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Bleach #69
Bleach, Vol. 69: Against the Judgement
With the death of Reio at the hands of the Quincy King Yhwach, the world starts to crumble. Soul Reaper Captain General Kyoraku enlists Aizen to help in the war against the Quincies, but is relying on a traitor a wise move? And as Ichigo heads toward Yhwach, he runs into an unexpected figure!
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2015
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December 8, 2024
"It's you. I know your name. Jugram Haschwalth. Together we are whole."
This volume might be my favorite from the TYBW arc. I had so much fun while reading it! I know that we're in the middle of the war and things had gotten incredibly dangerous not just for our heroes, but for the whole BLEACH universe, and this volume is focused (more or less) on the light things more than the serious ones so it could be easily overlooked by a more demanding reader, but for me it was perfection.
"Yo. It's been a while, Kurosaki."
THE UNEXPECTED REUNIONS?! THE UNEXPECTED COOPERATION?! AN UNEXPECTED STERNRITTER FLASHBACK?! THE UNEXPECTED FUN?! AND THE MYSTERY?! SIGN ME THE HELL UP!! 🙌
I'm honestly amazed at how enjoyable this volume was for me. It's not that I haven't enjoyed reading all of the previous TYBW volumes, no, it's just this one felt more precious for me, because it reminded me of all the scenes from the original story that I love with all my heart. I LOVE when the atmosphere is light, when the characters interact with each other and cute and funny scenes happen, and when I get the chance to see the characters I haven't in so long, and when things just get a turn that I didn't expect at all, and when I'm all drowning in big smiles and loud giggles and an enormous amount of tears that I don't want to stop from falling. This is what Volume 69 gave me and I'm even more grateful for it after the previous one that was so devastating for me and my boy Ichigo who got so awfully manipulated. I wanted so badly for something good to happen. I needed it. I craved it. And this volume delivered. I couldn't be more grateful.
"Come to think of it... Why are you on our side?"
"Huh? Who said I was? You're such a dolt. Hueco Mundo's gone if we let Yhwach have his way, right? If Hueco Mundo's gone, where would I kill you?"
"Right."
The scream I let out when I saw all of the long time no see characters definitely could have been heard in the whole building I'm living in. I'll be honest, I knew that they were coming (thanks for the courtesy of the social media), I knew it and was so excited for it (obviously!), but I didn't expect to see it so soon! It was such an amazing surprise for me. I LOVE these characters with all my heart ,(no spoilers, don't worry), they are definitely on my top 10 favorite BLEACH characters (so you can only imagine what I felt when they were gone), so seeing them again made my heart do an euphoric dance (I can't wait to see it in the anime!!). Don't even get me started on Ichigo's reaction. I had such a good laugh while reading this volume, and Ichigo's reactions and face expressions are one of the reasons why. Everyone knew the plan, so there was no surprise at all, except for Ichigo who had NO IDEA what was coming. His genuine bewilderment and frantic hand moves were both adorable and funny at the same time :) How is this possible that with every volume I love him more and more?
"You weren't even here a second ago! Who are you anyway?!"
"Me? I'm Kurosaki's enemy."
"Seriously?! Then that makes us friends, doesn't it?! Let's kill Kurosaki together!"
Before I will go to a little chat about the flashback moment, let's appreciate the Quincy side for a moment, or to be more specific - Askin. The guy is HILARIOUS. When we first saw him in this volume, he and his companions were just sitting on couches and chilling while their leader was busy with Reio just to jump into action when they realized that the enemy is in the Wahrwelt (it's how the place got named by Yhwach). Askin had the pleasure to meet Ichigo's group and, when you expected of him to put a good fight (since he's one of Yhwach's guardians), he was like 'that's not what I've been signed on, I'm outta here!' and RUN AWAY. What the hell even, I thought I will die out of laughter, especially when he suggested to his opponent to join forces against Ichigo. He made two the biggest mistakes a guy can make while meeting a wild cat: 1) he decided to run away from him and 2) wanted a share of the cat's prey. Nah, nah, nah. You will go down, my friend! 😂
"Jugo. From today you're my minion. Don't worry about what the grown-ups say. I'll teach you everything you need to know. Let's become the ultimate Quincies."
While I had an idea about the character comeback, I did not seen the Sternritter flashback incoming. I wasn't a fan of the Sternritters, with the exception of Askin, but after this flashback, I think that I can count Bazz-B to the list of my favorite BLEACH characters. He already made a good impression on me when he complimented Renji's eyebrows and attacked Bambietta's minions, and with the flashback the good impression continues. I've finally got an explanation of why at least one (two...?) of the quincies decided to join Yhwach's forces and I feel satisfied (for now, at least). Finally something made sense! Yay! I also really liked the way Bazz's and Jugram's first meeting and companionship was portrayed. Which is why it felt kind of heartbreaking when they went against each other in the present time. This is not how their plan was, wasn't it? They supposed to work together. They had the same enemy. What had changed then? - this is what made me incredibly confused. It doesn't make sense why Jugram is so loyal to Yhwach, so much so that he's willing to fight against his childhood friend. And what exactly is the bond that makes him and Yhwach whole? And the power switch? What's up with that? My mind is breaking while trying to find the answer.
