Bleach Manga Chapter 356 – Tyrant of Skulls
Since most of you didn’t appreciate my taste in German music, I’ve decided to ban you all!!! Just kiddin’, I actually decided to switch to J-rock.
Anyway, the chapter is finally out! Not one of the best chapters, but still it was nice to see some new info on the Espada. And to see that Shiro-chan is completely unharmed, of course. Since this one’s coming out on Monday, we can safely say that there won’t be another chapter this week.
According to Barragan’s words, each of the ten Espada represents one of the reasons for death. All creatures die and it was very poetic of Aizen to create the Espada in exactly such a manner. Also, the ‘theme of death’ of each Espada corresponds with their physical or mental characteristics and their ability.
Primera Espada – Stark – Loneliness
Segunda Espada – Barragan Luisebarn – Aging
Tercera Espada – Halibel – Sacrifice
Cuatra Espada – Ulquiorra Cifer – Emptiness
Quinta Espada – Nnoitora Jiruga – Despair/Hopelessness
Sexta Espada – Grimmjow Jeagerjaques – Destruction
Septima Espada – Zommari Leroux – Addiction/Obsession
Octava Espada – Szayel Apollo Grantz – Insanity/Madness
Novena Espada – Aaroniero Arleri – Greed
Decima/Cero Espada – Yammy Riyalgo – Rage
But if the Espada have death aspects, then the captains from the Gotei 13 also have their specific symbols. Each division has its own flower to represent their characteristics. And the same goes for the Captains.
1st Division – Yamamoto Genryuusai - Truth and innocence
2nd Division – Soi Fon - Seek nothing
3rd Division – Ichimaru Gin - Despair
4th Division – Unohana Retsu - Care and love
5th Division – Aizen Sousuke - Danger
6th Division – Kuchiki byakuya - Noble reason
7th Division – Sajin Komamura - Courage
8th Division – Kyouraku Shunsui - Everything is obtained
9th Division – Kaname Tousen - Oblivion
10th Division – Hitsugaya Toushiro - Egoism
11th Division – Zaraki Kenpachi - Fight
12th Division – Kurotsuchi Mayuri – Vengeance and strictness
13th Division – Ukitake Jyuushiro - Hope
If we pair up the Captains and Espada who’ve fought eachother we get this:
Szayel Apollo vs. Mayuri – Madness vs Vengeance
Zommari vs. Byakuya – Obsession vs. Nobility
Nnoitra vs. Kenpachi – Despair vs. Never-ending battle
Halibel vs. Toushiro – Sacrifice vs. Egoism
Barragan vs. Soi Fon – Old age vs. Seaking nothing
Stark vs. Shunsui – Lonliness vs. Everything is obtained
Before I started pairing these together I thought each Espada would be the exact opposite of a Captain. but in the end it turned out that they actually compliment eachother quite nicely. Quite the interesting turn of events. Also notice how Gin, Aizen and Tousen have the evilest flowers. (If you can actually call flowers evil…)
Now, back to Hitsugaya – it seems his “demise” really was a fake. He created an ice mirror, in which he cast a mirage kidou spell, to convince Halibel that he was actually hit. Nothing too unpredictable here. Like SSJ mentioned several times, Toushiro is the most popular character in the series and his demise is absolutely unthinkable.
The moment Halibel thought that the young captain was dead, she decided to go for old man Yamamoto. While it is true that her water abilities should be quite effective against the General’s fire-type sword, I don’t think she’d be much of a threat to him. By staying alive Shiro-chan completed another good deed – Halibel isn’t going to suffer as much when he kills her… hehehe He doesn’t seem to be having too much trouble blocking and attacking.
Meanwhile in the battle that just became interesting, Soi Fon doesn’t seem to be doing that bad against Barragan. She dodges his attacks quite nicely and her counterattack’s timing is perfect. However she can never land a hit on the old guy. Even though her shunpo is one of the fastest amongst the shinigami, her kick always slows down just before it reaches its target. Barragan has no trouble catching her in midair and throwing her around like a sack of potatoes. The Captain isn’t able to figure out the secret behind the Espada’s power, thus Barragan explains it – of all the Espada he possesses the ultimate death aspect – aging. It is the only one that can never be escaped from. Time slowly ages people and even if they never know despair, loneliness, etc., the natural way always puts them down in the end.
