This might have been the best episode yet, if it hadn’t been for the time spent in Zangetsu World. Seriously, I hate the episodes that are wasted in Zangetsu World. It’s not very entertaining TV.
But the rest of the episode was fantastic. Kenpachi goes all out, removing his eye patch. And Ichigo goes all out, buoyed on by Zangetsu World. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t all a waste after all.
At the end of the fight, Ichigo goes down. The payoff doesn’t come until next episode, though. Just an awesome display of shounen one-on-one battling that makes even the most cynical part of me… happy.
Happy peoples in the house!
Best girl of the episode: Yachiru (5) (literally the only female to appear in this episode)
Captain Shunsui Kyoraku has defeated Chad, and now his spiritual pressure is gone. But wait! Sweet Nanao notices that he’s not actually dead. Shunsui decides not to kill him, and instead do what they do to everybody else – put him in jail. Talk about overcrowding prisons.
Meanwhile, Kenpachi and Ichigo keep going at it, with Ichigo starting to win a little bit, before Zaraki splits his zanpakuto in two. Now Ichigo is lying on the ground, losing 90% of the blood in his body. I remember this being a very poignant point when watching Bleach for the first time back in 2007. Back then, I actually thought people could die in Bleach, or in anime altogether. I miss those days.
Captain Unohana lays Aizen to rest with Captain Komamura and Kaname Tosen in haul. Tosen walks off mumbling something which I’m sure has something to do with his “path of least bloodshed.” Yeah, okay, Tosen, you do that.
I actually forget what happens next, so this next episode ought to be a good one!
Best girl of the episode: Nanao (2) (I see you, Nanao!)
In one of the most bizarre yet hilarious scenes we’ve seen so far, Squad 8 Captain Shunsui Kyoraku appears to Chad with a bunch of flower pedals flying by. What an entrance! But, as it turns out, those were only flower pedals being released by his Lieutenant Nanao Ise, who then goes and dumps them on his head. Nanao, you have become sneaky good in your little time on screen.
Most of the episode is just a flashback about Chad and Ichigo. Typical shounen fare. But what’s awesome is that, after the flashback, Chad has all this motivation and energy, and he charges at Shunsui – and gets stopped easily. Not as cool as the moment that we all know is coming near the end of this arc, but still pretty humorous.
Despite the flashback, this episode wasn’t bad at all.
Best girl of the episode: Nanao Ise (I hope this isn’t your last, you need more screen time)
I’ve been complaining lately about how I haven’t had enough girls to pick from for Best Girl. Well, this episode cures that, as there were no less than four girls who vied for the title. The winner surprised even me.
Ichigo faces Kenpachi Zaraki, and Ganju and Hanataro get away. Because of course Zaraki has no interest in those two; he’s only interested in battling. So he lets Ichigo take a full swing at him. Of course, Ichigo is the only one who ends up bleeding afterward. Yachiru provides commentary and even jumps onto Ichigo’s shoulder, playful as ever. It’s her humor that helps lighten up the mood when it looks like Ichigo is done for.
Then you’ve got Rangiku visiting Momo in jail, because of course poor little Momo is such an evil character that she needed placed in jail. Rangiku gives Momo a letter from Captain Aizen, who was so nice but to leave her a farewell note after his imminent death. Truth be told, this should have let off alarm bells and red flags to myself that Aizen had something cooking; why would he write a letter about his death if he didn’t know… it was coming.
Rukia begs for Ichigo to run away, in prayer; truth be told, I have no idea who she’s praying to, so chances are this prayer will fall on dead ears. But she offers me a fourth option for Best Girl of a great episode that took just a tad too long to develop. In the end, I chose an unlikely source.
Best girl of the episode: Yachiru (4) (Yep, her humor was enough to win me over beyond Momo and Rangiku; Rangiku had it wrapped up until Yachiru appeared.)
Tommy A. Phillips 