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Bleach #60
Bleach, Volume 60
Everything But the Rain
As the rain falls in Karakura Town, Isshin faces off against a mysterious Black Hollow. But when a familiar face joins the fight, Isshin will need all the help he can get. Ichigo's dark past is revealed, but can he recover from the shock of finally learning the truth?!
As the rain falls in Karakura Town, Isshin faces off against a mysterious Black Hollow. But when a familiar face joins the fight, Isshin will need all the help he can get. Ichigo's dark past is revealed, but can he recover from the shock of finally learning the truth?!
192 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2013
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October 23, 2024
How to write a review that would be worthy of the masterpiece that is 's Volume 60? How to gather all my thoughts, that are in an enormous chaos right now? How can I properly explain my emotions? How can I speak when I want to scream and shout and JUST LET IT ALL OUT SOMEHOW?!
Volume 60 is certainly one of my favorite BLEACH manga volumes. And Isshin and Masaki are my favorite BLEACH couple, hands down. While this volume focuses mostly on Isshin's past, the author was nice enough to also give us a glimpse of what's currently happening in the Soul Society.
And he was also crazy enough to give the world THE MOST INSANE PLOT TWIST OF ALL ANIME/MANGA PLOT TWISTS.
"What the hell is that...? A black hollow?" [Isshin]
Volume 60 begins in the exact moment the previous one ended. Isshin clashes with a hollow that is responsible for a couple of Soul Reapers' deaths - and instantly realizes that its not an ordinary hollow. This one doe not fight like a hollow.
It fights like a Soul Reaper. But why? How is that possible? And how is possible that no one had discovered it until now?
Isshin is strong, incredibly strong, but even he is struggling against the monster. The situation looks very, very bad, until a savior shows up and saves the day.
"Who are you?"
"I'm... Masaki Kurosaki. A Quincy."
"Oh. A Quincy, huh? I've never seen one before! Man, I feel lucky getting to meet a Quincy in person."
Isshin and Masaki are wonderful. They met in certainly unusual circumstances. They came from two most opposing sides. They didn't know each other, but they immediately reacted when the other was in danger. They saved each other. And even after finding out about who the other was - that should make them either go into a fighting stance or to run away as far as possible - they made self-sacrifices for one another.
Masaki: "For me "taking care of myself" means doing what I can, when I can. Because I won't be able to forgive myself if following customs means letting somebody die."
Isshin: "The me of tomorrow would probably laugh at me if I let the person I owe my life to die because of some stupid doubts!"
Even if I didn't know them as Ichigo's parents (and Ichigo is my favorite anime character of all time), I would fall for them anyway in the moment they sweetly smiled on one another. At that time they didn't know that they will be in love. They didn't know that they will have three wonderful children. They didn't know that they will not be able to spend the rest of their lives together. But that didn't matter. What mattered was the fact that they had found one another when they needed each other the most. And continued to do so.
"Masaki was like the sun. She attracted everything, forgave everything, illuminated and spun everything around. I was just happy to be spun around by her. And then you were born." [Isshin]
Masaki was like the sun, for both Isshin and Ichigo (I am sure that for the girls, too). She was the center of the Kurosaki family - the heart of it. When she died, everyone grieved, but Ichigo most of all. He blamed himself for what had happened for many years, but was able to forgive himself and move on. The monster that took Masaki's life no longer exists. That story should end here. But it doesn't.
"there are things you've experienced that you still don't understand. Nine years ago today. June 17. It's the day your mother died. You need to know the real reason she died that day." [Isshin]
The things we find out in this volume are not just incredibly important and needed informations, but most of all, they are enormous plot twists that you wouldn't have guessed even if you had a brain of freaking Shinichi Kudo (if you don't know, he's the MC of the anime/manga Detective Conan). And no, I'm not just talking about the real circumstances of Masaki's death. I'm also talking about what happened on the end of this volume because WHAAAAAT THE HEEEEELLL??!!
Brace yourself, Ichigo. This is where you will bid farewell to Zangetsu!" [Oh-Etsu]
I feel like I had to experience a giant blackout while watching the anime version, because I totally don't remember some scenes that happened in this volume. I'm mostly talking about the ending, but not just that (like the Kensei/Mashiro/Hisagi scene that I hadn't seen coming AT ALL).
That ending was crazy! Totally insane! UNREAL!! I heard about The Blade is Me thing before, though (thanks Tik Tok!), but I couldn't believe that it could be real. I mean, how could it be real?! I wish I could say what I mean by that, but I would have to include spoilers and that's too big of a thing to reveal, so I will not do that. All I can say is that I was totally BAMBOOZLED (just like Ichigo, lmao). I don't feel cheated though, just completely, completely caught of guard and, well, shocked. How can anyone think of this, like how of a master of writing you have to be to made something like this happen? Tite Kubo, you sly genius! I admire you so much!! 🙌
It looks like all of TYBW will not only be just an war arc full of intense fights that are making me crazy with worry about all my favorite characters, but also an arc full of such enormous reveals and plot twists that will blow up my mind. Will I stay sane when I will finish reading this arc? We will see, lol (pray for me).
Some things I NEED to talk about (before I will explode): - as usual, beware of the SPOILERS!
~ The whole Quincy rule about "pure-blooded" and "mixed-blooded" people is crazy to me. Ryouken talking about it gave me a big ick. Who are you, a freaking royalty?? You all are just normal people stealing spiritual pressure from everyone and everything! 🙄
~ Isshin had deeply impressed me with his deduction skills. I never thought that he has it in him! 👏
~ "BURN, ENGETSU!" - I had no idea that Isshin's Zanpakuto is a fire type?! Damn! 🤯
~ Do I wanna know which Soul Reaper did Aizen sacrifice to make White? 🫣
~ Is Masaki the only person that had ever surprised Aizen? Because it feels so.
~ His maniacal expression while watching Masaki gave me all the creeps 😬
~ SHE SACRIFICED HER WELL-BEING SO EASILY, DAMN
~ I can't even imagine how afraid Masaki had to be when she calculated if she supposed to introduce herself or not. I feel like that moment was much more fearful for her than the moment White had attacked her. She's so brave for saying the truth, though. And Isshin's so amazing for just smiling at her and then hiding her involvement in the incident before the Gotei 13.
~ Who would have let go of everything they knew and the life they had for a stranger? Isshin. That's who. He's so awesome, I am lost of words to properly express it.
~ Byakuya, Unohana, Mayuri and Kyoraku were all seen during the Gotei 13 meeting. I thought that they all were already captains back then (especially Kyoraku and Ukitake), but damn, it's hard to comprehend that they all used to know Isshin! P.S. Now that I think about it... When Byakuya said to Ukitake "he has nothing to do with the person you think about" (or something similar) during the Soul Society arc (when Ichigo made an entrance at the bridge, trying to save Ganju and Hanataro) did he meant Kaien... or did he meant Isshin? 😯
~ IS URAHARA ICHIGO'S GODFATHER BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE HE IS?! He's too involved with everything happening around the Kurosaki family (if not, then I don't care, I like to think that he is)!
~ Where did Urahara got the Quincy arrows and human souls to make a vaccine ??? 😨
~ "Yo. I'm here to protect you." - LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON! 😭
~ "Your souls have successfully been bound to each other." - THIS IS BETTER THAN A MARRIAGE, OMG 🤗
~ Isshin's fond smile while watching Masaki peacefully rest 😭
~ I KNEW, I JUST KNEW THAT THE WHITE AND THE OTHER WHITE ARE ONE AND THE SAME, O MY GOOOSH! THAT'S SO AWESOME?!!! 🤯
~ I had no idea that Katagiri also died because of Yhwach's influence. I thought that it was just Masaki. Now I'm even more confused than before why Uryuu join the Wandenreich's forces. I'm also confused why Yhwach took him in. Didn't he know that Uryuu's not a pure-blooded Quincy (because his mother had a mixed blood)? Didn't he know that he had been friends with Ichigo? Nothing make any sense to me.
~ I DO NOT REMEMBER THE ICHIGO AND OH-ETSU SCENES, THE BLACKOUT HAD TO BE A LONG ONE, DAMN 😭
~ Did Kensei brought Hisagi to the place they had met for the first time or am I dumb??
~ I am surprised to see Mashiro back as Kensei's lieutenant! I was convinced that she decided to stay with Hiyori and the others in the world of the living! And I'm surprised that Kensei decided to bring her back - she infuriated him when they worked together before 😂
~ What are Mayuri and Nemu up to?? 🧐
~ We get to see the Omaeda siblings (except for the older sister)!
