Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-5398287-20130626022750

So, as you may have noticed, Bleach has quite a bit of symbolism, imagery, and running motifs. Whether it be crickets and Tōsen's Zanpakutō, rain and Ichigo, or snakes and Gin, Kubo has a way of insinuating and hiding things in a way I've never seen another mangaka replicate. This post isn't meant to assert exactly what everything in Bleach means, nor is it supposed to do an in-depth analysis of certain characters: if you want that, go here - this guy does it far more beautifully and fully than I could ever hope to. However, I've been reading through the Penguin Dictionary of Symbols, which lists what certain imagery and iconography means in various cultures and parts of the world, and I've found some very interesting connections. Now, I'm sure at least some of the people who view this will have learned about some of these connections long (I'm looking at you, Mr. Smarty-Pants Salubri and Ms. Connection-Finding Lemursrule), but my intent is to surprise and inform you about the subtleties of Kubo's work. If you know of another instance of imagery, inform me, and I'll look into it. I apologize in advance for any run-on sentences in the quotes, but I'm copying the text directly from the book so I don't leave anything out, and it has some...questionable grammar choices. Without further ado, let's start with the big one.

The Moon
Now, as I'm sure you know, Ichigo has a bit of a moon motif going on. The name of his Zanpakutō, Zangetsu, means "Slaying Moon", the name of his signature attack, Getsuga Tenshō, means "Moon Fang Heaven-Piercer", and the technique he uses to defeat Aizen while in Saigo no Getsuga Tenshō is Mugetsu, or "Moonless Sky". Additionally, Kubo uses the moon motif for other things, such as Isshin's Zanpakutō, Engetsu, which means "Scathing Moon", and chapter titles, like "Dark of the Bleeding Moon". However, the information on this celestial body in the Dictionary of Symbols pertains to Ichigo in particular.

"Its two most basic characteristics spring on the one hand from the fact that the Moon has no light of its own and simply reflects the light of the Sun, and on the other that as it goes through its regular phases the Moon changes shape...On both counts the Moon is a symbol of change and of growth."

That first part sound familiar? Up until now, Ichigo has not been using his real Zanpakutō, or "light", if you will: his Quincy powers have been simply imitating his Shinigami abilities, much like how the Moon imitates the Sun by reflecting its light. As for the second half, Ichigo's Shikai has changed shape twice now, 3 times if you want to count the blade he had at the beginning, reflecting the constant change of the Moon's appearance as it goes through its cycles.

"The Moon was also the first thing to die since, every lunar month, for three days and nights it vanishes as if it has died...To humans the Moon became a symbol of this passage from life to death and from death to life..." Ichigo, for all intents and purposes, is a living Human being. However, when his soul exits his body, he can access his Shinigami powers, powers which only the dead should have. The fact that he can go from living to "dead" and back again is symbolic of the belief that the moon represents this process.

"The Moon is simultaneously the gates of Heaven and Hell..."

As stated by Nimaiya, Ichigo's real Shinigami powers (Heaven) are permanently merged with his inner Hollow (Hell), and thus he cannot access one without drawing on the other.

"The Koran itself employs Moon symbolism, the phases of the Moon and the crescent Moon being used to suggest death and resurrection..." Leaving aside the cycle of souls through the Living World and Soul Society, this particular belief is evident in Ichigo's "death" at the hands of Ulquiorra, where he was "resurrected" by his inner Hollow, otherwise known as his Zanpakutō.

