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Bleach #54
Bleach―ブリーチ― 54 [Burīchi 54]
死神対完現術者の激闘も最終局面へと突入！ 新旧死神代行がぶつかり合う中、銀城から突如告げられる代行証に隠された真実！ 全てを知り、最後に一護が選んだ答えとは…！？ 死神代行消失篇、ついに終幕！！
208 pages, Paperback
First published March 2, 2012
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September 27, 2024
"I chose my own path to protect. I wanted strength. I always... always wanted the strength to protect people. I remember that when I lost my power. Rukia gave me the power to protect when I needed it. Everybody helped me regain my power when I lost it. That's why I'm going to protect them and fight you." [Ichigo]
Since the day I started my journey with the manga version of BLEACH, I never had any big issues with it. The only time that I felt (only a little bit, but still) upset was because of too few interactions between Ichigo and Nel in the Hueco Mundo arc. I truly did not think that I will feel upset again, especially not while reading Volume 54 - the book that covers episodes 364-366 with the 366 one being the final episode of the original anime that just happens to be one of my favorite BLEACH episodes ever. What I am trying to say is that this is the first time of me to have issues with the BLEACH manga and this is also the first time of me to ignore those issues for the sake of the highest rating (but not for the sake of the review though).
I will start with my issue so I could get on with it as fast as possible and move on to the rest of the stuff I want to talk about, okay?
I have to admit that I was not pleasantly surprised that the ending of the manga is not quite as the same as the ending of the anime. I was looking forward to cry tears of joy while watching everyone in the Soul Society observing Ichigo's home departure and his friends and family all gathering to welcome him home in the Karakura Town. But that didn't happen. What else didn't happen? Ichigo came to the Soul Society and make a ruckus just like in the anime and, just like in the anime, he asked about the body surprising every captain who gathered to this meeting. But, in the contrary to the anime, we didn't got Yamamoto's positive response to Ichigo's request which means that we also didn't got any march with Ginjou's coffin. The only thing Yamamoto had said is this:
"Can we take those as the result of careful consideration?"
and then the scene was cut. I mean, huh? WHAT?? THAT'S IT?? The lack of the two things that I mentioned upset me A LOT. I love the last episode of the original anime with everything in me. It's both funny and emotional in the best of ways. You can say what you want about it, but for me it could've easily be a perfect ending of the whole series (but TYBW exists). AND IT'S NOT CANON IN THE MANGA. I wish I could say that I not feel cheated (I know it's irrational, I'm sorry), but I do feel cheated :(
Also I thought that, in the contrary to the anime, the manga will have more backstory of the XCUTION characters. Anime got the story of Riruka and Yukio right, but cut off Jackie's and Giriko's. Okay, we did got a flashback with Jackie, but no context to it was added so all I felt was confusion. The manga did cover that part, but when it comes to the characters of Ginjou and Tsukishima, all both anime and the manga did was to give us a scene of their first meeting and that was that. BUT I NEEDED MORE. It's not that I cared for these characters or was interested in them, no, I just think that it's weird that the main villains of the arc didn't got a proper backstory. I mean, what kind of Soul Reaper was Ginjou? Why did he suddenly turned against the Soul Society? Was the truth about the badge the only reason for his rampage? What kind of life Tsukishima had before meeting Ginjou? Did he run away from home? Was he an orphan? Was Ginjou the one who raised him? When did they meet the other Fullbringers? What were the stories of their mothers (who have encounters with the Hollows)? Who saved them (like Isshin had saved Masaki)?? I have so many questions and no answers and it's really bothering me! :(
Now I will mention the moments I LOVE THE MOST ABOUT THIS VOLUME AND THE ANIME. Ready?
1) THIS SCENE BETWEEN BYAKUYA AND TSUKISHIMA:
"That was cold... I saved... your life, remember? Doesn't this... make you feel bad... ?"
"I do indeed owe my life to you. I am grateful. But you are Ichigo Kurosaki's enemy. Therefore no matter whose life you've saved, I will not hesitate in the slightest to kill you."
Do you remember the day Ichigo and Byakuya first met? Ichigo lost to him and nearly died. Do you remember the day they met for the second time? Ichigo won, but also nearly died. Do you realize how incredibly important this quote is to me? Not only because of Byakuya's character or Byakuya's relationship with Ichigo, but in the context of the whole Soul Society's relationship with Ichigo. Byakuya perfectly represents the change that had been made in the Soul Society because of Ichigo's influence. This change and this loyalty is so dear to me, you all have no idea.
2) THE SS DELEGATION WATCHING THE BIG BLACK BLOCK WHERE THE LAST FIGHT WAS HAPPENING AND WAITING PATIENTLY FOR ICHIGO'S DECISION ABOUT THE BADGE (and his relationship with the Soul Society in general)
I know that they came to the world of the living with a mission to kill Ichigo if he would turn against the Soul Society after finding out the truth about the Substitute Badge. But what I also know is that THEY ALL BELIEVED IN ICHIGO. They hoped that Ichigo will understand and HE DID. The moment the delegation realized that, they turned their backs and left, not only because their mission ended, but also because they knew that Ichigo will win the fight.
3) HITSUGAYA'S WORDS TO RUKIA AND RENJI BEFORE LEAVING:
"We imparted our powers to the Substitute Soul Reaper that we were supposed to kill and dispatched captains not to kill him, but to watch over him. Kuchiki, at the time you objected to the order to merely observe Ichigo Kurosaki. You were right. Ichigo Kurosaki learned the truth and made a decision. The decision by Ichigo Kurosaki we know and the Ichigo Kurosaki you guys believe in was to stay the same. Our job is done. I am glad he was the next Substitute Soul Reaper after Ginjou."
TEARS TEARS TEARS 😭✋
4) SENTARO'S AND KIYONE'S REPORT TO UKITAKE:
"Captain! Captain Ukitake! Here with a report, sir! Ichigo Kurosaki has safely defeated Kugo Ginjou in the world of the living! I repeat, Ichigo Kurosaki is safe!"
"I'm so glad to hear that!"
5) ICHIGO SO CONFIDENTLY WALTZING TO THE CAPTAIN MEETING THAT HE MADE RENJI FOOLED FOR A SECOND THAT HE ALWAYS BELONGED THERE
That was a very short a quick scene, but made laugh like a madman. What was missing in here was Rukia's presence. In the anime, both Rukia and Renji were the ones to first meet Ichigo in Seireitei and accompanied him to the captains' meeting.
6) THE REVEAL OF THE THREE NEW CAPTAINS
I remember how I screamed when I saw this reveal for the very first time! I was so incredibly happy that I bawled for at least an hour straight! (now I am not as happy - after witnessing the events of TYBW I wish the guys choose to stay at the world of the living, they would've been safe :( )
7) ICHIGO'S REQUEST AND SHINJI SHUTTING UP SOI FON
Ichigo: "Ginjou's body you had Renji bring back here. I want to take him and bury him in the world of the living."
Shinji: "Are you stupid? You realize what you're saying?"
Ichigo: "Shinji."
Soi Fon: "That's right? He's a criminal who robbed Soul Reapers of their powers and went on a killing spree! How can you-"
Shinji: "That's not what I'm saying."
Soi Fon: "What...?"
Her face expression lmao :D
8) THIS SHINJI AND ICHIGO TALK ABOUT GINJOU:
"Listen, Ichigo. He messed with your friends and your family. You can forgive a guy like that?"
"No. Is what he did even forgivable? It's not about forgiving or not forgiving. My friends and family are back to normal. I'm alive. And he's... just a Substitute Soul Reaper."
He was just a Substitute Soul Reaper. On the wrong side, but still a Substitute Soul Reaper. Like Ichigo. So Ichigo felt like he deserved a proper burial, even after all he had put him through. This scene shows what a big of a heart and how just of a good person Ichigo is. I also have to point out how sad Ichigo's eyes have been through the whole fight against Ginjou. He knew that he has to win this battle. And he knew that he will have to kill his opponent. He didn't want to, but there was no other way :(
9) THIS KYORAKU AND UKITAKE SCENE:
Ichigo left."
"I see. The substitute badge...?"
"He took it with him. I did ask him about it. He said, he trusts us so he'll hold on to it."
The stress Ukitake had been through, I guess from the moment Ichigo had met Ginjou, you could easily see in his face expression. The man was in an agony and it was painfully obvious. But there was also hope. Hope that Ichigo will not turn his back on him. The relief that passed through his face when Kyoraku informed him about the badge, made me smile widely (and also his "Of course he did" in the anime). Both Kyoraku and Ukitake kind of acted like they were Ichigo's proud parents and I really, really liked it :)
10) RIRUKA'S WORDS TO TSUKISHIMA:
"It was Ginjou who saved us and the one who saved Ginjou was Ichigo."
11) TSUKISHIMA'S BREAKDOWN SCENE:
"Why did you have to die?! Why, Ginjou?! Ginjou! You taught me how to use my power. You taught me how to fight. So why... Why... Why didn't you teach me what to do when you died?!"
I did not expect to cry because of Tsukishima and Ginjou, but it was exactly what I did. It was a heartbreaking scene, how could I not share a tear or two (or more...)?
