Bleach is one of the 2000s Shonen Jump's Big Three, and rightly so. Its captivating characters, unique premise, riveting abilities, and expansive lore contribute greatly to its popularity. Set in several dimensions, including Earth, Hueco Mundo, Hell, and the Soul Society, fans get thoroughly treated to diverse environments.
A large portion occurs in the Soul Society, the afterlife of the series, where souls purified by shinigami go to dwell. Shinigami are also headquartered in the Soul Society, as well as the militaristic factions and the Noble Houses. All seems well at first, but Bleach's afterlife raises some pertinent issues that have not been addressed.
8 There Are Branches Of The Soul Society?
The Soul Society is literally the afterlife divided into two, the Seireitei and the Rukongai. The Seireitei is the dwelling place of the 13 Court Guardian Squads, while Rukongai is the larger part of the Soul Society, where normal souls dwell. It is divided into 320 districts.
The series reveals that Soul Society has a Western Branch situated in Reverse London in Tite Kubo's new manga, Burn the Witch. Are there Northern and Southern Branches? Why have fans not seen the different branches interact?
7 How Does The Economy Work?
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During Ichimaru's flashback, a point is made that only spiritually aware people could feel hunger. Given that the vast majority of souls in Rukongai are not spiritually aware, the appalling conditions of squalor and poverty that the lower districts live in make no sense. Why is there still suffering, poverty, and disease in the afterlife?
And why do the shinigami make no effort to restore order and parity in the lower districts? It is mentioned that the Gotei are assigned to protect several districts in Rukongai. However, shinigami do the exact opposite, often carrying out indiscriminate genocide to balance the souls in the case of a massive unpredictable imbalance.
6 Do The Roles Of Division Two & The Onmitsukido Clash?
The 2nd Division Captain doubles up as the Captain of the Secret Corps. The captain was formerly Yoruichi Shihouin, and the mantle now lies on Soi Fong. The five unit commanders of the Onmitsukido are also seated officers in the 2nd Division.
Given that they are charged with stealth operations, assassinations, and intelligence gathering, how many more enemies aside from hollows, Quincies, and rogue shinigami does the Soul Society face? And given that the head of the Onmitsukido traditionally hails from the Shihouin clan, has the task of managing the special gear ceased once Soi Fong took over?
5 What Are The Dynamics Of Aging?
Shinigami either live for very long or age very slowly. The Captain Commander is well over 2,000 years old, given that he fought Yhwach a thousand years prior to becoming the Captain Commander, a post which he has held for over 1,000 years.
Shigekuni's appearance as an old man contrasted with that of Unohana is quizzical, as they would be about the same age. Rukia and Renji have grown throughout their time in the Seireitei and are well over 150 years, yet Toshiro Hitsugaya has barely grown. Do they age to a certain point if they die too young, then stop aging afterward?
4 Are Memories Of Past Lives Retained Or Not?
Some Shinigami were humans in their past lives. In the first Bleach movie, Urahara states that it is rare for shinigami to remember their past lives as humans. When Chad rescues the boy whose soul is trapped in a parakeet's body, he can remember Chad. One argument is that when soul purification is performed, grief, loneliness, and fear are cleansed as well.
The resulting long life as a soul would lead to eventual memory loss, except for the negative emotions which serve as an anchor for events. However, one of the boys in the districts remembered how and where he died. The issue of memory would be interesting to tackle, as it might explain some subtle personality kinks shinigami display and iron out the inconsistencies.
3 Why Are The Central 46 Shrouded In Mystery?
The Central 46 is the judicial body mandated by the Soul King to preside over matters in the Soul Society. It comprises forty wise men and six judges. Situated underground, the Central 46 compound is off-limits to most shinigami. After the execution of the Central 46 by Sosuke Aizen, Shigekuni temporarily took over their duties.
What criterion is used to make appointments to the Central 46? Why are their rulings unfair and biased, in the sense that the accused are not given a chance to defend themselves? And why is their access so exclusive to the point that their death could raise no suspicion?
2 What Do The Noble Houses Know?
The Noble Houses consist of four Noble Families — formerly five — including the Shiba Clan. Their function, roles, and abilities are not fully fleshed out. The two known families are the Kuchiki and Shihouin noble families, who are tasked with compiling Soul Society's history and maintain the sacred heavenly tools, respectively.
Their authority seems to supersede that of the thirteen Court Guard squads and that of the Central 46 when they are all in unison. Unknown circumstances led to the demotion of the Shiba clan, as well as the presence of smaller noble houses within the larger noble houses. Their unclear role in the cultural, social, and governmental aspects of the Soul Society is interesting.
1 Why Haven't The Kido Corps Been More Visible?
The shinigami have three military factions: the Thirteen Court Guardian Squads, The Secret Corps, and the Kido Corps. During Aizen's hollowfication experiments, the Vice Captain of the Kido Corps, Hachigen Ushoda, was forcefully hollowfied while the Captain, Tessai Tsukabishi, was exiled to Earth.
Given the presence of masked guards with special embellishments during Rukia's execution, who is now in charge of the Soul Society's rituals? Why would the Kido Corps, a powerful facet of the Soul Society, not be reinstated or seen? The Kido Corps would introduce a novel aspect to the fighting style of the series and expand on Tessai's efforts as a Captain.