Barragan displays his powers – anything around him instantly dies down – the speed of objects is greatly decreased and supposedly the aging process of everything he touches is increased. With just one grab of Soi Fon’s arm, Barragan ages the bone inside it, which automatically brakes it in half.
The 2nd Espada uses his ressureccion – “Arrogante” (Arrogance), rleased by the command “Rot” (as in rotting flesh, obviously to underline the aging aspect). His giant axe sprouts an eye and engulfs him in a black veil. As he is transformed into a skeleton king, he tells Soi Fon that her mind won’t be able to comprehend the horror she is about to witness.
Barragan’s ability is a bit suspicious, though. To me it doesn’t seem like a time controlling ability, but rather an energy draining ability.
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May 8, 2009 8:07 am 23 Comments
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By ssj sousuke, May 8, 2009 @ 9:55 am
Bravo J, top notch analysis right here. Good job on the Shannaro one too
Now get ready for a long comment…
So their reasons for death match their physical or mental characteristics. Does it also mean that they each have a corresponding power to their death-meaning like Barragan?
Now, Stark – Loneliness, makes sense. He seems to be alone in the Espada in the fact that he is the only one that doesn’t truly hate humans or shinigami. Alone in character, and lack of evil perhaps too. I can’t come up with a power that would correspond with loneliness, other than something that secludes the enemy like Charlotte’s black bush technique?
Halibel – Sacrifice… now this one was interesting to me because it seems one of the most noble ways to die… At least if it is self sacrifice. Which would kind of make sense as she seemed to care deeply for her fraccion almost like a mother. However, unlike the other Espada, this is the characteristic I can’t match physically or mentally yet, and I havn’t seen any attacks from her where she has to sacrifice anything herself… I guess I’ll have to wait for this one to reveal itself.
Ulquiorra – Emptiness, makes sense. He seemed to have no emotions, worries or feelings, hence he was empty inside. Not to mention his constant obsession, but inability to relate to the human heart. Physically, I guess his giant hollow hole in his chest gave him a very empty appearance.
Nnoitra – Despair/Hopelessness, relates to how hopeless it is for him to claim to be the strongest, and his efforts to be the strongest Espada, when it was very clear he wasn’t.
Grimmjow – Destruction, he was a very physical opponent, who also had a very destructive personality. His techniques were also quite destructive, this fits him well.
Zommari – Obsession, if I remember correctly he was very obsessed with his shinigami, but in a bad way. He was extremely hostile toward their methods, and obsessed with getting revenge on them.
Szayel – Insanity, that works well. He was freakin nutz. A mad scientist in his own right, speaks for itself.
Aaroniero – Greed, this fits his mentality and technique to a T. He would steal his victims techniques and claim them as his own, in attempts to make himself stronger.
Yammy – Rage, I would have preferred stupidity for him, but rage works too. He has been shown on numerous occasions to lose his temper. It was the very reason for him releasing in his current battle.
My only question is, are these reasons for death going to be the way these Espada will die respectively? Ulquiorra faded away into nothingness, after Ichigo destroyed his insides. He was literally empty inside. Nnoitra died because he hopelessly took on opponents too strong for him, falsely believing he was stronger. Zommari and Szayel did not die directly because of their death meanings, but they can be tied to the events leading to their deaths. Aaroniero got greedy for Rukia’s power, and went against Aizens orders to stay put, and went out after her, then ended up dying. As for those still alive, I can definitely see Yammy’s rage/temper getting the best of him again, causing some sort of fatal mistake. I can see Halibel sacrificing herself for one of her comrades, maybe even Aizen, jumping in front of an attack and dying that way. Barragan, maybe his aging technique is somehow turned against him. Stark… hmmm, Loneliness? Perhaps he is killed by Aizen himself? Perhaps his loneliness (him being the only one that doesn’t wish to kill the shinigami) becomes apparent to Aizen, and in typical Aizen fashion, offs those no longer useful to him.
Anyways, back with the battles, Toshiro really changed my opinion of him within one chapter. He went from appearing completely outclassed, to seemingly evenly matched with the released 3rd Espada. As for Barragan, he released way too easily. I like J’s theory about energy draining, there hasn’t been anything shown thus far that could disprove that.
Good job again J
-ssj
By Koori, May 8, 2009 @ 11:38 am
Amazing J
Thanks to this post I think that the mayor point of this war is somehow redemption.
