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Bleach #25
Bleach―ブリーチ― 25 [Burīchi 25]
内なる虚を抑え込む方法を知りたい一心で、“仮面の軍勢（ヴァイザード）”の元を訪れた一護。虚を拒む一護だったが、ひよ里の挑発で、ついに虚化した一護が出現！ 並外れた力を認められ、仮面の軍勢に迎え入れられることに…！！
192 pages, Paperback
First published December 4, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
June 24, 2024
"Can you hear me, Ichigo? In a moment you're going to become a Hollow all the way. Don't let it consume you. Consume it instead. If it eats you... it's all over." [Shinji]
WHITE! THE VIZARDS! ICHIGOOOO! These are the characters that Volume 25 focuses on. After the battle against Grimmjow and his Arrancar squad, the atmosphere is gloomy. When Ichigo shows up in the Vizards' lair, Shinji thinks that he's finally ready to join them, but Ichigo has different plans. He demands of the Vizards to teach him how to control his inner Hollow. Shinji stands up to him and the fight starts, until it gets (very rudely) interrupted by Hiyori.
"Hollowfy?"
"Fine. If you're too much of a wimp to hollowfy, then I'll just drag that Hollow out of you. By force"
Hiyori wants Ichigo to let his inner Hollow out, but he refuses. He's terrified of his Hollow - it's something all the Vizards notice - and he's desperately trying to figure out how to remain in control of it. But Hiyori is persistent - wants Ichigo to perform Bankai and lose control. She quickly realizes her mistake when White finally comes out.
"Now do you get it, Ichigo? You can't contain the Hollow inside you with your body or mind. You passed. You want to learn how to control your inner Hollow, so we're gonna hammer it into you." [Shinji]
Ichigo jumps into a (very unusual in this case) training and gets pissed off, certain that he's wasting precious time. The enemies can come back any moment, while he didn't become even a little bit stronger. After Shinji's (very shocking) revelation, Ichigo goes back to training, but in a different way this time. The rules are simple: he needs to stand up against his inner Hollow in a fight and either overpower it, or it will overpower him instead. If he loses, the Vizards will be forced to end his life.
"Ichigo, what's the difference between a king and the horse he rides?" [White]
Wherever the Vizards or White (or the Soul Reapers, but it's not their time yet) shows up, I'm overjoyed. I know that technically White (at least, in this moment of the story) is a bad guy, but I can't help, but love him. He's what Ichigo would become, if he didn't had any morals and restrictions (as a human being). If he wasn't controlled, I think he might burn the world (and enjoy doing it). But if so, why am I liking him if I absolutely hate characters similar to him (like Sukuna from JJK)? The answer is simple: it's because he isn't a complete beast. He keeps on attacking Ichigo and making fun of him for not having any killer instincts, but the truth is that he cares for Ichigo and I'm sure that he wouldn't let anyone hurt him (and we know how Sukuna is treating his vessel, Yuji, right?). He's a Hollow, so it looks like all he cares for is destruction, but I feel like it's only an act. It seems like he doesn't have a heart, but in reality he has. He's a part of Ichigo's power, which means he's a part of Ichigo as well and I'm incapable of hating any part of Ichigo. ☺️
Now, the Vizards. At this point, we don't know much about them, except for (some of) their names and that they are a group of people that use both a Zanpakuto and a Hollow's mask. At first glance, Shinji seems to be a leader - he's the one that speaks the most - but then comes Hiyori to put him in his place (with a fist) 😂 All of the Vizards design (and all of Kubo's character design in general) is excellent. They all have different looks and personalities - all beautiful and bright and, to be honest, kind of ridiculous, but they all are charming and very, very cool in their own personal way. I love everyone and the relationships between them with all my heart, but, honestly, the dynamic between Shinji and Hiyori is my personal favorite. Hiyori seems to be the violent one, who's going around and resolves everything with her fist - and Shinji's face is usually the one who gets to feel it - but she has a good heart and cares for her friends, especially for Shinji. They all went though a traumatic experience and, since then, they are together. And it's like, what, 50 years?, that passed since the big incident so it's really a long, long time. I'm very happy that they became Ichigo's friends too.
