Book Review: Bleach, Vol 47 by Tite Kubo

 

Bleach, Vol 47       

Author: Tite Kubo

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: September 4, 2012

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Supernatural/192 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Kira watches in disbelief as a very wounded Matsumoto ignores her injuries to go to the battle between Gin and Ichigo. Meanwhile, the new—but not improved—Aizen is still deep in conversation with Kiskue and Yoruichi. As usual, Aizen is condescending and laughs at their attempts to battle him. And then Isshin unexpectedly arrives.

Just as Gin threatens to kill Ichigo there and then, Aizen appears, having broken out of his chrysalis form, and asks what he’s doing, to which Gin replies he is only playing with the boy. Aizen orders him to open the Senkaimon and they take their departure. As they pass through, Aizen the arrogant decides he wants to play with the Kototsu, desite Gin’s warnings that is not a good idea. But Aizen gonna do what Aizen gonna do. When Isshin and Ichigo follow, Isshin realizes what Aizen has done, and he knows just how to use that to their advantage. He can train Ichigo in the final stage of his Bankai. Thanks Aizen!

And now back to the actual Karakura Town… Keigo awakens to a surreal sight. Everyone in town is sleeping in the streets. What is going on here? Hysterical, he begins to run around, yelling for people to wake up. Luckily, he runs into Arisawa, who calms him down with a quick but effective punch. They begin to gather their friends and take them to safety as obviously something is very wrong here. Meanwhile, Isshin holds down the fort while Ichigo meets with Zangetsu for his training. But this isn’t the Zangetsu he is used to.

Gin and Aizen have arrived in Karakura Town, and they run into Keigo and Arisawa. Gin tells her, “You seems to be in some trouble, girl. You should call for a hero at a time like this.” And just like that one arrives, one we’ve not seen in quite some time. But can he really be the hero that is called for? And is he enough to stop Aizen and Gin? Common sense says no.

We seem to be nearing the end of this arc. How it will end is still up in the air. Of course, the good side will prevail, but just how they’ll do it remains to be seen. I really enjoyed watching Ichigo train with Zengetsu. You have to respect him for doing what is right, even though he understands the price that is attached to what he is doing. And the unexpected reappearance of both Don Kanonji and Fro Man was great! The scenes with Keigo and Ichigo’s other friends was a bit of comic relief in an increasingly dramatic arc. From the beginning, they said only Ichigo can beat Aizen. We’ll see how true that may be in the next volume. Can’t wait!

 

 

 

 

Book Review: Bleach, Vol 45 by Tite Kubo

 

Bleach, Vol 45      

Author: Tite Kubo

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: August 7, 2012

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Supernatural/192 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Shinji’s sword has an unusual shape… and Aizen has no idea what it can do. But he’s about to find out. Apparently Shinji’s sword changes up to down, front to back, right to left, left to right. Aizen doesn’t seem particularly concerned, but maybe he should look behind him, because here comes Ichigo!

Aizen just loves to taunt people, and he wastes no time trying to chip away at Ichigo’s ego. But the Thirteen Court Guard captains quickly step up and assure Ichigo they will protect him. Aizen turns his attention to Hitsugaya, hitting him where it hurts—Hinamori. But Shunsui takes advantage of Aizen’s preoccupation with the diminutive captain to sneak up on him. Meanwhile, on the sidelines, Gin thinks how clueless they all are regarding Aizen’s powers.

Ichigo is being careful not to witness Aizen’s shikai. But the others, having seen it, are vulnerable to it. Which makes their actions inexplicable to Ichigo, who wonders what they’re doing when they result in one of them being wounded by another one! The Captain General now steps into the fray, determined to take down Aizen himself… even if he dies doing so.

And now it’s everyone against Aizen, with Tosen gone and Gin just standing by. (Wonder why that is?) Will they really be able to take him down? Will the battle for Karakura Town really be over? Or is this just the prelude to something else? I suspect Aizen still has a few tricks up his sleeve, and it won’t be as easy as they hope. Another great volume, look forward to the next!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review: Bleach, Vol 43 by Tite Kubo

 

Bleach, Vol 43        

Author: Tite Kubo

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: July 3, 2012

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Supernatural/192 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

It’s sad when former comrades become enemies. Such is the case now, with Tosen face-to-face with Komamura and Hisagi. Hisagi is determined to make Tosen “see” the light and come back to Soul Society. Tosen’s reply to that is “I thought I told you… those who don’t know fear have no right to fight.”