Anyways, three Soul Reaper groups are currently in the Quincy territory. Who will get to the Wahrwelt palace first? Who even has any chance to win against Yhwach now that he's "overflowing with power"? What are Yhwach's plans, will he change the whole universe? If so, then how?
Some things I like to talk about: (look out for the spoilers, please!!)
~ I can't believe that Aizen tried to shoot down Reio's palace, while being chained to his chair, wtf, how powerful is this guy now??
~ I think it's worth noticing that Bazz-B didn't kill NaNaNa until he went against the Soul Reapers.
~ The Quincies and Soul Reapers joining forces wasn't in my bingo card. Especially seeing Giselle there.
~ The fact that Ichigo didn't loose consciousness when he bumped heads with Ganju, but lost it when he bumped heads with Orihime shows how hard of a head Orihime has, lmao 😂
~ Ichigo's straight up murderous intent when he realized that it was Kon's fault (not really, though) that he got knocked out, made me laugh so hard. And, well, the nostalgia hit. As much as Kon was annoying in the original story, his and Ichigo's interactions were always entertaining 😂
~ The way Ichigo immediately went into a fighting stance at the sight of Grimmjow, lmao, completely ignoring the fact that the garganta opened on Yoruichi's command 🤣
~ To Ichigo's defence, Grimmjow was also ready to fight 😂
~ I LOVE how Ichigo is Grimmjow's no. 1 priority, even when his hometown is close to being destroyed!
~ Nel nearly knocking out Grimmjow, trying to get into Ichigo's arms was hilarious 😂
~ I really LOVE Nel's devotion to Ichigo. She was so overjoyed when she saw him. What a cutie 🥰
~ I missed Riruka so much!! (Yukio too)
~ I love her adorable hoodie with the bunny ears and tail and cute wings!!
~ "Which part[of the plan] do you want explained, Ichigo?"
"All of it!!" - my poor confused boy 😂
~ Gerard Valkyrie on his first appearance had already strongly reminded me of Marvel's Thor, but in the one scene with him sitting on a couch with a huge grin on his face, he basically looked like Thor.
~ Jugram is being unnaturally calm about everything, it's a little bit unsettling.
~ "I've entered Kyogoku once before. For somebody who only likes cute things... Somebody who can only stuff she likes into the box... There's no way you can stuff Kyogoku into a box. It's very far from anything cute. You went out of your way for us, didn't you? Thanks." - 1) The smile that Ichigo send to Riruka made me weak on the knees. I'm surprised the girl didn't faint. 2) Riruka's blush was so cute. She still has a crush on him, doesn't she? Understandable, girl. Very understandable! 3) When Ichigo talked about the Kyogoku, did he thought about his training in the dangai or... or did he meant the events from the first movie?? Does he remembers Senna?? Does it mean that the first BLEACH movie (my favorite) is canon?! 🤯
~ "Yo. Ichigo. You're... grown up."
"Have I? How?"
"Aw... Maybe not. I guess you've always been this way." - I'M CRYING 😭
~ Yhwach's Wahrwelt palace looks impressive!
~ I love how the heroes found a moment to wonder how Yoruichi's little brother looks like. Them imagining him as a cat with a sword killed me 😂
~ Ichigo nearly fell to his death because he felt Rukia's and Renji's spiritual pressure and wanted to go to them, awwww 😭
~ What are Sentaro and Kiyone with Kyoraku's group?! I thought that they stayed behind with their captain?! They aren't fighters (I've never seen them in a fight)! 🤨
~ Poor Hanataro, found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time once again 😂
~ The way Mayuri nearly jumped out of his boots at the sight of Kenny lol 🤣
~ I'm surprised that Kenny decided to go to the Reio palace instead of trying to find Yachiru. I guess, he has more faith in his squad that he leads on.
~ I have no idea in what kind of state Ukitake currently is and it's frightening me. Considering the fact that Isane is not with Kyoraku's group, she stayed behind to take care of him.
~ Who was the guy in the woods that was looking for child Jugram? Was it his uncle? Does it mean that Jugram had a bad relationship with him so he was actually relieved when he died in the fire, that's why he's so loyal now to Yhwach?? (if so, part of me would understand that while other part of me will be ill, because it would mean that Jugram didn't give an f about Bazz's family also dying in the fire, don't even get me started on all the innocent people who also lived in the same building)
~ I love how little Bazz looked like a Rome soldier!
~ Where the hell is Ichibei?
~ What happened with Halibel? I'm surprised that she didn't come fight for Hue of Mundo alongside Grimmjow and Nel. Doesn't mean that she isn't feeling well yet? Was she even freed from her chains? There is basically no info about that!
This volume might be my favorite from the TYBW arc. I had so much fun while reading it! I know that we're in the middle of the war and things had gotten incredibly dangerous not just for our heroes, but for the whole BLEACH universe, and this volume is focused (more or less) on the light things more than the serious ones so it could be easily overlooked by a more demanding reader, but for me it was perfection.
"Yo. It's been a while, Kurosaki."
