1. Spiritual Pressure System (Reiatsu) Settings
The most frequently discussed topic is the setting of spiritual pressure.
I'm aware that the official material introduces a concept called "Reiryoku Grades", but unfortunately, the information available is extremely limited.
With just the sparse data from the source material, it's difficult for me to construct a complete and coherent power system — this is admittedly a limitation of my own writing ability.
Moreover, there are contradictions within the Reiryoku Grade system itself. For example, Kaien Shiba is classified as a 6th-grade Reiryoku user, yet he was the vice-captain of Ukitake's squad and basically the heir apparent for the next captain.
This directly contradicts the idea that vice-captains should be 4th or 5th grade, and captains require 3rd grade or higher.
Some readers may argue that Reiryoku can be increased through training — but that leads to another issue:
How do they train?What are the specific methods?The original manga never clearly defines how spiritual pressure is improved, and the gaps in power between captains are often massive.
Take Aizen or Old Man Yamamoto — their spiritual pressure seems to exist on a completely different plane from other captains.So under the Reiryoku system, how should we classify them?
Also, the 20-grade structure of Reiryoku is just too bloated. It causes pacing problems: leveling up too quickly disrupts the rhythm, and leveling up too slowly makes the story feel tedious.
On top of that, many characters in Bleach have ambiguous combat strength, and if I assign them arbitrary Reiryoku grades, it's bound to spark debates.Plus, I (the author) also have personal preferences, which may unconsciously skew rankings too high or too low, inevitably leading to unnecessary controversy.
So, after careful consideration, I decided to create a new custom system.
This new framework is necessary for the outline and future development of the story, and cannot be changed.If some readers find it hard to accept, I can only sincerely apologize. (＞人＜;)
2. The Name "Shiba Isshin"
This was a mistake on my part due to lack of diligence. At first, I thought it was just a name and didn't matter much as long as readers knew who I was referring to.
But I now realize it wasn't well thought out.
So from now on, I'll consistently use "Shiba Isshin" across the story.Thank you for your understanding, and feel free to help spot and correct such mistakes~ Thanks♪(･ω･)ﾉ~
3. Relationship Between the Noble Clans and the Gotei 13
You can actually refer to the Four Great Noble Houses Arc for this. It outlines the basic operational structure of Soul Society.
In simple terms, Soul Society is fundamentally a system with the nobles at the top.
So, even though Yamamoto is incredibly powerful, he's still subject to restrictions from the noble families.Their influence is essentially a counterbalance to his authority.
Some might say, "Why doesn't Yamamoto just flip the table?"
But realistically, that's not an option. If he does, everything he's built and protected would collapse.
Even the monk from the Royal Guard (Zero Division) wouldn't allow Yamamoto to act recklessly, and Yamamoto's own personality wouldn't permit it either.
It's precisely because both sides have concerns that the tension and balance between them are meaningful.
For other questions, I'll respond based on reader feedback.I hope everyone continues offering suggestions and maintains a spirit of friendly discussion — let's not argue!
We're all Bleach fans here — it's okay to have favorites, just remember to respect each other's preferences.