Bleach: Shattered Blade -- Rukia Kuchiki vs. Orihime Inoue

Another week, another set of battles for those who ask, in this case isakuralover made the request for a battle between Rukia and Orihime.

Since I actually happen to have easy access to someone interested in playing this game with me, and who also seems to be a remarkably quick study considering how infrequently we play, I'm in a perfect position to oblige such requests.

I knew this would happen, I just...didn't think it would happen so quickly, but I fear that the advantages of greater lengths of time spent playing the game have finally fizzled out and barring maybe one or two matches of "warming up" per session, I'm down to an otherwise even playing field, all other things being equal. So...you can imagine what happens when all other things are not actually equal, and you can pretty much see for yourself what happens.

Rukia is an interesting character...although her special moves do strike me as a tad underwhelming to say the least. Her greatest saving grace in terms of usability happens to be her special move that will allow her to actually leave the ground and jump over the enemy while simultaneously delivering a moderately-powerful projectile attack. In a game with almost zero aerial activity because there's no manual jump command, that's a really big deal.

I'm not entirely sure whether or not her ice attacks actually impart a tactical disadvantage upon her victims...maybe some minor slowing and flinching, but definitely not a complete freeze.

The only other icy attack she can use is her "ultimate" attack for the purposes of this game, a somewhat fast-acting "trap" that simply requires that her opponent remains standing within the area of effect for a few seconds. I can't rightly recall if it can be blocked, but I'd gather not...not that it actually matters, because my opponent seems dead set upon using Orihime's Santen Kesshun shield or the attack-cancelling and overriding properties of critical attacks rather than actual blocking.

This is just fine for me, anyway, because neither of these will actually stop the attack from connecting...and the trouble with simply trying to sidestep it quickly is that it takes a rather light touch, or else the flighty characters of Bleach will simply end up hitting the attack zone again when they've looped around once completely.

The real problem in this scenario is that Rukia has no particularly efficient or effective means of breaking through the Santen Kesshun. She can only effectively use her signature move one time per "bankai" meter being filled, and as you can see, those shields actually managed to make me *deplete* my spiritual pressure gauge trying to remove them, while Orihime simply laughs and heals herself.

I wonder why Sode no Shirayuki's First Dance is used as Rukia's ultimate attack and her more advanced projectile Dance is relegated to an unnamed special attack...my memory may be a bit fuzzy, but Hakuren (the literal meaning of that one eludes me at the moment) was exhibited prior to the Hueco Mundo arc, right? Perhaps not...

So...uh...what's up with the startlingly high frequency of Orihime Inoue being requested? Only once has she been left out of a request, and that was because Momo and Aizen needed some alone-time instead.

As near as I can figure, there are probably two major camps: people who like Orihime and want to see her fight for a change and people who dislike her and want to see her get beat up...since Tite Kubo seems to be dead set against letting her have any meaningful moments beyond "secretly" pining for Ichigo, asking Ichigo not to fight for her, and then crying when Ichigo's inexperience and need to fight unwinnable battles gets him mortally wounded...with varyingly effective and horrifying results. So whatever the reason, Orihime needs to see more action, the people have spoken!

Interestingly, both Rukia and Orihime will do their best Don Kan'onji impersonation...although they didn't actually bother to program in the hand motions. I guess they really are big fans of the show.

Category:

Gaming

Tags:

• Bleach
• Shattered
• Blade
• Wii
• Sega
• Rukia
• Kuchiki
• Orihime
• Inoue

[halfhumanhalfzombie]

I love the rock paper scissors-esque best of 5 mini duel in this game.

[YuuGiJoou]

@halfhumanhalfzombie It is a fun little diversion, and it happens to make for one of the more interesting ideas for what to do in case of a clash of attacks that don't simply cancel each other out.

I just kinda wish that it wasn't quite so... loud sometimes. The clashing sounds and animations for that extreme length of time does have the chance to disturb others who might not quite be so involved in the match as you are. ^_^;

[trevoranddavid]

idk if it would work in this but head captain yamma vs lord aizen since it was a pretty lame fight in the show when they finally did fight i wont say the episode unless sent a pm

[YuuGiJoou]

@trevoranddavid Is that a request or just voicing your annoyance at how their "fight" went?

I'm rather unsatisfied by the fact that nobody actually got to fight Aizen until the "required shonen showdown" came around...he was allowed to basically use the power of "plot-hax" to break any and all remaining suspension of disbelief surrounding Aizen, the Soul Society, and Ichigo in general.

I love a lot about Bleach, but all too much of its potential otherwise feels wasted by its creator. Very sad.

[FTWChappy]

They gave inoue extra powers that she cant really do.

She can heal and kill hollows but thats about it, she cant punch hard and stuff.-_-

[YuuGiJoou]

@FTWChappy Despite her complete lack of formal training (as you can see clearly here with this...unorthodox "style" of combat she employs), Tatsuki claimed that she could fight on the level of a black belt.

Whether or not she was just saying that as friendly encouragement after just a couple of pointers on self-defense, I can't say...but Orihime was able to incapacitate some (unseated) soul reapers without any trouble while wandering around the Seireitei with Uryu trying to rescue Rukia.

[colangley1]

sorry if it sounds like im bashing orhime i dont hate her its just the only reason is because of the paring wars who cares if ones better than the other your opinion should be all that matters i like both ichiruki and ichihime the both have possiablites but ichiruki is better in my opinion

[colangley1]

her rukia is a trained fighter shes better prepared for more fights or battles not to metion orhime is slow she has no speed and also if orhime is stronger then how come when the battle of the aspadas were comming she had to have rukia train her orhime only has defense thats it other than that rukia pretty much has her pwned all she needs is bakudo 61 then hado 4 or pretty much use white moon sine it attacks from below and orhime is slow she would instanally die

[colangley1]

i wish this stupid flame war between these two would stop i like both characters but rukia is my favroite character and i hate how everytime the fans go all out because of stupid paring wars they honestly wouldnt have this if the main characters would have more than one loveintrest people say orhime is better honestly if yall say that oh rukia couldnt win without her sword thats not enough of a reason if orhime knows fighting skills as a black belt why does she need rukia and others to defend

[Sexyichimarugin]

-__-

Seriously, Rukia isn't better than Orihime.

[TheDarkOnes4]

u know i would like to see Rukia fight Hollow Ichigo.

[QueenSnookie2]

Orihime can actually fight though. She's a black belt which is more than Rukia because Rukia doesn't do hand to hand combat.

Rukia vs Tatsuki in a fist fight? Bye Rukia... but Orihime dodged a sneak attack done by Tatsuki.

But Rukia has her zanpakutou, and shunpo, and kido. But Orihime has Soten Kishun and she can always heal herself... it'd be pretty weird.

I think Rukia would win because Orihime's a pacifist and would hesitate to kill Rukia, and that would be her downfall. Still love Hime <3