"The Black Moon...might symbolize the energy which must be mastered, the darkness which must be scattered...Whoever is marked by the Black Moon would rather renounce the world, even at the cost of his her own destruction and that of others, than fail in their frantic quest for the Absolute. However, should that person be capable of transmuting its poisonous properties into healing ones, the Black Moon will give access to the 'strait gate' which opens upon such release and such light...The Black Moon is the unlucky aspect of the moon. It is a symbol of annihilation, of dark and maleficent passions, of hostile energies to be overcome...of the absolute void and of the black hole with its terrifying powers of attraction and absorption." Perhaps you remember when Ichigo was possessed by his inner Hollow in his fight against Byakuya and used a darkened, much more powerful version of his Getsuga Tenshō which Byakuya referred to as Kuroi Getsuga, or "Black Moon Fang". There's a lot going on in just that name. The Kuroi Getsuga was originally a technique of Ichigo's inner Hollow, which, as you may recall, is a being which seeks to destroy everything and everyone Ichigo loves and wants to protect ("...a symbol of annihilation, of dark and maleficent passions, of hostile energies to be overcome..."), and was something Ichigo had to conquer in order to protect himself and others, and in doing so, he gained voluntary access to its powers ("...the Black Moon will give access to the 'strait gate' which opens upon such release and such light...").

Fire
This may seem a tad bit more obvious than the moon motif, but Yamamoto's got more than a bit of fire imagery. Everything from his Reiatsu to his Zanpakutō to his personality ties into fire somehow. However, the imagery goes far beyond just the destructive aspect of fire.

"Some legends tell how Christ - and his saints - brought the dead back to life by passing them through a furnace." This particular passage ties heavily into Zanka no Tachi, Minami: Kaka Jūmanokushi Daisōjin, which summons forth an army of corpses scorched to the bone by fire. Yamamoto's flames are the furnace, and he brings his victims back to life with them.

"The destructive aspect of fire implies a negative aspect and to be 'Lord of the Fire' is a function of the Devil."

This ties into recent events more than anything. Yhwach views this conflict as a holy war in order to exterminate the Shinigami - and to that end, who is more evil than someone who serves the Devil as "Lord of the Fire"? Not to mention how Yhwach referred to Yamamoto as a "demon with a sword".

"...Durand distinguishes two directions...in the symbolism of fire depending on whether...it has been obtained by friction or by striking. In the latter case it is related to lightning..." Now, I'm not going to say Yamamoto magically got his Zanpakutō and fiery disposition from his fight with Chōjirō, but remember that Chōjirō scarred him by striking him with a bolt of lightning, a feat which laid the foundation for their relationship as leader and right-hand man, and Driscoll using Chōjirō's lightning-based Bankai was the event that unleashed Yamamoto's anger and rage, or his inner fire.

Snakes (Serpents)
"Emotions? Nope, I've got nothin' like that. I told you when we first met, didn't I? I'm a snake. With cold skin, no emotions, that slithers around searching for prey with its tongue, swallowing down whatever looks tasty."-Gin to Aizen

"If you were to turn into a snake tomorrow and begin devouring humans, and from the same mouth you started devouring humans, you cried out to me 'I love you,' would I still be able to say 'I love you' the same way I do today?"-Gin to Rangiku

By the above quote, you can infer that Gin has one hell of a snake theme going on. Aside from the cold-blooded, poisonous reptile stuff, there are some interesting things to note about the exact nature of snakes.

"If mankind may be regarded as standing at the end of a long evolutionary struggle we must set this cold-blooded, armless, hairless, featherless creature at its very beginning. In this sense mankind and serpents are opposites, complementary and rivals the one to the other."

If you have not yet read the rather excellent article on Gin, Rangiku, and the relationship between the two written by myself and Lemursrule, please do so because it lays some groundwork for my explanation of this quote. Also, it's fun for the whole family. Anyhow, Gin has displayed several signs of antisocial personality disorder, and sociopaths can be regarded as the opposite of the average human being: no emotion, no compassion, no guilt. In this sense, Gin's snake motif further emphasizes this, for being a snake means you are truly the opposite of man.

"Swift as lightning, the serpent streaks from the dark mouth of some crevice or cranny to vomit life or death, before returning again to invisibility." Ever notice how Gin always acts from out of nowhere before being forgotten/ignored? He didn't kill Ichigo when he confronted him (vomiting "life") and wasn't punished due to the emergency situation; he bifurcated Hiyori (vomiting "death") but wasn't attacked due to Aizen being the bigger threat. Much like a snake, he makes his move before vanishing without retribution.

