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Bleach #29
Bleach, Volume 29
The Slashing Opera
Ichigo and his friends knew invading Hueco Mundo wouldn't be easy, but even the lesser Arrancars are pushing them to their limits! Can Ichigo, Uryū and Chad find the inner strength to overcome the first line of attack, or will Orihime be stuck in Hueco Mundo forever?!
Ichigo and his friends knew invading Hueco Mundo wouldn't be easy, but even the lesser Arrancars are pushing them to their limits! Can Ichigo, Uryū and Chad find the inner strength to overcome the first line of attack, or will Orihime be stuck in Hueco Mundo forever?!
208 pages, Paperback
Published December 1, 2009
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1072 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
June 30, 2024
"Nel, stand back a little. Right here is good. And don't worry. I won't let so much as a trace of his spiritual pressure get past me." [Ichigo]
In Volume 29 we get a continuation of Ichigo's fight against Arrancar no. 103, Dordoni. Our best boy is already heavily battered, but, despite Dordoni's best efforts, he still refuses to use his Bankai, trying to save his strength for fights against stronger opponents. The situation abruptly changes when Dordoni decides to attack Nel.
I already wrote this in my previous review, but I can't help, but really love this fight. Dordoni is not only a fun character, but also a real challenge for Ichigo (no matter what anyone can say). Despite his wrong ways (like attacking a child), he tried his best to make Ichigo show his real strength. Not because he was a Hollow hungry for a fight like Grimmjow or Nnoitra, but because he wanted to have a fair fight. A 'all or nothing' attitude.
"I am deeply honored to fight so powerful adversary as you, Niño."
The fact that Ichigo (with the help of Nel's ability) healed him in the first place, and then left his room with a sad face, despite being victorious, says everything you need to know about their encounter. I wish they had more time to spend with each other, they could have become friends :(
"those you will face ahead will not be so kind. You must kill them without hesitation. If you waver, you are lost. Heal their wounds, and they will kill you. Put all thoughts of mercy from your mind, Niño. Leave your chocolate sweetness here. Become a demon, Niño. Powerful like a demon... Ruthless like a demon... You must turn your heart into stone. There is no other way, Niño." 😔
P.S. Ichigo saving Nel 🤝 Nel saving Ichigo. These kind of relationships are the ones I love the most ❤️
Ichigo's won his (first) fight, not without a price, but it's still a win. Meanwhile both of his friends, Ishida and Chad, are deep involved in their own battles.
"This war is so important to you that you'd risk everything to win?"
"What?! Are you kidding?! If it weren't important to us, we wouldn't have gone to war in the first place! Arrancars are soldiers. Espadas are their leaders. We exist to kill the enemy and win! Defeat is unacceptable."
Ishida is fighting against Arrancar no. 105, Cirucci. And he's struggling, just like Ichigo had been struggling with his own opponent. Things get more interesting (and more funny) when one of Nel's friends, Pesche, shows up in Cirucci's room. This fight could be easily overlooked by the reader/the viewer. I was that person once. It didn't seem significant in any way, just another obstacle that needed to be resolved to get to more stronger opponents and more interesting fights. You could think the same way about the Ichigo vs Dordoni fight. But, for me, these two battles are one of the most important ones in the Hueco Mundo arc, because I really love and admire both Dordoni and Cirucci. They did their best to show their strength and to become a part of the Espada again. I cannot blame them for their need to be on top again. To be recognized, to shine and to be the one in power, because they know how it's like to lose the thing they used to have. While I deeply love both Ichigo and Ishida, I am always very sad to see Dordoni's and Cirucci's defeat (and their end). Both Ichigo's and Ishida's sorrow faces after their fights speak volumes.