~ I can't believe what kind of masquerade happened with Ichigo's Zanpakuto. I'm still in shock, and I think I will always be in shock about this. Part of me wants to cry (because of Zangetsu), but other part of me cheers (because of White). Not sure which part is stronger 😅
Volume 60 is certainly one of my favorite BLEACH manga volumes. And Isshin and Masaki are my favorite BLEACH couple, hands down. While this volume focuses mostly on Isshin's past, the author was nice enough to also give us a glimpse of what's currently happening in the Soul Society.
And he was also crazy enough to give the world THE MOST INSANE PLOT TWIST OF ALL ANIME/MANGA PLOT TWISTS.
"What the hell is that...? A black hollow?" [Isshin]
Volume 60 begins in the exact moment the previous one ended. Isshin clashes with a hollow that is responsible for a couple of Soul Reapers' deaths - and instantly realizes that its not an ordinary hollow. This one doe not fight like a hollow.
It fights like a Soul Reaper. But why? How is that possible? And how is possible that no one had discovered it until now?
Isshin is strong, incredibly strong, but even he is struggling against the monster. The situation looks very, very bad, until a savior shows up and saves the day.
"Who are you?"
"I'm... Masaki Kurosaki. A Quincy."
"Oh. A Quincy, huh? I've never seen one before! Man, I feel lucky getting to meet a Quincy in person."
Isshin and Masaki are wonderful. They met in certainly unusual circumstances. They came from two most opposing sides. They didn't know each other, but they immediately reacted when the other was in danger. They saved each other. And even after finding out about who the other was - that should make them either go into a fighting stance or to run away as far as possible - they made self-sacrifices for one another.
Masaki: "For me "taking care of myself" means doing what I can, when I can. Because I won't be able to forgive myself if following customs means letting somebody die."
Isshin: "The me of tomorrow would probably laugh at me if I let the person I owe my life to die because of some stupid doubts!"
Even if I didn't know them as Ichigo's parents (and Ichigo is my favorite anime character of all time), I would fall for them anyway in the moment they sweetly smiled on one another. At that time they didn't know that they will be in love. They didn't know that they will have three wonderful children. They didn't know that they will not be able to spend the rest of their lives together. But that didn't matter. What mattered was the fact that they had found one another when they needed each other the most. And continued to do so.
"Masaki was like the sun. She attracted everything, forgave everything, illuminated and spun everything around. I was just happy to be spun around by her. And then you were born." [Isshin]
Masaki was like the sun, for both Isshin and Ichigo (I am sure that for the girls, too). She was the center of the Kurosaki family - the heart of it. When she died, everyone grieved, but Ichigo most of all. He blamed himself for what had happened for many years, but was able to forgive himself and move on. The monster that took Masaki's life no longer exists. That story should end here. But it doesn't.
"there are things you've experienced that you still don't understand. Nine years ago today. June 17. It's the day your mother died. You need to know the real reason she died that day." [Isshin]
The things we find out in this volume are not just incredibly important and needed informations, but most of all, they are enormous plot twists that you wouldn't have guessed even if you had a brain of freaking Shinichi Kudo (if you don't know, he's the MC of the anime/manga Detective Conan). And no, I'm not just talking about the real circumstances of Masaki's death. I'm also talking about what happened on the end of this volume because WHAAAAAT THE HEEEEELLL??!!
Brace yourself, Ichigo. This is where you will bid farewell to Zangetsu!" [Oh-Etsu]
I feel like I had to experience a giant blackout while watching the anime version, because I totally don't remember some scenes that happened in this volume. I'm mostly talking about the ending, but not just that (like the Kensei/Mashiro/Hisagi scene that I hadn't seen coming AT ALL).
That ending was crazy! Totally insane! UNREAL!! I heard about The Blade is Me thing before, though (thanks Tik Tok!), but I couldn't believe that it could be real. I mean, how could it be real?! I wish I could say what I mean by that, but I would have to include spoilers and that's too big of a thing to reveal, so I will not do that. All I can say is that I was totally BAMBOOZLED (just like Ichigo, lmao). I don't feel cheated though, just completely, completely caught of guard and, well, shocked. How can anyone think of this, like how of a master of writing you have to be to made something like this happen? Tite Kubo, you sly genius! I admire you so much!! 🙌
It looks like all of TYBW will not only be just an war arc full of intense fights that are making me crazy with worry about all my favorite characters, but also an arc full of such enormous reveals and plot twists that will blow up my mind. Will I stay sane when I will finish reading this arc? We will see, lol (pray for me).
Some things I NEED to talk about (before I will explode): - as usual, beware of the SPOILERS!
~ The whole Quincy rule about "pure-blooded" and "mixed-blooded" people is crazy to me. Ryouken talking about it gave me a big ick. Who are you, a freaking royalty?? You all are just normal people stealing spiritual pressure from everyone and everything! 🙄
~ Isshin had deeply impressed me with his deduction skills. I never thought that he has it in him! 👏
~ "BURN, ENGETSU!" - I had no idea that Isshin's Zanpakuto is a fire type?! Damn! 🤯
~ Do I wanna know which Soul Reaper did Aizen sacrifice to make White? 🫣
~ Is Masaki the only person that had ever surprised Aizen? Because it feels so.
~ His maniacal expression while watching Masaki gave me all the creeps 😬
~ SHE SACRIFICED HER WELL-BEING SO EASILY, DAMN
~ I can't even imagine how afraid Masaki had to be when she calculated if she supposed to introduce herself or not. I feel like that moment was much more fearful for her than the moment White had attacked her. She's so brave for saying the truth, though. And Isshin's so amazing for just smiling at her and then hiding her involvement in the incident before the Gotei 13.
~ Who would have let go of everything they knew and the life they had for a stranger? Isshin. That's who. He's so awesome, I am lost of words to properly express it.
~ Byakuya, Unohana, Mayuri and Kyoraku were all seen during the Gotei 13 meeting. I thought that they all were already captains back then (especially Kyoraku and Ukitake), but damn, it's hard to comprehend that they all used to know Isshin! P.S. Now that I think about it... When Byakuya said to Ukitake "he has nothing to do with the person you think about" (or something similar) during the Soul Society arc (when Ichigo made an entrance at the bridge, trying to save Ganju and Hanataro) did he meant Kaien... or did he meant Isshin? 😯
~ IS URAHARA ICHIGO'S GODFATHER BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE HE IS?! He's too involved with everything happening around the Kurosaki family (if not, then I don't care, I like to think that he is)!
~ Where did Urahara got the Quincy arrows and human souls to make a vaccine ??? 😨
~ "Yo. I'm here to protect you." - LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON! 😭
~ "Your souls have successfully been bound to each other." - THIS IS BETTER THAN A MARRIAGE, OMG 🤗
~ Isshin's fond smile while watching Masaki peacefully rest 😭
~ I KNEW, I JUST KNEW THAT THE WHITE AND THE OTHER WHITE ARE ONE AND THE SAME, O MY GOOOSH! THAT'S SO AWESOME?!!! 🤯
~ I had no idea that Katagiri also died because of Yhwach's influence. I thought that it was just Masaki. Now I'm even more confused than before why Uryuu join the Wandenreich's forces. I'm also confused why Yhwach took him in. Didn't he know that Uryuu's not a pure-blooded Quincy (because his mother had a mixed blood)? Didn't he know that he had been friends with Ichigo? Nothing make any sense to me.
~ I DO NOT REMEMBER THE ICHIGO AND OH-ETSU SCENES, THE BLACKOUT HAD TO BE A LONG ONE, DAMN 😭
~ Did Kensei brought Hisagi to the place they had met for the first time or am I dumb??
~ I am surprised to see Mashiro back as Kensei's lieutenant! I was convinced that she decided to stay with Hiyori and the others in the world of the living! And I'm surprised that Kensei decided to bring her back - she infuriated him when they worked together before 😂
~ What are Mayuri and Nemu up to?? 🧐
~ We get to see the Omaeda siblings (except for the older sister)!
~ I can't believe what kind of masquerade happened with Ichigo's Zanpakuto. I'm still in shock, and I think I will always be in shock about this. Part of me wants to cry (because of Zangetsu), but other part of me cheers (because of White). Not sure which part is stronger 😅
June 2, 2020
The origin story for Ichigo's parents is revealed and completed with this arc. It's a huge stretch and such an odd twist to the narrative and world-building that was introduced since the beginning.