When Hachigen joins Soi Fon and Omaeda in their fight against Berrigan, Soi Fon denies knowing Hachigen. The Berrigan seems invincible, since as he says “Everything decays.” As fast as Hachigen builds barriers, Berrigan destroys them. But Hachigen is shrewd, and he has a cunning plan.

Love and Rose attack Stark, who sics the wolves on them. But just when things seem to be bleak, Shunsui makes an unexpected reappearance, and his fight with Stark is on again, as he explains just how his weapons work. Aizen steps in to stop the fight against Halibel, ending it in an unexpected way. Has Wonderweiss met his match?

And where is Ichigo?

The battles continue in the fight for Karakura Town. I enjoyed seeing the backstories of Stark and Berrigan. What a colossal ego Aizen has, but no one can be surprised at that. The Visoreds fight side by side with the Soul Reapers, mostly through necessity than a spirit of camaraderie, as that is definitely lacking in their relationship. Not surprising considering how Soul Society treated the Visoreds all those years ago for something not of their doing.

I loved watching Shunsui fight, and his techniques are amazing (I may be a little biased lol).

Still, in the end, it’s Ichigo we are all waiting for. Surely his arrival can’t be far off now? Good volume, looking forward to the next one.

Book Review: Bleach, Vol 37 by Tite Kubo

 

Bleach, Vol 37       

Author: Tite Kubo

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: December 6, 2011

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Supernatural/216 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

The unimaginable has happened to the Soul Reapers of Soul Society! They have a traitor in their midst. Traitors, even. None other than Aizen, Tosen, and Ichimaru. Shinji is not surprised, having been suspicious of Aizen from the start, which is why he made him his assistant captain. To keep an eye on him. But Aizen realized that and set Shinji up in a way he could not have foreseen.

 

Before Aizen and his cohorts can finish off Shinji and the others, Kisuke Uruhara and Tessai arrive. Kisuke is confused at what he sees, recognizing hollowfication when he sees it. Tessai tries to attack Aizen and his pals, but they manage to slip away and Kisuke tells him they need to focus on Shinji and his people for now. Good thing he has something prepared for this –  none other than the Hogyoku!

 

When Kisuke and Tessai are unexpectedly arrested, things are not looking good. The Council has determined to destroy Shinji and the others, as being Hollows, and send Kiskue into permanent exile in the World of the Living, but the arrival of a deus ex machine changes things, hopefully for the better.

 

Back in the present, the Soul Reapers realize that Aizen et al know about the fake Karakura Town, and have made their own plans. The Old Man Captain has anticipated them and has set four trusted Soul Reapers at the four corners of the infrastructure of the fake town – Ikkaku, Yumichika, Kira, and Hisagi. To keep Aizen at bay, the old man surrounds the traitors with a huge wall of fire. It’ll take them time to get out of this in order to aid their subordinates.

 

Let the battles begin!

 

Watching the past, and seeing what happened to Shinji and the others, is just heartbreaking. Makes you want to see Aizen suffer greatly for what he did, the heartless, gutless coward. Good thing they have Kisuke on their side, and he is nothing if not brilliant. Still, makes you wonder about what might have been.

 

I love the battles between the lieutenants and the Fraccions, each memorable in its own way. I laughed at Ikkaku’s comment that he thought he heard Yumichika laugh, but surely not in the middle of a battle.

 

The scenes with Alquiorra and Orihime are great. He informs her that Aizen no longer needs her and that she will die there, but she insists that her friends will save her. He scoffs, but she tells him, “My heart is already with them.” And of course Ichigo proves her correct by his arrival.

 

The battles have already begun, but these are powerful enemies. Can these four handle them, or will the captains need to step in? Another great volume, looking forward to the next one!

 

 

Book Review: Bleach, Vol 27 by Tite Kubo

 

Bleach, Vol 27        

Author: Tite Kubo

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: June 2, 2009

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Supernatural/200 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Ulquiorra has taken Orihime hostage, capture while she is being escorted back to the World of the Living. Warning her that resistance is futile, he allows her to go to Kakura Town to say good-bye to one person, without being seen, and then she is to report to Hueco Mundo. Orihime agrees, rather than see anyone get hurt. And of course the one person she chooses to say good-bye to is Ichigo.

