PSA: How Not to Do Orihime

[crystaldawn]

I've been bouncing this off a few people for a while, and it's time for another one of those posts - you know, the really fun informative essay kind. Today's topic: Common Weird Things People Do to Orihime in RP and Fics and Why You Shouldn't Do Them.

Comments

[sarajayechan]

*cough* Prooobably a little guilty of the first one! (Luigi's reaction is justifiable since I doubt they have it in the Mushroom Kingdom, but Orihime's claim that it makes everything better...yeah.)

I never noticed the "lol Orihime is soooo random" trend before, but it sounds super annoying. :/ I can't remember if I made that mistake, I just knew she had one hell of a vivid imagination!

But manic-depressive Orihime is just UGH. Especially super-depressive Orihime (thx Debbie).

[crystaldawn]

Actually, that was pretty funny. And at least you didn't have her putting red bean paste on ROCKS and eating it (I swear to god I've seen it before).

I can take Emo Bucket Orihime in fics a little better because hey! Introspection! But in RP? Oh god, that's the worst, because you have her openly being an emo bucket at EVERYONE, which she never ever does.

[sarajayechan]

Thanks. XD (Rocks? REALLY? How dumb do people think she is?!)

True, fics can usually convey that sort of thing better.

[crystaldawn]

(Man, I don't even know - it was one of those fic moments that just made me stop and faceplant)

It's still kind of annoying, but at least somewhat more bearable.

[codegal182]

Thank you for this! The reason why I tend to stay away from IchiHime fics is because I don't like the way that Orihime is often portrayed in the fics, but I'm hoping people take a few pointers from here.

[crystaldawn]

It makes me sad, because I even see otherwise good writers do it. Like I *just* started reading an IchiHime fic before I replied to this, got half-way down the page, and Orihime starts babbling about how Caribbean Fruit Flies are going to come to Japan because they like wasabi and how they have butterfly wings and I'm just like. What the hell.

Timely post is timely. Except this crap happens every damn day. :|

[kumagoro_usagi]

Interesting post! I think I may have made one of these mistakes before but have learnt from them. I also have a pet peeve in Orihime centered fics, which is usually clothing. Since when did Orihime wear tight clothes or something that exposed her cleavage purposely? I understand that in the context of some Bleach colourspreads but in the manga her clothing is quite rserved. What gives?

[crystaldawn]

Oh WOW, I've not seen that before, but... uhhhhh yeah. She doesn't expose her cleavage - you can tell Kubo takes pains NOT to put her in exposing clothing, usually even in colorspreads.

[kumagoro_usagi]

Its not really prominent but I have come accross fics where Orihime wears mini skirts and tops that show her cleavage which is supposed to titilate Ichigo/ something she wears all the time. Which is all very...yeah.

[crystaldawn]

Eww, skank!Hime! That's kind of... wow.

That would only make sense if it was part of some wacky plot by Matsumoto to kickstart Ichigo's sex drive (it would also be doubly funny if he just didn't notice)

[inuyatta]

I also hate the idea that Orihime is constantly whining and weeping about Ichigo. ALL THE TIME. She does have other friends that she loves, gaiz.

That said, I fucking love Hime's 'My Future Self' image with the tit-rocket. XD

[crystaldawn]

Oh god yes. I mean, I can accept that a ship fic is going to focus on the two main characters, but at least MENTION the other people they know from time to time man. :|

I am particularly enamored with the tit-rocket, yes!

[giethe]

Actually, what I loved about the early beginnings of Ichihime is that it was first presented as if her Ichigo crush was merely coincidental - Ichigo had a funny face, so Orihime found it fascinating! Ok! I guess that made it a crush. She didn't start out as someone whose entire existence revolved around Ichigo - she was a character of her own, with her own adventures, friends, etc. She just happens to like a certain orange-haired guy, but people make it seem as if she's barely able to function w/out him. (reminds me of the Bella-based bashings)

The tit-rocket is awesome, yo. I'm sure it's fast reloadable and explodes in multi-colored popcorn or something.

[crystaldawn]

The worst part is, I've seen that on BOTH sides of fandom. I was reading a fic just yesterday where she basically blackmails Ichigo into staying with her when he's in love with Rukia by telling him she'll literally die if he leaves her - and the fic was IchiHime! THAT'S NOT HEALTHY, GUYS.

And confetti and streamers!

[rinkhals]

sob I should actually read Bleach because I love her, but the current stuff scares me

Anyway, this post resonates with me because I have the same problems with how people write Osaka. In fic and RP. No one EVER gets Osaka right--and she's a very similar character. People play/write her as like, this completely LOLOL RANDOM! girl who is usually also a SECRET GENIUS! and it just doesn't come off as being anything like Osaka in the slightest.

[crystaldawn]

OH MAN, this last chapter? WAS SO AWESOME. We are getting back into awesome territory because A Pimp Named Shirosaki showed up. So there are long slow stretches, but they go by fast once you start going.

Oh man, she's another one, isn't she? I've not read Azumanga, but I've seen her around (I think I even beta'd your app for her, didn't I?). You can find stuff like this all over TV Tropes on the Cloud Cuckoolander, Manic Pixy Girl, and Flanderization.

[rinkhals]

I'VE NEVER APPED HER unless you mean the other apps we had for her! Because we've had her in CFUD I think three times. But yeah. Osaka is basically this space case ditzy girl whose mind works in ~different ways~ and she has crazy trains of thought like Orihime, and she does hold some weird beliefs, but they always have an internal logic and don't come out of ABSOLUTELY NOWHERE, whereas in fic people write her like "DURR HURR I HAVE CHOCOLATE PUDDING FOR LUNCH THE ELVES GAVE IT TO ME!" I've also played with one before who had her reading and memorizing random med school textbooks despite the fact that she's not smart.

In fact I am pretty sure she shares a seiyuu with Orihime.

[crystaldawn]

...huh. I MUST HAVE GOTTEN HER CONFUSED w-with someone else, it's been a while. And yeah, she does actually have the same seiyuu! I saw that on TV Tropes! And oh god - so instead of Little Blue Men, Osaka has elves! Wonderful! And... good lord, med school books?