I shipped Uryu and Nemu back T in the day, then completely forgot about it. This was the moment for this couple. After fighting off Mayuri’s Bankai (for the record, probably the first Bankai we’ve seen), Uryu manages to force Mayuri into a liquid form, which quite honestly he should have stayed in. Then Nemu offers him the antidote to the poison Uryu just received. Nemu and Uryu share a moment, and then it’s over – but the shipping still remains. Obviously this one never comes to fruition, but I’d like to imagine an alternate universe where it does.
Maybe not the most exciting of episodes, due to the lengthy flashback of Uryu’s past, but still an entertaining one.
One of my biggest problems with Thousand-Year Blood War is that it’s a lot like Disney Star Wars movies. Kill off all the characters we love, keep around all the characters who suck. In TYBW, we lost a ton of great Captains, yet one of the ones we got to keep was this piece of crap Mayuri Kurotsuchi… at least for now. I will be rooting with all my might that he gets killed off, but I think his fate has already been sealed in a way I won’t like.
Anyway, Mayuri proves to be an utter piece of crap to his lieutenant Nemu, and obviously to Uryu too – which is a little ironic, given what’s going to happen when everything gets retconned for TYBW. Gotta be honest, I’m rooting for Uryu now, even though I’ve been trained to cheer against him in TYBW – wait a minute, that’s what I’m supposed to do! You mean Bleach has actually made me cheer for the hero and root against the villain? Wait a minute, you can’t do that to me!
Best girl of the episode: Orihime (11, new solo leader)
So! Yoruichi has shown up to save… Ichigo? That’s right, instead of saving Rukia, who everyone came to save, Yoruichi saves Ichigo and leaves the others behind. Squad 13 Captain Ukitake goes easy on those who are left, as Byakuya lost interest and went away after a game of “tag” between Yoruichi and himself. Rukia goes back to her cell, Hanataro and Ganju will get healed, and that’s that.
Meanwhile, we finally see the Quincy Uryu and Orihime for the first time in forever! This time, Orihime has beaten up on random Soul Reapers to steal their clothes. So, Uryu and Orihime are now dressed up as Soul Reapers and pretending to be them. How long will this last? Probably not long, because it looks like Squad 12 Captain Mayuri saw them.
While this episode didn’t have any epic battles, it was still very entertaining, and it keeps things moving.
Best girl of the episode: Yoruichi (2) (a good case could be made for Orihime, but she falls just short)
So! (as Pat Sajak would say) Ichigo has been rescued by Yoruichi, but how? Yoruichi is just a cat, right? As it turns out, no. Yoruichi reveals herself in the most revealing way possible… stone-cold naked, right in front of Ichigo. And Ichigo is so prudent that all he can do is yell at her to put some clothes on.
I love Yoruichi, she’s one of my favorite Bleach characters. Even I can admit that she is a little too casual about nakedness. But Yoruichi isn’t just here to show off that gorgeous body. She’s also in on the rescue of Rukia.
… or so we thought. She is in on it, to be clear, but it ceased being a rescue at the time Ichigo and Rukia ran into each other. Ichigo made his way to the bridge where all the battles are taking place, but not in time to save Ganju’s life; he’s dead, killed by Byakuya Kuchiki. But at least Ichigo is here to save Rukia. Oh, wait! Rukia doesn’t want to be rescued anymore! So, it’s no longer a rescue. Instead, it’s just a bunch of Soul Reapers trying to kill each other.
This might have been the episode where I forever went anti-IchiRuki. When Rukia couldn’t offer a single bit of thanks for Ichigo’s help, and when we got a flashback of her telling Ichigo to “live a few seconds longer,” it made up my mind for good that she wasn’t right for Ichigo. There is someone who is just right for Ichigo, though. She’s currently stuck somewhere in the Soul Society, ignored by the plot for a while now.
Oh, and after Ichigo and Byakuya begin battle, Yoruichi shows up and tries to stop Byakuya. Squad 13 Captain Jushiro Ukitake is just… there, for some reason.
Another fantastic episode. This arc is the best!
Best girl of the episode: Yoruichi (she’s finally turned to the female side, so she can start earning points!)
Tommy A. Phillips 