Anyways, the clock is ticking. After Genryuusai's message, we know that a war is coming. We have only 4 months for preparation. Ishida is training with his father to get his Quincy powers back, Chad's training with Renji, and Ichigo's taken under the Vizards' wings. The Soul Society also starts their preparations. Will they manage to become stronger before an attack starts?
P.S. What do you think is the difference between the king and the horse? 🧐
Some of my thoughts while reading:
~ THE HECK WAS THE WILD ARM CHANGE OF THE HOLLOW ICHIGO?! What was that thing?! It was wild! It took Kensei (and me!) totally by surprise! 😨
~ Shinji flying away after Hiyori's punch was hilarious as hell 😂
~ They had shown the iconic image of the Vizards stopping the Hollow Ichigo!!
~ The fact that Hiyori is calling everyone who pisses her off as "bald", no matter if they have hair or not, is cracking me up 🤣
~ WHITE is so hot 😳 Okay, I said that.
~ I'm surprised that the only one who had showed up in Ichigo's consciousness was Kenpachi. Where was Byakuya? (obviously not Kariya since he was made for the filler purposes)
~ The way Ichigo and Shinji smiled at each other when Ichigo came back to himself 🥹
WHITE! THE VIZARDS! ICHIGOOOO! These are the characters that Volume 25 focuses on. After the battle against Grimmjow and his Arrancar squad, the atmosphere is gloomy. When Ichigo shows up in the Vizards' lair, Shinji thinks that he's finally ready to join them, but Ichigo has different plans. He demands of the Vizards to teach him how to control his inner Hollow. Shinji stands up to him and the fight starts, until it gets (very rudely) interrupted by Hiyori.
"Hollowfy?"
"Fine. If you're too much of a wimp to hollowfy, then I'll just drag that Hollow out of you. By force"
Hiyori wants Ichigo to let his inner Hollow out, but he refuses. He's terrified of his Hollow - it's something all the Vizards notice - and he's desperately trying to figure out how to remain in control of it. But Hiyori is persistent - wants Ichigo to perform Bankai and lose control. She quickly realizes her mistake when White finally comes out.
"Now do you get it, Ichigo? You can't contain the Hollow inside you with your body or mind. You passed. You want to learn how to control your inner Hollow, so we're gonna hammer it into you." [Shinji]
Ichigo jumps into a (very unusual in this case) training and gets pissed off, certain that he's wasting precious time. The enemies can come back any moment, while he didn't become even a little bit stronger. After Shinji's (very shocking) revelation, Ichigo goes back to training, but in a different way this time. The rules are simple: he needs to stand up against his inner Hollow in a fight and either overpower it, or it will overpower him instead. If he loses, the Vizards will be forced to end his life.
"Ichigo, what's the difference between a king and the horse he rides?" [White]
Wherever the Vizards or White (or the Soul Reapers, but it's not their time yet) shows up, I'm overjoyed. I know that technically White (at least, in this moment of the story) is a bad guy, but I can't help, but love him. He's what Ichigo would become, if he didn't had any morals and restrictions (as a human being). If he wasn't controlled, I think he might burn the world (and enjoy doing it). But if so, why am I liking him if I absolutely hate characters similar to him (like Sukuna from JJK)? The answer is simple: it's because he isn't a complete beast. He keeps on attacking Ichigo and making fun of him for not having any killer instincts, but the truth is that he cares for Ichigo and I'm sure that he wouldn't let anyone hurt him (and we know how Sukuna is treating his vessel, Yuji, right?). He's a Hollow, so it looks like all he cares for is destruction, but I feel like it's only an act. It seems like he doesn't have a heart, but in reality he has. He's a part of Ichigo's power, which means he's a part of Ichigo as well and I'm incapable of hating any part of Ichigo. ☺️
Now, the Vizards. At this point, we don't know much about them, except for (some of) their names and that they are a group of people that use both a Zanpakuto and a Hollow's mask. At first glance, Shinji seems to be a leader - he's the one that speaks the most - but then comes Hiyori to put him in his place (with a fist) 😂 All of the Vizards design (and all of Kubo's character design in general) is excellent. They all have different looks and personalities - all beautiful and bright and, to be honest, kind of ridiculous, but they all are charming and very, very cool in their own personal way. I love everyone and the relationships between them with all my heart, but, honestly, the dynamic between Shinji and Hiyori is my personal favorite. Hiyori seems to be the violent one, who's going around and resolves everything with her fist - and Shinji's face is usually the one who gets to feel it - but she has a good heart and cares for her friends, especially for Shinji. They all went though a traumatic experience and, since then, they are together. And it's like, what, 50 years?, that passed since the big incident so it's really a long, long time. I'm very happy that they became Ichigo's friends too.
