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Bleach #17
Bleach, Volume 17
Rosa Rubicundior, Lilio Candidior
The rebellion within the Soul Society grows as doubts spread about the death sentence of ex-Soul Reaper Rukia Kuchiki. Determined to save her, Rukia's childhood friend Renji vows to cut down the captain of his own squad, unaware of the terrifying fate that awaits him.
The rebellion within the Soul Society grows as doubts spread about the death sentence of ex-Soul Reaper Rukia Kuchiki. Determined to save her, Rukia's childhood friend Renji vows to cut down the captain of his own squad, unaware of the terrifying fate that awaits him.
224 pages, Paperback
First published June 3, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
June 19, 2024
Renji’s Bankai!! It was bittersweet to see him challenge Byakuya to save Rukia, even though he knew deep down that he couldn’t beat such an insanely strong captain. Their fight was so well drawn; I’m always in awe of Kubo’s art, and the sickly beauty in things like Byakuya’s attacks turning from flower petals to blades that cut deep.
Tosen’s fight against Kenpachi is also gearing up to be a fantastic matchup. Pretty much any scene involving Kenpachi steals my attention, so I’m eager to see how this will end. I didn’t expect to get backstory on Tosen, though I’m also curious about him now that we got a flashback. Awesome volume!
Tosen’s fight against Kenpachi is also gearing up to be a fantastic matchup. Pretty much any scene involving Kenpachi steals my attention, so I’m eager to see how this will end. I didn’t expect to get backstory on Tosen, though I’m also curious about him now that we got a flashback. Awesome volume!
June 11, 2024
Renji: Bankai! Hihiou Zabimaru!
Byakuya: Bankai. Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.
Tousen: Bankai. Enmakoorogi.
Komamura:Bankai! Kokujô Tengen Myô-oh.
Ichigo: NOWHERE TO BE SEEN
"Rukia Kuchiki. Have you any last words?" [Genryuusai]
Volume 17 gave us some spectacular fight scenes and some incredibly looking Bankai reveals, but the clock is ticking faster and faster. Rukia can be killed any minute now. The Karakura Team (Ishida, Chad and Orihime), Renji, and some of the captains are running to the place of the execution, trying to prevent the worst from happening, but the most important person, Ichigo Kurosaki, is nowhere in sight.
[I'm serious, he's truly nowhere in sight, at least not in Volume 17. Either is Yoruichi, who's the character that is placed on the cover of this volume.]
"I didn't know you'd achieved Bankai."
"How could you? You pay no heed to what's beneath you."
The Renji vs Byakuya fight is one of those that, for me, it's always very hard to look at. Don't get me wrong, i's looking amazing in both anime and manga and both Bankai reveals of Renji and Byakuya are splendid. But it's obvious how it will end and it's heartbreaking, because of Renji's deep need to save Rukia and his hopes to surpass the person he looked up to. Renji worked hard to become stronger and to (finally) beat Byakuya, he pushed himself to his limits, and, sadly, didn't succeed. This is not a fight he was supposed to win. This is not the moment Byakuya was supposed to realize what a big mistake he's doing.
But it's coming. Very, very soon.
I also have to say that I love the little moment where Renji thinks of Ichigo and the parallels between them are shown.
"Are you afraid?"
"Of what?"
"You don't want Renji and the others to die, do you? When you fear for the lives of those you care about... Doesn't the thought of death suddenly become more terrifying?"
How is it possible that Gin looks more like a snake in the manga than in the anime? And why did he teased Rukia so cruelly? Did he thought that Rukia will try to fight her way out of the execution?
"I've had a strong suspicion. Ever since you made captain by killing the captain of 11th company, I've thought, This man is a monster spreading carnage and thirsting for blood. He's not like the rest of us. He can't be allowed to stay." [Tousen to Zaraki] - HAR HAR 😒
Tousen as a character was always unbearable to me, and I am always happy to see Zaraki showing him where he can put his moral speeches.
"This is supposed to be a fight. I don't like having to think this hard." [Zaraki] - OH I BET 😂
"The only reason I'm 5th seat is because I don't like the way "four" looks." [Yumichika] - how is this man so funny without even trying is beyond me 🤣
Okay, that's it for now. Give me my man Ichigo back, PLEASE! 🥺
Byakuya: Bankai. Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.
