User blog:Avolling/The Most Mysterious Bleach Character Ever

With the start of the Shinigami Lost Representative Badge Arc (did I get that right?) Kubo has once again drafted up a slew of new characters. There's no surprise there; he's made it clear that creating new characters helps him move the plot forward. Because the members of Xcution are such a colorful bunch, there's plenty to like about these new additions to Bleach's already-massive cast.

However, one character stands out as being particularly mysterious. He has defied my expectations by becoming arguably the most suspicious character in the current storyline. His abilities are unknown. His motives are unclear. And he may just become the key plot point to whatever great peril lies on Ichigo's horizon. I, of course, am speaking of none other than Moe Shishigawara.

Seriously, though, Shishigawara completely baffles me. For the life of me, I can't get straight what this character means to the plot. Strictly plot-speaking, he's clearly intended to be comic relief, which he does just fine. But there are so many questions surrounding him that I feel something has to be addressed.

Why is Shishigawara hanging around Tsukishima? How do they know each other? Is Shishigawara just some random kid Tsukishima hired to be his lackey? But if he was just hired with money, why is Shishigawara so attached to Tsukishima, and why does he have no qualms about being ordered to kill Orihime? (That is, until he falls madly in love with her, I guess...) Is Shishigawara spiritually-aware? How could he not be, being under Tsukishima? But if he is spiritually-aware, what potential does he have? Could be be a Fullbringer? I highly doubt it, but what possible other reason does Tsukishima have for keeping him around? And am I overthinking absolutely everything about his character and he's just some wacky comic-relief gag bit thrown in to add some humor to an otherwise-dreary couple of chapters?

In all likelihood, Shishigawara will never be of any major importance to the plot. Kubo might throw a bizarre curveball and do something interesting with him, but I doubt it. Still, does it bother anyone else that we know so little about him, yet he seems to have this backstory with Tsukishima just waiting to be revealed? And let me know if this is the stupidest train of thought you've ever read in your life. I could be reading way too much into Shishigawara in the first place.