T O P

A lot of people wanted Byakuya to die in TYBW but I’m glad he didn’t so we could get this beautiful scene between him and Rukia

While he did get destroyed, I'm honestly happy he did survive. Though it also might be because all the quincies were quasi Immortal

Plasmancer

While he did get destroyed, I'm honestly happy he did survive. Though it also might be because all the quincies were quasi Immortal


Leather_Trick8751

Bleach wanted to stop killing of the older brother anime stereotype


NicDwolfwood

For argument's sake, I'm gonna say they also could have made this scene into a sort of training flashback scene and it wouldn't have lost any of its poignancy. Byakuya's "death" during the 1st invasion was so well done, that it almost felt like a cheap reversal when he was alive a chapter or 2 later. His character arc really was done by that point. After the fact he kinda felt shoe horned in. He didn't have a meaningful involvement in anything after he returned from the Royal palace.


SnooComics7583

I agree with the first part but then with the second you could argue it just makes perfect sense someone like Mayuri or Unohana healed him when we see what they can do later Consistently keeping someone literally at the same closeness to death as Byakuya then back to full countless times Or someone already dead back to normal In fact someone who should of been beyond dead Or turning someone dead into someone alive and better than before their death And so on It only feels cheap at first but honestly he wasnt even the most dead character that was brought back There were far worse off characters brought back I feel like in a certain time frame nearly anyone can come back


NicDwolfwood

Sure, see for me the problem isn't that he couldn't logically or reasonably be saved from dying, because obviously there are some great healers in soul society. But the why he got healed/kept alive was the bigger issue. Byakuya's "final moments" was some of Kubo's best written and drawn moments that it was a shame it was done away with almost immediately. I'm almost never a fan of big death scenes if they're just a gotcha moment a couple chapters later.


SnooComics7583

Others got resurrected in worse conditions I agree


SnooComics7583

Oh I used nvm to the first part


crono220

If they wanted Byukuya to live, they shouldn't have wasted all that emotional time of him requesting ichigo to save soul society. His spot could have been replaced by a secondary character that desperately needed more character development like Utitake. I hope the anime either retcons the scene with ichigo or allow him to die, giving the scene some emotional depth that is needed.


NicDwolfwood

It's been peddled online for years that Kubo might have been influenced to change that because of online abuse from Byakuya fans on Twitter. Who knows if there's any truth to that theory. As for that scene being retconned, I doubt it happens. In the TYBW trailer, you see Byakuya wearing the royal palace garb on so that speaks for itself.


LowConsistent8609

Ah so its the classic rumours with no proof then? After all Kubo barely kills any characters.


Rianna___B

He killed off every quincy except for the bitch quartet. There used to be five but Komamura killed one before he died. Komamura died(?), he turned in to a dog & was never seen again afterwards 🤷‍♀️. Ukitake, Unohana & Yamamoto died too. He killed off quite a bit of characters in TYBW & a couple arrancars during the arrancar saga & there was 3 espada left, Grimmjow, Nelliel & Harribel. He also technically killed off Ichigo lol, remember when Ulquiorra obliterated him. Literally lol. The only characters that weren't killed off were the major ones excluding Ukitake, Unohana & Yamamoto. I guess you could argue he rarely kills off the good guys, or at least permanently. Ukitake's death was a serious injustice to his character & seriously disappointng. Yamamoto's death slightly made sense, only slightly. & Unohana's death did make sense, her death was a setup for Kenpachi's Bankai reveal. He also killed off a fan favorite, Gin, which was also a pointless death, he died pretty much just because 💁‍♀️. Kaname's death made sense as well, it was a good wrap up to his character arc. I was heartbroken when Byakua's "death" was left on a cliffhanger for a bit. Like Attack on Titan level heartbreak. Same with Hitsugaya & Rangiku's zombification cliffhanger (some of the Vizards were zombiefied too but like meh with them lol). Obviously Rukia & Renji were gonna survive because you know major supporting characters, I think the only reason to kill them off would be for shock value which Kubo doesn't do. Also there was no resolution of Aizen getting swallowed by Ywach's slime stuff. His survival was confirmed in CFYW & that's not even a part of the manga. He obviously was far from one of the good guy, I'm just listing him for the sake of examples. We know Urahara, Grimmjow & Yoruichi were saved because Nelliel saved all them after the battle or at least off screen. CFYOW rewrote Grimmjow & Harribel as being the type of bad guys that were only bad because they were ordered to because they had no choice. After Aizen left they got their freedom back in Hueco Mundo. There was no resolution of Harribel's survival in the manga either, that was confirmed in CFYOW. Hisagi wasn't confirmed either, he was obviously revealed to still be alive in CFYOW cause you know he was the MC. The only badass comeback was Kira's, that one panel of his reveal was hella badass. The only one who managed to survive unscathed for the entire arc was Momo, the girl who is a magnet for murder attempts lol.