12) TSUKISHIMA'S LAST THOUGHT (to Shishigawara)
'Thank you. I wasn't alone."
13) THE IMAGE OF GINJOU SMILING AT THE START OF THE LAST CHAPTER
Now some things I need to talk about - this part is much longer than usual, I'm sorry for it, I just had too much to say, I guess ;)
~ "Yo. Came up with any good ideas?"
"I don't understand."
"Dude. You're the one who said to wait-and-see. I thought that you were thinking up a plan to beat him."
"Are you stupid? As if I had anything like that."
"Oh, so you got nothing."
"I was observing his spiritual pressure just now. Listen carefully. His spiritual pressure has your..."
"Then I'm going for him."
"Wait, Kurosaki...!"
First of all, I want to say that I don't know if the change from Ichigo's hey to yo is only for the sake of the online manga readers (like me) or this is an official translation, but whatever the reason, I am incredibly grateful for it. I know the Yo from the anime and it's just one of the things that are a part of Ichigo's character, you know? Second if all, I am sure that I am repeating myself, but I LOVE the fact that after so long Ichigo's and Ishida's relationship hasn't changed. They are still two bickering morons and it's a relief for me to witness it. Third of all, I need more fights with these two on the same side (but TYBW is next so...). Anyways, because of the fact that Ginjou took away Ichigo's powers, it looks like he has the same abilities Ichigo has. It's kind of like Ichigo needs to face himself and win, and it's never an easy battle.
~ "We too were scattered prey. Somebody who couldn't find any value in her power that failed to protect her family. Somebody whose heart and power became twisted from abandonment. Somebody who falsely believed he was the spokesman for god as he used his power. Somebody who isolated herself by using her power foolishly. Ginjou appeared in front of us and said, 'are you going to roll over and die just because you're outnumbered?'" [Riruka]
To be honest, while watching the anime, I never really felt any connection to the Fullbringers' characters (with the exception of Riruka). Maybe it's because I didn't got any proper introduction to them. The lack of the backstories was one of the reasons, for sure. The manga gave me the much needed scenes, especially when it comes to the characters of Jackie and Giriko.
"When I prayed to the watch in difficult times, my wishes came true. To me, God was none other than that watch." [Giriko]
First of all, how the hell did he thought of the watch as the sign of a good fortune when the previous owner of that watch, his father, DIED EARLY OF ILLNESSES?! Second of all, why the hell did he thought it was a good idea to KILL HIS WIFE TO TEST THE WATCH'S POWER?! Third and most important of all, I really want to know what is the actual deal with that watch. I mean, is it magical because it's a part of Giriko's Fullbringer power or is it powerful all on its own? And if it's powerful on it's own, how is it possible??
"The boots I kept shining... became dirty for the first time with my brother's blood." [Jackie]
While I said that the only Fullbringer character I liked was Riruka, if someone asked me who I would choose as a second favorite, Jackie would've been my pick in an instant. She never seemed like a villain character to me. She seemed more like someone who is in the wrong place at the wrong time, you know? Her trying to gain power from Ichigo doesn't make any sense if you take her backstory into consideration. The previous Fullbringers' goal that Ginjou mentioned before everyone were cut by Tsukishima and became the real selves, made more sense to me than the real one. She should've try to lose her power, not gain more. She did lose it on the end though, and I feel like it was the best decision. She would be much happier now, or so I hope. She deserves a happy ending.
~ "Three years. In three years, I'll be a little bit older and I'll triple the size of the company. Then I'll come back. I'll return and I'll let all of you work under me. Cuz you're all misfits who can't live without my money anyway." [Yukio]
Yukio always seemed to me like the one who doesn't give an f about anyone else. He did said to Hitsugaya that he would like for Riruka to be dead than alive, so... But his last words when he had met with Jackie after all the battles gave me a totally different impression. He's a kid who acts all cocky, like he doesn't need anyone, but in reality he needs friends and, well, family - because his biological family didn't pass the test. After watching the anime, I didn't felt anything knowing how many XCUTION members didn't make it to the end. But the manga changed that. I am sad for Yukio. I am sad for Riruka (not so much for Jackie though). I am sad for Shishigawara. And, what surprised me the most, I am sad for both Ginjou and Tsukishima - the two guys that, until all this time, I hated more than Aizen.
~ I can't believe that Ichigo had obediently LEFT THE BATTLEFIELD because he thought that Ishida has some sort of plan to beat Ginjou 😂
~ Until now I didn't realize that Rukia is now a lieutenant!! 😯
~ I also didn't realize (until now) how different Ichigo's new sword looks like!
~ The fact that Ginjou used the badge card in hopes that he could turn Ichigo on his side shows how little he knew about Ichigo. But, despite all he had done to Ichigo, I like to think that they could be good friends if the situation was different.
~ I really admire Tsukishima for coming to Ginjou's rescue knowing that they both were standing on the death's door. He was a loyal friend to the very end.
~ "You will address me with an honorific title. You are worthless without master Yoruichi nearby!" - Soi Fon to Ichigo
I can't believe she had the guts so use a word "worthless" to a guy that is the Soul Society's savior. How no one slapped her in that moment is truly beyond me 🙄
Since the day I started my journey with the manga version of BLEACH, I never had any big issues with it. The only time that I felt (only a little bit, but still) upset was because of too few interactions between Ichigo and Nel in the Hueco Mundo arc. I truly did not think that I will feel upset again, especially not while reading Volume 54 - the book that covers episodes 364-366 with the 366 one being the final episode of the original anime that just happens to be one of my favorite BLEACH episodes ever. What I am trying to say is that this is the first time of me to have issues with the BLEACH manga and this is also the first time of me to ignore those issues for the sake of the highest rating (but not for the sake of the review though).
I will start with my issue so I could get on with it as fast as possible and move on to the rest of the stuff I want to talk about, okay?
I have to admit that I was not pleasantly surprised that the ending of the manga is not quite as the same as the ending of the anime. I was looking forward to cry tears of joy while watching everyone in the Soul Society observing Ichigo's home departure and his friends and family all gathering to welcome him home in the Karakura Town. But that didn't happen. What else didn't happen? Ichigo came to the Soul Society and make a ruckus just like in the anime and, just like in the anime, he asked about the body surprising every captain who gathered to this meeting. But, in the contrary to the anime, we didn't got Yamamoto's positive response to Ichigo's request which means that we also didn't got any march with Ginjou's coffin. The only thing Yamamoto had said is this:
"Can we take those as the result of careful consideration?"
and then the scene was cut. I mean, huh? WHAT?? THAT'S IT?? The lack of the two things that I mentioned upset me A LOT. I love the last episode of the original anime with everything in me. It's both funny and emotional in the best of ways. You can say what you want about it, but for me it could've easily be a perfect ending of the whole series (but TYBW exists). AND IT'S NOT CANON IN THE MANGA. I wish I could say that I not feel cheated (I know it's irrational, I'm sorry), but I do feel cheated :(
Also I thought that, in the contrary to the anime, the manga will have more backstory of the XCUTION characters. Anime got the story of Riruka and Yukio right, but cut off Jackie's and Giriko's. Okay, we did got a flashback with Jackie, but no context to it was added so all I felt was confusion. The manga did cover that part, but when it comes to the characters of Ginjou and Tsukishima, all both anime and the manga did was to give us a scene of their first meeting and that was that. BUT I NEEDED MORE. It's not that I cared for these characters or was interested in them, no, I just think that it's weird that the main villains of the arc didn't got a proper backstory. I mean, what kind of Soul Reaper was Ginjou? Why did he suddenly turned against the Soul Society? Was the truth about the badge the only reason for his rampage? What kind of life Tsukishima had before meeting Ginjou? Did he run away from home? Was he an orphan? Was Ginjou the one who raised him? When did they meet the other Fullbringers? What were the stories of their mothers (who have encounters with the Hollows)? Who saved them (like Isshin had saved Masaki)?? I have so many questions and no answers and it's really bothering me! :(
Now I will mention the moments I LOVE THE MOST ABOUT THIS VOLUME AND THE ANIME. Ready?
1) THIS SCENE BETWEEN BYAKUYA AND TSUKISHIMA:
"That was cold... I saved... your life, remember? Doesn't this... make you feel bad... ?"
"I do indeed owe my life to you. I am grateful. But you are Ichigo Kurosaki's enemy. Therefore no matter whose life you've saved, I will not hesitate in the slightest to kill you."
Do you remember the day Ichigo and Byakuya first met? Ichigo lost to him and nearly died. Do you remember the day they met for the second time? Ichigo won, but also nearly died. Do you realize how incredibly important this quote is to me? Not only because of Byakuya's character or Byakuya's relationship with Ichigo, but in the context of the whole Soul Society's relationship with Ichigo. Byakuya perfectly represents the change that had been made in the Soul Society because of Ichigo's influence. This change and this loyalty is so dear to me, you all have no idea.
