Corollary to SS Aging Theory

[Insipidipity]

I don't know if anyone's brought this specific idea up before but I've uncovered a little more about the rules behind aging in Soul Society.
It seems only non-Shinigami with spirit powers age. I'm not sure, but its possible that non-Shinigami age at the same rate as normal humans. Notice the future shinigami in the academy seemed younger than they do now.
Since most people don't have spirit powers, they don't use up energy to require a metabolism to age. But at the same time, Shinigami don't seem to age, or do so at a much much slower rate than nonshinigami who age. I think it may be Shinigami powers that stop or severely cut down aging.

While the first one half seems obvious(that people with spirit powers age), the second is more subtle. If you notice, Rukia seemed to stop aging when she got her powers. She killed Kaien when Ganju was a little boy, around 6ish looking, yet Ganju looks mid20s-early30s right now. At the same time, Rukia doesn't look a year older.

This would explain why Rukia is 10x older than Ichigo, not because she aged 10x slower, but because she got her powers when she became Ichigo's age. That explains why she only seems younger in flashbacks before she got her powers along with everyone else.

I hope I explained it clearly enough.

[Vorlindeion]

Makes quite a bit of sense really. there was a theory on BF that u stop aging once u max out ur power. doesnt make that much sense, since some of the people have yet to reach their maxes. i think the shinigami powers stop aging since a shinigami is supposed to control death, so assuming there is natural death in ss, once u become a shinigami u stop aging to avoid said natural death.

[monk3]

i think i understand what ur getting at. so basically once they acquire a reiatsu control, the aging metabolism uses the reiatsu instead. it makes sense. very nice :thumbs

[Marsala]

But Rukia only got her powers around 40-50 years ago. (40 years in Kuchiki family, a few in the Academy). That would only make her about 60-75 years old at most, 4 to 5 times Ichigo's age, instead of the 10 times she said. Of course, it could easily be a plothole and Rukia just got the number wrong.

[Haruka]

Very likable theory. But when Ichimaru was Aizen's vice captain, he looked younger, but he already was a shinigami.

[Hef]

But Rukia only got her powers around 40-50 years ago. (40 years in Kuchiki family, a few in the Academy). That would only make her about 60-75 years old at most, 4 to 5 times Ichigo's age, instead of the 10 times she said. Of course, it could easily be a plothole and Rukia just got the number wrong.
Yeah, or then Rukia's comment wasn't accurate because she was just bragging. "Despite how I look, I have lived nearly ten times as long as you." (From the anime) There's a huge difference between 5 and 10, but meh. :\

[Insipidipity]

Very likable theory. But when Ichimaru was Aizen's vice captain, he looked younger, but he already was a shinigami.
Did he? He looked the same to me.

[Vorlindeion]

^^ he looked the same to me too. like i said ur theory makes sense, as yamamoto was the first shinigami, god knows how long it took him to become one and look at him ^_^"

[Shinigami No1]

Lol yeah but isnt the important thing here.. what happens to you if you die in SS!?! Do you just come back or dissappear or wat?Cos if you do its a pretty lame afterlife if your powerful cos you end up aging an dying AGAIN!!
Lol it suxz but most things seem to get explained at some point. i mean they still havent properly explained the hollow in ichigo its jus there. And in the anime i wasnt sure whos voice was whos. Felt like it was the hollow saying he could win if he was left. But anyway im sure at some point ichigo or someone will ask, probs orihime...

[chaosas]

My theory: there isn't any aging "system", they just create characters freely and adjust their age when it feels right :laugh