Anyways, the clock is ticking. After Genryuusai's message, we know that a war is coming. We have only 4 months for preparation. Ishida is training with his father to get his Quincy powers back, Chad's training with Renji, and Ichigo's taken under the Vizards' wings. The Soul Society also starts their preparations. Will they manage to become stronger before an attack starts?
P.S. What do you think is the difference between the king and the horse? 🧐
Some of my thoughts while reading:
~ THE HECK WAS THE WILD ARM CHANGE OF THE HOLLOW ICHIGO?! What was that thing?! It was wild! It took Kensei (and me!) totally by surprise! 😨
~ Shinji flying away after Hiyori's punch was hilarious as hell 😂
~ They had shown the iconic image of the Vizards stopping the Hollow Ichigo!!
~ The fact that Hiyori is calling everyone who pisses her off as "bald", no matter if they have hair or not, is cracking me up 🤣
~ WHITE is so hot 😳 Okay, I said that.
~ I'm surprised that the only one who had showed up in Ichigo's consciousness was Kenpachi. Where was Byakuya? (obviously not Kariya since he was made for the filler purposes)
~ The way Ichigo and Shinji smiled at each other when Ichigo came back to himself 🥹
October 26, 2022
Ichigo vs. Hollow Ichigo! Love this dynamic and I really want to see it expanded on in the future!
February 12, 2020
Ichigo's training with the Visoreds begins with a reacquaintance with his inner hollow to finally decipher what has been going on with him.
The story arc is heavy in battle sequences with little emphasis on dialogue. While exciting and beautifully-drawn, it is still a little too fast-paced. The lack of subtle character- or world-building makes it harder to appreciate these "formative" periods.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
The story arc is heavy in battle sequences with little emphasis on dialogue. While exciting and beautifully-drawn, it is still a little too fast-paced. The lack of subtle character- or world-building makes it harder to appreciate these "formative" periods.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
June 26, 2023
So Ichigo’s training has begun to control that hollow inside of him so he can hollowify whenever he wants in battle. I always enjoy seeing Ichigo battle with inner self because there’s always a deeper meaning behind it. Also we now know what Aizen is planning to do so it’s time for everybody to train for the upcoming battle.
February 21, 2017
Ichigo meets up with the Soul Reapers who turned Hollow. He wants to be trained to not be consumed by the Hollow within. Let the fighting commence.
April 9, 2009
Let’s just say thankfully the library gets this. There really is too much fighting and not enough plot in this series to keep me entertained enough to pay cash. This one can be neatly summed up as Ichigo wants to learn to control his inner hollow so goes to the Visoreds, ex-soul reapers who have been hollowfied, and let them teach him even though up to this point they sort have seemed like the enemy. The rest of the volume is nothing but them beating on him to help him learn and his inner battle with Zangetsu who is now his inner hollow. If he loses, Ichigo becomes a hollow totally and must be destroyed. Naturally he doesn’t tell any of the soul reapers or his friends he’s doing this since that would, you know, make sense. Pretty much the only thing resembling plot is in the last half dozen pages with Toshiro and Orihime. It’s not that it’s a bad volume but there’s nothing really to it.
December 5, 2020
Its an alright volume again, as we continue the training arc focusing mainly on Ichigo trying to suppress his hollow and claim victory, the battle is something and we learn more about Ichigo's hollow and his connections to Zangetsus and when it turns out Ichigo will become a hollow himself, he comes out on top and avoids becoming one. And we get more revelations about Aizen's plan for Karakura town. Its a good voume and has seminal moments and continues to build on the larger thread. Meanwhile Chad is training vs Renji under Urahara..
Want to read
January 13, 2016Edición argentina. Incluye 4 páginas a color.