But the worse of all twists come at the end when Ichigo learns the true face of his Getsuga Tenchou... This is some major retconning that almost feels like a distress call, to be honest. To be seen what happens next.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
But the worse of all twists come at the end when Ichigo learns the true face of his Getsuga Tenchou... This is some major retconning that almost feels like a distress call, to be honest. To be seen what happens next.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
November 8, 2022
So many revelations! I really loved all these little things that were seeded ages ago
December 7, 2020
This volume was awesome, we learn the secret history of Ichigo and how his parents Kurosaki Masaki and Shiba Isshin met and like what went on there and how they were attacked by Aizen's hollow and how he infected her and to save her he has to give his powers away and the gigai stuff and then how Ichigo was concieved and all and so much happens, and how Ishida and all are involved in this and even Uryuu's conception and all..how it happened. It packs so much while also shining a light on the clan of Komamura and others who have lost their Bankai retrain. And when his blade is being reforged Ichigo learn of the real Zangetsu and how it looks so similar to Yhwach. Omg. So much happens and we thought we knew the series but we didn't, it was an awesome volume and changes so much but at the same time also reveals a lot. The art and colors just gets awesome more and more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2022
Plot twist nggak habis-habis. Beneran berlapis!
July 12, 2025
★★★★½
Loving the lore
Loving the lore
December 30, 2020
Reviewed on Lili Lost in a Book
It’s been a hot minute since I last reviewed one of these volumes, so I think I should mention that since then, it has been announced that this last arc of Bleach IS being adapted into an anime! 🤗 I am so happy! It’s actually been some years since the last season was released, but I am glad that we will be able to watch this arc on TV because I really enjoyed it!
All that being said, spoiler warning for previous volumes in the series! Spoilers for this volume, volume 60, will be in spoiler tags.
After having my suspicions confirmed in the last volume that Ichigo’s mom was indeed a Quincy 😱, I was beyond excited to dive into this volume and learn more about Ichigo’s parents and their past... and boy did we ever!
This volume starts off with a flashback. So we know that Ichigo’s dad is a Soul Reaper, well back in the day he went to the world of the living to investigate some suspicious activity. Meanwhile, Ichigo’s mom, Masaki, is living with Uruyu’s dad and his family because they’re friends but also set to be freaking married! 😱 Anyway, they also feel this weird energy and go out to investigate. So things happen, they fight an Arrancar thing and Ichigo’s dad saves Masaki.
I really liked Ichigo’s mom—she’s very kind and has this sense of responsibility for the lives of everyone out there and she just wants to help wherever she can. I can totally see where Ichigo gets it. Oh and when Ichigo’s parents finally meet... it was super cute! 🥰
In this volume we also find out what Uruyu has been up to, because I’ve sure been curious... and omg... WTF dude! He’s been doing things and I just cannot 😩 And speaking of Uruyu, we also find out the reason why Uruyu’s dad, Ryuken, is so cold and why he left his Quincy family.
As for the rest of the Reapers in the present day, well a bunch of them have lost their Bankai, so they’re training in other ways to make up for it. And Ichigo is back at the palace still trying to get a new Zanpakuto, and boy do things get interesting...
I just cannot believe the revelations we are getting left and right in these last couple of volumes! But everything makes so much sense now! Ichigo’s past, his powers... everything! Wow 😳 Man, I am impressed at the amazing storytelling and—it’s just so good! There wasn’t much action in this one which I was totally okay with because the character development in this and the revelations were WOW. I really enjoyed the mythos in this volume regarding the Hollows, Soul Reapers, Quincies, and even humans. It took me like two read through to get it 😅, but when I did I found it fascinating! Great volume all around!
It’s been a hot minute since I last reviewed one of these volumes, so I think I should mention that since then, it has been announced that this last arc of Bleach IS being adapted into an anime! 🤗 I am so happy! It’s actually been some years since the last season was released, but I am glad that we will be able to watch this arc on TV because I really enjoyed it!
All that being said, spoiler warning for previous volumes in the series! Spoilers for this volume, volume 60, will be in spoiler tags.
After having my suspicions confirmed in the last volume that Ichigo’s mom was indeed a Quincy 😱, I was beyond excited to dive into this volume and learn more about Ichigo’s parents and their past... and boy did we ever!
This volume starts off with a flashback. So we know that Ichigo’s dad is a Soul Reaper, well back in the day he went to the world of the living to investigate some suspicious activity. Meanwhile, Ichigo’s mom, Masaki, is living with Uruyu’s dad and his family because they’re friends but also set to be freaking married! 😱 Anyway, they also feel this weird energy and go out to investigate. So things happen, they fight an Arrancar thing and Ichigo’s dad saves Masaki.
I really liked Ichigo’s mom—she’s very kind and has this sense of responsibility for the lives of everyone out there and she just wants to help wherever she can. I can totally see where Ichigo gets it. Oh and when Ichigo’s parents finally meet... it was super cute! 🥰
In this volume we also find out what Uruyu has been up to, because I’ve sure been curious... and omg... WTF dude! He’s been doing things and I just cannot 😩 And speaking of Uruyu, we also find out the reason why Uruyu’s dad, Ryuken, is so cold and why he left his Quincy family.
As for the rest of the Reapers in the present day, well a bunch of them have lost their Bankai, so they’re training in other ways to make up for it. And Ichigo is back at the palace still trying to get a new Zanpakuto, and boy do things get interesting...
I just cannot believe the revelations we are getting left and right in these last couple of volumes! But everything makes so much sense now! Ichigo’s past, his powers... everything! Wow 😳 Man, I am impressed at the amazing storytelling and—it’s just so good! There wasn’t much action in this one which I was totally okay with because the character development in this and the revelations were WOW. I really enjoyed the mythos in this volume regarding the Hollows, Soul Reapers, Quincies, and even humans. It took me like two read through to get it 😅, but when I did I found it fascinating! Great volume all around!
February 2, 2025
that was actually one of the best things I've ever read, the reveals!!!!!!!!!!!
I am speechless
I am speechless
February 3, 2025
This feels like a major retcon… idk
December 18, 2025
This might’ve been the best flashback in the entire series.
May 28, 2025
Who is chopping onions right now? Idk why I feel so emotional over Isshin and Masaki’s backstory 😭 Masaki was so precious and reminds me of Orohime :(
Both her and Isshin were willing to break the laws of their people if it meant saving someone’s life and doing the right thing, and evidently Ichigo inherited this trait. That scene of Isshin carrying Masaki is just like Ichigo carrying Rukia at her execution. Like father like son fr 😭💔
Both her and Isshin were willing to break the laws of their people if it meant saving someone’s life and doing the right thing, and evidently Ichigo inherited this trait. That scene of Isshin carrying Masaki is just like Ichigo carrying Rukia at her execution. Like father like son fr 😭💔
July 24, 2014
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
Bleach 60 contains the chapters we've been waiting for since that reveal tease so long ago that Ichigo's father is/was a captain of the Gotei 13. We finally get the backstory of Ichigo's parents - with the big surprise coming not from his father's past but from the story of his mother and her sacrifice (she's pictured on the cover).
Despite the long arc of the series overall, we're brought full circle to Ichida and Ichigo - whose parents have a very similar, if not the same, history. And now, armed with the knowledge of his family's past, Ichigo can return to Soul Society and reforge his true zanpakutou. But it is all heading to a confrontation with Ichida.
Several years ago, around volume 5, there was a great post in a forum entitled, "Kubo is a genius". It showed how the mangaka has kept a consistent overall story despite all the side arcs - mostly that Ichida was always a part of the story in a major way even when not around during large stretches. This volume shows that the overall story really has always been about an eventually confrontation between the two friends as we head into the final series closing volumes.
Received as an ARC from the publisher.
May 16, 2014
It's pretty obvious from the beginning of the 'Everything But The Rain' arc that Kubo has a story he has to tell, or else Bleach as a series will never proceed properly. He's gone long enough without telling Ichigo's true origins, and so does so in the manga's sixtieth volume, which is a great milestone for a title of any genre. As a whole, it's a volume that answers a lot of lingering questions, including a few readers probably didn't realize they had, shedding light on Ichigo's past as well as the history of the Shinigami and the Quincy.
Read my complete review of BLEACH volume 60 at my blog.
Read my complete review of BLEACH volume 60 at my blog.
