The Thousand-Year Blood War called for new leadership of the Gotei 13 and here, I want to explain why I think Kyoraku's unorthodox leadership was exactly what our heroes needed - but let me know your thoughts too!
His decision was right. He knew aizen was the real hero chosen by soul king. He sent unohana to hell as a mole for next arc was to convince yamamoto from his old path.
I think for what was going on, nobody would had been a better leader. He did what was necessary and not what was the popular choice at times but he got the job done.
He's the worthy successor and took charge with a realistic and calm demeanor through Soul Society's worst crisis. His combat prowess and pragmatism helped Soul Society on the battlefield, and now off his new agenda has done much to change the social political landscape of his world for the first time in thousands of years. Be it initiating a flexible recruitment and internship policy, granting help to the worst areas of the Rukon or even creating something akin to civilian jobs rather than the usual yes, Shunsui is someone whom Soul Society needs. Not to mention his cooperative demeanor and working with reformers in Central 46.
Yeah, it's easy to try and downplay him because of the shoes Yama left behind, but when push came to shove my man squared up and did his job. Probably better than anyone else could have.
He just enacted his rights as head captain with selecting two LTs teaching zaraki zenjustu. By reforming his court guards as he reminded central 47 that reform is the heads Captains decision.
@@justinwillingale2086 Truth. It also helps that virtually all the surviving hardline members of the group have resigned and gone into hiding in their estates, leaving only Nayura and her reformist block that Shunsui is working with.
@@manuelacosta9463 And especially with the impact of Yamamoto's death sinking in. One of the most legendary shinigami dying (as well as mass casualties of shinigami forces) creates an understanding that the enemy cannot be underestimated along with the severe impact that has on morale.
Kyoraku understands that while honor and tradition is nice to have, when it comes down to the dirty and cruel ways of war, they mean nothing in the end. He seems to be the person kind of person that thinks if your opponent goes low, then you go lower cause there is nothing nice and pleasant about war, only the survivor and the loser.
Yup wars are not meant to be pretty, you got to use everything you can to win. Hell, ghost of tsushima is a perfect example of what you are saying. However, I like to say if you still want to fight with honor, at least don't be stupid enough to believe your opponent will do the same.
He was definitely the right choice. There wasn't a current captain that would be willing to make the hard decisions like Shunsui. He put his feelings aside and had Zaraki train even at the expense of Unohana because he knew Zaraki was needed, he freed Aizen knowing he would be a major asset to win, wasn't too proud to accept help from those not in the gotei 13 and even those who were outcast of the soul society in order to win. He truly became a war commander on the fly
That's what makes him a true leader, his ability to make difficult potentially lethal and dangerous decisions to win and save his side. He sees things from a realistic perspective, not the traditional, 'honorable' ways of Gotei 13 and it's feudal government. Witch let's be real, was not honorable in the slightest given what the nobles are willing to do to keep and maintain their power.
The only captain who would come even remotely close would be Byakuya. I don’t think he would do quite as well of a job, but I could see him making the hard decisions.
@@undeadlegionare3643 in this instance yes I can see it because his pride was already shattered by asking Ichigo to save Soul Society so he'd be able to make the hard decisions. Now if we're talking about before tybw, there's no way I could've saw Byakuya freeing Aizen, his pride and honor would never let him
@@jhopkins803 Freeing Aizen is the one thing that Byakuya probably wouldn't do at all. Other stuff, like gettin' Zaraki trained in the way of the sword (at the expense of Unohana), sure, he'd pop that off without batting an eye.
@@undeadlegionare3643 It would take a bit of adjusting though and given Byakuya's kind heart and emotional state would be a bit difficult to process, whereas Shunsui is pragmatic enough to make the calls that are needed to be made.
Central 46: Jushiro Ukitake, you have been appointed as the Head Captain. Ukitake: What an honor 😮💨 I promise 😮💨😮💨😵 To uphold 😵😵☠️ Central 46: F*ck.
I do love Shunsui. He also agrees, he didn't want to let Aizen loose, but Shunsui is the guy to act now and take responsibility later when all is done. So I do like that Shunsui just says to Byakuya in response to letting Aizen go was shamefull "I agree, if it makes you guys feel better you can smack me for it later".
Even though he meant it, its quite sarcastic isn't it?? I mean who is capable to smack Shunsui in the Gotei13 now? Like he was telling Byakuya to zip it and deal with it like an adult instead of always complaining. The ones who can smack are Zaraki and Nanao, but Nanao follows her Capt's orders, while Zaraki, I bet he'd be thanking Shunsui becuz now he might get a chance to fight Aizen😂.
cosnidering the alternative was to let Yhwach kill the SK and destroy SS entirely, letting Aizen loose was the right move, just as it was to get Unohana to help Kenpachi unleash his full power.
Kyoraku really shined in the war. It really shows how war can change a man and it's pretty much the opposite of Yamamoto, who was changed by thousand years of peace. He became the ruthless leader who was willing to do everything to win.
It's not like he changed, it's more like dropped the mask and showed the world his true self, dropping the child's play and getting serious to orchestrated the greatest play in soul society history
I really don't think he changed at all. There were glimpses of his true self on several occasions. The fact that he didn't give a damn about how the 2 guys felt about him killing Staark gave me at least that look into his actual demeanor. I think he could relax and put that mask on of the lazy captain precisely because Yamamoto was around. After he died kyoraku didn't have the luxury of putting the mask on because now he was the leader. The time to do what was necessary was upon them
kyoraku was still same but not the naivety type cuz he know the truth but other people didn't realize what actually happen until he decides to make them safe what ever the cost even tho he already know that part but just as it said " Desperate time for desperate measures." if thousands blood war didn't exist he never take the leadership.
@@darknesswave100 I don't even really think its much of a mask. He's truly every bit the lazy chill captain when there is nothing important happening, he just knows when important things happen you have to do what it takes to win.
The thing that makes Shunsui the best choice is the fact he's never afraid to change and the thing soul society needed the most after yhwach was a change , he's not a conservative who will be afraid to change just cause the old methods "work" , he will do whatever it takes to for the betterment of soul society + he's not arrogant , he will do whatever it takes to win battles that can't be won by themselves
Kyoraku is an example of the best leaders being those who don't want the job. He probably envisioned Yamamoto being the Head Captain for another thousand years until Captains like Unohana, Ukitake, or Byakuya took the mantle. On an unrelated note: I'm surprised Shinji was able to keep quiet after learning Kyoraku freed Aizen, especially after everything he's put the Vizards through. You'd think he'd be the most outraged with that decision considering they're the ones who suffered the most from Aizen's betrayal with him casually using them like test subjects. This shows his growth and understanding of how desperate the situation they were in was.
agree. I was like why Shinji just be quiet after what Aizen did to them but then I realized I think he knows this is a desperate situation and he understands that immediately also if ever Kyoraku resigns, I think Shinji should be next he seems kinda like Kyoraku chill, level headed at times and knowledgable.
That's what bothered me the most about how everybody else reacted. Sure the fact that aizen was freed was bad there's no denying that but they're too focused on the here and now and not looking at the bigger picture. Kyoraku realized they were screwed without Aizen to help them so he made the call. Yamamoto guarandamntee you wouldn't have let Aizen out even if he knew full well that without him they'd all die. That's the difference in the 2 of them. Yamamoto has too much pride and Kyoraku is willing to set his aside to do what's necessary
You gotta remember Shinji is one of the older captains, i think only Kyouraku and Kenpachi(from the Gotei 13) are older than him by the end of the series.
nah the thing is shinji is like always used a measure tool against wittiness he is really smart and cunning himself but not at the level of aizen he is really strong but not at level of aizenn he always was used to measure aizen , he always knew how dangerous aizen was, knew the best time to enter karakura town fight he wasnt the leader of vizards for no fun when there were 6 captain lvl members its not that esy i'd say after shunsui he's most likely to be the head captain
Shunsui is the polar opposite of Yama While Yama is a stern honor bound leader Shunsui is more underhanded Even there Bankai’s are polar opposites of each other while Yama’s is a raging flame Shunsui’s is as cold as the void itself
It's not just the bankai, the shikai as well, yamas shikai is powerful and imposing leaving no room for doubt and putting any enemy in high alert while kyorakus shikai is much simpler, not as flashy and luls the enemy into a false sense of security, the fact you cannot see its ability at first sight makes you feel less threatened by it until you make a mistake and off goes your head
@@thatonejoey1847 but you do see it at first sight. Everything begins to darken. That immediately would put the opponent on alert if the sound of the person saying “bankai” doesn’t
When Kyuraku fought Starrk and revealed his cold calculating way of finishing fights as effectively as possible,honour be damned,that was one of the best character moments in the Arrancar-arc.
He was. He's currently the oldest captain present, and obviously the most experienced too. He'd know what Yamamoto would have done in any given situation, kinda like how he brought together the Gotei 13 after Yamamoto's death. Plus he's not someone to be crossed, as shown by his reluctant but serious tone throughout the series. He looks like someone who'd pass fighting any day for some peaceloving sake time, but when shit gets serious he picks up his swords and fights to protect the Soul Society.
@@mentalprograming5365 while that may be true Isshin wasnt goofy with Ichigo one bit. Yes he acted like that but Isshin always punched Ichigo to let him know his place and what he deals with.
