Bleach X: Deicide (this time for real)

[danzibr]

That is actually pretty feasible given what we saw in the Deicide arc. Then of course the last chapter of Bleach is Ichigo taking over from Yhwach, and becoming God himself.

My guess is this will occur when I'm 30.

[Rater202]

So, show of hands, who else thinks that BLeach will end with Ichigo "I am literally everything" Kurosaki becoming the New Soul King by using his mutant Hollow and Quincy Powers to steal the Transcendent Godlike Power from Yhwach and/or Aizen?

[-D-]

In this chapter, our heroes enter the final boss dungeon. Basically.

Well, not really, but they did slightly pushed the final boss dungeon door. Probably. It might be the case of, your Final Boss is in another castle, please fight these mini bosses instead.

[danzibr]

So, show of hands, who else thinks that BLeach will end with Ichigo "I am literally everything" Kurosaki becoming the New Soul King by using his mutant Hollow and Quincy Powers to steal the Transcendent Godlike Power from Yhwach and/or Aizen?

Hmm, I could see it, but I think something else will happen.

Namely, I think Ichigo will die and go to SS, become Captain Commander and end up with Rukia.

EDIT: Perusing old videos, man I f---ing love Yamamoto.

Wonder how that fight would've gone had they not been interrupted...

[Rater202]

Yeah um.

Quincy.

The folks who apparently destroy souls and are implied to feed them to their king.

The only way Ichigo is heading to soul society if he gets killed in this is if his hollow nature and raw power lets him eat Yhwach from the inside out.

Of course, Captain Eyepatch did head to the human world and give Ichigo's friends and family those tickets to get into soul society, saying it was possible that Ichigo might not be able to go home once he completes his training in the royal realm.

So Ichigo could well end up a Captain, even if he done'st die.

I think I even joked about a hypothetical sequel series that was a slice of life about the humor in Ichigo being a captain but still having to go through the Shinigami academy.

"Sensei, why do I have a zero in Zanjutsu? I'm the best in the class"
"Because you have yet to seal your Zanpakuto, maggot!"
"Please Sensei, show me your Bankai."
"Well, um... I don't see how that's relevant!"
"Well, I've got one."
"I don't see"
"And Aren't you like, the twelf seat in my Division? My Division, since I'm a Captain"
"Well I don't-"
"Meaning I can have you courtmartialed for obstructing your superiors"

[danzibr]

While waiting for the next chapter to come out, I'll ask everyone a question:

What are your favorite scenes in Bleach?

As much as I love Kenpachi, I'll have to go with Yamamoto v. Aizen & Wonderweiss. It's not really one scene, but hey.

[LaZodiac]

While waiting for the next chapter to come out, I'll ask everyone a question:

What are your favorite scenes in Bleach?

As much as I love Kenpachi, I'll have to go with Yamamoto v. Aizen & Wonderweiss. It's not really one scene, but hey.

Kenpachi showing 8th Espada that up till this time in the series, he hasn't actually been fighting, he's just been hitting people with a sword. Showing his truth strength, in the form of "actually fighting properly" and thus completely destroying him.

Honestly looking at it, most of my favorite scenes involve Kenpachi in some regard. The fight with him vs Unohana is LEGITIMATELY a really good scene.

I also really like Tsukishime because he's BASICALLY a Jojo's Bizarre Adventure character. His fight with Byakuya was really cool since it's like, it showed some really unique uses of Book of the End, and challenges Byakuya quite heavily. It was a really cool fight.

In a sort of twisted way I love the entire sorta-reveal for Giselle, because it's so out of left field unless you're familiar with Zombie Powder.

In a somewhat more reasonable but still kind of "this is a sign the mangaka's gone nuts" territory, Mask De Masquline's entire fight is basically fantastic. He's one of my favorite Sternritter. He was just glorious in all regards, and Renji finally WON A FIGHT.

