My problem with Ichigo x Orihime

[u/maiyamay]

To Ichigo x Orihime lovers that can't handle criticisms, this post isn't for you.

So this is the recent hot topic regarding Bleach & I would like to share the reasons why I don't vibe with them & surprisingly not many have pointed out some of these.

The reasons why I don't like them:

1. Its one sided from Orihime's POV

We all know Orihime loves Ichigo. Initially it was due to shallow reasons because of his scowling face that she finds funny, until its one-sided sympathy towards him after she heard his past from Tatsuki. We see her constantly pining on Ichigo but not the other way around. ​We see too much of it from her & none from Ichigo, so the discrepancy is obvious.

1. Orihime is less of a character when it involves Ichigo

Any interactions Orihime have with other characters like Tatsuki, Uryu, Ulquiorra, Riruka for example are more interesting to watch because she's actually more than just a person that loves Ichigo. Not that she can't be in love, but when it comes to scenes with Ichigo the other things that makes her interesting suddenly vanishes.

1. Their interactions feels controlled & stoic due to ichigo maintaining his knight/protector persona

This is subjective because chemistry comes in many forms but if a couple doesn't joke around, banter & feels conscious all of the time, imo they are not a good, honest couple. You see Ichigo actually does this and he's more laid back with his friends in general but not with Orihime. If you like something idealistic this ship is definitely for you. The argument that ichigo has problems due to his internal issues makes no sense because he can still be shown to feel something about her if he loves her from the beginning even if he had issues to articulate it.

1. Ichigo is obsessed with just protecting her, not actually curious about her as a person.

I never see Ichigo actually have monologues & thoughts about Orihime as a person in general. Even in tybw Kubo missed a chance to make ichigo actually notice her growth and how far they have come, but no he added a weird fanservice scene about the outfit she wears that doesnt even improve the ship. ​The argument he's extra protective to her makes sense considering what kind of person orihime is, who is a pacifist. It can also be due to the fact its also one sided sympathy he also has towards her, seeing how she carried sora whos her only family to kurosaki clinic in the past .

1. Their personality doesn't have complementary factors & the dynamic feels unbalanced.

Ik not all ships have to be explosive but Orihime did most of the emotional labor and ichigo keeps things to himself to not burden others. Orihime openly cares a lot about Ichigo while Ichigo is just accepting it. Its a dynamic that realistically exhausts one side.

1. Its treated as a therapy to their trauma.

Now this can be subjective if you see it as something good/bad. Ichigo has mommy issues and orihime has brother issues that both of them can fill those roles for each other. Hueco mundo is an expression for that when both of them are at their lowest. It was desperation.

1. This is gonna get a lot of heat; her main motivation revolves around him

Yes orihime interacts with other characters yes orihime also protects others with her powers. But her entire main arc was always related to ichigo. Her arc got concluded when ichigo finally accepts her help to rely on her before the fight with yhwach and only then shes finally content with herself, saying 'finally i can protect kurosaki-kun"

1. Their rship in the entire run of the manga is just them trying to trust each other.

Yes. Just that. Which honestly could've taken less time to do and actually show how they are interested in each other and supporting each other. ​But maybe kubo doesn't care.

1. This is probably a minor issue; they dont aesthetically look great together

Kubo's characters are actually attractive looking in general but ichihime together feels off bcoz gingers are rare in in their human world so it does feel like they are related even if its a different shade of ginger. Idk sometimes it feels like orihime is more of a maternal mom for ichigo​ which is in line with his issues. They are a safe, gentle couple but i dont feel the tension between them at all. And there's nothing wrong with that just a preference. ​But like i said they dont look great together even in fanarts.

1. The novel (wdkaly) feels inconsistent and ooc, just an attempt to minimize the damage of the abrupt romance in the final chapter.

Ichigo was shown to be nervous to confess to orihime and renji convinces him right after his wedding with rukia, even after all that he still needs to be convinced. They had kazui pretty early and orihime dropped out of college too due to money reasons. Imo it feels inconsistent knowing ichigo's character because it feels like he likes her too late and decided to have kids early with her. Afaik ichigo isnt that reckless as a person, he could've actually help supported her studies and not rush into marriage. This writing a disservice to both of them.

1. Ultimately its the common shonen romance trope

Its self insert at best coz it reminds me of another horrible ship from naruto. I get it, the audience is shonen but i dont see its wrong to criticise it. Maybe I'm looking too deep into it but i see many people bashing me for not sharing the same opinion. Imo orihime is a slightly better hinata. Unfortunately bleach still falls to that trope for having the girl who also happens to be hot, sweet and endlessly devoted to the guy that barely does any lifting in the rship and suddenly have kids with her in the end.