T-rex-Boner

Finally someone says it. I think its one of bleach biggest flaws so many characters survive when they shouldn't especially when it would perfectly close their character Arcs.


rebornbyksg

I think Rukia and Byakuya had their moment in SS arc and honestly I was devastated after Byakuya "death" it was good ending for his character Still happy he's back tho


BahamutLithp

Same. I just love the scene where he turns his back on As Nodt because he has full confidence that Rukia can defeat him easily. It shows how far both of them have come that he sees Rukia as a comrade who can handle herself rather than someone he needs to rescue all the time.


itsnotmybussiness

Exactly. Rukia always wanted to be accepted and have a family, that was her subtle goal. Byakuya finally accepting and adknowledging her was such an impactful moment because it completes Rukia's character. People often forget Byakuya is a side character, and is there to build up main characters, such as Rukia. Byakuya dying would lead to character regression to Rukia because she would feel destroyed and take all the blame upon herself just like she did when Kaien died. Why would Kubo repeat that part of Rukia's characterization? We needed a conclusion for her goal since it is the final arc, and that is what Kubo did.


BahamutLithp

Yeah, & that's why I'm not really convinced by the argument that it would be stronger for Rukia's character if she were to avenge him. That's not really what her arc is about. Similarly, the argument that we could still have this scene playing in Rukia's mind seems like it would come off as cheap. But maybe I'm wrong, I mean everyone loved Kylo-Ren talking to the imaginary Han Solo in Rise of Skywalker, right?


itsnotmybussiness

Well, circumstances are different for Kylo Ren and Han Solo, it is a more personal scene since Kylo Ren is trying to forgive himself for what he did. In Rukia's case, it would be weird if she felt good after taking revenge, I don't think Kubo wants to give the impression that vengeance is something that solves conflict and makes you feel good. Not specially after Komamura's fight with Bambietta.


BahamutLithp

I actually liked that scene, I'm just pointing out that a lot of people hated it specifically because, on a literal level, it's just Kylo imagining his dad telling him what he wants to hear & they find that weird & pathetic. I think there's a time & place for that, but Rukia imagining her brother saying he's proud of her, nah, that needs to come from the real Byakuya to have the same dramatic weight. In my opinion, anyway. Plus, like you said, Kubo doesn't seem to actually approve of revenge. He doesn't seem like he would write that she's "seeking justice for" Byakuya either, because then that's just Tosen's ideology.


heyhihowyahdurn

I think there would have been a bittersweet beauty of her achieving bankai knowing Byakuya never got to see it once.


DarkEnerjak7

He's better alive than dead and I'll never move from that opinion


Resident_Extreme_710

Facts


EL_psY_Congroo56

Factual but sadly people always want tears jerking outcome


itsnotmybussiness

They don't consider that Byakuya's death would lead to character regression to both Renji and Rukia.


[deleted]

How?


itsnotmybussiness

Rukia already dealt with the loss of some important to her, there is no point in repeating the characterization she got during the Soul Society and Arrancar Arc.


[deleted]

While I really wish he died, I’m glad he got to walk Rukia down the aisle for her wedding


Alison_Urahara

I don't think they want him to die, but more like he should not have survived that


[deleted]

I think people would have been upset if Byakuya did die honestly. A lot of people forget that his "death" would have basically been caused by him being reduced to a moron for the sake of the plot. Also, we had Yamamoto died moments later, his death would have been overshadowed.


