Bleach episode 262 review

I didn’t mean to title back-to-back posts with lyrics from Huey Lewis & The News, but it turned out that way. Haineko falls in love with a Sword Beast, and steals stuff from Rangiku while she’s at it. As their courtship goes along, the Sword Beast starts experiencing bad things, and Rangiku catches on. She goes and defeats the Sword Beast, with or without Haineko’s help. Haineko then muses about falling in love, which apparently is something swords can do in Bleach.

An episode that sounds stupid but actually was executed right. Lots of facial expressions from Haineko that brought out her emotions, and I like that. She is probably the most developed of the Zanpakuto – even more so than Zangetsu – so she actually makes for an interesting character to build an episode around. We’ve only got a few more of these episodes, though, until she’s gone forever.

Best girl of the episode: Haineko (3)

Episode rating: 7/10

Bleach episode 261 review

Orihime comes back to school to be greeted by Chizuru, whose crazy antics made this episode survive what is one of the worst plots yet. In this one, a mysterious girl named Kyoko appears. She starts having trouble, and Orihime tries to help her. When that isn’t enough (when is it ever?), Ichigo shows up to save the day.

One of the most boring episodes of Bleach of all time. The only thing redeeming it was Chizuru acting crazy. Heck, the two most prominent characters in this episode (Kyoko and another girl) are either filler-only or at least super-minor when it comes to importance. What a waste. But hey, we got ourselves an episode closer to going back to Hueco Mundo!

Best girl of the episode: Chizuru (3)

Episode rating: 3/10

Bleach episode 260 review

When is this miserable Zanpakuto arc going to end? This was perhaps the stupidest episode yet. Shuhei’s (“69 guy”) Zanpakuto refuses to submit to him, so the two of them keep fighting even though all the other Zanpakuto are obedient to their masters now. Eventually, Shuhei’s Zanpakuto finds a baby, and the baby clings to him, until finally things get resolved.

This was perhaps the most unnecessary episode of Bleach ever – who the heck cares about Shuhei’s Zanpakuto anyway? – and certainly one of its most boring. Hey, it’s George… I got nothing to say.

Best girl of the episode: Haineko (2)

Episode rating: 3/10

Bleach episode 259 review

Behind those glasses is one of the most fascinating characters in the Bleach series: Nanao Ise. I don’t think her relation to Shunsui has been even told yet, so I’ll spare you from that, but Nanao is such a conflicted individual, super strict yet also super innocent. In this episode, she has the “honor” of getting caught in tentacles after being the brains behind an operation with Ikkaku, Hanataro, and Ikkaku’s Zanpakuto.

And to think this episode is all about Hanataro’s stolen chickens! What a bizarre, weird episode. Basically, the four I mentioned in the previous paragraph all go together to save Hanataro’s chickens, which are in the Seireitei sewer. I am not making this up.

Eventually, the chickens are saved, but everyone’s sanity is lost in the process. There’s a big long explanation to the situation that honestly doesn’t make all that much sense, but it’s filler so we can do whatever we want. This episode was very much like Rick Warren on Steve TV… bizarre.

Best girl of the episode: Nanao (5)

Episode rating: 6/10