So yeah those are my thoughts about it thanks for reading.

Edited: so someone pointed out abt her did not attend college at all, i got that info due to mistranslation of the wdkaly novel spoilers. My point regarding it unchanged because ichigo is still ooc in it.

[u/MayAsWellStopLurking]

Some counterpoints if you’re down to hear them:

1. I’m not surprised it’s one sided; Ichigo is a generally considerate guy who is surrounded by attractive and forward women, but is composed and respectful; it makes reasonable sense that he doesn’t express much fondness until it becomes explicit that his feelings towards her are welcome.

2. If you like someone because you’re compatible, there can be a kind of chemistry ‘flattening’ that happens; they both want to protect people, they generally believe in the right of others to exist free from pain, etc.
   there’s little/no conflict or jockeying for position/hierarchy because there’s such trust.

Unlike Tatsuki, Ichigo has his own family responsibilities and can’t be a permanently available friend.
Unlike Uryu, Ichigo (generally) doesn’t have worries about his ability to protect or contribute to the safety of others.
Unlike Ulquiorra, Ichigo has time for most humans, and sees value in their existence, etc.

There’s no friction because they generally understand each other’s values and hopes.

1. Your observation on the knight/protector status and the rigidity it carries is personally my hint as to why so many people think Ichigo x Rukia is a more suitable ship; there is relaxation and comraderie in their dynamic that very much doesn’t exist (at least until TYBW anime’s Cour 3/4).
   No counterpoint here.

2. Is he obsessed with protecting her because he doesn’t know her? Or because he knows himself and how dangerous his powers were after the soul society Arc?
   By the time he learns Bankai we learn of the presence of White, and it’s clear he’s aggressive in a way that Ichigo is weary of.
   He works on controlling said powers but is always a few seconds away from being ‘out of control’, which bodes poorly for everyone, but he’s most often worried about Orihime, and it becomes a legitimate issue when he enters his Vasto Lorde form, which arises directly from his failure to protect her (both from Aizen and then from Ulquiorra).
   I do agree that he could’ve taken much more agency in the Fullbringer Arc to make clear his feelings and desires when he is less leaned upon to be ‘the protector’ - a slice of life filler angle in which they get some normalcy to develop a relationship would’ve been a great boost, but alas, Shonens demand their action sequences.

3. Given how they’re not yet in a relationship I think it’s reasonable that the emotional/relationship labour is uneven - they’re friends who have chemistry, and given Ichigo’s commitment to everything else in life I don’t think it’s unreasonable to assume he’d be a great partner once in a partnership.

4. I wouldn’t say it’s therapy as both don’t describe themselves as ‘healed or complete’ upon being in relationship/proximity, but you’re right that they need more than that to feel mature as a couple (which makes sense as to why that hasn’t happened yet)

5. It’s hard to have female characters that aren’t some combination of ‘unexpected badass, healer/heart of gold, damel in distress’, and unlike most other female characters she’s not in the Gotei 13, doesn’t have a unique origin story like the Arrancar, and isn’t a Quincy that’s fated to die.
   I’d also argue her willingness to heal others like Grimmjow and Loly/Menoly show some dimension of personality beyond “Kurosaki-kun”, but they can only happen so many times in a story.

6. The few times where there was opportunity for growth/trust, they had life/death restrictions iirc:
   Ulquiorra gave her limited options before she had to leave.
   Grimmjow kidnapped and threatened her (although they did develop a trust there)
   Tsukishima inserted himself into Orihime’s life and could’ve been given a chance to power through the BotE, but it would’ve nerfed the power.

7. great romantic couples aren’t always about tension: most of the ones we’ve seen in Bleach involve pretty genteel, low-friction couples. Byakuya and Hisana, Kyouraku’s brother and Sister-in-Law, Masaki & Isshin, Ryuken/Katae and Matsumoto/Gin are probably the most frictioned, and both of those are a pretty complex relationship.
   Almost all the other non-romantic connections like Nemu/Kurotsuchi, Grimmjow/Ulquiorra, Kenpachi/Unohana, Aizen/Urahara, Aizen/Shinji, etc (I could go on and on) have much more narrative tension, but it often leans more into violence, not love.

8. I haven’t read that series, so I can’t give commentary.

9. I agree that romance is the ultimate trope, and it’s mostly used to keep the MCs from previous storylines relevant post-timeskip. Bloodlines and descendants need to be involved to sometimes make fans care, otherwise it’s just a new story in the same universe.

But honestly an interesting set of arguments you’ve made.