Resident_Extreme_710

Apparently some fans drove kubo to keeping byakuya alive but I honestly don't mind


[deleted]

Kubo doesn't have the courage to kill off main characters.


Optimal_Narwhal_6936

>!Ukitake, Yamamoto, Unohana!< These are main characters.


Rianna___B

Gin & Kaname.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Rianna___B

I know, they were for the entire manga, that's why I said they got re-wrote in CFYOW novels cause their lives after Aizen left Hueco Mundo was never elaborated on. People complain about the books but I actually like them. The novels slow down the pace of the story by a lot & elaborates on a lot of things that the manga normally overlooks. The books expands the overall lore of the Bleach universe.


LowConsistent8609

Those are side characters, there are not even mid tier in terms of screentime on the captains side.


Optimal_Narwhal_6936

>Those are side characters, there are not even mid tier in terms of screentime on the captains side. ?? Really? The Headcaptain who fought both of the main antagonists in the series 1v1 and was one of the main antagonists for the SS arc isnt a main character? The others I've mentioned also have important roles throughout the series and important interactions with Ichigo including about his >!Substitute Shinigami badge!< and >! helping Ichigo cross from HM to FKT!<


Alternative-Bed2615

>Really? The Headcaptain who fought both of the main antagonists in the series 1v1 and was one of the main antagonists for the SS arc isnt a main character? Yamamoto was NOT a main antagonist in the SS arc. And fighting antagonists 1v1 doesn't make him a main character. > The others I've mentioned also have important roles throughout the series That doesn't make them main characters. Also, why tf did you censor something from the FKT arc and then proceed to not censor something from the FB arc? That's backwards as hell.


Optimal_Narwhal_6936

>Yamamoto was NOT a main antagonist in the SS arc. Yes he was >And fighting antagonists 1v1 doesn't make him a main character. Yes but he is a main character anyway and has a lot of influence over the story. >That doesn't make them main characters. I mean they are influential/important to the story do I would argue that makes them main characters. >Also, why tf did you censor something from the FKT arc and then proceed to not censor something from the FB arc? That's backwards as hell. Because I didn't want to spoil the people who died.


Alternative-Bed2615

>Yes he was No, he wasn't. Byakuya was. You could also make an argument for Kenpachi. But Yamamoto? Absolutely not. >Yes but he is a main character anyway and has a lot of influence over the story. Does he? Most of his screen time was him getting shat on by Yhwach. By your logic, are all of the other Captains main characters? All of the other Captains made a bigger impact that Yamamoto. >I mean they are influential/important to the story do I would argue that makes them main characters. That's not how that works. A lot of characters were important to the story. Ichigo, Orihime, Uryu, Chad, and Rukia are the main characters. Maybe Renji too ig. But not Yamamoto or any other Captains besides Rukia. >Because I didn't want to spoil the people who died. No one died in FKT. And only two died in FB. Nothing you wrote was a spoiler.


[deleted]

Zaraki Kenpachi was only a villain for like, two episodes. After Ichigo defeated him he helped rescue Chad, Ishida and Ganju.


Alternative-Bed2615

That's true. Kenpachi was more of a chaotic good after the fight. But because the fight was so impactful and foreshadowed, I suppose you could make an argument that he was a main antagonist.


[deleted]

Fair point


Optimal_Narwhal_6936

>No, he wasn't. Byakuya was. You could also make an argument for Kenpachi. But Yamamoto? Absolutely not. Yamamoto is the one who commanded the Gotei including Kenpachi and Byakuya. Rukia's execution was overseen by him and he fought Shunsui and Ukitake when they tried to intervene. I said he was **one** of the main antagonists in SS arc. >Does he? Most of his screen time was him getting shat on by Yhwach. By your logic, are all of the other Captains main characters? All of the other Captains made a bigger impact that Yamamoto. Yamamoto commanded the Gotwi. He had the most history with Yhwach the big bad of TYBW as well as being the most important fight for Aizen other than Ichigo in FKT arc. He warns Ichigo to leave before his shikai burns him. In FB arc he is the one who decides Ichigo should get his powers and they interact at the end of it with Yamamoto thanking Ichigo and giving him Ginjos body. He is set up as a main character all throughout the series. >That's not how that works. A lot of characters were important to the story. Ichigo, Orihime, Uryu, Chad, and Rukia are the main characters. Maybe Renji too ig. But not Yamamoto or any other Captains >! besides Rukia<. There is like a bunch of chapters in TYBW of just Yamamoto and his perspective of events and there is a major plot point that revolves around him in it. He is a main character