When it comes to the Chad fight against an Arrancar no. 107... I don't have much to say about that. I watched it only one time in the anime and skipped it every time I re-watched it. With all the respect for Chad's character and his strength, I could not watch his fight again, because it didn't felt impressive or significant in any way to me and the opponent is a character that you can very easily forget about. At least, Chad had shown up his real strength there, so, yay 😆
Anyways, in the next volume we will have a continuation of Chad's fight and the, maybe at least a glimpse, of the battles that other heroes have. I saw Kaien on the next volume's cover so I'm guessing that I will see Rukia's battle. Part of me is excited, other part of me is upset, because it's a fight that is gonna be very hard for her (if you know, you know) 😔
Some of my thoughts I like to share:
~ No wonder that Renji freaked out when he saw Dondochakka chasing after him, he has a very scary looking face and he's big!
~ Ichigo keeping on holding Nel through most of his fight tells me that he will be an awesome father one day.
~ Both Ichigo's and Ishida's fights looked very impressive and both Dordoni's and Cirucci's abilities are cool.
~ "Stop yelling, Don Panini."
"It's DORDONI! Do I look like a delicious sandwich?!" - THE DON PANINI JOKE DID HAPPEN, YAAAY!! 😂
~ The Ishida/Pesche bickering through the whole fight will never not be funny 😂
In Volume 29 we get a continuation of Ichigo's fight against Arrancar no. 103, Dordoni. Our best boy is already heavily battered, but, despite Dordoni's best efforts, he still refuses to use his Bankai, trying to save his strength for fights against stronger opponents. The situation abruptly changes when Dordoni decides to attack Nel.
I already wrote this in my previous review, but I can't help, but really love this fight. Dordoni is not only a fun character, but also a real challenge for Ichigo (no matter what anyone can say). Despite his wrong ways (like attacking a child), he tried his best to make Ichigo show his real strength. Not because he was a Hollow hungry for a fight like Grimmjow or Nnoitra, but because he wanted to have a fair fight. A 'all or nothing' attitude.
"I am deeply honored to fight so powerful adversary as you, Niño."
The fact that Ichigo (with the help of Nel's ability) healed him in the first place, and then left his room with a sad face, despite being victorious, says everything you need to know about their encounter. I wish they had more time to spend with each other, they could have become friends :(
"those you will face ahead will not be so kind. You must kill them without hesitation. If you waver, you are lost. Heal their wounds, and they will kill you. Put all thoughts of mercy from your mind, Niño. Leave your chocolate sweetness here. Become a demon, Niño. Powerful like a demon... Ruthless like a demon... You must turn your heart into stone. There is no other way, Niño." 😔
P.S. Ichigo saving Nel 🤝 Nel saving Ichigo. These kind of relationships are the ones I love the most ❤️
Ichigo's won his (first) fight, not without a price, but it's still a win. Meanwhile both of his friends, Ishida and Chad, are deep involved in their own battles.
"This war is so important to you that you'd risk everything to win?"
"What?! Are you kidding?! If it weren't important to us, we wouldn't have gone to war in the first place! Arrancars are soldiers. Espadas are their leaders. We exist to kill the enemy and win! Defeat is unacceptable."
Ishida is fighting against Arrancar no. 105, Cirucci. And he's struggling, just like Ichigo had been struggling with his own opponent. Things get more interesting (and more funny) when one of Nel's friends, Pesche, shows up in Cirucci's room. This fight could be easily overlooked by the reader/the viewer. I was that person once. It didn't seem significant in any way, just another obstacle that needed to be resolved to get to more stronger opponents and more interesting fights. You could think the same way about the Ichigo vs Dordoni fight. But, for me, these two battles are one of the most important ones in the Hueco Mundo arc, because I really love and admire both Dordoni and Cirucci. They did their best to show their strength and to become a part of the Espada again. I cannot blame them for their need to be on top again. To be recognized, to shine and to be the one in power, because they know how it's like to lose the thing they used to have. While I deeply love both Ichigo and Ishida, I am always very sad to see Dordoni's and Cirucci's defeat (and their end). Both Ichigo's and Ishida's sorrow faces after their fights speak volumes.
