Ichigo’s Journey: Anime and the Monomyth – Part 2

Here’s the second part of my discussion on the symbolism of anime and how it appeals to the subconscious  and plugs in well to the monomyth (the Hero’s Journey). You can read Part 1 here.

Symbols have been a part of humanity since we as a species learned to communicate. Think about it. If I say the word “horse” to you, in your mind, do you see the word “H-O-R-S-E”, or do you see an actual horse? It is the image of the horse that your mind associates with the word “horse”. How else can the mind comprehend the most complex of concepts and ideas, such as the meaning of life, the universe, and spirituality, than through symbols?

In this segment, I’ll introduce the first segment of the Hero’s Journey, called “The Departure.”

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Ichigo and the 17 Stages of the Monomyth

The 17 Stages of the Monomyth as described by Joseph Campbell outline the basic pattern of how myths, legends and epics have been structured throughout history. The 17 stages are divided into 3 major phases of the Hero’s Journey: the Departure, Initiation, and the Return. While many stories follow this pattern, it is not a rigid or inflexible outline. There are a number of stories that follow variations of the monomyth. But they all appeal to the same symbolism. “Bleach” is also one of the stories that skews slightly off the beaten path, but likewise it ultimately reaches the same destination.

The Departure

Kuchiki Rukia, Shinigami

Call to Adventure

This stage of the Monomyth is when the hero is summoned out of his or her mundane daily existence. While it seems that Ichigo is called to adventure with every new arc of the series, the very first call to adventure is the most essential. His meeting with the shinigami Rukia Kuchiki changes everything for him. Especially when she becomes injured by a large Hollow who is attacking his family, and the only way to save his family and himself is to take her death god powers by piercing his heart with her zanpakutou (Soul Reaper).

Much to her surprise, she sees very quickly that Ichigo has a very potent reiatsu (spiritual energy), and as a result, he becomes an incredibly powerful shinigami.

Ichigo's Call to Adventure

Refusal of the Call

Often in myths, heroes will refuse the Call to Adventure in lieu of living a comfortable existence. According to Campbell, the very real threat of this refusal is that “Walled in boredom, hard work, or ‘culture,’ the subject loses the power of significant affirmative action and becomes a victim to be saved. His flowering world becomes a wasteland of dry stones and his life feels meaningless…”. Essentially, if the hero refuses the call they becomes like the rest of humanity, living day-to-day and always wondering “what if?”

This is not really a problem for Ichigo. His Call to Adventure required an immediate, life-or-death decision. And then with every other successive call to action throughout the series, there was no hesitation, even the nearly-impossible task of breaking into Soul Society to rescue Rukia, who was sentenced to be executed for sharing her shinigami powers with Ichigo.

Urahara Pushes Ichigo to Unleash Zangetsu

Supernatural Aid

For the hero, aid comes in the form of magical helpers or, more often, a supernatural mentor. In The Lord of the Rings, Frodo’s supernatural aid comes from Gandolph. In Bleach, while many come to assist Ichigo in his quest, the role of supernatural mentor falls squarely on the shoulders of Kisuke Urahara, a former captain-level shinigami living in the real world and running the magical specialty store Urahara Shop. He pushes Ichigo to find his own dormant shinigami powers and to discover his own zanpakutou, rather than rely on the powers given to him by Rukia. This is a vital step for Ichigo if he is to rescue Rukia from certain obliteration.

Once in Soul Society, the role of supernatural mentor becomes Yoruichi Shihoin, also a former captain-level shinigami. However, there is a more suitable role for her in the Hero’s Journey, which I will discuss later, and her nickname “Goddess of the Flash” plays very nicely into that role.

Kuchiki Rukia Offers Ichigo Her Shinigami Powers

Crossing of the First Threshold

The first threshold represents the hero’s acceptance of his responsibilities and his subsequent crossing over onto the field of adventure. From here on, he ventures forth into the unknown, where danger lurks around every corner and the rules aren’t always known. While technically, Ichigo’s acceptance of the call to adventure by piercing his own heart with Rukia’s zanpakutou is the first threshold, his first experience inside his own soul, where he meets Zangetsu, and his crossing through the Senkai Gate into Soul Society could both be considered First Thresholds.

Often the thresholds are attended by “threshold guardians.” While these guardians aren’t often dangerous in and of themselves, they can dissuade the hero from crossing over into the unknown. They don’t prevent the entering into the unknown as much as they prevent the leaving of the known. They are the naysayers who cast doubt onto the hero’s plans. Again, this isn’t a problem in “Bleach.” Pretty much anyone Ichigo comes in contact with wants to help him, even his enemy, Uryu Ishida.

Ichigo Kurosaki in the Pit

Belly of the Whale

This is the final stage in which the hero has the potential to turn back and live a normal life. There is no turning back after this stage because the hero has to undergo a metamorphosis if they are going to proceed. Campbell refers to this stage as “a form of self-annihilation. Instead of passing outward, beyond the confines of the visible world, the hero goes inward, to be born again.”

Such is the case with Ichigo. In order to develop his own latent shinigami powers, he must have his soul tether (the chain that connects his soul with his physical body) severed, and he is thrown, quite symbolically, into a deep pit with his arms bound behind him. There are only two possibilities in the pit: 1. his soul will lose all of its humanity and he’ll become a Hollow, or 2. he’ll discover his own latent powers and return to the surface a full-fledged shinigami.

Ultimately, Ichigo returns to the surface after nearly becoming a Hollow. His shinigami powers are realized, and he is primed to discover the name of his zanpakutou (a second Belly of the Whale phase, if you will). Only, he has created a third possibility in the process. Not only is he a shinigami, but he has awakened a very powerful aspect of his spirit – Hollow Ichigo, or what Carl Jung would call his “Shadow” self.

“Everyone carries a shadow,” Jung writes, “and the less it is embodied in the individual’s conscious life, the blacker and denser it is.” (Jung, Carl. Answer to Job.) And certainly, if Ichigo is the most caring and thoughtful person in his conscious life, his shadow is the most ravenous and aggressive personality you’ll ever meet. This proves true time and again throughout the series.

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To be continued…

What Calls to Adventure have you refused or taken? Who have you been able to lean on for sage advice on your own journey? What transformations have you had to make in order to accomplish your goals? It’s interesting how an anime can bring up these questions, all through the art of storytelling.

In the next blog post, I’ll discuss the Initiation section of the Hero’s Journey as it relates to the Soul Society arc of “Bleach.”