The DECODER series — to which SEMIOVOX has invited our semiotician colleagues from around the world to contribute — explores fictional semiotician-esque action as depicted in books, movies, TV shows, etc.

In the world of Bleach, the Japanese manga series (2001–2016) written and illustrated by Tite Kubo, the protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki — a teenager who assumes the role of a Soul Reaper, defending humans from evil spirits and guiding departed souls to the afterlife — may not at first seem like a semiotician.

However, as the series progresses Ichigo must decode varied cultural and metaphysical landscapes, mirroring our professional challenge of understanding and bridging distinct systems of meaning. His hybrid identity — navigating human, Shinigami (Soul Reapers), Quincy (other spiritually aware humans), and Hollow (monstrous lost souls) realms — parallels our task of integrating diverse perspectives as we seek to understand the unseen aspects of reality, and to decipher meanings that are not immediately apparent to us.

Our work may not involve superpowered combat, but we certainly are required to bridge disparate conceptual frameworks and value systems, to navigate and reconcile multifarious realms of meaning, as required of us by our clients. Putting the fantastical elements aside, Ichigo’s journey reflects the challenges and exhilaration we experience as we set about decoding the world around us. We could all learn from Ichigo, who struggles to balance his Soul Reaper duties with attending high school, a lesson in flexibility — specifically, when it comes to switching our perspective, from that of an expert to that of a curious novice. And Ichigo’s experience of crossing-over between realms is a useful reminder that our work does not begin and end with the analysis of signs; what’s crucial is the synthesis of meaning across various sorts of boundaries and borders.

Ichigo is frustrated whenever he can’t understand a spirit entity’s motives — or the true nature of his own powers — and I think we can all relate. As we navigate through the murky waters of meaning-making, and contend with our own biases, we may sometimes wish we’d never taken on an exploratory brief. And Ichigo’s breakthroughs — the moments of clarity when everything suddenly makes sense, when an impossible puzzle reveals a coherent pattern — reflect the thrill of semiotic discovery, the exhilaration for which we yearn.

Reading Bleach, or watching the anime TV adaptation (2004–2012 + 2022–ongoing), I am reminded that semiotics is not about quick victories or easy answers. Not merely boldness (in questioning what is taken for granted), but patience, perseverance, and resilience are required of us. Through navigating an intricate web of social, political and spiritual norms — decoding them, busting myths, and at times rewriting the rules that govern them — Ichigo demonstrates that the status quo isn’t permanent or “natural.” Ichigo even demonstrates the tactfulness required of us as we interact with clients, as he helps the people he protects understand what the spirits are demanding.

Ichigo’s adventures prove that the search for meaning and understanding transcends mere occupation, and reinforces my belief that “we are all semioticians but we don’t know that yet.” 

DECODER: Adelina Vaca (Mexico) on ARRIVAL | William Liu (China) on A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | Tim Spencer (England) on VURT | Ramona Lyons (USA) on BABEL-17 | Rachel Lawes (England) on NICE WORK | Alfredo Troncoso (Mexico) on THE ODYSSEY | Gabriela Pedranti (Spain) on MUSIC BOX | Charles Leech (Canada) on PATTERN RECOGNITION | Lucia Laurent-Neva (England) on LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY | Whitney Dunlap-Fowler (USA) on THE GIVER | Colette Sensier (England / Portugal) on PRIESTDADDY | Jamin Pelkey (Canada) on THE WONDER | Maciej Biedziński (Poland) on KOSMOS | Josh Glenn (USA) on LE GARAGE HERMÉTIQUE | Antje Weißenborn (Germany) on BABYLON BERLIN | Ximena Tobi (Argentina) on SIX FEET UNDER | Mariane Cara (Brazil) on ROPE | Maria Papanthymou (Greece) on MY FAMILY AND OTHER ANIMALS | Chirag Mediratta (India) on BLEACH | Dimitar Trendafilov (Bulgaria) on THE MATRIX | Martha Arango (Sweden) on ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE | Becks Collins (England) on THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY | Ivan Islas (Mexico) on THE NAME OF THE ROSE | Paulina Goch-Kenawy (Poland) on THE SENSE OF AN ENDING | Eugene Gorny (Thailand) on TBD.

Also see these international semio series: COVID CODES | SEMIO OBJECTS | MAKING SENSE WITH… | COLOR CODEX | DECODER