Finally, as a bit of a more serious note...if Bleach had ended with Ichigo legitimately using up all of his powers to kill Aizen, losing all his spiritual powers and having to entrust the future to his sister...that actually would of been a really good ending for the series. From the very beginning, Bleach had this aura of "we're trying to be unique compared to other Shounen" and for awhile it worked. Ichigo was actually a really smart protagonist. Then things kind of went down hill. So having such a non-standard ending would of been a nice kind of book-end.

[Lurkmoar]

While waiting for the next chapter to come out, I'll ask everyone a question:

What are your favorite scenes in Bleach?

As much as I love Kenpachi, I'll have to go with Yamamoto v. Aizen & Wonderweiss. It's not really one scene, but hey.

Aizen stopping Ichigo's attack with one finger in the anime. Stopped Ichigo's theme song cold.

[Infernally Clay]

Best scene? Either Gin vs Ichigo or Aizen vs Urahara, Isshin and Yoruichi. The former because Gin subverted the shonen law of explaining all your abilities in great detail to the opponent you're using them against by blatantly lying, not just to Ichigo but even Aizen. Keeping the true ability of your Bankai secret for decades from your own boss is crazy. The latter because we got to see a few characters fight that we hadn't seen in action yet. That Kido combo of Urahara's, the little joke about Yoruichi's leg, Isshin flicking Aizen away, that epic moment where Aizen said he'd let them hit him with everything they had just so he could crush their hopes one at a time... That entire fight was on a different level to the normal battles in Bleach, least of all because it was one of the very rare times a fight was between more than two people and had actual teamwork involved.

[Rater202]

Yamamoto unveiling his Bankai and completely dominating against Lloyd. Or was it Roid?

If though he got killed by the real Yhwach afterwards, it was still insanely awesome.

[Mato]

Every scene with Yamamoto fighting someone is awesome.

Most of the arrancar fights I found to be disappointing. Kenpachi's I-win card sounds awesome but it's pretty lame in retrospect. Cirucci's deal was all about Uryu waiting to strike. Yammy's was skipped. Harribels fight with Toshiro was broken up, paused, and interrupted by Aizen. Wonderweiss won most of his off screen and in the only reason to watch the anime, the animated fight scenes, was dumped in favor of expanding on Coyote Stark's loneliness.

Aizen vs Urahara, Isshin and Yoruichi looked so good because in the ultimate showdown, they were the only ultimate showdown.

[The Troubadour]

What are your favorite scenes in Bleach?

Hmmm, let's see...
In no specific order:

Chad first awakening his powers and defeating Bulbous G (I had to look up his name).
Ishida taking off the Sanrei Glove and utterly destroying Mayuri's Bankai (and nearly him, as well).
Renji's fight with Byakuya.
Ichigo's fights with Byakuya and Grimmjow.
The whole battle against Barragan, but I especially liked how he was finally taken down and his final act of defiance against Aizen.
Tousen's fight with Kenpachi.
Komamura and Hisagi's fight with Tousen.
Komamura's fight with Bambietta.
Yamamoto's fight with Royd Lloyd.

And last but not least:
Rukia as a whole. :-P Ok, if I had to pick a specific scene, I'd pick her and Chad's fight with Shrieker (also had to look up his name). I might have picked her fight with As Nodt, but I do feel it's diminished by her having to be rescued and inspired by Byakuya.

There were other scenes I liked (such as Ichigo's fight with Ginjo, or the fight with Starrk after he releases his true form), but not enough to read them more than once or twice.

[dancrilis]

What are your favorite scenes in Bleach?

Three scenes stand out - firstly both Gin's fights with Ichigo, it is rare to see the hero handled so easily by someone not even really paying attention, particularly like this.

Spoiler

Show

The other scene is more from a meta perspective (though it was good just normally).
Ichigo and Renji have had their first fight and Renji has lost - than Byakuya finishes it without seeming to move, and before Ichigo even realises he has been stabbed, on its own very cool establishing moment for Byakuya and what captains can do. But what makes it so much better is if you imagine it from Byakuya's perspective - he literally walked up stabbed Ichigo ... and for seemingly absolutely no reason whatsoever walked back to where he was standing so that Ichigo could see him standing there when he realised he was stabbed, he might have done it just to mess with him.