Meanwhile, the battle between the Soul Reapers and the Arrancars continues, following the arrival of Uruhara. Yammy thinks he’s killed Kiskue but the shop owner is a lot tougher than he’s given him credit for. And he’s a quick study. Fool me once, shame on you… but Kiskue won’t be fooled again.

Ichigo, along with Rukia,  is battling Grimmjow, and things aren’t going particularly well when Dutch Boy (Shinji) shows up, and he isn’t anything Grimmjow has ever seen before. And neither will he explain himself to the Arrancar, which infuriates him. But just as Dutch Boy lashes out with a Cero of his own, and it seems as if the tide has turned in their favor, the call comes to the Arrancars that the battle is and they are to return. Obviously a sign that their objective has been attained, ie the capture of Orihime, although the others don’t know that yet.

An exhausted Ichigo is taken home to recuperate and is totally unaware of Orihime’s arrival and her heartfelt good-bye in the middle of the night. But when Hitsugaya arrives the next morning and detects her spiritual pressure, that knowledge seems to change everything. Now the Soul Reapers will do nothing to assist in her rescue, claiming that she has joined Aizen et al of her own accord and is therefore a traitor. Rukia and the other Soul Reapers are ordered back to Soul Society immediately and the Captain General forbids Ichigo to help Orihime either, claiming he needs him for more important thing.

Like Ichigo’s going to listen to the old man when Orihime’s life is in danger.

Before he heads off to Hueco Mundo, Ichigo briefly returns to school and cuts ties with his friends for their own protection, then heads to the shop, suspecting Kiskue can help him get to Hueco Mundo. But rather than play Lone Ranger, it seems that Ichigo will have a couple of companions, who have been waiting for him to turn up. And they are not the only ones keeping Ichigo on their radar.

An interesting turn of events with the capture of Orihime. Now we finally understand just why Uruhara wanted to keep her from the battle, and it has nothing to do with her abilities or lack of, but it was done for her protection, knowing she will become a target of Aizen. See how well that worked out. Now is the time to find out what this seemingly fragile, mind-mannered, sweet young girl is truly made of. In order to survive Aizen and his cohorts in Hueco Mundo, it had best be something really strong.  Also interesting is her admission of her feelings when saying farewell to Ichigo.

Perhaps losing the support of the Soul Reapers – at least for now – was for the best, because that’s what is allowing Uryu to come along, providing the loophole in his agreement with his father which helped him regain his Quincy powers. But it seems that dear old Dad is not surprised, as even Isshin can tell.

In this volume, we get a little more of a glimpse into Kiskue as more than a comic relief character who happens to own a shop in the World of the Living.  Did you really think that was his only purpose? No, that man has a lot more to him, and a lot more we have to learn about him. You just don’t become a supplier to the Soul Reapers without having some sort of inside knowledge… maybe friends in high places?

The first arc of Bleach involved the saving of Rukia, and now on to the saving of Orihime. Not coincidentally, both rescues involve Aizen, the renegade Soul Reaper, who no longer has any redeeming values. That man is just bad to the bone. And more than a little egomaniacal and crazy. No telling what that kind of crazy will do, as it tends to want everything.

Another good volume of Bleach, setting the stage for what is coming, namely battle with Aizen and pals on their own turf. That can’t be good, surely, especially when he was so many bad things at his disposal. So what is his long-term agenda?  Well, he still has the Hogyoku, waiting for it to come to fruition. What’s he plan to do with it? Hard to say.

Can’t wait for the next volume.

Book Review: Bleach, Vol 27 by Tite Kubo

 

Bleach, Vol 26     

Author: Tite Kubo

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: March 3, 2009

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Supernatural/2106 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

While communicating with the Soul Society from Kakura Town, Captain Hitsugaya is surprised to see Hinamori up and about. She apologizes to him for having doubted him, of having accused him of murdering Captain Aizen, since obviously that didn’t happen. Her only request is that he not kill Aizen now.

Renji is frustrated with Uruhara, who more or less tricked him into training Chad, but the training is not going smoothly. Ichigo is still training with the Visoreds when Orihime suddenly appears, much to their surprise. How did she even know how to find them when their location is so off the grid, and how did she slip through Hachi’s barrier? Orihime delivers to Ichigo the important message regarding Aizen’s plan, which includes the destruction of Kakura Town for his own nefarious ends (when are his ends not nefarious?) Uyru’s training with his father is not going very well either, and the man is pushing him to his limits.

