Bleach Review: Don't Chase a Shadow

"Can't believe I'm fighting someone with a gun again"

Shunsui and Lille begin their fight and while Shunsui is using his unique Zanpakuto abilities Lille is proving to be quite the match.

I guess I don't really have much to say about this chapter, I mean it was interesting and the artwork with it's use of shadows was great but all in all it was just one big explanation of powers. It's always great to see Shunsui's Zanpakuto in action because it is so unique with it's ability to turn children's games into reality but he went on such a long rant about his new game and maybe because of the translate errors but didn't get some of it. From what I can tell Shunsui's new ability is based on the Japanese game Darumasan ga Koronda (which is like Americana's Red light, Green light) and Lille was attack a fake doll of Shunsui because he keep his eyes and sense on that. We also get more on an explanation on sensing Reiatsu in the middle of battle which was what Shunsui was taking advantage of. We also then get Shunsui using Kageoni shadow ability which is always awesome to see but Lille still proves quite a match by saying he can even shoot through the shadows. Besides that there is not much else to talk about but I will mention the artwork again because it is great; Kubo does such a great job of making Shunsui laidback in one panel but then so menacing in the next. Also thought I'd mention that it is a shame Shunsui has told the rest of the Soul Reapers to go on a head because I would have really liked to have seen more try to take on Lille, plus there isn't that much Sternritter compared to the Soul Reapers so we can't just keep having these one on one fights.

Shunsui's shadow moves have always been awesome!

Overall the chapter was really long winded but hopefully that means we can just have some fighting next time and maybe Shunsui will release his Bankai soon.

SCORE: 5/10

Highlights: Awesome artwork
                   Lille vs. Shunsui has the makings to be a great fight

Let - Downs: Too much explaining of the new abilities
                      Barely anything really happened

Arrow Season Three: Public Enemy

Run Team Arrow RUN!

When Ray is injured during an attack on the Mayor's office Felicity's mom Donna visits Starling City again. Meanwhile Team Arrow tries to find Maeso however things take a turn for the worse when Quentin is kidnapped by Ra's al Ghul.

 

This is almost like Season One when Arrow was hunted by the SCPD but the notable difference was Quentin is now almost completely blinded by hatred. Now I say almost because he kind of isn't in the wrong about what he is doing because that speech at the end with Oliver in the police van (standout performance by Blackthorne, he did a great job of being completely overcome by anger this episode) did make a lot of sense in that despite Arrow doing good at the end of the day it is Quentin's job to arrest him and how he actually hates himself for not doing so and even becoming his accomplice. I didn't actually expect him to meet with Ra's al Ghul at all but it was nice that these two characters got a chance to but it was a shame Ra's never used this as an opportunity to reveal more of Sara's time in the League; it is still really vague how she got there and what she did. As for Oliver it really seems hopeless for him now; Slade made him feel that why but who to thought it would be the police this season, just shows you how much Oliver needed them on his side. I guess it's kind of understandable that he turned himself in, in the end because he had no other options but it seems Roy has got his back which is good because he has been on the side lines too much this season. Now I'm not sure how Oliver and Roy are going to get out of this but I really hope it doesn't end in Roy's death (because a character death has been teased for the next episode) since I really like him as Arsenal and he still needs his robotic arm. As for Quentin I like to think he may come to regret his actions, maybe if Roy does die that will trigger it, but I don't know how he is going to redeem himself to Team Arrow and Laurel. Finally this storyline gave us some kickass fight scenes between Team Arrow and the League and some great police chases.

"I forgot how good it felt to chase masks"

As for everything else I enjoyed seeing Felicity's mom again because she brings a breath of light hearted fresh air and again raises questions about who Felicity's dad was with her comments. However while Ray's nanotechnology was interesting I didn't like that he was put on the sidelines this episode when we saw him in action in the last one; I just felt he could have played a larger role and all in all this small subplot felt out of place compared to everything else that went on. Also I'll say again I'm not bothered about the relationships in the show (it sometimes focuses too much on them) however I can't believe they have opened to possibility of Felicity being with Oliver again because I just do not like that. I think her conflicted feelings for Oliver has just been such a downer for her character (when she has been so cheery in the previous seasons) and I just want it to end already. As for the Flashbacks I did like them because it was a nice way to bring Shado and her father in it again even if it was just for closure for Shado's twin.

How is Roy going to get out of this one?

Overall it is a desperate time now for Team Arrow and I don't know how they are going to make things right which is why I can't wait for the next episode.

