Bleach episode 173 review
Rurichiyo escaped into the Soul Society, right into danger (it’s danger danger!). She goes to a tea party, at which point she gets attacked. Meanwhile, the bumbling idiots Kenryu and Enryu fall into a predictable trap and get knocked out of contention, but Ichigo shows up in time to SAVE Rurichiyo. After Ichigo SAVES her, she needs SAVING again, and this time Kenpachi SAVES her. But Kenpachi has no interest in the situation and simply leaves.
This episode was notable for its wooden dialogue and voice acting, particularly with Rurichiyo. I complained about the lack of the royal “we,” but this goes beyond that. She is talking like a robot. Did her voice actress record all her lines without direction? I’m not trying to criticize a VA or a director, but man, does she sound wooden and robotic.
Also, this episode includes another classic case of “Arranged marriages are evil,” which I find annoying. If you had given me the opportunity of an arranged marriage, I would have jumped at it the first second I could. I’d love to have an arranged marriage. They’re not evil. They’re not a bad thing. The fact that this shows up from time to time in different media is really annoying and almost laughable.
The episode kept my attention, particularly with Yachiru’s humor, so I have to give it a good score.
Best girl of the episode: Yachiru (13)
Episode rating: 7/10
Tommy A. Phillips 