Eating

[jistanidiot]

When Ichigo was waiting for his fate chain to erode before becomming a Shinigami, Jinta brings him food and says something about getting hungry is the first sign that Ichi will become a Hollow instead of a Shinigami. There are a couple other places that it is implied that Shinigami and everyone in Soul Society don't need to eat. If that's the case why do we see them eating quite a bit? Did I miss something?
I tried searching the forum for "eat" and "eating" but didn't find anything. So I'm guessing I missed something. BTW I haven't read the Manga, just watched Anime.

[lordsmish]

yepo people with high spirit power need to eat its explained in the part of the anime where threy show rukias past

[Random Havoc]

You don't need to eat. Water is essential however. But when your a shinigami, you have class and you can afford food (if there is a currency o.o) because as a soul you can still taste.

[Shinji]

You don't need to eat. Water is essential however. But when your a shinigami, you have class and you can afford food (if there is a currency o.o) because as a soul you can still taste.
Ahh, didn't know that. Where did you get this information?

[Random Havoc]

When Renji or Rukia remembers their past... when they were younger.

[fuoheru]

Eh? I thought that if you had high spirit power you needed food otherwise you'd feel weak or something. Wasn't there a part where Gin found Matsumoto and gave her food and said she probably had high spirit power?

[chakra25]

It was mentioned in flashback with Rukia that spirits with high rietsu feel hunger (requires food) and it was also mentioned in Rangiku's flashback.

[BeeCrest]

You don't need to eat. Water is essential however. But when your a shinigami, you have class and you can afford food (if there is a currency o.o) because as a soul you can still taste.

If you don't have a lot of spirit power, you don't necesarily need food.

If you have a lot of spirit power, as shown in Rukia and Renji's past as well as Matsumoto's flashback, you do need food.

[Shinji]

So it's all based on the spirit power? Imagine how much food Zaraki eats.

[Marke]

i was pritty sure they needed to eat.

same when Gin meet Matsumoto. She was lying exhausted on the ground and he hands her a piece of bread.

[Shinji]

i was pritty sure they needed to eat.

same when Gin meet Matsumoto. She was lying exhausted on the ground and he hands her a piece of bread.
Food refills the spirit power and maybe that's why he gave her an apple since she was exhausted.

[Boko]

I thought they just eat for the nice taste of food :P Kebab ftw

[ultimate]

it said in one of the flashback eps that if u have high spiritual power u need to eat food and drink... if u dont have high spiritual power u dont need to eat or drink i think... a good example is when gin meets matsumoto and gives her food and states that she probably has high spiritual power thats why she is hungry

[Marke]

that was my point yes.

[Zanga]

Yes, everything was explained in Renji's flashback when him and RUkia were kids, and Matsumoto's flashback with Gin.

[yumisan]

but i remember that if you don't have high spiritual spirit you don't need food but water.remember it during the time where renji and his friends are stealing water.

[Marke]

yes, im pritty sure u need to drink. But if you have no sprit power you dont need food.

but water all need.

[choujiwong]

hmm..so that's why Ukitake-taichou eats a lot ... ...

[Marke]

and cause he is sick?
im guessing he needs his energy, cause he constanly loose it.

wondering what sickness he has.

[_senbonzakura_]

hmm..so that's why Ukitake-taichou eats a lot ... ...
perhaps cause of his very very high spiritual powers he is still feeling hunger too..../.Or just because he wans to taste the flavour of the food.....lol/:winking56 ..I think that we have to ask hm....:LOL:

[BeeCrest]

but water all need.

Yeah, in the anime in ep. 32 the kid tells the kid who he stole candy from:
"You don't need it (the candy). You don't have a shred of spirit power. 'Long as you have water, you won't get hungry."

[Marke]

but they dident eat it because they needed energy, but for the Sweet Flavor :=)

Rukia > big boys

[BeeCrest]

yep.
I knew souls with low spirit power didn't have to eat, but I forgot about the whole water thing.
Plus, when Rukia and Renji see some guy go to be a shinigami in the Court of Pure Sould, Rukia collapsed of hunger and the shinigami knew why; b/c she had high spirit power like him.

[Nood]

oh, a good example is how Renji looted all of Orihimes junk food because he couldnt eat at Urahara's. :D

[SmallKid57]

u need water.... lol water is everything!

when u start becoming a hollow u become hungry... or when u feel a high rietsu pressure that is not ur own...

[Undying]

Ok, the deal is:
Normal Souls (majority of Soul-Scoiety population) - the normal Plus souls that Shinigami help pass on. They have no amount of Reiatsu, so the only need water (that's why they only sell water in Rukongai).
Shinigami/Souls with any amount of Reiatsu (any amount, even the tiniest one) - they need to eat, just like regular humans.
Regarding hunger:
The people in Soul-Society fear those who feel hunger because those whjo feel hunger may become Hollows. A Hollow feels hunger, and therefore, a normal Plus souls becoming a Hollow will be hungry (hence Jinta giving Ichigo food becaue "you will go hungry soon"). So, hunger (in spirit form) can mean that 1. you have Reiatsu (yay, go to Seireitei and become a Shinigami) or 2. you are becoming a Hollow (I'll keep my distance from you, 'k?).

[Endless Black]

hey couldn't you just go find the people in SS who can't stop eating and know they are uber powerful by this logic?

*whoa look at that fat guy put away that 12" sub his spirit power must be crazy!!*

think about it.. =)

[Undying]

By your logic, is Oomedaya Marechyo (2nd VC) uber strong? He eats all day long.

[Marke]

no its because he is a fat nasty bastard! :D

[BeeCrest]

no its because he is a fat nasty bastard! :D

lmao, Ichigo also pulverized his shikai!

[Cassie]

hey couldn't you just go find the people in SS who can't stop eating and know they are uber powerful by this logic?
*whoa look at that fat guy put away that 12" sub his spirit power must be crazy!!*
think about it.. =)
It is true that those with spirit power get hungry, but from what I've seen, how hungry they become has nothing to do with the amount of spirit power, rather it has more to do with the person. Fat people and kids are always hungry, girls are hungry less often, etc....