THE UNEXPECTED REUNIONS?! THE UNEXPECTED COOPERATION?! AN UNEXPECTED STERNRITTER FLASHBACK?! THE UNEXPECTED FUN?! AND THE MYSTERY?! SIGN ME THE HELL UP!! 🙌
I'm honestly amazed at how enjoyable this volume was for me. It's not that I haven't enjoyed reading all of the previous TYBW volumes, no, it's just this one felt more precious for me, because it reminded me of all the scenes from the original story that I love with all my heart. I LOVE when the atmosphere is light, when the characters interact with each other and cute and funny scenes happen, and when I get the chance to see the characters I haven't in so long, and when things just get a turn that I didn't expect at all, and when I'm all drowning in big smiles and loud giggles and an enormous amount of tears that I don't want to stop from falling. This is what Volume 69 gave me and I'm even more grateful for it after the previous one that was so devastating for me and my boy Ichigo who got so awfully manipulated. I wanted so badly for something good to happen. I needed it. I craved it. And this volume delivered. I couldn't be more grateful.
"Come to think of it... Why are you on our side?"
"Huh? Who said I was? You're such a dolt. Hueco Mundo's gone if we let Yhwach have his way, right? If Hueco Mundo's gone, where would I kill you?"
"Right."
The scream I let out when I saw all of the long time no see characters definitely could have been heard in the whole building I'm living in. I'll be honest, I knew that they were coming (thanks for the courtesy of the social media), I knew it and was so excited for it (obviously!), but I didn't expect to see it so soon! It was such an amazing surprise for me. I LOVE these characters with all my heart ,(no spoilers, don't worry), they are definitely on my top 10 favorite BLEACH characters (so you can only imagine what I felt when they were gone), so seeing them again made my heart do an euphoric dance (I can't wait to see it in the anime!!). Don't even get me started on Ichigo's reaction. I had such a good laugh while reading this volume, and Ichigo's reactions and face expressions are one of the reasons why. Everyone knew the plan, so there was no surprise at all, except for Ichigo who had NO IDEA what was coming. His genuine bewilderment and frantic hand moves were both adorable and funny at the same time :) How is this possible that with every volume I love him more and more?
"You weren't even here a second ago! Who are you anyway?!"
"Me? I'm Kurosaki's enemy."
"Seriously?! Then that makes us friends, doesn't it?! Let's kill Kurosaki together!"
Before I will go to a little chat about the flashback moment, let's appreciate the Quincy side for a moment, or to be more specific - Askin. The guy is HILARIOUS. When we first saw him in this volume, he and his companions were just sitting on couches and chilling while their leader was busy with Reio just to jump into action when they realized that the enemy is in the Wahrwelt (it's how the place got named by Yhwach). Askin had the pleasure to meet Ichigo's group and, when you expected of him to put a good fight (since he's one of Yhwach's guardians), he was like 'that's not what I've been signed on, I'm outta here!' and RUN AWAY. What the hell even, I thought I will die out of laughter, especially when he suggested to his opponent to join forces against Ichigo. He made two the biggest mistakes a guy can make while meeting a wild cat: 1) he decided to run away from him and 2) wanted a share of the cat's prey. Nah, nah, nah. You will go down, my friend! 😂
"Jugo. From today you're my minion. Don't worry about what the grown-ups say. I'll teach you everything you need to know. Let's become the ultimate Quincies."
While I had an idea about the character comeback, I did not seen the Sternritter flashback incoming. I wasn't a fan of the Sternritters, with the exception of Askin, but after this flashback, I think that I can count Bazz-B to the list of my favorite BLEACH characters. He already made a good impression on me when he complimented Renji's eyebrows and attacked Bambietta's minions, and with the flashback the good impression continues. I've finally got an explanation of why at least one (two...?) of the quincies decided to join Yhwach's forces and I feel satisfied (for now, at least). Finally something made sense! Yay! I also really liked the way Bazz's and Jugram's first meeting and companionship was portrayed. Which is why it felt kind of heartbreaking when they went against each other in the present time. This is not how their plan was, wasn't it? They supposed to work together. They had the same enemy. What had changed then? - this is what made me incredibly confused. It doesn't make sense why Jugram is so loyal to Yhwach, so much so that he's willing to fight against his childhood friend. And what exactly is the bond that makes him and Yhwach whole? And the power switch? What's up with that? My mind is breaking while trying to find the answer.
Anyways, three Soul Reaper groups are currently in the Quincy territory. Who will get to the Wahrwelt palace first? Who even has any chance to win against Yhwach now that he's "overflowing with power"? What are Yhwach's plans, will he change the whole universe? If so, then how?
Some things I like to talk about: (look out for the spoilers, please!!)
~ I can't believe that Aizen tried to shoot down Reio's palace, while being chained to his chair, wtf, how powerful is this guy now??
~ I think it's worth noticing that Bazz-B didn't kill NaNaNa until he went against the Soul Reapers.
~ The Quincies and Soul Reapers joining forces wasn't in my bingo card. Especially seeing Giselle there.
~ The fact that Ichigo didn't loose consciousness when he bumped heads with Ganju, but lost it when he bumped heads with Orihime shows how hard of a head Orihime has, lmao 😂
~ Ichigo's straight up murderous intent when he realized that it was Kon's fault (not really, though) that he got knocked out, made me laugh so hard. And, well, the nostalgia hit. As much as Kon was annoying in the original story, his and Ichigo's interactions were always entertaining 😂
~ The way Ichigo immediately went into a fighting stance at the sight of Grimmjow, lmao, completely ignoring the fact that the garganta opened on Yoruichi's command 🤣
~ To Ichigo's defence, Grimmjow was also ready to fight 😂
~ I LOVE how Ichigo is Grimmjow's no. 1 priority, even when his hometown is close to being destroyed!
