Bleach V: Well that was a waste of time (Fullbring? What's that?)

[thubby]

So... they assign only two shinigamis to the focal point of spiritual activity? Are they stupider than we thought?

depends on how stupid you thought they were.
since im somewhat surprised they aren't trying to eat their own hats by now, no, they're not stupider than i thought.

also; CALLED IT

[Arakune]

also; CALLED IT

What exactly you called?

And apparently the hollows are some form of natural barrier between the material and immaterial world?

[thubby]

What exactly you called?

And apparently the hollows are some form of natural barrier between the material and immaterial world?

there wasn't so much detail, but it's been canon that quincy killing hollow somehow threatens the stability of the universe.

and

the problem with this break is that the arc just ended. which means even after the break, nothing of consequence is going to happen for 3 weeks after that.

this

[Frozen_Feet]

I think it may be jumping to conclusions that Quincies are going to be the bad guys, but the dialogue sure hints to that direction.

Also, pitiful newbie Shinigami are pitiful. I'd liked them to have stood their ground at least a bit better...

[Arakune]

I think it may be jumping to conclusions that Quincies are going to be the bad guys, but the dialogue sure hints to that direction.

Aren't they supposed to be long dead already?

Also, pitiful newbie Shinigami are pitiful. I'd liked them to have stood their ground at least a bit better...

That's like asking for the stormtroopers to actually hit Luke and Solo.

[thubby]

That's like asking for the stormtroopers to actually hit Luke and Solo.

at least luke and solo were threatened by them, enough to run away on multiple occasions.
that's all we're asking really, that they at least be presented as credible combatants.

[Arakune]

at least luke and solo were threatened by them, enough to run away on multiple occasions.
that's all we're asking really, that they at least be presented as credible combatants.

This is shonen. Nobody except the protagonists and main antagonists is allowed to be presented as a credible combatant.

[Socratov]

we actually need an inverse worf effect to reinstate Ichigo as awesomeness incarnate.

On those newbies, ofcourse you're going to send newbies when you have had the major battles. I mean, aizen is 'gone' Ginjou is gone, so what's to fear? Except of course stronger hollows, more hollows, and an area that is generally weird when it comes to spirit shizzle...

[Psyren]

Also, if those are the standard grade of Hollow that Ichigo (and, I suppose, the significant density of spiritually-powerful people in Karakura) is attracting.. what the hell is Soul Society doing sending two raw newb Shinigami to try and cover it?

I'll play devil's advocate here with two answers to this:

1) It's possible they got faulty readings, like they did on the training exercise with Renji, Kira, Hinamori and Hisagi. Back then it was Aizen who jumped the class with much stronger hollows than they imagined would be on a training exercise like that, and the presence of the shadowy observer indicates that this is no accident either.

2) Even if they suspected trouble, the purpose of the greenhorns was never to fight anything truly serious; their explicit purpose is to handle the small-fry so that the "shinigami representative" can take care of anything big. So even if they knew Karakura was going bat****, they would still consider it a fairly safe assignment with Ichigo on duty. (At least, it would've been had they not been jumped right at the portal.)

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At least we're finally going to see an Arc with Quincy as a big thing.....

Except they are enemies.

Let's not be premature. Mayuri made that conclusion with the info he knew, but he could easily be wrong; Quincy MO does not necessarily mean Quincy.

Or even if they are Quincy, they may be a rogue group that even the Ishidas could end up fighting.

[Socratov]

the problem is, the quichy have been almost exterminated, so what tells us only the quinchy figured out how to handle hollows? I guess it's another family/clan/whatever that found out how to do it and just decided to start business...

[Drolyt]

Anyone read the new chapter? Can the words "FINAL ARC" be taken seriously?

Looks like it. It does say "The Final Arc" right there in the chapter. The first chapter does look promising in my opinion.

Nope. Because Bleach has the smell of being the DBZ of it's time.

Meaning what? DBZ went on for a long time, that is true, but it was never anything less than the highest quality, although it tended to not take itself that seriously, at least outside the Frieza arc.

[Turalisj]

Meaning what? DBZ went on for a long time, that is true, but it was never anything less than the highest quality, although it tended to not take itself that seriously, at least outside the Frieza arc.

Meaning this: The original author wanted to end it several times, at least four, but wasn't allowed to. If Bleach stays true to it's heritage, we'll be seeing it go on for the next ten years.

I'm not saying anything about the quality, but the length. Bleach is a phenomenal cash cow and Shonen Jump will want to milk it for all it's worth until, like DBZ, the end result is a dried out husk. Okay maybe I'm a bit bitter over the quality of GT.....

[Drolyt]

Meaning this: The original author wanted to end it several times, at least four, but wasn't allowed to. If Bleach stays true to it's heritage, we'll be seeing it go on for the next ten years.

Only twice, at the end of the Frieza arc and again after the Cell arc. At any rate he wasn't forced to continue, just pressured into it. They did the same thing at the end of the Buu arc, but he decided he was done. They tried to make GT without him but that was disastrous.