(regarding the fable of Dionysus)"The sense of the fable is plain and shows that serpents in themselves are neither good nor bad, but possess both potentialities..."

Gin is very ambiguous in terms of moral direction. As I mentioned before, he has displayed traits of antisocial personality disorder, and he has performed both good (saving Rangiku's life) and bad (nearly killing Hiyori) actions in the past. He is not truly good nor bad, for he is unable to differentiate between them, but he can perform deeds of either quality.

"In the Babylonian epic of Gilgamesh, [the serpent] steals from the hero the Herb of Immortality which the gods have given him." Now, Aizen, in addition to being the corps-commander of scumbag behavior, was very deluded: he believed he was protecting and saving the world from the Soul King, who apparently made him look like a harmless puppy in terms of evil or something. Anyhow, to this end, he thought of himself as the good guy, aka the hero. At one point, Gin turned on him and stole the Hōgyoku, which, while not inherently an immortality-granting object, did in fact make Aizen immortal and was crafted by himself, who had god-like aspirations, hence reflecting this tale.

"The sole vestiges of the serpent's 'good being' survived in his chthonian task of executing divine justice in a way somewhat reminiscent of the myth of Laocoon."

Gin's sole truly "good" act, the one he was planning towards ever since he saw Rangiku lying helpless in the forest, was killing Aizen for his wrongdoing. He himself said only he could do it, and since he regarded Rangiku as a pure figure, in a way, it was a divine cause to him.

Persimmons
Gin has a thing for persimmons. He gave one to Rangiku when they first met, had a persimmon tree while he was captain, and distributed persimmons to others when they were fully grown. However, this goes beyond the "sharing is caring" aspect.

"[Persimmons] are not so much a formal symbol as an attempt to express the inexpressible - the subtle mark of enlightenment."

You can interpret this in a couple of ways. Firstly, Gin was different ever since he was a child, and giving persimmons was his way of trying to communicate that he was on another level in terms of personality, morality, and view of the world. Secondly, he knew of Aizen's plans for a long time, and giving persimmons was his unconscious way of trying to tell people about it. Personally, I think both have some credibility to them.

Cherry blossoms
Byakuya's Zanpakutō represents a lot more than just a bunch of tiny blades. Cherry trees and their blossoms are among the more significant icons in Japan.

"For the Japanese samurai, the cherry was the symbol of the warrior's calling and of the fate for which he must prepare himself." In some ways, Byakuya is reminiscent of a samurai, having a code of honor and pride, and if we want going to go non-canon, his manifested Zanpakutō spirit wears the traditional garb of a samurai, and a Zanpakutō spirit reflects its owner. As for the fate he must prepare himself for, he admitted to Ichigo he desperately wanted to stop Rukia's execution, but he had sworn on his parents' he would not break the law again, so he was forced to steel himself for it.

"The blossom of the sakura is a symbol of purity and this is why it is the emblem of bushido, the warrior's code."

I'm not trying to say Byakuya is pure in terms of character - he can be kind of an ass at some points - but his Zanpakutō and his mannerisms give off that impression. He has an aristocratic, aloof nature, and his blade resembles one of the most beautiful sights in Japan. On top of this, while the bushido of the average warrior is loosely related to the concept of chivalry, Byakuya has his own sort of bushido - put the law before oneself, always uphold it, and kill any who try to break it. This further pushes the image of him as a sort of samurai.

Scythe
Now, Hisagi's Shikai isn't a scythe, and I'm well aware of this. However, the blades on it are very similar to scythe blades, and the connotation of his actions and personality further the resemblance. Beyond just being the tool of many depictions of Death, there are some things to note.

"A symbol in do far as the scythe, like death, brings all things down to the same level...[and is seen] as the pitiless equalizer."