January 7, 2015
(Note to self): Last read chapter 611.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2016
Ichigo's long awaited back story. Sometimes flashbacks can be boring, but not here. Nicely done!
December 9, 2016
Finally the wait is over & it's worth it!!!
Ichigo's past about his parents is revealead and it sure was a fabulous,surprising reveal on the flashback!
Ichigo's past about his parents is revealead and it sure was a fabulous,surprising reveal on the flashback!
October 24, 2025
TBA
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2020
Given that Manga, and especially Shonen is split up into bigger arcs as composed to volumes I will be analyzing and reviewing this by Arc. I also reread this manga over the span of 2 months, some days reading as much as 100 chapters a day. It would be quite tedious for me to review each 7-8 chapter volume. So this will be copy and pasted throughout all of the 72 manga volumes. That being said, if you're looking at this without having viewed the series...spoiler warning. I don't recap anything, but I also mention things that happen. If you want me to answer the question "Should I pick this up?" Yes. Even if you stop at the end of the Soul Society Arc. It's worth it.
Karakura Town Arc - Chapters 1-56 - Rating: 7/10
(The official page lumps this in with the Soul Society Arc however I feel as if they are two very separate arcs with two very separate themes)
- A fun introduction.
-An interesting premise on the idea of ghosts and demons (Hollows)
-Does a good job of introducing the characters and I especially enjoyed the love for characters like Chad, Orihime and Uryu as these characters would later lose more and more spotlight as the series went on.
-It is a bit of a monster of the week. When it works, like with Chad's introduction story. It works. But Characters like Don Kanonji felt superficial and very gimmicky. Which, fair. I didn't enjoy them as much.
Soul Society Arc - Chapters 57-182 - Rating: 10/10
-The height of Bleach
-Establishes an afterlife seemingly perfectly. Later on revealed to be full of plot holes and never fleshed out but hey! That's not an issue in THIS arc. The fights are top tier, the themes of Ichigo owing a life debt to Rukia and his passion and determination to rise above literally God's army is inspiring and to this day is why I love Ichigo so much. He doesn't have some grandiose plan. He doesn't have a major goal to accomplish. He is a protector by heart, losing his mother has made him sour to failing to protect those he cares about and he'll do anything in his power never to feel that helpless again. Very powerful stuff.
-The twist near the end of this arc is revolutionary and would make waves for the next 200 chapters onward. A perfect ending and set up for the forthcoming arc.
-The only issues I have for this arc would be Ichigo's lightning speed progression. The guy goes from being able to barely defeat a third seat to besting multiple captains in roughly 100 or less chapters. I get that that is the point and him defeating captains was more of a struck of luck, but progression and pacing wise it feels very unearned and a factor of "for the plot he needed to be this strong" It only seems as fast as it is because Ichigo's progression slows drastically down for the rest of the story moving foreword so it's only now that I make that criticism.
-Also, and this will be an issue in most Shonen. There are 13 Captains with 13 Vice Captains and seats that branch all the way to 10 I believe? Regardless, there's a fudge ton of characters that are introduced here and it can get a little jarring at times. Luckily, Kubo does a great job at making their designs and characters unique despite such a large cast.
Hueco Mundo Arc - Chapters 183-423 - Rating 7/10
-This is another arc where personally I would split it up into two separate arcs. But for the sake of this review I will simply refer to the first half of the arc and the later half of the arc. First Half 9/10. Second Half. 5/10.
-The first half of this arc is a great continuation of the last. Ichigo now struggles with his inner demons and it affects his ability to protect the ones he loves. We are also introduced to a deadly unknown new villains. The Arrancars/Espada to this day remain one of my favorite villain factions in all of manga enemies.
-Just so you're aware I would say the first half of this arc ends right around the point of Ichigo vs Grimmjow. Grimmjow is one of the first Arrancar that Ichigo faces. And he's also one of two Espada that he faces three times. The conclusion of that fight shows Ichigo conquering his inner demons. Where Grimmjow is very much fighting to establish himself. Grimmjow has to fight Ichigo to prove to his fallen comrades that he is as good as he says he is. He doesn't care about Aizen, he doesn't care about the rest of the Espada. It is very personal for him. For Ichigo, Orohime is within his grasp of saving and he views this as his "final" battle. It's my favorite fight in all of Bleach.
-However, this is where things start to take a bit of dip in quality in my opinion. We had a goal and we were striving towards that goal. Each character of the original cast coming to repay the debt they made to their friend who had risked her life to save them in the Soul society arc. But somewhere along the way it seems we just had a fighter fest. Captains would face enemies with no themes or character revelations. The Espadas got a little light but nothing that made their fights compelling. You almost just feel bad for the Espada as they were monsters turned into a military force by an unstoppable tyrant. But even that wasn't enough to make half of the fights interesting. Now, that's with knowing the outcome. These fights played little importance in the larger scheme of things. Where at least in the Hueco Mundo fights each match up had the protagonists striving for a goal. Rukia to defeat Aaroneiro to free her former superiors soul. Byakuya to defend Rukia. Renji and Uryu teamwork. Nel to protect Ichigo and get revenge on Nnoitra. Whereas Stark fought Kyoraku.....cause.....and Hitsugaya fought Halibel because Water vs Ice would be cool.
-This leaves me to the end. I won't say it wasn't satisfying that Ichigo was able to defeat Aizen. And yes, I do feel like his new power was earned. 3 months of training. But this was clearly a last minute decision to save Aizen for a later date and the show must go on. I do feel like it wasn't as satisfying as 200+ chapter buildup needed to be.
The Fullbring Arc - Chapters 424-479 - Rating: 8/10
-A very underrated arc. And yes, I acknowledge that rating wise I think the Fullbring arc is superior to the Hueco Mundo arc. That is mostly true. Though I like the first half of the Hueco Mundo Arc more than the Fullbring arc. The end of the HM arc really brought it down for me. The Fullbring Arc is much more concise and is actually the shortest arc in the series and works as a glorified Ichigo getting his powers back arc. But that doesn't mean its bad.
-When I read it originally back when it was coming out in 2010. (Cause I'm Old) It wasn't phenomenal. In fact, I hated it. But wouldn't you? It took just short of a year to get to the point that we were at. But upon rereading it, it gave much deserved love to the characters who hadn't been shown love in quite some time. The original cast. It was a very character focused arc. Ichigo never seemed more human. And despite me hating it before for taking so long, reading weekly can sometimes hurt these mystery based arcs. The twist is heavily foreshadowed and I really appreciated it.
-That being said, the end was super rushed. This was a big bummer for me. The villains this time around were humans. And the ones who had the most exposure and relations with these characters were the original cast who again....were humans. So to have the soul reapers, who have no connection to the fullbringers show up and basically no diff most of the fullbringers felt very forced and fanservicey to me. This very well could have not been Kubo's call. As the community was very vocal about their dislike for this arc as it was going on. But I appreciate it now much more as I appreciate character and story over big sword fights. Lol.
The Thousand Year Blood War Arc - Chapters 424-689 - Rating: 5/10
-And we're finally here. The final and largest arc within the Bleach story. And man...does it not stick the landing.
-That being said, this arc has phenomenal moments. Kenpachi's Shikai and Bankai. Ichigo's double swords. Renji's true Bankai. Rukia's Bankai. And many more. However, they are put together against the most break neck speed arc that I have ever read. Kubo was very ambitious when he introduced 26 new villains. However, most of them got barely any screen time and a lot of them even got off screened by higher level captains. This was unlike the Espada who each got a full double page spread for their Resurrections.
-Yhwach himself was a phenomenal villain but was dealt with swiftly and imo dirty. They did him dirty.
-There was just something off. The mood changed and it was very apparent. The villains had random powers instead of the powers reflecting their personalities or needs. The finale felt so underwhelming.
-Ichigo gets to be the strongest he's ever been....but he doesn't defeat a single person besides the main villain despite being in several fights.
-It isn't a good arc. In fact, I would say it's the worst. Hopefully the anime does a better job with this already mammoth of a story. 260 chapters is no joke.
This gives the story of Bleach an Overall rating of 7.4/10. Which to me is above average. It has it's ups and downs. It's not perfect. But when it's high, it's peak shonen. But when it's low, it's very forgettable.
Karakura Town Arc - Chapters 1-56 - Rating: 7/10
(The official page lumps this in with the Soul Society Arc however I feel as if they are two very separate arcs with two very separate themes)
- A fun introduction.