~ Nel nearly knocking out Grimmjow, trying to get into Ichigo's arms was hilarious 😂
~ I really LOVE Nel's devotion to Ichigo. She was so overjoyed when she saw him. What a cutie 🥰
~ I missed Riruka so much!! (Yukio too)
~ I love her adorable hoodie with the bunny ears and tail and cute wings!!
~ "Which part[of the plan] do you want explained, Ichigo?"
"All of it!!" - my poor confused boy 😂
~ Gerard Valkyrie on his first appearance had already strongly reminded me of Marvel's Thor, but in the one scene with him sitting on a couch with a huge grin on his face, he basically looked like Thor.
~ Jugram is being unnaturally calm about everything, it's a little bit unsettling.
~ "I've entered Kyogoku once before. For somebody who only likes cute things... Somebody who can only stuff she likes into the box... There's no way you can stuff Kyogoku into a box. It's very far from anything cute. You went out of your way for us, didn't you? Thanks." - 1) The smile that Ichigo send to Riruka made me weak on the knees. I'm surprised the girl didn't faint. 2) Riruka's blush was so cute. She still has a crush on him, doesn't she? Understandable, girl. Very understandable! 3) When Ichigo talked about the Kyogoku, did he thought about his training in the dangai or... or did he meant the events from the first movie?? Does he remembers Senna?? Does it mean that the first BLEACH movie (my favorite) is canon?! 🤯
~ "Yo. Ichigo. You're... grown up."
"Have I? How?"
"Aw... Maybe not. I guess you've always been this way." - I'M CRYING 😭
~ Yhwach's Wahrwelt palace looks impressive!
~ I love how the heroes found a moment to wonder how Yoruichi's little brother looks like. Them imagining him as a cat with a sword killed me 😂
~ Ichigo nearly fell to his death because he felt Rukia's and Renji's spiritual pressure and wanted to go to them, awwww 😭
~ What are Sentaro and Kiyone with Kyoraku's group?! I thought that they stayed behind with their captain?! They aren't fighters (I've never seen them in a fight)! 🤨
~ Poor Hanataro, found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time once again 😂
~ The way Mayuri nearly jumped out of his boots at the sight of Kenny lol 🤣
~ I'm surprised that Kenny decided to go to the Reio palace instead of trying to find Yachiru. I guess, he has more faith in his squad that he leads on.
~ I have no idea in what kind of state Ukitake currently is and it's frightening me. Considering the fact that Isane is not with Kyoraku's group, she stayed behind to take care of him.
~ Who was the guy in the woods that was looking for child Jugram? Was it his uncle? Does it mean that Jugram had a bad relationship with him so he was actually relieved when he died in the fire, that's why he's so loyal now to Yhwach?? (if so, part of me would understand that while other part of me will be ill, because it would mean that Jugram didn't give an f about Bazz's family also dying in the fire, don't even get me started on all the innocent people who also lived in the same building)
~ I love how little Bazz looked like a Rome soldier!
~ Where the hell is Ichibei?
~ What happened with Halibel? I'm surprised that she didn't come fight for Hue of Mundo alongside Grimmjow and Nel. Doesn't mean that she isn't feeling well yet? Was she even freed from her chains? There is basically no info about that!
June 5, 2015
The final showdown is getting close, I wonder what the pairs will be.
January 23, 2019
Boring nonsense.
March 8, 2021
Reviewed on Lili Lost in a Book
Things are bad, guys. They are SO bad!
No shit. Lol. But while the last volume made me cry, I found that this one was more on the fun side, which I appreciated after that sacrifice 😩
The Soul Reapers get some unexpected help, and honestly I was extremely surprised!
Besides that fun surprise, we got this fun group of characters that banded together: Kenpachi, Kurotsuchi, Nemu, Yumichika and Ikkaku, and poor little Hanataro! I loved this quirky group! Kurotsuchi and Kenpachi are NOT getting along, as you may have guessed lol...
And poor Hanataro is stuck in the middle of it all! Lol. He’s not a fighter, he’s a healer! Lol.
Anyway, I thought that was a lot of fun! I love a good action sequence, but I have to admit that my favorite thing about this volume was definitely the interactions between the characters!
Things are bad, guys. They are SO bad!
No shit. Lol. But while the last volume made me cry, I found that this one was more on the fun side, which I appreciated after that sacrifice 😩
The Soul Reapers get some unexpected help, and honestly I was extremely surprised!
Besides that fun surprise, we got this fun group of characters that banded together: Kenpachi, Kurotsuchi, Nemu, Yumichika and Ikkaku, and poor little Hanataro! I loved this quirky group! Kurotsuchi and Kenpachi are NOT getting along, as you may have guessed lol...
And poor Hanataro is stuck in the middle of it all! Lol. He’s not a fighter, he’s a healer! Lol.
Anyway, I thought that was a lot of fun! I love a good action sequence, but I have to admit that my favorite thing about this volume was definitely the interactions between the characters!
March 11, 2016
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS! HE IS BACK! ♥♥♥
February 5, 2025
my man grimjow what are you doing here?!?!?!
why is this so good!
why is this so good!
