#anyhow I don't know if our larger analysis is even that different

[troius]

Sorry but I think you are seriously underplaying Ichigo´s and Byakuya´s bond.

Maybe they didnt interact much but its the quality of the interactions that matter. Ichigo shocked Byakuyas entire world view, he saved his sister and hes immensely grateful for that. Since then he became Ichigos silent ally, always supporting him in his own way, like when he abused a loophole to let Rukia and Renji go back to help Ichigo rescue Orihime. Or when fighting Yammy he indirectly told Ichigo he trusted him to deal with Aizen.

Saying Ichigo would be happy not having to speak with Byakuya again is just wrong. In this arc we saw Ichigo have dreams about Rukia, Renji AND Byakuya. He got so fucking pissed when it looked like the quincys killed Byakuya.

Byakuya could beat Tsukishima because he valued his bond with Ichigo over the bond Tsukishima userped.

Im not saying your version with Rukia doesnt have more value, but what we got with Byakuya doesnt lack value.

I don't think I am? Here is a summary of Byakuya and Ichigo's canonical interactions, up to this point in the story:

Byakuya abducts Ichigo's close friend and mentor and nearly kills him in the process, insulting him the whole time.

They briefly confront each other in Soul Society jail before Yoruichi stunts on them both and drags Ichigo away.

Ichigo rescues Rukia, provoking a civil war among the Soul Reapers, and Byakuya decides that killing the guy who saved his sister's life is a bigger priority then fighting any of the many traitors running around. Ichigo finds this immensely stupid and isn't shy about letting Byakuya know.

Ichigo and Orihime jumped into his hospital windowsill to ask Renji where Rukia was that one time. Notably, they didn't ask him, even though he's her brother...

He did help Renji and Rukia get to Hueco Mundo, but in the moment it seemed like he was doing anything but. And considering he didn't come until later, it's pretty clear he did it as a favor to Rukia and Renji, not Ichigo.

Finally, he does tell Ichigo to go fight Aizen, but in a weird way that is less "I trust you" and more a combination of "I don't need your help", and "saving Karakura is your job". The actual motive, as Unohana later explains, is just "you're the only one who's not under hypnosis".

So they've spoken six times. Three of those times Byakuya was trying to stab Ichigo with his sword. And in their interactions since, he's never said anything to Ichigo that another captain wouldn't have said in that same position.

Now, does Ichigo care about Byakuya? Sure! He understands that Byakuya is very important to Rukia and Renji, and wishes him well for their sake. But he's got no personal investment in the man himself.

And it's the same for Byakuya. Byakuya doesn't beat Tsukishima because of his strong personal affection for Ichigo, he beats him because Byakuya, at one point, was going to execute his own sister, and Ichigo stopped him eliminating the one avenue he had to start building personal relationships and making himself whole again.

Tsukishima, with his power, spent way more time with Byakuya than Ichigo did, considering he knew all of Byakuya's sword and kido techniques. But Byakuya didn't care, because the principle that Ichigo conveyed to him in Soul Society is worth more to Byakuya then his relationship with a man (he thinks) saved his life. He doesn't kill Tsukishima because he's closer to Ichigo, he kills Tsukishima because he trusts Ichigo's sense of right and wrong, and values those principles more than he values his own life, including the personal relationships within it. So if Ichigo is fighting Tsukishima, he must be the enemy.

Which is very flattering to Ichigo! But it's not really a sign of friendship, as much as moral admiration.

#bleach #ask troius #reasonable opinions can differ! #but literally every Byakuya-Ichigo interaction is based on how one of them feels about Rukia #anyhow I don't know if our larger analysis is even that different #but I stand by Ichigo not needing to ever speak to Byakuya again #it's not like he's ever been happy to see him in the manga thus far #and I'm sure Byakuya feels the same way