Bleach episode 23 review

All Ichigo wants to do is fight Ganju, his new rival. At one point, Uryu has to try to drag him out instead of waiting for Ganju to come back. Yoruichi then makes it sharply clear (by claws) that there is no time to waste, because Rukia will be executed sooner rather than later.

So Ichigo & pals go to Kukaku Shiba, only to be shocked when it turns out that not only is she a woman, but she’s sister to Ganju! And that leads to a huge battle between Ichigo and Ganju, where the two beat each other up for 10 minutes, destroying Kukaku’s house in the process.

But the subtler moments of this episode were the best ones. First, there’s Renji leading Rukia to the repentance cell, telling her that intruders have entered the Soul Society. Rukia reacts strongly to this, while not saying a word. This is a big hint that Renji has already turned to be on her side, or even more accurately, that he never was against her from the beginning. I’m telling you, RenRuki was canon since Season 1.

The other subtle moment is when Renji runs into Squad 5 Captain Sosuke Aizen. Glasses Aizen asks Renji if he thinks it’s fair all the bad stuff that’s happening to Rukia. He then says something about one person being behind all of this. You miss it the first time it happens, but watching it now, you’re like “oh, that’s so obvious that he’s the villain!” Kind of like a Survivor player flat-out telling you that they’re going to win the season.

Lots of good stuff going on here. Orihime thinking a dalmatian is a cat, Yoruichi still pretending to be a cat, and all kinds of funny stuff between Ichigo, Uryu, Ganju, and Kukaku. Just a fun episode, but with those subtle moments making you realize that there’s something bigger going on here.

Best girl of the episode: Kukaku Shiba

Episode rating: 8/10

Bleach episode 22 review

A poor people, a group of immigrants, a group of people just trying to get by, and a people who are blamed for all the problems in the bigger country. Who am I talking about here? The title of the post should give it away.

Ichigo fights Gin and loses easily, which is great. Had he even laid a scratch on Gin, then we’d be in trouble, because he’d be getting too good, too fast. Instead, he gets pushed out back beyond the gate, which then is closed by Gin.

Chad goes and befriends his cockatoo person (yes, really) and then Ganju Shiba enters the fray as a nuisance to Ichigo, just to become a spare rival in case the Quincy Uryu ever gets bored. It doesn’t get really good yet. We’re still waiting, waiting on the world to change. And will it ever!

Best girl of the episode: Orihime (8)

Episode rating: 7/10

Bleach episode 21 review

This episode includes two mentions of one-on-one battles and one big “WHAT?” In other words, it was a very Bleachy episode of Bleach.

Ichigo & pals make it through the gate to the Soul Society, then face a giant wall and a giant opponent. This guy’s a complete idiot, and he loses to Ichigo easily. So, Ichigo & pals are allowed in, but guess who shows up just in time? Gin Ichimaru, my least favorite original Captain.

There were a ton of little jokes and one-liners in this episode that I really enjoyed. Maybe the battle hasn’t begun yet, but these characters are keeping it lighthearted. And Yoruichi is still a cat, and totally different in personality than her human form. But she’s still a he for now, which means the Best Girl is totally obvious.

Best girl of the episode: Orihime (7)

Episode rating: 7/10

Bleach episode 20 review

So, Byakuya gives the sentence for Rukia’s killing, showing no mercy. There’s a funny scene with Gin and Kenpachi that helps liven things up a bit, but otherwise it’s just training time for Ichigo. Finally, at the end, we see Ichigo & pals ready to go through the gate to the Soul Society.

If this sounds boring to you, what do you think it was to me? All setup in this episode. It has to happen from time to time, but that doesn’t mean I have to enjoy it.

Best girl of the episode: Orihime (6)

Episode rating: 5/10