Someone give Kira a sandwich, stat.
Okay, I know that we're all used to anime characters having unrealistic proportions. I know there's a temptation to assume that the weights we're given by manga artists aren't "real".
I know we all want to think Kira is built, because he never tops in fic as it is, and he hardly needs to be skinny and "weak" too. But the fact of the matter is that Kira is underweight.
I don't quite understand, honestly, why this is so surprising to some people, because Kira looks hollow and miserable. He looks gaunt, like he hasn't slept well in years. But I've heard every defense of his weight from "it's just KT's style, all the men look like that" to "how can he be a Shinigami and not be built?"
(Both of these arguments, by the way, are patently untrue; I'm talking about the lines under Kira's eyes, and the only character who looks more gaunt than him is Kenpachi, whose entire body, when you see him shirtless, is starved and, like his chipped sword, gives off the vague aura of being held together by sheer, indomitable willpower. And, as for the second argument -- Yachiru? Hinamori? Obviously you can be a Shinigami, and a strong one, without being muscular in the slightest.)
I blame the fact that a large number of these fans want Kira to be paired with Gin, and happily. They want to pretend that Gin really loves Kira and that Kira makes <3s and :Ds and cookies shaped like kitsune because he wuvs his caring captain so much. If you can't imagine that Kira is totally miserable, I guess it would be pretty hard to understand why he might not be taking the best care of himself.
Anyway. I now present the evidence, catalogued from kay_willow's Bleach Bootleg translations. Kira is skinnier than any other male member of the 13 Protection Divisions, even the ones he's taller than. He's even lighter than Rangiku.
Kira's stats:
Height: 173cm (5'7")
Weight: 56kg (123 lbs)
Relevant comparisons:
Hisagi Shuuhei, who is visibly but slenderly muscular:
181cm (5'9")
67kg (147 lbs)
Kuchiki Byakuya, a little less muscular:
180cm (5'9")
64kg (140 lbs)
Ayasegawa Yumichika, who is so concerned about looking pretty:
169cm (5'5")
59kg (130 lbs)
Matsumoto Rangiku, who is at least 120% female:
172cm (5'6")
57kg (125 lbs)
The point of these comparisons is to emphasize: It isn't that KT doesn't understand human weight. In fact, for Japanese people, their muscle tone is represented quite well. (Before you try to argue otherwise, please remember that Bruce Lee at his prime was 5'7" and 135 lbs.)
Kira is just supposed to be skinny.
He is underfed, and consequently underweight. When he's a little less hollow-eyed and miserable, I expect his weight will perk right up.
In fact, just about the only guy who doesn't outweigh Kira is Hanatarou, and does that really need explanation?
I know we all want to think Kira is built, because he never tops in fic as it is, and he hardly needs to be skinny and "weak" too. But the fact of the matter is that Kira is underweight.
I don't quite understand, honestly, why this is so surprising to some people, because Kira looks hollow and miserable. He looks gaunt, like he hasn't slept well in years. But I've heard every defense of his weight from "it's just KT's style, all the men look like that" to "how can he be a Shinigami and not be built?"
(Both of these arguments, by the way, are patently untrue; I'm talking about the lines under Kira's eyes, and the only character who looks more gaunt than him is Kenpachi, whose entire body, when you see him shirtless, is starved and, like his chipped sword, gives off the vague aura of being held together by sheer, indomitable willpower. And, as for the second argument -- Yachiru? Hinamori? Obviously you can be a Shinigami, and a strong one, without being muscular in the slightest.)
I blame the fact that a large number of these fans want Kira to be paired with Gin, and happily. They want to pretend that Gin really loves Kira and that Kira makes <3s and :Ds and cookies shaped like kitsune because he wuvs his caring captain so much. If you can't imagine that Kira is totally miserable, I guess it would be pretty hard to understand why he might not be taking the best care of himself.
Anyway. I now present the evidence, catalogued from kay_willow's Bleach Bootleg translations. Kira is skinnier than any other male member of the 13 Protection Divisions, even the ones he's taller than. He's even lighter than Rangiku.
Kira's stats:
Height: 173cm (5'7")
Weight: 56kg (123 lbs)
Relevant comparisons:
Hisagi Shuuhei, who is visibly but slenderly muscular:
181cm (5'9")
67kg (147 lbs)
Kuchiki Byakuya, a little less muscular:
180cm (5'9")
64kg (140 lbs)
Ayasegawa Yumichika, who is so concerned about looking pretty:
169cm (5'5")
59kg (130 lbs)
Matsumoto Rangiku, who is at least 120% female:
172cm (5'6")
57kg (125 lbs)
The point of these comparisons is to emphasize: It isn't that KT doesn't understand human weight. In fact, for Japanese people, their muscle tone is represented quite well. (Before you try to argue otherwise, please remember that Bruce Lee at his prime was 5'7" and 135 lbs.)
Kira is just supposed to be skinny.
He is underfed, and consequently underweight. When he's a little less hollow-eyed and miserable, I expect his weight will perk right up.
In fact, just about the only guy who doesn't outweigh Kira is Hanatarou, and does that really need explanation?