[danzibr]

Spoiler

Show

I find it interesting they all showed up at the same time. Some nice artwork in this one. But man, where's Aizen?

[Quild]

I'm quite behind due to french parution and because I don't look at scantrads, but I'm already sick of Yhwach.

The "everything as planned" is ridiculous.
Captains using Bankai? We steal them!
Captains getting their Bankai back? Good news, we can use vollständig again and get more of an upgrade than they do!

The "you will never get your powers/sword back ever" thing also gets old.
Zangetsu is broken and can never be reforged? No worries, here he comes in two parts!
Zabimaru is broken and can never be reforged? No worries, it will just be shorter than his usual random size. Also this wasn't his full name, so let's have it evolve!

Ishida lost his powers (way earlier)? No worries, his father who hates Quincy can restore them.
Kurosaki lost his powers (against Rukia's brother)? No, he just lost Rukia's powers! Also let's get Wizards powers.
Kurosaki lost his shinigami powers after the hueco mondo? Let's get some new very similar powers through the fullbring and... lose them to get shinigami's powers back? I don't remember very well.


Also, 26 stern ritters is way too much...

[Mato]

Welcome to Bleach.

[LordRahl6]

New chapter is pretty much more talking heads about how Yhwach has redesigned the Soul King's Palace and made it an invitation for the 13 Squads to destroy themselves in his lap. Translation note: Wahrwelt = True World

[LaZodiac]

New chapter is pretty much more talking heads about how Yhwach has redesigned the Soul King's Palace and made it an invitation for the 13 Squads to destroy themselves in his lap. Translation note: Wahrwelt = True World

Thanks I was going to ask.

[Infernally Clay]

New chapter is pretty much more talking heads about how Yhwach has redesigned the Soul King's Palace and made it an invitation for the 13 Squads to destroy themselves in his lap. Translation note: Wahrwelt = True World

The fact Yhwach is inviting them is the weird part. He must know a small army is approaching and all he has are six Quincy and possibly five Shinigami. Those eleven (ten in reality since Uryu obviously isn't evil) can't seriously take on Ichigo's group, Urahara, the Gotei 13 and the Visoreds, let alone Aizen whenever he decides to show up. And he will because he's Aizen and he has a plan.

So what does Yhwach intend to happen? I'm assuming he won't bother wiping everyone out himself, so will he just stack the location even more heavily in the favour of Quincies? That'd be a pretty neat way to give the renegade Quincy a decent power up so they're not dead weight, if nothing else.

[dancrilis]

And he will because he's Aizen and he has a plan.

All of this is Aizen's plan - him and Ichigo are still standing in a field and everything that happened since then has been an illusion (what do you think 50/50 shot?).

[Quild]

Welcome to Bleach.

I started to read Bleach some 12 years ago :D

I've been warned but keep being surprised by how each new tome is going worse.

[LaZodiac]

The fact Yhwach is inviting them is the weird part. He must know a small army is approaching and all he has are six Quincy and possibly five Shinigami. Those eleven (ten in reality since Uryu obviously isn't evil) can't seriously take on Ichigo's group, Urahara, the Gotei 13 and the Visoreds, let alone Aizen whenever he decides to show up. And he will because he's Aizen and he has a plan.

So what does Yhwach intend to happen? I'm assuming he won't bother wiping everyone out himself, so will he just stack the location even more heavily in the favour of Quincies? That'd be a pretty neat way to give the renegade Quincy a decent power up so they're not dead weight, if nothing else.

Maybe he made some random quincies out of the corpses of the Zeroth squad. Or out of nothingness since he's apparently god now.

All of this is Aizen's plan - him and Ichigo are still standing in a field and everything that happened since then has been an illusion (what do you think 50/50 shot?).

Don't make me destroy you.

I started to read Bleach some 12 years ago :D

I've been warned but keep being surprised by how each new tome is going worse.

