Bleach TYBW

why did no one tell me that the full context of “Sasuke snapped back. ‘Anyway, what’s Gay Pride Day? What are they proud of?” was so fucking funny

The juxtaposition between these two is incredibly well done. In addition to their conversation, you can also literally see that Takasugi and Zura are just different versions of each other. (It’s especially poignant since Zura’s hair is chopped.) Takasugi’s heretical and chaotic. Zura’s traditional and disciplined. Takasugi dresses flamboyantly and keeps a shikomizue at his side– a cane sword. Zura dresses modestly and uses a standard katana.

Despite their polar personalities, they actually have a lot common. They’ve known each other the longest out of the Joui Four being classmates in that military academy before attending Shouyou’s school, and both are leaders of new Jouishishi factions working to usher in change. So how did they become such stark contrasts of each other? What was the catalyst? 

It was Gintoki. 

Zura admires Gintoki for bearing his unjust suffering without hatred. Zura even says to to Takasugi, “Do you know how many times I have wanted to reduce this world to ashes? However, that man has always endured it. Gintoki. He who has the most reason to hate this world has always endured it.” Takasugi, on the other hand, blindly refuses every line of logic and commits to making Gintoki the object of blame. He just cannot accept that there may have been a bigger reason as to why Gintoki “didn’t abandon them to save sensei.” Zura has never once accused Gintoki for Shouyou’s death, while Takasugi chooses to harbor deep resentment.

Takasugi and Zura are two sides of the same coin, yet, the most significant characteristic they share is how emotionally fragile they truly are. Maybe the loss of their sensei wasn’t enough to drive Zura over the edge, but the loss of Gintoki in the Be Forever Yorozuya movie was. Gintoki and Zura are nothing short of brothers, but they’re related by history rather than blood. (Well, maybe bloodshed too…) Losing your best friend, your only family, and the one person you trusted wholeheartedly– of course that kind of grief could consume and break a man. And perhaps that’s why present-day Zura admires Gintoki so much. Maybe he’s fully aware that he’s not as emotionally strong as Gintoki.

Shouyou was to Takasugi as Gintoki is to Zura, and in this light, Takasugi isn’t so crazy and evil anymore. In different lifetimes he and Zura (sweet, stupid Zura) share the same tragedy.

…sorry for the hella Gintama feels. This thought struck me last night, and I had to flesh it out in writing. There’s so much potential between these two of Shouyou’s brats. Please, Sorachi they need another confrontation!

if u ever see me posting something cringe or embarrassing i didnt that was my evil twin my doppleganger

yoshida never beating the allegations

not sure if you're familiar with naruto as a whole but the level of insanity the main characters display kind of equals out the cringe aspect of it. it's truly a ride

anon I lived through it

me: [can’t handle intimacy, too terrified of rejection to be in a relationship, often completely cuts contact with people out of fear that they’ll get sick of me, a general fool with paranoia issues] i want a girlfriend

the anime youtubers’ bane; the four horsemen

"If you're queer why don't you support the war (genocide) on Gaza? Palestine is homophobic!!!" I don't know, maybe because people shouldn't be murdered on mass for living in a homophobic country? Maybe because a government being homophobic doesn't justify ethnic cleansing? Maybe because queers in Palestine aren't going to feel "liberated" by the IDF murdering their children? Maybe because I'm not a fucking racist???

Be serious, there are so many homophobic countries. Would you condone murdering polish civilians for living in a homophobic country? Would you cheer at people in Florida having to carry their children in plastic bags? Would that be for the greater cause of queer liberation? Or is it only justified when it's brown people and Muslims?

How dare you expect queers to be "grateful" to the Israeli government for committing literal fucking genocide.

"No matter how goofy and foolish he is, he is just as much a trickster and mastermind. These sides of his character are not at extremes. It all comes around. His ambitions, his promise with Shigeshige, his bond and shared past with Gintoki. These are some of the driving forces behind every action he takes. " YES ALL OF THIS. So well said. I've been thinking of this, and of something similar (his love of the spotlight in the present day vs his war-era leadership style - both sides are true).

Right! Although maybe it isn’t necessarily that he wishes to hoard the spotlight, but judges that that’s what’s necessary in the fight he’s fighting at the moment? 🤔 

I’m not exactly sure what I’m trying to say here but I think you hit on something hmm. A key idea on the factions in Gintama is how they revolve around certain leaders. Nizo’s take on this was that they exude a certain light and charisma. He was infatuated with Takasugi’s so he wanted to take down other perceived lights like Katsura’s and Gintoki’s. Moths gather to flames. Later on we have arcs revolving around different characters who despite being flawed, portray significant leadership roles. Hijikata, Sakamoto, Shigeshige, NobuNobu, etc. In the end, Katsura’s way of reforming the government lends to the idea of the importance of everyone being their own king or leader.

Although it’s no question that when Katsura’s quirky personality starts leaking into serious business, he turns into the regular show-off drama queen we love. 😂 However that’s partially the result of reuniting with Gintoki and redeveloping a newfound love and attachment to people and the community. Unlocking his true personality comes after he was stuck in a negative mindset closer to Takasugi’s at the beginning of the series.

In the Joui war, his true personality was largely repressed by the pressure and strain of leadership. The battle they were fighting then (survival) was heavier than the one present-day Katsura is fighting (for the future). Nowadays, Katsura has more room to breath and live and goof around like everyone else.  

On a more casual level though, when he’s going around complaining about being on stand-by or having little screen time or his character overlapping with Kyuubei’s… it’s more than just a comedic 4th wall break because it speaks about his character. Actually, he does seem to get a lot of down time when he’s out of a job or not doing Joui things. 😂 So we see him hanging out with Hasegawa and Gintoki often, but his unique position at the edge of the law puts him at conflict with half the cast that regularly participates in shenanigans. As a result he seems to get a little lonely at times, haha. Even on stand-by, he seems to just be hoping for a good moment to come out. It would lead to disappointment, but he has an absurd amount of patience haha. Poor Zura. It does make sense for him to be attention-seeking.