Bleach Chapter 449 – Not Be a Drug

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Chapter 449 – Not Be a Drug; most likely a mistranslation for “Don’t Be a Drug.” Not that that is any clearer. Celebrating the 50th volume of Bleach, Tite treats us to a couple colored pages. But once again, he leaves us with almost no more information about Urahara’s little operation, nor the identity of the secret shinigami he and Isshin are conspiring with.

At first, I thought it was Karin. But the way Isshin is looking at them, the fact that Urahara is the one talking to them, and the tension on page 5, when he says “We’re waiting,” lead me to conclude this is not Karin. On the first page, Urahara tells them to put some of their reiatsu in to complete the process, so maybe it is Rukia. After all, her reiatsu was the key to Ichigo gaining his shinigami powers in the first place… Still, the look on Isshin and Urahara’s face on page 5 makes it seem like it is somebody they are unfriendly with…

When Orihime arrives in Yukio’s game Ichigo is already gushing blood. As of now, between him and Ginjou, Ichigo is outmatched. Hopefully that changes by the end of this training.

A very important discovery made this chapter revolves around Ichigo’s friends. Just as Orihime reveals, they all want to train and get stronger… all for Ichigo’s sake. However, this became apparent to them after Tsukishima “attacked” each of them. After encountering him, Orihime is determined to protect Ichigo, and Chad and Ishida are determined to get stronger to fight for him. Maybe that was Tsukishima’s plan when he “attacked” them all along. Perhaps his scheme requires them to get stronger. Even Ichigo himself is power hungry after encountering Tsukishima. And then Tsukishima will acquire their power for himself, just like he had done to the that other Shinigami those years ago.

Two more things I’d like two add:

• Orihime’s new power is pretty impressive. So long as she has her shield up, any attacked directed at it will be dispersed and returned at the attacker, although I’m sure it has its limits.  Remind you of another person’s ability we have seen recently?
• On the last page, Yukio decides to “fast forward” their training. Hopefully this has a hyperbolic time chamber/dangai precipice world kind of effect where they get way more training in than time passes in the real world.

Bleach Chapter 448 – Loading to Lie

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Hey there folks, sorry about the lack of review last chapter, but with my lack of time, and the minimal progression in the story, I figured I could do them both this week. Unfortunately, this week was pretty brief too, but that is just how Tite is i guess…

So last week the battle with Tsukishima came to a close. Yukio locked Ichigo up with his Fullbring “Invaders Must Die.” For the first time yet, I saw some hesitation in Tsukishima’s eyes – mad props to Yukio for being able to put a halt to his plans for the time being. This scene with Ishida was rather pointless to the reader, as we already knew that Tsukishima was the person who attacked him, though I’ll admit that there still seems to be some mystery shrouding his powers and identity as a whole. What we did learn from the hospital scene is that Ishida will be returning to the battle. Xcution discovers that Ichigo is Tsukishima’s true objective, and with that in mind, Ginjou initiates Ichigo’s final sparring match, against himself…

This week’s chapter picks up  with Yukio transporting Ichigo and Ginjou into his little video game for their sparring match. His powers seem very similar to Riruka’s in that respect, since they can both transport whomever they wish into their own little “dimension,” which they both have specific powers over. Not very original on Tite’s part if I do say so myself.

The rules for the spar are simple, Yukio grants them six life points a piece. The first one to run out loses (btw, does Ginjou’s sword like longer and slightly different than it did before to anybody else). After a brief encounter with her rival for Ichigo’s love, Orihime arrives on the scene. Yukio transmits her into his game, at which point Ginjou refers to her as the “healing item.”

I’m sure that spar will be interesting, but what I am more worried about is the last couple pages of this chapter. Isshin and Urahara are seen conspiring with each other yet again. Isshin presents Urahara with some sort of barrel, referring to it as the “last one.” When Urahara questions if Isshin is really ready to take Ichigo’s future away from him. Now this might be one of the most ambiguous statements we have heard from him yet. Does this mean that Isshin knows Ichigo is trying to regain his powers, and plans on preventing that, or does it mean he plans on giving Ichigo his powers back, taking away any chance of a normal future.