2) THE SS DELEGATION WATCHING THE BIG BLACK BLOCK WHERE THE LAST FIGHT WAS HAPPENING AND WAITING PATIENTLY FOR ICHIGO'S DECISION ABOUT THE BADGE (and his relationship with the Soul Society in general)
I know that they came to the world of the living with a mission to kill Ichigo if he would turn against the Soul Society after finding out the truth about the Substitute Badge. But what I also know is that THEY ALL BELIEVED IN ICHIGO. They hoped that Ichigo will understand and HE DID. The moment the delegation realized that, they turned their backs and left, not only because their mission ended, but also because they knew that Ichigo will win the fight.
3) HITSUGAYA'S WORDS TO RUKIA AND RENJI BEFORE LEAVING:
"We imparted our powers to the Substitute Soul Reaper that we were supposed to kill and dispatched captains not to kill him, but to watch over him. Kuchiki, at the time you objected to the order to merely observe Ichigo Kurosaki. You were right. Ichigo Kurosaki learned the truth and made a decision. The decision by Ichigo Kurosaki we know and the Ichigo Kurosaki you guys believe in was to stay the same. Our job is done. I am glad he was the next Substitute Soul Reaper after Ginjou."
TEARS TEARS TEARS 😭✋
4) SENTARO'S AND KIYONE'S REPORT TO UKITAKE:
"Captain! Captain Ukitake! Here with a report, sir! Ichigo Kurosaki has safely defeated Kugo Ginjou in the world of the living! I repeat, Ichigo Kurosaki is safe!"
"I'm so glad to hear that!"
5) ICHIGO SO CONFIDENTLY WALTZING TO THE CAPTAIN MEETING THAT HE MADE RENJI FOOLED FOR A SECOND THAT HE ALWAYS BELONGED THERE
That was a very short a quick scene, but made laugh like a madman. What was missing in here was Rukia's presence. In the anime, both Rukia and Renji were the ones to first meet Ichigo in Seireitei and accompanied him to the captains' meeting.
6) THE REVEAL OF THE THREE NEW CAPTAINS
I remember how I screamed when I saw this reveal for the very first time! I was so incredibly happy that I bawled for at least an hour straight! (now I am not as happy - after witnessing the events of TYBW I wish the guys choose to stay at the world of the living, they would've been safe :( )
7) ICHIGO'S REQUEST AND SHINJI SHUTTING UP SOI FON
Ichigo: "Ginjou's body you had Renji bring back here. I want to take him and bury him in the world of the living."
Shinji: "Are you stupid? You realize what you're saying?"
Ichigo: "Shinji."
Soi Fon: "That's right? He's a criminal who robbed Soul Reapers of their powers and went on a killing spree! How can you-"
Shinji: "That's not what I'm saying."
Soi Fon: "What...?"
Her face expression lmao :D
8) THIS SHINJI AND ICHIGO TALK ABOUT GINJOU:
"Listen, Ichigo. He messed with your friends and your family. You can forgive a guy like that?"
"No. Is what he did even forgivable? It's not about forgiving or not forgiving. My friends and family are back to normal. I'm alive. And he's... just a Substitute Soul Reaper."
He was just a Substitute Soul Reaper. On the wrong side, but still a Substitute Soul Reaper. Like Ichigo. So Ichigo felt like he deserved a proper burial, even after all he had put him through. This scene shows what a big of a heart and how just of a good person Ichigo is. I also have to point out how sad Ichigo's eyes have been through the whole fight against Ginjou. He knew that he has to win this battle. And he knew that he will have to kill his opponent. He didn't want to, but there was no other way :(
9) THIS KYORAKU AND UKITAKE SCENE:
Ichigo left."
"I see. The substitute badge...?"
"He took it with him. I did ask him about it. He said, he trusts us so he'll hold on to it."
The stress Ukitake had been through, I guess from the moment Ichigo had met Ginjou, you could easily see in his face expression. The man was in an agony and it was painfully obvious. But there was also hope. Hope that Ichigo will not turn his back on him. The relief that passed through his face when Kyoraku informed him about the badge, made me smile widely (and also his "Of course he did" in the anime). Both Kyoraku and Ukitake kind of acted like they were Ichigo's proud parents and I really, really liked it :)
10) RIRUKA'S WORDS TO TSUKISHIMA:
"It was Ginjou who saved us and the one who saved Ginjou was Ichigo."
11) TSUKISHIMA'S BREAKDOWN SCENE:
"Why did you have to die?! Why, Ginjou?! Ginjou! You taught me how to use my power. You taught me how to fight. So why... Why... Why didn't you teach me what to do when you died?!"
I did not expect to cry because of Tsukishima and Ginjou, but it was exactly what I did. It was a heartbreaking scene, how could I not share a tear or two (or more...)?
12) TSUKISHIMA'S LAST THOUGHT (to Shishigawara)
'Thank you. I wasn't alone."
13) THE IMAGE OF GINJOU SMILING AT THE START OF THE LAST CHAPTER
Now some things I need to talk about - this part is much longer than usual, I'm sorry for it, I just had too much to say, I guess ;)
~ "Yo. Came up with any good ideas?"
"I don't understand."
"Dude. You're the one who said to wait-and-see. I thought that you were thinking up a plan to beat him."
"Are you stupid? As if I had anything like that."
"Oh, so you got nothing."
"I was observing his spiritual pressure just now. Listen carefully. His spiritual pressure has your..."
"Then I'm going for him."
"Wait, Kurosaki...!"
First of all, I want to say that I don't know if the change from Ichigo's hey to yo is only for the sake of the online manga readers (like me) or this is an official translation, but whatever the reason, I am incredibly grateful for it. I know the Yo from the anime and it's just one of the things that are a part of Ichigo's character, you know? Second if all, I am sure that I am repeating myself, but I LOVE the fact that after so long Ichigo's and Ishida's relationship hasn't changed. They are still two bickering morons and it's a relief for me to witness it. Third of all, I need more fights with these two on the same side (but TYBW is next so...). Anyways, because of the fact that Ginjou took away Ichigo's powers, it looks like he has the same abilities Ichigo has. It's kind of like Ichigo needs to face himself and win, and it's never an easy battle.
~ "We too were scattered prey. Somebody who couldn't find any value in her power that failed to protect her family. Somebody whose heart and power became twisted from abandonment. Somebody who falsely believed he was the spokesman for god as he used his power. Somebody who isolated herself by using her power foolishly. Ginjou appeared in front of us and said, 'are you going to roll over and die just because you're outnumbered?'" [Riruka]
To be honest, while watching the anime, I never really felt any connection to the Fullbringers' characters (with the exception of Riruka). Maybe it's because I didn't got any proper introduction to them. The lack of the backstories was one of the reasons, for sure. The manga gave me the much needed scenes, especially when it comes to the characters of Jackie and Giriko.
"When I prayed to the watch in difficult times, my wishes came true. To me, God was none other than that watch." [Giriko]
First of all, how the hell did he thought of the watch as the sign of a good fortune when the previous owner of that watch, his father, DIED EARLY OF ILLNESSES?! Second of all, why the hell did he thought it was a good idea to KILL HIS WIFE TO TEST THE WATCH'S POWER?! Third and most important of all, I really want to know what is the actual deal with that watch. I mean, is it magical because it's a part of Giriko's Fullbringer power or is it powerful all on its own? And if it's powerful on it's own, how is it possible??
"The boots I kept shining... became dirty for the first time with my brother's blood." [Jackie]
While I said that the only Fullbringer character I liked was Riruka, if someone asked me who I would choose as a second favorite, Jackie would've been my pick in an instant. She never seemed like a villain character to me. She seemed more like someone who is in the wrong place at the wrong time, you know? Her trying to gain power from Ichigo doesn't make any sense if you take her backstory into consideration. The previous Fullbringers' goal that Ginjou mentioned before everyone were cut by Tsukishima and became the real selves, made more sense to me than the real one. She should've try to lose her power, not gain more. She did lose it on the end though, and I feel like it was the best decision. She would be much happier now, or so I hope. She deserves a happy ending.
~ "Three years. In three years, I'll be a little bit older and I'll triple the size of the company. Then I'll come back. I'll return and I'll let all of you work under me. Cuz you're all misfits who can't live without my money anyway." [Yukio]
Yukio always seemed to me like the one who doesn't give an f about anyone else. He did said to Hitsugaya that he would like for Riruka to be dead than alive, so... But his last words when he had met with Jackie after all the battles gave me a totally different impression. He's a kid who acts all cocky, like he doesn't need anyone, but in reality he needs friends and, well, family - because his biological family didn't pass the test. After watching the anime, I didn't felt anything knowing how many XCUTION members didn't make it to the end. But the manga changed that. I am sad for Yukio. I am sad for Riruka (not so much for Jackie though). I am sad for Shishigawara. And, what surprised me the most, I am sad for both Ginjou and Tsukishima - the two guys that, until all this time, I hated more than Aizen.
~ I can't believe that Ichigo had obediently LEFT THE BATTLEFIELD because he thought that Ishida has some sort of plan to beat Ginjou 😂
~ Until now I didn't realize that Rukia is now a lieutenant!! 😯
~ I also didn't realize (until now) how different Ichigo's new sword looks like!
