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Bleach 127: Virtually useless in this challenge!

Bleach episode 127 review

Orihime, who is suddenly getting all the screen time, goes to Urahara’s training ground with Yoruichi. There, she finds out that Kisuke thinks she’s like Survivor: Gabon’s Kenny, virtually useless in this challenge. He doesn’t want her to fight. Anyone with a brain would see that to be the case, as Orihime can’t defeat the weakest of enemies. Yet Chad, another virtually useless fighter, complains to Kisuke that Orihime be allowed to fight, because she was on the rescue crew in the Soul Society. Yeah, Chad, do you even remember what happened there? The only person who made any progress in the entire arc was Ichigo. You and all your pals lost your battles and had to be healed in order to survive. You were useless, and so was Orihime.

Then Rukia tries comforting Orihime, in what is the most touching scene in a while. Rukia shows her worth as a friend and as a character too. This episode may have been all about Orihime, but Rukia’s compassion for her friend was wonderful to watch.

But suddenly Hiyori appears and whisks Orihime away. She’s got to go back to the Vi-sores. Hachi, the giant guy with healing powers, sees that Orihime has the same powers as him – able to create barriers that shatter upon impact and able to heal people if you have a couple thousand years to wait. Basically, he’s useless too, but misery loves company, doesn’t it?

The episode wasn’t all that great, but that Rukia scene really boosted it for me.

Best girl of the episode: Rukia (27)

Episode rating: 7/10

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Bleach 126: UFO invasion!

Bleach episode 126 review

What a dull episode. Just training and training and training, all different characters. Ichigo, Chad, Renji, Uryu… yeah, just training and training. Very boring.

Orihime sneaks into the Visoreds’ home via a gate that looked like an alien spaceship. She gets some quality time with Ichigo, which is good toward IchiHime, but coming in such a boring episode, I couldn’t enjoy it.

Momo defends Aizen to Toshiro on the TV screen, which is probably the only good thing that came from this episode. At least she’s alive, but I think it’s rather amusing how she’s still defending Aizen. Then Old Man Yamamoto comes on and takes her off the air, much like someone would if there was an intruder in the TV studio. The only enjoyable thing from this episode.

Please, training arc, please be over soon. I just can’t take another 10 episodes of this.

Best girl of the episode: Orihime (23)

Episode rating: 4/10

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Bleach 125: Who’s the king?

Bleach episode 125 review

Ichigo has to beat Hichigo, who claims to be “king.” Meanwhile, Aizen is going after the Oken, the key to find the “king” of the Soul Society. Chad is off playing checkers, where he gets beat by someone who makes a “king.” And Toshiro allows his “king” to be checkmated while playing chess with Rangiku.

I’ll let you figure out which two of those are for real. In any case, the situation has reached a critical point with Aizen, because if this is true (and why wouldn’t it be?), Aizen has the power to destroy all of Karakura Town. Oh, and I’m pretty sure he’d become the new “king,” if he succeeded. So, Orihime’s task is to tell Ichigo. Too bad Ichigo’s wasting all that time with the Vi-sores. (Yeah, yeah, he isn’t wasting his time, he’s training. I just wish he was training with more likable characters.)

We actually got a lot of characters to show up in this episode. Nanao, Shunsui, Ukitake, his two Lieutenants, Old Man Yamamoto, and, at the very last second, Momo. She has something to say to Toshiro, or so we think.

Any way you slice it, this episode was so much better than the last three or so, and I’m happy that Bleach has gotten back on track.

Best girl of the episode: Orihime (22) (I thought about throwing Nanao a bone, but she really didn’t have enough screen time to nail it down)

Episode rating: 7/10

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Bleach 124: Vi-sores

Bleach episode 124 review

I’m trying to come up with a nickname for the Visoreds, who I hate so badly. Vi-sores, maybe? Something that tells you that I don’t like them. Look, if they were characters in their own series, maybe I could like one or two of them. But the fact that they’re taking up space and time and energy from already established good characters, mixed with the fact that most of them aren’t even good characters to begin with, tells you that they are pretty much an eyesore to this show.

Probably the only one of any quality is Lisa Yadomaru, but really the only reason she stands out is because all the other ones are either so annoying (Hiyori, Shinji) or useless (everybody else). The sad thing is, some of these characters get promoted to Captains, which is just utterly insane.

Oh, and how about Ich-emo? (Actually almost called him Ichigo by accident.) He’s fighting Byakuya and now Jin Kariya in Hollow World. And they’re beating the crap out of him, yet it doesn’t stop him one bit. It makes little sense how Ichigo can get beaten around and we’re supposed to feel bad for him, but then he turns out to be just okay a few seconds later. Whatevs. Please end this useless training arc.

Best girl of the episode: Lisa (yes, I will stoop to the level of giving it to a Visored)

Episode rating: 4/10