Bleach Fantasy Round 1: Uryu Ishida vs. Zack Fair (Bow vs. Sword)

VS.

Welcome everybody to Stillmattic & MechG2994's first ever Bleach Fantasy Post. If you haven't been notified, Bleach Fantasy is a collaboration Fight Night Rumble between Bleach & Final Fantasy (from most titles). Much like Bleach Hakusho month, Bleach Fantasy will go for 2 months between April-May. However, the fights are scheduled on Mondays & Fridays and are posted when convenient for MechG2994 & myself. So the aim is to post Bleach Fantasy posts between 10am-10pm. However, the main difference between BF (Bleach Fantasy) & BH (Bleach Hakusho) is that the fights are chosen at random. This means that the 32 names listed will be chosen by MechG2994 & myself and every Monday & Friday (unless specified) ~ we'll take turns deciding the victor of the fight. For example, this is our first Bleach Fantasy post and I will decide who'll win between Bleach's Uryu Ishida & FF's Zack Fair. On Monday, MechG2994 will choose between the Bleach + FF Character AND he decides the victor. So we're pretty much judging each fight, picking up Bleach + FF characters at random, and every other Monday & Friday one of us will decide the fate of who'd win in a fight - Bleach or FF. The following will always be posted on the fights: Backstory, Role in Story, Powers/Abilities, & the Verdict. Without further ado, let us start our first Bleach Fantasy Royal Rumble Slamma-Jamma Tournament!

Backstory/Role in Story (Uryu Ishida)

Uryu Ishida is/was considered the title "The Last Quincy" for being a rare breed, an enemy of the Shinigami. This dates back to his father, who had a fond loathing of Shinigami (EX: Isshin) as well as his Grandfather, Soken, who was killed by hollows and dissected by Mayuri Kurotsuchi because the reinforcements from the Shinigami came too later (under orders from Mayuri). Since then, Uryu has harbored a specific hatred for Shinigami and wants to prove that the Quincy are a superior race unbeknownst to him of the origins of the Shinigami & Quincy (later would be told). Uryu attends the same school as Ichigo and since learning of his Shinigami powers (from Rukia), Uryu treats him coldly and believes he is a nuisance, disgrace, and a mockery of Shinigami. It wouldn't be long before Uryu befriends Ichigo, but still they bicker over disputes amongst each kind. Uryu's hatred for Shinigami is personified in his merciless killing of hollows, but later - Uryu warms up to the Shinigami as not all are bad. He soon joins Ichigo alongside Chad, Orihime, Rukia, & Renji in fighting off various enemies before embarking on his own, alongside Yhwach, in eliminating the Shinigami for unclear purposes. Apart from being part of Team Ichigo, Uryu is notable as being the 2nd strongest member of their team and as a Quincy, is knowledgable and calculative when it comes to fighting his opponents. 

Powers/Abilities (Uryu Ishida)

Uryu, when it comes to his bow and arrows, is precise, much like a marksman. He is able to stand on par with Captain class Shinigami Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Espada Yammy, and Bount Yoshi. Next to Ichigo, Uryu is the 2nd strongest member of Ichigo's group. What makes Uryu such a formidable opponent is his ability to discern, much like Kurama, opponent's strengths and weaknesses. Prime examples was figuring on former Espada Cirucci Sanderwicci's attack patterns when in her Resurreccion, Bount Yoshi's abilities in her Doll, or planning ahead a booby trap for Espada Yammy. Uryu was at his strongest when he fought Mayuri, but since then, he's grown stronger, mastering Reishi absorption, Hirenkyaku (speed), Ginto (similar to Kido), and is versatile in the utilization of his bows and arrows. Uryu, however, has had his fair share of losses - Kaname Tosen & the 4th Espada, Ulquiorra. As a proud Quincy, Uryu prides himself in his abilities and it clearly showcases that he isn't someone to underestimate, considering he holds the highest title in the Sternritter. 

Backstory/Role in Story (Zack Fair) 

Throughout his early life, Zack had aspiring dreams of joining the ranks of SOLDIER and become a 1^st class member. When he was around thirteen years old, he secretly left his home town of Gongaga without informing his parents that he was going to live out his dreams of being part of Shinra’s prestige military force. Who wouldn’t? In enlisting in SOLDIER, Zack was under the guidance of a 1^st class member, Angeal Hewley, who trained and fought with Sephiroth and Genesis (we all know Sephiroth was skillfully good in his early years as a 1^st class SOLDIER member, but Angeal and Genesis were just as good, but not better). Under Angeal’s guidance, Zack managed to move up the ranks of 2^nd class easily. Angeal played a really influential figure in Zack’s life due to the fact that Angeal represented a real sense wisdom and honor and Zack grew inspired and wanted to be just like him (later in Crisis Core, Angeal would hand over his prestigious Buster Sword to Zack). Placed under Lazard Deusericus in the 49^th floor of Shinra HQ, Zack makes a couple of friends with SOLDIER members, including fellow 2^nd class member, Kunsel, who taught him the basic foundations and principles of Shinra.

