It's not just Nanao/Shunsui ... Kubo seems to have a fixed idea that women in those positions are going to be treated more-or-less that way. Shunsui was just the example ... .
Sadly, it's a common theme in shonen action manga, not just Bleach, and not just with women in those positions. The only one I've seen to completely avoid(or at lerast try to) the stereotypical shonen roles for women is FMA. It doesn't complete succeed, but it comes close.
No, no more nice romances for Yukimura. Mizuki was it. As with the real historical Yukimura, he'll make a couple of political marriages. He'll seek out teashop girls (and boys!) for romps, and spend his passions on friendship and clan loyalty rather than romance ... it makes me sad, but nothing else is true to the character.
Yes, it is a very sad thing, but a fact of the character and true to history. Besides, at least he's pretty enough that we know he'll never be lonely for any variety of companionship he wants in that fashion.
I like Izumi because she's one of the few examples I've found in manga of an older female character who isn't old (and Shihoudou in SDK doesn't count - she still look like a teenybopper).
One of the nice things about FMA is that, the 2 main characters and their best friend aside, most of the characters are well grounded adults(which isn't to say they're all perfectly adjusted and aren't issues laden...) and the strongest characters in the series tend to be women, and the "damsel in distress" syndrome is avoided as much as an action manga will allow.
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Sadly, it's a common theme in shonen action manga, not just Bleach, and not just with women in those positions. The only one I've seen to completely avoid(or at lerast try to) the stereotypical shonen roles for women is FMA. It doesn't complete succeed, but it comes close.
Yes, it is a very sad thing, but a fact of the character and true to history. Besides, at least he's pretty enough that we know he'll never be lonely for any variety of companionship he wants in that fashion.
One of the nice things about FMA is that, the 2 main characters and their best friend aside, most of the characters are well grounded adults(which isn't to say they're all perfectly adjusted and aren't issues laden...) and the strongest characters in the series tend to be women, and the "damsel in distress" syndrome is avoided as much as an action manga will allow.