Bleach episode 242 review

Soi Fon is confronted by a Zanpakuto, but she has no idea who it belongs to. As it turns out, he’s Sasakibe’s Zanpakuto! Which absolutely no one would guess, because Sasakibe is such a useless character! Soi Fon fights bravely, at one point going 1-vs.-2 in an out-of-Bleach moment.

Meanwhile, Yumichika fights his Zanpakuto, and Ikkaku and Izuru also have battles. Overall, not the most to write home about in this episode, but it wasn’t horrible or anything, just not as exciting.

Best girl of the episode: Soi Fon (18)

Episode rating: 6/10

Bleach episode 241 review

Did I miss a day? Oh, well, I guess I’ll just have to squeeze in two today. Byakuya turns on the Soul Reapers and joins the rogue Zanpakuto, and everyone is left to figure out what to do about it. For one thing, Nanao plans to cover it up, but Shunsui saves us from Byakuyagate by deciding to tell anyone and everyone that Byakuya is a traitor now. Rukia finds out and is traumatized.

Then Byakuya goes ahead and destroys her Zanpakuto before showing up in the Soul Society to attack Rukia. Seriously, Big Bro? You’re losing your position as the Big Brother that all the little sisters look up to. But Renji starts fighting Byakuya before he can hit Rukia, and now it’s Byakuya vs. Renji at the same time as Senbonzakura vs. Zabimaru – two dueling fights of which one is not even a one-on-one battle™.

Interesting episode, and certainly one capable of keeping my interest in this arc.

Best girl of the episode: Rukia (47) (a full 10 ahead of Orihime. I think the best girl crown is just about clinched)

Episode rating: 7/10

Bleach episode 240 review

So, Mayuri is conducting experiments on poor Omaeda. Can’t this guy get a break? His Captain hates him, his Zanpakuto hates him, and now he has to suffer while Mayuri does experiments on him with the help of Nemu. Really, what did you expect from Mayuri? And what did you expect from Omaeda? There’s no way he’d actually be useful.

While some Soul Reapers carry off Rangiku and Momo’s Zanpakutos, Rangiku runs into Ichigo. They go their separate ways, just in time for Ichigo to collide with Muramasa and Byakuya. Yes, apparently Byakuya has turned to the dark side. Which, if you listen to Disney, is just a darker version of the “kinder, gentler” light side, that’s “morally gray.” The Sith aren’t really bad, they’re just morally gray. Excuse me while I puke.

Anyway, Byakuya disappears, because we can’t have the big fight with Ichigo yet. And again, I feel pleasantly surprised by another episode of this arc.

Best girl of the episode: Rangiku (32)

Episode rating: 7/10

Bleach episode 239 review

“You may come to wish you hadn’t expended it in such a futile effort.”

Hyorinmaru says the same thing, essentially, to Toshiro, as they battle it out in an amnesia contest. Toshiro remembers his past, then manages to break through to Hyorinmaru to get his memories back, and everything is hunky-dory between them.

As for Rangiku and Momo’s Zanpakutos? Yeah, they are annoying, as Haineko finds 10 different ways of calling Rangiku “old.” But Rangiku and Momo team up to take them down, and as a result, it looks like they’ve gotten theirs back on their side as well.

I am not ready to call this arc “good” yet. But it is certainly trending in the right direction.

Best girl of the episode: Rangiku (31)

Episode rating: 7/10