one of a kind”
If that’s how you’ve lived up to this point
Then of course that’s self-conceited, get a move on
Know your place and cut it out already
I’ve decided to stand in the field I saw in my dreams
It’s all cold asphalt here
But you run through in spite of it
I knew it, you’re a HERO

(Repeat*)
(Repeat**)

We don’t need to be perfect
Let’s cry like human beings
If you want to make me feel better
Then how about we try a fortune teller?
Our great luck can’t turn into bad luck, right?
Let’s pay the price once in a while
An exhausted king of the hill

Barely qualified HERO, you don’t stop…

Source: http://www.quartet4.net/

The Skinny on Villians

Have you guys ever wondered if anime villians were the real deal? Would a real life villian act like one of the baddies seen on your favorite show or in your favorite manga?

The bad guys in anime almost always have an insatiable ego to go with that thirst for power and/or bloodshed.
They are calm, collected, and almost surreal. Would any real life villian go about causing destruction in that egotistical surreal pompousness?

Well according to "Psychology Today" magazine, the answer is yes. According to their findings "violent criminals typically think more highly of themselves than most other people do. Aggression often occurs when someone challenges these favorable self views" (Psychology Today March/April 2010)

I'm not saying that a villian or bully in anime or in real life won't have a low self esteem because there are many that do. But the point is that those elite genius' that anime calls villians are as much the real deal psychologically as the villians that make our world the sucky place it is.

AN EVEN BETTER REASON FOR US TO BE LIKE OUR FAVORITE HERO IN ANIME, BECAUSE IN RETROSPECT THEY HAVE QUALITIES OF REAL LIFE HEROES.


Just don't bitch like Ichigo and please don't be like Renji, he is not even pictured...

RPGHero's Diesel Youtube Video of the Night

You might need a pickmeup tonight, or today, or whenever you check this post out. If you're feeling depressed or beaten down by the system just watch this and you'll feel alright. Let little Astroboy fight your battles for you young Samurai, or if your an old Samurai, watch the video and get off your ass and do what you gotta do (excuse my language).

Well here it is:



The track is Now or Never (Astrosexy) by M-flo ft. Chemistry
Go out and get it young Samurai!