~ The fact that Ginjou used the badge card in hopes that he could turn Ichigo on his side shows how little he knew about Ichigo. But, despite all he had done to Ichigo, I like to think that they could be good friends if the situation was different.
~ I really admire Tsukishima for coming to Ginjou's rescue knowing that they both were standing on the death's door. He was a loyal friend to the very end.
~ "You will address me with an honorific title. You are worthless without master Yoruichi nearby!" - Soi Fon to Ichigo
I can't believe she had the guts so use a word "worthless" to a guy that is the Soul Society's savior. How no one slapped her in that moment is truly beyond me 🙄
January 9, 2013
Finally, this arc is over and it was completely pointless. Well, it did serve the purpose of showing how Ichigo regains his powers, but why did it have to take 50-some-odd chapters to do so? He gets a quick stab in the back much like how he got his powers the first time (way back in Chapter 1), and it didn't need to be so tediously long and drawn out. A dozen chapters would have been sufficient.
On top of all this, so much of how Ichigo was a supposed Fullbringer didn't make ANY sense at all. It was never explained and the reader was just supposed to accept that he somehow was one and leave it at that. No. I wanted to be able to understand the mythos and logic behind it, but it didn't exist. With this same lack of sense, Ichigo should have been able to wake up one morning and have all his powers suddenly restored to him for no reason. It wouldn't have been any different.
Just glad it's over.
On top of all this, so much of how Ichigo was a supposed Fullbringer didn't make ANY sense at all. It was never explained and the reader was just supposed to accept that he somehow was one and leave it at that. No. I wanted to be able to understand the mythos and logic behind it, but it didn't exist. With this same lack of sense, Ichigo should have been able to wake up one morning and have all his powers suddenly restored to him for no reason. It wouldn't have been any different.
Just glad it's over.
September 9, 2023
That brings this arc to an end. It felt rushed and brought characters into the story who I feel will never contribute much to the main story. This arc did give us more character development on Ichigo and solely him, but I feel like more could have been done, and honestly this arc could have been filler if not for Ichigo regaining his powers and learning the truth about the deputy badge. I enjoyed certain moments in this arc, but it felt kinda unnecessary to the overall story.
January 22, 2013
21 January 2013
Bleach, Volume 54: Goodbye to Our Xcution brings The Lost Agent arc to a close, and, boy, does it put you through the wringer of emotions. This final volume in the story arc is yet another lesson that there is no definitive line between right and wrong. What path you choose when faced with struggles and trauma determines where you land on the gray-scale between good and evil.
In this volume, the backstory of each Fullbringer is told and how Ginjô brought them all together. All of them have suffered loss, be it a loss of a loved one or losing their sense of self, and joined forces to create a family where they at last felt they belonged. I ended up feeling really bad for some of them, but especially for Ginjô's feeling of betrayal for a cause he fought so strongly for.
The fight scenes were awesome and intense. Byakuya's fight with Tsukishima had me biting my nails trying to figure out Byakuya's next move, while Rukia and Rurika had me laughing in amusement. I could not get enough of Rukia/Deviko/Rabbiko! The battle with Ichigo and Ginjô was one of the best battles in Bleach so far. It was powerful, emotional, and seeing this self-assured Ichigo made it ah-mazing. And an added bonus: they both looked cool as all heck!
Whether you're a hero or a villain depends on what side you're standing on and the cause you're fighting for. The Fullbringers made choices to survive in a world that had cast them aside. The Soul Reapers have made decisions that protected their own but had put others at risk. Choices. But no matter the pain or consequence, Ichigo chooses the higher ground and always does right by people. He has strength of character and integrity, and I truly admire the man he has become.
Favorite Characters ... so far:
* Byakuya Kuchiki
* Renji Abarai
* Isshin Kurosaki
* Kisuke Urahara
* Ichigo Kurosaki
* Jūshirō Ukitake
* Kenpachi Zaraki
* Grimmjow Jaegerjaques
* Ulquiorra Cifer
* Yoruichi Shihōin
* The Vizards (especially Shinji)
* Sajin Komamura
* The Great Desert Bros. (particularly Nel)
* Ikkaku Madarame
* Tōshirō Hitsugaya
* Gin Ichimaru
* Sōsuke Aizen
Bleach, Volume 54: Goodbye to Our Xcution brings The Lost Agent arc to a close, and, boy, does it put you through the wringer of emotions. This final volume in the story arc is yet another lesson that there is no definitive line between right and wrong. What path you choose when faced with struggles and trauma determines where you land on the gray-scale between good and evil.
In this volume, the backstory of each Fullbringer is told and how Ginjô brought them all together. All of them have suffered loss, be it a loss of a loved one or losing their sense of self, and joined forces to create a family where they at last felt they belonged. I ended up feeling really bad for some of them, but especially for Ginjô's feeling of betrayal for a cause he fought so strongly for.
The fight scenes were awesome and intense. Byakuya's fight with Tsukishima had me biting my nails trying to figure out Byakuya's next move, while Rukia and Rurika had me laughing in amusement. I could not get enough of Rukia/Deviko/Rabbiko! The battle with Ichigo and Ginjô was one of the best battles in Bleach so far. It was powerful, emotional, and seeing this self-assured Ichigo made it ah-mazing. And an added bonus: they both looked cool as all heck!
Whether you're a hero or a villain depends on what side you're standing on and the cause you're fighting for. The Fullbringers made choices to survive in a world that had cast them aside. The Soul Reapers have made decisions that protected their own but had put others at risk. Choices. But no matter the pain or consequence, Ichigo chooses the higher ground and always does right by people. He has strength of character and integrity, and I truly admire the man he has become.
Favorite Characters ... so far:
* Byakuya Kuchiki
* Renji Abarai
* Isshin Kurosaki
* Kisuke Urahara
* Ichigo Kurosaki
* Jūshirō Ukitake
* Kenpachi Zaraki
* Grimmjow Jaegerjaques
* Ulquiorra Cifer
* Yoruichi Shihōin
* The Vizards (especially Shinji)
* Sajin Komamura
* The Great Desert Bros. (particularly Nel)
* Ikkaku Madarame
* Tōshirō Hitsugaya
* Gin Ichimaru
* Sōsuke Aizen
May 17, 2020
This concludes the before-last story arc within the Bleach franchise and it really was one of the most rushed stories that mangaka Tite Kubo decided to sneak in before tackling his final arc.
The problem I especially have with this one as a whole is that it only served one purpose regarding the main character and nothing else. All the new characters that are introduced here were skimmed over and almost just felt like something exploratory more than anything.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
The problem I especially have with this one as a whole is that it only served one purpose regarding the main character and nothing else. All the new characters that are introduced here were skimmed over and almost just felt like something exploratory more than anything.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
November 6, 2022
I loved the end to this arc! Probably some of the most memorable antagonists of the series so far!
December 6, 2022
Arrancar arc was fire, better than Soul Society for me, Fullbring was meh, interesting character chops but rushed plot and hollow antagonists (especially after Arrancar, which had excellent antagonists)
anyways it's TYBW time baby
anyways it's TYBW time baby
September 4, 2023
Thank you, Ginjo. For inviting me to Xcution.
Thank you, Chad. For trusting us. Thank you, Orihime. For crying for me.
And Ichigo. To you I can gladly say…goodbye. Please forget about me. Because no matter how I say it, I know…
…you will never forget us.
And that’s a wrap on the Fullbring arc. It was pretty short compared to the other arcs but imo it’s one of the best ones. Tsukishima’s ‘Book of the End’ is one of the most broken abilities I’ve ever seen, a power that allows him to essentially gaslight everyone around him and change their entire perception/reality of him. He really fucked with Ichigo and pushed him to a level of despair I’ve never seen before, and what he was put through was honestly all sorts of fucked up and insidious. If you think about it the very thing that drives Ichigo - his friends and family and his unwavering need to protect them - basically turned on him and embraced his enemy. Hell, even his one and only ally in all of this (Ginjo) turns on him and reveals himself as the mastermind behind everything. For the first time you could tell Ichigo understood the true depth of loneliness. Again this is probably the lowest I’ve ever seen Ichigo, and he’s been through things that would make grown men piss their pants. I felt so bad for him bro :(
This arc was a lot more character-centric and psychologically oriented, and I like how instead of presenting us with your typical looming “the world is about to end” type of threat, it introduced us to something (or rather someone) that could potentially shatter Ichigo’s entire world. Truly one of the my favorite arcs of Bleach!
The only thing I wish could have been done differently is the rushed ending. Additionally I wish the Fullbringers were more fleshed out like the characters in the Bount arc were. I was already emotionally invested in them, especially Ginjo, but I think I would have understood their characters and sympathized with them more had we gotten a more in depth backstory.
People can hate this arc all they want, but like the Bount arc it played a significant role in Ichigo’s characterization, made him stronger as a fighter and more importantly as a person. Not only that, it really cemented his motivations: to protect his loved ones above anything else. I know the possibility of the Fullbringers ever making an appearance again is extremely low, but that won’t stop me from hoping and waiting for them…
Thank you, Chad. For trusting us. Thank you, Orihime. For crying for me.
