VS.
Our main heroes need a little female support and who better than to support them than the very women who have crushes on them. Keiko Yukimura & Orihime Inoue's relationship with the protagonists is dynamic, ranging from the stereotypical high school friend to eventual crush/girlfriend. These two aren't pushovers and, despite the world their crushes are in, they will do whatever it takes to support their cause. They often worry for their safety, but they know that deep down - they'll come back better than ever. We will be comparing Yu Yu Hakusho's Keiko Yukimura and Bleach's Orihime Inoue. I will be comparing the following: Character History, Relationship to Protagonist, & Supportiveness. For this specific Matchup, I will not be incorporating Orihime's power.
Character History (Keiko Yukimura)
Keiko is Yusuke's childhood friend - kind, thoughtful, caring, and protective. She has always wanted what's best for Yusuke, but was unprepared for his accidental death and his following of fighting demons. To her, it was all a fantasy and it was a figment of her imagination, but she soon realized she couldn't run away from the facts and still support Yusuke's endeavors, but will always constantly care and worry for his friend's safety. And it's no surprise that Keiko has a crush on Yusuke, but it does stem from the fact that they are childhood friends and is the one that accepted Yusuke for who he was - dead or alive.
Character History (Orihime Inoue)
Okay, where do I begin with this one. Orihime had a older brother, is friends with Tatsuki at a young age, and soon joins in Ichigo's against evil. Orihime and Ichigo started off as friends, but that friendship soon transformed into admiration and then love. Orihime, having lost her brother, sees Tatsuki and her other friends as her only family. Her brother's soul was devoured by a hollow and she sees Ichigo, our hero, save her from absolute despair. Orihime is kind, thoughtful, giving, creative (her drawings), and dare I say - weird (her fantasies). Much like Uryu & Chad, Orihime becomes a supportive member of Ichigo's group.
Relationship to Protagonist (Keiko X Yusuke)
As I said before, Keiko & Yusuke are childhood friends. Their relationship has always been a dynamic one considering their history together, Keiko's caring nature, Yusuke's protectiveness of her, and their worlds apart in their fate - one is a human and the other a demon (well half). Despite this, Keiko loves Yusuke and, in the first few episodes, kissed him in hopes he'd come back alive. Keiko was traumatized of Yusuke's endeavors in the Dark Tournament, but knew that Yusuke was fighting not only for his life, but the lives of his friends. Even after Yusuke spent some time in the Demon World, Keiko's love for never changed as she (in the anime) embraced Yusuke and kissed them - indicating they were always meant to be. It is also implied that Yusuke himself (when talking to his late ancenstral father, Raizen) has always had Keiko in his heart. A promising pair that has, from the start, loved and cared for one another.
Relationship to Protagonist (Orihime X Ichigo)
Orihime and Ichigo started off as friends and soon that transformed into admiration and eventually into love. Orihime has never kissed Ichigo, but was relatively close upon saying her final goodbyes before departing to Hueco Mundo as Aizen's prisoner. Orihime is protective of Ichigo and cried for him on multiple occasions when his life was in danger (EX: Visored Ichigo vs. Grimmjow & Ichigo vs. Aizen in Soul Society). Orihime genuinely wants Ichigo to be safe, but knows Ichigo has to throw himself into danger to protect his friends and family from harm. Orihime knows that despite Ichigo's newfound powers, Ichigo will never abandon who he and never let go of his friends & family. In the 4th Bleach movie specifically, we see Orihime embrace Ichigo before he went off to Hell. After Grimmjow's defeat, we see Ichigo carry Orihime (much like the damsel in distress). They genuinely care for one another greatly.
Supportiveness (Keiko)
Keiko can't fight demons or protect herself from them, but when it comes to supportiveness - she clearly is in the right. She wants Yusuke to be safe, but knows that this is Yusuke's fate - a life apart from normality. Despite her not wanting Yusuke to fight, she knows that Yusuke has to - protecting his friends is an important attribute Yusuke possesses. Keiko admires and loves Yusuke and her undying devotion to him is only testament to how close they've gotten over Yusuke's endeavors and, once again, their history as childhood friends.
Supportiveness (Orihime)
Orihime, much like Keiko, supports Orihime despite heeding warnings of Ichigo going in over his head. Orihime wants what's best for Ichigo, but knows that Ichigo is doing all this to protect the humans, pluses, Shinigami, & other worldly beings. Orihime genuinely cares for everyone, but I found it fascinating that before departing to Hueco Mundo, Orihime chose Ichigo to say goodbye too. Despite not having known him from the get-go, Orihime understands now Ichigo's history and his power and is a voice in Ichigo's head to always come back alive.
Verdict
And the winner is....