Tousen: Bankai. Enmakoorogi.
Komamura:Bankai! Kokujô Tengen Myô-oh.
Ichigo: NOWHERE TO BE SEEN
"Rukia Kuchiki. Have you any last words?" [Genryuusai]
Volume 17 gave us some spectacular fight scenes and some incredibly looking Bankai reveals, but the clock is ticking faster and faster. Rukia can be killed any minute now. The Karakura Team (Ishida, Chad and Orihime), Renji, and some of the captains are running to the place of the execution, trying to prevent the worst from happening, but the most important person, Ichigo Kurosaki, is nowhere in sight.
[I'm serious, he's truly nowhere in sight, at least not in Volume 17. Either is Yoruichi, who's the character that is placed on the cover of this volume.]
"I didn't know you'd achieved Bankai."
"How could you? You pay no heed to what's beneath you."
The Renji vs Byakuya fight is one of those that, for me, it's always very hard to look at. Don't get me wrong, i's looking amazing in both anime and manga and both Bankai reveals of Renji and Byakuya are splendid. But it's obvious how it will end and it's heartbreaking, because of Renji's deep need to save Rukia and his hopes to surpass the person he looked up to. Renji worked hard to become stronger and to (finally) beat Byakuya, he pushed himself to his limits, and, sadly, didn't succeed. This is not a fight he was supposed to win. This is not the moment Byakuya was supposed to realize what a big mistake he's doing.
But it's coming. Very, very soon.
I also have to say that I love the little moment where Renji thinks of Ichigo and the parallels between them are shown.
"Are you afraid?"
"Of what?"
"You don't want Renji and the others to die, do you? When you fear for the lives of those you care about... Doesn't the thought of death suddenly become more terrifying?"
How is it possible that Gin looks more like a snake in the manga than in the anime? And why did he teased Rukia so cruelly? Did he thought that Rukia will try to fight her way out of the execution?
"I've had a strong suspicion. Ever since you made captain by killing the captain of 11th company, I've thought, This man is a monster spreading carnage and thirsting for blood. He's not like the rest of us. He can't be allowed to stay." [Tousen to Zaraki] - HAR HAR 😒
Tousen as a character was always unbearable to me, and I am always happy to see Zaraki showing him where he can put his moral speeches.
"This is supposed to be a fight. I don't like having to think this hard." [Zaraki] - OH I BET 😂
"The only reason I'm 5th seat is because I don't like the way "four" looks." [Yumichika] - how is this man so funny without even trying is beyond me 🤣
Okay, that's it for now. Give me my man Ichigo back, PLEASE! 🥺
June 8, 2023
These Captains are insanely strong. Byakuya and Zaraki are in a whole other league compared to some of the others. That’s why I respect how hard Renji is fighting to save Rukia. I honestly can’t wait to see what some of the other Captains are capable of, and also the ones in ranks below Captain. Where are you Ichigo?!!!!!
December 4, 2021
5 🌟
"Shall I explain the difference between you and I?
Class. "
🛐🛐
"Shall I explain the difference between you and I?
Class. "
🛐🛐
August 23, 2007
The Soul Society arc finally appears to be drawing to a close. In this volume, Renji fights Byakuya, Zaraki fights Tosen, Gin baits Rukia--and Rukia gets to look pretty, helpless and tragic as her death approaches and the Soul Society erupts into chaos all around her. I was glad to see Rukia, but I am very much looking forward to seeing her taking an active role in events once more. The damsel-in-distress role doesn’t suit the character I first met, and loved.
As always, I love the character design in this series. I tend to skim over the art in the fight scenes, but when it comes to characters’ expressions, I think Tite Kubo is *awesome.*
And how much did I snicker at Yachiru calling Ichigo Itchy? (I’d thought she’d nicknamed him Ichi, although that may just be another case of fandom leading me wrong.)
As always, I love the character design in this series. I tend to skim over the art in the fight scenes, but when it comes to characters’ expressions, I think Tite Kubo is *awesome.*
And how much did I snicker at Yachiru calling Ichigo Itchy? (I’d thought she’d nicknamed him Ichi, although that may just be another case of fandom leading me wrong.)