Kyoraku: Isshin, you got a letter from your former subordinate. Toshiro: Dear Captain Shiba, F**k you. You get a wife and then ditch me with Rangiku as Lieutenant. And I have to clean up all your works and she still add me her works to do.
Yes he is the right choice as head captain. They were at war, and that means using everything they had and making the hardest decision. Kyoraku understood that perfectly. Hell during arrancar arc, he wasn't sticking to any particular fighting style or a single mindset, he used everything he can to win, and that was needed for the war. Also that's how Yamamoto won the first war, he probably knew that having the original gotei 13 was a big gamble, but their strength were vital of winning the war.
I remember I was 7 or 8 years old when I first saw this Shunsui and thought he was lazy as a young child would. My mother who I was watching bleach with gave him one look after I said this guy looks lazy. After her one look she just told me that he's probably one of the strongest guys there. Years later as I grew up and was reading TYBW at around 17 this dude was my favorite character and now as an adult and father he's especially my favorite character. The man did everything to protect his people and the world at large. Honestly wish he got some more action after Lillie Barro
While you can argue that Mayuri was the MVP of the war. I'd argue that without Kyoraku Shunsui, they would have lost the war during the second conflict. His quick decision making and willingness to use all of the card at his disposal. I Absolutely cannot wait until the 3rd season and the fight between Nanao & Kyoraku vs Lille Barro.
Not only is Kyoraku the right man and successor to the top job, I would love to see how he ages into the role with different captains and situations that come forth. One of the best characters in the whole series.
Truth. And good thing he's adopted this new approach to his general governance of Gotei 13, especially with the cowardly nobles out of the way. His humbleness is also a plus, he may be Captain Commander but he'd happily share a drink with a human something other Shinigami wouldn't dare consider.
It was smarts (mayuri) and quick wit (shunsui) the game changers instead of raw power/imutabillity(Yama). When conventional approaches are completely invalidated, a leap of faith at the unorthodox usually pays off. Loved every inch of dialog involving Shunsui in this arc and CFYOW. I find his leadership style quite inspiring.
I can't wait until the Hell arc so we can see more of Kyoraku's decisions as Head Captain. I just know that he'll be the first one running to Hell to stop the problem 😂
Dude seemed like the worst choice there is, lazy, goofing around and always hesitate about killing. Then he really shown his cunning and manipulative side that impressed Aizen himself, but also more sympathetic than Yama. Given enough time, he will likely surpass Yama himself
He was pefrect for the choice. He had the intellect and the strength to be the captain commander. He is willing to do things, even though others might think them wrong. I do think he has changed from the Soul Society arc to this arc. In that arc he was aloof and really did not want to be in combat. Just the way he did not want to fight Chad and just drink tea. Now, he has changed, I think into someone who would anything and everything to protect the Soul Society. Out of all of the captains, he had the best temperament. IMHO.
he also has good negotiating skills when he negotiates with Aizen until finally Aizen wants to lend a hand to help soul society. Even at the end of the negotiation, Aizen said to Shunsui: "You really are a very interesting one". Indeed a person who deserves to be a head captain.
We all knew he was next in line to become head captain but man shunshui really stepped up to the plate and took charge he was meant for that role. It’s crazy because he’s such a easy going and even lazy at times but underneath all that is a born leader
I'm in eager anticipation of more Shunsui spotlight; watching a lot of people reacting to the First Kenpachi revelation, a lot of them were saying "why do *they* need her to die?" or *"they* need him to unlock his true power." But it wasn't them, as in multiple people, deciding Unohana to train Zaraki...it was Shunsui. This was but one of a handful of decisions Shunsui made that impacted the story of the TYBW. I absolutely love Shunsui during this arc, he almost reminds me of Tywin Lannister in a sense; the differences being how each character portrays themselves, as well as how they handle the loss of their loved ones and how they move forward (as well as Shunsui's laziness). I am absolutely looking forward to seeing more viewers reacting to Shunsui's pragmatic decisions, leading to some of the most impactful moments in the story.
I think Kyoraku was probably the best choice for head captain. I think that his dislike of being appointed and his dislike of responsibility in general proves that he understands responsibility better than most people. He knows what is required of a leader and he understands what the job of head captain is about and takes it seriously, he knows what will be expected of him and what he must do. I think Yamamoto realized this also. I think Kyoraku' s reluctance to be given the job and his dislike of responsibility in general comes from not wanting to let anyone down or drop the ball in any way. Which itself makes him the best person who will be serious about stepping up to the plate for the sake of others.
Kyoraku is a perfect balance of wisdom and fighting capability. He both avoids unnecessary conflict, and uses whatever means necessary to obtain victory.
I remember seeing all the captains in that first meeting and seeing his flashy pink kimono......and despite liking all the captains I'd seen more of.....I knew he'd be my favorite. And Shunsui exceeded even my lofty expectations. He was the perfect one to lead them. And is still my favorite Captain. 🏴☠️ Yama would be proud. 🔥
Not only was Kyoraku the right head captain, he was the only possible choice in the moment. Those who could potentially serve as alternatives to him are lacking in some area that needs time to fix.
Shunsui was the only reasonable choice and he showed his growth and willingness to take risk. Yamamoto would never have freed Aizen to aid them even if they were losing. I can’t wait to see how Shunsui leads in the hell arc
TBF Shunsui gambled a lot on the idea that Aizen would just cooperate Especially since none of them were strong enough to recontain him if things got out of hand
Was Shunsui betting on Aizen having a common ground with Soul Society than compared to Yhwach? Because that's still a huge gamble. Shunsui is the type who "takes action now, fix the rest later"
@Accel I'm guessing he figured aizen wouldn't go along with how Ywach was doing things. Cause if he won the soul society and everything that composes the world as a whole would have been gone. So he figured aizen would know that already and cooperate
I love the words that you use. Your story-telling capabilities, in combination with your mastery of words, makes your videos very special. Thank you for making these videos, your hard work is very appreciated.
Man, Shunsui was my favorite character ever since the Soul Society arc, because I just thought his whole design and aesthetic was just so bad ass. And that’s even before I even just got to know his personality like that. I just liked him from a visual perspective or standpoint immediately! But then when I saw how cool and laid back of a character he was especially in juxtaposition to Head Captain Yamamoto who’s always so stoic and serious all the time I just thought that “Man, this dude is low key kinda bad ass!” Whenever I talk to someone who knows anything about Bleach and I tell them that Shunsui is my favorite character they always immediately kinda look at me strange and ask “He is really?” or something to that extent. And then after awhile they always and I mean always end up saying “Yeah, I see what you’re saying he is a pretty cool character.”
@@BijuuBerry man, bro wtf does that have to do with my comment?! I literally said nothing about Kenpachi or and especially not BURRITO 🌯 ! And then you liked your own comment like when no else has. I’d understand if you had a handful of likes and then liked your own comment because I won’t lie I’ve done it before my damn self🤷🏾♂️. But who likes their own comment when no one else likes it, who does that? Lol, but to each his own… I guess.
@@BijuuBerry wtf bro, are reporting my comments or something?! Smh, everyone of my comments keep getting deleted smh lol. But it is what is lol. And trust me you’re definitely not making me mad or sad or anything. Honestly to be serious I’m just indifferent it doesn’t bother me or make make me happy it’s honestly just nothing but replying to a comment on UA-cam. Because that’s all you really are to me honestly. And I might be going a little bit too far saying that it doesn’t bother because if I had to actually put a feeling to it, I actually find it funny lol. Idk about because you seem like the type to let it bother you but don’t be deflecting your feelings on to me because I’m definitely not mad, sad, offended or anything of that nature Lol dude. If anything again I find it funny because to me you’re literally just some random person on UA-cam who’s going on other people’s comments trying to spread your page around by posting links talking about some other nonsensical off the wall malarkey lol.
Can't help but think what the Soul Society would have been like if Shunsui took over as Head-Captain much earlier in the story. Like say after 500 years of relative peace Yamamoto decided to step down and hand over control to Shunsui, do you think Aizen would have as easy of a time to rise to power before rebelling against the Soul Society or would he have even felt the need to do so. Assuming nothing about how Shunsui deals with the other branches of authority changes, especially the Central 46, I think at the very least Aizen is discovered shortly after creating the Visored as I don't believe Shunsui would be so quick to execute his co-captains because of a dictate by the Central 46, nor do I feel Urahara would have been forced to flee Soul Society before Aizen was properly exposed as a traitor.
There are two things that bug me about the way Kyoraku went about this. 1) This didn't feel like a war where they could afford to be without their best healer. And even with the powerup, Kenpachi's role after that is pretty limited. It's not like he went on to destroy most of the opposing force. Just, what, two of them? Which isn't bad, but I also don't think it was worth Unohaha. 2) I may be over-estimating the impact, but MAYBE if we'd actually gotten to see the impact of masked Visoreds on the Stern Retters, we would know if sacrificing Unohana was actually necessary. it's entirely possible that Shinji, masked, could have soloed half the Sterns just because they're that allergic to Hollows. Which is why it's such a disservice that we don't get to see how masked Visoreds can stack up against them. And don't tell me "they decided not to use them anymore" -- it's a war to end existence as they know it. You don't hold back on any sort of principle. You go all out because there may not be a tomorrow. So if Kyoraku really wanted to be controversial, he could have given the Visoreds his full permission and support to use their masks against the Sterns. If anything should have driven home how much Soul Society needed to get out of their own way, it would have been that.