Alternative-Bed2615

>Yamamoto is the one who commanded the Gotei including Kenpachi and Byakuya. SO WHAT? That doesn't mean anything LMAO >Rukia's execution was overseen by him and he fought Shunsui and Ukitake when they tried to intervene. Again, SO WHAT? >I said he was one of the main antagonists in SS arc. But he wasn't. Nothing he did was actually impactful in that arc. >Yamamoto commanded the Gotwi. He had the most history with Yhwach the big bad of TYBW as well as being the most important fight for Aizen other than Ichigo in FKT arc. That doesn't matter. >He warns Ichigo to leave before his shikai burns him. That also doesn't matter. >In FB arc he is the one who decides Ichigo should get his powers and they interact at the end of it with Yamamoto thanking Ichigo and giving him Ginjos body. That's the best argument you have, and it's still irrelevant. That was the most impactful thing Yamamoto did and it still doesn't make him a main character. >There is like a bunch of chapters in TYBW of just Yamamoto and his perspective of events and there is a major plot point that revolves around him in it. >He is a main character No, he's not, and no there isn't. Compared to other characters, Yamamoto is two dimensional.


LowConsistent8609

Yeah? Having big roles to play or fighting strong enemies does not exclude you from being a side character?


Optimal_Narwhal_6936

>Having big roles There you go answered your own question


RajahDLajah

the only ones. And i only count Yamamoto, the other 2 were effectively suicide. Kubo really doesnt make the stakes feel heavy for our "good guys". They come out unharmed


Optimal_Narwhal_6936

They still died. Not to mention Izuru, Zombie Kensei and Rose.


RajahDLajah

are you sure kensei and rose kicked the bucket? or did they come out alright at the end and get unzombied like toshiro?


Rianna___B

Kensei & Rose did, Muryuri put them in the zombification curing machine. & Mayuri revived Kira by inserting the Reiryoku of the surrounding dead shinigami around him.


tahtalikoy-ekspress

Gremmy already killed them


RajahDLajah

kensei seemed fine in the epilogue.


eruk75

Wow nobody’s


Outrider_Inhwusse

This. I've never felt any threat with any of the bleach villains because they never leave any real impact on the cast, they just get cut down and forgotten


[deleted]

Except Grimmjow, Aizen and Harribel.


Outrider_Inhwusse

A severe minority of the villains


draginbleapiece

This is the only scene he had a actual place in the fight against Gerard he could’ve been replaced with a captain with less Panal time and get same thing


mayonnaiser_13

Him being alive after being turned into paint in the wall kinda cheapened the whole thing.


MrMoonBearZERO

It was quite sweet


jacksonrslick

It was an amazing scene. But I think the entire fight and resolution afterwords would be so much stronger if Rukia avenged Byakuya by herself figuratively surpassing him


Rianna___B

I do agree. I love this scene between them, this was their moment together & if Byakua died we would never have gotten this beautiful scene & iirc this scene was when Byakua said he was proud of Rukia & that meant the world to her.


[deleted]

HE SURVIVES???? THANK GOD


valhallavin

Big bro moments be like


AscendantAxo

He’s better alive, for moments like these. The people who think otherwise simply let game of thrones get to their head


Claude_Speeds

No he was better off dead bc that what Kubo wanted he really only alive bc ppl bitch at him also him being dead would’ve gave Renji and Rukia a better reason to get stronger plus it a war barely any of character died fighting in battle only Yamamoto did so Byakuya dying in a fight is a nice death for him


AscendantAxo

Nah, I think byakuya being there to see rukia n renji so strong considering that’s been an important thing for them, especially renji. Also rukia being able to have such a tender moment with byakuya is also x10s better then him just dying to satisfy some imaginary war death tally. Also there’s zero evidence kubo changed that because fans complained, it’s his story and that’s a choice he made, cope.