Though Zack did not play a prominent role in Final Fantasy VII, he was still an essential figure in Cloud’s character development because Cloud, in the majority of FF7, had Zack’s memories and persona and Cloud was struggling to find himself. In Crisis Core, we know more about Zack’s character and upbringing to the ranks of SOLDIER. He was sent to Wutai for his first mission to search for Genesis and that mission continued on into Midgar. While at Midgar, Zack meets Aeris in the Sector 5 church and the two became acquainted with one another (don’t cry Cloud X Aeris lovers). After Midgar, Zack headed to Modeoheim where he met Cloud for the first time as an infantryman and a prominent bromance started. He then fought his mentor in the form of an experimented monster and manages to defeat him. Aforementioned, Zack receives the Buster Sword, eventually becomes a first 1^st class SOLDIER member, and everybody starts to look up to him because he was the last of his class. He becomes a key witness to the burning of Nibelheim after Sephiroth went mad after finding out about his “mother” Jenova in Mt. Nibel’s Mako Reactor. Zack did challenge Sephiroth, but Sephy’s inhuman strength overpowers him. After, both Zack and Cloud were captured by Hojo and held captive for four whole years in the Shinra Mansion for Hojo’s experiment to create a Sephiroth clone. Zack was unaffected by the experiment and escaped with a Mako poisoned Cloud and the two went into hiding. While hiding, Zack finds and fights Genesis, defeating him and helping him regain his pacified state. Four years went by, Aeris has been sending a bunch of letters, Zack quickly ventures with Cloud to Midgar to see her. However, before reaching Midgar, the two were ambushed by Shinra soldiers and Zack sacrificed himself to save Cloud’s life. Near death, Zack passed down the Buster Sword to Cloud and proceeded his way into the Lifestream.

Powers/Abilities (Zack Fair) 

During his training as a SOLDIER 2^nd class member, it’s already that Zack had the natural physique and abilities that were expected of a SOLDIER member. As his training went on and he was prompted to 1^st class, he became a master swordsman in his own right, well it’s almost a given that the most notable SOLDIER members are master swordsmen. He has fought Sephiroth, Genesis, and his own mentor, Angeal, and as mentioned, those three were the most skillful 1^st class members and great swordsmen in their own right and it’s also mentioned that Zack took on an entire division of the Shinra army, quite a formidable resume right there. Aside from his mark as a great swordsman, wielding a regular SOLDIER sword then later, the Buster Sword, Zack is very knowledgeable in the use of Materia (you know casting elements like ice, fire, lightning, casting summons) and the art of Materia Fusion and he’s pretty much a sure shot marksman due to his expertise in using the sniper rifle. A rare feat of Zack is that he can copy Limit Breaks of characters he meets along the way in Crisis Core (examples: Healing Wave is a duplicate of Aeris’ Healing Wind, Meteor Shots is a duplicate of Cloud’s Meteorain, Eight Sword Flash is a duplicate of Sephiroth’s Octaslash, etc.) as well as having a limit break of his own called the Chain Slash, a deadly five hit sword attack combo.

Verdict (by Stillmattic)

And the winner is...

After evaluating both characters, I can quickly say that Zack Fair, in terms of character development, powers/abilities, and his noble sacrifice in saving Cloud - is the clear winner. For Uryu, some can argue that he's a unique character where others can say he is, what I'd like to call, a "card-board cutout." What I mean by this is Uryu, despite being a pivotal character in Bleach, is dull, predictable, and his hatred for Shinigami stems from the stereotype that Shinigami are @$$holes, but that is not the case. I didn't find Uryu to be all that interesting and, this is not me being bias, but he is pretty much a Sasuke Wannabe (A Naruto character for those of you who don't know). Uryu may be a genius, but when it came to his fights - I wasn't a big fan. You could argue that Uryu is the 2nd strongest of Ichigo's group, but it doesn't change the fact that his character offers very little until just now in his appearance alongside the Wandenreich, With Zack Fair, I found not only his journey to be more worthwhile than Uryu (since Uryu does follow Ichigo and is therefore not the central point of Bleach) - but he's more of a liable character and this only stems from the fact that he fought the best of the best- fighting off 1st Class Members AND even took down an army. HE TOOK DOWN AN ARMY, ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? AND HE CHALLENGED THE RENOWNED SEPHIROTH, ZACK FAIR IS A BADASS! Can Uryu do that? No. Can Uryu challenge the best of the best and win? No. Can Uryu match wits with Ichigo? No. Can Uryu's Bow do considerable damage? Yes, but in my personal opinion with no bias whatsoever - Sword beat Bow anyday. Zack Fair pursued forward and reached the top up until his noble sacrifice for Cloud - THAT is the definition of a real hero. With Uryu, nope - he's a follower and a wannabe smartass. Sorry Bleach fans, but as much as I like a lot of characters in Bleach - Uryu doesn't cut it in this fight against the clear victor - badass swordsman, loyal friend, and protagonist in FF: Crisis Core - Zack Fair. 

So who do you think won? Uryu Ishida from Bleach or Zack Fair from Final Fantasy Crisis Core? Comment below and let us know. Look forward to Bleach Fantasy posts every Monday & Friday (unless specified) around 10am-10pm. As always, you all stay classy now. Monday's BF post will be judged accordingly by MechG2994.