I am pretty sure it is the latter. Isshin may act like it, but he is no dummy. He knows Ichigo has been depressed since he lost his powers, and can’t help but feel somewhat responsible for why he lost them. If anybody wanted Ichigo to have a normal life, it was Isshin, and that is why he had such a hard time telling Urahara to do it. So if Isshin and Urahara are really trying to help Ichigo, does that give us a reason to be somewhat suspicious of Xcution’s true motives?

I am very tired of not truly know where anybody stands. It has been twenty four chapters that we the readers have been in the dark of the true motives Tsukishima, Xcution, and Urahara/Isshin, and I feel like we are a little due for some real answers. Hopefully the identity of the mysterious shinigami on the final page will provide some of those answers…

Bleach Chapter 446 – The Dark Beat 2

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It was another well-paced chapter, however I don’t have too much to say about it. It makes me wonder though just how the authority ladder falls within Xcution.

Ginjou engages Tsukishima in battle, not wanting Ichigo to die before he is complete. In the brief battle scene between the two, it appears they are relatively close in battle capabilities, both exhibiting great speed and agility. Ginjou has an attack similar to Getsuga Tenshou, but Tsukishima was able to cut through it.

Before we are able to see anything else from the two, Ichigo bursts in, stubborn as ever. It is notable though, that his power seems to still be growing and evolving, even as they fight. Tsukishima notices this and takes a liking to Ichigo’s abilities.

Before anything else can happen, Ichigo is swifted away by Yukio’s fullbring ability. I’m not sure what it is, but he was able to send Ichigo away through a digital Phantom-Zone-like power. It has something to do with his video games.

Based on the past couple of chapters, I’m beginning to think Yukio has a little more pull within Xcution than I once thought. Whatever the case, it seems like he might be the next one to face off  against Tsukishima next chapter.

Bleach Chapter 445 – The Dark Beat

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Not a bad chapter. Not quite full of the ass kicking we’d hoped for, but not a bad chapter. It turns out that Ichigo did not gain his shinigami powers back, but this is a “clad-type” fullbring. Essentially, and according to Chad, any type of power Ichigo obtains, he immerses himself in it. For example, most shinigami bankai’s only alter their zanpakutos, or adds a power to them, but Ichigo’s entire outfit along with his sword became part of the zanpakuto. His sword increased his attack speed and power, while his bankai uniform increased his movement, endurance, and reflexes.

The same is with his fullbring, it’s dark power has engulfed Ichigo in the appearance he finds most fitting, and allows him to fight in a manner he is accustomed to. It is clear that he has already surpassed the average fullbringer (mostly due to his experience and innate potential) after seeing the condition he left Jackie in after their little spar. And even in his altercation with Tsukishima, Ichigo has already become adept in many of the fullbring battle tactics, such as fullbringing the concrete and the air to increase his movements. I am curious if he will be able to use such useful skills in battle after he regains his shinigami powers.

What is even more exciting though is how Tsukishima says that Ichigo’s fullbring is “still woefully incomplete.” He follows this up by kind of making Ichigo look like a bitch, but we only expected this much from Tsukishima, this is after all his first real fight, I’d be upset if he wasn’t very strong. But the mention of Ichigo’s fullbring being incomplete only gives us a foreshadowing hope as to just how badass he will be when he really is ready to face off against Tsukishima.

A couple other things I’d like to point out briefly:

• It seems the Oliver Twist looking kid – Yukio – is the financial backing of Xcution. I’m a little curious about his background.
• Chad’s punch is as strong as ever; he demolished an entire city block in one punch.
• Apparently Tsukishima’s sword can’t cut through everything, considering both Ichigo and Ginjou were able to stop it.
• Finally, we will get to see why Ginjou always has that smirk look on his face as the two Xcution leaders face off next chapter.