And Ichigo. To you I can gladly say…goodbye. Please forget about me. Because no matter how I say it, I know…
…you will never forget us.
And that’s a wrap on the Fullbring arc. It was pretty short compared to the other arcs but imo it’s one of the best ones. Tsukishima’s ‘Book of the End’ is one of the most broken abilities I’ve ever seen, a power that allows him to essentially gaslight everyone around him and change their entire perception/reality of him. He really fucked with Ichigo and pushed him to a level of despair I’ve never seen before, and what he was put through was honestly all sorts of fucked up and insidious. If you think about it the very thing that drives Ichigo - his friends and family and his unwavering need to protect them - basically turned on him and embraced his enemy. Hell, even his one and only ally in all of this (Ginjo) turns on him and reveals himself as the mastermind behind everything. For the first time you could tell Ichigo understood the true depth of loneliness. Again this is probably the lowest I’ve ever seen Ichigo, and he’s been through things that would make grown men piss their pants. I felt so bad for him bro :(
This arc was a lot more character-centric and psychologically oriented, and I like how instead of presenting us with your typical looming “the world is about to end” type of threat, it introduced us to something (or rather someone) that could potentially shatter Ichigo’s entire world. Truly one of the my favorite arcs of Bleach!
The only thing I wish could have been done differently is the rushed ending. Additionally I wish the Fullbringers were more fleshed out like the characters in the Bount arc were. I was already emotionally invested in them, especially Ginjo, but I think I would have understood their characters and sympathized with them more had we gotten a more in depth backstory.
People can hate this arc all they want, but like the Bount arc it played a significant role in Ichigo’s characterization, made him stronger as a fighter and more importantly as a person. Not only that, it really cemented his motivations: to protect his loved ones above anything else. I know the possibility of the Fullbringers ever making an appearance again is extremely low, but that won’t stop me from hoping and waiting for them…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2024
the end of the lost agent arc! what i find so facilitating about the comparative between the lost agent arc and the previous arrancar arc is that when it came to the matter of aizen being the villain, he was so supreme in power that you genuinely felt hopeless for ichigo and the soul society, like at one point i was sure that some of the main characters were going to die. aizen’s total power never came from a place of deep emotion, it was purely for the gain of power and transcendence, it was just blind and not at all based on anything concrete. he didn't even have a real reason to do it, just his own pure greed. however, with ginjo and all of xcution, they felt connected and even cared for each other. each of the xcution members wanted to work for ginjo to help him reach a goal because he was wronged by the soul society. ginjo had a real reason to fight, which made you feel bad for him, your emotions were actually engaged at the end of this arc, but not by ichigo or the mistery hero (gin), but by the bad guys. i think that's what makes ginjo the better villain so far. although not one moment did i think that any of the captains / ichigo was going to lose their battle (hell, they didn't even struggle), i still valued ginjo's menace because you can see yourself siding with him, that even if ichigo DID go along with ginjo you couldn't even fault him for it. brilliant!! i hope the xcution members come back again soon into the narrative and i hope yukio keeps his promise and looks after them all. even if they joined together because they were so lonely, the loss of ginjo caused them to realise they had each other.
December 6, 2020
This was such a great volume and like its the final fight between Ichigo and Ginjou, apart from that many fights happen and all in all it has a lot of revelations about how that budge was to suppress his soul powers and all and it seemed like Ginjou wanted to turn him against soul society but despite that he trusts in his friends and they battle and he even uses Bankai and they fight and the ending again somewhat seems rushed but its a beautiful one as we learn what their real reasons were. And its a sad goodbye to him, Tsukishima and even Riruka with what she does in the end. Overall its a beautiful volume and just shows why Ichigo is the best, its because he trust others and believes in them and all and makes them trust him in turn and when he goes to soul society and asks for his body from captain commander just reinforces this. This arc was a great exploration of Ichigo and why he is the best of all of these characters and all and the art was just superb and the battle so unique!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2019
Bleach, Vol. 54 continues where the previous tankōbon left off and contains the next ten chapters (470–479) of the on-going manga series.
After placing Rukia Kuchiki's soul in a doll body, Riruka Dokugamine proceeds to explain the past of the Xcution members to her opponent before ending their fight by using a special ability from her Fullbring in order to vanish after Rukia is restored to normal.
Meanwhile, after Shūkurō Tsukishima manages to inflict a serious injury, Byakuya Kuchiki manages to inflict a mortal wound on his Fullbringer opponent. Sensing Tsukishima's failing life while explaining his ally's death would restore everyone's altered memories, Kūgo Ginjō reveals to Ichigo Kurosaki the truth behind the Soul Society being distrustful towards Substitute Soul Reapers. Ichigo admits knowing about the revelation yet still having trust in the Soul Society for aiding him in protecting his loved ones as he kills Ginjō in a final clash.
After Riruka saves him from getting killed, by a dying Tsukishima, Ichigo later requests Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto let him bury Ginjō's body in the World of the Living. Yamamoto agrees just as Ichigo states his intent to continue being a Substitute Soul Reaper.
This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Tite Kubo. The history behind the Xcution team is finally revealed, just as they are being decimated. The true reasons behind the distrust of Soul Society's hatred towards Substitute Soul Reapers are finally revealed and Ichigo Kurosaki is finally back as a Soul Reaper.
All in all, Bleach, Vol. 54 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems intriguing and I cannot wait to read more.
After placing Rukia Kuchiki's soul in a doll body, Riruka Dokugamine proceeds to explain the past of the Xcution members to her opponent before ending their fight by using a special ability from her Fullbring in order to vanish after Rukia is restored to normal.
Meanwhile, after Shūkurō Tsukishima manages to inflict a serious injury, Byakuya Kuchiki manages to inflict a mortal wound on his Fullbringer opponent. Sensing Tsukishima's failing life while explaining his ally's death would restore everyone's altered memories, Kūgo Ginjō reveals to Ichigo Kurosaki the truth behind the Soul Society being distrustful towards Substitute Soul Reapers. Ichigo admits knowing about the revelation yet still having trust in the Soul Society for aiding him in protecting his loved ones as he kills Ginjō in a final clash.
After Riruka saves him from getting killed, by a dying Tsukishima, Ichigo later requests Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto let him bury Ginjō's body in the World of the Living. Yamamoto agrees just as Ichigo states his intent to continue being a Substitute Soul Reaper.
This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Tite Kubo. The history behind the Xcution team is finally revealed, just as they are being decimated. The true reasons behind the distrust of Soul Society's hatred towards Substitute Soul Reapers are finally revealed and Ichigo Kurosaki is finally back as a Soul Reaper.
All in all, Bleach, Vol. 54 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems intriguing and I cannot wait to read more.
February 9, 2020
Waaaaah I was almost teary 😭 I love how the author humanises the antagonists- they are living beings too ❤️❤️❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
January 28, 2021bleach hasn't made me cry much but this volume man, definitely brought tears.
February 11, 2024
Um. This arc was fine. There was some good stuff within the arc and overall it was enjoyable but the characters introduced don’t have any impact on the main story. They felt like filler which is quite sad because more character development could have been achieved with these characters. They definitely had the potential. The idea of the former deputy soul reaper was actually quite an interesting concept.
Overall this arc was both too long and too short for what it was trying to achieve.
Overall this arc was both too long and too short for what it was trying to achieve.
February 2, 2024
Ichigo’s full bring outfit is dumb looking (I forgot to say that earlier). But hey! Bleach is actually killing off people and trying to make it sad (it’s not)
January 29, 2025
This arc had some good moments, but I’m glad it’s over.
November 13, 2024
This arc is way better than people say it is. You can definitely tell who genuinely likes the series by what they say about the first arc and this one because if you consider them the worst and boring then you clearly don't understand one of the things that it inspired in future shonen series (the fighting in a modern setting or our world thing instead of in the past or a fantasy world, which I think is called urban fantasy, you didn't really see it back when this series started but now it's pretty common) and you only care about the fights, not the actual story and character development.
I found myself getting through the volumes pretty quickly and really enjoying them, it did get a little annoying at vol. 52 or 53 but for the most part I enjoyed it. My most favourite arc is still the Soul Society arc but this one wasn't bad either. I don't think there's any Bleach arc I dislike and I'm not sure which one is my least favourite yet.
I would have rated this volume 4.5 or even 5 stars but when the backstories of four of the Xcution members was revealed (Ririka, Jackie, Yukio, and the old guy’s), I didn’t feel bad for them except for Jackie. Am I supposed to feel bad for selfish kids and a selfish old man? They got to where they are themselves, they’ve got no one to blame except themselves. The only one I feel sympathy for out of these four is Jackie because her circumstances weren’t her fault and coming home to find what she did isn’t something you can get over and it would very traumatizing, especially for a kid. I especially don’t feel bad for Yukio because he was being a whiney brat about his parents when they sounded like normal parents who just wanted to the best for their child to me. I really don’t see the problem except a kid being selfish and not understanding how the real world works. He stole his dad’s money and ruined his parent’s life and then gloated about his dad committing suicide. Wtf is wrong with you, kid!? Go get some mental help cause you really need it. Throughout this series we got either sad backstories or cool ones but this is the first time where I wasn’t impressed, at least with three of them.
