User blog:Mrlmm0605/Let's Talk Bleach! - Part 9: Tōshirō Hitsugaya

Hey y'all, it's Mrlmm1996 coming to talk to you about Bleach! This is not a discussion of individual episodes or chapters; rather, it is a look at the main ideas of Bleach, illustrated using examples from the story to prove a point. It is to be noted that, as this blog uses examples from Bleach fiction to make its point, there are unmarked spoilers contained throughout, so read at your own risk. Also, this blog is NOT a replacement for the Wiki's pages on the subject of discussion; I will not tell you what something is, but I will discuss what I think it means. The thoughts portrayed below will not be embraced by everyone, and I welcome dissenting opinions in the comments. Please, keep all responses within the confines of Bleach Wiki's Policies and the Wikia Terms of Use.

Song of the Indefinite Amount of Time: [| Right in Two] by Tool.

You know, I think I'll just do this when I have an idea for it. Schedules be damned.

Today, we'll be talking a bit about my least favorite Shinigami of import (i.e. doesn't include throwaway characters like Taketsuna Gori, a character I bet you didn't expect me to ever mention): Tōshirō Hitsugaya. Yes, the cold-as-ice Captain of the Tenth Division has drawn my ire with his return to action in the latest chapter. Why do I hate the young Shinigami so? Read on and find out!

For the four of you that don't know, Tōshirō Hitsugaya is the Captain of the Tenth Division, and the youngest of the current generation of captains. His Zanpakutō, Hyōrinmaru, allows him to generate and control ice. His Bankai, Daiguren Hyōrinmaru, increases this power exponentially, allowing him to even alter the weather, all while giving him a nifty dragon cape.

There is really one issue I have with this character. Dude's a major, prominent player who does nothing. Everything about Hitsugaya should be really awesome. He's got a tragic backstory of almost killing his only family due to a then-uncontrollable power. His ice abilities allow for endless variation and creativity. He's a capable fighter without the added bonus of Hyōrinmaru. He's a babe magnet, a genius, and a soldier all in one. Unfortunately for him, this multifaceted badassery is never highlighted. Despite being a 'reincarnation of some heavenly spirit' and having the entire manga to set up more background, Hitsugaya is somehow unimportant in every scene he's in. His early battles were solvable with simple swordplay; Hyōrinmaru's ice abilities, especially the Bankai, Daiguren Hyōrinmaru, were never used to their fullest. His epic ice dragon armor is only ever used to fly, an ability he possesses in base form! Making matters worse, his useless Bankai was at one point plagued by a time limit. He only began exercising his swords creative potential when he had no choice, and switched back at earliest convenience. He never grows or learns anything, making identical mistakes every fight. Basically, my issue with Hitsugaya all comes down to stagnation.

Hope you enjoyed my short little rant. No poll today, but I do wanna ask, what character in Bleach is your least favorite. Answer with an explanation below, and I'll see ya sometime later.