You can argue that without defeating Gremmy(which he needed his shikai/true power for) a whole lot more of shinigami and quincies alike would have died to him. But I do agree sacrificing unohana is at best controversial, and not just froom an emotional stand point Totally agree with your point on the vizards but that's one of the flaws of the final arc in general, and i m not sure the anime will be really able to fix it
Unfortunately, in an existential war, sacrifices have to be made. Unohana was a great warrior and a great healer... but she could only do one thing at a time. Assuming her assessment of Zaraki was correct, and events tend to indicate it was, the superior potential of Zaraki and the second best healer had more value than the best and second-best healer with a nerfed Zaraki. And there can only be one Kenpachi at a time. We know so little about Isane... only time will tell what the hand-picked lieutenant, now Captain, is capable of.
So i just realized why i love your channel so much....your attention to detail and the way you explain it to your audience... idk if you have a script writer or you're just that good with words but i am really amazed by it and this video is proof of that...love to see more videos from you🙏
Meh, there was no one else that was suitable for the role. Zaraki was insane, "Unohana" was insane, Mayuri was insane, Hitsugaya was too young, Byakuya was a tool and so on. Kyoraku's cool attitude was a perfect contrast to Yamo's fiery temper.
Agreed - but I think Ukitake cud have made a good CC as well. But we all know that kubo wanted to kill off the oldies (yamma=too old, uno=too brutal, ukitake=too sick) to make way for a new Gen with Shunsui being the father figure to the younger gen as he’s also all their senpai. He’s the perfect CC for the new gen
Byakuya and toshiro will need like 500 years to become CC material. Withij the gotei 13 the next candidate is Shinji as the 2nd oldest Captain in the post tybw gotei 13
@@cecillegend9161 Absolutely, I hope if we get a Timeskip showing Ichigo rejoined the Soul Society (or better) to take up the Title of Captain that Shinji is shown as Captain by that time.
I agree 100% with this. I remember reading the chapters as they were coming out. And I remember thinking pretty much what was said here. My thought was pretty much, you want to stand by pride, honour, and principal in a war? Well, good for you, you can stand proud next to the bodies.
You make a great point about Unohana. As much as we would've liked to see her fight the Sternritter it was her decision to make in regards to how she gets to die. She was so old and if everyone has to die eventually and you have the luxury of choosing to die in a certain manner you should be allowed to do so and dying in a beautiful battle with your protege is the perfect death.
He was one of my favorite characters before the promotion. But I liked him all the more after because he understood, unlike the rest of the captains, that wars ugly and it’s not heroic and it’s not romanticized. He wasn’t scared to do what needed to be done and he wasn’t here to make the hard decisions. Everybody criticized his choices but that’s a part of leader ship. Everybody thinks that they could be the head captain until it’s time to be the head captain.
I hope the hell verse gets animated and ukitake gets to show some shit. Seeing his zanpakuto grab szayel apporo was dope AF. Plus showed captains land in hell.
The fact that Kyoraku can manipulate Aizen inti helping soul society is crazy. Not even Yamamoto or Urahara can do that so its a great testament to Kyoraku
@MrTommo2304 // Hey man, loving the videos. I only got into Bleach around a year or two ago, but I can’t even begin to imagine having to wait eight years for the next season ^^’ it’s now one of my favorites. If you’ve already done this, then my bad, but I did try searching and could find it. You do lots of “battle analysis” and “top ten best” stuff, but what about a “top ten worst battles” or even just most disappointing battles? It could include stuff like Maske, Gerard, Yammy, etc. Another suggestion is perhaps the “top ten battle ideas” where you simply say battles you’d love to see? Even if they don’t seem likely to happen, but an example could be… I dunno, Shunsui vs Jūshirō. Just some ideas from a Bleach fan, though i’m sure you’ve got tons of ideas on your to-do list already. I feel like my first suggestion could be especially kinda cool though if you did ever get around to doing it. Again, if you’ve already done either of my suggestions, then I apologize lol, I just didn’t see anything like that when searching for them
2:45 and hopefully beef up security, the quinces braking in I can kinda give them a pass on as it was a full military invasion (that still happened way to easily) but way back in the first arc when Ichigo and friends not only got in but then spent days running around unchecked that should have been a kick up the butt even if they were getting what amounted to inside help they shouldn’t have been able to brake into a military base. You also had the betrayal that should have made them paranoid about security and shake everything up as they had 3 “”highly”” trained enemy combatants that knew almost everything about the protections they had.
That speech about using evil to defeat evil was perfect to me. It sums up his mindset as the head captain. He doesn't care if they had to use Aizen to help them, he did what was necessary in order to ensure the survival of the soul society. That's the end goal in the war. Plus I liked how he actually let the captains and lieutenants say their peace when they saw it was him that set aizen free. You'd have never gotten that from Yamamoto but with Kyoraku he realizes the value in letting people voice their concerns. His version of the Gotei isn't being led by somebody who doesn't tolerate others giving their opinions. It's led by somebody who knows it's those who are under you as the head captain that have the most value because without them you have nothing as an organization. It's just one person running things instead of it being a collective of individuals
Of course he was. He is calm, intelligent, doesn't rush to battle or anger, has an immensely high battle IQ... He is everything they need in a chaotic and tragic time of change. He's absolutely a badass and absolutely the right one for the Head Captain position.
The only thing I didn’t like about Kyoraku’s promotion was that Kubo had just given him that embarrassing loss to the Gun Quincy (Robert?) where his eye is shot out. I think it was set up to make him look older and more grizzled / serious, to accept him as the head captain. However to me anyway, after seeing Kyoraku fail to defeat even one Sternritter when Kenpachi for example easily took down three of them and Yamamoto the predecessor turned one to ashes with one slash, Kyoraku didn’t feel suitable.
Well who else was to be considered?? Ukitake was sick, Retsu was a murderer feared by all and especially the Nobles, Byakuya if anything was utterly humiliated and half dead, Shinji has hollow inside. Regardless, Shunsui also knows his flaws. Its the reason why he never healed his right eye, as a reminder that his nonchalant behavior is the cause of his defeat, going easy on the enemy, playing too much. That's why we don't see him smiling now as much as we did.
@@Sora.Casterwill I know there wasn’t a lot of good choices. Urahara comes to mind, although he would never do it. If Kubo wrote Byakuya leading up to it, I think he could have been a cool choice. From the staunch legalist, to becoming more open-hearted and compassionate, bringing a change when previously he would have just been more Yamamoto. But like a lot of things in the final arc, I would have liked more build up. Growth in Kyoraku’s character leading in to things. But it was goof ball like always, humiliating defeat, followed by a grand promotion, and a 180 turn in character.
@@choawesome nah... Byakuya could not have done what Kyōraku did. He'd never ask Aizen's help or arrancars. He'd also never allow Zaraki to be trained by Unohana. You must look at the bigger picture, Shunsui shut down Central 46 opinions and kept them out of his way, which not even Yamaji could do. He's extremely perceptive and has a way of words. Whereas Byakuya hardly even speaks, even took an oath that he wouldn't break the rules. Having Byakuya as the commander could only mean having a less powerful but more prideful version of Yamamoto. They needed a different approach, a leader just as ruthless and cunning as the Quincies who played dirty during 1st invasion. Kyōraku is the best choice. Also, Kyōraku didn't change 180, He's an excellent actor, remember his theatrics while fighting Chad. Even his Bankai is a literal Theatrical suicide. Which means he just stopped pretending to be a goofball and unveiled his true colors, he always had dead eyes, his Bankai reveals the real embodiment of his dark personality.
@czn Byakuya is also far too young and wouldn’t command the same respect that Shunsui does. Dudes like not even 300 yet. Shunsui is 1000+ years old and has had far more experience, is smarter and pragmatic. And has spent all his time watching Yamamoto do the top job and knows what’s required of it. Do you think Byakuya would have sacrificed Unohana? Or turned to Aizen? No.
I think his fight with both Chad & Starrk gave us hints to his decision making capabilities. He's outwardly easy going but definitely will cut you down using any means at his disposal as opposed to Yamamoto who stubbornly held on to tradition most of the time. He can be cold and calculating but still keeps his comrades out of harms way when he can.
Cant win war based on feelings is what a story like this tells. so poetic and is with us every day. Pride would be the end of us if we concentrated on that.
Yammamoto had a couple of predictable approaches. He would violently keep the status quo because he lived the extremes of war. In the present, he was willing to make sacrificial plays, but was nowhere as ruthless as the war criminal he was, ultimately leaving him a fish out of water. When those gambits failed, he would normally charge in to nuke the big flaws in his plans, trusting in his tremendous power, which was far too easy to anticipate. He was, in one word, anachronistic. Shunsui was not as powerful, but was far more flexible, approachable, progressive and was more comfortable operating in the shades of greys that the job requires. Even with the weakest Gotei so far, they are far more adaptable and have much more potential for growth now. Its too bad it costed him his peace of mind, doing a job he never wanted, but indeed knew was needed.
Great video, but my only point of contention is the admonition of Yamamoto's kindness. I'd argue that kindness spared Sunsui and Ukitake when they rebelled in the second arc, allowed him to set aside his pride and call on Ichigo and co when facing Aizen, and welcomed Uruhara and the Visoreds back into the fold, all of whom were integral in the final war. The younger, harder Yamamoto could never have done those things, and so would have lost valuable tools.
