KaiRuki and Bleach 268

[marionette71088]

I know it's late, but here's my thoughts on KaiRuki after 268. I'll save my opinions on 269 after the next chapter.

Before I have always thought Rukia’s attraction to Kaien seems to apparent to really have depth. I could have accepted it either way, but it just felt like it was a crush(at most) on someone who is exceptionally kind and understanding

Comments

[brightredglow]

I really like this post because of how it considers what we saw in 268 from another perspective. I don't know if I agree with it all but that's mostly because I'm not sure what to make of 268, but I do like the way this post thinks outside the box and I especially like that last line: So again, while I think Kaien effected every man in Rukia’s life, his existence conflict the most with Byakuya’s relationship with her.

It is simple but rings true.

[shalomdebbie]

So again, while I think Kaien effected every man in Rukia’s life, his existence conflict the most with Byakuya’s relationship with her.

Funny. That's been on my mind too. In fact, I wrote that story about the Kaien vs Byakuya relationships with Rukia a few days ago:
http://community.livejournal.com/bleachness/30046.html#cutid1

I wanted to write a encounter between Kaien and Byakuya over her ranking--but then I thought Kubo may give us that eventually. The tension between the Kuchikis and the Shibas is still a mystery.

This morning I was thinking along the same lines of "impractical realism" (good way to describe Ichigo too) that Kaien has and that Rukia seems to have taken from her mentor.

Yes, Kaien doing the dumb thing and letting himself die (did he believe he'd die? Like Ichigo so many times, he didn't) and traumatizing Rukia forever. Dying fighting for his wife's vengence and yet dying in another woman's arms and giving his "heart" to her. <.< If Kaien werent such

[marionette71088]

After 267 ended with the possibility of a flash back, my wishful prediction for their past was actually this:

(Warning: very wishful thinking)

What if Kaien did gave Rukia too much attention, at least enough for him to feel subconsciously guilty toward Miyako? And the night Miyako died Kaien could have been with Rukia (not doing anything wrong, just training or trying to cheer her up), and that's the reason why he was so thoughtless as he went after that hollow: he finally realized his guilt and felt ten times worse after that

[marionette71088]

Yeah, I've never really heard of what you thought on the subject.

[susu86]

Good points for Kairuki. I always see them as plain professor-student relationship. I dunno why i just cant admit that they are actually in love, even in 268 it actually blurred me from knowing their relationship. At that time when Kaien still alife, Rukia was so young to know more about love, all she needed was someone to replace Byakuya's position, he was too strict and less care(indeed not) to her. So, Kaien came to her, walked into her life, became her mentor, taught her all those knowledge of living. Living is a pain for Rukia, i have seen her struggling on it. I see Rukia relationship with Kaien is no more than admire, and maybe there was really some chemistry between them, but was restricted by Kaien's wife and Rukia's innocent. Life is never perfect for Rukia, and i hope Ichigo can refill hers. She deserves to have bliss after all the hells she has gone through

[marionette71088]

When he was fused with the hollow, there was nothing anyone could do. Rukia had to kill him to save his life, even Ukitake has decided to kill the hollow along with Kaien (although the hollow was surprised at his decision, it wasn't a given). The interesting thing is though, what Rukia said in the end of 267 could be implying that she didn't do it to free Kaien, but to save her own life; which again, is completely understandable human behavior...but it would be interesting because that would be the first time Rukia has done something for her own sake, and her later complex would make more sense.

Her life sucked, yeah, but at the same time there has been some good things (although they often not end very well), and she has always focused on those good things and that's an important reason I love her.

[metaphore_art]

You know, I really like this entry, because it puts into words some of the things that I always found confusing about the relationship between Kaien and Rukia. Before we got more pieces of the puzzle in chapter 268, I always got a little bit of an...off feeling about this. It's like Debbie said, if he wasn't so sweetly seemingly clueless about the things he does, his behaviour could be construed as a little irresponsible. For all intents and purposes, so far it seems that he loved his wife very much, but at the same time, he had to know a little bit of the affect that he had on Rukia, if only that as you pointed out, he'd become almost a lifeline for her given her circumstances. I always got the impression that he knew that he was more than likely going to die in the fight with the hollow -- hence why he took Rukia and Ukitake along with him; so he wouldn't die alone and could pass on his "heart." As he chose them, it would seem that she was also someone whom he considered very important as well

[marionette71088]

I loved your second paragraph: if that was the point Kubo was making with Kaien's death, than that part of the story would be so much more realistic and less melodramatic.

But I have a feeling that Kubo is just presenting a story and leaving the readers to give the judgments, which would also be a smart move for him as a writer.

[sandice]

Great entry and I agree with most of your points. The KaiRuki bond was special and exclusive. I never thought it was explicitely romantic - in that their interaction had undertones of romance - but I did think Rukia did have romantic feelings for him

[marionette71088]

Whether it was romantic or not could be left completely to the reader's interpretation. But as far as we could see, Kaien and Rukia never crossed any kind of line whatsoever, but it is special.

Kaien, Ichigo, and most of the protagonists never planned to die because they never planned to lose. Although as much I'd like to think that everything is possible if you try hard enough, it isn't. Or it is but you have to pay grand consequences. I'd like to see Kubo explore that in the near future. Did they really have to take the most dangerous route?