August 3, 2019
Bleach, Vol. 25 continues where the previous tankōbon left off and contains the next nine chapters (215–223) of the on-going manga series.
Ichigo Kurosaki tells Shinji Hirako that he has only come to them because he wants to learn to control the hollow inside him, and Hiyori Sarugaki dons her hollow mask to fight him. As Ichigo was about to be defeated or being unwilling to use either his hollow mask or his bankai, his inner hollow surfaces and the other Vizards restrain him before he can harm her.
After giving Ichigo an exercise to assess his spirit energy, Shinji explains that Ichigo need to confront his inner hollow in his inner world. Shinji renders Ichigo unconscious as his body undergoes hollowification. In his inner world, Ichigo battles his inner hollow who introduces himself as Zangetsu while explaining he has no desire to serve someone with no instinct for battle. As the Vizards restrain his body and halt the hollowification, Ichigo manages to defeat his inner hollow and return to normal.
Elsewhere, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto speaks with Toshiro Hitsugaya concerning Sōsuke Aizen's objective: using the Hōgyoku to product a dimensional key called the Ōken from the souls in Karakura Town. Yamamoto concludes that Aizen's goal is to assassinate the hidden ruler of the Soul Society, the Soul King, and that Aizen will make his move in within four months.
This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Tite Kubo. It mainly focuses on Ichigo Kurosaki embracing and conquering his Hollow part of him and to become a Vizard or a better Soul Reaper. Further information is given about Soul Society as there is mention of the Soul King – the hidden ruler of Soul Society and the possible plan that Sōsuke Aizen of killing him.
All in all, Bleach, Vol. 25 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems intriguing and I cannot wait to read more.
Ichigo Kurosaki tells Shinji Hirako that he has only come to them because he wants to learn to control the hollow inside him, and Hiyori Sarugaki dons her hollow mask to fight him. As Ichigo was about to be defeated or being unwilling to use either his hollow mask or his bankai, his inner hollow surfaces and the other Vizards restrain him before he can harm her.
After giving Ichigo an exercise to assess his spirit energy, Shinji explains that Ichigo need to confront his inner hollow in his inner world. Shinji renders Ichigo unconscious as his body undergoes hollowification. In his inner world, Ichigo battles his inner hollow who introduces himself as Zangetsu while explaining he has no desire to serve someone with no instinct for battle. As the Vizards restrain his body and halt the hollowification, Ichigo manages to defeat his inner hollow and return to normal.
Elsewhere, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto speaks with Toshiro Hitsugaya concerning Sōsuke Aizen's objective: using the Hōgyoku to product a dimensional key called the Ōken from the souls in Karakura Town. Yamamoto concludes that Aizen's goal is to assassinate the hidden ruler of the Soul Society, the Soul King, and that Aizen will make his move in within four months.
This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Tite Kubo. It mainly focuses on Ichigo Kurosaki embracing and conquering his Hollow part of him and to become a Vizard or a better Soul Reaper. Further information is given about Soul Society as there is mention of the Soul King – the hidden ruler of Soul Society and the possible plan that Sōsuke Aizen of killing him.
All in all, Bleach, Vol. 25 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems intriguing and I cannot wait to read more.
October 28, 2020
After his less than spectacular encounter with Grimmjow, Ichigo approaches the Visoreds—Dutch Boy (aka Shinji) assumed he plans to join up with them, but that isn’t the case. He wants them to teach him how to control the Hollow inside. Ichigo threatens to take the information from them by force, if necessary, so Dutch Boy agrees to fight him. Tired of watching the two spar without getting anywhere, Hiyori steps between them and informs Ichigo of the facts of life, ie he has no choice in the matter but to join them should they agree to accept him. If he doesn’t agree, the hollow will eventually swallow him whole. Ichigo has to learn to control his inner Hollow, while at the same time battling against the Visored, one at a time!
Meanwhile, Orihime, unaware of what is going on, misses Ichigo, since he hasn’t been to school for a few days. When she heads home, she learns from a neighbor that her new roommates carried something strange into her home, so she wonders what that can be, and ends up seeing a communication devise, like a giant screen TV, which connects to Soul Society, and General Yamamoto! She tries to excuse herself, as if she is intruding, but the old man invites her to stay, since his news concerns humans too, and Aizen’s plans.