When it comes to the Chad fight against an Arrancar no. 107... I don't have much to say about that. I watched it only one time in the anime and skipped it every time I re-watched it. With all the respect for Chad's character and his strength, I could not watch his fight again, because it didn't felt impressive or significant in any way to me and the opponent is a character that you can very easily forget about. At least, Chad had shown up his real strength there, so, yay 😆
Anyways, in the next volume we will have a continuation of Chad's fight and the, maybe at least a glimpse, of the battles that other heroes have. I saw Kaien on the next volume's cover so I'm guessing that I will see Rukia's battle. Part of me is excited, other part of me is upset, because it's a fight that is gonna be very hard for her (if you know, you know) 😔
Some of my thoughts I like to share:
~ No wonder that Renji freaked out when he saw Dondochakka chasing after him, he has a very scary looking face and he's big!
~ Ichigo keeping on holding Nel through most of his fight tells me that he will be an awesome father one day.
~ Both Ichigo's and Ishida's fights looked very impressive and both Dordoni's and Cirucci's abilities are cool.
~ "Stop yelling, Don Panini."
"It's DORDONI! Do I look like a delicious sandwich?!" - THE DON PANINI JOKE DID HAPPEN, YAAAY!! 😂
~ The Ishida/Pesche bickering through the whole fight will never not be funny 😂
July 13, 2023
I’m really enjoying the character developments! Everybody’s gotten stronger to go and save Orihime because they’ve faced defeat by the Arrancars before and they don’t wanna fail now. I’m rooting for them especially Chad. Let’s go Uryu and Chad! Also I can tell we’re going to be seeing so more comedic moments with those hollows and I’m ready for it.
February 6, 2021
Bleach continues this new arc with mixed results.
The fights themselves are formulaic at this point. "New form > other guys new form" but I will say the fight with Quincy verse hot girl with whip was pretty funny. Mostly thanks to the beetle character and his weird as hell powers. I also am enjoying the pacing as we wrap up THREE fights in one volume instead of drawing them out.
I can't help but feel like we're running through something to familiar. Maybe it'll change when we get to the big bad boys, but right now it's just some decent fun fighting. A 3 out of 5.
The fights themselves are formulaic at this point. "New form > other guys new form" but I will say the fight with Quincy verse hot girl with whip was pretty funny. Mostly thanks to the beetle character and his weird as hell powers. I also am enjoying the pacing as we wrap up THREE fights in one volume instead of drawing them out.
I can't help but feel like we're running through something to familiar. Maybe it'll change when we get to the big bad boys, but right now it's just some decent fun fighting. A 3 out of 5.
February 27, 2020
This was a battle-centric story arc as each of the characters attempt to finish up their assigned enemy with their newfound powers. The outcomes are obvious but the excitement remains.
There's a lot of exposition during battles that are unusual but make for some fun details regarding each of their respective powers.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
There's a lot of exposition during battles that are unusual but make for some fun details regarding each of their respective powers.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
September 3, 2023
Pesche mi ha fatto sganasciare dalle risate, 🔝 comedy relief.
Gli scontri tutto sommato mi sono piaciuti, anche se state dietro a tutti è stato un po' complicato — forse un po' troppe informazioni tutte in una volta.
Per il resto, rimane comunque un buon volume.
Gli scontri tutto sommato mi sono piaciuti, anche se state dietro a tutti è stato un po' complicato — forse un po' troppe informazioni tutte in una volta.
Per il resto, rimane comunque un buon volume.
March 23, 2025
Barely a 3 but since Uryu was actually cold in his fight and Chad's ability being called Diablo is sick ill allow it. Just more building up really, it's not bad but I'm looking forward to getting into the proper espada.
January 9, 2026
Endlessly polished
Knowing they will be cut off,
They are terrifying, terrifying
In their fall.
The hair flutters to the ground
A lifeless husk.
Hair and fingernails
Are beautiful ornaments.