If Yama could've put the Central46 in their place like Shunsui did, Unohana would probably still be alive! There were no risk to Zaraki learning kendo/zanjutsu when Yama was alive and could've kept him in check if he went rogue.
After reading CFYOW, I wanted this to happen Shinji is on the frontlines and the other captains are at the rear while they just lure the sternritters near Shinji, Shinji activates his Bankai, Only Gerard, Barro and Maybe Juugram remain alive, Shinji deactivates his Bankai knowing they won't die easily, Gets his shikai to mess with the 3 sterns, Shunsui and The other captains come at the frontlines now (Ukitake is dead), Shunsui attacks Barro, along with Rose, Lisa and Kensei, Rose gets his Bankai on, Barro is Damaged, Kensei and Lisa attack, Barro doesn't die, Shunsui comes activates his Bankai, And after that is what we know, Zaraki, Byakuya and Toshiro attack Gerard, after a while Nanao seals him too, Juugram gets attacked by Aizen and Ichigo and there only Yhwach is remaining, They all attack at the same time and win
It was always between Kyoraku, Unohana or Ukitake to take command if Yamamoto died & Kyoraku was 💯the right choice. Unohana would've wanted a head to head battle, Ukitake would've been more adaptable Head-Captain then Yamamoto was at his heart to kind to make decisions like having Kenpahci kill Unohana to awaken his potential (and hoping the rest of squad 4 would be enough despite the loss of Unohana). Kyoraku was the best of both worlds: * he's adaptable & not stuck in his ways. * willing to make the most difficult decisions if it meant protecting the Seireitei (I doubt he ever fully recovered the trust from the other Gotei 13 members for freeing Aizen) . * willing to hide the -deus ex machina- sacred treasure to kept Nanao safe. * willing to keep Ichigo within the Seireitei for the safty of the Living World despite knowing its wrong morally, but for the benefit of the world its the right decision. To borrow a quote from another franchise which fits Shunsui role in the TYBW arc “Dark times lie ahead of us and there will be a time when we must choose between what is easy and what is right" -Albus Dumbledore. It would've been easier to leave Aizen to rot, it would've been easier to leave another captain to stay behind to fight Lilli Barro, it would've been easier to just "train" Kenpachi without killing Unohana; But none of them would've been the right thing to do.
If not Shunsui, Ukitake in good health would have been great second choice, as he has the experience and knowledge equivalent to Kyoraku. And we have also seen Ukitake help save Rukia and do all the good deeds as to helping Ichigo and company multiple times. And he is also strong as we have seen him and Kyoraku go against Yamamoto himself. He is also calm in demeanor.
5:36 I think that their predecessors been murdered will also make them more willing to accept changes we sometimes forget just how meny of the leaders of the noble houses Aizen killed, completely wiping out central 46 all their attendants and Guards and likely any other staff the place had.
@13:40 Kyoraku’s words r the complete opposite of what His grin Jushiro told Rukia in the beginning of the series about fighting to protect one’s pride. He is the opposite of Ukitake and the best of friends/brothers of old man Yama indeed
@@gammafrost I don't think that's true. She commands respect in a room, she's obviously proved herself on the battlefield , she's understanding but authoritarian, she's also wise. I think she has all the traits to be a great captain commander. However I think her managing style would have ressembled Yamamoto's and as Mr tommo explained and I couldn't agree more : the pro-active nature of Shunsui and his willingness to go against established rules and traditions was the better fit to guide SS in through this war.
I by far think captain Unohana should have not only lived, but being the first Kimpachi, I think she was destined to lead. I am, really, how many times did she bring Zaraki back to life during their fight? It was countless she said herself. Ya, she was a beast and if she was second in strength only to Yamamoto…
it's a really good touch that Kubo made by placing Kyoraku as the head captain. Because when Yamamoto stood as the head captain, it was all old Japanese buildings. But when Kyoraku stood in the same spot, it was a new and more modern Japanese style. That goes to show the change that Kyoraku did/will do
Hey There Tommo, Great video, been following for awhile and you are definitely my favorite bleach analysis channel. In the wake of the recent events regarding content creators in the space, it made me wonder if you have ever been approached by Seth or other creators in the bleach space to collab on a video? It never crossed my mind until now.
he’s powerful, cunning, calm and collected, and he’s actually a caring and thoughtful person whilst also being willing to do what needs to be done for the sake of those in his charge he honestly might be a better head captain than yama, at least the yama we see in bleach, hes definitely not as prideful and stubborn
Principles and honor are important even in war. But the more brutal and genocidal the war gets the fewer principles you can still hold on to and cling to life. He knew needed to be given up to live through that time.
I have heard a saying: "Evil men end wars. Good men secure times of peace." Shunsui fits this really well, imo. He is willing to make morally questionable decisions if he thinks that is what is needed, but he is a good man at his core. His reforms and willingness to work with former enemies after the Blood War shows that he is the right man for the position of Head-Captain, during both war and peace-times.
The only others that might be even remotely worthy candidates are Mayuri and Kisuke. And Given Mayuri's mindset etc. It would be foolish to give someone like him that much power that would be unchecked. Kisuke could work but due to him being away for so long and given his relationship with Mayuri and some of the others. I doubt he could actually keep everyone under his fold in a fully unified team and his mentality is not that of a leader. He is more the leaders wisdom. Byakuya could be a lesser candidate but he has much of the same issues of both above given his die hard stance on positions with an inability to adapt quickly, which generally leads to him taking more damage than he should have or outright losing the battle. Kyoraku is the example of water. He goes with the flow and has no problem changing his mind in an attempt to gain a better outcome rather than trying to forge something that won't fit. But is capable of being stern and definitive when the time calls for it. And he is respected universally.
@@cecillegend9161 Given his action, his ridiculed yama, and his ego as well as the leeway it would give him in whatever he wanted to do. He would definitely take the mantle. But again a lot of those same things are precisely why it would be a terrible idea. Not to mention you need a force of power in that position and mayuri while powerful via intelligence, isn't all that powerful in general.
7:06 this decision and its inherent divisiveness is testament to the brilliant writing of Kubo. While he's not perfect by any means, he absolutely knows how to read his readers and human emotion.
The Thousand-Year Blood War called for new leadership of the Gotei 13 and here, I want to explain why I think Kyoraku's unorthodox leadership was exactly what our heroes needed - but let me know your thoughts too!
Hey MR TOMMO, you know what I was thinking, the Hell arc would be a prefect excuse for the one Shonen trope Bleach has never had, a Tournament arc,
His decision was right. He knew aizen was the real hero chosen by soul king. He sent unohana to hell as a mole for next arc was to convince yamamoto from his old path.
I think for what was going on, nobody would had been a better leader. He did what was necessary and not what was the popular choice at times but he got the job done.
Kisuke Urahara would have been the best choice, but frankly central would never have made that choice.
Mane, Yamamoto is nothing compared to Kyoraku sure he is stronger than him but Kyoraku is just simply the better character.
He's the worthy successor and took charge with a realistic and calm demeanor through Soul Society's worst crisis. His combat prowess and pragmatism helped Soul Society on the battlefield, and now off his new agenda has done much to change the social political landscape of his world for the first time in thousands of years. Be it initiating a flexible recruitment and internship policy, granting help to the worst areas of the Rukon or even creating something akin to civilian jobs rather than the usual yes, Shunsui is someone whom Soul Society needs. Not to mention his cooperative demeanor and working with reformers in Central 46.
Yeah, it's easy to try and downplay him because of the shoes Yama left behind, but when push came to shove my man squared up and did his job. Probably better than anyone else could have.
He just enacted his rights as head captain with selecting two LTs teaching zaraki zenjustu. By reforming his court guards as he reminded central 47 that reform is the heads Captains decision.
@@justinwillingale2086 Truth. It also helps that virtually all the surviving hardline members of the group have resigned and gone into hiding in their estates, leaving only Nayura and her reformist block that Shunsui is working with.
@@manuelacosta9463 Super important info that I didn't know
@@manuelacosta9463 And especially with the impact of Yamamoto's death sinking in. One of the most legendary shinigami dying (as well as mass casualties of shinigami forces) creates an understanding that the enemy cannot be underestimated along with the severe impact that has on morale.
Kyoraku understands that while honor and tradition is nice to have, when it comes down to the dirty and cruel ways of war, they mean nothing in the end. He seems to be the person kind of person that thinks if your opponent goes low, then you go lower cause there is nothing nice and pleasant about war, only the survivor and the loser.
Yup wars are not meant to be pretty, you got to use everything you can to win. Hell, ghost of tsushima is a perfect example of what you are saying.
However, I like to say if you still want to fight with honor, at least don't be stupid enough to believe your opponent will do the same.
@@animanco6833 there a reason the word " neutral ground" exist.
@@animanco6833 Couldn't have said it better.
Well stated.
He was definitely the right choice. There wasn't a current captain that would be willing to make the hard decisions like Shunsui. He put his feelings aside and had Zaraki train even at the expense of Unohana because he knew Zaraki was needed, he freed Aizen knowing he would be a major asset to win, wasn't too proud to accept help from those not in the gotei 13 and even those who were outcast of the soul society in order to win. He truly became a war commander on the fly
That's what makes him a true leader, his ability to make difficult potentially lethal and dangerous decisions to win and save his side. He sees things from a realistic perspective, not the traditional, 'honorable' ways of Gotei 13 and it's feudal government. Witch let's be real, was not honorable in the slightest given what the nobles are willing to do to keep and maintain their power.
