Manga Review: Bleach, Volume 71, by Tite Kubo

Rating (Out of 5): ~2.5

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: November 2017

Volumes: 74.

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1-2-3. 68. 72.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Part-time student, full-time Soul Reaper, Ichigo is one of the chosen few guardians of the afterlife.

Ichigo Kurosaki never asked for the ability to see ghosts—he was born with the gift. When his family is attacked by a Hollow—a malevolent lost soul—Ichigo becomes a Soul Reaper, dedicating his life to protecting the innocent and helping the tortured spirits themselves find peace. Find out why Tite Kubo’s Bleach has become an international manga smash-hit!

As the war between the Soul Reapers and Quincies heads for a climactic conclusion, Mayuri finds himself up against the weirdest enemy yet. Can his daughter Nemu step in and finish a foe that refuses to die?

Review:

This series has moved so far beyond anything I remember of it, it is so hard for me to follow. I read very little of this series, and watched rather little of the anime, and now I have no idea who any of the characters are, I don't know what is happening in the plot, I barely know how the series works anymore. And, honestly, I gave up on the series, a long time ago, for a reason, I now understand.

There are several fights happening throughout this volume. There are some very interesting metaphorical things happening, some really pretty representations of what's happening to the characters. Then there are some very odd, and rather disturbing, creatures that show up. Some relationship bonds come into play as the fights get bad.

For a long time, I wanted to catch up with this series. But all this shonen action, crazy plots and volumes filled with fighting and so many characters you confuse them, isn't really my kind of series. Which is probably too bad, because some of the symbolic things in this volume did intrigue me.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: Bleach, Volume 68, by Tite Kubo

Rating (Out of 5): ~2.5

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: November 2016

Volumes: 74.

Spoilers?: Light.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1-2-3. 66. 69.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Ordinary Peace
The Quincy invaders, led by Yhwach, continue their march through the Soul Society's royal palace. Yhwach's goal is to take down the Soul King and destroy the Soul Society once and for all. But Ichigo and his allies have a secret weapon that could turn the battle in their favor.

Review:

I have clearly not been following this series. I don't know about 90% of the characters that we see here, and I have no idea what it going on with the plot line.

So, Ichigo and his group are fighting Yhwach, who is connected to Ichigo and controlling him, without Ichigo even being aware. At the same time, there's a group, I believe on Ichigo's side, who are being affected by this fight with resulting earthquakes. Then there's another group, who is releasing some guy that Ichigo previously fought and locked up. And in the midst, I think we figure out where Uryu has been for however long he's been missing?

It's very complicated, and messy, and constantly going back and forth. And while I have very little idea what all of this is really about, or who any of these people are, it was a little interesting to read. Or at least, it wasn't boring to follow.

I'm definitely lost on this series, though, overall.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: Bleach, Volume 66, by Tite Kubo

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: March 2016

Volumes: 74.

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sorry I Am Strong
Hitsugaya and Mayuri join the action as the war between the Soul Reapers and the Quincies continues. Meanwhile, Yhwach enters Reiokyu and faces off against the royal palace's defenders, Squad Zero!

Review:

I pretty much had no idea what was happening in this entire volume.

I haven't read or watched any of this series since the first 30 episodes, probably. So I'm extremely behind.

There's a ton of fighting. Fight after fight after fight. There's this weird sadistic-zombie girl who possibly gets shown up. Ichigo and his current group decide to go back out and fight some more, to do what they can and what they think is right. They're off to go save Ruka, because I guess she is still captured, after all this time. (Apparently Uryu is gone? Something happened with him? That makes me slightly curious?)

I just have very little interest in this series. I stopped watching it a long time ago, and at this point I just don't care to catch up with it.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!