Bleach Chapter 396 – The Bite
Holy flying penis! This is getting quite violent, isn’t it? All right, so I told you Yama was dead, because his last attack was the limit of his powers (not to mention it requires you to cut off your arms and legs as a sacrifice), I told you Aizen lost an arm (being heavily burnt counts as lost) from that same attack, and I told you One Piece is the best manga ever (it’s the best manga ever, yeah). That’s 3-0 for me. Now as for everything else, things have only just begun to get interesting – when even Byakuya starts drinking coffee, then you know it’s bad.
The chapter starts with Yamamoto’s fire attack on Aizen. Like I said last week, this was the commander’s last attempt to kill his enemy with an attack that is as powerful as a bankai. Unfortunately it’s almost useless, as Aizen gets away with just a charred left arm and a few minor bruises and burns.
I was thinking after last chapter – if Yama was able to survive just a little longer and knew that his side would lose, then he could’ve just given Aizen the King’s key, so that at least the people of Karakura would be spared. But that of course would go against his moral code of protecting the king at all costs. Well, one thing is certain – we won’t be seeing any more old people in Shounen Jump this year.
After Aizen escapes from the Kidou blast he’s met by Ichigo, who, for the first time in the manga, lashes one undiscriminating attack after another. He uses Getsuga Tenshou repeatedly, as if to rip Aizen into tiny little pieces. It seems Ichigo might have found his reason to fight – whether it’s because of his “instinct” or because he suddenly started hating Aizen even more, or maybe even revenge for the old man, whatever the reason – it’s working.
I’m happy to announce the first every serious injury inflicted on Aizen. I thought never see the day, really there was a greater chance of Berserk’s (another popular manga, if you’re a Bleach fan you should read it) author dying before then. It’s good that Ichigo was finally able to land a hit on this guy. Even if the asshole was only at about 30% at the time, it’s still a decent attack. And it’s almost a shame Ichigo didn’t slice him in half, but that would’ve made the manga boring, wouldn’t it?
Even this injury was nothing for Aizen, though. We all suspected he would have regeneration powers. However his injuries didn’t because he’s a Hollow or Vizard, but because he embedded the Hougyoku in his chest. His intention never was to become a hybrid – he deems that a lowly existence. So what about Gin then?
Just how crazy can you get, huh? Shoving a foreign object with mostly unknown super extraordinary qualities in your body is a definite no-no. It’s a very unstable mix – a person over twice stronger than an average captain with an orb of destruction – that’s just screaming “nuclear bomb” from a billion miles away; not to mention lodging that thing in his diaphragm must have hurt like hell. It’s working quite well so far, because from what Aizen tells us, the Hougyoku wants to protect its master. It wasn’t enough to be an omnipotent liquid, now it’s got intelligence, too. If Aizen’s not careful he just might lose control over it. So good luck with that, Aizen, you sick, sick bastard.
The final scene of the chapter is a conversation between Aizen and Ichigo, or rather another monologue from Aizen. From touching Ichigo’s Getsuga Tenshou he’s able to analyse the strawberry’s reiatsu and determine And the biggest secret in Bleach is finally revealed – the true source of Ichigo’s power. I had always suspected that since hollows naturally become stronger by eating other beings, then Ichigo’s hollow would also become more powerful. But it seems I was only half-right. Just from fighting an opponent who is stronger than himself Ichigo is able to absorb part of their reiatsu.
So during all of his fights against hollows, shinigami, vizards and arrancars, including Aizen himself, Ichigo has been stealing reiatsu like crazy and becoming more and more powerful. At this rate he’d become stronger than Yama and Aizen combined in just a few more months. And Aizen says he planned it all out. I smell a plot hole somewhere in here. I just wonder whether this ability is because of Ichigo himself, his inner hollow or maybe it’s one of Zangetsu’s abilities. I had always imagined Ichigo was so strong because Urahara had made him into a perfect hybrid, but it seems things might be far beyond my imagination.
Tags: bleach manga chapters
March 17, 2010 3:43 pm 21 Comments
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By Kumar, March 17, 2010 @ 6:55 pm
Ya this will be sweet a chapter i haven t read it yet though. I think that this is still just the begining i think that aizen will get the oaken and but not by desrying kakura town, i m not sure how yet but that just seems like were the manga is going . lol to the next step which would be to the more powerful kings protectors
By karimbo, March 17, 2010 @ 8:56 pm
yeah i agree man, seems like he will unravel something like ichigo was what he needed all along, and karakura town battles were just to destroy the captains or something and bring ichigo to him. now the pieces begin to fall into place……
By Brian, March 17, 2010 @ 9:52 pm
very nice seems like aizen will use ichigo for the kings key but also what about orahime i think aizen merged himself with the Hougyoku knowing how unstable it was because he can use her to some how manipulate its powers things should get interesting soon
By Tony, March 18, 2010 @ 1:22 am
err i dont think the old man is dead. there is absolutely no prove dat he is dead. well yeah he sacrificed his arm to do dat attack but dats only his arm rite??
as for Aizen… he didnt get burnt.. his arm is completely fine…
By justin, March 18, 2010 @ 1:23 am
lol did u read the raw?! coz i dont think yamamoto used his leg in that sacrifical attack
By Byakushi, March 18, 2010 @ 1:32 am
“err i dont think the old man is dead. there is absolutely no prove dat he is dead. well yeah he sacrificed his arm to do dat attack but dats only his arm rite??
as for Aizen… he didnt get burnt.. his arm is completely fine…”
No, no, it says that Yama’s technique requires one to sacrifice his body. Just because they only showed his arm crack doesn’t mean his entire arm didn’t explode.
