Been a long time coming, but today I’d like to clear up what’s easily one of the biggest misconceptions that plague Bleach discourse. Orihime’s inner struggle during Ichigo’s battle against Grimmjow is one of the most egregious and frequent misinrepretations I’ve come across.

Orihime gets lambasted for her fear in this scene and I think that criticism largely stems from general audiences forgetting the earliest chapters of the series. But if you go back and read them, I promise you this isn’t a damsel in distress trope just for the sake of it.

It’s character writing. It’s her arc. It’s PTSD. Orihime never knew her parents. All she had was her brother Sora. Not only did Sora die young, but Orihime also had to deal with his conflicted soul. She had to see the brother she adored as a monster. And his spirit rebuked her

for the way in which she had managed to cope with his passing. Orihime was made to feel as if she’d dishonored Sora and proven ungrateful for everything he’d done for her. Which brings me to my next point. Sora’s hollow form is likely not her lone source of underlying trauma.

Orihime is an abuse victim and while she may have been too young at the time to carry vivid memory of the abuse, I’m sure I don’t have to explain that that doesn’t mean it didn’t impact her in myriad ways. In fact, it seems to have subconsciously inspired her core values.

Orihime Inoue cannot bear to see others hurt. Even her enemies. Even those who seem to take pleasure in hurting her! That is the depth of her deeply rooted pacifism. It’s also one of the many reasons the perceptive Kisuke Urahara tried to steer her away from combat training.

And so given what we know of Orihime, it’s easy to see that she’s dealing with powerful fear on two fronts during Ichigo’s battle with Grimmjow. On one hand, the man she loves is wielding a power reminiscent of that which possessed her own dead brother. Hence the PTSD.

On top of that, Orihime’s having to simultaneously watch that person she loves get seriously hurt. Not to mention this is just after she’s had to save Ichigo from the brink of death, which was surely enough of a nightmare for the poor girl as it was.

Bearing that in mind, it is in no way unreasonable for Inoue to be afraid here. It would be poor character writing and a squandered opportunity to do anything else with her in this moment. However, now it’s time for me to address the Nel issue constantly referenced in

misinterpretations of this scene. I’ve seen many ridicule Orihime and think less of her for needing to be lectured by a child here. (Not even going to bother pointing out at length that being lectured by children is a Shōnen staple at this point.) But it’s precisely because of

Nel’s childish state that she’s the perfect one to help Orihime here. The only trauma Nel is familiar with is LITERAL head trauma. She hardly knows Ichigo, so it’s easier to cheer for him like a fangirl because of their shallow fledeling relationship. Nel herself realizes this.

She knows her relationship with Ichigo isn’t strong enough to give him the needed amp and perseverance to see this battle through and win. That’s why Nel begs Orihime to cheer for him too. Because THEIR relationship is that strong. If Orihime’s hurting this much just watching him

and Ichigo’s going through all this hell to bring her home, then clearly their bond can go the distance. They’re connected. And Ichigo realizing that him getting hurt is torutruing Orihime is inevitably what brings this fight home.

I’ve heard Ichigo’s victory here called an asspull countless times. Narratively speaking, that just isn’t the case. At least, not any more so here than in any other Shōnen where love or the power of friendship turn the tide in the final stretch of a struggle.

Think about it for a minute. In their first two encounters, Ichigo fought Grimmjow alone and suffered defeat. In the third, he has dear friends to protect and has his best showing yet in this fight with the 6th Espada. It isn’t until he moves to keep Orihime from getting hurt

that he even begins to struggle in this fight. Not only from the wounds he sustains, but his spirit clearly wavers after seeing how his hollowfied state is effecting Orihime. This understandably disheartens him. And so it isn’t until Orihime begins to conquer her fear and speak

that Ichigo is able to regain the upper hand and maintain a lead throughout the duration of the battle. Orihime and Ichigo truly fortify each other in these chapters. Don’t get it twisted. Plenty of arguable asspulls in the series, but this wasn’t one of them.

Sidenote:
Fullbring arc really does have some great Orihime scenes. Her growth is undeniable. She accepts the inevitability of a protector like Ichigo sustaining wounds and adapts to the lifestyle of the man she loves. Seeing Ichigo hurt won’t paralyze her anymore.

Because now Orihime is confident she can heal ANY wound he suffers. And she isn’t about to shy away from forcing those who try to stop her from backing the fuck off.

To be honest, my fondness for Orihime is a rather recent development. I’ve always liked her well enough for what she was, but after revisiting much of the series over the last year, I’ve gotta say she’s becoming one of my favorites.