Bleach,
Vol 4
Author: Tite Kubo
Publisher: Viz Media
American
release date: December 7, 2004
Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Supernatural/200 pages
Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★
Ichigo is less than
impressed with his family’s obsession with a phony TV spiritualist by the name
of Don Kanonji. They not only watch his show with enthusiasm but they gladly
cross themselves as he does and give his famous cry of “Bo-ha-ha-ha!” To
Ichigo’s dismay, the live TV show is coming to his town for an emergency live
broadcast special. Of course, everyone wants to go, except for Ichigo. But he
ends up going anyway.
The show is broadcasting
from in front of an old hospital. Ichigo wonders to Rukio why, if there’s a
ghost there, the Soul Reapers haven’t taken care of it by now. She explains to
him about jibaku, which are fixed location ghosts that can’t be detected and
won’t show themselves… unless someone invades their territory! Just then they
hear a wail from inside the building!
A ghost appears, chained to
the building. Rukia explains that he isn’t a Hollow yet, because his hole isn’t
completely formed. As long as his hole isn’t irritated, they can safely leave
him until after the show ends and then perform a konso on him. Until Don
Kanonji makes a grand entrance and does the unthinkable and creates a suddenly
dangerous situation for everyone involved!
Ichigo tries to stop him, to
the complete embarrassment of his friends and family, but he and Rukia find themselves grabbed by
security. Ichigo needs to go soul reaper, but without Rukia’s help, he can’t do
that. Help comes in an unexpected form and Ichigo races toward Kanonji. To his
surprise, Kanonji can see him in his soul reaper form, but mistakes him for the
spirit of a dead fan. Will Don Kanonji be a help or a hindrance to Ichigo as he
tries to deal with the newly-formed Hollow before he kills someone?
Back at school, Ichigo and
his friends are called on the carpet for what occurred on live TV, but quick
thinking by Rukia gets them out of trouble, at least for now. Don Kanonji shows
up unexpectedly at Ichigo’s house, to his dismay, even as he wondered how he
got his address? The answer quickly shows herself, along with the rice
dumplings the spiritualist bribed her with. Luckily relief comes in the form of
a Hollow alert, although Rukia’s phone seems to be acting strangely recently.
They go on calls only to find no Hollow there. Will this be more of the same?
After a few false alarms,
they head to another sighting, only to meet with an oddly dressed young man who
is contemptuous of their efforts. Wait, he can see them? Who is this and why
does he hat soul reapers?
The fourth volume of Bleach is a riot. Don Kanonji is a
priceless character. You just gotta love him. And there is more to him than
what appears on the surface. I love him as much in the manga as in the anime.
Kisuke’s appearance at the broadcast was both providential and adorable. I love
how Ichigo refers to him as Mr. Hat-and-clogs. I love how Ichigo’s friends are
unaware that he makes good grades and are taken aback that he’s 18th
in the class. Two people are tied for first rank, Kunieda and someone named
Uryu Ishida. Remember that name!
I am thoroughly enjoying
reading this as much as watching it. This series is a lot of fun, looking
forward to the next volume!
No comments:
Post a Comment