December 7, 2020
This was a good volume as we see the Soul Reapers mount their last attack against Yhwach who has gained the Spirit Kings power and gets ready to attack him and he does and he wins seems like. They are going to stop him but are met with challenges here and there, also Grimmjow, Neliel and the Fullbringers join Ichigo and co to fight this guy and also Gotei 13 make their way there but see he has changed the Soul Reaper palace to something else. Then we get a tale of Bazz-B and Haschwalth when they were kids and their real motive for joining Sternritter. At this point the story is just feeling dragged but a few more chapters to go until the final battle between Yhwach and Ichigo!
September 13, 2024
I’m eating these volumes up🙂↔️
July 20, 2025
So much buildup
August 1, 2025
My goat Grimjow returned. Need I say anymore? Probably not, but I will anyways.
Like I said, my goat Grimjow returned, and while I did know it was coming it didn't take anything away from how awesome the reunion was. Nel also made her return and while I have no strong feelings for the character I do like her.
I wasnt crazy over the huge amount of time spent on fleshing out Bazz the baldy B and Jugram but I can at least appreciate that it helped to establish their characters and the Sternritter as a whole more, which tbh was much needed and has come in a little too late here IMO. I do like how Bazz B tries to revolt though and I completely back his reasoning.
A really nice moment between Ichigoat and Renji, very nice to see.
Not a 5 but a solid 4.
Grimjow is back, incase you weren't already aware.
Like I said, my goat Grimjow returned, and while I did know it was coming it didn't take anything away from how awesome the reunion was. Nel also made her return and while I have no strong feelings for the character I do like her.
I wasnt crazy over the huge amount of time spent on fleshing out Bazz the baldy B and Jugram but I can at least appreciate that it helped to establish their characters and the Sternritter as a whole more, which tbh was much needed and has come in a little too late here IMO. I do like how Bazz B tries to revolt though and I completely back his reasoning.
A really nice moment between Ichigoat and Renji, very nice to see.
Not a 5 but a solid 4.
Grimjow is back, incase you weren't already aware.
November 11, 2022
This is truly Infinity War level crossover within the series. Love the finality and epic nature of this arc! And we’re finally getting some more insight into the Stern Ritter!!
July 5, 2020
As everyone heads to the next level where most of their fighting will probably take place, a grand reunion takes place as old faces meet new ones and a common enemy is established.
Nothing could possibly feel more rushed than to pull such a move where you dig in your bag of ancient tricks to try and shock the reader.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
Nothing could possibly feel more rushed than to pull such a move where you dig in your bag of ancient tricks to try and shock the reader.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
April 20, 2017
Fun as the action of this series is, I really think Tite Kubo shines in his sadder storylines, such as the history between Bazz-B and his former friend.
July 15, 2023
GWIMMJOW AND RIRUKA MY LOVES <33
February 4, 2024
I love that we are bringing back characters for an epic conclusion
February 15, 2025
13.02.25
August 14, 2015
I really liked the flashbacks and Bazz-B is my favourite sternritter so far.
June 11, 2018
IM JUST RATING LIKE THIS BECAUSE MY FAVE APPEARED AND IM DYING
Read
December 28, 2022grimmjow my mans he's back and he's on our side fuck yeah
October 24, 2025
TBA
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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 74 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.
August 10, 2022
Kurotsuchi explains to some of the horrified Captains why Aizen can’t do what he threatens, namely shoot down Reiokyu. Unfortunately, some of the Quincies choose that moment to arrive. While Shunsui hopes they have come to help, the truth is quite the opposite. Looks like a fight is going to happen. But that is interrupted by the arrival of Bazz-B and two girls. Seems that the Bazz is willing to help the Soul Reapers, being rather angry at Yhwach for abandoning them. Besides the desire to kill Yhwach, Bazz has a beef with Ichigo as well.
Ichigo et al need to figure out how to get to Reiokyu again, but help arrives from an unexpected source – Grimmjow! Whodathunkit? And right behind him is the adult Nel! Apparently Uruhara has made something for her that allows her to switch between her child and adult forms whenever she wants. A box unexpectedly appears, heralding the arrival of Yukio and Riruka. When Ichigo questions Grimmjow on his motives for helping, he claims that if Hueco Mundo were to disappear, he’d have nowhere to kill Ichigo. Sounds legit.
Yhwach has taken down Reio and now he’s ready to reinvent his nation, rebuilding the Royal Palace to resemble his own. The Court Guard Captains are confused, but Shunsui realizes that this is a testament to the strength of their foe. Yhwach tells his followers that the castle will be the foundation for the new world, Wahr Welt (castle of true world). The Captains move to attack, but Kurotsuchi isn’t with them. As always, he marches to the beat of his own drummer. But he is surprised to find Kenpachi has anticipated his move and followed him.
Once Yhwach gives his orders, Haschwalth gives one of his own – that Uryu be followed, to make sure he does nothing that goes against His Majesty’s plans. Apparently there is a lack of trust there. Haschwalth is surprised to see Bazz B, having assumed he was with the ones who didn’t survive. Bazz doesn’t hesitate to tell Jugo just how angry he is, despite their long history together.
Some interesting things going on here, including the backstory of Bazz and Jugo, and how Jugo came to be Yhwach’s second-in-command. We can see a certain dissension in the Quincy ranks. Will this become advantageous to our heroes at some point? Clearly someone doesn’t trust Uryu, but is that suspicion justified? I thought I caught a glimpse of something like dismay with Uryu, and I am still of the opinion that he will do right in the end, regardless of appearances right now.
