Bleach Chapter 362 – Howling Wolves
WOOOOO!! Now we’re talkin’! Kyouraku’s incredible, Stark’s phenomenal and Ukitake is just God-like! I think the big Shiro-chan’s actually gonna finish this fight in Shunsui’s place. It’s nice to see a chapter that concentrates on just one fight again, I was expecting to see a few pages of what the others are doing. Oh, and of course, Kubo Tite managed to screw up once more, thus messing up every cool or at least decent name he’s ever thought of. Stark’s name is acually Starrk. Because one ‘R’ is never enough for Kubo Tite.
The chapter starts as it finishes – with an appearance by Ukitake. At first he’s just idly observing the fight, surprised at how much power Stark gained after using his ressurection. Or maybe he’s just sad that Lilynette’s gone and he doesn’t have anyone to play with.
Now, Kubo Tite has proven himself to have an incredible talent when coming up with cool characters, but I’ve gotta say, Stark is one of the best yet. He’s something like Zangetsu and Kyouraku in one, plus he’s an Espada! Take a good look at the perfect clothing – it’s like one of those wolf-skin outfits that the northern rangers would wear in a good Jack London or Karl May book. His two guns, also in typical 19th century style, look like they’re made from wood. And finally the eye-patch that kinda makes him look like a pirate just further contributes to the awesomeness of Stark’s character. But as if to ruin the perfect impression the 1st Espada has made until now, Kubo applies a few of Lilynette’s temperaments into his character.
The guns are actually Llilynete and they/she can talk! That only raises my suspicions further that Lilynette is indeed a much more material shape of a zanpakuto’s soul. Anyway, Stark does something completely unexpected – he becomes a bit impatient and loud-mouthed, which is completely unlike him. After hitting the tip of the gun against his head, Lilynette complains that he hit her head. The back side of the gun is supposedly her butt, which just leaves he mystery – what the fuck is the trigger?! Let’s hope we don’t find out.
While Stark is busy fooling around, Shunsui already commences a plan into action. He throws his hat in front of the Espada’s face, so that his view would become blocked for a moment. In that instant he slashes through the hat, hoping to catch the unprepared Stark off-guard. The hollow slides back to avoid the hit and seems quite annoyed at the Captain’s actions, who didn’t let him finish his monologue.
Kyouraku interrupts him again, by using the technique “Bushougoma” (Lazy Spinning Top) to create a whirlwind in his opponent’s direction. While Stark tires to escape the small cyclone, Shunsui jumps above him, preparing to use another technique – “Taka Oni” (Mountain Demon). His attack never even begins though, as Stark fires a powerful Cero from his right gun. The Captain barely manages to avoid it; the beam just nicks his haori’s left sleeve. Using his left eye, the Espada is able to instantly pinpoint Shunsui’s location, aiming his left gun at the shinigami’s head.
Their conversation continues with Stark implying that Kyouraku’s become nervous. The shinigami on the other hand admits that the Espada’s ressureccion is quite powerful and he’d decided to finish him off with the very first attack. Shunsui also catches on to the truth behind Stark’s ability – his right gun can fire Ceros and perhaps something more. Stark insists that he has nothing to hide, while the Captain just calls him a liar. Primera is not pleased with having to use his ressureccion and is determined to see his opponent’s bankai.
Stark’s reiatsu raises sky-high and he unleashes a new attack – “Cero Metralleta” (Cero Submachine-gun). This technique, I gotta say, is the shit! Tens, hundreds, maybe even thousands of Ceros per seconds are fired straight at Shunsui. It’s a lot like Ishida’s “Licht Regen”, only each missile is a lot more powerful. Kyouraku tires to escape, but even his shunpo isn’t efficient enough to outrun Stark’s cannonade. Just as the Ceros are about to catch up with the shinigami, Ukitake appears, activating his shikai – “Sougyo no Kotowari” (Truth of Pisces).
Sougyo no Kotowari is a double sword, which, according to its release command, has the power to control lightning and water. Whatever Ukitake’s swords are, they seem extremly powerful – being able to blast away Stark’s Cero with ease. The Espada managed to dodge the beam without much trouble, but was still shocked to see a shinigami fire a Cero-like technique.
My theories on Juushiro’s attack are three. The first and most acceptable one is that this attack is similar to ichigo’s Getsuga Tenshou. Ulquiorra did say that the black Getsuga Tenshou was almost like a Cero, so why wouldn’t Ukitake’s be like one, as well? My second guess, which seems quite impossible, is that Ukitake’s also a Vizard. But I can’t really say a statement like that is even plausible. My final assumption is that his sword can copy various techniques, including a hollow’s ability.