The Espadas find redemption in their dead when they manage to find answers to their themes – their sufferings and sins.
After all Shinigamies re suppose to redime the souls so they can go to Soul Society. Only once we saw a Hollow going openly back to hell. SO I guess some have gone to Soul Society after being defeated.
4 Ulquiorra passed away after he started to understand the human heard, somehow may be his emptiness was filled seen how Ichigo, Ishida and Inoe care about each other and were ready to sacrifice themselves to protect their friends.
6 Grimmjow theme and sin was Destruction and seek of power for itself. Ichigo show him the use of power to protect, and how you grow more powerful without seeking power when all you do is to protect others (LOL totally Naruto in the first book).
8 Szayel find the answer to his madness until the very end. His weakness was the seek of perfections (his madness) and the 12th Taichou touch him that there is not perfection, only seek of new answers.
NOW
3 I guess Halibel theme means that she force her foes to sacrifice themselves to take her down. But somehow a first blow than would have killed others Espadas won’t work on her causing the opponent to sacrifice his life for nothing.
Well being selfness Hitsu’s theme, he won’t give his life in any attack right now.
But may be if little taichou have to made some kind of sacrifice to protect Matumoto and Hinamori. He have to show Halibel that sacrifice must have be done to protect not to destry. Then may be aHaalibel will find her answer and die.
2 I guess Soifon and the others may use brain and kido instead of muscles and show old Barragan that aging don’t made ppl less value
1 Wouldn’t be funny is Shunsui became friendly with Satrk? Nah I guess Shunsui-Ukikaki friendship and team work will defeat Stak.
By Byakushi, May 8, 2009 @ 11:38 am
#1: don’t mention Charlotte’s ‘black bush’ ever again. Kubo Tite made it quite obvious that the ‘bush’ represents his pubic hair. And I reaaaaaally hate pubic hare.
#2: Halibel’s ‘sacrifice’ probably refers as her offering other humans as a tribute. She is a shark lady, after all.
#3: I don’t think any of the Espada are going to survive long enough for Aizen to escape Yamamoto’s fire. So there’s no chance of Aizen killing Stark, or Halibel sacrificing herself.
#4: I think Soi Fon’s bankai is gunna beat Barragan into pension.
By Koori, May 8, 2009 @ 11:44 am
EVIL HITSUGAYA ?
Looks like Hitsugaya characteristic (SELFFNESS) is more evil than the others shinigami’s ,and Halibel’s.
Selfness is a theme that is more near to Aizen,s, Tousen,s and Ichimaru’s.
Will Kubo made Hitsu ally with the bad guys?
I think it can be possible. We still don’t know the true motives of Aizen’s gang anyway.
Also I still can’t get it why Aizen and Icchimaru didn’t kill Hitsugaya during their respective battles. I only have questions, but somehow I guess Hitsu is not a shinigami like the others, he simple don’t know yet, but he can be the key or something
PS – Still dislike the music
By BSK17, May 8, 2009 @ 11:54 am
woah, seems like hitsu will be putting up a fight after all, thank tite.
and WTH ppl? those comments are longer than the analysis, which seems longer than usual.
soi fon’s bankai will probably be revealed next chapter. something that will heal her as a bonus, hopefully.
i was a bit disappointed there was nothing about kyoraku and ukitake, i’m very interested in them.
and man, tite’s a friggin’ genius. apparently, he had this well thought out. the espada have suddenly become a lot more interesting.
since hitsu is better than i originally thought, the vaizard can take their time arriving at the battlefield.
and what’s with halibel? talking like that to yamamoto like she could even scratch him. he didn’t even bother to respond. could it be that he knew hitsu was still on?
By Byakushi, May 8, 2009 @ 12:12 pm
“EVIL HITSUGAYA?”
My dear woman, don’t confuse egoism and selfishness. And don’t think that something like selfishness or egoism actually makes a person evil. Egoism refers to the doctrines that individuals are always motivated by self-interest and that they should do what is in their interest. Also, don’t confuse egoism with egotism (the feeling of being supreme to others).
AND I KNOW YOU DON’ LIKE THE MUSIC, YOU’RE A CATHOLIC GIRL!1! You’re not supposed to like it. The boys are supposed to like it.