The only captain who would come even remotely close would be Byakuya. I don’t think he would do quite as well of a job, but I could see him making the hard decisions.
@@undeadlegionare3643 in this instance yes I can see it because his pride was already shattered by asking Ichigo to save Soul Society so he'd be able to make the hard decisions. Now if we're talking about before tybw, there's no way I could've saw Byakuya freeing Aizen, his pride and honor would never let him
@@jhopkins803 Freeing Aizen is the one thing that Byakuya probably wouldn't do at all. Other stuff, like gettin' Zaraki trained in the way of the sword (at the expense of Unohana), sure, he'd pop that off without batting an eye.
@@undeadlegionare3643 It would take a bit of adjusting though and given Byakuya's kind heart and emotional state would be a bit difficult to process, whereas Shunsui is pragmatic enough to make the calls that are needed to be made.
Shunsui was 100% the best choice for head captain
yep
Shunsui was 100% the best choice for head
I mean there’s literally nobody else best suited.
@@edwincollins5847 Kon
Agreed
Central 46: Jushiro Ukitake, you have been appointed as the Head Captain.
Ukitake: What an honor 😮💨
I promise 😮💨😮💨😵
To uphold 😵😵☠️
Central 46: F*ck.
I do love Shunsui. He also agrees, he didn't want to let Aizen loose, but Shunsui is the guy to act now and take responsibility later when all is done. So I do like that Shunsui just says to Byakuya in response to letting Aizen go was shamefull "I agree, if it makes you guys feel better you can smack me for it later".
Kinda funny byakuya got mád
When the Aizen plan success thanks to him and his reckleness to Kill Rukia
kyoraku is textbook of real responsibilities .
Even though he meant it, its quite sarcastic isn't it?? I mean who is capable to smack Shunsui in the Gotei13 now? Like he was telling Byakuya to zip it and deal with it like an adult instead of always complaining. The ones who can smack are Zaraki and Nanao, but Nanao follows her Capt's orders, while Zaraki, I bet he'd be thanking Shunsui becuz now he might get a chance to fight Aizen😂.
cosnidering the alternative was to let Yhwach kill the SK and destroy SS entirely, letting Aizen loose was the right move, just as it was to get Unohana to help Kenpachi unleash his full power.
@@Sora.CasterwillToshiro tho, especially if he ever accepts his adult self.
I agree. Kyoraku, the daddy of TYBW
He's the Tony Montana of the Soul Society lol
He’s a giga chad
So y'all agree he's a fine handsome and a menace 😂
100% the right choice! No one else comes close to Shunsui
Only if Uketake was healthy !
Zaraki, or maybe Urahara
@@hitkid2456Zaraki no way. He is not fit to lead that way
@@vb2806Yea, maybe so, but he brings the ruthlessness too, but maybe too much tho... lol
@@hitkid2456Zaraki getting everyone killed 😭
Kyoraku really shined in the war. It really shows how war can change a man and it's pretty much the opposite of Yamamoto, who was changed by thousand years of peace.
He became the ruthless leader who was willing to do everything to win.
i dont think he really changed he just didnt have a need to act due to yama being around
It's not like he changed, it's more like dropped the mask and showed the world his true self, dropping the child's play and getting serious to orchestrated the greatest play in soul society history
I really don't think he changed at all. There were glimpses of his true self on several occasions. The fact that he didn't give a damn about how the 2 guys felt about him killing Staark gave me at least that look into his actual demeanor. I think he could relax and put that mask on of the lazy captain precisely because Yamamoto was around. After he died kyoraku didn't have the luxury of putting the mask on because now he was the leader. The time to do what was necessary was upon them
kyoraku was still same but not the naivety type cuz he know the truth but other people didn't realize what actually happen until he decides to make them safe what ever the cost even tho he already know that part but just as it said " Desperate time for desperate measures." if thousands blood war didn't exist he never take the leadership.
@@darknesswave100 I don't even really think its much of a mask. He's truly every bit the lazy chill captain when there is nothing important happening, he just knows when important things happen you have to do what it takes to win.
The thing that makes Shunsui the best choice is the fact he's never afraid to change and the thing soul society needed the most after yhwach was a change , he's not a conservative who will be afraid to change just cause the old methods "work" , he will do whatever it takes to for the betterment of soul society + he's not arrogant , he will do whatever it takes to win battles that can't be won by themselves
Kyoraku is an example of the best leaders being those who don't want the job. He probably envisioned Yamamoto being the Head Captain for another thousand years until Captains like Unohana, Ukitake, or Byakuya took the mantle.
On an unrelated note: I'm surprised Shinji was able to keep quiet after learning Kyoraku freed Aizen, especially after everything he's put the Vizards through. You'd think he'd be the most outraged with that decision considering they're the ones who suffered the most from Aizen's betrayal with him casually using them like test subjects. This shows his growth and understanding of how desperate the situation they were in was.
agree. I was like why Shinji just be quiet after what Aizen did to them but then I realized I think he knows this is a desperate situation and he understands that immediately also if ever Kyoraku resigns, I think Shinji should be next he seems kinda like Kyoraku chill, level headed at times and knowledgable.
Shinji si very wise too
That's what bothered me the most about how everybody else reacted. Sure the fact that aizen was freed was bad there's no denying that but they're too focused on the here and now and not looking at the bigger picture. Kyoraku realized they were screwed without Aizen to help them so he made the call. Yamamoto guarandamntee you wouldn't have let Aizen out even if he knew full well that without him they'd all die. That's the difference in the 2 of them. Yamamoto has too much pride and Kyoraku is willing to set his aside to do what's necessary
You gotta remember Shinji is one of the older captains, i think only Kyouraku and Kenpachi(from the Gotei 13) are older than him by the end of the series.
nah the thing is shinji is like always used a measure tool against wittiness
he is really smart and cunning himself but not at the level of aizen
he is really strong but not at level of aizenn
he always was used to measure aizen , he always knew how dangerous aizen was, knew the best time to enter karakura town fight
he wasnt the leader of vizards for no fun when there were 6 captain lvl members its not that esy
i'd say after shunsui he's most likely to be the head captain
Shunsui is the polar opposite of Yama
While Yama is a stern honor bound leader Shunsui is more underhanded
Even there Bankai’s are polar opposites of each other while Yama’s is a raging flame Shunsui’s is as cold as the void itself
It's not just the bankai, the shikai as well, yamas shikai is powerful and imposing leaving no room for doubt and putting any enemy in high alert while kyorakus shikai is much simpler, not as flashy and luls the enemy into a false sense of security, the fact you cannot see its ability at first sight makes you feel less threatened by it until you make a mistake and off goes your head
@@thatonejoey1847 Irooni, Black - Dead
@@thatonejoey1847 but you do see it at first sight. Everything begins to darken. That immediately would put the opponent on alert if the sound of the person saying “bankai” doesn’t
@@edwincollins5847 I said shikai, I compared shikai, not bankai
Both of Shunsui's stages involve shadows and darkness to some extent.
Shunsui is the perfect war-time Captain Commander imho. There weren't a lot of candidates that were as collected, calm and ruthless as him.
Yup - a calm, intelligent mind does wonders in a time of turmoil.
When Kyuraku fought Starrk and revealed his cold calculating way of finishing fights as effectively as possible,honour be damned,that was one of the best character moments in the Arrancar-arc.
He was. He's currently the oldest captain present, and obviously the most experienced too. He'd know what Yamamoto would have done in any given situation, kinda like how he brought together the Gotei 13 after Yamamoto's death. Plus he's not someone to be crossed, as shown by his reluctant but serious tone throughout the series. He looks like someone who'd pass fighting any day for some peaceloving sake time, but when shit gets serious he picks up his swords and fights to protect the Soul Society.
Well... Nah.... Yamamoto would *Never* do that. Which why Kyoraku did it.
I wish Kyoraku and Isshin would had have an interaction, when he came to the living world.
he actually reminds me of isshin, very similar personality.. except isshin turns maximum goofy when hes around his kids
@@mentalprograming5365 while that may be true Isshin wasnt goofy with Ichigo one bit. Yes he acted like that but Isshin always punched Ichigo to let him know his place and what he deals with.
@@mentalprograming5365 Maximum Goofy. 🤣👏
Kyoraku: Isshin, you got a letter from your former subordinate.
Toshiro: Dear Captain Shiba, F**k you. You get a wife and then ditch me with Rangiku as Lieutenant. And I have to clean up all your works and she still add me her works to do.
@@th3ra83 😂
Yes he is the right choice as head captain. They were at war, and that means using everything they had and making the hardest decision. Kyoraku understood that perfectly. Hell during arrancar arc, he wasn't sticking to any particular fighting style or a single mindset, he used everything he can to win, and that was needed for the war.
Also that's how Yamamoto won the first war, he probably knew that having the original gotei 13 was a big gamble, but their strength were vital of winning the war.
I really love the contrast between Yamamoto and Kyorakyu, with their, characters, ideals and even with their designs.
I remember I was 7 or 8 years old when I first saw this Shunsui and thought he was lazy as a young child would. My mother who I was watching bleach with gave him one look after I said this guy looks lazy. After her one look she just told me that he's probably one of the strongest guys there. Years later as I grew up and was reading TYBW at around 17 this dude was my favorite character and now as an adult and father he's especially my favorite character. The man did everything to protect his people and the world at large. Honestly wish he got some more action after Lillie Barro
While you can argue that Mayuri was the MVP of the war. I'd argue that without Kyoraku Shunsui, they would have lost the war during the second conflict.
