2/03/2014

Kobato Hasegawa vs. Yuzu Kurosaki (Cute Sister Overload)

VS.

Now I know what you're thinking, these two Animes are completely different. One is action/adventure and the other is comedy/romance. One is filled weapons and the other has shenanigans. The main character of Bleach has 2 sisters and the main character of Haganai has only 1. Ichigo's sisters are supportive, though are minimal in role and purpose. Kodaka's sister has a brother-complex. So why then make the comparison with these two sisters? Well, to be honest, it doesn't really matter what Anime series you compare to Bleach so long as you can find some common ground on characters. I mean check out last week's Fight Night, it was uneven and I gave the victor to the Bleach character because her character is more fleshed out, is more interesting, and can stand her own ground. So this week's Fight Night post will be featuring the battle of the supportive sisters. Now I know I didn't add Karin to this, but in my opinion, Yuzu and Kobato seem to be evenly similar in their attach-ness to their brother, or shall we say "Onii-Chan!" 

Story: Kobato is Kodaka's little sister and is an avid fan of watching Anime and even going so far as to portray the characters in real life. She sees herself as a vampire and constantly make puns surrounding her inability to do things because of her influence of Anime (Ex: Unable to go out when it's really hot). She sees that her own brother is more involved in the club than her and so she partakes in her brother's endeavors and finds that she has all the more reason to worry for her brother - Maria's closeness to Kodaka. Now it's clearly obvious that she has a brother-complex, but that doesn't stop her from spending time with the Neighbors Club and partaking in their day-to-day Shenanigans. 

Yuzu Kurosaki is a bit different. She is seen more as a motherly sister than Kobato, but nonetheless, she brings love, joy, and optimism in Bleach. Though limited in her role, she constantly worries over her brother's safety and, unlike Karin who can clearly see spirits/hollows, can see only blurry images of spirits/hollows. Her constantly worry for her brother stems from the fact that she took charge of the household after their mother's unfortunate passing. Yuzu is grown up now after the timeskip, but still acts the same - maintaining good grades while at the same time harboring worriment over her brother's safety and taking care of the household alongside Karin and Isshin, unaware that they can sense spirits and hollows. 

Character: Kobato clearly is an funny little gal. The influence of Anime can do so much on someone and she takes it the extreme. You remember the cosplayers that you see that dress up like their favorite Anime characters? Imagine taking that, but going beyond. You act, talk, and dress like your character that you sometimes forget that hey, you got another side of you that is different from what you see in Anime. So Kobato's characters is heavily influenced by Anime, but at the same time it doesn't change the fact that Kobato's closeness to her brother stems from the fact that it's only her and Kodaka living together. 

Yuzu, as stated above in the story aspect of the Fight Night, is more motherly than sisterly. Of course, as the little sister, she worried for her brother, but it stems again from the fact that Masaki Kurosaki passed away too early, leaving Yuzu to take charge of the cooking, cleaning, and worrying - much like a parent. She genuinely cares about her family's safety and the element of love and kindness she possesses also showcases that she is more than capable of doing things independently and without having others help her. She is fun, loving, funny (at times), and is a pillar of hope for the Kurosaki family. She is the only one that somewhat senses Hollows unlike Karin and Isshin, but that doesn't stop her from seeing the brighter side of things - her brother's maturity, her father's comic relief, and her sister's independence. 

Verdict: Allow me to explain why I chose Yuzu over Kobato and it can be summed up in two words: Maturity and Responsibility. Kobato heavily relied on her brother's cooking, kindness, and easygoing personality to keep her busy and entertained, but Yuzu does all that and more for her family. I think I'd like to call this the "Giving Effect." Kobato is dependent on Kodaka whereas Karin, Isshin, and Ichigo are dependent on Yuzu's cooking, love, and kindness. One is spoiled and the other pretty much is an adult. Every kid should act their age, but in this case, Yuzu's character has more to offer and has more to prove since she's so young, is a student, and has to do most of the chore herself whereas Kobato just watches Anime and eats her brother's cooking. I love Kobato, don't get me wrong, but Yuzu, in this case, is the clear victor.

I hope you enjoyed this week's Fight Night Post and until then, you stay classy. 

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