While this chapter was a bit sad, I don’t really care about most of the Xcution members, which might be because we didn’t spend much time with them.
I really hate Tsukishima’s fullbring because it feels dirty and invasive to me, like he’s mindfucking people. I’m glad we don’t have to deal with him anymore.
Byakuya really surprised with what he said to Tsukishima. It’s always the characters who seem like they’re not getting along that end up caring a lot.
I don’t know how I feel about Ichigo being too nice again or is it understanding this time, maybe it’s a good thing this time?
Blog: nazreads.ca
Twitter: Naz_readsanime
Instagram: nazreads01, nazcosplay, nradesigns, charmedanimegirl01
I found myself getting through the volumes pretty quickly and really enjoying them, it did get a little annoying at vol. 52 or 53 but for the most part I enjoyed it. My most favourite arc is still the Soul Society arc but this one wasn't bad either. I don't think there's any Bleach arc I dislike and I'm not sure which one is my least favourite yet.
I would have rated this volume 4.5 or even 5 stars but when the backstories of four of the Xcution members was revealed (Ririka, Jackie, Yukio, and the old guy’s), I didn’t feel bad for them except for Jackie. Am I supposed to feel bad for selfish kids and a selfish old man? They got to where they are themselves, they’ve got no one to blame except themselves. The only one I feel sympathy for out of these four is Jackie because her circumstances weren’t her fault and coming home to find what she did isn’t something you can get over and it would very traumatizing, especially for a kid. I especially don’t feel bad for Yukio because he was being a whiney brat about his parents when they sounded like normal parents who just wanted to the best for their child to me. I really don’t see the problem except a kid being selfish and not understanding how the real world works. He stole his dad’s money and ruined his parent’s life and then gloated about his dad committing suicide. Wtf is wrong with you, kid!? Go get some mental help cause you really need it. Throughout this series we got either sad backstories or cool ones but this is the first time where I wasn’t impressed, at least with three of them.
While this chapter was a bit sad, I don’t really care about most of the Xcution members, which might be because we didn’t spend much time with them.
I really hate Tsukishima’s fullbring because it feels dirty and invasive to me, like he’s mindfucking people. I’m glad we don’t have to deal with him anymore.
Byakuya really surprised with what he said to Tsukishima. It’s always the characters who seem like they’re not getting along that end up caring a lot.
I don’t know how I feel about Ichigo being too nice again or is it understanding this time, maybe it’s a good thing this time?
Blog: nazreads.ca
Twitter: Naz_readsanime
Instagram: nazreads01, nazcosplay, nradesigns, charmedanimegirl01
January 4, 2023
Rating high but I don’t feel like this is a very satisfying conclusion to the fullbringer arc. Yes we find out that the Soul Society was dishonest with Ichigo, and we find out SOME of Ginjo’s backstory but not nearly enough. How did they betray him, what did they do? How did he become a substitute soul reaper? What was he going to do with the fullbringer powers he stole from Ichigo? Where does Riruka go at the end? I’m left with many questions. I actually googled it in frustration, apparently this gets brought up again in the can’t fear your own world novels? I’m not sure if I love or hate how disjointed the bleach timeline is at revealing information lol. Hopefully I will find the answers I’m looking for in the future about these things! But anyway I did enjoy the fullbringer backgrounds. I’m glad they all mostly survived. Yukio’s story with his parents… a big theme with Bleach seems to be children who don’t have family that is there for them or respect them, and finding a friend family who does. It’s definitely one of my favorite things about it. (Seriously why couldn’t Urahara and Isshin at least tell Ichigo of their plan to restore his powers?)
If Urahara can meet with the head captain in the soul society and Aizen is imprisoned, and some of the visoreds are reinstated captains do could he technically go back as well? Was it offered to him as well and he turned it down? Is he still exiled or was he pardoned for everything he’s done?
I loved the Byakuya and Tsukishima fight. Byakuya using senbonzakura in a new way was exiting. I wonder what Tsukishima meant when he said Byakuya owed him his life (something from Book of The End?)
I also hate how the soul society gives ichigo his powers back but basically treats this battle as a test of his loyalty. They owe him a lot.
Anyway sorry not sorry I’m an Ukitake apologist though he’s never done anything wrong in his life <3333 I enjoyed that he got some page time and some *drama* lol
If Urahara can meet with the head captain in the soul society and Aizen is imprisoned, and some of the visoreds are reinstated captains do could he technically go back as well? Was it offered to him as well and he turned it down? Is he still exiled or was he pardoned for everything he’s done?
I loved the Byakuya and Tsukishima fight. Byakuya using senbonzakura in a new way was exiting. I wonder what Tsukishima meant when he said Byakuya owed him his life (something from Book of The End?)
I also hate how the soul society gives ichigo his powers back but basically treats this battle as a test of his loyalty. They owe him a lot.
Anyway sorry not sorry I’m an Ukitake apologist though he’s never done anything wrong in his life <3333 I enjoyed that he got some page time and some *drama* lol
October 15, 2022
The way I had mixed feelings reading this. T_T
June 30, 2013
This arc saved itself from relative obscurity in its final volume, giving its existence in Bleach canon actual meaning with some well placed plot twists and acts of character development. A lot of Soul Society favorites manage to get some significant page space and Soul Society itself ends up benefiting from a bout of Kubo's erratic world-building style. Looking forward to the next story arc once Bleach 55 makes its way from the public library into my hands.
March 14, 2018
I love the ending to this arc of the story. It was sad with what happened to some of the members of Xcution. Ichigo has grown up a lot since the beginning of this manga. The mutual trust between Ichigo and the Soul Society was great and very touching. Ichigo has changed how the Soul Society thinks and acts and that is amazing.
January 14, 2023
Don’t write reviews often but I had herd such bad things about this arc but I can honestly say I loved it. The story became almost like psychological thriller for a little and we saw Ichigo struggle and grow so much. I know it was cut short due to kubos editor so for it to still come out good despite that speaks volumes to him as an author. Been loving this series overall.
September 2, 2016
The arc in itself was fun but they just kept stretching the main story out which I didn't really appreciate. It was interesting though with all the details about xcution and genjo.
And ooh boy do I love the new looks our shinigamis have.
And ooh boy do I love the new looks our shinigamis have.
April 7, 2022
A saga Fullbringer tem um final menos espectacular que as anteriores, mas não deixa de ser apropriado.
May 11, 2019
Amazing
December 24, 2022
I take back everything I said about this arc being boring. It was beautiful. This whole series is beautiful but I've heard some things about what happens next and I'm not prepared for it.
May 30, 2020
Given that Manga, and especially Shonen is split up into bigger arcs as composed to volumes I will be analyzing and reviewing this by Arc. I also reread this manga over the span of 2 months, some days reading as much as 100 chapters a day. It would be quite tedious for me to review each 7-8 chapter volume. So this will be copy and pasted throughout all of the 72 manga volumes. That being said, if you're looking at this without having viewed the series...spoiler warning. I don't recap anything, but I also mention things that happen. If you want me to answer the question "Should I pick this up?" Yes. Even if you stop at the end of the Soul Society Arc. It's worth it.
Karakura Town Arc - Chapters 1-56 - Rating: 7/10
(The official page lumps this in with the Soul Society Arc however I feel as if they are two very separate arcs with two very separate themes)
- A fun introduction.
-An interesting premise on the idea of ghosts and demons (Hollows)
-Does a good job of introducing the characters and I especially enjoyed the love for characters like Chad, Orihime and Uryu as these characters would later lose more and more spotlight as the series went on.
-It is a bit of a monster of the week. When it works, like with Chad's introduction story. It works. But Characters like Don Kanonji felt superficial and very gimmicky. Which, fair. I didn't enjoy them as much.
Soul Society Arc - Chapters 57-182 - Rating: 10/10
-The height of Bleach
-Establishes an afterlife seemingly perfectly. Later on revealed to be full of plot holes and never fleshed out but hey! That's not an issue in THIS arc. The fights are top tier, the themes of Ichigo owing a life debt to Rukia and his passion and determination to rise above literally God's army is inspiring and to this day is why I love Ichigo so much. He doesn't have some grandiose plan. He doesn't have a major goal to accomplish. He is a protector by heart, losing his mother has made him sour to failing to protect those he cares about and he'll do anything in his power never to feel that helpless again. Very powerful stuff.
-The twist near the end of this arc is revolutionary and would make waves for the next 200 chapters onward. A perfect ending and set up for the forthcoming arc.
-The only issues I have for this arc would be Ichigo's lightning speed progression. The guy goes from being able to barely defeat a third seat to besting multiple captains in roughly 100 or less chapters. I get that that is the point and him defeating captains was more of a struck of luck, but progression and pacing wise it feels very unearned and a factor of "for the plot he needed to be this strong" It only seems as fast as it is because Ichigo's progression slows drastically down for the rest of the story moving foreword so it's only now that I make that criticism.