Everyone is getting into position. What purpose will Aizen serve? He is doing his best to escape. I’d say good luck to that, but we all know from experience that this man is dangerous, even as hamstrung as he currently is. Don’t underestimate him. I feel the ultimate battle will be between Ichigo and Yhwach, but everyone has a part to play. Good volume, only five more left!
Ichigo et al need to figure out how to get to Reiokyu again, but help arrives from an unexpected source – Grimmjow! Whodathunkit? And right behind him is the adult Nel! Apparently Uruhara has made something for her that allows her to switch between her child and adult forms whenever she wants. A box unexpectedly appears, heralding the arrival of Yukio and Riruka. When Ichigo questions Grimmjow on his motives for helping, he claims that if Hueco Mundo were to disappear, he’d have nowhere to kill Ichigo. Sounds legit.
Yhwach has taken down Reio and now he’s ready to reinvent his nation, rebuilding the Royal Palace to resemble his own. The Court Guard Captains are confused, but Shunsui realizes that this is a testament to the strength of their foe. Yhwach tells his followers that the castle will be the foundation for the new world, Wahr Welt (castle of true world). The Captains move to attack, but Kurotsuchi isn’t with them. As always, he marches to the beat of his own drummer. But he is surprised to find Kenpachi has anticipated his move and followed him.
Once Yhwach gives his orders, Haschwalth gives one of his own – that Uryu be followed, to make sure he does nothing that goes against His Majesty’s plans. Apparently there is a lack of trust there. Haschwalth is surprised to see Bazz B, having assumed he was with the ones who didn’t survive. Bazz doesn’t hesitate to tell Jugo just how angry he is, despite their long history together.
Some interesting things going on here, including the backstory of Bazz and Jugo, and how Jugo came to be Yhwach’s second-in-command. We can see a certain dissension in the Quincy ranks. Will this become advantageous to our heroes at some point? Clearly someone doesn’t trust Uryu, but is that suspicion justified? I thought I caught a glimpse of something like dismay with Uryu, and I am still of the opinion that he will do right in the end, regardless of appearances right now.
Everyone is getting into position. What purpose will Aizen serve? He is doing his best to escape. I’d say good luck to that, but we all know from experience that this man is dangerous, even as hamstrung as he currently is. Don’t underestimate him. I feel the ultimate battle will be between Ichigo and Yhwach, but everyone has a part to play. Good volume, only five more left!
August 27, 2024
VOLUME 69: CHAPTER 623-632
Arc 11: The Thousand Year Blood War
Aizen can released a large amount of reiatsu but he was restrainted by Mayuri's technology. Najahkoop shoot Aizen with his morphine but Aizen can withstand it. Other Sternritter who have fallen rise again. Suddenly, Bazz-B shoot Najahkoop and wants to join the battle with the Shinigami along with Liltotto and Giselle. He wants to kill Yhwach as an act of rebellion. In Royal Palace, Ichigo is passed out. When he is awake, he was regroup with other. Yoruichi opened a Garganta and Grimmjow and Nelliel appear from it. Riruka and Yukio also there. Yoruichi and Urahara have make a plan. The space that connecting the human world and the Soul Society and where the souls escaped called Kyougoku. Garganta open up to fill this void. Kougyoku also act as a Reishi storage unit. Riruka used her power to move a whole Kougyoku into a box and Yukio used his power to change it into a room. They can used that to slip into Soul Palace without being notice.
Yhwach have fully absorbed the Soul King. He then reshaped the Royal Palace into the Quincy Street. The Soul Society and the Wandenreich below is crumbling. Ichigo and his friends have arrived at the newly formed Quincy Street along with the Gotei 13. Yhwach will build a new world: Wahrwelt. Mayuri and Nemu slipped from the Gotei 13 but he was followed by Zaraki, Ikkaku, Yukichika and Yamada. The remaining Sternritter were dispatched to 5 places including Uryuu. Ichigo group confronted Nakk Le Vaar and Grimmjow is the first one to fight him. Bazz-B sneak into the Quincy Palace to fight Haschwalth. Bazz-B and Haschwalth is an old friend. One day, Yhwach burned down their town. They take a vow to kill Yhwach. After 5 years, Yhwach formed a Sternritter as a preparation to invade Soul Society. They started to recruit member. Bazz-B wants to join Sternritter but Haschwalth opposed it. Suddenly, Yhwach appeared to find his other half, Haschwalth.
Arc 11: The Thousand Year Blood War
Aizen can released a large amount of reiatsu but he was restrainted by Mayuri's technology. Najahkoop shoot Aizen with his morphine but Aizen can withstand it. Other Sternritter who have fallen rise again. Suddenly, Bazz-B shoot Najahkoop and wants to join the battle with the Shinigami along with Liltotto and Giselle. He wants to kill Yhwach as an act of rebellion. In Royal Palace, Ichigo is passed out. When he is awake, he was regroup with other. Yoruichi opened a Garganta and Grimmjow and Nelliel appear from it. Riruka and Yukio also there. Yoruichi and Urahara have make a plan. The space that connecting the human world and the Soul Society and where the souls escaped called Kyougoku. Garganta open up to fill this void. Kougyoku also act as a Reishi storage unit. Riruka used her power to move a whole Kougyoku into a box and Yukio used his power to change it into a room. They can used that to slip into Soul Palace without being notice.