When Kiskue calls for Orihime to come to the training grounds, she assumes that she is to train also. But his message is quite different—he tells her that she is stay out of this battle. Orihime understands, but is crushed, nonetheless. Rukia finds her and promised she will help her find a way to grow stronger.

In Hueco Mundo, Yammy has received a new arm, but Grimmjow hasn’t, which means he is no longer an Espada. Ulquiorra and Yammy are called by Aizen and told to carry out the order given by him a month before. They are also to take along the new Arrancar, Wonderweiss. In the Seireitei, Ukitake and Hisagi watch Rukia and Orihime train. Ukitake is pleased to see them together, as Rukia has few friends and finds it hard to let people in.

When the Arrancars drop from the sky, they are met by the Soul Reapers. Ichigo tells the Visoreds he has to go, against their better judgment. While they are thus engaged, Ulquiorra carries out his missions…

In this volume of Bleach, we get a little more insight into what the despicable Aizen has planned. I can’t believe Hinamori still defends him, in spite of what he did to her. She has a rude awakening ahead of her. Training for all our heroes is difficult, but no pain, no gain, right? The Visoreds are running out of patience with Ichicgo, especially as he keeps interrupting his training to step into the fray. Wait until he finds out what Aizen has done now. Or rather what he has sent his minions to do. Ichigo will lose his mind. He will not less this pass.

A lot going on in this volume, all a prelude to something that will be some time in the making and has just barely begun. Another great volume, can’t wait for 28!

 

Book Review: Bleach, Vol 20 by Tite Kubo

Bleach, Vol 20          

Author: Tite Kubo

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: August 7, 2007

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Supernatural/232 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

When Matsumoto comes face to face with Kira, she learns what the power of his zanpaku-to, Wabisuke, really is.  Kira’s sword doubles the weight of anything it strikes, until the user cannot wield it and sinks to their knees, head in a penitent pose.  (Wabisuke means the Penitent One).

Hinamori is confused as to why Gin has brought her to the place where the 46 govern. But all is explained when she comes face-to-face with the last person she expected to see there. How can this possibly be? But the joyful reunion is brought to a sharp halt.

When Hitsugaya arrives, he too is thunderstruck to see the newcomer then chilled when he learns what has happened to Momo.  Battle is inevitable. It isn’t long before Unohana and Isane appear, having deduced this person’s whereabouts, and we learn what power he really possesses. One which has fooled many people for a long time. Except maybe Tosen, who is immune to it, being blind. Which means he has done what he did with knowing consent. Has everyone been subjected to this? Maybe the Ryoka are immune. Hopefully.

When the traitors disappear, Unohana deduces where they’ve gone and tells Isane to send a special message to all the captains and lieutenants, as well as the Ryoka, to assemble immediately… it’s an emergency!

The newcomer confronts Renji and Rukia and demands that Rukia be given to him. Naturally, Renji refuses. And just in the nick of time, Ichigo appears. More battle is inevitable, and along with it, much is learned, including the secret  of the object known as the Hogyaku. Where before, the object of the Thirteen Court squads was to defeat the Ryoka so that Rukia could be executed, now the common goal is to reclaim her from the newly revealed enemy in their midst.

There’s a lot going on in this volume, so put on your hip boots and wade into it. Don’t be surprised that things aren’t what they seem. You just can’t believe your eyes, apparently. And some people aren’t to be trusted. I think one character said it very well when he said, “Adoration is the state furthest from understanding.” I think that’s just another way of saying love is blind.

Lines will have to be redrawn, foes become enemies and enemies foes. Many things we’ve wondered about will become clearer, such as Kiskue’s place in the scheme of things, and a better understanding of Ichigo’s Hollowfication. The one thing that rather bugs me about this book is Rukia’s limp, wishy-washy attitude. Normally, she’s an in-your-face, don’t-mess-with-me kind of girl, but here she is almost a willing participant in what is going on to happen, as if she’s resigned to it or something. Maybe there’s a logical reason for this, but if there is, I don’t know what it is. Guess I’ll have to wait and see if she gets back the old Rukia spark.

Speaking of sparks, I suspect plenty will be flying in the next volume. Looking forward to it!