April 10, 2019
All these characters are just great!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 26, 2020
This is all hell breaks loose as soul society members are now fighting each other.
The big fight here is Renji vs Byakuya. Byakuya true power shows itself as Renji believes he has the power to defeat Byakuya by unlocking Bankai...but will it be enough? On top of that we get Kenpachi crazy ass going head to head with multiple fighters. When you see this explosive monster go head to head with fighters you wonder how Ichigo even survived.
With the ticking clock going this non-stop action manga is at the height of its power. So much fun, explosive fights, and stakes never being higher. This is when Bleach Rocked. Now I remember why I enjoyed it as a teen. A 4 out of 5.
The big fight here is Renji vs Byakuya. Byakuya true power shows itself as Renji believes he has the power to defeat Byakuya by unlocking Bankai...but will it be enough? On top of that we get Kenpachi crazy ass going head to head with multiple fighters. When you see this explosive monster go head to head with fighters you wonder how Ichigo even survived.
With the ticking clock going this non-stop action manga is at the height of its power. So much fun, explosive fights, and stakes never being higher. This is when Bleach Rocked. Now I remember why I enjoyed it as a teen. A 4 out of 5.
October 17, 2022
This is less focused on Ichigo, and really allows Renji and Kenpachi to shine as well as showcase great characters like Byakuya and Kaname!
December 26, 2025
It's easier to tear down than to build, and and much more difficult to tie than to untie.
This might’ve been one of the most insane volumes of Bleach so far. This was absolutely AMAZING. Renji is so cool and you can tell how much he cares for Rukia. Ichigo showing up at the end was the cherry on top. I love these characters so much.
This might’ve been one of the most insane volumes of Bleach so far. This was absolutely AMAZING. Renji is so cool and you can tell how much he cares for Rukia. Ichigo showing up at the end was the cherry on top. I love these characters so much.
December 4, 2020
This was a great volume, we have Renji vs Byakuya and the fight is epic and we just see how powerful hthe latter is, even after using his Ban Kai Renji is unable to defeat him, may have touched him but is nowhere near the level of Byakuya and he defeats him soo badly and his Bankai is gorgeous and intimidating and good. Ichigo gets a minor spotlight where he is training and his memories motivated Renji. On the other hand we have Kenpachi vs Tousen and we see his backstory and that one where Tousen was unable to save his former love interest haunts him and so he wants the power to stop bad things. Its a formidable back story and adds so much depth to his character. Meanwhile Rukia execution starts soon! Quite a lot in this volume and less focus on Ichigo to build out this world and spotlight other characters!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2025
Go Renji! Go! Kick that evil spoiled nepo baby's ass!!!
It is a little strange story wise that suddenly all the captains and assistants are all like "Did you know I bankai?" While I say, according to the last volume you can't be a captain without being able to Bankai so no not surprised.
The rest of the fighting is sort of interesting, but so much talk talk talk about ethics and all - especially from certain characters who are actually the bad guys in this story. It is a wall of text that would make Stan Lee proud.
Anyone else think this is the cover Frank Cho traced for his infamous Spider-Woman cover?
This is my 2nd read through of this volume after more than a few years have passed.
It is a little strange story wise that suddenly all the captains and assistants are all like "Did you know I bankai?" While I say, according to the last volume you can't be a captain without being able to Bankai so no not surprised.
The rest of the fighting is sort of interesting, but so much talk talk talk about ethics and all - especially from certain characters who are actually the bad guys in this story. It is a wall of text that would make Stan Lee proud.
Anyone else think this is the cover Frank Cho traced for his infamous Spider-Woman cover?
This is my 2nd read through of this volume after more than a few years have passed.
March 13, 2025
Not going to lie I forgot how ridiculously cold renji was in this first arc, it's such a shame how he falls off as it goes on because he genuinely is one of the goats here plus his zanpakuto is arguably one of the coolest. Also tosen has insane levels of aura ( please go and Google the man after reading this) and Kenny in that 2v1 was just something else. So close to a 5 and Ichigoat wasn't even in it.
