Oops, missed Thursday! Well, hope the weekend isn't too obscure, guys. But I've been inspired...
I came home to the parents a couple of days early and found many many mangas waiting for me! *fangirly squeal*
A while back I reviewed a widely successful, series called BLEACH http://hagelrat.blogspot.com/2009/11/bleach-fight-against-evil-epicified-mc.html well I recently auired some of the latest books in the series so I'll do a wee segment on those now.
Volume 22 of Bleach is set after the first story arc, so Ichigo and his human friends are back in the world of the living trying to get on with life as schoolchildren. But the connections to Soul Society and the dead are too strong to escape, and Ichigo finds hmself being slowly overwhelmed by the Hollow demon living inside him, and Ishida's need to get his powers back has him renouncing all connections with the Soul Reapers.
This installment starts on a shocking note- with a mysterious connetion between the eccentric shopkeeper URahara and Ichigo's dad being revealed, and Ichigo being confronted by a strange group called the Vizards, who are telling him that they are the only ones who can help him deal with his Hollow.
But why do they seem like the bad guys?
Things don't get any easier as others close to Ichigo begin to get suspicious about his double-life, and his home town gets invaded by top-level Hollows.
The storyline gets more complicated just as it seemed to resolve itself, but not in a way that makes it drag. Kubo writes BLEACH fluidly, introducing new characters that slot into the plot flawlessly, and as the series progresses you can see how each character plays a part in a much bigger picture, and connections that seem minor will play out to be absolutely integral to the overall plotline.
Peronally, I love how my favourite characters keep showing up unnnounced and kicking ass old-school!
Kubo's artwork is refining itself too, as he gets comfortable with his characters and establishes hs style.The lines are smoother, the character's features are less awkward, but it still keeps it's duality quirkiness, whereas series like NARUTO lose their individuality as they progress.
Bleach really is a testament to how a good manga series can progress but retain it's freshness. Some fight scenes can seem long (not in this volume but it's been known previously) but the characters are just... well they're pretty cool.
Or so unbelievably dorky that it's hilarious.
Oh, and FYI... at the end of this volume... prepare for the most awesome entrance of a character ever!!!
It helps that this character is already an established favourite, but REALLY. I squealed. Out loud!
MC out!
4 comments:
hahaha great, I may come and camp at your parents house to read the series. ;)
Bleach *rocks* My eldest male child and I are currently watching through all the released-to-DVDs, as he got a pile of them for Christmas.
(We are up into the 40s somewhere, but as 253 aired in Japanaland a few weeks ago, we are way behind...)
HR- Do that... I just need to get the first books first xD There's a box-set on amazon I'm tempted to buy... 1-21
:P
ST- I've been collecting the DVDs too... bought the complete 1st boxset and then my infamous impatience made me buy each DVD after that as soon as thy were released.
My little sister is now a soli Otaku (maga geek)
MC - glad to hear the corruption is complete.
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