So why do they seem so baleful
When removed?
The answer is simple.
They are
Previews of what is to come, of death.>
I’m so excited to learn more about Chad!!
Knowing they will be cut off,
They are terrifying, terrifying
In their fall.
The hair flutters to the ground
A lifeless husk.
Hair and fingernails
Are beautiful ornaments.
So why do they seem so baleful
When removed?
The answer is simple.
They are
Previews of what is to come, of death.>
I’m so excited to learn more about Chad!!
October 28, 2022
A GREAT Uryû fight and a pretty good Chad fight. Love the comedic hollows they ran into but I’m starting to get some Bleach battle fatigue.
August 3, 2019
Still cool. There were a lot more funny bits in this one. Something is very scatterbrained about the three menos siblings 😂😂
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2022
3.5 stars.
I mean yeah ok, they are all supa' good but give us a lil something, no?
I mean yeah ok, they are all supa' good but give us a lil something, no?
December 5, 2020
Good volume as the fight between Ichigo and Dordonh continues and we just see how powerful Ichigo is and that the latter is no match for him and its just boss move Next we have Ishida battle it out with Cirucci and its an alright battle and he shows the power of Quinch though the fight did feel dragged out. And Chad has awokened his diablo powers. Overall good volume with decent battles as we continue the rescue Orihime arc.
September 15, 2016
i was pleasantly surprised by the original sketches of Ashido drawn by Kubo included in this volume, accompanied by little notes. would you believe he was drawn with a pontytail?
i know it seems irrelevant, but at this point i'll take anything that i havent seen or known about Bleach. hehe!
i know it seems irrelevant, but at this point i'll take anything that i havent seen or known about Bleach. hehe!
April 13, 2019
Action packed
August 11, 2019
Bleach, Vol. 29 continues where the previous tankōbon left off and contains the next nine chapters (252–260) of the on-going manga series and a bonus story "Bleach on the Beach".
Ichigo Kurosaki begins to battle Privaron Espada 103 Dordoni Alessandro Del Socaccio, deciding to use his hollow powers as Nell gets hurt as the battle escalates. Explaining his hope of regaining his Espada status by facing Ichigo at his full power, Dordoni is defeated and thanks Ichigo for not holding back.
Meanwhile, Uryū Ishida and Pesche Guatiche find themselves fighting for their lives against Privaron Espada 105 Cirucci Sanderwicci before Uryū defeats her in the matter that leaves her powerless to come after them later. Meanwhile, Yasutora "Chad" Sado is at a disadvantage against Privaron Espada 107 Gantenbainne Mosqueda. After absorbing several blows, Chad realizes how to access his full power, and transforms his right arm.
This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Tite Kubo. The incursion into Hueco Mundo continues as Ichigo Kurosaki, Uryū Ishida, and Yasutora "Chad" Sado fights their respective Privaron Espadas, who are Arrancars that were once Espadas yet were demoted out of either being a disgrace. It is about time to see an evolution in Chad’s powers, which seems to be defensive in nature.
All in all, Bleach, Vol. 29 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems intriguing and I cannot wait to read more.
Ichigo Kurosaki begins to battle Privaron Espada 103 Dordoni Alessandro Del Socaccio, deciding to use his hollow powers as Nell gets hurt as the battle escalates. Explaining his hope of regaining his Espada status by facing Ichigo at his full power, Dordoni is defeated and thanks Ichigo for not holding back.
Meanwhile, Uryū Ishida and Pesche Guatiche find themselves fighting for their lives against Privaron Espada 105 Cirucci Sanderwicci before Uryū defeats her in the matter that leaves her powerless to come after them later. Meanwhile, Yasutora "Chad" Sado is at a disadvantage against Privaron Espada 107 Gantenbainne Mosqueda. After absorbing several blows, Chad realizes how to access his full power, and transforms his right arm.