-Also, and this will be an issue in most Shonen. There are 13 Captains with 13 Vice Captains and seats that branch all the way to 10 I believe? Regardless, there's a fudge ton of characters that are introduced here and it can get a little jarring at times. Luckily, Kubo does a great job at making their designs and characters unique despite such a large cast.
Hueco Mundo Arc - Chapters 183-423 - Rating 7/10
-This is another arc where personally I would split it up into two separate arcs. But for the sake of this review I will simply refer to the first half of the arc and the later half of the arc. First Half 9/10. Second Half. 5/10.
-The first half of this arc is a great continuation of the last. Ichigo now struggles with his inner demons and it affects his ability to protect the ones he loves. We are also introduced to a deadly unknown new villains. The Arrancars/Espada to this day remain one of my favorite villain factions in all of manga enemies.
-Just so you're aware I would say the first half of this arc ends right around the point of Ichigo vs Grimmjow. Grimmjow is one of the first Arrancar that Ichigo faces. And he's also one of two Espada that he faces three times. The conclusion of that fight shows Ichigo conquering his inner demons. Where Grimmjow is very much fighting to establish himself. Grimmjow has to fight Ichigo to prove to his fallen comrades that he is as good as he says he is. He doesn't care about Aizen, he doesn't care about the rest of the Espada. It is very personal for him. For Ichigo, Orohime is within his grasp of saving and he views this as his "final" battle. It's my favorite fight in all of Bleach.
-However, this is where things start to take a bit of dip in quality in my opinion. We had a goal and we were striving towards that goal. Each character of the original cast coming to repay the debt they made to their friend who had risked her life to save them in the Soul society arc. But somewhere along the way it seems we just had a fighter fest. Captains would face enemies with no themes or character revelations. The Espadas got a little light but nothing that made their fights compelling. You almost just feel bad for the Espada as they were monsters turned into a military force by an unstoppable tyrant. But even that wasn't enough to make half of the fights interesting. Now, that's with knowing the outcome. These fights played little importance in the larger scheme of things. Where at least in the Hueco Mundo fights each match up had the protagonists striving for a goal. Rukia to defeat Aaroneiro to free her former superiors soul. Byakuya to defend Rukia. Renji and Uryu teamwork. Nel to protect Ichigo and get revenge on Nnoitra. Whereas Stark fought Kyoraku.....cause.....and Hitsugaya fought Halibel because Water vs Ice would be cool.
-This leaves me to the end. I won't say it wasn't satisfying that Ichigo was able to defeat Aizen. And yes, I do feel like his new power was earned. 3 months of training. But this was clearly a last minute decision to save Aizen for a later date and the show must go on. I do feel like it wasn't as satisfying as 200+ chapter buildup needed to be.
The Fullbring Arc - Chapters 424-479 - Rating: 8/10
-A very underrated arc. And yes, I acknowledge that rating wise I think the Fullbring arc is superior to the Hueco Mundo arc. That is mostly true. Though I like the first half of the Hueco Mundo Arc more than the Fullbring arc. The end of the HM arc really brought it down for me. The Fullbring Arc is much more concise and is actually the shortest arc in the series and works as a glorified Ichigo getting his powers back arc. But that doesn't mean its bad.
-When I read it originally back when it was coming out in 2010. (Cause I'm Old) It wasn't phenomenal. In fact, I hated it. But wouldn't you? It took just short of a year to get to the point that we were at. But upon rereading it, it gave much deserved love to the characters who hadn't been shown love in quite some time. The original cast. It was a very character focused arc. Ichigo never seemed more human. And despite me hating it before for taking so long, reading weekly can sometimes hurt these mystery based arcs. The twist is heavily foreshadowed and I really appreciated it.
-That being said, the end was super rushed. This was a big bummer for me. The villains this time around were humans. And the ones who had the most exposure and relations with these characters were the original cast who again....were humans. So to have the soul reapers, who have no connection to the fullbringers show up and basically no diff most of the fullbringers felt very forced and fanservicey to me. This very well could have not been Kubo's call. As the community was very vocal about their dislike for this arc as it was going on. But I appreciate it now much more as I appreciate character and story over big sword fights. Lol.
The Thousand Year Blood War Arc - Chapters 424-689 - Rating: 5/10
-And we're finally here. The final and largest arc within the Bleach story. And man...does it not stick the landing.
-That being said, this arc has phenomenal moments. Kenpachi's Shikai and Bankai. Ichigo's double swords. Renji's true Bankai. Rukia's Bankai. And many more. However, they are put together against the most break neck speed arc that I have ever read. Kubo was very ambitious when he introduced 26 new villains. However, most of them got barely any screen time and a lot of them even got off screened by higher level captains. This was unlike the Espada who each got a full double page spread for their Resurrections.
-Yhwach himself was a phenomenal villain but was dealt with swiftly and imo dirty. They did him dirty.
-There was just something off. The mood changed and it was very apparent. The villains had random powers instead of the powers reflecting their personalities or needs. The finale felt so underwhelming.
-Ichigo gets to be the strongest he's ever been....but he doesn't defeat a single person besides the main villain despite being in several fights.
-It isn't a good arc. In fact, I would say it's the worst. Hopefully the anime does a better job with this already mammoth of a story. 260 chapters is no joke.
This gives the story of Bleach an Overall rating of 7.4/10. Which to me is above average. It has it's ups and downs. It's not perfect. But when it's high, it's peak shonen. But when it's low, it's very forgettable.
Karakura Town Arc - Chapters 1-56 - Rating: 7/10
(The official page lumps this in with the Soul Society Arc however I feel as if they are two very separate arcs with two very separate themes)
- A fun introduction.
-An interesting premise on the idea of ghosts and demons (Hollows)
-Does a good job of introducing the characters and I especially enjoyed the love for characters like Chad, Orihime and Uryu as these characters would later lose more and more spotlight as the series went on.
-It is a bit of a monster of the week. When it works, like with Chad's introduction story. It works. But Characters like Don Kanonji felt superficial and very gimmicky. Which, fair. I didn't enjoy them as much.
Soul Society Arc - Chapters 57-182 - Rating: 10/10
-The height of Bleach
-Establishes an afterlife seemingly perfectly. Later on revealed to be full of plot holes and never fleshed out but hey! That's not an issue in THIS arc. The fights are top tier, the themes of Ichigo owing a life debt to Rukia and his passion and determination to rise above literally God's army is inspiring and to this day is why I love Ichigo so much. He doesn't have some grandiose plan. He doesn't have a major goal to accomplish. He is a protector by heart, losing his mother has made him sour to failing to protect those he cares about and he'll do anything in his power never to feel that helpless again. Very powerful stuff.
-The twist near the end of this arc is revolutionary and would make waves for the next 200 chapters onward. A perfect ending and set up for the forthcoming arc.
-The only issues I have for this arc would be Ichigo's lightning speed progression. The guy goes from being able to barely defeat a third seat to besting multiple captains in roughly 100 or less chapters. I get that that is the point and him defeating captains was more of a struck of luck, but progression and pacing wise it feels very unearned and a factor of "for the plot he needed to be this strong" It only seems as fast as it is because Ichigo's progression slows drastically down for the rest of the story moving foreword so it's only now that I make that criticism.
-Also, and this will be an issue in most Shonen. There are 13 Captains with 13 Vice Captains and seats that branch all the way to 10 I believe? Regardless, there's a fudge ton of characters that are introduced here and it can get a little jarring at times. Luckily, Kubo does a great job at making their designs and characters unique despite such a large cast.
Hueco Mundo Arc - Chapters 183-423 - Rating 7/10
-This is another arc where personally I would split it up into two separate arcs. But for the sake of this review I will simply refer to the first half of the arc and the later half of the arc. First Half 9/10. Second Half. 5/10.
-The first half of this arc is a great continuation of the last. Ichigo now struggles with his inner demons and it affects his ability to protect the ones he loves. We are also introduced to a deadly unknown new villains. The Arrancars/Espada to this day remain one of my favorite villain factions in all of manga enemies.
-Just so you're aware I would say the first half of this arc ends right around the point of Ichigo vs Grimmjow. Grimmjow is one of the first Arrancar that Ichigo faces. And he's also one of two Espada that he faces three times. The conclusion of that fight shows Ichigo conquering his inner demons. Where Grimmjow is very much fighting to establish himself. Grimmjow has to fight Ichigo to prove to his fallen comrades that he is as good as he says he is. He doesn't care about Aizen, he doesn't care about the rest of the Espada. It is very personal for him. For Ichigo, Orohime is within his grasp of saving and he views this as his "final" battle. It's my favorite fight in all of Bleach.
