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ship_manifestoTitle: The Beauty and the Bald
Author: the_tox
Pairing: Madarame Ikkaku/Ayasegawa Yumichika
Fandom: Bleach
Spoilers: Up until chapter 327/episode 220
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or Bleach.
Do whatever you like, but I suggest you to have read Bleach or watched the anime at least a bit.
About Bleach...
Bleach (by Kubo Tite) is a widely popular and still running manga published in the Shounen Jump. It's a shounen manga with action and the stereotypical themes of friendship and stubbornness, but most importantly to Bleach, to protect what/who’s important to you.
The Plot
Bleach starts with 15 year old Kurosaki Ichigo who can see dead people. There are two types of spirits, good, normal ones, called Plus and evil monster-like ones called Hollows. When a Hollow attacks Ichigo's family he's saved by the shinigami (God of Death/Soul Reaper) Kuchiki Rukia who gets badly hurt in the process. To save them all Rukia has to lend her powers to Ichigo who then b oecomes a shinigami himself.
By accident, Ichigo takes all of Rukia's powers and after having killed the Hollow (or purified it) he's unable to return them to her. Thus, he has to do Rukia's work of cleansing bad spirits and sending good ones to Soul Society which she is from.
After a while we learn what Rukia did, lending her powers, was illegal and she's taken back to Soul Society to be executed. Ichigo and some of his friends decide to go to Soul Society and rescue her.
Terms
Shinigami = Soul Reaper, or God of Death. Someone who cleanses bad souls and sends good souls to the Soul Society
Hollow = Bad soul
Soul Society = The after world
Rukongai = Where souls lives, in Soul Society
Seireitei = Where Shinigami lives, in Soul Society
Zanpaku-tou = Soul Cutter, the Shinigami's weapon. Shaped like a sword.
Captain/Lieutenant = The leaders of Soul Society. There are 13 captains and 13 lieutenants in total, as there are 13 divisions.
Arrancar = A creature which is a mix of a Hollow and a Shinigami
Shikai = The released form of a Zanpaku-tou
Bankai = The second released form of a Zanpaku-tou, this stage is only reached by captain-level Shinigami
Madarame Ikkaku
Madarame Ikkaku is a bald male and a member of the 11th Division. The 11th is proclaimed to be Soul Society's strongest division with good reasons since it's a division for those who love to fight and live to grow stronger. This is why Ikkaku is a member, and the third seat (the captain is the 1st seat and the lieutenant the 2nd). He's crazy strong and quite insane with a love for fighting and drinking. He feels uncomfortable without his sword, so much he brought a wooden one on a mission in the World of the Living (our world) because real weapons are illegal.
Ikkaku is often ridiculed due to the fact he's bald, something he denies. Apparently, he shaves his head every day to try to convince others. This is one of his softer and more humorous sides, like how he has a so called “lucky-dance” he dances when he feels lucky in a match-up.
The reason why Ikkaku joined the 11th squad is that he once fought the current captain, Zaraki Kenpachi, in the Rukongai. After a speech given to him he decided to follow the man and he went from being a thug to being a... well, he's still a thug but now he's a shinigami too.
Ayasegawa Yumichika
Ayasegawa Yumichika is vain, narcissistic and very shallow. He's also the fifth seat in the 11th Division. This drama queen is actually strong enough to beat lieutenants, but he, like Ikkaku, only wants to be in the 11th Division. He thinks the number 3 is the prettiest number and would like the 3rd seat but since it's Ikkaku's he settled for the 5th, since he thinks a five resembles a three.
Behind his shallow "I'm prettier than you, you're ugly" facade Yumichika is quite caring and rather insecure. He values Ikkaku's opinion very highly and cares more about Ikkaku's well-being than his own. This softer side is rarely shown, and his fellow Shinigami Matsumoto Rangiku only describes Yumichika as “bossy and snobby”. The guide book describes him as a sadist.
Yumichika's zanpaku-tou is actually a kidou (magic) type, but since Ikkaku (and the rest of the 11th Division) thinks magic is cheap and for weaklings, Yumichika hides this.
There are a lot of times in Bleach when Ikkaku's alone, but Yumichika is rarely shown without Ikkaku being involved in any way. Yumichika is clearly much more dependant-
Note: I will not go through things purely meant for comic relief.
The Soul Society Arc
Ikkaku and Yumichika are firstly introduced next to each other, as Ichigo and co's enemies since they're with Soul Society. Of course, they never really mean Rukia harm; they just want to fight.
We soon learn Ikkaku is the more savage and dumb one, telling Ichigo (and Ganju who he's with) to take their time crawling up from their sand pit. Yumichika acts as his sort of brain because Ikkaku can't think for himself.
When Ganju and Ichigo split up, Ikkaku tells/orders Yumichika to chase Ganju, Yumichika who can't think for himself either complies.
Ichigo and Ikkaku start to fight while Yumichika chases and half-battles Ganju. When Ichigo defeats Ikkaku and Ganju points this out to Yumichika, we see the first sign of real confidence in each other as Yumichika says that Ikkaku can't lose.
