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EP. REVIEW: Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War

Gina Szanboti wrote:

And for me there's no small irony in that the swastika (manji) appears in Ichigo's Bankai eyecatch, rather than the Quincy's.

I don't see how it's ironic, though? I'm sure I don't need to point out that the manji is not the Nazi swastika... Not to mention, it's part of the word "bankai" (卍解) and also the tsuba of Ichigo's zanpakutou is shaped like it.

SHD wrote:

Gina Szanboti wrote: And for me there's no small irony in that the swastika (manji) appears in Ichigo's Bankai eyecatch, rather than the Quincy's. I don't see how it's ironic, though? I'm sure I don't need to point out that the manji is not the Nazi swastika... Not to mention, it's part of the word "bankai" (卍解) and also the tsuba of Ichigo's zanpakutou is shaped like it.

Huh. I'd hoped that including the term "manji" would clarify that I understood why it's on the bankai eyecatch without going into a dissertation about it, but I should've known better.

No, I perfectly understood what you meant, there was no need for the dissertation. I was trying to point out that there was no irony present as far as I'm reading the situation. The manji is not the same symbol as the Nazi swastika, and it's been part of the franchise with its own meanings and associations (mostly the concepts of "total" or "ultimate", referencing "万") since the very beginning, way before Kubo ever thought of this plotline and character designs for the Quincys. So while yes, the Quincy gang = Nazis is an obvious association to make, I'm not really seeing how any irony has been intended here. "I find it ironic that this symbol that is often confused with the Nazi swastika but is not the Nazi swastika and is not used in an even vaguely similar meaning here, is associated with a character who is good, and not with the Nazi-esque bad guys" - I mean, OK, but to me it's not really reading as irony. But to each their own I guess.

SHD wrote:

No, I perfectly understood what you meant, there was no need for the dissertation. I was trying to point out that there was no irony present as far as I'm reading the situation. The manji is not the same symbol as the Nazi swastika, and it's been part of the franchise with its own meanings and associations (mostly the concepts of "total" or "ultimate", referencing "万") since the very beginning, way before Kubo ever thought of this plotline and character designs for the Quincys. So while yes, the Quincy gang = Nazis is an obvious association to make, I'm not really seeing how any irony has been intended here. "I find it ironic that this symbol that is often confused with the Nazi swastika but is not the Nazi swastika and is not used in an even vaguely similar meaning here, is associated with a character who is good, and not with the Nazi-esque bad guys" - I mean, OK, but to me it's not really reading as irony. But to each their own I guess.

Yes, you are arguing meaning, Gina is arguing perception. To someone ignorant of the meaning of the manji, it looks like the "swastika" is being associated with the good guy, while the villains are more Nazi-inspired. That's where the irony exists: in that misunderstanding.

SHD wrote:

Gina Szanboti wrote: And for me there's no small irony in that the swastika (manji) appears in Ichigo's Bankai eyecatch, rather than the Quincy's. I don't see how it's ironic, though? I'm sure I don't need to point out that the manji is not the Nazi swastika... Not to mention, it's part of the word "bankai" (卍解) and also the tsuba of Ichigo's zanpakutou is shaped like it.

Huh. I'd hoped that including the term "manji" would clarify that I understood why it's on the bankai eyecatch without going into a dissertation about it, but I should've known better.

The irony lies in the juxtaposition of the two screens (which aren't quite so dramatic with actual commercials separating them during broadcast I suppose) and that the Quincy have clearly appropriated Nazi stylings right down to the Hugo Boss inspired clothing (every time they show up I feel like someone swapped in Hellsing Ultimate footage), just as the Nazis appropriated the Hindu swastika. Since the modern western association of the Nazi version has subsequently become one of evil, and because most westerners don't or can't differentiate between swastika/sauwastika (migi manji/manji, if you prefer) any more readily than they can recognize whether DNA is depicted as a left or right (✓) helix, the sight of either triggers instant association with the bad guys. Hence the irony of seeing a perfectly fine yet mentally associated with evil symbol next to Ichigo's image and not with the Quincy's page when viewed practically side by side, because the expectation is that these Quincy are bad and Ichigo is good. I hope that clarifies why I said "for me" it's ironic (and not merely coincidental). YMMV depending on your cultural background, archaeological, psychological and sociological knowledge, and language proficiencies.

The captains getting their bankais stolen has to be one of the dumbest parts of this series considering a vicecaptain died in order to tell everybody this ability. Also, aren't the shinigamis able to fight using other methods without the zanpakuto? Even the filler arcs used a similar a concept of rebellious zanpakutos but with more personality.

The captains getting their bankais stolen has to be one of the dumbest parts of this series considering a vicecaptain died in order to tell everybody this ability. Also, aren't the shinigamis able to fight using other methods without the zanpakuto? Even the filler arcs used a similar a concept of rebellious zanpakutos but with more personality.

The captains getting their bankais stolen has to be one of the dumbest parts of this series considering a vicecaptain died in order to tell everybody this ability. Also, aren't the shinigamis able to fight using other methods without the zanpakuto? Even the filler arcs used a similar a concept of rebellious zanpakutos but with more personality.