August 29, 2023
Kenpachi VS Tosen davvero tanta roba.
E come al solito il volume si conclude lasciandoti col fiato sospeso, cosa che adoro.
E come al solito il volume si conclude lasciandoti col fiato sospeso, cosa che adoro.
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January 28, 2025renji don’t play abt rukia one bit
March 3, 2019
Intense and amazing!!!
July 29, 2014
I feel bad for Renji, but yet it's quite impressive that he would survive all that damage from someone with such great power (AKA Byakuya Kuchiki).
If he wasn't able to defeat Byakuya, that just proves that Ichigo's chances will be more difficult since he hasn't even achieved Bankai yet. *Biting nails* It's so nerve racking...
Kenpachi Zaraki in my opinion is the scariest, seeing as he can take a lot of damage too and be okay. He has great instinct and can move quite quickly, but that doesn't make him a 'monster'. :/
Gin Ichimaru has been voted the creepiest, (there is a difference between creepiest and scariest), since his smile can just be so... CREEPY.
And lastly Byakuya is voted more powerful, since he's kind of like a legend in this series.
Ichigo didn't really appear that much, but the way he was involved was kind of cool, (with Renji and him doing/saying the same things).
I love the little 'World of the Living side-series' because it really does give you am insight to what is happening while everyone is getting cut up. It seems like they've spent forever in the Soul Society!!
One more thing before I end this review, (and keep reading):
...
NEERRRR RUKIAAA DON'T DIEEEE!!!!!! D:
If he wasn't able to defeat Byakuya, that just proves that Ichigo's chances will be more difficult since he hasn't even achieved Bankai yet. *Biting nails* It's so nerve racking...
Kenpachi Zaraki in my opinion is the scariest, seeing as he can take a lot of damage too and be okay. He has great instinct and can move quite quickly, but that doesn't make him a 'monster'. :/
Gin Ichimaru has been voted the creepiest, (there is a difference between creepiest and scariest), since his smile can just be so... CREEPY.
And lastly Byakuya is voted more powerful, since he's kind of like a legend in this series.
Ichigo didn't really appear that much, but the way he was involved was kind of cool, (with Renji and him doing/saying the same things).
I love the little 'World of the Living side-series' because it really does give you am insight to what is happening while everyone is getting cut up. It seems like they've spent forever in the Soul Society!!
One more thing before I end this review, (and keep reading):
...
NEERRRR RUKIAAA DON'T DIEEEE!!!!!! D:
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2019
Bleach, Vol. 17 continues where the previous tankōbon left off and contains the next ten chapters (140–149) of the on-going manga series.
Renji Abarai attempts to rescue Rukia Kuchiki, but is confronted by his captain, Byakuya Kuchiki. Renji unleashes his Bankai Hihiō Zabimaru, only to be overpowered when Byakuya reveals his own bankai Senbonzakura Kageyoshi. Despite being defeated, Renji manages to inflict a minor wound on his captain before collapsing from his injuries as Byakuya congratulates him.
Meanwhile, Kenpachi Zaraki overpowers Kaname Tōsen and Sajin Komamura with the former forced to use his barrier bankai Suzumushi Tsuishiki Enma Korogi, which removes all of Kenpachi's senses with the exception of his sense of touch. Despite being unable to see Tōsen, Kenpachi allows his opponent inflict wounds on him so he can grab Tōsen and defeat him. However, Kenpachi is stopped from killing Tōsen by Komamura.
This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Tite Kubo. The execution of Rukia Kuchiki draws nearer as those who love her wants to stop it. Renji Abarai has learned to use his Bankai ability to fight against Byakuya Kuchiki, his captain and Rukia's brother. It seems that the Sereitei is falling apart from it seems as there are factions fighting against each other.
All in all, Bleach, Vol. 17 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems intriguing and I cannot wait to read more.
Renji Abarai attempts to rescue Rukia Kuchiki, but is confronted by his captain, Byakuya Kuchiki. Renji unleashes his Bankai Hihiō Zabimaru, only to be overpowered when Byakuya reveals his own bankai Senbonzakura Kageyoshi. Despite being defeated, Renji manages to inflict a minor wound on his captain before collapsing from his injuries as Byakuya congratulates him.