After Yumichika loses, too, we don't get them to see them together until Ichigo fights Kenpachi, their captain. They're on the veranda of the "hospital", chatting (Yumichika: "What are you thinking about?"). When Yumichika suggest that their captain might lose (a taboo in their division), Ikkaku yells at him.
Now, Ikkaku got quite the temper and "fool" is in my opinion a very weak insult. Also, note Yumichika's hurt expression. I'd say Ikkaku yelling at him is unusual. This also further shows how Yumichika acts differently around Ikkaku than with anyone else, as do Ikkaku. When Yumichika is insulted (as shown with ex. Ganju) he either gets mad and yells something back or takes the insult only to resort with a sharp remark. With Ikkaku, he accepts what Ikkaku says and that's it.
Next time they appear they're on the "good side" in some ways since they follow Kenpachi who also just wants to fight. They're together as always and we once again get to see how Yumichika does the thinking for Ikkaku.
They proceed to show how close they really are...
…by ending each other’s sentences. Nothing says close as that.
Afterwards they engage a fight with two lieutenants. While Ikkaku mostly spar only with the lieutenant who's his (and Yumichika's) friend, Yumichika fight with Hisagi Shuuhei and explains a bit about his view of things. He tells Shuuhei that kidou-zanpaku-tous are ridiculed in his division, and that he wishes Shuuhei will keep his shikai a secret from his division, and especially Ikkaku. It once again shows how dependant Yumichika is, and how much he wants Ikkaku's approve and respect. It makes one wonder how they came to be so close, and just how close they really are.
Arrancar Arc
When Ichigo saves Rukia and returns to the world of the living, there's soon trouble as a Shinigami (Aizen) was proven to be evil and is now the new villain. He has created hollow/shinigami hybrids known as Arrancars who he's now attacking Ichigo's hometown Karakura. To his aid is his new allies Soul Society, and both Yumichika and Ikkaku join him.
(I might as well add that Rukia and Renji were picked since they knew Ichigo, Renji picked Ikkaku who’s his friend, Yumichika “demanded” to tag along since Ikkaku was going, Rangiku heard he was going and didn’t want to miss any fun and Hitsugaya came along so things wouldn’t go out of control).
Of course, all of the Shinigami (Renji, Rangiku, Rukia, Hitsugaya, Yumichika and Ikkaku) can't stay in Ichigo's house. Most of the shinigami was disappointed in one way or the other, but Ikkaku said they'd (he's always talking FOR Yumichika as if he can't speak for himself) never meant for Ichigo to care of them anyway. Saying "We'll find our own beds (/bed) thanks."
Not long after that, Yumichika shows how he's the smart one by pointing out an odd Hollow scent. Ikkaku this time tries to be more independent as he tells Yumichika to leave it. Yumichika though continues being his dependant self as he accepts Ikkaku's opinion completely, thinking of Ikkaku as more than him.
We don't see Yumichika and Ikkaku in serious scenes for a while, until there's an enemy attack and Ikkaku fights an Arrancar with Yumichika watching him. One of Ichigo's classmates who's developed enough spiritual pressure to see spirits, Keigo, watches with him and asks Yumichika why he won't help.
Yumichika replies he wouldn't want to ruin Ikkaku's pleasure, and pretty much admits he only does what Ikkaku tells him to.
But then comes and awkward moment, in which he accepts the fact Ikkaku might die, and even going as far as to order a funeral, all with a straight face.
When Ikkaku actually wins, he crawls his way over to Yumichika who has left Keigo to meet up with him. Upon seeing Yumichika Ikkaku softens up, smiles, and seems to think everything is alright.
(It is simple math; fighting + Yumichika = Happy Ikkaku)
Also, note how even if the fight loving Ikkaku didn’t smile after winning his fight, he smiled when he saw Yumichika.
We also get to see a flashback from how Ikkaku fought and lost to his current captain when they were both in Rukongai, about 100 years ago. Yumichika was there, observing, whcih means they must have been together for quite some time. (Page 15, chapter 206)
A small, cute, scene happens before they return home to Soul Society, where Ikkaku is being nursed even if he insists. Yumichika freaks out and yells on this nurse (will I be sent to hell for calling Tessai a nurse?) to let go of Ikkaku (pic missing). “Shit! Let go of Ikkaku!”
The Fake Karakura Arc / Winter War Arc
Ikkaku and Yumichika are both part of a four man "elite" in the Winter War in which they'll protect one important pillar each. This is when the Arrancar and Shinigami finally war, so of course this is serious times... But Yumichika get a cat-fight with someone even “gayer” (according to fans) than him which is most for fun. He wins and everything stays funny and cool until suddenly a pillar collapses.
Yumichika now freaks out thinking Ikkaku is dead and rushes to his rescue of some sort. This contradicts his whole speech with Keigo, somewhat saying he knows what Ikkaku wants but clearly isn't ready to give him up. This scene alone caused many heart-broken fangirls (myself included) to cry.
Yumichika is stopped and told to calm himself; when he does not he's knocked out cold by his colleagues. Ikkaku is luckily saved by a captain, and this is how far Yumichika and Ikkaku have got in the manga when I'm writing this.