Most of this volume deals with Ichigo and his battle to control his inner Hollow, with the help of the Visored. In the process, we learn, along with Ichigo, the answer to this riddle: What’s the difference between a king and the horse he rides?
Aizen’s plans are on a pretty large scale, and are potentially disastrous to not just humans, but the Soul Society as well! Apparently his ambitions are pretty grandiose. Hopefully his overweening hubris will be the source of his downfall—along with the sword of Ichigo Kurosaki… if he lives past his current test!
Looking forward to the next volume!
Meanwhile, Orihime, unaware of what is going on, misses Ichigo, since he hasn’t been to school for a few days. When she heads home, she learns from a neighbor that her new roommates carried something strange into her home, so she wonders what that can be, and ends up seeing a communication devise, like a giant screen TV, which connects to Soul Society, and General Yamamoto! She tries to excuse herself, as if she is intruding, but the old man invites her to stay, since his news concerns humans too, and Aizen’s plans.
Most of this volume deals with Ichigo and his battle to control his inner Hollow, with the help of the Visored. In the process, we learn, along with Ichigo, the answer to this riddle: What’s the difference between a king and the horse he rides?
Aizen’s plans are on a pretty large scale, and are potentially disastrous to not just humans, but the Soul Society as well! Apparently his ambitions are pretty grandiose. Hopefully his overweening hubris will be the source of his downfall—along with the sword of Ichigo Kurosaki… if he lives past his current test!
Looking forward to the next volume!
December 19, 2022
This was a good transition volume into the upcoming storyline. I liked seeing Ichigo train with the Visoreds, and I liked seeing Ichigo begin to run towards his darker aspects and embrace his Hollow powers. I liked the little look into the Visoreds as characters but I do feel like some of their characterization can feel a bit surface level due to the fact that they’re all introduced at the same time, save for Shinji and Hiyori. I liked seeing Chad train with Renji, and I liked seeing Orihime receiving a call from the head captain about Aizen’s plans for Karakura Town.
July 7, 2019
Whew! Those masked dudes don’t seem so bad 😭👍
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2023
Interessante lo scontro di Ichigo contro la sua parte Hollow.
In generale un bel volume, soprattutto per ciò che si scopre nell'ultimo capitolo.
In generale un bel volume, soprattutto per ciò che si scopre nell'ultimo capitolo.
January 29, 2024
YALL THIS WAS SICKKKKK. My fave so far. Oh gosh, controlling his hallow. Wow. I love the mask design so much
December 2, 2024
This was solid. I’m happy we got more insight into what aizen is planning.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2026
If living is a constant quest for awareness, the awareness we gain at the end is the real goal.
Things are getting so exciting and learning Aizen’s true motive is insane!
Things are getting so exciting and learning Aizen’s true motive is insane!
October 16, 2022
Ichigo is bloody awesome.
December 26, 2020
Bleach 25 begins with Ichigo going inside his mind once more to take control.
And that's...the entire volume.
Tite Kubo is a solid writer and great artist but his repeating's of training are kind of annoying. I don't mind a good training arc but the whole look into yourself to become stronger is kind of lame. I rather Ichigo learn new moves and try new things with other fighters than going inside himself to face off against himself evil version.
Saying that it moves the story forward to the next big arc and atleast the people training Ichigo are pretty fun (and slightly dumb) and that other characters are also buffing up for the big battle. A middle of the road but decent volume.
And that's...the entire volume.
Tite Kubo is a solid writer and great artist but his repeating's of training are kind of annoying. I don't mind a good training arc but the whole look into yourself to become stronger is kind of lame. I rather Ichigo learn new moves and try new things with other fighters than going inside himself to face off against himself evil version.
Saying that it moves the story forward to the next big arc and atleast the people training Ichigo are pretty fun (and slightly dumb) and that other characters are also buffing up for the big battle. A middle of the road but decent volume.