Meanwhile, Kenpachi Zaraki overpowers Kaname Tōsen and Sajin Komamura with the former forced to use his barrier bankai Suzumushi Tsuishiki Enma Korogi, which removes all of Kenpachi's senses with the exception of his sense of touch. Despite being unable to see Tōsen, Kenpachi allows his opponent inflict wounds on him so he can grab Tōsen and defeat him. However, Kenpachi is stopped from killing Tōsen by Komamura.
This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Tite Kubo. The execution of Rukia Kuchiki draws nearer as those who love her wants to stop it. Renji Abarai has learned to use his Bankai ability to fight against Byakuya Kuchiki, his captain and Rukia's brother. It seems that the Sereitei is falling apart from it seems as there are factions fighting against each other.
All in all, Bleach, Vol. 17 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems intriguing and I cannot wait to read more.
April 19, 2021
Manga Monday.. Excellent battles and lots of cool things going on the big ones coming up next... I can feel it
Summary:
Renji confronts Byakuya. Renji shows his bankai. Byakuya is cocky and says Renji is weak. Renji knocks him to knees. Byakuya performs his bankai and cuts Renji up basically killing him. Bykuya says "if you stand up again I'll kill you, do you still think you can save Rukia" Renji stands up and strikes him, but Renji's blade shatters and he passes out.
Gin stops Rukia on her death march. She flashes back to when she first met him and describes how she felt like he was evil right from the beginning. He offers to save her, she has hope then he crushes her dreams by saying just kidding.
Kenpachi fights the two captains and the Captain Tosen uses his bankia causing Kenpachi to loose all sight and hearing. He realizes that he still has his sense of touch. When he feels a slash he evades and counters. He eventually decides to take a hit and then to pull Tosen in and slices him. Then lets him go and tells Tosen to try again. Kenpachi defeats him and when he goes to strike him down Komamura stops him, but in doing so breaks his helmet revealing a wolf head. He releases his bankia and they start to fight. The rukias old captain reveals his plan to destroy the sword that is to kill Rukia. Kenpachi's assistant captain runs off to get to the execution to help Ichego. Hanatarro heals Renji.
Summary:
Renji confronts Byakuya. Renji shows his bankai. Byakuya is cocky and says Renji is weak. Renji knocks him to knees. Byakuya performs his bankai and cuts Renji up basically killing him. Bykuya says "if you stand up again I'll kill you, do you still think you can save Rukia" Renji stands up and strikes him, but Renji's blade shatters and he passes out.
Gin stops Rukia on her death march. She flashes back to when she first met him and describes how she felt like he was evil right from the beginning. He offers to save her, she has hope then he crushes her dreams by saying just kidding.
Kenpachi fights the two captains and the Captain Tosen uses his bankia causing Kenpachi to loose all sight and hearing. He realizes that he still has his sense of touch. When he feels a slash he evades and counters. He eventually decides to take a hit and then to pull Tosen in and slices him. Then lets him go and tells Tosen to try again. Kenpachi defeats him and when he goes to strike him down Komamura stops him, but in doing so breaks his helmet revealing a wolf head. He releases his bankia and they start to fight. The rukias old captain reveals his plan to destroy the sword that is to kill Rukia. Kenpachi's assistant captain runs off to get to the execution to help Ichego. Hanatarro heals Renji.
March 19, 2025
Renji is truly a ride or die! Taking on Rukia's brother in order to try and save her and now backing down even though he was getting absolutely annihilated.
I need to know why Rukia's brother has no interest in stopping the execution. Like bro, that's your sister!
I need to know why Rukia's brother has no interest in stopping the execution. Like bro, that's your sister!
January 24, 2024
Rukia’s assistant captains death at her hands was so sad. Gosh tho the fighting sequences and the use of bankai in this volume is so awesome
April 2, 2025
Dudaba entre 3 y 4 estrellas. Algunas partes me gustan bastante y otras no tanto (o sea zaraki vs los dos capitanes).
October 12, 2023
Who wins when you race time ?