-An interesting premise on the idea of ghosts and demons (Hollows)
-Does a good job of introducing the characters and I especially enjoyed the love for characters like Chad, Orihime and Uryu as these characters would later lose more and more spotlight as the series went on.
-It is a bit of a monster of the week. When it works, like with Chad's introduction story. It works. But Characters like Don Kanonji felt superficial and very gimmicky. Which, fair. I didn't enjoy them as much.
Soul Society Arc - Chapters 57-182 - Rating: 10/10
-The height of Bleach
-Establishes an afterlife seemingly perfectly. Later on revealed to be full of plot holes and never fleshed out but hey! That's not an issue in THIS arc. The fights are top tier, the themes of Ichigo owing a life debt to Rukia and his passion and determination to rise above literally God's army is inspiring and to this day is why I love Ichigo so much. He doesn't have some grandiose plan. He doesn't have a major goal to accomplish. He is a protector by heart, losing his mother has made him sour to failing to protect those he cares about and he'll do anything in his power never to feel that helpless again. Very powerful stuff.
-The twist near the end of this arc is revolutionary and would make waves for the next 200 chapters onward. A perfect ending and set up for the forthcoming arc.
-The only issues I have for this arc would be Ichigo's lightning speed progression. The guy goes from being able to barely defeat a third seat to besting multiple captains in roughly 100 or less chapters. I get that that is the point and him defeating captains was more of a struck of luck, but progression and pacing wise it feels very unearned and a factor of "for the plot he needed to be this strong" It only seems as fast as it is because Ichigo's progression slows drastically down for the rest of the story moving foreword so it's only now that I make that criticism.
-Also, and this will be an issue in most Shonen. There are 13 Captains with 13 Vice Captains and seats that branch all the way to 10 I believe? Regardless, there's a fudge ton of characters that are introduced here and it can get a little jarring at times. Luckily, Kubo does a great job at making their designs and characters unique despite such a large cast.
Hueco Mundo Arc - Chapters 183-423 - Rating 7/10
-This is another arc where personally I would split it up into two separate arcs. But for the sake of this review I will simply refer to the first half of the arc and the later half of the arc. First Half 9/10. Second Half. 5/10.
-The first half of this arc is a great continuation of the last. Ichigo now struggles with his inner demons and it affects his ability to protect the ones he loves. We are also introduced to a deadly unknown new villains. The Arrancars/Espada to this day remain one of my favorite villain factions in all of manga enemies.
-Just so you're aware I would say the first half of this arc ends right around the point of Ichigo vs Grimmjow. Grimmjow is one of the first Arrancar that Ichigo faces. And he's also one of two Espada that he faces three times. The conclusion of that fight shows Ichigo conquering his inner demons. Where Grimmjow is very much fighting to establish himself. Grimmjow has to fight Ichigo to prove to his fallen comrades that he is as good as he says he is. He doesn't care about Aizen, he doesn't care about the rest of the Espada. It is very personal for him. For Ichigo, Orohime is within his grasp of saving and he views this as his "final" battle. It's my favorite fight in all of Bleach.
-However, this is where things start to take a bit of dip in quality in my opinion. We had a goal and we were striving towards that goal. Each character of the original cast coming to repay the debt they made to their friend who had risked her life to save them in the Soul society arc. But somewhere along the way it seems we just had a fighter fest. Captains would face enemies with no themes or character revelations. The Espadas got a little light but nothing that made their fights compelling. You almost just feel bad for the Espada as they were monsters turned into a military force by an unstoppable tyrant. But even that wasn't enough to make half of the fights interesting. Now, that's with knowing the outcome. These fights played little importance in the larger scheme of things. Where at least in the Hueco Mundo fights each match up had the protagonists striving for a goal. Rukia to defeat Aaroneiro to free her former superiors soul. Byakuya to defend Rukia. Renji and Uryu teamwork. Nel to protect Ichigo and get revenge on Nnoitra. Whereas Stark fought Kyoraku.....cause.....and Hitsugaya fought Halibel because Water vs Ice would be cool.
-This leaves me to the end. I won't say it wasn't satisfying that Ichigo was able to defeat Aizen. And yes, I do feel like his new power was earned. 3 months of training. But this was clearly a last minute decision to save Aizen for a later date and the show must go on. I do feel like it wasn't as satisfying as 200+ chapter buildup needed to be.
The Fullbring Arc - Chapters 424-479 - Rating: 8/10
-A very underrated arc. And yes, I acknowledge that rating wise I think the Fullbring arc is superior to the Hueco Mundo arc. That is mostly true. Though I like the first half of the Hueco Mundo Arc more than the Fullbring arc. The end of the HM arc really brought it down for me. The Fullbring Arc is much more concise and is actually the shortest arc in the series and works as a glorified Ichigo getting his powers back arc. But that doesn't mean its bad.
-When I read it originally back when it was coming out in 2010. (Cause I'm Old) It wasn't phenomenal. In fact, I hated it. But wouldn't you? It took just short of a year to get to the point that we were at. But upon rereading it, it gave much deserved love to the characters who hadn't been shown love in quite some time. The original cast. It was a very character focused arc. Ichigo never seemed more human. And despite me hating it before for taking so long, reading weekly can sometimes hurt these mystery based arcs. The twist is heavily foreshadowed and I really appreciated it.
-That being said, the end was super rushed. This was a big bummer for me. The villains this time around were humans. And the ones who had the most exposure and relations with these characters were the original cast who again....were humans. So to have the soul reapers, who have no connection to the fullbringers show up and basically no diff most of the fullbringers felt very forced and fanservicey to me. This very well could have not been Kubo's call. As the community was very vocal about their dislike for this arc as it was going on. But I appreciate it now much more as I appreciate character and story over big sword fights. Lol.
The Thousand Year Blood War Arc - Chapters 424-689 - Rating: 5/10
-And we're finally here. The final and largest arc within the Bleach story. And man...does it not stick the landing.
-That being said, this arc has phenomenal moments. Kenpachi's Shikai and Bankai. Ichigo's double swords. Renji's true Bankai. Rukia's Bankai. And many more. However, they are put together against the most break neck speed arc that I have ever read. Kubo was very ambitious when he introduced 26 new villains. However, most of them got barely any screen time and a lot of them even got off screened by higher level captains. This was unlike the Espada who each got a full double page spread for their Resurrections.
-Yhwach himself was a phenomenal villain but was dealt with swiftly and imo dirty. They did him dirty.
-There was just something off. The mood changed and it was very apparent. The villains had random powers instead of the powers reflecting their personalities or needs. The finale felt so underwhelming.
-Ichigo gets to be the strongest he's ever been....but he doesn't defeat a single person besides the main villain despite being in several fights.
-It isn't a good arc. In fact, I would say it's the worst. Hopefully the anime does a better job with this already mammoth of a story. 260 chapters is no joke.
This gives the story of Bleach an Overall rating of 7.4/10. Which to me is above average. It has it's ups and downs. It's not perfect. But when it's high, it's peak shonen. But when it's low, it's very forgettable.
November 9, 2019
Bleach, Vol. 60 continues where the previous tankōbon left off and contains the next ten chapters (531–540) of the on-going manga series.
Years before Ichigo Kurosaki was born, Isshin Shiba was sent to Karakura Town to investigate the presence of a Hollow. Isshin would encounter the Hollow, revealed to be creation of Sōsuke Aizen's named White, and that the creature has the same skills as a Soul Reaper. The spirit pressure from the fight attracted the attention of Masaki Kurosaki, a pure-blood Quincy, as she comes to Isshin's aid.
Though Masaki helps Isshin destroy White, she ended up being bitten by the Hollow. The following day, confronted by Ryūken Ishida's mother over her transgression and nearly endangering the purity of the Quincy bloodline, Masaki collapses as a hole appears on her chest. Isshin learns of Masaki's condition upon returning to Karakura Town as he and Ryūken bring her to Kisuke Urahara.
Urahara reveals that Masaki is undergoing hollowfication and that a part of White got transmitted into Masaki's body and is consuming her soul. Though it is impossible to cure her, Urahara explains it can be treated with a vaccination made with an opposing force. However, Isshin must remain by Masaki's side in a specially made Gigai made from human souls so she can spend the way of her natural life as a human.