 

SCORE: 8/10

 

Highlights: A Quentin focused episode

                   All seems hopeless for Team Arrow

                   Great action and chase scenes

 

Let - Downs: Ray's subplot felt out of place

   Felicity still can't decide who she wants to be with which I'm sure will just waste future screentime

 

  

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/ 

Arrow Season One: Dodger

The red hoodie isn't exactly subtle lol

The episode begins with a guard in a museum helping a criminal named The Dodger (James Callis) steal a large jewel because he has an explosive device attached to his neck. At the Arrowcave Felicity quits after a disagreement with Oliver and we get a Flashback where he is treating Slade's wounds but leaves to get the special herbs Yao Fei treated him with earlier. In the present Moira meets with a man named Frank Chen and they both agree that The Undertaking is getting out of control meanwhile Felicity re-joins the team after Oliver agrees to stop The Dodger. The Dodger later kills someone who is trying to steal from him and Team Arrow figures out how to find him; Felicity thinks Oliver should ask McKenna out so they can bug her phone which he does. In the Glades Laurel and Thea are mugged by someone who runs off with Thea's purse but they then investigate and get a suspect named Roy Harper (Colton Haynes), we then get a Flashback and Oliver encounters a badly injured man who begs for help.

Just play it smooth Diggle

McKenna and Oliver have dinner but she is soon called away because of The Dodger and Oliver follows her as The Hood however The Dodger gets away by setting off explosives. At the Arrowcave they come up with a plan to lure The Dodger at the fundraiser for the Starling City Cancer Society, later Roy is interrogated by the police but Thea decides to let him go after hearing about his mother. At the fundraiser Felicity is caught by The Dodger and attached with an explosive collar, Oliver manages to chase after him and knock him out, freeing Felicity of the collar. We get a Flashback and Oliver decides to leave the injured man because he cannot trust him and lies to Slade earlier about not encountering anyone. Diggle and Carly (his sister in law) then start a relationship and Oliver and McKenna start the possibility of one. The episode ends with Thea finding out Roy was lying abut his mom after visiting him and Moira contacting China White about putting a hit on Malcolm.

"Just take one step and BOOM!"

We keep getting more and more comic characters now with this latest one being the introduction to Roy Harper AKA Red Arrow/Arsenal. Roy was the side kick of the Green Arrow in the comics called Speedy but eventually quits and then returns as Red Arrow and then as Arsenal, he is a great character and I am glad that even though where probably going to be sticking with his origins for awhile at least he has been introduced early. I like the casting for him as well and how he is portrayed because he is like the opposite of the rich families with mostly seen so far. Also that Thea is most likely going to play a major part in his subplot is good because of course I have been going on for ages that she has no decent story and at least this is the start of one and again Laurel played a good part as well. Plus we also got more of a look at the Glades, it has been mentioned a lot but barely seen and kind of like Gotham does really represent the divide between the rich and poor.

"I like how we decided to take a walk in the worst part of Starling"

As for the Flashback even though they were not as action packed or as strong as the one in the last episode they where still good because of the situation Oliver was in. I mean that beaten guy looked and acted so genuine that it makes you think if his story is true or not and whether Oliver made the right call to leave him. If the guy really was telling the truth and Oliver finds that out somehow then I wonder if this decision is going to haunt him. I wonder if those special herbs will play more of a role soon because has lots in the present, is there a story to how he got them? Speaking of the past I like that we got some more insight into The Undertaking because Moira did say it was to help the city at first which is why Robert and Frank where involved in it. However what was really cool was Moira finally trying to break free of Malcolm and move against him; good luck to her but Malcolm just seems like the kind of person how has prepared for everything.

I know she has a bomb attached to her neck but damn does she know how to look good for the occasion

As for the rest of the episode The Dodger was actually an awesome villain and an example of how a one off villain should be. Cyrus was just uninteresting and generic but The Dodger was way cooler because of his unique explosives method, expert in hand to hand combat with a stun stick and his personality was overall just more cool and suave. I doubt we will see him again which is a bit of a shame because he could have made a good small recurring villain like China White and at least he isn't wearing some obvious white wig. Felicity was also great in this because she has become a valuable member of the team and didn't just spend the episode behind a computer screen. Lastly I didn't really care much for the romantic subplots in this because they kind of fell flat for me and it is obvious it is not going to work between Oliver and McKenna.

Play it smooth Roy

Overall this wasn't as exciting as last episode but it was going to be hard to top those awesome Flashbacks anyway however the ending was interesting because it might men Malcolm will have to be the Dark Archer again to defend himself.

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: Colton Haynes strong introduction as Roy Harper
                   The Dodger and the team going after him was good
                   Felicity was great in her first mission with the team

Let - Downs: Flashbacks wasn't as strong as in the last episode
                      Didn't care for the romantic subplots

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/