This may shock you guys, but despite me being a Ichihime fan, they have a lot to go through before they reach Keiko & Yusuke's level. Keiko and Yusuke are childhood friends, have kissed, understand each other's struggle, and genuinely care for one another. Although Keiko is human, she has a big role in Yusuke's life and the two have always an affinity for one another - it just took the end of the series to realize that they were always meant to be (as implied in the picture). Whereas with Ichigo & Orihime, Orihime got to know Ichigo as time progresses and even then, they haven't kissed yet or proclaimed each other as a couple, Keiko & Yusuke ARE a couple. Ichigo & Orihime genuinely care for one another, know each other's history, and when so far as to protect one another despite one being a human and the other a Shinigami/Quincy hybird - but they don't have the Keiko X Yusuke spark needed to be a real couple....yet. Fanfictions are centered around Ichihime, but alas - we have to see the kiss. They've hugged each other and saved one another, but it takes more than protection and embracing to be considered a couple like Keiko & Yusuke. So although I'm a huge huge huge Ichihime fan, I believe this victory goes to the childhood friend turned lover - Keiko Yukimura. As always, feel free to leave a comment below and be sure to check out the other 3 Bleach Hakusho matchups:
1) Hiei vs. Byakuya
2) Kuwabara vs. Chad
3) Genkai vs. Urahara
As always look forward to Bleach Hakusho matchup(s) every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Sunday at specific times (look at side for details) from February-the end of March. Stay classy as always Bleach fans.
Character History (Keiko Yukimura)
Keiko is Yusuke's childhood friend - kind, thoughtful, caring, and protective. She has always wanted what's best for Yusuke, but was unprepared for his accidental death and his following of fighting demons. To her, it was all a fantasy and it was a figment of her imagination, but she soon realized she couldn't run away from the facts and still support Yusuke's endeavors, but will always constantly care and worry for his friend's safety. And it's no surprise that Keiko has a crush on Yusuke, but it does stem from the fact that they are childhood friends and is the one that accepted Yusuke for who he was - dead or alive.
Character History (Orihime Inoue)
Okay, where do I begin with this one. Orihime had a older brother, is friends with Tatsuki at a young age, and soon joins in Ichigo's against evil. Orihime and Ichigo started off as friends, but that friendship soon transformed into admiration and then love. Orihime, having lost her brother, sees Tatsuki and her other friends as her only family. Her brother's soul was devoured by a hollow and she sees Ichigo, our hero, save her from absolute despair. Orihime is kind, thoughtful, giving, creative (her drawings), and dare I say - weird (her fantasies). Much like Uryu & Chad, Orihime becomes a supportive member of Ichigo's group.
Relationship to Protagonist (Keiko X Yusuke)
As I said before, Keiko & Yusuke are childhood friends. Their relationship has always been a dynamic one considering their history together, Keiko's caring nature, Yusuke's protectiveness of her, and their worlds apart in their fate - one is a human and the other a demon (well half). Despite this, Keiko loves Yusuke and, in the first few episodes, kissed him in hopes he'd come back alive. Keiko was traumatized of Yusuke's endeavors in the Dark Tournament, but knew that Yusuke was fighting not only for his life, but the lives of his friends. Even after Yusuke spent some time in the Demon World, Keiko's love for never changed as she (in the anime) embraced Yusuke and kissed them - indicating they were always meant to be. It is also implied that Yusuke himself (when talking to his late ancenstral father, Raizen) has always had Keiko in his heart. A promising pair that has, from the start, loved and cared for one another.
Relationship to Protagonist (Orihime X Ichigo)
Orihime and Ichigo started off as friends and soon that transformed into admiration and eventually into love. Orihime has never kissed Ichigo, but was relatively close upon saying her final goodbyes before departing to Hueco Mundo as Aizen's prisoner. Orihime is protective of Ichigo and cried for him on multiple occasions when his life was in danger (EX: Visored Ichigo vs. Grimmjow & Ichigo vs. Aizen in Soul Society). Orihime genuinely wants Ichigo to be safe, but knows Ichigo has to throw himself into danger to protect his friends and family from harm. Orihime knows that despite Ichigo's newfound powers, Ichigo will never abandon who he and never let go of his friends & family. In the 4th Bleach movie specifically, we see Orihime embrace Ichigo before he went off to Hell. After Grimmjow's defeat, we see Ichigo carry Orihime (much like the damsel in distress). They genuinely care for one another greatly.
Supportiveness (Keiko)
Keiko can't fight demons or protect herself from them, but when it comes to supportiveness - she clearly is in the right. She wants Yusuke to be safe, but knows that this is Yusuke's fate - a life apart from normality. Despite her not wanting Yusuke to fight, she knows that Yusuke has to - protecting his friends is an important attribute Yusuke possesses. Keiko admires and loves Yusuke and her undying devotion to him is only testament to how close they've gotten over Yusuke's endeavors and, once again, their history as childhood friends.
Supportiveness (Orihime)
Orihime, much like Keiko, supports Orihime despite heeding warnings of Ichigo going in over his head. Orihime wants what's best for Ichigo, but knows that Ichigo is doing all this to protect the humans, pluses, Shinigami, & other worldly beings. Orihime genuinely cares for everyone, but I found it fascinating that before departing to Hueco Mundo, Orihime chose Ichigo to say goodbye too. Despite not having known him from the get-go, Orihime understands now Ichigo's history and his power and is a voice in Ichigo's head to always come back alive.
Verdict
And the winner is....
1) Hiei vs. Byakuya
2) Kuwabara vs. Chad
3) Genkai vs. Urahara
As always look forward to Bleach Hakusho matchup(s) every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Sunday at specific times (look at side for details) from February-the end of March. Stay classy as always Bleach fans.
No comments:
Post a Comment