Tags: bleach manga chapters
June 20, 2009 11:23 am 7 Comments
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By ssj sousuke, June 20, 2009 @ 1:57 pm
bwavo kushi!!
I’ll agree, even though stark’s ressurection isn’t some god-like being, its still bad fucking ass. the gun is cool, and about the other thing it fires, i think whatever else it is, it comes out of his other gun. i think the right gun has an arsenal of cero ammo, and its strongest bullet is probably its equivalent to the gran-rey cero. the other gun’s ammo is a mystery to me, but whatever it is, it is definitely stark’s trump card.
as cool as his release is, so far it hasn’t quite lived up to my expectations. i mean yes it is cool, but i guess i just expected the primera to be godly strong, like to the point where he wouldn’t struggle at all with these two… oh well im sure he still has much more to show, maybe even another release… please?
shunsui is strong, but like i said before, my money is on ukitake. i think his bankai will be the most impressive of them all.
By Byakushi, June 20, 2009 @ 2:01 pm
Yeah, I was thinkin’ the same thing about the guns. The left one’ gotta have something else that’s even more impressive and devastating.
And he doesn’t have a second stage ressureccion, don’t worry.
By Pretend3r, June 20, 2009 @ 3:27 pm
Stark is fucking awsome for real. I really love his look and his lillynette, i mean guns, looks awsome. Didnt see Stark that chatty, in that regard he was a bit like uli. No more words then nessesary. Maybe he’s getting exited, even tho he doesnt try to show it.
This fight is shaping up to be awsome. Kyoraku and Ukitake. Kyoraku isnt wasting time with Stark, tho he doesnt seem very impressed. For some reason Kyoraku still seems to be acting somewhat playfull(if im even allowed to use that word) until Stark major attack.
Assuming stark’s guns fire cero’s there is still the Cero Obscuras(dont tell me you forgot that one…). And Ukitake… well… damn. If he can blast away Stark’s Cero so easily, his Bankai is gonna be very impressive. Lets just hope his health stays in good order. If not, well, there is still Kyoraku and his Bankai..
Me happy.
By ssj sousuke, June 20, 2009 @ 11:17 pm
why are you so sure of that j?
and i didn’t forget about the cero obscuras pretend3r, i just think that it was something unique to ulquiorra. i think that since he didn’t use a gran-rey cero, it must have been his equivalent to it.
speaking of the gran rey cero, why have we only seen grimmjow use it so far. if it is so powerful, you’d think some the other espada would have tried using it before being defeated. i don’t think it was unique to grimmjow because i think he mentioned all espada being able to do it. i’m just puzzled as to why others havn’t. since stark seems to be the cero master of the espada, i think he will probably use it. and perhaps reveal other new cero types.
By Pretend3r, June 21, 2009 @ 7:43 am
@ssj: The Gran Rey Cero its the same thing as the Cero Obscuras. So far, it was only used in (major) fight against Ichigo. The obscuras isnt isnt unique to Uli. I just read back to chapter 346. Seeing from the dialogue, it can only be done when an espade has released. So it will be likely that Stark will be able to fire them exactly like he’s doing right now with normal cero’s. And like you said, he may indeed master another level of Cero, which would be above the Cero Obscuras.
Two guns vs Two captains. I hope Tite keeps the focus on this fight before something else with go on. I hope he goes back to Hueco after this, since the Shinigami almost control Las Noches with the exeption of Yammy. I wonder is Las Noches still stands after that fight. The roof got a beating already.
By ssj sousuke, June 21, 2009 @ 10:38 am
Pretend3r – http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/Ulquiorra – read the passage about cero oscuras under the zanpakuto section. that is where i base my argument off of that the cero oscuras is probably unique to ulquiorra.
By Pretend3r, June 21, 2009 @ 4:50 pm
well, that wiki page got on thing wrong. They show the image him using the cero obscuras in his released from. and it says its his second stage release.
This is what i read:
http://www.mangatoshokan.com/read/bleach/1/346/20
The wiki page just says ‘This Cero presumably can only be used while he is in HIS release state’.
I suppose different groups provide us with different translations.
Sleepyfans translated: ‘This is an Espada’s fully powered Black Cero’. Note he didnt say ‘my fully powered cero’. Maximum7 translated: ‘This is something only a released Espada can do.’
So both groups translations indicate that this isnt a unique move. It just appears so, since no one else has used it. Same thing with the Gran Rey Cero that Grimmjow shot off just to force Ichigo to draw his mask.
They probably havent been used thus far by anyone else because; 1.) the characters in question are too proud/full(/even bored perhaps) of themselfs they dont bother to use them. Or 2.) to make the Main character fights still stand out above the rest. To make Ichigo look like he keeps on growing above everyone else in strength. Some ‘killer’ move will just enhance that fact.