Overview
- Nemu Kurotsuchi represents Captain Kurotsuchi’s seventh endeavor in creating an artificial soul, marking his most significant achievement in this field.
- This creation was part of the ironically named Nemuri Project, which Kurotsuchi viewed as the realization of his ultimate aspiration.
- Nemu’s tragic demise in battle highlights Kurotsuchi’s profound emotional connection and apprehension regarding her, prompting the development of an eighth iteration.
It has long been established that Nemu Kurotsuchi is the creation of Mayuri Kurotsuchi, the Captain of the 12th Squad. However, detailed insights into her creation and her true significance to the enigmatic scientist are revealed in the 10th episode of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 – The Conflict. In an emotional narrative twist, the audience discovers more about this quiet lieutenant before experiencing her heartbreaking loss, arguably one of the most poignant moments in the entire climax of Tite Kubo’s BLEACH.
Nemu, originally known as “Nemuri Nanagō”(Nemuri No. 7), was Kurotsuchi’s seventh attempt at crafting an artificial soul and is regarded as his crowning scientific achievement. But what exactly does the Nemuri Project entail, and what is its significance in understanding one of the most complex characters in the series?
Lieutenant Kurotsuchi Nemu is an artificial being synthesized from cutting-edge Gigai and Gikon technologies by Captain Kurotsuchi, sharing a unique bond with him as they share common blood. This connection leads her to exhibit many of Kurotsuchi’s traits, whether in shared interests or leisure activities.
– Tite Kubo
The Waking Dream
Kurotsuchi’s Key Objective
Before ascending to the role of Captain of the 12th Squad and overseeing the Shinigami’s Research and Development Institute, Kurotsuchi was originally guided by Kisuke Urahara, the institute’s founder. Urahara, understanding Kurotsuchi’s unmatched scientific intellect and curiosity, chose him as his successor.
Kurotsuchi harbors an intense ambition to surpass Urahara, striving to claim the title of the greatest scientist in Soul Society’s history. Achieving breakthroughs, particularly in artificial soul creation, has been a driving force in Kurotsuchi’s dark journey.
New souls created from nothing are the dream of any Shinigami. However, it’s foolish to dream while awake. Therefore, I dubbed this project the “Sleep Project.”
– Mayuri Kurotsuchi
The Nemuri Project encapsulates Kurotsuchi’s various attempts to forge a new soul using “konpaku cells.”However, such ambition often leads to complications; the six trials preceding Nemu’s creation faced numerous failures. Only in the fourth attempt did a brain begin to form, with subsequent attempts achieving varying degrees of success, culminating in the emergence of Nemu, formally known as “Nemuri No. 7.”
The Meaning Behind the “Nemuri Project”
Realization of a Dream
Akon reveals that Kurotsuchi chose the name “Nemuri Project”ironically. The term “Nemuri”means sleep in Japanese, and Kurotsuchi views the creation of an artificial soul as the realization of a dream. Yet, he considers dreaming while awake unnecessary. Therefore, while Nemu exists, Kurotsuchi perceives himself as in a state of slumber, with her embodiment reflecting his aspirations.
Kurotsuchi regards Nemu as his masterpiece, which explains his fierce emotional response during her combat against Pernida Parnkgjas. Despite his earlier neglectful approach towards her, Kurotsuchi profoundly values her existence, referring to her as his “daughter.”This emotional complexity reveals itself when Nemu faces her tragic end in battle, invoking Kurotsuchi’s vulnerability for the first time.
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The Nemuri Project |
|
|---|---|
|
Iteration |
Outcome |
|
No. 1 |
Failure |
|
No. 2 |
Failure |
|
No. 3 |
Failure |
|
No. 4 |
Failure, but a brain developed |
|
No. 5 |
Failure, yet reached the embryonic phase |
|
No. 6 |
Failure, lived to two years before passing |
|
To him |
Resounding success, tragically lost during battle with Pernida Parnkgjas |
|
Nemuri No. 8 |
Successful, retains the memories of the previous iteration |
During the confrontation with Pernida, Nemu intervened multiple times to rescue Kurotsuchi, demonstrating a level of agency he had never directly observed. This prompted Kurotsuchi to trust her instincts in combat, akin to a parent experiencing anxiety seeing their child make independent choices.
Nemu’s tragic death ultimately confirmed Kurotsuchi’s fears of her engagement in battle but also served as a catalyst for his eventual victory against Pernida. The responsibilities imparted to her and her unwavering dedication to protect Kurotsuchi intertwined, providing an emotional complexity culminating in Kurotsuchi’s creation of an eighth iteration of the Nemuri Project post-Thousand-Year Blood War arc.
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