Bleach Review: The Theatre Suicide Scene 3

Been ages since we have seen someone else Zanpakuto spirit

Lille tries to resist the power of Shunsui's Bankai however Shunsui then unleashes the Final Dan and gets a visit from his Zanpakuto spirit.

You know Bleach used to put a lot of emphasis on the Zanpakuto and the spirits they possess but after the Soul Society Arc they take a back seat, we even only have ever seen two in the manga and that is Ichigo's and Renji's. So I am glad that Kubo hasn't forgotten about them when we get the appearance of Shunsui's Zanpakuto spirit Sakuranosuke. I am so glad she turned up for that reason and I am also glad she looks the same from the anime filler arc because her design in that was really great already; I guess she is also the shadowy figure when Shunsui first released his Bankai. I liked the scenes and the banter between her and Shunsui since you can just tell that these two have been together for ages because Shunsui is the most experienced Captain now. Like how Shunsui keeps calling her "My Flower" and how he did act silly with her at the end, it was all nicely done. Sakuranosuke herself also drops hints to the background of Shunsui's kimono and I have read some fan theories thinking that it used to belong to a former lover of Shunsui so I hope we get a flashback soon. The Final Dan of Shunsui's Bankai was also very cool in they way a trail of light followed his fingers, the poem he recited to it then slashing Lille's throat. As for Lille himself I knew he wasn't going down for the count just yet which I am glad because I want this fight to last longer, plus the final page which showed his face reforming out of energy looked really menacing. I have enjoyed Shunsui's Bankai and it's ability to bring stories to life is cool but I am still feeling a bit underwhelmed by it. I am not going to mark this chapter down for it in case there are more stages to it next chapter because the fight is still going but if it doesn't then I will be disappointed.

"You better not come back after this Lille"

Overall a really good chapter nothing really wrong with it but it doesn't feel perfect to me, I mean it was kind of short in all.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Sakuranosuke
                   Shunsui's Final Dan
                   Lille's return

Let - Downs: Felt short 

Bleach Review: Friend 3

"I thought you where my FRIEND!"

The Flashbacks seem to conclude with Yhwach explaining to Haschwalth the true nature behind his powers.

I may have said it seems to conclude but I guess it is still too early to tell yet because it could have just been a quick transition to the present at the end of the chapter. I did find this chapter interesting but like the last one not too exciting because it spent the majority of it on a long winded explanation of Haschwalth's powers. It does reveal a lot with the fact that Yhwach and Haschwalth are the only two Quincy who give power instead of taking it and again explains why Haschwalth doesn't display any Quincy powers in the past or the present. The highlight of the chapter though is Bazz - B because I just feel really bad for the guy now; he believed he was a progeny but his advancement was all thanks to Haschwalth and there was the fact that he was jealous of Haschwalth being Yhwach's right hand man. Now I know Bazz - B wants to kill Yhwach so I think his jealous stems from the fact he trained for this moment for years only to have it taken away from him. Then there was the moment Bazz - B fired at Yhwach which was so awesome and Haschwalth catching the arrow; that was the moment he seemed to completely side with Yhwach. This has a lot to do with the great facial expressions Kubo did this chapter because they showed a lot of emotion. Continuing on with Haschwalth the reason I think he joined Yhwach so easily is because he never seemed as dedicated in killing Yhwach as Bazz - B but despite that he was still loyal to his friend when he spoke for Bazz - B. Finally there was the scene at the end when Haschwalth slashes Bazz - B which was really cool but I doubt the fight is over this soon.

I really hope this isn't the end of Bazz - B

Overall if this really is the end of the Flashbacks and of Bazz - B I would be disappointed because I wanted to see the first Sternritter, the war between the Quincy and Soul Reapers and how Bazz - B even got to be a Sternritter when he attempted to kill Yhwach?

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: Haschwalth's powers explained
                   Bazz - B's shot at Yhwach
                   Detailed facial expressions this chapter

Let - Downs: Majority of it spent explaining too much 

Bleach Reviews: Rubb - Dolls 2 & 3

Been busy so I forgot to review Rubb - Dolls 2 so I thought why not review 2 and 3 together.


As Shūhei Hisagi continues to battle Byakuya, Pepe gives a speech about how love is the driving force for every battle. However when Byakuya defeats Hisagi by severing his tendons Pepe launches is Love Beam at him, which he can even move around like a beam of light. Though Byakuya dodges and blocks it all Pepe ask Byakuya if he doesn't remember if Zanpakuto have hearts as well and then Byakuya's Zanpakuto then attacks him. Byakuya discards it but it is picked up by Hisagi who then fights Byakuya again. Pepe then activates his Vollständig (which makes him look like a fat, bearded, black cupid), summons his Love Rope and impales Byakuya. Pepe then grabs his bow and arrow from his mouth and his just about to shot Byakuya when he is kicked in the face by the zombie Kensei and Rose, who have black markings around their eyes.

Hisagi tires to attack the zombies from behind but is quickly defeated by Kensei, who then hands Byakuya's Zanpakuto back to him. Mayuri then appears and is delighted with how well his new zombies are doing before we get a flashback. It seems to Kensei and Rose where defeated by the Arrancar off screen by the same way Toshiro was defeated because the same drugs exists in the Arrancar's  blood. Mayuri then explains to Giselle that his blood - drug counteracts her blood abilities and places her zombies under his control, before she is cut down by Kensei and Rose. Back in the present Byakuya seems to disagree with Mayuri's methods but Mayuri says that soldiers should continue to fight even after death however Pepe then appears out of the rubble and fires his Love Beam at Kensei. Pepe says how his Love is stronger than Giselle's zombies because he has taken them over in the past but is punched in the face again by Kensei while Mayuri comments that there is no love in his zombies. Pepe is scared by this announcement before being punched hundreds of times again and knocked in to rubble but before his can do anything else he is confronted by Liltotto who stares down at him coldly.

These chapters where defiantly an improvement over Rubb - Dolls 1 but not by that much. My main issues with these chapters is that it seems that Giselle is out of the picture for now and it was resolved just too fast and in a small flashback. Also Askin commented earlier that Pepe was a monster and even though he put up one hell of a good fight it looks like he might be killed soon by Liltotto because I don't think she took it kindly being punched in the face by a love - sick Meninas and Pepe saying he wants to kill everyone and take all the credit. One more thing that I am unsure of yet is that from Mayuri's words Kensei and Rose are really dead and while this is good in the case of Toshiro and Rangiku (don't like them), I have always liked Kensei and Rose and Kubo doesn't use them as much as I would have wanted. Also it is a shame that the Arrancar fight with the captains was skipped if it was just going to be an endless loop battle like with Toshiro then I guess that is ok.

However what I really liked about this chapter was the fight between Pepe and Byakuya. It may have been really similar to the fight with Zommori but this one was a lot better because at least Byakuya felt really pressured during this fight. Pepe's abilities where really cool and even though his Vollständig was a bit of a shock I did like the cupid symbolism.

Overall the Rubb - Dolls chapters have been improving but they have been skipping over too many fights and events and the fights we do see might be a bit too fast paced. However I am interested in seeing what Liltotto is going to do.

SCORE: 6/10