Knowing he must relinquish being a Soul Reaper and remain trapped in the Gigai, Isshin abruptly accepts. Isshin concludes the story by revealing to Ichigo that he regained his Soul Reaper powers the day Masaki died. Isshin then explains that Masaki's death, along with Uryū Ishida's mother Kanae Katagiri, was caused by the propagator of the Quincies: Yhwach.
Later, Ichigo is taken back to the Royal Palace under goes a new test where he chooses his own Asauchi that would be forged a new Zanpakutō. As Nimaiya begins to forge, it is revealed that the entity known as "Hollow Ichigo" is both an offshoot of White and the real Zangetsu. Furthermore, the spirit known as "Old Man Zangetsu", reminiscent of a younger Yhwach, is actually the personification of Ichigo's Quincy powers.
Meanwhile, as the Soul Reapers prepare for another assault by the Wandenreich, Yhwach welcomes Uryū to their side.
This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Tite Kubo. This tankōbon explores the heritage of Ichigo Kurosaki – and a convoluted one it is! Isshin Kurosaki (née Shiba), his father, was formally Shinigami Captain and descended from one of the five noble families of Soul Society. His mother, Masaki Kurosaki, is a pureblood Quincy of the highest caliber – she was infected by a Hallow created by Sōsuke Aizen. This makes Ichigo Kurosaki half Shinigami and half Quincy, a Vizord, a Fullbringer, and an overpowered bad@ss.
All in all, Bleach, Vol. 60 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems intriguing and I cannot wait to read more.
Years before Ichigo Kurosaki was born, Isshin Shiba was sent to Karakura Town to investigate the presence of a Hollow. Isshin would encounter the Hollow, revealed to be creation of Sōsuke Aizen's named White, and that the creature has the same skills as a Soul Reaper. The spirit pressure from the fight attracted the attention of Masaki Kurosaki, a pure-blood Quincy, as she comes to Isshin's aid.
Though Masaki helps Isshin destroy White, she ended up being bitten by the Hollow. The following day, confronted by Ryūken Ishida's mother over her transgression and nearly endangering the purity of the Quincy bloodline, Masaki collapses as a hole appears on her chest. Isshin learns of Masaki's condition upon returning to Karakura Town as he and Ryūken bring her to Kisuke Urahara.
Urahara reveals that Masaki is undergoing hollowfication and that a part of White got transmitted into Masaki's body and is consuming her soul. Though it is impossible to cure her, Urahara explains it can be treated with a vaccination made with an opposing force. However, Isshin must remain by Masaki's side in a specially made Gigai made from human souls so she can spend the way of her natural life as a human.
Knowing he must relinquish being a Soul Reaper and remain trapped in the Gigai, Isshin abruptly accepts. Isshin concludes the story by revealing to Ichigo that he regained his Soul Reaper powers the day Masaki died. Isshin then explains that Masaki's death, along with Uryū Ishida's mother Kanae Katagiri, was caused by the propagator of the Quincies: Yhwach.
Later, Ichigo is taken back to the Royal Palace under goes a new test where he chooses his own Asauchi that would be forged a new Zanpakutō. As Nimaiya begins to forge, it is revealed that the entity known as "Hollow Ichigo" is both an offshoot of White and the real Zangetsu. Furthermore, the spirit known as "Old Man Zangetsu", reminiscent of a younger Yhwach, is actually the personification of Ichigo's Quincy powers.
Meanwhile, as the Soul Reapers prepare for another assault by the Wandenreich, Yhwach welcomes Uryū to their side.
This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Tite Kubo. This tankōbon explores the heritage of Ichigo Kurosaki – and a convoluted one it is! Isshin Kurosaki (née Shiba), his father, was formally Shinigami Captain and descended from one of the five noble families of Soul Society. His mother, Masaki Kurosaki, is a pureblood Quincy of the highest caliber – she was infected by a Hallow created by Sōsuke Aizen. This makes Ichigo Kurosaki half Shinigami and half Quincy, a Vizord, a Fullbringer, and an overpowered bad@ss.
All in all, Bleach, Vol. 60 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems intriguing and I cannot wait to read more.
May 17, 2022
Isshin encounters an unusual foe in the form of a black Hollow, unaware he is being observed by the Gruesome Trio, aka Aizen, Gin, and Tosen. Masaki senses the Hollow’s spiritual pressure and is determined to do something about it, but Ryu tells her not to interfere. He says that is the job of mixed breeds such as Katagiri, not a pure bred Quincy such as Masaki. Turns out this Hollow was created, with the use of a Soul Reaper’s soul! Masaki steps in and saves Isshin. She is concerned he might find out she’s a Quincy, considering what he is, but to her surprise, it doesn’t matter to him.
Isshin makes his report to the Soul Society, but conveniently doesn’t mention the Quincy he met. He slips away to the World of the Living, leaving a note for Rangiku, because he hopes to run into the girl again. Why didn’t he think to get her name? When Masaki returns to the Ishida household, Ryu castigates her, but suddenly she collapses. Turns out she was wounded in the recent battle after all. Thinking quickly, Ryu snatches her up and runs out to find help. He runs into Isshin, who is battling another Hollow. Isshin is appalled at what he sees, but doesn’t know how to help! Luckily, Fate intervenes in the forms of Kiskue Uruhara! (funny how that works sometimes)
Kiskue tells Isshin and Ryu what must be done to save Masaki, and only one of them can do it. Ryu knows what must be done, as Isshin agrees to bind himself to her for life, setting the two of them on their own path which will eventually lead to the birth of Ichigo and his sisters. And now his dad has told him everything… except for the night of his mother’s death. Why she was killed when she should have easily been able to defeat that Hollow. Now he can return to the palace to get his sword. But he has another truth he needs to learn.
Hitsugaya has lost his bankai, but he won’t just accept being powerless. He requests to be retrained, starting with the basics. And Captain Komamura decides to face his own past.
Wow, oh wow, this volume of Bleach is filled with all sorts of revelations, truths, and heartbreak. So much to absorb! And undoubtedly there is more to come. We finally get a picture of Ichigo’s mother, and right on the heels of that she is lost to us. And what I predicted before came to pass, but no more mention of that for now until the next volume. This explains so much about Ichigo. I can see both his parents in him. He has Isshin’s eyes and Masaki’s stubbornness, plus their combined commitment to justice and defending the weak. If this is true for Ichigo, what about Yuzu and Karin? Will they go through the same thing? Now we know more about Uryu’s daddy too. And I got a brief glimpse of Shunsui lol
Great volume, looking forward to the next one!
Isshin makes his report to the Soul Society, but conveniently doesn’t mention the Quincy he met. He slips away to the World of the Living, leaving a note for Rangiku, because he hopes to run into the girl again. Why didn’t he think to get her name? When Masaki returns to the Ishida household, Ryu castigates her, but suddenly she collapses. Turns out she was wounded in the recent battle after all. Thinking quickly, Ryu snatches her up and runs out to find help. He runs into Isshin, who is battling another Hollow. Isshin is appalled at what he sees, but doesn’t know how to help! Luckily, Fate intervenes in the forms of Kiskue Uruhara! (funny how that works sometimes)
Kiskue tells Isshin and Ryu what must be done to save Masaki, and only one of them can do it. Ryu knows what must be done, as Isshin agrees to bind himself to her for life, setting the two of them on their own path which will eventually lead to the birth of Ichigo and his sisters. And now his dad has told him everything… except for the night of his mother’s death. Why she was killed when she should have easily been able to defeat that Hollow. Now he can return to the palace to get his sword. But he has another truth he needs to learn.
Hitsugaya has lost his bankai, but he won’t just accept being powerless. He requests to be retrained, starting with the basics. And Captain Komamura decides to face his own past.
Wow, oh wow, this volume of Bleach is filled with all sorts of revelations, truths, and heartbreak. So much to absorb! And undoubtedly there is more to come. We finally get a picture of Ichigo’s mother, and right on the heels of that she is lost to us. And what I predicted before came to pass, but no more mention of that for now until the next volume. This explains so much about Ichigo. I can see both his parents in him. He has Isshin’s eyes and Masaki’s stubbornness, plus their combined commitment to justice and defending the weak. If this is true for Ichigo, what about Yuzu and Karin? Will they go through the same thing? Now we know more about Uryu’s daddy too. And I got a brief glimpse of Shunsui lol
Great volume, looking forward to the next one!
