Chapter 6: Aizen-sensei, How Do You Like My Calligraphy of the Character "Collapse"?
From first impressions, the calligraphy class felt more like a club gathering than an elective to Sōma.
Because far too many people had shown up.
The entire lecture hall was packed to capacity, and those who failed to secure a seat could only leave in disappointment.
Sōma and Rindo had no classes in the afternoon and arrived early, unceremoniously claiming the prime seats in the center of the front row.
"Most of those here are senior academy students."
It seemed the longer one stayed at Shin'ō Academy, the more one could appreciate the charm of this course.
Without keeping the students waiting long, the special instructor clad in a captain's haori appeared early at the lectern. The warmth in his opening words felt like a gentle spring breeze.
"Good afternoon, everyone."
"As per tradition, I shall introduce myself to the new academy students."
"I am Aizen, Aizen Sōsuke, serving as the captain of the 5th Division in the Gotei 13. However, today I stand here solely in the capacity of a teacher."
"I am deeply honored to share my understanding of calligraphy with all of you, and it brings me great joy."
"Seeing more and more people join us is tremendous encouragement, proving that you and I are walking together on the right path."
"Without further ado, let us proceed to the main topic—"
Sōma watched as he pulled a scroll of white paper from his sleeve, spread it flat, and hung it on the blackboard. The visual impact of the stark contrast between the white paper and black ink was far less striking than the awe evoked by the character itself.
"..."
As a young master well-versed in both Japanese calligraphy and other Eastern calligraphy, Sōma understood what true mastery meant.
On the white paper Aizen presented, only a single character was written—"mountain."
Yet, at first glance, no one could recognize it as the character for "mountain." Instead, it resembled a landscape painting, with the jet-black mountain form leaping off the paper, creating an extraordinary visual experience.
Only then would the mind register—so this was actually the character for "mountain"!
"In past classes, I have said many times that calligraphy is an art, not a technique, because it emphasizes spiritual refinement."
"For this character, I did not use any special techniques. I merely wrote the mountain as I understand it on paper, nothing more."
Aizen, without any airs, joked lightly, "So, this course has no textbook. As long as you show up, that's enough. Newcomers need not worry about falling behind."
Whether this reassurance eased the concerns of other newcomers, Sōma did not know, but he truly felt the allure of this class.
Aizen was genuinely sharing his calligraphy experience.
Even if Ichigo were here, he wouldn't find it incomprehensible.
...Well, perhaps that was too absolute.
But at least Sōma understood it clearly.
Japanese calligraphy is the performance art of characters.
By boldly deforming and transforming characters to break free from traditional constraints, it expresses a wider range of emotions, pushing innovation to its limits.
For instance, some works are as imaginative as a child's doodles, while others are filled with a disquieting sense of distortion, or even split characters in half.
There are plenty of examples more abstract than abstract paintings.
No wonder Aizen didn't adopt a formal teaching method—anything slightly conventional would easily make the students' writing too "ordinary" and devoid of merit.
"Rindo, do you think Shin'ō Academy invited someone to teach calligraphy as a way to help people vent their stress?"
Sōma leaned back and spoke in a low voice.
Rindo thought for a moment before responding.
[I find it quite interesting.]
"Well, that's one way to look at it."
In an academy like Shin'ō, where there were no club activities, finding something interesting to do wasn't easy.
Just then, Aizen suddenly spoke from the lectern: "…Regarding the importance of calligraphy for spiritual refinement, I'd like to invite a student to assist me in writing a character. Would anyone be willing to help?"
As soon as he finished speaking, nearly all the students stood up excitedly, raising their hands high to ensure Aizen would notice them. Some even shouted impulsively, instantly turning the classroom into chaos.
Aizen smiled, completely unbothered, like a gentle and kind-hearted man. He scanned the room and finally pointed at Sōma in the first row.
"Let's go with this student."
The others instinctively looked over and nearly gritted their teeth in frustration.
Sōma sat there silently, expressionless, with one hand raised high, seemingly no different from the others. However, he was openly holding a sheet of white paper with a character already written on it, facing Aizen as if he were a director holding up a cue card for a host—how could anyone miss it?
But that wasn't all.
Without waiting for Aizen's request, Sōma leisurely stood up and calmly displayed the character he had written for everyone to see.
He said nothing, nor did he wear an expression of pride.
It was as if he were doing something utterly natural.
Completely at ease.
The academy students were astonished—this person was strange.
Though they couldn't pinpoint exactly why, he was undeniably peculiar.
"Hmm..."
Aizen pursed his lips, seemingly organizing his thoughts.
"This student... if I recall correctly, you must be this year's newly enrolled genius, Shirogane-kun, right?"
"Aizen-sensei, what do you think of my calligraphy?"
Sōma was curious to know what level his brushwork had reached in Aizen's eyes.
"Exceptionally outstanding!"
Aizen offered high praise without hesitation.
"At first glance, it appears to be two separate characters, but when combined, they form the single character 'collapse'."
"Did you deliberately split it into upper and lower halves to express the meaning of something breaking apart and splitting from within? Or is there a broader, more macroscopic representation? By merging different elements, new entities can form—thus creating a philosophical contrast that seeks unity through opposition, quite contrary to the character's original meaning."
"Or perhaps it's a satirical allegory suggesting that things forcibly pieced together will eventually face a day of division... implying that forcibly pieced-together things are destined to split apart one day."
"Even purely in terms of visual aesthetics, the character possesses remarkable beauty."
"Such ingenuity combined with the artistry of calligraphy—it seems the Shin'ō Academy's assessment of Sōma-kun has been far too conservative."
After this multi-layered deconstruction, the academy students immediately viewed Sōma with newfound respect, even feeling a touch of admiration. After all, no one until now had ever received such praise from Aizen-sensei.
"Everyone, do you understand now? Geniuses like Shirogane-kun possess a more profound understanding of things, which aids in elevating their spiritual refinement."
"Many misunderstand calligraphy, believing it holds no significance for a Shinigami's duties. I don't wish to deny that notion—after all, one cannot defeat a resolute enemy with a calligraphy brush."
Aizen adjusted his glasses and said with a smile:
"However, even the same character, when written by different individuals, manifests in uniquely distinct forms."
"Calligraphy is the act of writing one's own heart. I hope that through studying calligraphy, each of you can come to understand your inner selves and strengthen your convictions."
"This will not only help you communicate with your Zanpakutō, or even comprehend and master high-level Kidō, but also, after you become Shinigami, enable you to shine in your own unique way on this shared path."
His words weren't fervent, yet they carried a peculiar power of influence.
They could sweep away distractions, guiding thoughts imperceptibly along with his rhythm.
A single class felt like a spiritual baptism.
The effect achieved was far more than mere "stress relief."
It was almost like an adrenaline shot for everyone.
No wonder even a mere calligraphy class could be so highly sought after.
It wasn't just Aizen's personal charisma—his actions genuinely brought benefit to others, and that was what truly mattered.