By Koori, May 8, 2009 @ 3:17 pm
@ Byakushi
o my o my
I never said a word about my gender or religion here…
Confusion or not confusion –
The flower of the 10th Division holds the worse message.
Still egoism – egotism – selfishness – selfcenter – whatever – are just close things not equal, but neither good.
I am not saying that Hitsu is current a bad guy, not at alll. Simle hinted that Kubo may turn him somehow –
Even Tousen can end up being Yamamoto spy and not a loyal to Aizen. Anything can happen dear B
And finally considering the 10th D flower – Matsumoto and Yumichika are just perfect to become 10th Taichou
By Pretend3r, May 8, 2009 @ 3:43 pm
Just got home to see the analysis already up for joy. Really awsome job you did. I dont need to add anything more on all the new info. Wouldnt have time to figure it out anyhow.
#1. Hitsu still doing fine. In a proper fashion. After last time comments, all those ideas we’re in crazy lane. This actually works. Mirror of ice. sort of… Seems the (nessesary) vaizard appearence wont be happening any time soon.
#2. REally wonder if an ability like Soi Fon has a bankai. Death in two strikes goes to bankai with death in one strike? Hard to think of one. Maybe not so much for Tite. Barragan’s ability might be difficult for soi fon to throw something against, he already managed to break her arm.
I’m intrested to see how her fight will continue from this point on.
@BSK17: Halibel probably figured that if she can cut hitsu in half without effort she probably assumes Yamamoto can be defeated but her aswell. And well.. she was wrong.
By Pretend3r, May 8, 2009 @ 3:49 pm
I’m good at typos these days… ‘can be defeated by her aswell’
By mart1, May 8, 2009 @ 7:32 pm
@Koori: Hitsugaya: Egosim fits him prety good… he is a child prodigy an all…and does this: “o my o my I never said a word about my gender or religion here…” mean your not S_U?
By Byakushi, May 9, 2009 @ 2:17 am
*sigh* Koori, I just told you NOT to confuse egoism, egotism and selfishness. They’re not the same thing. Egoism is NOT a bad quality. I feel like I’m talkin’ to a brick wall here…
Anwyay, I was thinkin’ – Barragan’s release form is basically ‘Death’, right? But th shinigami are the real ‘Death’ (shinigami = death god). So I think Soi Fon’s probably gonna have a scythe for a bankai, since she’s a bee and a deathgod.
By BSK17, May 9, 2009 @ 5:13 am
seems like hitsu is been defended well. egoism is normal. but egotism is bad. u see egoistic guys everyday, they are annoying but not evil. egotists, on the other hand, are worse. such people are usually the bad guys.
and so what if shiro-chan is an egoistic little brat? clearly he is too popular for tite to mess with him. hitsu fans shudn’t worry, he definitely won’t turn bad and most likely won’t die either.
about the mirror, we shud have guessed he would be okay, since he was thinking it would be fatal to underestimate her.
By Captain Hitsugaya, May 9, 2009 @ 2:38 pm
Excellent post B. Naruto blog was good too. Bob will be proud…heck,maybe he will let you to replace him…this was that good buddy.
I mean every captain is matched with one Espada,and like someone said earlier,theme of this whole fighting is redemption. Whit that said ,that means that they will all die pretty soon. 
I’m sad ’cause I don’t want Stark to die. I really believed that he was only Espada who can become friends whit shinigami. SSJ I’m with you on that. 
First,guys..WTF with long comments. First two were longer than analyzes..don’t do that next time,plz(even though I must admit it,they were great ).
About the chapter. Finally I understood what all Espada represent. Tito is really a genius. He actually planed that this whole time
Sorry for long comm.
P.S.After this the newest things I believe also,like BSK,that Hitsu won’t die and he definitely won’t turn bad (sorry Koori but I don’t see your theory about Aizen and Hitsu plausible). :p
By ssj sousuke, May 9, 2009 @ 4:23 pm
i’ll write as much as i want you butt munch
By mart1, May 9, 2009 @ 7:51 pm
I don’t see Soi Fon with a scythe J… She’s a ninja, she’s going to have a ninjee weapon (maybe she will summon Naruto…)
8th… long comments are great, maybe they could actually make them into blogs though… that would be nice (hint, hint. it’s not like we have the spam load of fanfic.s we have over at narutohurricane…)
I was unaware until recently how popular Hitsyuga was…
By ssj sousuke, May 10, 2009 @ 7:15 am
Mart: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8Dshir%C5%8D_Hitsugaya read the reception part toward the bottom.