[MammonAzrael]

while likely untrue, it's possible that the two rookies were sent to Karakura under false pretenses. Perhaps they were the worst of their class, and sending them to Karakura was a trial-by-fire choice, they either get up to snuff or they're no longer a problem. Karakura is a safe choice because, while it has high amounts of activity, Ichigo is there to prevent any true disasters.

[Psyren]

Meaning what? DBZ went on for a long time, that is true, but it was never anything less than the highest quality, although it tended to not take itself that seriously, at least outside the Frieza arc.

Agreed - DBZ gets a lot more flack than it deserves. Watch Dragon Ball Kai (subbed) to get an idea of what the series was supposed to be like.

There were some idiot/villain ball moments at points (particularly involving Vegeta) but the show on the whole was tight, lean and action-packed.

while likely untrue, it's possible that the two rookies were sent to Karakura under false pretenses. Perhaps they were the worst of their class, and sending them to Karakura was a trial-by-fire choice, they either get up to snuff or they're no longer a problem. Karakura is a safe choice because, while it has high amounts of activity, Ichigo is there to prevent any true disasters.

Perhaps more accurately, Urahara is there to prevent any true disasters. After all, even when they didn't trust Ichigo, they stationed their most inept guy to keep watch on that town.

[DiscipleofBob]

This chapter is why I never play Shinigami.

Hollows are always camping the starting area.

[Turalisj]

Agreed - DBZ gets a lot more flack than it deserves. Watch Dragon Ball Kai (subbed) to get an idea of what the series was supposed to be like.

There were some idiot/villain ball moments at points (particularly involving Vegeta) but the show on the whole was tight, lean and action-packed.

Again, not speaking of it's quality. I love DBZ and it was one of the first anime I got into.

Only twice, at the end of the Frieza arc and again after the Cell arc. At any rate he wasn't forced to continue, just pressured into it. They did the same thing at the end of the Buu arc, but he decided he was done. They tried to make GT without him but that was disastrous.

Four times, including Dragon Ball. And now there's an MMO out (in Asia)

[Primal Fury]

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That shift in tone was fairly... jarring. We've got two scrubs up against literally insurmountable odds, one of which just watched his friend die (and possibly get eaten), then get beaten nearly to death by a single hit, and THEN fall into utter despair as his death creeps closer and closer... only to have Ichigo show up, one-shot both hollow, and tell him to "get it in gear".

This is ridiculous.

[Psyren]

Now now, it could be a translation issue. Ichigo's meaning may have been closer to "Don't give up now! Your friend needs you." (I don't think she's dead in any event; there's a body, so Orihime can heal it.)

After all, as the series' king Determinator (and possibly the most determined Determinator in shonen history, at least until Natsu steals his title) he knows better than anyone else what being on the brink of death feels like, and how to get up/keep going from that state.

I feel dirty defending Kubo, but it's too early to hate this arc yet. Let's at least wait until Chad is marginalized again.

[Primal Fury]

(I don't think she's dead in any event; there's a body, so Orihime can heal it.)

Very true. For some odd reason, I always forget that the other characters actually have a purpose.

[Socratov]

Now now, it could be a translation issue. Ichigo's meaning may have been closer to "Don't give up now! Your friend needs you." (I don't think she's dead in any event; there's a body, so Orihime can heal it.)

After all, as the series' king Determinator (and possibly the most determined Determinator in shonen history, at least until Natsu steals his title) he knows better than anyone else what being on the brink of death feels like, and how to get up/keep going from that state.

I feel dirty defending Kubo, but it's too early to hate this arc yet. Let's at least wait until Chad is marginalized again.

come to think of it, chad actually had one of the biggest roles last arc... I mean, he actually taught Ichigo how to use fullbring

[Fredaintdead]

come to think of it, chad actually had one of the biggest roles last arc... I mean, he actually taught Ichigo how to use fullbring

Chad? Who's Chad?

[Socratov]

Chad? Who's Chad?

you know that nobody yelling something about pride

[Fredaintdead]

you know that nobody yelling something about pride

You're going to have to be more specific... this IS Bleach afterall.

[Turalisj]

The hispanic dude.

[Fredaintdead]

The hispanic dude.

Oh THAT guy who talks about pride. I kind of liked him. I wish we had an arc that focused on him.

[Anteros]

Oh THAT guy who talks about pride. I kind of liked him. I wish we had an arc that focused on him.

No thanks. He's boring.

[Psyren]

you know that nobody yelling something about pride

You're going to have to be more specific... this IS Bleach afterall.

I lol'ed hard

Any theories on why Karakura is a hollow hotbed again and why SS is clueless about it (as usual)?

[thubby]

I lol'ed hard

Any theories on why Karakura is a hollow hotbed again and why SS is clueless about it (as usual)?

might have something to do with the walking nuclear reactor of spirit energy that is ichigo.

[Thrawn183]

The hispanic dude.

Oh, you mean the hollow that fought Ichigo by kicking. Yeah, he yelled about pride a lot.