For "Bleach" Sake

I.          Manga, a type of graphic novel that originated in Japan is quite different from the traditional literature we’ve read this semester.  These are a few reasons why: 1.) this is the only graphic novel we have read (it is very similar to a comic book).  It is generally printed in black and white and comes in a standard size.  2.) Manga is read the same way Japanese is read, it is read from back to front, right to left and top to bottom.  3.) Manga is all about art, drawings and pictures.  The stories are told through the artist’s eyes.  Words are mostly used for dialogue.  I get the impression that they are the closest things to “printed movies.”  They all have around the same number of pages (movies are all generally around the same length of time), they come in same range of subjects movie come in, action, drama, comedy etc.   And there is even an age rating on the back much like the type we see on DVD’s - teen, mature audience etc.  4.) The artist that put together the novel uses size for emphasis.  For example, when a character shouts or there is a loud noise the words are bigger.  5.) Manga incorporates the Japanese culture in its novels.  The stories all border on the line of fantasy.

 

II.        The words are important as they serve to express the character’s spoken thoughts.  Their actions, however, are depicted through the images.  On pages 61-53, there is a scene that takes place after Ichigo decided he has to allow Rukia to infuse him with her power as a “Soul Reaper” in order to defend his family and defeat a “Hollow.”  Using approximately twenty-one images the artist was able to slow down time to allow the reader to see the details of Ichigo becoming infused and then engaging in battle with the “Hollow” cutting off his (the Hollow) arm.  This also saves an author from writing out in great detail something that happened at an amazing speed (and is important to the story).  I also got a true sense of what happened without having to use my imagination.

 

III.       A.) In Christianity it is believed that, among other things, people are all sinners, but can be forgiven by God, offered salvation and the promise of eternal life.  After they pass on, the good go to heaven.  This is a plane of existence typically described as the holiest possible place (Wikipedia).  According to Christian beliefs God and his angels live in heaven.

            In Bleach, the Soul Society seems to be the equivalent of heaven and the Soul Reapers are similar to the angels in heaven.

            B.) Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions (Wikipedia).  According to these beliefs, beings can exist on different planes, for example the realm of Demigod, the realm of God and the realm of man (human).  In Bleach the souls also have different realms in which they could exist for example, the human world, the Soul society and Hueco Mundo.

 

IV.       It seems to me that the main lesson in this Manga was learned by Ichigo, and that lesson was to learn to accept responsibility.  In the first volume Ichigo was not too keen on helping anyone but his family, but later on he accepted the responsibility, fighting Hollow after Hollow to protect the helpless.  Between pp 74-83 Ichigo first really grasps the notion that saving souls is not done on a “if I am around” basis, but instead, it is the duty of the Soul Reaper.  By page 83 he has accepted this duty.