Wait until you meet the presumed-transvestite confirmed-necrophiliac character.

[Calemyr]

All of this is Aizen's plan - him and Ichigo are still standing in a field and everything that happened since then has been an illusion (what do you think 50/50 shot?).

I can see it now. The heroes come in and sweep out the palace, every win only adding to Ywach's power. Uryu of course changes sides when time's right, and Aizen pulls off some brilliant scheme to turn things against Ywach, but none of it matters. Ywach simply dismantles the opposition, killing off everyone Ichigo is fond of one by one. Ichigo snaps and unveils a new supermode, but Ywach simply overpowers it and kills Ichigo as well, thanking him for such a substantial power boost...

Ichigo wakes up in the Soul Society back at the end of the Rescue Rukia arc, with Aizen still holding his sword back with one finger. Aizen pushes the blade (and Ichigo) aside with ease as he walks past. "That's what happens if you oppose me. We all die."

The series ends with Aizen smiling at the audience. "Since when were you under the impression that I didn't use my Bankai?"

[Rater202]

The "everything as planned" is ridiculous.
Captains using Bankai? We steal them!
Captains getting their Bankai back? Good news, we can use vollständig again and get more of an upgrade than they do!

Yhwach can see the future, so that's all justified.

The "you will never get your powers/sword back ever" thing also gets old.
Zangetsu is broken and can never be reforged? No worries, here he comes in two parts!
Zabimaru is broken and can never be reforged? No worries, it will just be shorter than his usual random size. Also this wasn't his full name, so let's have it evolve!

Wasn't planned out ahead of time.[/quote]
Okay, they never said that Broken Zanpakuto could't be reforged.

Mayuri said that a broken Zanpakuto could not be completly reforged-if broken it would't be as strong again.

Then Squad Zero said they had forging techniques that could repair a Broken Bankai better than those of soul Society, ang give the swords new properties to compensate for weakened powers.

Considering that it turns uot that neither Renji nor Ichigo were using their real Bankai and Ichigo wans't even using his real Zanpakuto, that is beliviable.

And Ichigo's real Zanpakuto was foreshadowed since the Soul Society Arc.

Ishida lost his powers (way earlier)? No worries, his father who hates Quincy can restore them.

Not part ofanybodies plan.

Kurosaki lost his powers (against Rukia's brother)? No, he just lost Rukia's powers! Also let's get Wizards powers.

He explicitly was only borrowing Rukia's powers from chapter one till then, and there are no Wizard Powers.

Kurosaki lost his shinigami powers after the hueco mondo? Let's get some new very similar powers through the fullbring and... lose them to get shinigami's powers back? I don't remember very well.

Turns out his Fullbring was his Shinigami powers in a different form becuase Fullbring is hollow powers and Ichigo's shinigami powers were always half hollow in nature.

[Quild]

...

There where two distinct things. First Yhwach. So far it hasn't been said that he can see future (really? wow, that's lame. I Wonder how he didn't see his end coming and he seemed to be surprised by Kurosaki already manifesting some Quincy powers).

Even so, what's the point stealing Bankais to then gloat when the enemy gets the Bankais back? Why steal them in a first place.


And second thing is the totally recurring loss (or downgrade, if you like it) of powers that is not a real thing. They always come back, stronger. Power ups are worse than in DBZ...

[LordRahl6]

I noticed something else about this chapter after a few hours of contemplation which is where are the rebelling Sternritter in this chapter. After stating they wanted to get back at Yhwach, and helped recreate the doorway the 13 Squads came through they didn't show up in this chapter AT ALL.

[Frozen_Feet]

The fact Yhwach is inviting them is the weird part. He must know a small army is approaching and all he has are six Quincy and possibly five Shinigami. Those eleven (ten in reality since Uryu obviously isn't evil) can't seriously take on Ichigo's group, Urahara, the Gotei 13 and the Visoreds, let alone Aizen whenever he decides to show up. And he will because he's Aizen and he has a plan.