March 12, 2022
BLEACH, VOLUME 25: NO SHAKING THRONE by Tite Kubo
⭐⭐⭐
This was decent. I found myself a bit bored, as the majority of this volume covered just one short event. It wasn't bad, and the ending set up some new issues nicely, but it was just a bit underwhelming in comparison to recent volumes. I still greatly love this manga series and I'm looking forward to reading more as soon as I get to my library again. 😊
🔖IG: mkwisreading
⭐⭐⭐
This was decent. I found myself a bit bored, as the majority of this volume covered just one short event. It wasn't bad, and the ending set up some new issues nicely, but it was just a bit underwhelming in comparison to recent volumes. I still greatly love this manga series and I'm looking forward to reading more as soon as I get to my library again. 😊
🔖IG: mkwisreading
April 2, 2009
I have a hard time following epic battles in this author's drawing style, so this was an amazingly fast read for me.
April 18, 2010
I love Ogichi Ikasoruk and the hollow that Ichigo turns into. They are the coolest ones so far. Other than Ichigo himself, of course.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2016
Kubo did a great job with this volume. I feel that the characters are starting to progress towards a future that will make them understand their greatness and potential.
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.
January 8, 2026
4/5 (Review is for the series as a whole and does not contain spoilers)
Ichigo Kurosaki is a high school student who can see ghosts. When an evil spirit, called a hollow, attacks his family, he meets Rukia, a soul reaper tasked with fighting against hollows. But when Rukia is injured, Ichigo must make the decision to take over the role of soul reaper to help fight against hollows to save his hometown.
Bleach is a classic manga and one of the more popular options for those starting out in the genre/format. It features themes of friendship, growing up and changing, and never giving up. One of the most enjoyable elements of this series is watching the progression as the characters learn and evolve. Ichigo has a tendency to be really cocky, especially at the start of the series, but as time goes on and he learns more about the world he’s in, he changes and becomes more willing to listen to the advice given to him by other characters. His friends also continue to grow and progress along with him. Additionally, there is a change in the art style of the characters as the story progresses, which makes it easy to see how they have changed as they all get older. There were two elements about this series that I disliked. The first was that I felt the ending was a bit rushed, and there were some things that I was a bit confused about. However, I recognize that the author was sick and so that attributed to the way things ended. The other element that I disliked was the sheer number of characters in the series by the end. Many of the characters that I thought were dead or gone ended up coming back, and I had to try and remember who they all were. I definitely think I needed to make myself a character sheet with information about each character to help me remember everyone in the end. In terms of assessing age appropriateness for this series, I would say that it’s an okay series for middle school and up. A couple of considerations to keep in mind when deciding if it’s right for you: 1. There is some violence (which is common for shonen mangas), including some elements of body horror, but it’s not too bad. 2. There is no sexual content, although many of the women are drawn disproportionately (which is common in manga written by men). 3. The main character is fifteen years old at the start of the series and only gets older as it progresses. And 4. The themes are a bit mature in that they require some deeper level thinking in order to fully understand them all. Overall, I enjoyed this series for its interesting premise, and would definitely recommend it to those who enjoy the traditional shonen manga.
Ichigo Kurosaki is a high school student who can see ghosts. When an evil spirit, called a hollow, attacks his family, he meets Rukia, a soul reaper tasked with fighting against hollows. But when Rukia is injured, Ichigo must make the decision to take over the role of soul reaper to help fight against hollows to save his hometown.
Bleach is a classic manga and one of the more popular options for those starting out in the genre/format. It features themes of friendship, growing up and changing, and never giving up. One of the most enjoyable elements of this series is watching the progression as the characters learn and evolve. Ichigo has a tendency to be really cocky, especially at the start of the series, but as time goes on and he learns more about the world he’s in, he changes and becomes more willing to listen to the advice given to him by other characters. His friends also continue to grow and progress along with him. Additionally, there is a change in the art style of the characters as the story progresses, which makes it easy to see how they have changed as they all get older. There were two elements about this series that I disliked. The first was that I felt the ending was a bit rushed, and there were some things that I was a bit confused about. However, I recognize that the author was sick and so that attributed to the way things ended. The other element that I disliked was the sheer number of characters in the series by the end. Many of the characters that I thought were dead or gone ended up coming back, and I had to try and remember who they all were. I definitely think I needed to make myself a character sheet with information about each character to help me remember everyone in the end. In terms of assessing age appropriateness for this series, I would say that it’s an okay series for middle school and up. A couple of considerations to keep in mind when deciding if it’s right for you: 1. There is some violence (which is common for shonen mangas), including some elements of body horror, but it’s not too bad. 2. There is no sexual content, although many of the women are drawn disproportionately (which is common in manga written by men). 3. The main character is fifteen years old at the start of the series and only gets older as it progresses. And 4. The themes are a bit mature in that they require some deeper level thinking in order to fully understand them all. Overall, I enjoyed this series for its interesting premise, and would definitely recommend it to those who enjoy the traditional shonen manga.