His quick decision making and willingness to use all of the card at his disposal.
I Absolutely cannot wait until the 3rd season and the fight between Nanao & Kyoraku vs Lille Barro.
Even as someone who wasn't a fan of most of that fight, it is going to be an absolute trip to see it animated.
stfu he aint do shi
That fight will be in the 4th season
I'd say Kisuke was the MVP
Not only is Kyoraku the right man and successor to the top job, I would love to see how he ages into the role with different captains and situations that come forth. One of the best characters in the whole series.
The most laid back guy in the Gotei 13 taking command during an all-or-nothing war is hilarious and badass all at once.
Everyone always forget that shuinsui was longest living shinigami after yamamoto and unahana death
He’s always been my favorite captain since getting into the series but now he’s one of my favorite characters in general
Can't wait to see his Bankai animated.
He was the absolute one and only character that could take yama’s position
I love Kyoraku as the new captain commander. It was all Soul Society needed - a new approach for a harsh time, unorthodox. He's perfect!
Truth. And good thing he's adopted this new approach to his general governance of Gotei 13, especially with the cowardly nobles out of the way. His humbleness is also a plus, he may be Captain Commander but he'd happily share a drink with a human something other Shinigami wouldn't dare consider.
It was smarts (mayuri) and quick wit (shunsui) the game changers instead of raw power/imutabillity(Yama).
When conventional approaches are completely invalidated, a leap of faith at the unorthodox usually pays off.
Loved every inch of dialog involving Shunsui in this arc and CFYOW. I find his leadership style quite inspiring.
Totally, a dark soul with knowledge and skill, yet he knows when to be nice, grim, or kind. A nice set of skills for the beggining of a good leader.
I can't wait until the Hell arc so we can see more of Kyoraku's decisions as Head Captain.
I just know that he'll be the first one running to Hell to stop the problem 😂
Dude seemed like the worst choice there is, lazy, goofing around and always hesitate about killing. Then he really shown his cunning and manipulative side that impressed Aizen himself, but also more sympathetic than Yama. Given enough time, he will likely surpass Yama himself
He was pefrect for the choice. He had the intellect and the strength to be the captain commander. He is willing to do things, even though others might think them wrong. I do think he has changed from the Soul Society arc to this arc. In that arc he was aloof and really did not want to be in combat. Just the way he did not want to fight Chad and just drink tea. Now, he has changed, I think into someone who would anything and everything to protect the Soul Society. Out of all of the captains, he had the best temperament. IMHO.
Step1: Make Zaraki a God
Step2: semi-release Aizen which turns out the key move
ABSOLUTELY THE RIGHT CHOICE
More like make Zaraki a Demon
end result lot of quincy casualties in a good way.
he also has good negotiating skills when he negotiates with Aizen until finally Aizen wants to lend a hand to help soul society. Even at the end of the negotiation, Aizen said to Shunsui:
"You really are a very interesting one".
Indeed a person who deserves to be a head captain.
We all knew he was next in line to become head captain but man shunshui really stepped up to the plate and took charge he was meant for that role.
It’s crazy because he’s such a easy going and even lazy at times but underneath all that is a born leader
I'm in eager anticipation of more Shunsui spotlight; watching a lot of people reacting to the First Kenpachi revelation, a lot of them were saying "why do *they* need her to die?" or *"they* need him to unlock his true power." But it wasn't them, as in multiple people, deciding Unohana to train Zaraki...it was Shunsui. This was but one of a handful of decisions Shunsui made that impacted the story of the TYBW.
I absolutely love Shunsui during this arc, he almost reminds me of Tywin Lannister in a sense; the differences being how each character portrays themselves, as well as how they handle the loss of their loved ones and how they move forward (as well as Shunsui's laziness).
I am absolutely looking forward to seeing more viewers reacting to Shunsui's pragmatic decisions, leading to some of the most impactful moments in the story.
I think Kyoraku was probably the best choice for head captain. I think that his dislike of being appointed and his dislike of responsibility in general proves that he understands responsibility better than most people. He knows what is required of a leader and he understands what the job of head captain is about and takes it seriously, he knows what will be expected of him and what he must do. I think Yamamoto realized this also. I think Kyoraku' s reluctance to be given the job and his dislike of responsibility in general comes from not wanting to let anyone down or drop the ball in any way. Which itself makes him the best person who will be serious about stepping up to the plate for the sake of others.
He was the best man for the job. The only captain that never lost his cool and always thought 5-10 steps ahead.
I think that after a few hundred years of seeing how Shunsui does things, Byakuya will be a great potential replacement.
Kyoraku is a perfect balance of wisdom and fighting capability. He both avoids unnecessary conflict, and uses whatever means necessary to obtain victory.
I remember seeing all the captains in that first meeting and seeing his flashy pink kimono......and despite liking all the captains I'd seen more of.....I knew he'd be my favorite.
And Shunsui exceeded even my lofty expectations. He was the perfect one to lead them. And is still my favorite Captain. 🏴☠️
Yama would be proud. 🔥
he and urahara are two my favorite captains for a reason zaraki , aizen, and mayuri also make up my top 5
Not only was Kyoraku the right head captain, he was the only possible choice in the moment. Those who could potentially serve as alternatives to him are lacking in some area that needs time to fix.
Shunsui was the only reasonable choice and he showed his growth and willingness to take risk. Yamamoto would never have freed Aizen to aid them even if they were losing. I can’t wait to see how Shunsui leads in the hell arc
TBF Shunsui gambled a lot on the idea that Aizen would just cooperate
Especially since none of them were strong enough to recontain him if things got out of hand
Was Shunsui betting on Aizen having a common ground with Soul Society than compared to Yhwach? Because that's still a huge gamble. Shunsui is the type who "takes action now, fix the rest later"
@Accel I'm guessing he figured aizen wouldn't go along with how Ywach was doing things. Cause if he won the soul society and everything that composes the world as a whole would have been gone. So he figured aizen would know that already and cooperate
@@pn2294 Nah Shunsui was the key and if worse came to it none of them per his bankai would ever leave muken. FOR SEIREITEIS SAKE.
In a world of black and white, Shunsui introduced a whole bunch of gray. What a great character. He's really well written.
I love the words that you use. Your story-telling capabilities, in combination with your mastery of words, makes your videos very special. Thank you for making these videos, your hard work is very appreciated.
Man, Shunsui was my favorite character ever since the Soul Society arc, because I just thought his whole design and aesthetic was just so bad ass. And that’s even before I even just got to know his personality like that. I just liked him from a visual perspective or standpoint immediately! But then when I saw how cool and laid back of a character he was especially in juxtaposition to Head Captain Yamamoto who’s always so stoic and serious all the time I just thought that “Man, this dude is low key kinda bad ass!” Whenever I talk to someone who knows anything about Bleach and I tell them that Shunsui is my favorite character they always immediately kinda look at me strange and ask “He is really?” or something to that extent. And then after awhile they always and I mean always end up saying “Yeah, I see what you’re saying he is a pretty cool character.”
@@BijuuBerry man, bro wtf does that have to do with my comment?! I literally said nothing about Kenpachi or and especially not BURRITO 🌯 ! And then you liked your own comment like when no else has. I’d understand if you had a handful of likes and then liked your own comment because I won’t lie I’ve done it before my damn self🤷🏾♂️. But who likes their own comment when no one else likes it, who does that? Lol, but to each his own… I guess.
@@BijuuBerry wtf bro, are reporting my comments or something?! Smh, everyone of my comments keep getting deleted smh lol. But it is what is lol. And trust me you’re definitely not making me mad or sad or anything. Honestly to be serious I’m just indifferent it doesn’t bother me or make make me happy it’s honestly just nothing but replying to a comment on UA-cam. Because that’s all you really are to me honestly. And I might be going a little bit too far saying that it doesn’t bother because if I had to actually put a feeling to it, I actually find it funny lol. Idk about because you seem like the type to let it bother you but don’t be deflecting your feelings on to me because I’m definitely not mad, sad, offended or anything of that nature Lol dude. If anything again I find it funny because to me you’re literally just some random person on UA-cam who’s going on other people’s comments trying to spread your page around by posting links talking about some other nonsensical off the wall malarkey lol.
Can't help but think what the Soul Society would have been like if Shunsui took over as Head-Captain much earlier in the story. Like say after 500 years of relative peace Yamamoto decided to step down and hand over control to Shunsui, do you think Aizen would have as easy of a time to rise to power before rebelling against the Soul Society or would he have even felt the need to do so. Assuming nothing about how Shunsui deals with the other branches of authority changes, especially the Central 46, I think at the very least Aizen is discovered shortly after creating the Visored as I don't believe Shunsui would be so quick to execute his co-captains because of a dictate by the Central 46, nor do I feel Urahara would have been forced to flee Soul Society before Aizen was properly exposed as a traitor.
Would've been cool to see Bloodthirsty Retsu as interim HC for the war. Then pass the baton to Shunsui/Byakuya.
She'd pass it Kenpachi :)
That wont happen because of her criminal record
Your thoughts on the topic of this video were spot-on. I can't wait to see all of this animated.