Lucky Charm
One thing Ikkaku talk about a lot is his incredible luck. Yumichika is often associated with a peacock and guess what, they're claimed to be a lucky bird, good for a lucky charm. This is why I call Yumichika Ikkaku's very own good luck charm.
Ikkaku vs Ichigo - Yumichika wasn't there - Ikkaku lost.
Ikkaku vs Edorad - Yumichika was there - Ikkaku won.
Ikkaku vs Po - Yumichika wasn't there - Ikkaku lost.
Ikkaku did also fight Kenpachi in a flashback with Yumichika watching, but it was from the speech Kenpachi held afterwards about luck that probably made Ikkaku obsess over it, and without his feathers Yumichika was not yet by this point a proper peacock/lucky charm.
The Couple
The ship IkkaYumi is awesome in the way it keeps expanding. After each time these two are in the manga together we get more and more IkkaYumi hints as you can notice if you read the manifesto. The way they keep referring to themselves as "we" and that they at times quarrel like an old married couple is simply wonderful, which is why I find this couple the best in the Bleach fandom.
A great thing about IkkaYumi is that, unlike with other yaoi couples where you think the characters could match well, they are actually a probable couple. It wouldn't surprise a whole lot if it were revealed and not many would mind; it wouldn't change anything. You can write great IkkaYumi without having OOCness or awkwardness, since they're such a natural couple. They care for each other, has always been there for each other and probably always will be.
They already act like a couple, or how a couple could act. It’s not a matter if they could work as a couple or not, it’s just a matter of whether they are one in Kubo Tite’s mind.
How I got into the couple…
Naruto was the first fandom for me to get stuck into, and with that fandom I became an active shipper fangirl that can spot possible couples in everything. When I started to read Bleach I of course also started to ship and when I saw Ikkaku and Yumichika (or Baldy and Pretty-boy as I called them when I didn’t know their names) for the first time they left me the impression they were awesome, though Yumichika was a bit too snobby for my liking. When they got more involved with comic relief I started to like them more however, and when they were in the Arrancar arc I started to think of them as a couple. Like I stated this couple grows; the more we see of them the more we see of them as a couple.
Funny facts
- One thing I find amusing about this couple is that despite it being the most canon yaoi couple of Bleach, it’s not the most popular and not all that popular at all to be honest. The reason is very funny; they don’t need fan fiction and such to convince people they are a couple. Some even deem it as a “boring” couple since it’s so obvious.
- Though a game is not canon, in the English version of Bleach: Shattered Blades (to Wii) when you battle in the different outfit Ikkaku notes Yumichika is good looking, something very un-straight thank you very much. Seeing how “macho” Ikkaku is presented to be, it’s quite unusual for a manly man to note his male friend is good looking, right? I don’t say you need to be gay to think so or whatever, but Ikkaku is often jokingly macho stereo-type. And Kubo loves to mess around with stereo-types.
- The meaning of Yumichika’s favourite flower wisteria is “meeting you means to much to me” and “I cling to thee”. While one could think this could merely be a coincidence, Kubo Tite is quite interested in flowers it would seem. Each division has a flower to represent them, division 11 for example got yarrow which means “fight”. So I wouldn’t call this a coincidence at all…
- In the description of Yumichika in the guide book, before the Arrancar Arc, it reads “he’s in the same division as Ikkaku, and often accompanies him...”
- In a chapter cover, Ikkaku has his arm around Yumichika and Yumichika has his hand… in between Ikkaku’s legs, seemingly grabbing something.. See for yourself…www.onemanga.com/Bleach/197/06/
- Yumichika thinks beauty is the most important thing, as stated by Kubo Tite. At the same time, its rather obvious that Ikkaku is most important to Yumichika. In the Edo era of Japan, about where Soul Society is, the most pure and beautiful love was between two men... And samurai to grow stronger kept a lover of the same sex around them.
Community
www.community.livejournal.com/yumikkaku
Fanart
www7.plala.or.jp/waka_yu/bl.html
Fanfics
Too lazy to link, you can find them at the community and some at fanfiction.net. Unless Yumichika is portrayed as a girl, which he's not, they're mostly good.
Finally...
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no subject
Date: 2009-07-25 05:12 pm (UTC)I love these two!!!
Thank you for the essay! However, there seems to be a bit where your text got cut off (Now, Ikkaku got quite the temper and "fool" is in my opinion a very weak insult. Also, note Yumichika's hurt expression. I'd say Ikkaku yelling at him isTHIS BIT HEREThis also further shows how Yumichika acts differently around Ikkaku than with anyone else, as do Ikkaku. When Yumichika is insulted (as shown with ex. Ganju) he either gets mad and yells something back or takes the insult only to resort with a sharp remark. With Ikkaku, he accepts what Ikkaku says and that's it.)
I will agree that it's a HUGE shame that these two don't get more fandom. (However, since I'm the author of the Byakuya/Renji manifesto, I can't complain over who they get tend to get overlooked for!)
no subject
Date: 2009-07-25 10:10 pm (UTC)You're welcome! I thought it was a shame my OTP lacked a ship manifesto...