Yhwach have fully absorbed the Soul King. He then reshaped the Royal Palace into the Quincy Street. The Soul Society and the Wandenreich below is crumbling. Ichigo and his friends have arrived at the newly formed Quincy Street along with the Gotei 13. Yhwach will build a new world: Wahrwelt. Mayuri and Nemu slipped from the Gotei 13 but he was followed by Zaraki, Ikkaku, Yukichika and Yamada. The remaining Sternritter were dispatched to 5 places including Uryuu. Ichigo group confronted Nakk Le Vaar and Grimmjow is the first one to fight him. Bazz-B sneak into the Quincy Palace to fight Haschwalth. Bazz-B and Haschwalth is an old friend. One day, Yhwach burned down their town. They take a vow to kill Yhwach. After 5 years, Yhwach formed a Sternritter as a preparation to invade Soul Society. They started to recruit member. Bazz-B wants to join Sternritter but Haschwalth opposed it. Suddenly, Yhwach appeared to find his other half, Haschwalth.
November 27, 2019
Bleach, Vol. 69 continues where the previous tankōbon left off and contains the next ten chapters (623–632) of the on-going manga series.
Sōsuke Aizen is attacked by the Sternritter "U" NaNaNa Najahkoop but the latter is quickly killed by Bazz-B. Who, with Liltotto Lamperd and Giselle Gewelle, want to get revenge on their Emperor by helping the Shinigami.
Meanwhile, Ichigo Kurosaki's group is joined by Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez and Nel, while Yhwach begins to build a new world from the ruins of the Soul Society. The group is also unexpectedly accompanied by the Fullbringers Yukio Hans Vorarlberna and Riruka Dokugamine as well.
Having arrived at the new palace, the Shinigami forces splits into three groups: Ichigo's group, Shunsui Sōzōsuke Jirō Kyōraku's group, and Mayuri Kurotsuchi's group and must confront the Schutzstaffel scattered in every part of the palace. Grimmjow finds engages Askin Nakk Le Vaar, but is defeated and seemingly killed by him. Bazz-B arrives at the main building and confronts Jugram Haschwalth, recalling their shared childhood.
This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Tite Kubo. The tankōbon continues the second invasion of the Seireitei by the Sternritter. With Yhwach merging with the Soul King, he rebuilds Soul Society in his image, which separates the battle into three main groups, two of which are led by Shunsui Sōzōsuke Jirō Kyōraku and Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Ichigo Kurosaki leads the third group, which is joined by Arrancar and Fullbringers.
All in all, Bleach, Vol. 69 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems intriguing and I cannot wait to read more.
Sōsuke Aizen is attacked by the Sternritter "U" NaNaNa Najahkoop but the latter is quickly killed by Bazz-B. Who, with Liltotto Lamperd and Giselle Gewelle, want to get revenge on their Emperor by helping the Shinigami.
Meanwhile, Ichigo Kurosaki's group is joined by Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez and Nel, while Yhwach begins to build a new world from the ruins of the Soul Society. The group is also unexpectedly accompanied by the Fullbringers Yukio Hans Vorarlberna and Riruka Dokugamine as well.
Having arrived at the new palace, the Shinigami forces splits into three groups: Ichigo's group, Shunsui Sōzōsuke Jirō Kyōraku's group, and Mayuri Kurotsuchi's group and must confront the Schutzstaffel scattered in every part of the palace. Grimmjow finds engages Askin Nakk Le Vaar, but is defeated and seemingly killed by him. Bazz-B arrives at the main building and confronts Jugram Haschwalth, recalling their shared childhood.
This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Tite Kubo. The tankōbon continues the second invasion of the Seireitei by the Sternritter. With Yhwach merging with the Soul King, he rebuilds Soul Society in his image, which separates the battle into three main groups, two of which are led by Shunsui Sōzōsuke Jirō Kyōraku and Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Ichigo Kurosaki leads the third group, which is joined by Arrancar and Fullbringers.
All in all, Bleach, Vol. 69 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems intriguing and I cannot wait to read more.
March 26, 2023
This volume slows down a bit and gathers the characters before it drives them towards the climax of this arc. I loved the returning characters and how it weaves every previous arc together for this final battle. Grimmjow’s return was a treat and I love him working together with the protagonists. Seeing Yhwach become monstrous after absorbing the Spirit King was interesting, and I liked seeing more of Haschwalth’s character here. Even as terrifying as Yhwach has become, the first son Haschwalth remains the most loyal and is unwavering in his devotion to the Quincy King. I liked the flashback to Bazz-B and Haschwalth’s childhood, it made me realize I had wanted more information on how the Quincies had grown up, their backstories and where they’d lived. I liked how we got a view on their friendships and it really fleshed out a part of their characters for me. In anime and manga, sometimes the story gets slowed down to a crawl every time we get flashbacks to a character’s backstory, however I wanted more from all these Sternritter and it was satisfying getting a piece of that here, especially since the cast of characters on the Quincy side is getting thinner and thinner. I liked how Bazz-B is turning on Yhwach, it made the Quincy seem more diverse since not all of them have the same personality and ideals, and I liked the contrast between the former friends as one had grown to hate the Quincy King and one has grown to have an undying loyalty to him.