August 6, 2024
VOLUME 25: CHAPTER 215-223
Arc 4: Arrancar: The Arrival
The Vizards consist of:
i. Shinji Hirako (Sakanade)
ii. Hiyori Sarugaki (Kubikiri Orochi)
iii. Love Aikawa (Tengumaru)
iv. Kensei Muguruma (Tachikaze)
v. Mashiro Kuna
vi. Rōjūrō "Rose" Otoribashi (Kinshara)
vii. Hachigen "Hachi" Ushōda
viii. Lisa Yadōmaru (Haguro Tonbo)
Ichigo fights with Shinji but Hiyori interfered since both of them are holding their power. Ichigo turned into Hollow and nearly kill Hiyori. The Vizards agree to suppress Ichigo's Hollow power. Ichigo fight with his evil self and he managed to defeat him and acquired the Hollow power.
Hitsugaya and Rangiku contact Captain Commander Yamamoto. Captain Commander Yamamoto tells about Aizen's true objective that he is searching for the Royal Key, a key to the Royal House that is located further from Soul Society and guarded by the Royal Guards. Aizen wants to recreate the Royal Key that the material is 100,000 human souls and a plot of Juureichi (spiritually saturated ground) with one spirit Ri (approx. 3,927 km) radius. Juurechi located in human world and changes from time to time.
Right now, they are preparing for war. Aizen needs 4 months to prepare his troops as the Hougyoku is in dormant state. Soul Society will join forces with human world to fight Aizen
Arc 4: Arrancar: The Arrival
The Vizards consist of:
i. Shinji Hirako (Sakanade)
ii. Hiyori Sarugaki (Kubikiri Orochi)
iii. Love Aikawa (Tengumaru)
iv. Kensei Muguruma (Tachikaze)
v. Mashiro Kuna
vi. Rōjūrō "Rose" Otoribashi (Kinshara)
vii. Hachigen "Hachi" Ushōda
viii. Lisa Yadōmaru (Haguro Tonbo)
Ichigo fights with Shinji but Hiyori interfered since both of them are holding their power. Ichigo turned into Hollow and nearly kill Hiyori. The Vizards agree to suppress Ichigo's Hollow power. Ichigo fight with his evil self and he managed to defeat him and acquired the Hollow power.
Hitsugaya and Rangiku contact Captain Commander Yamamoto. Captain Commander Yamamoto tells about Aizen's true objective that he is searching for the Royal Key, a key to the Royal House that is located further from Soul Society and guarded by the Royal Guards. Aizen wants to recreate the Royal Key that the material is 100,000 human souls and a plot of Juureichi (spiritually saturated ground) with one spirit Ri (approx. 3,927 km) radius. Juurechi located in human world and changes from time to time.
Right now, they are preparing for war. Aizen needs 4 months to prepare his troops as the Hougyoku is in dormant state. Soul Society will join forces with human world to fight Aizen
August 30, 2025
The conclusion of the Arrancar arrival is… mid. Coolest part is seeing Ikkaku’s bankai. It’s a little hype but the “losing because we can’t fight at full strength” bait and switch is uninspired. Doesn’t build the arrancars well if they can get one-shot by everybody. However, the Espada are built to be tough.
Grimmjow makes some moves but still feels like a teaser, it’s evident he’ll be back. I went into this expecting to see Ichigo get absolutely smoked but it doesn’t happen. Anybody else remember Grimmjow putting PAWS on Ichigo in the anime? Guess that was creative liberty with Studio Pierrot.
