Manifesto for Ishida & Orihime of Bleach

[shalomdebbie]

This essay was due later this month but I'm posting early because I'm going out of town. I may not be able to respond to your comments. Thanks for reading.

There All Along: Reasons I Believe IshiHime Might Happen by debbiechan

Pairing: Ishida Uryuu/Inoue
Orihime Fandom: Bleach Title: There All Along: Reasons I Believe IshiHime Might Happen
Author:

Comments

[qaffangyrl]

please put this behind an LJ cut. thanks!

[von_questenberg]

Ah yes, lj cut please. :D

[shalomdebbie]

Done. Knew there would be something I'd miss.

[von_questenberg]

Not a problem.

And icon love. ♥

[lanchid]

Er....I'm not sure the cut-tag is working. Could you check it again? Thanks.

[jaina]

Ah, Debbie, so well-spoken and fairly written. You say a lot of the things I think about these characters--only better! (My one quibble is that I don't think Orihime is too young to know what real love is--I think she is old enough to recognize the feeling in her heart. I would say that she is too young/inexperienced to know how real love works in a mature, mutual way. And that just because she may feel Ichigo is the only person she will love, that is not necessarily so. But the feeling he is is so VERY appropriate for her age.)

I have no idea whether KT will end the manga with any hint at ships--on one hand, it's shonen. On the other, the fact that he's already been dealing with explicit romantic feelings in a surprisingly mature and deft manner is pretty unusual for shonen. So who knows? But I, too, hope Orihime finds strength for herself. I want to see her get strong, move on, and be happy with herself...and then find her Quincy that was there all along.

[a_white_rain]

The couple has no significant interaction until they crash-land together in the Seireitei.
I actually disagree with that. The moment I started to like the ship was when Orihime asked if Ishida wanted to train with her and Chad, and, although it's been over a year since I read it, I think when he turned her down he look apologetic, and Orihime knew that he'd come anyway. That moment was poignant and mirrored when Orihime understood the pain Ishida was suffering when he was without his powers.

With Ichigo and Orihime, there is almost no interaction, and when there is, Orihime is shown to be a less confident, empowered self than she is with Ishida.Another point I disagree with. She was content to be protected only at first, but as the series progresses, she finds she wants to protect as well. By the time she breaks down to Rukia, and Rukia helps her, she finds what she wants: to stand by Ichigo's side. Rather or not IchiHime or IshiHime happens, I think it's an important moment in her character - she wants to be Ichigo's equal (and

[a_white_rain]

Given lack of confidence around Ichigo (and to some extent, everyone, even Ishida), Orihime needs to grow up.
Agreed. However, she's chosen to do this by becoming strong and walking beside Ichigo. Her becoming strong doesn't have to include getting rid of her feelings for Ichigo, but rather using it as motivation to grow into that strength.

Orihime is in a long white dress with princess sleeves, and Ishida--in white also and the very picture of a rescuing knight.
Interesting point. :)

Although it may not seem like it because of this post, I like IshiHime more than IchiHime, I just don't like Orihime's feelings being brushed over, even more so since it seems like such a big part of her character development is connecting with Ichigo.

Now to check out the recs. :)

[vaultedthewall]

I'm just gonna throw up a "Hell yeah!" as you pretty much summed up everything I was thinking.

Then again, throughout this whole thing, it seemed like... I don't know. Orihime was being 'short-changed', and as my favorite character in the series It bugs me when people do that.

[a_white_rain]

Me too.

[eurys]

Nice essay debbie. I'm not really a fan, but this ship gives me a good feeling.
And Kubo definitely put some hints, even if he doesn't intend to develop their relation further.
Anyway, one cannot deny Orihime's feelings for Ichigo are strong. But hearts can break, and life still goes on. So yes, there's still a tiny hope for them.