This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Tite Kubo. The incursion into Hueco Mundo continues as Ichigo Kurosaki, Uryū Ishida, and Yasutora "Chad" Sado fights their respective Privaron Espadas, who are Arrancars that were once Espadas yet were demoted out of either being a disgrace. It is about time to see an evolution in Chad’s powers, which seems to be defensive in nature.
All in all, Bleach, Vol. 29 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems intriguing and I cannot wait to read more.
December 25, 2022
Side character development
January 14, 2024
Chad supremacy
January 29, 2024
WHAT A REVEAL FOR CHAD!!!!!
May 14, 2021
Uryu really showed Cirucci a lesson. You never underestimate your opponent when in battle. You never know what they are going to use to help them win. This volume was fun. Also Chad started to learn more about his powers as well.
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.
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.
February 7, 2021
Renji finds himself being followed by Dondochakka, who thought he was following Nel, while Ichigo squares off against an Arrancar named Dordoni. Dordoni’s appearance is devilishly rakish, and he tries to persuade Ichigo to release his bankai . Ichigo has other ideas, though. He’s saving that move for higher level opponents, as Dordoni is only 103, which makes him low on the totem pole. However, Ichigo is not aware of what his number really means. So a disappointed Dordoni decides to release a Cero, but is surprised when Nel intervenes on Ichigo’s behalf.
Aizen is following the exploits of Ichigo and his friends with interest. One thing he does wonder about is who sent the Exequias after Ichigo? Szayelaporro confesses it was him and prepares to accept Aizen’s punishment. Gin accuses Aizen of having too much fun with the current situation.
Uryu’s first opponent is Cirucci Sanderwicci, Arrancar #105, and her weapon, Golondrina. When she spins Golondrina, she is able to deflect Uryu’s spirit arrows. But Uryu is more than a one trick pony. However, when Pesche puts in an unexpected appearance, will he be a help or a hindrance? And what the heck is Infinite Slick?
Chad is battling Arrancar #107, Gantenbainne Mosqueda, a huge Afro’d man, who think he’ll make short work of Chad. But Chad is a lot stronger than he appears to be. And since Chad’s arrival in Hueco Mundo, he has discovered abilities he wasn’t aware he possessed.
Right now, Bleach is all about the battles against the three digit Arrancars, whom we learn were once Espadas but who have lost their ranks. Doesn’t mean they’re necessarily weak, though. Nel and Pesche and Dondochakka add humor to these battles, as well as assistance which may or may not be helpful. It’s a foregone conclusion that somehow Ichigo and the others will win their respective battles, continuing onward until they reach Aizen, right? We can only hope that they will then be able to put down the renegade Soul Reaper once for all.
Oh who am I kidding? Is it ever that easy? Always something, right?
In a bonus at the end of the book, we get to see the first seaside art competition, which is hilarious! There are also some concept sketches from the anime. Another great volume, can’t wait for the next one!
Aizen is following the exploits of Ichigo and his friends with interest. One thing he does wonder about is who sent the Exequias after Ichigo? Szayelaporro confesses it was him and prepares to accept Aizen’s punishment. Gin accuses Aizen of having too much fun with the current situation.
Uryu’s first opponent is Cirucci Sanderwicci, Arrancar #105, and her weapon, Golondrina. When she spins Golondrina, she is able to deflect Uryu’s spirit arrows. But Uryu is more than a one trick pony. However, when Pesche puts in an unexpected appearance, will he be a help or a hindrance? And what the heck is Infinite Slick?
Chad is battling Arrancar #107, Gantenbainne Mosqueda, a huge Afro’d man, who think he’ll make short work of Chad. But Chad is a lot stronger than he appears to be. And since Chad’s arrival in Hueco Mundo, he has discovered abilities he wasn’t aware he possessed.
