VS.
In yesterday's 1st Bleach Hakusho post of March, I wrote on the Ice Masters, Toya from Yu Yu Hakusho & Toshir Hitsugaya from Bleach. Today, I will be discussing the ice practitioners, NOT masters - Seiryu of the Saint Beasts from Yu Yu Hakusho & 13th division Lieutenant of the Gotei 13 from Bleach, Rukia Kuchiki. Both are proficient in their usage of ice, but like any matchup - there can only be 1 victor. Both are fearsome opponents, but who truly is the better practitioner? Let's get this thing started by comparing the following: Role in Story, Powers/Abilities, & Fights (Record).
Role in Story (Seiryu)
Seiryu is the 3rd opponent Team Urameshi faces in Maze Castle before Suzaku, leader of the Saint Beasts. Upon seeing Team Urameshi's arrival, the 4 Saint Beasts have a rendezvous meeting on how to deal with the intruders. It wouldn't be long before Genbu & Byakko lost to Kurama & Kuwabara before he meets his match with Hiei. Before he started his fight with Hiei, a stumbling Byakko interrupts in hopes to help Seiryu out with dealing with the intruders. However, Seiryu freezes Byakko and murders him in cold blood, citing that he is weak and foolish to have pleaded for help. Sometime after the events in Maze Castle, Hiei explicates that Sieryu only did a portion of his ice training whereas Toya is the epitome of a Ice Master (In the Manga, Hiei states that he is a master of ice, but Hiei managed to stop before he can truly unleash his power).
Role in Story (Rukia)
I'm going to keep this nice and short since there's a lot to cover on Rukia. In a nutshell, Rukia was the Shinigami in charge of Karakura town upon meeting our hero, Ichigo. Seeing Ichigo's resolve in save his sisters & Rukia from the Hollow, Ichigo takes it upon himself to become a Substitute Shinigami, having taken more than of Rukia's powers. Little did Rukia know that her Gigai given to her by Kisuke Urahara was making her more human, but even more so - was concealing Kisuke's invention - the Hogyoku, Aizen's desire to break the boundary between Shinigami & Hollow. In her stay in Karakura town, she was arrested since it is forbidden to give her powers to an outside + staying in Karakura for way too long. It wouldn't be long before she was sentenced to be executed before Ichigo arrives to save the damsel in distress. Afterwards, Rukia assists Ichigo & friends in fighting off Aizen & Yhwach's armies.
Powers/Abilities (Seiryu)
Seiryu is capable of a unique technique known as Ice Dragon, which allows him to manipulate the temperature around him and, by throwing hundreds of subzero-degree celsius punches in a split second, he is able to freeze his opponents (much like how he did with Byakko). In order for Ice Dragon to work, Seiryu has to charge his energy through his fists and projecting it out, freezing anything around his terrain.
Powers/Abilities (Rukia)
I'm also going to keep this short and sweet. Rukia's Zanpaktou, Sode No Shirayuki, allows her to bring her body temperature to temperatures below zero and anything her sword comes in contact with freezes. She is able to temporarily fight in a "Dead" state due to her Zanpaktou abilities. Her Zanpaktou has a variety of attacks relating to ice called "Dances" and each has different and unique abilities such as freezing someone within her field of vision or firing ice directly at her opponents. She also has Bankai, which allows her to reach temperatures below zero and everything around her is covered in ice (As Nodt's demise).
Fight Record ~ Seiryu
Seiryu unfortunately doesn't have much screen-time in both the Anime & Manga, but his record is as follows:
Seiryu vs Byakko - Win
Seiryu vs. Hiei - Loss
Fight Record ~ Rukia
Rukia has way too many fights, but I will do my best in listing them (not including filler). Her record is as follows:
Rukia w/Ichigo vs. Fishbone D (Hollow) - Win
Rukia w/Chad vs. Shrieker (Hollow) - Loss
Rukia vs. Di Roy Rinker (Arrancar) - Win
Rukia w/Ichigo vs. Grimmjow (Espada) - Interrupted
Rukia vs. Aaroniero (Espada) - Win
Rukia vs. Rudbornn (Captain of Exequias) - Interrupted
Rukia vs. Riruka (Fullbringer) - Draw
Rukia vs. As Nodt (Stern Ritter) - Win
Verdict
And the winner is...
From the get-go, Rukia's character is more fleshed out. Her backstory (which I didn't emphasize on) is pretty tragic and her upbringing into the Kuchiki household led her to abandon her old life w/Renji. Rukia's sister, Hisana, died of illnesses and as a result, Byakuya, Rukia's Adoptive older brother & Head of the Kuchiki clan, took in Rukia. Rukia's Zanpaktou abilities offer more variety than Seiryu's one attack. Whereas Seiryu was shown in 1 fight, Rukia has had multiple fights and each time, she progressively gotten stronger and more confident. Seiryu half-assed his lessons in ice whereas Rukia disciplines herself from only having a Shikai to earning herself a Bankai. Heck, she even went from being a low rank in the 13th division to the Lieutenant of the 13th division - that is quite a feat I must say. Seiryu appears cold and bitter whereas Rukia is a mix of serious and calculative to cute and awe. Seiryu doesn't showcase much whereas Rukia offered more to the plate - her meeting with Ichigo, her saving from execution, and her assistance in aiding Ichigo's endeavors against Aizen & Yhwach, Rukia truly is the epitome of loyalty when it comes to helping out her friends. This victory clearly goes to Rukia, the better ice practitioner.
So who do you think won - Seiryu or Rukia? Leave a comment below and let me know. So far, Bleach leads 8-6 against Yu Yu Hakusho. Be sure to check out Bleach Hakusho posts all throughout March on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, & Sundays (unless specified). Until then, you stay classy Bleach fans. The following March BH posts are up:
1) Toya vs. Toshiro Hitsugaya (Bleach)
Also be sure to check out February's Bleach Hakusho posts
1) Hiei vs. Byakuya - Bleach
2) Kuwabara vs. Chad - Yu Yu Hakusho
3) Genkai vs. Urahara - Bleach
4) Keiko vs. Orihime - Yu Yu Hakusho
5) Kurama vs. Uryu - Yu Yu Hakusho
6) Hiei vs. Sui-Feng - Yu Yu Hakusho
7) Jin vs. Kensei - Yu Yu Hakusho
8) Chu vs. Kyoraku - Bleach
9) The Doctor vs. Kurotsuchi - Bleach
10) Shinobu vs. Ginjo - Yu Yu Hakusho
11) Shishiwakamaru vs. Rose - Bleach
12) Yukina vs. Yuzu - Bleach
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