As for Aizen, in the panel where Ichigo cuts him you can see that his arm is completely burned; it turns back to normal after the Hougyoku heals it.
By madara uchiha, March 18, 2010 @ 7:44 am
I HATE ONE PEICE(maybe cuz i saw the english dub first) but i still hate the manga(though i admit the whitebeard dieing got my attention)aizen said ichigo lost his chance to kill him, i wonder whats ichigo gonna do now. i dont think ichigo shud let aizen talk, cuz hes just bying time get the upper hand
By Uchiha_Gaiden, March 18, 2010 @ 9:56 am
i think maybe he needs ichigo to destroy the barrier holding him inside the fake town
By pabloperkins, March 18, 2010 @ 10:42 am
OMFG!!!!!!!! this is soooooooo awesome! i believe since aizen said that the hougyoku has the feelings to want to protect his master. Maybe it will b like grrr stop ima take yo soul lol and there will be a hollow shitting man thing
By ssj, March 18, 2010 @ 1:33 pm
yer fast j….
anyways it seems you were right about yama. however it seems to be a trend so far that all the good guys are getting damaged to the point of no return (i.e. toshiro’s arm and leg getting sliced off), so it only leads me to believe it that most of them will miraculously be better later. (cause tite wouldn’t leave them all like that). if yama has an ounce of life left in him orihime can heal him.
so aizen didn’t give himself hollow powers huh? that is very interesting. i wonder if tousen knew this. and what of gin?
about ichigo absorbing other’s rietsu, that makes sense. of the theories thus far i would have to agree more with you than any other. the only thing i want to clarify with this is when aizen says:
-ichigo fought ishida and awakened shinigami powers,
-fought renji and learned zanpakuto
-fought kenpachi and gained foothold on bankai
-fought byakuya and took a step toward hollowdom
-fought grimmjow and mastered hollow side
-fought ulquiorra and gained a greater power
other than the fights with renji and grimmjow, what he gains does not match his opponent. therefore it would appear the type of enemy does not effect his gains, only the strength of them. so defeating aizen wouldn’t necessarily make him into another houyoku warrior, but just what he is already predestined to transcend into next.
..sorry for the rant lol
By ssj, March 18, 2010 @ 1:35 pm
*edit* actually what he gains from the ulquiorra fight matches too. a second ressureccion/a new second mask
By Pretend3r, March 18, 2010 @ 2:28 pm
I was kind of surprised to see the hougyoku surely nestled in his own body. it’s obvious that he found for the stone to compliment his own abilities. Where Urahara tried to seal it away forever in Rukia. For some reason I doubt Aizen influenced Rukia and Ichigo encouter in the very beginning of the manga. If so, it could indicate he knows of Kurosaki Ishinn.
In short: Chapter rocked, Ichigo’s mask rocks, Aizen bling bling in the chest rocks, shit is totally hitting bananas right now. i wonder what Aizen will tell Ichigo next time.. Aizen really likes his monologues.
By cesc, March 18, 2010 @ 4:51 pm
haha i knew aizen had plans for straberry, just not sure what exactly (deff not break barrier of karakukura, as aizen is perfectly capable of doing dat on his own). watevr the plan, it must absolutely vital to aizen’s success 4 him to have planned ahead so much. look forward 2 nxt chaptr with gr8 eagerness
By Dynames, March 19, 2010 @ 3:38 am
Hmmmm, is there any chance that Ishin, Urahara, Tessai have been working with Aizen all this time? Even Yoruichi. It would explain why they’re not helping out in the battle. It’s most likely wrong but something to look at. Aizen must have someone in Karakukura town spying on Ichigo and co. How else would he know so much about his pre Soul Society events?
By Bob Ichimaru, March 19, 2010 @ 8:27 am
wow, quick post this week j, on the day it came out no less
Great chapter, been waiting so long for Ichigo and Aizen to cross swords, but like most chapters, I finished reading it in a blink of the eye. Kubo should really do 30 pages every week lol. I don’t think Yamamoto may be really dead just yet, he could have just sacrificed an arm. Also, he didn’t have a flashback yet ;p
By Byakushi, March 19, 2010 @ 10:13 am
“Aizen must have someone in Karakukura town spying on Ichigo and co. How else would he know so much about his pre Soul Society events?”
No, he learned all of that just from touching Ichigo’s reiatsu. He says so himself.
“wow, quick post this week j, on the day it came out no less”
Actually before it came out. I just read raw and wrote it. I was getting tired of people nagging me about being late.
By elerium, March 19, 2010 @ 10:54 am
Is it me or is the translation a bit different in the versions on onemanga, mangastream and mangafox than this raw analyzed here. I failed to see any mention of ichigo stealing his opponents reatsu in translations on these main sites?
By Karijow, March 20, 2010 @ 5:00 am
anyone think that Urahara would have an advantage against Aizen now? Cuz i do, he’s the one that CREATED the Hogyoku, so he must at least know a few weaknesses
By Mart1, March 20, 2010 @ 2:50 pm
He we see the Shinigami plan to go against Aizen, next I think we will see Ichigo and co. Face of against him as a group after training more
By bsk17, March 22, 2010 @ 1:28 am
this is getting so interesting. thought i can’t predict what’ll happen now. i mean, what CAN happen, other than aizen beating the insides out of ichigo and visiting the king? it’s a shame old yama’s final attack only managed to distract aizen long enough for ichigo to get a hit in. wonder if he’ll start complaining abt the burnt clothes like #8 did…
and it seems to me like aizen really is THAT ridiculously powerful. he’s proving it again and again. btw, isn’t it abt time ichimaru took his show to the stage? did he leave already?
By Karijow, March 25, 2010 @ 7:24 am
The NEW CHAP KICKS ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!