Also, yeah i was also thinking of making a blog out of my response/theories but since we don’t have the giant cluster-f*** of comments here like we do in shannaro, i don’t see much problem with leaving it here. plus i’d like to keep the focus of comments on one page since they would all basically be discussing the same thing. However if I get enough info in the upcoming chapters to elaborate on those theories, yeah I’ll do a blog on it.
By Captain Hitsugaya, May 10, 2009 @ 10:03 am
@ SSJ- I wasn’t serious,no need for names. I just wanted to sound funny,but I guess I didn’t success.I read again my comment and maybe I should put there smiley or something to show that I’m not in bad mode. Fucking internet.
Anyways,you can write as long comment as you want. They’re always good. OK..are you cool now,my evil twin bro.
By ssj sousuke, May 10, 2009 @ 6:49 pm
lol don’t worry about it 8th, we know you were joking
By stargirl, July 4, 2010 @ 11:56 pm
In this chapter they did review what place of death all the Espada took, I did look at this from a Christian point of view and my favorite was by far Ulquiorra, but Ulquiorra’s wasn’t emptyness, this was clearly stated by Tite Kubo, it was nihilism and it was nihilism for a reason. Nihilism is the humanistic belief that everything will come to an end. Tite picked this humanistic belief for Ulquiorra, I believe, because Ulquiorra sees no meaning to life rather than to serve the purpose of those better than you and to die. A rather unhollow way to live as a hollow, this is built not out of pure instinct like most hollows, including Ichigo’s, but rather on reason, straight up human reason. I love the line where Ichigo says ” Perhaps I was able to cut you because I’ve become more like a hollow, or maybe it’s because you’ve become more like me, Ulquiorra.” I love that line because its so ironic, seeing as in the end of The Ash as Ulquiorra takes his last breath he relizes the meaning of the human heart, and in a way has friended both Ichigo and Orihime in his very last moments. And most people think Ichigo became like Ulquiorra in the way that he became a hollow- not true, the point of Ichigo’s full 2nd hollow form was that it was reason(Ulquiorra) vs. complete lack of reason(hollow Ichigo). But the way that Ichigo becomes like Ulquiorra was in chapter 410; Deicide 12, when Tensa Zangetsu says ” it’s because you despaired and stopped walking that your inner world has become this, this is your fault, Ichigo” and he rips that ‘despair’ out of Ichigo and that’s when it’s relized that Ichigo has become so seperated with himself in this obsession with gaining power to win for his friends sake that he forgot himself. Nel was right, Ichigo had to be in some sort of pain utilizing such ridiculous power, which must be mentally and psychologically taking a tole on him slowy and painfully, I mean he’s a 16 year old human boy for Christ’s sake. In the end they became eachother.
By stargirl, July 5, 2010 @ 12:09 am
I find a massive difference between emptiness and nihilism. Nihilsm can be even be used as any sort of the ocultt religous activities simply believing that everything will come to an end is a belief in itself. Emptiness is complete abandonement of all beleif, yet I see how this can be adopted because I think Ulquiorra is a perfect example of what a hollow is, and in the emptiness he would have no other reason but to be at the bec and call of someone stronger than you, an all around better being. I understand how these two things go hand in hand but they both effect Ichigo in different ways which is equally important seeing as he is the protagonist and Ulquiorra’s main foe.
By stargirl, July 5, 2010 @ 12:15 am
If I say this I’m so going to get my butt kicked by you guys, but Toushiro Hitsuguya is one of my least favorite characters in the entire series. He fits in the story great and I wouldn’t have it without him but I find him boring. I’m old school the protagonist is my favorite character-
By stargirl, July 5, 2010 @ 8:31 am
I also like Rukia-chan!
By Ichigo Kurosaki, December 11, 2010 @ 4:14 pm
Very well done.
This is the best one I have seen of bleach information, you are truly a massive bleach fan and thank you for posting this.
The Espada were really cool but I hated Yammy and Sayel so much. Their aspects of death are cool but some are really sad. I felt sorry for Stark and Grimmjow when they were killed. they were my fav Espada.
Toshiro will not go evil, he was mad at what Azien did and tryed to kill him but ended up getting hurt badly, along with the others. But Toshiro wont go bad.