August 22, 2024
VOLUME 60: CHAPTER 531-540
Arc 11: The Thousand Year Blood War
Isshin confronted a black Hollow with a closed hole in its chest. Isshin released his Shikai: Engetsu but suddenly he was cut, not by the Hollow, but by a Zanpakutou. Aizen, Gin and Tousen using Urahara's special cloak to isolate their reiatsu. Isshin knows their is a Shinigami nearby but he couldn't know who is it. Masaki sensed Isshin and the black Hollow reiatsu. She interfered the battle. She let the black Hollow to bite her and get a better aim to kill it. The black Hollow blew up and Isshin managed to shield the explosion from hitting Masaki.
After the incident, Isshin report the incident to Yamamoto. Masaki soul was mixed with Hollow soul due to the incident. A black hole starting to appear on Masaki's chest. Ryuken trying to save her by bringing her to see his father. Isshin also there to help Masaki. Suddenly, Urahara appears to offer a better solution; Soul Suicide. Masaki cannot become normal but she can be saved. Masaki Hollowification can be blocked with another power that opposite to her; Quincy is opposite to Shinigami and Hollow is opposite to human. Isshin take a responsibility to become human with a gigai and lose all his Shinigami power. Isshin must live with Masaki for his entire life.
After Ichigo was borned, Ichigo possessed the Hollow power. A his Shinigami power awakened, his Hollow power also awakened. Isshin's reiatsu to block the Hollow cannpt hold it anymore and finally after 20 years, Isshin got back his Shinigami power. Isshin revealed a truth about Masaki's death 9 years ago. Uryuu mother is Kanae Katagiri, a mixed blood Quincy. Yhwach made a selection of Quincy, Auswahlen. In Quincy folklore, there is a sealed king who will regain his heart after 900 years, regain his intellect after 90 years and regain his power after 9 years. To do so, he need a mixed blood Quincy. Kanae is too weak and died, so Masaki take her place as her Quincy blood is already mixed with Hollow. Yhwach is the creator of Quincy and his blood flows in every Quincies.
Toushiro back to the academy to train from the basic. Kensei trained Hisagi to use Bankai. Mashiro will help him to train Hisagi. In other place, Komamura went to see a giant dog in a cave. Ichigo back to Kirinji's Palace. Finally, he can choose the right Asauchi. Nimaiya Bodyguards come to help Ichigo forge his Zanpakutou. Kirinji said the Asauchi that took form of Ichigo's Zanpakutou look like a Hollow and it is the real form of his Zanpakutou since Ichigo have both Shinigami and Hollow power. The Old Man Zangetsu that Ichigo always saw in his consciousness is indeed Yhwach form from 1,000 years ago.
Arc 11: The Thousand Year Blood War
Isshin confronted a black Hollow with a closed hole in its chest. Isshin released his Shikai: Engetsu but suddenly he was cut, not by the Hollow, but by a Zanpakutou. Aizen, Gin and Tousen using Urahara's special cloak to isolate their reiatsu. Isshin knows their is a Shinigami nearby but he couldn't know who is it. Masaki sensed Isshin and the black Hollow reiatsu. She interfered the battle. She let the black Hollow to bite her and get a better aim to kill it. The black Hollow blew up and Isshin managed to shield the explosion from hitting Masaki.
After the incident, Isshin report the incident to Yamamoto. Masaki soul was mixed with Hollow soul due to the incident. A black hole starting to appear on Masaki's chest. Ryuken trying to save her by bringing her to see his father. Isshin also there to help Masaki. Suddenly, Urahara appears to offer a better solution; Soul Suicide. Masaki cannot become normal but she can be saved. Masaki Hollowification can be blocked with another power that opposite to her; Quincy is opposite to Shinigami and Hollow is opposite to human. Isshin take a responsibility to become human with a gigai and lose all his Shinigami power. Isshin must live with Masaki for his entire life.
After Ichigo was borned, Ichigo possessed the Hollow power. A his Shinigami power awakened, his Hollow power also awakened. Isshin's reiatsu to block the Hollow cannpt hold it anymore and finally after 20 years, Isshin got back his Shinigami power. Isshin revealed a truth about Masaki's death 9 years ago. Uryuu mother is Kanae Katagiri, a mixed blood Quincy. Yhwach made a selection of Quincy, Auswahlen. In Quincy folklore, there is a sealed king who will regain his heart after 900 years, regain his intellect after 90 years and regain his power after 9 years. To do so, he need a mixed blood Quincy. Kanae is too weak and died, so Masaki take her place as her Quincy blood is already mixed with Hollow. Yhwach is the creator of Quincy and his blood flows in every Quincies.
Toushiro back to the academy to train from the basic. Kensei trained Hisagi to use Bankai. Mashiro will help him to train Hisagi. In other place, Komamura went to see a giant dog in a cave. Ichigo back to Kirinji's Palace. Finally, he can choose the right Asauchi. Nimaiya Bodyguards come to help Ichigo forge his Zanpakutou. Kirinji said the Asauchi that took form of Ichigo's Zanpakutou look like a Hollow and it is the real form of his Zanpakutou since Ichigo have both Shinigami and Hollow power. The Old Man Zangetsu that Ichigo always saw in his consciousness is indeed Yhwach form from 1,000 years ago.
January 8, 2026
4/5 (Review is for the series as a whole and does not contain spoilers)
Ichigo Kurosaki is a high school student who can see ghosts. When an evil spirit, called a hollow, attacks his family, he meets Rukia, a soul reaper tasked with fighting against hollows. But when Rukia is injured, Ichigo must make the decision to take over the role of soul reaper to help fight against hollows to save his hometown.
Bleach is a classic manga and one of the more popular options for those starting out in the genre/format. It features themes of friendship, growing up and changing, and never giving up. One of the most enjoyable elements of this series is watching the progression as the characters learn and evolve. Ichigo has a tendency to be really cocky, especially at the start of the series, but as time goes on and he learns more about the world he’s in, he changes and becomes more willing to listen to the advice given to him by other characters. His friends also continue to grow and progress along with him. Additionally, there is a change in the art style of the characters as the story progresses, which makes it easy to see how they have changed as they all get older. There were two elements about this series that I disliked. The first was that I felt the ending was a bit rushed, and there were some things that I was a bit confused about. However, I recognize that the author was sick and so that attributed to the way things ended. The other element that I disliked was the sheer number of characters in the series by the end. Many of the characters that I thought were dead or gone ended up coming back, and I had to try and remember who they all were. I definitely think I needed to make myself a character sheet with information about each character to help me remember everyone in the end. In terms of assessing age appropriateness for this series, I would say that it’s an okay series for middle school and up. A couple of considerations to keep in mind when deciding if it’s right for you: 1. There is some violence (which is common for shonen mangas), including some elements of body horror, but it’s not too bad. 2. There is no sexual content, although many of the women are drawn disproportionately (which is common in manga written by men). 3. The main character is fifteen years old at the start of the series and only gets older as it progresses. And 4. The themes are a bit mature in that they require some deeper level thinking in order to fully understand them all. Overall, I enjoyed this series for its interesting premise, and would definitely recommend it to those who enjoy the traditional shonen manga.
Ichigo Kurosaki is a high school student who can see ghosts. When an evil spirit, called a hollow, attacks his family, he meets Rukia, a soul reaper tasked with fighting against hollows. But when Rukia is injured, Ichigo must make the decision to take over the role of soul reaper to help fight against hollows to save his hometown.
Bleach is a classic manga and one of the more popular options for those starting out in the genre/format. It features themes of friendship, growing up and changing, and never giving up. One of the most enjoyable elements of this series is watching the progression as the characters learn and evolve. Ichigo has a tendency to be really cocky, especially at the start of the series, but as time goes on and he learns more about the world he’s in, he changes and becomes more willing to listen to the advice given to him by other characters. His friends also continue to grow and progress along with him. Additionally, there is a change in the art style of the characters as the story progresses, which makes it easy to see how they have changed as they all get older. There were two elements about this series that I disliked. The first was that I felt the ending was a bit rushed, and there were some things that I was a bit confused about. However, I recognize that the author was sick and so that attributed to the way things ended. The other element that I disliked was the sheer number of characters in the series by the end. Many of the characters that I thought were dead or gone ended up coming back, and I had to try and remember who they all were. I definitely think I needed to make myself a character sheet with information about each character to help me remember everyone in the end. In terms of assessing age appropriateness for this series, I would say that it’s an okay series for middle school and up. A couple of considerations to keep in mind when deciding if it’s right for you: 1. There is some violence (which is common for shonen mangas), including some elements of body horror, but it’s not too bad. 2. There is no sexual content, although many of the women are drawn disproportionately (which is common in manga written by men). 3. The main character is fifteen years old at the start of the series and only gets older as it progresses. And 4. The themes are a bit mature in that they require some deeper level thinking in order to fully understand them all. Overall, I enjoyed this series for its interesting premise, and would definitely recommend it to those who enjoy the traditional shonen manga.