May 27, 2024
This volume slows down a bit and gathers the characters before it drives them towards the climax of this arc. I loved the returning characters and how it weaves every previous arc together for this final battle. Grimmjow’s return was a treat and I love him working together with the protagonists. Seeing Yhwach become monstrous after absorbing the Spirit King was interesting, and I liked seeing more of Haschwalth’s character here. Even as terrifying as Yhwach has become, the first son Haschwalth remains the most loyal and is unwavering in his devotion to the Quincy King. I liked the flashback to Bazz-B and Haschwalth’s childhood, it made me realize I had wanted more information on how the Quincies had grown up, their backstories and where they’d lived. I liked how we got a view on their friendships and it really fleshed out a part of their characters for me. In anime and manga, sometimes the story gets slowed down to a crawl every time we get flashbacks to a character’s backstory, however I wanted more from all these Sternritter and it was satisfying getting a piece of that here, especially since the cast of characters on the Quincy side is getting thinner and thinner. I liked how Bazz-B is turning on Yhwach, it made the Quincy seem more diverse since not all of them have the same personality and ideals, and I liked the contrast between the former friends as one had grown to hate the Quincy King and one has grown to have an undying loyalty to him.
June 8, 2017
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
With Bleach 69, we get two diverse story arcs.On the Soul Society side, Ichigo and his comrades are stymied by having no way to get back up to the palace to contest Ywach. But old enemies will come to help in the form of the Hueco Mundo Arrancar. Most notably, GrimmJow, who will happily tear apart Ichigo but acknowledges that the mission to prevent the destruction of Hueco Mundo by Ywach is more important.
At the now subsumed palace, second in command Sternritter Jugram Haschwalth is confronting memories of his own. His past involves friendship with Bazz-B and how Ywatch found him and recruited him.
As with so many of Kubo's backstories, Bass and Jugram's has a nice amount of pathos to it - how two 'normal' Quincy raised boys dream of revenge against Ywach for destroying their lives and instead end up joining the Sternritter.
Meanwhile, Ichigo meeting up with various Arrancar including Nel has its sweet and funny moments as well.
July 27, 2017
Me da una pereza tremenda enfrentarme a todos y cada uno de los tomos que me quedan de Bleach, y no porque no tenga ganas de ver cómo termina (aunque esté cantado), sino porque se me hacen muy cuesta arriba desde hace mucho tiempo. Por suerte esto termina en el tomo 74, así que estamos ya encarando la recta final.
Éste tomo 69 nos vuelve a colocar a un buen puñado de personajes en danza, distintos grupos listos para enfrentarse a éste Quincy todopoderoso que ha aparecido en ésta última saga y que amenaza con destruirlo todo.
Y básicamente eso es lo que tenemos durante casi todo el tomo: reencuentros con algunos viejos conocidos y gente yendo a por el malo de turno. Entretenido? Quizás, pero bastante tostón y no aporta nada.
Al final del tomo, sin embargo, tenemos una pequeña historia sobre un par de los Quincy secundarios más carismáticos que hemos visto hasta el momento. Dicha historia está bien, y sirve para olvidarse del ritmo cansino que está teniendo el manga.
Y es que ahora no sólo es intrascendente, sino que está lleno de diálogos que no llevan a ninguna parte y que lo único que hacen es ralentizar la narración.
Ánimo, que quedan sólo cinco más!
Éste tomo 69 nos vuelve a colocar a un buen puñado de personajes en danza, distintos grupos listos para enfrentarse a éste Quincy todopoderoso que ha aparecido en ésta última saga y que amenaza con destruirlo todo.
Y básicamente eso es lo que tenemos durante casi todo el tomo: reencuentros con algunos viejos conocidos y gente yendo a por el malo de turno. Entretenido? Quizás, pero bastante tostón y no aporta nada.
Al final del tomo, sin embargo, tenemos una pequeña historia sobre un par de los Quincy secundarios más carismáticos que hemos visto hasta el momento. Dicha historia está bien, y sirve para olvidarse del ritmo cansino que está teniendo el manga.
Y es que ahora no sólo es intrascendente, sino que está lleno de diálogos que no llevan a ninguna parte y que lo único que hacen es ralentizar la narración.
Ánimo, que quedan sólo cinco más!
April 19, 2022
Aizen is back, Grimmjow is here, and it seems like the plot is FINALLY rolling again. My only complaint is that Bazz-B, Giselle, and Liltotto are allowed to join the captains and assistant captains to invade Reiokyu. I get that they need their spirit energy, but Bazz-B and especially Giselle (leave her gross ass behind) has done some serious damage, but it's all good because they suddenly also want to kill Yhwach? Also, how did these guys just not realize that Yhwach doesn't care about anyone but himself and will sacrifice whoever to meet his goals? How long have they been with him? He's been ruthless since the moment he appeared in the manga, but NOW because Yhwach abandoned them they've seen the light?
Sure, Jan.
In a similar vein, how did Bazz-B go from wanting to kill Yhwach to becoming a loyal Sternritter?
Sure, Jan.
In a similar vein, how did Bazz-B go from wanting to kill Yhwach to becoming a loyal Sternritter?
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