July 29, 2022
damn theyre so dramatic for one girl's death like guys
also i miss kisuke urahara where is he ;-;
also i miss kisuke urahara where is he ;-;
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October 16, 2021Renji really popped off in this volume. He was a baddie in his luxurious, pimp-ass coat, serving his monkey spiritual energy to Kuchiki YESS. When Kuchiki hit Renji with the "you know the difference between you and me?"
"Class."
I was like... sir, please refer to the 2nd sentence of this review. If class ain't monkey powers dressed in a fur coat I DONT WANT IT.
I'd been trying to figure out why Ichimaru looks so slimy all the time ITS BECAUSE HE LOOKS LIKE A WHO. But creepy, and obviously evil. That smile is just ick, the moment he drops that snake smile is when shit bout to go down.
My favourite arc was Kon searching for his body:
"Oh my beautiful, sexy body, where are you?"
Sword innuendoooooo
"Because I'm touching your sword?"
"Let's do it again"
"I got the hang of it now... next time I'll grab your..."
Mood
"You dont have to scream, you arm pit smelling, goatee MONKEY!!!!"
"Class."
I was like... sir, please refer to the 2nd sentence of this review. If class ain't monkey powers dressed in a fur coat I DONT WANT IT.
I'd been trying to figure out why Ichimaru looks so slimy all the time ITS BECAUSE HE LOOKS LIKE A WHO. But creepy, and obviously evil. That smile is just ick, the moment he drops that snake smile is when shit bout to go down.
My favourite arc was Kon searching for his body:
"Oh my beautiful, sexy body, where are you?"
Sword innuendoooooo
"Because I'm touching your sword?"
"Let's do it again"
"I got the hang of it now... next time I'll grab your..."
Mood
"You dont have to scream, you arm pit smelling, goatee MONKEY!!!!"
August 16, 2017
Are you freaking kidding me? For how many more volumes are they going to fight to save Rukia!? This volume was just fights. And talking. Good Grace, they talk too much! Are you gonna use those swords or chit chat to death!? I'm seriously thinking of skipping a couple volumes. Action is cool, but can we have some actual plot now?
April 1, 2019
Review to come! (I started working on the others yesterday.)
April 1, 2015
Yes! Konečně epic fight mezi Zarakim a Komíkem a Slepoňem. A Renji! Ban kai!
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.
March 10, 2020
The countdown to execution has begun! No time to lose if Rukia Kuchiki is to be saved! Renji is determined to save his friend, even if he has to go through Byakuya, his captain, to do it. Byakuya is confident in his ability to defeat Renji, but Renji has been training with Ichigo and has a few surprises up his sleeves!
Kenpachi is happily facing the masked Komamura and the blind Tosen. Finally, a real challenge! As Rukia is being led to the Sokyoku, across the bridge, she encounters Gin Ichimaru, who can’t resist a last chance to tease the condemned Soul Reaper. He informs her that Renji is still alive, and offers to help her. Reaching the Sokyoku, she is asked if she has anything to say, and makes a last request.
Realizing Captain Tosen has used his bankai, Hisagi wants to go to him, but Yumichika tells him they are not finished. When Tosen questions his abilities and standing in his company, Yumichika enlightens him as to why he holds the position that he does. In fact, Yumichika will show him something, if Tosen promises not to tell the other members of his squad.
The execution has begun. It’s now or never, if Rukia is to be saved.
This volume is becoming a real nail-biter as Ichigo and friends battle to save Rukia from what they consider to be an unwarranted execution. Ichigo is conspicuous by his absence, still working to learn how to bankai. But he has an indomitable spirit and refuses to consider failure to be an option. No doubt we’ll see him in the next book. Tosen’s backstory is poignant, and the revelation of Komamura’s actual face is enlightening. You can’t help but love Yachiru, the way she refers to Orihime as “Chubby”, and calls Ichigo “Itchy”. Although perhaps that should be translated as Ichi. It’s hard to tell, and translation can be a tricky thing.
There are so many questions here that beg to be answered. Is Rukia’s so-called infraction really of such a serious nature that it requires her execution? And, if you go with the idea that Soul Society is a sort of heaven, where the dead go, and that therefore the Soul Reapers themselves are not alive and not human, then how can she be executed and what does this really mean to them? Why is Byakuya such an uptight and cold monster, who is willing to see his own sister lose her life?