Right now, Bleach is all about the battles against the three digit Arrancars, whom we learn were once Espadas but who have lost their ranks. Doesn’t mean they’re necessarily weak, though. Nel and Pesche and Dondochakka add humor to these battles, as well as assistance which may or may not be helpful. It’s a foregone conclusion that somehow Ichigo and the others will win their respective battles, continuing onward until they reach Aizen, right? We can only hope that they will then be able to put down the renegade Soul Reaper once for all.
Oh who am I kidding? Is it ever that easy? Always something, right?
In a bonus at the end of the book, we get to see the first seaside art competition, which is hilarious! There are also some concept sketches from the anime. Another great volume, can’t wait for the next one!
October 23, 2025
A very shonen section with average shonen fare.
The good stuff: Rukia and Renji are here! Very needed because Uryu and Chad are kinda stale and can’t carry my attention like the Soul Reapers can. Nel, Pesche and Dondochakka are introduced and I remember haaating them when I watched the anime. A second time around, I appreciate the comedic relief they provide. Also, you get the shonen fights you’re looking for. Ichigo, Uryu and Chad all get busted up and then power up to bust right back.
The ehh stuff: super generic and formulaic fodder characters used here for the big reveals. Bad guy beats up good guy, good guy reveals secret power, good guy beats bad guy. I know that’s part of the story, it just isn’t at its best here. Dondorini is cool! Ichigo stays getting that hollowfication shine. Cirucci is ehh (but that’s probably just because I don’t like Uryu). Chad’s reveal is way cooler than Uryu’s, wasted on a lame opponent.
Only goes up from here my dudes.
The good stuff: Rukia and Renji are here! Very needed because Uryu and Chad are kinda stale and can’t carry my attention like the Soul Reapers can. Nel, Pesche and Dondochakka are introduced and I remember haaating them when I watched the anime. A second time around, I appreciate the comedic relief they provide. Also, you get the shonen fights you’re looking for. Ichigo, Uryu and Chad all get busted up and then power up to bust right back.
The ehh stuff: super generic and formulaic fodder characters used here for the big reveals. Bad guy beats up good guy, good guy reveals secret power, good guy beats bad guy. I know that’s part of the story, it just isn’t at its best here. Dondorini is cool! Ichigo stays getting that hollowfication shine. Cirucci is ehh (but that’s probably just because I don’t like Uryu). Chad’s reveal is way cooler than Uryu’s, wasted on a lame opponent.
Only goes up from here my dudes.
December 26, 2022
I liked this volume but I began noticing the very similar parallel formula to the Soul Society arc with this instalment. Ichigo’s first battle with a comedic character who is defeated and spared (thus getting a warning of dangers to come), and Uryū facing a powerful opponent only to overcome them by revealing a previously never mentioned technique. I’m not complaining and I liked this personally, but I understand why some people would have criticisms about the Soul Society arc and the Hueco Mundo arc being too similar. Like Uryū’s fight with Mayuri in the Soul Society arc, his fight with Cirucci in this volume was one of my favourites. I also loved Cirucci’s character design. I liked seeing Chad reveal the further reaches of his powers despite not fully revealing their origins. This was a great first dip into the fights in this arc and I’m excited for what’s coming up.
May 27, 2024
I liked this volume but I began noticing the very similar parallel formula to the Soul Society arc with this instalment. Ichigo’s first battle with a comedic character who is defeated and spared (thus getting a warning of dangers to come), and Uryū facing a powerful opponent only to overcome them by revealing a previously never mentioned technique. I’m not complaining and I liked this personally, but I understand why some people would have criticisms about the Soul Society arc and the Hueco Mundo arc being too similar. Like Uryū’s fight with Mayuri in the Soul Society arc, his fight with Cirucci in this volume was one of my favourites. I also loved Cirucci’s character design. I liked seeing Chad reveal the further reaches of his powers despite not fully revealing their origins. This was a great first dip into the fights in this arc and I’m excited for what’s coming up.
