Byakuya Kuchiki vs Zommari Rureaux: True Love

Chapter 299

In a somewhat curious manner, Byakuya Kuchiki has two fights with opponents whose power revolves around love. Captain Kuchiki’s first love-related fight is his fight in the Arrancar Arc against the 7th Espada, Zommari Rureaux. His second love-related fight is one in the Thousand Year Blood War Arc against the quincy PePe Waccabrada who has the schrift “L”. In this post, I will discuss Byakuya’s fight with Zommari. The fight with PePe will be discussed in a different post.

I see Byakuya vs Zommari as a fight that showcases Byakuya’s growth after the Soul Society arc. Through this fight, we see that Byakuya (1) has changed what he takes pride in, and (2) has learned to some degree that love is not controlling.

Apologies

Hey there. My apologies for leaving this blog in the dust for a year. Life and work happened, and I wasn't able to keep posting. I'm rather surprised that during my time away, a lot of visitors have dropped by. Thanks for reading!

Now that things are a bit more sorted out, I do want to post again in this blog. Especially since I've left my Violet Evergarden review series hanging (sorry!). I've had a lot of time to think about whether I want to keep on writing since this is just something I do for fun. I think yeah, I still want to write. There's worth in getting my ideas out there. And in this AI-riddled age, writing is a great exercise to keep my skills and humanity intact :) . No promises about how often I'll be able to post, though. 

Lastly, I have another blog where I post stuff about books: https://booksandbases.blogspot.com/. I generally make shorter posts there. I know I probably read the randomest set of books but hey, perhaps you'll find something that appeals to you there xD 

Min-hyuk’s Loss of Self in Annarasumanara

Though initially presented as a mysterious figure, the magician in Annarasumanara is revealed to have a tragic past. R used to be a straight As student at school. However, he crumbled under the stress and pressure. This resulted in Min-hyuk losing his sense of self. We can see this through the panel above which comes from chapter 25 of the webtoon.

Gripping Dialogues: The Tarkaan and the Cat in C. S. Lewis’ The Last Battle

Picture taken from Harper Collins

Every now and then, we encounter gripping dialogues that just leave lasting impressions. One that I’d like to share in this post is a dialogue from the last installment of C. S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia, The Last Battle. Generally, I often take a liking to dialogues with great messages. But this dialogue in The Last Battle caught my eye because of how cunning and careful its participants are.

[Part 2] Does Episode 5 of Violet Evergarden Endorse Child Marriage?

Hello! This is Part 2 of my thoughts on whether episode 5 of Violet Evergarden is an endorsement of child marriage. Make sure to read Part 1 first here!

[Part 1] Does Episode 5 of Violet Evergarden Endorse Child Marriage?

Let’s address the elephant in the room. Is episode 5 of Violet Evergarden an endorsement of child marriage and marriage with big age gaps? I’m sure this issue is something that has been widely discussed, so I’ll try not to reiterate what is already out there. 

Note: This article is divided into two parts. This is Part 1. Click here to read Part 2. The link to Part 2 is also provided at the end of this post.

Fun with Titles: The Speed Phantom 2 (Denial by Pride, Contradiction by Power)

Chapter 163 of the Bleach manga has one of my favorite chapter titles ever out of all the titles in the whole Bleach series. Said title is “The Speed Phantom 2 (Denial by Pride, Contradiction by Power)”. It is a chapter in the climax of Soul Society arc in which Byakuya and Ichigo fights with their respective bankais. Let’s break down the title and see how it relates to the contents of chapter 163.

Fun with Titles: Pacific Bay’s "The Ties That Bind" and "No Place Like Home"

On today’s episode of obsessing over Criminal Case: Pacific Bay, I’d just like to write about why I particularly like the case titles The Ties That Bind and No Place Like Home. These two cases are a part of the Rhine Canyon arc that explores Andrea’s past. The Ties That Bind – Pacific Bay’s 44th case – is the case in which Andrea becomes a suspect. The 45th case, No Place Like Home, is the case in which Randolph returns to his home planet. What I like about these two titles is that they pertain not only to the case, but also to Andrea’s character arc.

When Killing is not the Goal: A Parallel between Sui-Feng and Ichigo Kurosaki

Sui-Feng is indeed an odd name to put next to Ichigo Kurosaki. Rukia Kuchiki or any member of the Karakura team would be a much better pick. Nevertheless, there is an interesting parallel between Sui-Feng’s and Ichigo Kurosaki’s actions in their respective fights with Yoruichi Shihoin and Byakuya Kuchiki. Said parallel is their action of not killing the enemy when they obviously had the chance to. This choice not to kill reveals that Sui-Feng and Ichigo’s primary goal is not murder, but something else.

[Part 2] Violet Evergarden Episode 5: You Write Letters That Bring People Together?

This episode's analysis is divided into two parts. This post is the second part. Click here to read the first part.

[Part 1] Violet Evergarden Episode 5: You Write Letters That Bring People Together?

Note: This episode's analysis is divided into two parts. Click here to access the second part. I have put the link at the end of this post as well.

We seem to have jumped ahead quite a bit in time in Episode 5 of Violet Evergarden. Violet is apparently skillful and capable enough to take on a request from Princess Charlotte of the Drossel Kingdom. (I don’t think Violet would be entrusted with such a heavy responsibility if she’s only got like, less than five experiences under her belt.) Violet is tasked to write public love letters to Prince Damian of the Flugel Kingdom, to whom Charlotte is engaged.