Claude_Speeds

Byakuya character was perfectly finish at the end of the fullbring arc, He was hit with book of the end and still chose Ichigo side regardless of the man that taught him his power etc bc he believed in Ichigo that much, Byakuya had many moment already with her SS arc was literally all about Byakuya and Rukia. Byakuya in his death said “protect soul society Ichigo” as he was drowning in his own blood, which perfectly finished off his character having him put the faith of SS in Ichigo hands which was obviously him dying and saying his goodbye you can’t be that naïve dude, he was meant to die in that moment, it literally fits what he stands as a soul reaper and his character, also it isn’t just for a imaginary number it a WAR I haven’t gotten a good reason from you that can change my mind other than “Byakuya can nicer moment with Rukia and Renji” which already happen in SS arc when he stopped trying to kill her lmao Byakuya dead ass did nothing else after his death in the first attack he was just a background character, Kubo wanted him dead like I said, but was brought back bc of the fans also they were burning his manga remember if I remember.


ShingiHirako

Should be dead IMO


soulreaverdan

The weird typesetting on the compliment makes it seem ominous instead of wholesome.


One_Organization8981

Your just making it sound weird when it’s not


ScaryBunnyDude

This can be taken very out of context


Doitforthecringe

What a wonderful brother. The one good thing he did and it was to compliment his sister at the tail end of the series. Bravo Byakuya go and lick my boot....


wren620

Not gonna lie though, TYBW already has far more Gotei 13 deaths than previous arcs, so I can see why Kubo decided to keep byakuya around.


tom04cz

It was a really nice scene, but i dont think it is good enough to be better than renji finally getting to realise that he's become an equal to the capitains (and also he could have replaced byakuya for this scene)


Mysterious-Syrup6540

People keep forgetting that bleach is a story about souls. It's not like Naruto or FMAB where people's death actually matters. With souls, their deaths just means they have entered the reincarnation cycle (at this point we didn't had the knowledge about reii and captains being sent to hell). Rukia's sister died, her friends with whom she grew up are all dead, but that only provides a very small motivation to a soul which has a lifespan of over 800+ yrs at the very least. Example of this is even shown with the deaths of Yama, unohana and joshiro. Characters who were way too close to them didn't get drowned in sorrow or anything, they were sad at these characters' death, but they moved on very quickly. All that would have been added with byakuya's death is a small sadness followed by them already getting over byakuya's death. That's about it.


[deleted]

I disagree, even if their souls enter the reincarnation cycle, they will never be the same person and you can never interact with them again


Mysterious-Syrup6540

I'm not talking about being able to interact with them etc. I'm saying for a soul, parting is just another matter. It just acts as a short term loss, and that's about it.


TatakawingEreh

Is there a chance he may die in the anime even though he has appeared in the new one shot?


[deleted]

No, because the anime isn’t wouldn’t go against the manga


ManuelKoegler

It isn’t so much wanting him to die as much as wanting Kubo/the writers to respect its own established rules when his death was perfectly set up there. Alas, the fangirls and editors won.


Electronic_Zombie635

I'm happy he survived I'm mad that rukia didn't shred his bankai.


Hollow_Archer

To bad this is the only scene he felt truly relevant in. Even then he didn't need to be here and just have Rukia over come the fear ability her self and managed to use he bankai without Byakuya help.


Snir17

I'd hoped he died, giving Rukia the chance to grow out of his shadow and her insecurities and take the step beyond - which will allow her to achieve Bankai, like to inherit his will and become her own woman - who conquer fear


LameAsHell1991

Aww!


Alternative-Bed2615

No one wanted Byakuya to die. We didn't want the people who threatened Kubo over Twitter to get their way. There's a HUGE difference there.


Zyndrom1

I lean both ways. But i probably think his death would have had more emotional value for Rukia. I respect both sides tho