The really, really good Bleachy stuff: Ichigo’s Visored training and hollowfication. It satisfies that shonen indulgence in cool swordplay but also works as a character arc for Ichigo. How far will he go to involve himself in this war, to protect people, to protect himself? Bleach runs high on “hell yeah” vibes, and anytime Ichigo’s hollow mask forms is a big “hell yeah” for me. And White is one of the best characters in the verse. He’s always one step ahead and I love Ichigo having to physically fight his Jungian shadow. Onto Hueco Mundo next I think?
Grimmjow makes some moves but still feels like a teaser, it’s evident he’ll be back. I went into this expecting to see Ichigo get absolutely smoked but it doesn’t happen. Anybody else remember Grimmjow putting PAWS on Ichigo in the anime? Guess that was creative liberty with Studio Pierrot.
The really, really good Bleachy stuff: Ichigo’s Visored training and hollowfication. It satisfies that shonen indulgence in cool swordplay but also works as a character arc for Ichigo. How far will he go to involve himself in this war, to protect people, to protect himself? Bleach runs high on “hell yeah” vibes, and anytime Ichigo’s hollow mask forms is a big “hell yeah” for me. And White is one of the best characters in the verse. He’s always one step ahead and I love Ichigo having to physically fight his Jungian shadow. Onto Hueco Mundo next I think?
May 26, 2023
I remember when I watched the Visoreds stuff that happens in this volume on Adult Swim years ago, I didn't enjoy it. Sometimes I would tune out or get something to eat because it wasn't that enjoyable. I enjoy the quiet moments and many of the fights in the series but not this one and the stuff that happens before that like Hiyori throwing the exercise machine at Ichigo's face was a bit too over the top. Now after so many years I still feel the same. I love that Bleach and other anime and manga series aren't all seriousness, that they can balance the dark serious moments with the jokes, it's one of the reasons I love anime and manga so much but even I have to admit that that scene was too ridiculous and unnecessary, it wasn't even funny. Although I did like some of the fight with his inner hollow.
Blog: nazreads.ca
Twitter: Naz_readsanime
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Blog: nazreads.ca
Twitter: Naz_readsanime
Instagram: nazreads01, nazcosplay, nradesigns, charmedanimegirl01
May 2, 2021
Really good. Love the internal battles.
Summary:
Ichego goes the the vizards camp and tells them hes not joining but he wants them to train him. Then he tells Shinji hes going to beat the secrets out of him. Then Hiyori (leader of the group?) pushes Shinji aside and tells Ichego that he doesnt choose if he joins or not, they do. They force Ichego to battle the negative Ichego, who know clames to be zangetsu. Ichego beats him.
The captain general tells Toshiro that captain Aizen's true plan is to kill he royal family of the spirit world that live in their own dimension. To do this Aizen wil have to kill the whole town ichego is from. Chad and Renji are training together to get stronger. Orihime is tasked with telling everyone abbout Aizen's plan.
Summary:
Ichego goes the the vizards camp and tells them hes not joining but he wants them to train him. Then he tells Shinji hes going to beat the secrets out of him. Then Hiyori (leader of the group?) pushes Shinji aside and tells Ichego that he doesnt choose if he joins or not, they do. They force Ichego to battle the negative Ichego, who know clames to be zangetsu. Ichego beats him.
The captain general tells Toshiro that captain Aizen's true plan is to kill he royal family of the spirit world that live in their own dimension. To do this Aizen wil have to kill the whole town ichego is from. Chad and Renji are training together to get stronger. Orihime is tasked with telling everyone abbout Aizen's plan.
February 4, 2024
Oh, this one was fun.
Everyone is training except for Orihime, who is playing host to all of the Soul Reapers who have come to Karakura Town. A battle is coming, and everyone needs to be in top form in order to save the town and everyone who lives there.
I have to admit that I really like the Visoreds too. I started watching the anime with my husband, and now I'm so far ahead in the manga that I wish I could just upload all of those episodes to his brain so that he can be caught up on the story and we can talk about it. So much has happened! He has no idea.
Everyone is training except for Orihime, who is playing host to all of the Soul Reapers who have come to Karakura Town. A battle is coming, and everyone needs to be in top form in order to save the town and everyone who lives there.
I have to admit that I really like the Visoreds too. I started watching the anime with my husband, and now I'm so far ahead in the manga that I wish I could just upload all of those episodes to his brain so that he can be caught up on the story and we can talk about it. So much has happened! He has no idea.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews