More thoughts from the chronological read through...
- There's a peculiar moment when Ishida looks at the seal that Ukitate has given Ichigo when the Nakamakuras leave Soul Society. His attention is drawn to it, and he checks himself: "Am I thinking too much?" Ichigo calls it a seal of approval, Chad jokes that it looks more like a seal of disapproval. So far it has done nothing to justify this suspicion (apart from being unrecognised by Zennosuke), it has merely functioned as a combination of Rukia's cell phone and glove. The only clue as to what alerted Chad and Ishida is that the insignia seems to resemble Ichigo's Vaizard mask.
What interests me is that Ukitate gave it to Ichigo... the same person who unsealed a means to destroy the Soukyoku that was curiously emblazoned with the Shihoin Clan crest, a likely indication of a continued loyalty to Yoruichi despite her status as a hundred year wanted criminal. A covert affiliation with the disappeared head of the Shihoin Clan (with which Kyoraku would undoubtably be in collusion) might explain how Urahara et al receive supplies and intelligence and how Ukitate has come into possession of a seal that may or may not be linked to the Vaizard. All speculative, of course... but Ishida's reaction was jarring enough for me to really sit up and take notice.
- One of the things that the insertion of the Bound Arc screwed up was Ichigo's feelings of responsibility for the loss of Ishida's powers. That's a real shame that deserves to be corrected on some DVD special edition, which will probably never happen...
- In the scene in which Shinji first shows Ichigo his mask, he chooses a moment when Zennosuke is present. The only reasoning for this that I can determine is to deliberately ensure that a message is sent to Soul Society that the Vaizard are on the move.
- When the Grand Fisher reappears Urahara and Yoruichi both seem to sense it. When Yoruichi appears from Urahara's shop, what is she wearing (or not wearing)? She has a reputation for being provocative, but I do tend to broadly agree with the speculation that suggests that there is something going on between these two.
- Urahara's comment to Isshin (which I've probably mentioned before elsewhere), "If you became weaker and blamed me for it, it would be problematic." With lines of foreshadowing like these I wouldn't be surprised if an ambiguity of translation ruined the intended meaning, but it does seem as though Urahara is partially responsible for what happens to Isshin and how he might have ended up in Karakura Town.
- The manga translation that I've read opts for the exact reverse of Dattebayo's when it comes to Hiyori's lines to Shinji as he carries her away after she nearly attacks Chad and Orihime. In the anime she says that she hates Shinigami and humans, whereas in this manga scanlation she says that Shinigami and humans hate "us" (meaning the Vaizard). This makes Shinji's reply, "Just wait a little longer, things will change," seem to mean that they will take Soul Society's side in the upcoming battles (in that it implies the Vaizard will no longer be hated). Again, this reading could just be a product of the idiosyncrasies of translation.
- It's been said many times... the violence has been dialled way down for the anime, which makes me especially concerned that Bleach has been moved to an even earlier slot. If they couldn't show Chad's arm being torn in three pieces and Orihime having half her face torn off in the cartoon then how will they adapt the second two thirds of the Szayel battle (possibly the longest, craziest and most horrific fight sequence in the history of Bleach)? See also Ururu vs Ilfort Grantz.
- Ulquiorra's Hollow hole moves. It's initially up near his neck, but later Kubo lowers it to where his heart should be. It's a rare example of a continuity gaff (the only other one that I can immediately think of is when Aizen says that he released Kyouka Suigetsu in the Chambers of the Council of 46 to convince visitors that they were still in session, but this rather seems to contradict the fact that in order for it to work the target needs to witness the moment of release. The Central 46 would have been dead by that point, and visitors by definition could not all have been there at the moment of release. If Aizen Sousuke releases his sword in the forest, and no one is around to see it, what does it do? Supposedly nothing... apart from that one time, apparently).
- Ulquiorra's line to Orihime: "You're very unique, aren't you... woman?" Is this the start of his seeming obsession with her?
- The more I think about Ulquiorra's interactions with Ichigo, the more I believe that he was not sent to assess Ichigo as a threat, but as a potential asset, someone to use as a wildcard to distract and divide Soul Society and to use for Aizen's spring cleaning (to wipe out the Arrancar who aren't loyal). He can see that Ichigo is potentially more powerful than he is, but he doesn't kill him. When he returns to Hueco Mundo and does that weird eye-crushing thing he even talks about the possibility of recuiting him ("There is also a possibility that we could bring him to our side one day"). I'm coming to believe that the Arrancar Arc, characterised as it was by a series of three deliberately interrupted guerilla raids into Karakura Town, was a plot by Aizen to train Ichigo, in order that he has sufficient power to invade Hueco Mundo and wipe out the opposition (who Aizen deliberately weakens, as I speculated ages ago) but not enough power to pose a serious threat. I now think Ulquiorra was under secret orders, that he was deliberately assigned so that he would seem to fail in his mission to kill Ichigo. Aizen predicted that Grimmjow (or another high ranking Arrancar) would jump the leash and muller Ichigo just enough for him to want to grow stronger, and he deliberately used Tousen and Ulqiorra to spare his life and cut the fight short when its purpose had been served.
These tactics are a no-brainer if Aizen was watching Ichigo throughout the Soul Society arc (which we know that he was). The two defining aspects of Strawberry are that he goes nuts if you endanger his mates (guaranteeing that he will storm Las Noches to save Orihime) and that his power grows at insane rates if he fights people who are harder than he is. One of the key moments of the end of the Soul Society arc is when Aizen realises that Ichigo is not Urahara's subordinate, that he knew nothing of the fact that Rukia harboured the Hougyoku. When Kurosaki's real motive becomes apparent (that he's there to save his friend) the seeds are sown for all Aizen's subsequent plans involving him.
Consider that Ulquoirra doesn't kill Ichigo again when he mullers him just before Ichigo fights Grimmjow. There is some speculation amongst by mates that it was this attack that punches more Hollow reiatsu into Ichigo and enables him to maintain his mask long enough to win against Grimmjow. If that's the case, was it intentional on Ulquoirra's part? Did he deliberately leave Orihime undefended so that Grimmjow could use her to heal Ichigo? Something strange is going on with Ulquiorra, enough to make me think that he either has a hidden agenda of his own, is being used by Aizen, is under secret orders or being controlled, or some combination of the above.
- Just what in the blue hell does Renji want to talk to Urahara about? And will we ever see it? Renji was supposed to work for him for three months before getting his answers, and so far he's only trained Chad for a month. When he mentioned it initially Renji seemed to be looking at Rukia, so I think it's likely that it has something to do with her and the precise moment that Urahara concealed the Hougyoku in her.
- I loved Karin's sidelong glance at Rukia when she finally officially moves in to the Karakura Clinic. She knows exactly what Rukia is. The only person there who doesn't seem clued up is poor old Yuzu.
- Orihime seems to live in a different flat in the comic. I think she moves after her Hollow brother trashes the place, whereas in the anime she stays in the same place. Whatever. The art is masterful in the sequence in which she confesses her feelings to Mastumoto. The framing of the panels, the detail in body language, the facial expressions... you can see Rangiku's thought process without a single thought balloon in place. It's this level of detail that seems to be missing from most Western comics I've read, which unfold at too quick a pace to allow the artist to dwell on these moments.
- One flashback panel during Ikkaku's fight against Edorad suggests that in the comic it was Renji who trained him, not the other way around. Why the possible (arguable) reversal in the adaptation? Dunno innit. Again, this might be the product of a difference in translations, especially considering that Renji still offers him a little bow when he finds out Ikkaku's motivation for refusing even the possibility of promotion (a motivation that has now become so problematic).
I've said it before, but I love that this battle is shown from Edorad's perspective, with Madarame as the wildcard. A really nicely judged and unexpected perceptual shift.
- By far my favourite new inference from this part of the chronological read through involves the Super Hiyori Walker, the reiatsu-sapping cross-trainer that annoys Ichigo so much and that even Shinji refers to as "crappy." Now that we know that she was Urahara's Lieutenant in the 12th Division, indeed the second Lab Technician under Mayuri, it's rather implied that it is named after her because it is her invention. This hidden gem of a detail is completely fucking brilliant. Initially the notion of her trying her hand at making such a thing is hilarious, until you realise that Urahara got through to her, and that despite how she comes across Hiyori does pay attention, does learn and can be influenced. The thought of her doing her best and producing something that's actually rather rubbish (and having Shinji mercilessly taking the piss out of her for it) is so endearing that she's risen even further in my estimations. At the time it seemed like a pointless inclusion intended to pad out the issue, now it's a little goldmine of implied history for the attentive (read: unhealthily obsessed) reader.
- Kensei blows Ichigo's arm off with what appears to be a Cero! And he seems to do it purely to test out the extent of Strawberry's rapid regeneration ability, a latent aspect of his Hollowised form that may help to explain many of Ichigo's rapid last minute recoveries in combat. The sequence in which Ichigo undergoes Hollowisation also includes him firing off a cero... these are two abilities that have not been seen since, although it's arguable whether we're likely to see the latter again in a hurry when Ging can just use Getsuga Tensho instead.
- Why can't Kensei remember that Mashiro didn't need training to maintain her mask? She's his former Lieutenant, he should have been there. What is this hinting at?
- I love that the Vaizard appear to have dropped all pretense of their former ranks now that they have been abandoned by Soul Society. It is as though they have rejected all trace of that culture's obsession with heirarchy, in a similar manner to how Urahara, Tessai and Yoruichi have also excised all traces of status. It is largely what defines all the players resident in Karakura Town as different to either the Hueco Mundo and Seireitei characters. Rose refers to the Vaizard as a "family" (and a lonely one at that), Ichigo's crew are referred to as "nakama," and the Urahara store functions as a business.
- Orihime's observation that Ichigo's newfound determination is "Not exactly kindness" resonates well with Strawberry's admission to Grimmjow that he came to Hueco Mundo to fight. It seems that this self-awareness (that he learns from the representation of Kenpachi while he fought his inner Hollow) was the key for him to dominate his Hollow nature. Ichigo does seek fights and power and he needed to admit that to himself and accept it before he could go further.
- Yamamoto knows the whereabouts of the real King's Key. Whether or not he will reveal it in order to protect Karakura Town should his forces fail remains to be seen, but it does rather strike me that Kubo has a narrative escape route there if he needs it.
- Finally (this post is long enough as it is), if you're a fan of screaming idiots one of the most important details in the entire history of Bleach is the manner in which Keigo Asano both blocks Matsumoto's kick and maintains his posture. Rangiku's surprise confirms that it's not a throwaway detail. Even though she's in her gigai he should not have been able to do it. This promises that future Bleach will surpass everything we have seen so far!  |