August 8, 2024
VOLUME 29: CHAPTER 252-260
Arc 6: Arrancar: The Fierce Fight
Ichigo used his Bankai and Hollow mask to defeat Dordoni. After escaping, Dordoni was executed by the Exquias that ordered by Szayelaporro. Dondochakka followed Renji while Pesche followed Ishida. Ishida is fighting the Privaron Espada, Arrancar 105 Cirucci Sanderwicci who released her Zanpakutou: Golondrina. Ishida used his new weapon, Seele Schneider to defeat Cirucci. Cirucci then executed by the Exquias. Chad fight another Privaron Espada, Arrancar 107, Gantenbainne Mosqueda. Chad shows his right hand true form, Brazo Derecha de Gigante. Gantenbainne released his Zanpakutou: Dragula. Chad countered Gantenbainne's attack with his left hand, Brazo Izquierda del Diablo.
Arc 6: Arrancar: The Fierce Fight
Ichigo used his Bankai and Hollow mask to defeat Dordoni. After escaping, Dordoni was executed by the Exquias that ordered by Szayelaporro. Dondochakka followed Renji while Pesche followed Ishida. Ishida is fighting the Privaron Espada, Arrancar 105 Cirucci Sanderwicci who released her Zanpakutou: Golondrina. Ishida used his new weapon, Seele Schneider to defeat Cirucci. Cirucci then executed by the Exquias. Chad fight another Privaron Espada, Arrancar 107, Gantenbainne Mosqueda. Chad shows his right hand true form, Brazo Derecha de Gigante. Gantenbainne released his Zanpakutou: Dragula. Chad countered Gantenbainne's attack with his left hand, Brazo Izquierda del Diablo.
June 12, 2024
I took an extended break from the series because my brain hates reading one thing for too long but now that I’m back I’m beginning to realise that this series was never that good in the first place. It was entertaining in the moment, but as soon as I stopped, I realised it had nothing to say, no depth. And this volume is a prime example. All fights, no substance. The villains and side characters in this volume are annoying af as well. Will I still read? Sure, eventually I’ll finish it all because my dumbass bought all three box sets so classic sunken cost fallacy. But oh well. While I’m in the mood, let’s see what another volume holds.
May 7, 2021
Very good issue lots of cool reveals
Summary:
Ichego wins his fight and nel reveals that she has some powers of her own. After being defeated Ichego's enemy slows down others from catching him. Chad and Uryu are fighting arrancars. During Uryu's fight one of nels brothers shows up to help. Uryu reveals he has a special ability where he can use a special arrow that steals the enemys spirit energy. Chad reveals that he has a super powered right arm which has his grandfathers soul and is for defense, he also has a special left arm for attack.
Summary:
Ichego wins his fight and nel reveals that she has some powers of her own. After being defeated Ichego's enemy slows down others from catching him. Chad and Uryu are fighting arrancars. During Uryu's fight one of nels brothers shows up to help. Uryu reveals he has a special ability where he can use a special arrow that steals the enemys spirit energy. Chad reveals that he has a super powered right arm which has his grandfathers soul and is for defense, he also has a special left arm for attack.
January 11, 2025
This volume pretty much covers what is happening to Chad and Uryu while Ichigo is off battling...and while I usually want to applaud these stories, I found myself impatiently waiting for it to be over. It had Chad talking a bunch...maybe too much. Overall, the story continued to move along but I didn't gain the usual fun out of this volume. Tit Kubo crushes the visuals but dialogue just felt a little off.
February 16, 2025
Uryû being an absolute badass.
As a side note: you would expect that a manga this popular would’ve gone through the process of hiring someone that spoke Spanish to beta read the names of places and attacks and make sure they were properly translated. Google translate was not their friend here. I’ve noticed this in previous volumes, but there were so many errors in this one that it became very distracting.
As a side note: you would expect that a manga this popular would’ve gone through the process of hiring someone that spoke Spanish to beta read the names of places and attacks and make sure they were properly translated. Google translate was not their friend here. I’ve noticed this in previous volumes, but there were so many errors in this one that it became very distracting.
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