Do I need to remind you how Aizen single-handedly stomped half of the Gotei? Eleven is more than enough given the trends we've seen in Bleach.

[The Troubadour]

You know, I still enjoy "Bleach", I liked some of Kubo's artistic decisions which didn't go over well with many (most?) of the fans (like the "The Heart" spread), and I even think some developments and scenes which also didn't go over too well with the fanbase were actually quite reasonable (such as Resurreccion!Tousen being taken down by a sneak attack, the reveal of Komamura's origins or Kenpachi's fight with the Stern Ritter with the Green Lantern powers)... But Kubo's pacing is just terrible. It's probably not a fair comparison, but I've been re-reading my super-hero comics collection and by God, some writers could fill an issue with so much plot, character development and action scenes that they make "Bleach" look like a soap opera!

[Mato]

And Ichigo's real Zanpakuto was foreshadowed since the Soul Society Arc.

Not really, Ichigo summoned the spirit ribbons and the red one led him to the black Zangetsu. And when he used Urahara's Zanpakuto manifestation device, black Zangetsu appeared. Databooks also confirmed Ichigo and Kenpachi's Zanpakuto's were in constant release form and look at how accurate that turned out to be.

Just because Tite selectively choose some scenes (like a shinigami's power to compress reishi to stand in the air) and retconned them into Ichigo has using Quincy powers (even through Yawch states Ichigo just awakened them after being trapped) doesn't mean they were foreshadowed.

[Rater202]

The Red Spirit Ribbons did not lead Ichigo to the Black Zangetsu.

They led Ichigo to his busted and Broken Sword. The one Byakuya and Renji busted up. That's what was in the box.

Also what the databooks say about Kenpachi and Ichigo's Zanpakuto has no bearing on this conversation.

And Black Zangetsu showed up because the real Zangetsu didn't fully awaken until Ichigo hollowfied fighting Byakuya, black Zangetsu had already been suppressing the real Zangetsu and most importantly had already begun usurping the Real Zangetsu's place by calling himself Zangetsu.

Meanwhile we have Old man Zangetsu using only the Real Zangetsu to train Ichigo how to use a Zanpakuto instead of doing it himself.

Ichigo's Bankai not behaving like a normal Bankai foreshadows that he wasn't using his real Bankai.

Real Zangetsu telling Old Man Zangetsu to train Ichigo well because "one day that power will be mine"

The Real Zangetsu claiming to be Zangetsu in a tone and with an appearance that implied that the Real Ichigo didn't know a damn thing about Zangetsu.

The fact that the Vizard's speech implies that they killed their inner hollows, yet Ichigo done'st kill his but merely defeats it, foreshadows that Ichigo's is different in some way.

Whenever Ichigo goes into his Inner World to fight his Hollow, it never uses Hollow Techniques and Fights like a Shinigami.

The Inner Hollow, the Real Zangetsu, learned Bankai at the same time Ichigo did.

When Ichigo hollowfied for the second time, his hollow form had telekinetic control of his Zanpakuto, as demonstrated by it flying to his hand.

The Reveal that Ichigo's Hollow and Shinigami powers were two halves of the same whole. It came bundled with an implication that The Old Man and Zangetsu were two halves of the same Spirit, which turned out to be a lie, but it did become true later when Ichigo made them the same spirit.

In the Lost Agent Arc, Ichigo's fullbring, hollow powers wielded through a beloved object by a human, was almost identical to his Zanpakuto's powers.

All of this leads up to "Nothing But the Rain" which reveals that Ichigo was part hollow from birth. Then in the following subarc Ichigo's Asauchi takes the form of a naked version of his inner hollow with a lblank version of his hollow mask.

And then finally we get the reveal that the fragment of White that Ichigo inherited from Masaki combined with the Shinigami potential he inherited from his Father, and that his inner hollow was his Zanpakuto Spirit the entire time.

This is several years worth of evidence, vs your one piece of evidence that is easily explained by other events.

The entire story had been leading up to the reveal that Ichigo's hollow was also the real Zangetsu.

You lose.