There are two things that bug me about the way Kyoraku went about this.
1) This didn't feel like a war where they could afford to be without their best healer. And even with the powerup, Kenpachi's role after that is pretty limited. It's not like he went on to destroy most of the opposing force. Just, what, two of them? Which isn't bad, but I also don't think it was worth Unohaha.
2) I may be over-estimating the impact, but MAYBE if we'd actually gotten to see the impact of masked Visoreds on the Stern Retters, we would know if sacrificing Unohana was actually necessary. it's entirely possible that Shinji, masked, could have soloed half the Sterns just because they're that allergic to Hollows. Which is why it's such a disservice that we don't get to see how masked Visoreds can stack up against them. And don't tell me "they decided not to use them anymore" -- it's a war to end existence as they know it. You don't hold back on any sort of principle. You go all out because there may not be a tomorrow. So if Kyoraku really wanted to be controversial, he could have given the Visoreds his full permission and support to use their masks against the Sterns. If anything should have driven home how much Soul Society needed to get out of their own way, it would have been that.
You can argue that without defeating Gremmy(which he needed his shikai/true power for) a whole lot more of shinigami and quincies alike would have died to him. But I do agree sacrificing unohana is at best controversial, and not just froom an emotional stand point
Totally agree with your point on the vizards but that's one of the flaws of the final arc in general, and i m not sure the anime will be really able to fix it
Unfortunately, in an existential war, sacrifices have to be made. Unohana was a great warrior and a great healer... but she could only do one thing at a time. Assuming her assessment of Zaraki was correct, and events tend to indicate it was, the superior potential of Zaraki and the second best healer had more value than the best and second-best healer with a nerfed Zaraki. And there can only be one Kenpachi at a time.
We know so little about Isane... only time will tell what the hand-picked lieutenant, now Captain, is capable of.
Amazing video, you did a fantastic job explaining the complexity of the Character.
So i just realized why i love your channel so much....your attention to detail and the way you explain it to your audience... idk if you have a script writer or you're just that good with words but i am really amazed by it and this video is proof of that...love to see more videos from you🙏
Meh, there was no one else that was suitable for the role.
Zaraki was insane, "Unohana" was insane, Mayuri was insane, Hitsugaya was too young, Byakuya was a tool and so on. Kyoraku's cool attitude was a perfect contrast to Yamo's fiery temper.
Agreed - but I think Ukitake cud have made a good CC as well. But we all know that kubo wanted to kill off the oldies (yamma=too old, uno=too brutal, ukitake=too sick) to make way for a new Gen with Shunsui being the father figure to the younger gen as he’s also all their senpai. He’s the perfect CC for the new gen
So true, Byakuya has gotten better but he was such a tool.
Byakuya and toshiro will need like 500 years to become CC material. Withij the gotei 13 the next candidate is Shinji as the 2nd oldest Captain in the post tybw gotei 13
@@cecillegend9161 Absolutely, I hope if we get a Timeskip showing Ichigo rejoined the Soul Society (or better) to take up the Title of Captain that Shinji is shown as Captain by that time.
I agree 100% with this.
I remember reading the chapters as they were coming out. And I remember thinking pretty much what was said here.
My thought was pretty much, you want to stand by pride, honour, and principal in a war? Well, good for you, you can stand proud next to the bodies.
He is still one of my all-time favorite anime characters and I'm glad that hasn't changed after all these years
W same
Same
You make a great point about Unohana. As much as we would've liked to see her fight the Sternritter it was her decision to make in regards to how she gets to die. She was so old and if everyone has to die eventually and you have the luxury of choosing to die in a certain manner you should be allowed to do so and dying in a beautiful battle with your protege is the perfect death.
He was one of my favorite characters before the promotion.
But I liked him all the more after because he understood, unlike the rest of the captains, that wars ugly and it’s not heroic and it’s not romanticized. He wasn’t scared to do what needed to be done and he wasn’t here to make the hard decisions.
Everybody criticized his choices but that’s a part of leader ship.
Everybody thinks that they could be the head captain until it’s time to be the head captain.
I hope the hell verse gets animated and ukitake gets to show some shit. Seeing his zanpakuto grab szayel apporo was dope AF. Plus showed captains land in hell.
This was absolutely a beautiful and very intuitive interesting topic IMO. Thank you Tommo sama
The fact that Kyoraku can manipulate Aizen inti helping soul society is crazy. Not even Yamamoto or Urahara can do that so its a great testament to Kyoraku
Plot
@@princeterrence6411 We could also argue everything Aizen or Yhwach as the main villains did was "plot" lol
This is a great video. Excellent writing and insight.
Really enjoyed this video. Great perspective
@MrTommo2304 // Hey man, loving the videos. I only got into Bleach around a year or two ago, but I can’t even begin to imagine having to wait eight years for the next season ^^’ it’s now one of my favorites. If you’ve already done this, then my bad, but I did try searching and could find it. You do lots of “battle analysis” and “top ten best” stuff, but what about a “top ten worst battles” or even just most disappointing battles? It could include stuff like Maske, Gerard, Yammy, etc. Another suggestion is perhaps the “top ten battle ideas” where you simply say battles you’d love to see? Even if they don’t seem likely to happen, but an example could be… I dunno, Shunsui vs Jūshirō.
Just some ideas from a Bleach fan, though i’m sure you’ve got tons of ideas on your to-do list already. I feel like my first suggestion could be especially kinda cool though if you did ever get around to doing it. Again, if you’ve already done either of my suggestions, then I apologize lol, I just didn’t see anything like that when searching for them
2:45 and hopefully beef up security, the quinces braking in I can kinda give them a pass on as it was a full military invasion (that still happened way to easily) but way back in the first arc when Ichigo and friends not only got in but then spent days running around unchecked that should have been a kick up the butt even if they were getting what amounted to inside help they shouldn’t have been able to brake into a military base.
You also had the betrayal that should have made them paranoid about security and shake everything up as they had 3 “”highly”” trained enemy combatants that knew almost everything about the protections they had.
That speech about using evil to defeat evil was perfect to me. It sums up his mindset as the head captain. He doesn't care if they had to use Aizen to help them, he did what was necessary in order to ensure the survival of the soul society. That's the end goal in the war. Plus I liked how he actually let the captains and lieutenants say their peace when they saw it was him that set aizen free. You'd have never gotten that from Yamamoto but with Kyoraku he realizes the value in letting people voice their concerns. His version of the Gotei isn't being led by somebody who doesn't tolerate others giving their opinions. It's led by somebody who knows it's those who are under you as the head captain that have the most value because without them you have nothing as an organization. It's just one person running things instead of it being a collective of individuals
Shunsui is that student who doesn't show up at school mostly, hates studying, hates exams, but always manages score to full marks.😂🤣
Awesome analysis. I'm a big fan and watch all of your Bleach Videos. This one is a Masterpiece!!!
Of course he was. He is calm, intelligent, doesn't rush to battle or anger, has an immensely high battle IQ... He is everything they need in a chaotic and tragic time of change.
He's absolutely a badass and absolutely the right one for the Head Captain position.
The only thing I didn’t like about Kyoraku’s promotion was that Kubo had just given him that embarrassing loss to the Gun Quincy (Robert?) where his eye is shot out. I think it was set up to make him look older and more grizzled / serious, to accept him as the head captain. However to me anyway, after seeing Kyoraku fail to defeat even one Sternritter when Kenpachi for example easily took down three of them and Yamamoto the predecessor turned one to ashes with one slash, Kyoraku didn’t feel suitable.
Well who else was to be considered?? Ukitake was sick, Retsu was a murderer feared by all and especially the Nobles, Byakuya if anything was utterly humiliated and half dead, Shinji has hollow inside.
Regardless, Shunsui also knows his flaws. Its the reason why he never healed his right eye, as a reminder that his nonchalant behavior is the cause of his defeat, going easy on the enemy, playing too much. That's why we don't see him smiling now as much as we did.
@@Sora.Casterwill I know there wasn’t a lot of good choices. Urahara comes to mind, although he would never do it. If Kubo wrote Byakuya leading up to it, I think he could have been a cool choice. From the staunch legalist, to becoming more open-hearted and compassionate, bringing a change when previously he would have just been more Yamamoto.
But like a lot of things in the final arc, I would have liked more build up. Growth in Kyoraku’s character leading in to things. But it was goof ball like always, humiliating defeat, followed by a grand promotion, and a 180 turn in character.
@@choawesome nah... Byakuya could not have done what Kyōraku did. He'd never ask Aizen's help or arrancars. He'd also never allow Zaraki to be trained by Unohana.
You must look at the bigger picture, Shunsui shut down Central 46 opinions and kept them out of his way, which not even Yamaji could do. He's extremely perceptive and has a way of words. Whereas Byakuya hardly even speaks, even took an oath that he wouldn't break the rules. Having Byakuya as the commander could only mean having a less powerful but more prideful version of Yamamoto. They needed a different approach, a leader just as ruthless and cunning as the Quincies who played dirty during 1st invasion. Kyōraku is the best choice.
Also, Kyōraku didn't change 180, He's an excellent actor, remember his theatrics while fighting Chad. Even his Bankai is a literal Theatrical suicide. Which means he just stopped pretending to be a goofball and unveiled his true colors, he always had dead eyes, his Bankai reveals the real embodiment of his dark personality.