-However, this is where things start to take a bit of dip in quality in my opinion. We had a goal and we were striving towards that goal. Each character of the original cast coming to repay the debt they made to their friend who had risked her life to save them in the Soul society arc. But somewhere along the way it seems we just had a fighter fest. Captains would face enemies with no themes or character revelations. The Espadas got a little light but nothing that made their fights compelling. You almost just feel bad for the Espada as they were monsters turned into a military force by an unstoppable tyrant. But even that wasn't enough to make half of the fights interesting. Now, that's with knowing the outcome. These fights played little importance in the larger scheme of things. Where at least in the Hueco Mundo fights each match up had the protagonists striving for a goal. Rukia to defeat Aaroneiro to free her former superiors soul. Byakuya to defend Rukia. Renji and Uryu teamwork. Nel to protect Ichigo and get revenge on Nnoitra. Whereas Stark fought Kyoraku.....cause.....and Hitsugaya fought Halibel because Water vs Ice would be cool.
-This leaves me to the end. I won't say it wasn't satisfying that Ichigo was able to defeat Aizen. And yes, I do feel like his new power was earned. 3 months of training. But this was clearly a last minute decision to save Aizen for a later date and the show must go on. I do feel like it wasn't as satisfying as 200+ chapter buildup needed to be.
The Fullbring Arc - Chapters 424-479 - Rating: 8/10
-A very underrated arc. And yes, I acknowledge that rating wise I think the Fullbring arc is superior to the Hueco Mundo arc. That is mostly true. Though I like the first half of the Hueco Mundo Arc more than the Fullbring arc. The end of the HM arc really brought it down for me. The Fullbring Arc is much more concise and is actually the shortest arc in the series and works as a glorified Ichigo getting his powers back arc. But that doesn't mean its bad.
-When I read it originally back when it was coming out in 2010. (Cause I'm Old) It wasn't phenomenal. In fact, I hated it. But wouldn't you? It took just short of a year to get to the point that we were at. But upon rereading it, it gave much deserved love to the characters who hadn't been shown love in quite some time. The original cast. It was a very character focused arc. Ichigo never seemed more human. And despite me hating it before for taking so long, reading weekly can sometimes hurt these mystery based arcs. The twist is heavily foreshadowed and I really appreciated it.
-That being said, the end was super rushed. This was a big bummer for me. The villains this time around were humans. And the ones who had the most exposure and relations with these characters were the original cast who again....were humans. So to have the soul reapers, who have no connection to the fullbringers show up and basically no diff most of the fullbringers felt very forced and fanservicey to me. This very well could have not been Kubo's call. As the community was very vocal about their dislike for this arc as it was going on. But I appreciate it now much more as I appreciate character and story over big sword fights. Lol.
The Thousand Year Blood War Arc - Chapters 424-689 - Rating: 5/10
-And we're finally here. The final and largest arc within the Bleach story. And man...does it not stick the landing.
-That being said, this arc has phenomenal moments. Kenpachi's Shikai and Bankai. Ichigo's double swords. Renji's true Bankai. Rukia's Bankai. And many more. However, they are put together against the most break neck speed arc that I have ever read. Kubo was very ambitious when he introduced 26 new villains. However, most of them got barely any screen time and a lot of them even got off screened by higher level captains. This was unlike the Espada who each got a full double page spread for their Resurrections.
-Yhwach himself was a phenomenal villain but was dealt with swiftly and imo dirty. They did him dirty.
-There was just something off. The mood changed and it was very apparent. The villains had random powers instead of the powers reflecting their personalities or needs. The finale felt so underwhelming.
-Ichigo gets to be the strongest he's ever been....but he doesn't defeat a single person besides the main villain despite being in several fights.
-It isn't a good arc. In fact, I would say it's the worst. Hopefully the anime does a better job with this already mammoth of a story. 260 chapters is no joke.
This gives the story of Bleach an Overall rating of 7.4/10. Which to me is above average. It has it's ups and downs. It's not perfect. But when it's high, it's peak shonen. But when it's low, it's very forgettable.
May 28, 2024
As with Arrancar I am reviewing the Lost Agent Arc, that's what it was called in the English Manga, and I'm not that much of a weeb to call it something else.
Yeah, it sure was something. I enjoyed the final two volumes of the arc the most, and the rest was just kind of meh. Like I said I think Arrancar should have been the end of Bleach, but I can understand Kubo wanting to continue the story.
I think some of the weak points are weaknesses I have noticed before. Kubo loves to introduce too many characters and so they get lost in the overall story. The battles are kind of formulaic, and not that hype.
The strengths of this arc were the Captains. Arrancar immediately showed the audience that the best soul reapers were not the strongest fighters out there and that they can struggle. This arc showed the audience that yes the captains are extremely powerful and should not be second guessed. Kenpachi being able to immediately defeat his opponent reinforced that. I think that was a great idea on Kubo's part. I still think we have not seen how powerful Byakuya is since he was first introduced though. He is supposed to be really strong, but struggles in his battle, which I think doesn't help me think of him as this all powerful captain. Still, their inclusion, and how easy it was for them to defeat their opponents after seeing them struggle against the Espadas was refreshing and reinforced why they are captains.
I also didn't see the twist coming, which was fun for me. It might have been obvious for others, but I was surprised, so its a plus.
Overall, it was just alright as an arc, but had some strong points that didn't make it terrible. I liked how short it was after Arrancar.
Yeah, it sure was something. I enjoyed the final two volumes of the arc the most, and the rest was just kind of meh. Like I said I think Arrancar should have been the end of Bleach, but I can understand Kubo wanting to continue the story.
I think some of the weak points are weaknesses I have noticed before. Kubo loves to introduce too many characters and so they get lost in the overall story. The battles are kind of formulaic, and not that hype.
The strengths of this arc were the Captains. Arrancar immediately showed the audience that the best soul reapers were not the strongest fighters out there and that they can struggle. This arc showed the audience that yes the captains are extremely powerful and should not be second guessed. Kenpachi being able to immediately defeat his opponent reinforced that. I think that was a great idea on Kubo's part. I still think we have not seen how powerful Byakuya is since he was first introduced though. He is supposed to be really strong, but struggles in his battle, which I think doesn't help me think of him as this all powerful captain. Still, their inclusion, and how easy it was for them to defeat their opponents after seeing them struggle against the Espadas was refreshing and reinforced why they are captains.
I also didn't see the twist coming, which was fun for me. It might have been obvious for others, but I was surprised, so its a plus.
Overall, it was just alright as an arc, but had some strong points that didn't make it terrible. I liked how short it was after Arrancar.
August 18, 2024
VOLUME 54: CHAPTER 470-479
Arc 10: The Lost Substitute Shinigami
Byakuya used the petals from his sword to pierced Tsukishima's chest using his hand. Tsukishima left to dead. The game dimension was undo by Yukio who have been captured by Toushiro. Everyone regroup including Byakuya who saved Rukia that have been knocked down by Riruka who nowhere to be found. Ichigo and Uryuu still fighting Ginjō. Ginjō told Ichigo that after Tsukishima died, the false memories that he inserted will disappear. Ginjō asked Ichigo he fight for what?
Ginjō told Ichigo the truth about his substitute badge which is to observe and restrict Ichigo. Everyone in Soul Society knows about the true purpose of the badge and the man behind the scheme is Ukitake. Ichigo neglected all what Ginjō said and used Bankai. Ichigo destroyed the dimension in his new form of Bankai. Ichigo realized the truth about the badge and set up his mind to use his power to protect everyone he love.
Ginjō also used Bankai as he also possessed the same reiatsu as Ichigo. After a fierce battle, Ginjō is defeated. Tsukishima appears and want to kill Ichigo but Rukia trying to stop him. Suddenly, Riruka pop up from Rukia's chest and stop Tsukishima. His sword slashed Riruka.
Ginjō's dead. Tsukishima run away and come across with Shishigawara. Shishigawara take Tsukishima who is already on the verge of death. Riruka was healed by Inoue. She then left. Ichigo went to Soul Society to take back Ginjō's corpse as he is one of substitute Shinigami.
Arc 10: The Lost Substitute Shinigami
Byakuya used the petals from his sword to pierced Tsukishima's chest using his hand. Tsukishima left to dead. The game dimension was undo by Yukio who have been captured by Toushiro. Everyone regroup including Byakuya who saved Rukia that have been knocked down by Riruka who nowhere to be found. Ichigo and Uryuu still fighting Ginjō. Ginjō told Ichigo that after Tsukishima died, the false memories that he inserted will disappear. Ginjō asked Ichigo he fight for what?
Ginjō told Ichigo the truth about his substitute badge which is to observe and restrict Ichigo. Everyone in Soul Society knows about the true purpose of the badge and the man behind the scheme is Ukitake. Ichigo neglected all what Ginjō said and used Bankai. Ichigo destroyed the dimension in his new form of Bankai. Ichigo realized the truth about the badge and set up his mind to use his power to protect everyone he love.
Ginjō also used Bankai as he also possessed the same reiatsu as Ichigo. After a fierce battle, Ginjō is defeated. Tsukishima appears and want to kill Ichigo but Rukia trying to stop him. Suddenly, Riruka pop up from Rukia's chest and stop Tsukishima. His sword slashed Riruka.
Ginjō's dead. Tsukishima run away and come across with Shishigawara. Shishigawara take Tsukishima who is already on the verge of death. Riruka was healed by Inoue. She then left. Ichigo went to Soul Society to take back Ginjō's corpse as he is one of substitute Shinigami.
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