Grand Unifying Guesses/Bleach

Several characters in Bleach had different names when they were alive:

 * Gin Ichimaru: Light Yagami
 * Kisuke Urahara: L
 * In accordance with the list of Time Lords above, this means that Urahara is the ghost of a Time Lord. And a Death (God). In purgatory.
 * Upon his untimely demise, L's soul, tormented at having been killed by his only 'friend' proceeded to develop into a hollow, who is now known as (L)quiorra!
 * L's soul split on death. His analytical skills became the shingami Urahara. His arogance and drive became the hollow Ulquiorra. This is not happenstance -- it is part of a long game to capture Kira wherever he flees.
 * I always thought that Urahara looked a lot like Faust VIII...
 * Sousuke Aizen: Justice Lord Superman
 * Grimmjow Jeagerjaques: Gamma Akutabi (Zombie Powder)
 * Shunsui Kyōraku: Amano Hyo or Okumichi no kami Genji
 * Nanao Ise: Yomiko Readman
 * Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai: Gen
 * Kenpachi Zaraki: Sagat
 * Yachiru Kusajishi: Yotsuba Koiwai
 * Hanatarō Yamada: Shinji Ikari
 * Seinosuke Yamada: Simon
 * Retsu Unohana: Aoi Sakuraba
 * Kaien Shiba: Zack Fair
 * Tōshirō Hitsugaya: Chipp Zanuff
 * Kaname Tōsen: Stevie Wonder
 * Sajin Komamura: James McCloud
 * Rangiku Matsumoto: Mai Shuranui
 * Ikkaku Madarame: Joe Higashi
 * Yumichika Ayasegawa: Ash Crimson
 * Mayuri Kurotsuchi: Caulder
 * Nemu Kurotsuchi: Rei Ayanami
 * Jūshirō Ukitake: Ukyo Tachibana
 * Renji Abarai: Genjuro Kibagami
 * Byakuya Kuchiki: Rossiu
 * Marechiyo Ōmaeda: Gan Isurugi
 * Or Bling Bling Boy, but these two aren't mutually exclusive.
 * Tia Harribel: Halle Berry
 * Cirucci Thunderwitch: Mimete
 * Nnoitra Jiruga: Akechi Mitsuhide (It's so obvious)
 * Zommari Leroux: Grim (Is there any other reason why his release is ?)
 * This one's all but assured now, considering that they now share a voice actor (Greg Eagles).
 * Aaroniero Arruruerie: The Brain or from Akira
 * Yammy Rialgo: Nappa
 * Barragan Lusienbarn: The King of Shinigami
 * Coyote Starrk: Shikamaru Nara

Ryuk's world, then, is Hueco Mundo and he and his friends are arrancar. Their referring to themselves as "shinigami" is a half-truth born of jealousy, and perhaps a justification for their murderous actions.
 * Notably, this means the arrencar have an ability that most shinigami do not - the ability to give living humans additional lifespan (albeit at the rather nasty cost of that being half their lifespan, and they have to die in the process) - which in turn could make them living Holy Grails, like the one that made Indiana Jones have such an extended lifespan!

Orihime will eventually master her powers, and become The Golden Witch Beatrice
Orange-ish hair, adept at creating magical helpers, and take a look at Orihime's powers:
 * The ability to deny events and return anything to a previous state-in other words, Endless Magic.
 * Shielding. Beatrice is the only magical being shown to have level of skill required to block (and return!) bullets from higly anti-magical guns. She is also pretty good at breaking shields, which probably requires similar knowledge.
 * Tsubaki. The Stakes are pretty clearly a more sofisticated version of this ability.

Haruhi Suzumiya and Orihime Inoue are polar opposites, but are both female Reality Warpers from Gainaxian universes
Haruhi is enthusiastic, is so obsessed with the Awesome that she ignores the normal), has made mass from nothing, and puts the Rule of Cool before the Laws of Physics, like Spiral Energy does. Haruhi, therefore, is the equivalent of the world of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.

Orihime is emotionally fragile, holds the Powers of God in her hands but acts weak, is only useful when there are others around, and generates what look like AT Fields. Orihime is the equivalent of the world of Neon Genesis Evangelion.
 * Orihime isn't Shinji. Her cooking is proof.
 * Haruhi's powers are like Spiral Energy -- offensive, limitless, and running off enthusiasm. Orihime's powers are like AT Fields -- defensive, shield-like, and usually limited to the person's reach. Haruhi's powers are from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann; Orihime's powers are from Neon Genesis Evangelion.