Plus we still have the mystery of who killed Captain Aizen. We know it wasn’t Ichigo and Company, despite what the Soul Society thinks. So who is the killer, and why was he killed? So many questions, so few answers. .. yet. Something’s gotta give, hopefully in the next volume.
Looking forward to the big event, be there!
Kenpachi is happily facing the masked Komamura and the blind Tosen. Finally, a real challenge! As Rukia is being led to the Sokyoku, across the bridge, she encounters Gin Ichimaru, who can’t resist a last chance to tease the condemned Soul Reaper. He informs her that Renji is still alive, and offers to help her. Reaching the Sokyoku, she is asked if she has anything to say, and makes a last request.
Realizing Captain Tosen has used his bankai, Hisagi wants to go to him, but Yumichika tells him they are not finished. When Tosen questions his abilities and standing in his company, Yumichika enlightens him as to why he holds the position that he does. In fact, Yumichika will show him something, if Tosen promises not to tell the other members of his squad.
The execution has begun. It’s now or never, if Rukia is to be saved.
This volume is becoming a real nail-biter as Ichigo and friends battle to save Rukia from what they consider to be an unwarranted execution. Ichigo is conspicuous by his absence, still working to learn how to bankai. But he has an indomitable spirit and refuses to consider failure to be an option. No doubt we’ll see him in the next book. Tosen’s backstory is poignant, and the revelation of Komamura’s actual face is enlightening. You can’t help but love Yachiru, the way she refers to Orihime as “Chubby”, and calls Ichigo “Itchy”. Although perhaps that should be translated as Ichi. It’s hard to tell, and translation can be a tricky thing.
There are so many questions here that beg to be answered. Is Rukia’s so-called infraction really of such a serious nature that it requires her execution? And, if you go with the idea that Soul Society is a sort of heaven, where the dead go, and that therefore the Soul Reapers themselves are not alive and not human, then how can she be executed and what does this really mean to them? Why is Byakuya such an uptight and cold monster, who is willing to see his own sister lose her life?
Plus we still have the mystery of who killed Captain Aizen. We know it wasn’t Ichigo and Company, despite what the Soul Society thinks. So who is the killer, and why was he killed? So many questions, so few answers. .. yet. Something’s gotta give, hopefully in the next volume.
Looking forward to the big event, be there!
October 19, 2019
After a bit of a dip for v.16, Bleach v.17 bounces back with a scattered volume that hits a lot of key characters. Lots of battling, not much talking. Ichigo is still off training (how long has he been doing his Bankai training now? Feels like forever, but that might just be because I've been letting too much time lapse between volumes), but we get a great Kenpachi fight against another Soul Society captain, as well as Renji facing off against Byakuya.
The latter fight is, as the astute Bleach fan will spot, a case of a captain (Byakuya) squaring off against his vice-captain. Renji wants to save Rukia (that's still why we're in Soul Society, after all) and Byakuya (who--remember!--is Rukia's brother) wants to stop him. Why? Well, we could say he doesn't care (which might be true), or we could say that he's more into law and order than sibling bonds (which is also probably true), or perhaps simply because he adheres to the authoritarian rule where it doesn't matter what is right or just, but rather that given orders must be followed (also probably true). Whatever the case, young upstart Renji's goal is not compliant with Byakuya's worldview, and must be stopped.
Suffice to say, it's an exciting volume, even if you're like me and kind of hate Renji.
The latter fight is, as the astute Bleach fan will spot, a case of a captain (Byakuya) squaring off against his vice-captain. Renji wants to save Rukia (that's still why we're in Soul Society, after all) and Byakuya (who--remember!--is Rukia's brother) wants to stop him. Why? Well, we could say he doesn't care (which might be true), or we could say that he's more into law and order than sibling bonds (which is also probably true), or perhaps simply because he adheres to the authoritarian rule where it doesn't matter what is right or just, but rather that given orders must be followed (also probably true). Whatever the case, young upstart Renji's goal is not compliant with Byakuya's worldview, and must be stopped.
Suffice to say, it's an exciting volume, even if you're like me and kind of hate Renji.
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