October 19, 2021
This one was awesome. A little bit of everything that you look for in bleach, except for maybe fighting...
Summary:
Shiba (Ichego's dad) fights the hollow. Aizen shows up in disguise and attacks Shiba. Masaki (Ichego's quincy mom) saves him. Ryu (Uryu's dad??) is Masaki's cousin and they live together and are betrothed as quincy pure bloods. He protects her when his mom finds out that Masaki saved the soul reaper. Masaki passes out from the wound she received during the hollow fight and Ryu rushes off to treat her. Shiba and Urahara find him. She is hollowfying and the only way to prevent her death is for Shiba to stay with her in a gangi. They fell in love and started a family. When Ichego first hollowfied, Shiba regained his spiritual powers. Shiba reveals that Masaki wasnt killed by the grand fisher because she wasnt strong enough but because Yhwach (father of all quincy) stole her powers. On the same day as his mothers death, Uryu's mother got sick and died (also because of Yhwach). Uryu has joined the quincy army. Ichego gets taken back to the sword creater's challenge and all of the potential swords bow to him, he regains his sword. All the people in the soul society are training for the next battle. Captain Mayuri is building something for the battle. It is revealed that Zangetsu was actually Yhwach and a representation of his quincy powers.
Summary:
Shiba (Ichego's dad) fights the hollow. Aizen shows up in disguise and attacks Shiba. Masaki (Ichego's quincy mom) saves him. Ryu (Uryu's dad??) is Masaki's cousin and they live together and are betrothed as quincy pure bloods. He protects her when his mom finds out that Masaki saved the soul reaper. Masaki passes out from the wound she received during the hollow fight and Ryu rushes off to treat her. Shiba and Urahara find him. She is hollowfying and the only way to prevent her death is for Shiba to stay with her in a gangi. They fell in love and started a family. When Ichego first hollowfied, Shiba regained his spiritual powers. Shiba reveals that Masaki wasnt killed by the grand fisher because she wasnt strong enough but because Yhwach (father of all quincy) stole her powers. On the same day as his mothers death, Uryu's mother got sick and died (also because of Yhwach). Uryu has joined the quincy army. Ichego gets taken back to the sword creater's challenge and all of the potential swords bow to him, he regains his sword. All the people in the soul society are training for the next battle. Captain Mayuri is building something for the battle. It is revealed that Zangetsu was actually Yhwach and a representation of his quincy powers.
March 19, 2023
The flashback storyline continues in this volume as we follow Ichigo’s parents and discover how they met. I loved seeing more of Ichigo’s parents and their powers, and it was interesting seeing how much of Ichigo’s personality he inherited from both of them. We get a further look at the Quincies and how they structure themselves, and it is clearly pulling inspiration from Nazi Germany. I loved seeing more of Komamura’s family and where he comes from, and I’m excited to see where his character goes from here. I liked seeing Ichigo complete his trip to the past, and I liked seeing how understanding he was of his father, a lesser protagonist would have gotten mad at him for all the secrets he kept, but Ichigo is too empathetic for that kind of immaturity. I loved how the flashbacks of Ichigo’s parents tied back to present day and how they retroactively fit into the story as a whole, however the final reveal in this volume was a big pill to swallow. I think that this final retcon of such a major aspect to the story will need to be fleshed out more in future entries, because right now it feels a little clunky and forced.
May 27, 2024
The flashback storyline continues in this volume as we follow Ichigo’s parents and discover how they met. I loved seeing more of Ichigo’s parents and their powers, and it was interesting seeing how much of Ichigo’s personality he inherited from both of them. We get a further look at the Quincies and how they structure themselves, and it is clearly pulling inspiration from Nazi Germany. I loved seeing more of Komamura’s family and where he comes from, and I’m excited to see where his character goes from here. I liked seeing Ichigo complete his trip to the past, and I liked seeing how understanding he was of his father, a lesser protagonist would have gotten mad at him for all the secrets he kept, but Ichigo is too empathetic for that kind of immaturity. I loved how the flashbacks of Ichigo’s parents tied back to present day and how they retroactively fit into the story as a whole, however the final reveal in this volume was a big pill to swallow. I think that this final retcon of such a major aspect to the story will need to be fleshed out more in future entries, because right now it feels a little clunky and forced.
February 25, 2023
it’s so nice that masaki got some development. I’m not sure if I love or hate the way the bleach story timeline works lol. great to know she wasn’t defenseless and was actually a badass!! I wonder how different ichigos story would be had she lived. surely she would have talked to him sooner about his heritage. i hate the “blood purity” storyline though… eugh. poor katagiri :(
god why is ryuken so hot. disgusting!!!! Lol.
I can definitely see the parallels between isshin/masaki and ryuken and ichigo/orihime and uryu Ichigo definitely has isshins scrappy smile.. and masaki is like the sun. I like the less slapstick more serious isshin a lot more. one thing I don’t understand about the inner hollow… shouldn’t karin and yuzu also be affected? did urhara give ichigo the hollowification vaccine? or since he was half quincy… idk
god why is ryuken so hot. disgusting!!!! Lol.
I can definitely see the parallels between isshin/masaki and ryuken and ichigo/orihime and uryu Ichigo definitely has isshins scrappy smile.. and masaki is like the sun. I like the less slapstick more serious isshin a lot more. one thing I don’t understand about the inner hollow… shouldn’t karin and yuzu also be affected? did urhara give ichigo the hollowification vaccine? or since he was half quincy… idk
September 10, 2020
The backstory of Ichigo's parents is told! We learn why Ichigo is the way he is and Tite Kubo finds a way to justify all of it in-story. We also get a glimpse of the other Soul Reapers preparing to fight the Qunicies again, and a little bit about how the Quincy are preparing the next step of the war. Honestly the volume kind of works but the big reveals this late in the game are kind of weird. Ichigo is a human! Soul Reaper! Hollow! Visored! Fullbringer! All these things in one! And more! Even if it makes sense why things work out this way it's so overly complicated and interconnected without any big satisfying payoff. Kubo is trying to top himself, go even more big and beyond extra for this new villain Yhwach, but he already did that with Aizen. Now it's just the same thing... but more.
March 28, 2023
OCH, wynudziłam się. Cały tomik poświęcony jest rodzicom Ichigo, wyjaśnieniu, jak doszło do tego, że w ogóle się poznali. Ich "miłość" okazała się być strasznie wymuszona, a co najgorsze, Urahara został wykorzystany do zrobienia najgłupszego filozoficznego fikołka w całej tej serii. Bez kitu, kto powiedział Kubo, że takie hocki klocki z rodowodem Ichigo to dobry pomysł?! Na szczęście samo zakończenie, dosłownie kilka ostatnich stron, zapowiada powrót formy. Ishida wkracza do akcji, jest na co czekać!
May 3, 2023
Sinceramente cansa que ningún personaje femenino tenga ningún poder real. Siempre tienen que ser salvadas o sacrificarse y eso que no hay tantas. Accabo de acordarme de Karin y de lo nada que apareció desde que se dio a entender que estaba usando su poder.
Todo el asunto de por que el padre tiene que dejar de ser un shinigami y proteger a la madre el resto de su vida es ridículo y una excusa.
Nooooo, menudo final cliffhanger. No lo puedo creer. Si que el malo de ahora me sonaba el diseño pero ¿Zangetsu? Noooo.
Todo el asunto de por que el padre tiene que dejar de ser un shinigami y proteger a la madre el resto de su vida es ridículo y una excusa.
Nooooo, menudo final cliffhanger. No lo puedo creer. Si que el malo de ahora me sonaba el diseño pero ¿Zangetsu? Noooo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2025
It only took 59 volumes to finally address the backstory of Ichigo's mom and dad! I felt it was a great explanation and I predicted "most" of it...but it was nice to see it finally revealed in this volume. The flashback takes roughly 85% of the book...but I felt it necessary to finally address it and give the readers this insight. Tite Kubo delivers a less battle driven but interesting book with a moment at the end that I felt.... was coming for some time now. Great stuff from a solid manga series!
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