He was quite literally the only actually good choice.
wrong, byakuya was also an amazing choice and is most likely gonna be up after shunsui
@@czjns byakuya was half dead at the time
@czn
Byakuya is also far too young and wouldn’t command the same respect that Shunsui does. Dudes like not even 300 yet.
Shunsui is 1000+ years old and has had far more experience, is smarter and pragmatic. And has spent all his time watching Yamamoto do the top job and knows what’s required of it.
Do you think Byakuya would have sacrificed Unohana? Or turned to Aizen? No.
@@czjnsbyakuya would have died on the hill of honour. He would have never released aizen
I think his fight with both Chad & Starrk gave us hints to his decision making capabilities. He's outwardly easy going but definitely will cut you down using any means at his disposal as opposed to Yamamoto who stubbornly held on to tradition most of the time. He can be cold and calculating but still keeps his comrades out of harms way when he can.
Cant win war based on feelings is what a story like this tells. so poetic and is with us every day. Pride would be the end of us if we concentrated on that.
Aizen is a villain that does good things
Kyouraku is a hero that does bad things
And I love it
Yammamoto had a couple of predictable approaches. He would violently keep the status quo because he lived the extremes of war. In the present, he was willing to make sacrificial plays, but was nowhere as ruthless as the war criminal he was, ultimately leaving him a fish out of water. When those gambits failed, he would normally charge in to nuke the big flaws in his plans, trusting in his tremendous power, which was far too easy to anticipate. He was, in one word, anachronistic. Shunsui was not as powerful, but was far more flexible, approachable, progressive and was more comfortable operating in the shades of greys that the job requires. Even with the weakest Gotei so far, they are far more adaptable and have much more potential for growth now. Its too bad it costed him his peace of mind, doing a job he never wanted, but indeed knew was needed.
Great video, but my only point of contention is the admonition of Yamamoto's kindness.
I'd argue that kindness spared Sunsui and Ukitake when they rebelled in the second arc, allowed him to set aside his pride and call on Ichigo and co when facing Aizen, and welcomed Uruhara and the Visoreds back into the fold, all of whom were integral in the final war.
The younger, harder Yamamoto could never have done those things, and so would have lost valuable tools.
If Yama could've put the Central46 in their place like Shunsui did, Unohana would probably still be alive! There were no risk to Zaraki learning kendo/zanjutsu when Yama was alive and could've kept him in check if he went rogue.
Yama was too stubborn and scared.
After reading CFYOW, I wanted this to happen
Shinji is on the frontlines and the other captains are at the rear while they just lure the sternritters near Shinji, Shinji activates his Bankai, Only Gerard, Barro and Maybe Juugram remain alive, Shinji deactivates his Bankai knowing they won't die easily, Gets his shikai to mess with the 3 sterns, Shunsui and The other captains come at the frontlines now (Ukitake is dead), Shunsui attacks Barro, along with Rose, Lisa and Kensei, Rose gets his Bankai on, Barro is Damaged, Kensei and Lisa attack, Barro doesn't die, Shunsui comes activates his Bankai, And after that is what we know, Zaraki, Byakuya and Toshiro attack Gerard, after a while Nanao seals him too, Juugram gets attacked by Aizen and Ichigo and there only Yhwach is remaining, They all attack at the same time and win
Shunsui was the perfect person for the job. He's a good man who realizes that you have to sometimes do "bad" things to win the day.
Not bad but dirty
Kyoraku is the epitome of the saying "It is better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener in a war."
Interesting topic for a video. Hopefully, we get more like this.
Kyoraku was innovative and not afraid taking risk, which Yamamoto and Mayuri can't.
What? Mayuri definitely takes risks lmao Yamamoto is the only one who is too prideful.
It was always between Kyoraku, Unohana or Ukitake to take command if Yamamoto died & Kyoraku was 💯the right choice. Unohana would've wanted a head to head battle, Ukitake would've been more adaptable Head-Captain then Yamamoto was at his heart to kind to make decisions like having Kenpahci kill Unohana to awaken his potential (and hoping the rest of squad 4 would be enough despite the loss of Unohana).
Kyoraku was the best of both worlds:
* he's adaptable & not stuck in his ways.
* willing to make the most difficult decisions if it meant protecting the Seireitei (I doubt he ever fully recovered the trust from the other Gotei 13 members for freeing Aizen) .
* willing to hide the -deus ex machina- sacred treasure to kept Nanao safe.
* willing to keep Ichigo within the Seireitei for the safty of the Living World despite knowing its wrong morally, but for the benefit of the world its the right decision.
To borrow a quote from another franchise which fits Shunsui role in the TYBW arc “Dark times lie ahead of us and there will be a time when we must choose between what is easy and what is right" -Albus Dumbledore. It would've been easier to leave Aizen to rot, it would've been easier to leave another captain to stay behind to fight Lilli Barro, it would've been easier to just "train" Kenpachi without killing Unohana; But none of them would've been the right thing to do.
If not Shunsui, Ukitake in good health would have been great second choice, as he has the experience and knowledge equivalent to Kyoraku. And we have also seen Ukitake help save Rukia and do all the good deeds as to helping Ichigo and company multiple times. And he is also strong as we have seen him and Kyoraku go against Yamamoto himself. He is also calm in demeanor.
5:36 I think that their predecessors been murdered will also make them more willing to accept changes we sometimes forget just how meny of the leaders of the noble houses Aizen killed, completely wiping out central 46 all their attendants and Guards and likely any other staff the place had.
The thumbnail is fire 🔥 🔥
@13:40 Kyoraku’s words r the complete opposite of what His grin Jushiro told Rukia in the beginning of the series about fighting to protect one’s pride. He is the opposite of Ukitake and the best of friends/brothers of old man Yama indeed
Unohana or Shunsui were the 2 obvious choice. As much as I would've liked to see unohana in this role, kyoraku was ultimately I think the best choice.
Unohana is more of a fighter than a leader despite her many years of experience
@@gammafrost I don't think that's true. She commands respect in a room, she's obviously proved herself on the battlefield , she's understanding but authoritarian, she's also wise. I think she has all the traits to be a great captain commander. However I think her managing style would have ressembled Yamamoto's and as Mr tommo explained and I couldn't agree more : the pro-active nature of Shunsui and his willingness to go against established rules and traditions was the better fit to guide SS in through this war.
I by far think captain Unohana should have not only lived, but being the first Kimpachi, I think she was destined to lead. I am, really, how many times did she bring Zaraki back to life during their fight? It was countless she said herself. Ya, she was a beast and if she was second in strength only to Yamamoto…
Thoroughly enjoyed this analysis and I do agree that he was the best person to take over the helm of soul society’s guardians.
it's a really good touch that Kubo made by placing Kyoraku as the head captain. Because when Yamamoto stood as the head captain, it was all old Japanese buildings. But when Kyoraku stood in the same spot, it was a new and more modern Japanese style. That goes to show the change that Kyoraku did/will do
Hey There Tommo,
Great video, been following for awhile and you are definitely my favorite bleach analysis channel. In the wake of the recent events regarding content creators in the space, it made me wonder if you have ever been approached by Seth or other creators in the bleach space to collab on a video? It never crossed my mind until now.
Would love to see a mini arc into Yamamotos younger years as a ruthless tyrant
he’s powerful, cunning, calm and collected, and he’s actually a caring and thoughtful person whilst also being willing to do what needs to be done for the sake of those in his charge
he honestly might be a better head captain than yama, at least the yama we see in bleach, hes definitely not as prideful and stubborn
Principles and honor are important even in war. But the more brutal and genocidal the war gets the fewer principles you can still hold on to and cling to life. He knew needed to be given up to live through that time.
I have heard a saying: "Evil men end wars. Good men secure times of peace."
Shunsui fits this really well, imo. He is willing to make morally questionable decisions if he thinks that is what is needed, but he is a good man at his core. His reforms and willingness to work with former enemies after the Blood War shows that he is the right man for the position of Head-Captain, during both war and peace-times.
He wasn't the one they wanted, he was the one they needed.
The only others that might be even remotely worthy candidates are Mayuri and Kisuke. And Given Mayuri's mindset etc. It would be foolish to give someone like him that much power that would be unchecked.
Kisuke could work but due to him being away for so long and given his relationship with Mayuri and some of the others. I doubt he could actually keep everyone under his fold in a fully unified team and his mentality is not that of a leader. He is more the leaders wisdom.
Byakuya could be a lesser candidate but he has much of the same issues of both above given his die hard stance on positions with an inability to adapt quickly, which generally leads to him taking more damage than he should have or outright losing the battle.
Kyoraku is the example of water. He goes with the flow and has no problem changing his mind in an attempt to gain a better outcome rather than trying to forge something that won't fit. But is capable of being stern and definitive when the time calls for it. And he is respected universally.
Mayuri cannot be CC i doubt he would even accept it
@@cecillegend9161 Given his action, his ridiculed yama, and his ego as well as the leeway it would give him in whatever he wanted to do. He would definitely take the mantle. But again a lot of those same things are precisely why it would be a terrible idea. Not to mention you need a force of power in that position and mayuri while powerful via intelligence, isn't all that powerful in general.
7:06 this decision and its inherent divisiveness is testament to the brilliant writing of Kubo. While he's not perfect by any means, he absolutely knows how to read his readers and human emotion.
He’s my favorite. Wanted to show his emotional connection with Ukitake. They had a good relationship from the beginning.