Thematically, the episode generally explores authenticity. Although letters can help people express their feelings, it’s not always the case that people will always write authentically. It’s not always the case either that beauty or overt displays of emotion is a sure indicator of its authenticity. Though this theme is mainly presented through Princess Charlotte and Prince Damian’s story, I’d like to propose that the same theme is echoed through the princess’ relationship with her lady-in-waiting, Alberta.

Bleach: Understanding Byakuya Kuchiki’s Motivations in His Fight with Ichigo Kurosaki

Chapter 152

Ichigo Kurosaki vs Byakuya Kuchiki is arguably the climax of Bleach’s Soul Society Arc. I’ve written here that I’d like to do a post on Ichigo vs Byakuya sometime in the future, and (finally) this is that post. I’ve mentioned that I see Sui-Feng vs Yoruichi Shihoin as a fight mostly fueled by personal reasons. The fight’s main driving force is not so much Sui-Feng’s zealous passion for the law as Sui-Feng’s pain due to Yoruichi’s abrupt departure a hundred years earlier. On the other hand, I see Jushiro Ukitake, Shunsui Kyoraku vs Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto as a fight mainly fueled by impersonal reasons (that is, legal reasons). Yamamoto fights his protégés simply because he thinks lawbreakers must be punished. His fondness of them cannot cancel the necessity for punishment. These two concurrent fights can help us understand the Ichigo vs Byakuya fight. I argue that his fight with Ichigo, Byakuya is driven by both impersonal and personal reasons.

Writing Better Stories #2

Coincidentally, this second entry in the Writing Better Stories series will be another case study on Criminal Case: Pacific Bay. (Click here to read the first entry.) This post will be about the Rhine Canyon arc – that is, Chief Andrea Marquez’ arc. Although she is among my favorite characters in the Criminal Case franchise, I cannot bring myself to like fully her character arc for two main reasons. First, I don’t quite enjoy alien stories. This one purely depends on personal taste, so I don’t think more explaining is needed. Second, I believe it would be better if her arc didn’t end like that.

Navigating Magic and Logic

Note: This post is the third part of a series that explores the main message of the Korean webtoon Annarasumanara. You might want to read the introduction, the first part, and the second part first.

After a long journey examining our main characters’ views, in this post we will sum up the stance that Annarasumanara holds in relation to life. In the two previous posts, we have seen Ah-ee, Il-deung, and R’s perspectives on life. I have demonstrated that the story rejects Ah-ee and Il-deung’s (and Min-hyuk’s) initial view which champions academic and economic success. Now, I will first show that the story, too, does not tell us to adopt R’s view. Then, I will point out the view Annarasumanara suggests we have.

[Part 2] Violet Evergarden Episode 4: You Won't be a Tool, but a Person Worthy of that Name

Iris and Violet on the train home from Kazaly

This episode's analysis is divided into two parts. This post is the second part. Click here to read the first part.

[Part 1] Violet Evergarden Episode 4: You Won't be a Tool, but a Person Worthy of that Name

Note: This episode's analysis is divided into two parts. To my own surprise, I had a lot of things to say. Click here to access the second part. I have put the link at the end of this post as well.

Iris and Violet on the train to Kazaly

After her graduation from class in episode 3, Violet now finds herself in the middle of a mother-daughter conflict. Iris, Violet’s coworker, receives her first job request as a doll from her hometown – Kazaly. But alas! Disaster strikes. Iris hurts her right hand thanks to a fall down the stairs. As a result, Violet accompanies Iris on her trip back home to act as her hands. The business trip, however, forces Iris to face her feelings about herself, her feelings about her hometown, and her strained relationship with her mother.

Magic and Childhood: The Magician's Rose-Tinted World

Note: This post is the second part of a series that explores the main message of the Korean webtoon Annarasumanara. You might want to read the introduction and the first part first.

The magician in chapter 4

One main character in Annarasumanara aside from Ah-ee and Il-deung is the mysterious magician, R. He suddenly appears in an abandoned theme park to perform magic. Though R’s childlike demeanor and odd way of living invite the suspicion of many, Ah-ee and Il-deung find themselves drawn to him. Eventually, the two students discover that R was once a top-of-the-class student called Min-hyuk, and that he has been living like this ever since his damaging high school years. R, previously a believer in the necessity of becoming a good typical adult, now believes in “magic”.

Money and Straight A’s: The Recipe for a Good Life?

Note: This post is the first part of a series that explores the main message of the Korean webtoon Annarasumanara. You might want to read the introduction first.

Il-deung and Ah-ee in chapter 8

Despite coming from different backgrounds, senior high school students Ah-ee and Il-deung share the same view on life. They believe that life is about becoming typical successful adults. To do so, one must attain economic and academic success. Nonetheless, the story conveys that economic and academic success do not necessarily guarantee a fulfilling life. This can be seen through the juxtaposition of Ah-ee and Il-deung themselves.

Between Magic and Logic, Adulthood and Childhood: Annarasumanara's Main Message

Annarasumanara is a Korean webtoon by Ha Il-kwon. The art style and story might put you off at first - like what it did to me - but all things considered, the story is worth the read. In fact, Annarasumanara is among the best stories I have ever read. It narrates the story of senior high school students Yoon Ah-ee and Na Il-deung (spelling may vary across translations) as they find themselves questioning their worldview after meeting a strange magician. The story touches on many interesting topics, but for now, I’d like to focus on its main message.

Violet Evergarden Episode 3: May You Be an Exemplary Auto Memory Doll

 

Violet's well-earned brooch

In Episode 3 of Violet Evergarden, we follow Violet as she attends a class for aspiring dolls. The main focus this time is Violet’s relationship with Luculia, a fellow student. It is in this episode that Violet experiences her first successful “mission” as a doll – the first of her many other successes in the future.