This aspect of the scythe is most prevalent in Hisagi's fight against Findorr. Though he says they are equal because Findorr is finally afraid, Hisagi instituted this fear with his Shikai, the representation of the scythe, and he is very pitiless in battle. He is afraid of his blade, and brings others down to the same level, the same fear.

"it is, however, depicted as an instrument of punishment, and therefore one which chooses its victims, rather than the general instrument of death which strikes indiscriminately."

Hisagi is very, very reluctant to use his Shikai, only utilizing it against opponents he won't beat otherwise. However, when facing Findorr, he intentionally released it in order to instill fear in him, choosing his "victim", as it were.

Bat
Ulquiorra's Zanpakutō and released form are both themed around the appearance of a bat, with his Zanpakutō's name being Murciélago and his released state giving him bat wings. This resemblance is further emphasized in his Segunda Etapa form, where his wings are even more bat-like and he gains bat ears. But once again, the motif goes beyond appearance.

"Among the Pueblo Indians, the Zuni regard the bat as the harbinger of rain."

Upon releasing, Ulquiorra's Reiatsu condenses into rain, which falls in the area around him.

"Its wings are those of the denizens of Hell."

Once again tying into the theme of Hollows representing Hell, Ulquiorra's demonic appearance, especially his wings, embody this motif of scary, unnatural enemies.

"...in some works of art under Germanic influence, the bat symbolizes envy..."

Remember Volume 40, THE LUST? Every chapter in that volume has the name of one of the seven deadly sins, and The Envy is the first one.

"...the bat symbolizes the person who has become bogged down in an intermediate phase of his or her higher development, no longer on a lower plane, and yet unable to reach a higher...In this respect the bat would symbolize a person whose spiritual development has been hamstrung, a spiritual failure."

This particular aspect is actually inherent in Ichigo during his last fight with Ulquiorra: though he had grown strong enough to evenly combat Ulquiorra in his sealed form, he is overpowered again and again by the released, bat-like Ulquiorra, and is seemingly unable to gain one of his convenient power increases in order to win.

Sword
You may be thinking "What's so special about a sword? Pretty much everyone these days uses one". Though you're correct about this, there are some aspects of the sword's various connotations that pertain to the Shinigami, their primary wielders.

"It is destructive, but what it destroys may well be injustice, crime and ignorance and it thereby becomes positive. As a constructive element, the sword establishes and maintains peace and justice."

Now, pretty much every character who wishes to have peace for all in stories uses some sort of sword to defeat the tyrannical ruler and whatnot, but in this case, this is taken a bit more literally. The Zanpakutō of a Shinigami is the object that purifies Hollows and sends Pluses to Soul Society. It's not just a symbol of establishing peace: it actually keeps the peace by balancing the two worlds and whatnot. Granted, there has to be someone wielding it for it to kill Hollows and perform Konsō, but the Shinigami need it to keep the peace.

"The sword is the warrior's symbol, but it is also the symbol of 'holy war'."

The Vandenreich are the ones who view the current conflict as a "holy war", but the Shinigami have another "holy war": fighting the Hollows. Seeing as how they're trying to protect the balance of the worlds and their denizens in the name of justice and purify souls and whatnot, the connotations of a holy war are there.

"In Christian tradition, swords are noble weapons in the hands of knights and Christian champions and are often mentioned in the chansons de geste. Roland, Olivier, Turpin, Charlemagne, Ganelon and the Emir Baligant own swords which are almost persons, each with its own name...These names show how swords were personalized."

Aside from reinforcing the image of the Shinigami being holy fighters, this reveals an influence for the Zanpakutō and their spirits. Though it's not uncommon for a sword to have a name, having a separate, unique entity housed within one is another matter entirely.

Wrap-Up
Well, that's all I've found for now. There's a surprising amount of fertility-related connotations in these, and many of them have something to do with the process of death and/or reincarnation. Anyhow, if there's any other imagery/symbols you'd like me to look into, let me know and I'll consult the book. Hopefully, something on the list surprised and/or intrigued you. Thanks for reading. 