OMG I Just Realized!

Chapter 313

2008-03-06T18:54:01Z

Deputy poster jaina here to post a chapter discussion post, since we've finally got something to discuss.

THE FIRST PART IS A NNOITRA FLASHBACK.

KENPACHI: GRAB YOUR SWORD NOW AND TAKE THE WOMAN BACK, YOUR JOB IS FINISHED, FROM NOW ON WE WILL TAKE CARE OF THEM.

ICHIGO: WHAT ARE YOU SAYING! I HAVE COME ALL THIS WAY! I WILL …

KENPACHI: WHO ARE YOU? YOU ARE A SHINIGAMI REPRESENTATIVE? PROTECTING YOUR TOWN IS YOUR JOB. HELPING OUT THAT WOMAN SHOULD SATISFY YOU ENOUGH EH? IF YOU UNDERSTAND, THEN GO BACK NOW. AND ANYWAY YOU ALREADY HAD YOUR FUN, SWINGING THAT SWORD OF YOURS AROUND, HAVEN’T YOU? WOMAN!! HEAL MY WOUNDS!!

INOUE: Y..YES!

STARK APPEARS BEFORE INOUE.

ICHIGO AND KENPACHI: !?

STARK: SORRY, I DON’T NORMALLY DO THIS KIND OF THING SO LET’S JUST SAY I’M BORROWING YOU FOR A BIT.

ICHIGO AND KENPACHI ARE READY TO FIGHT..DUN DUN DUN!

STARK AND INOUE DISAPPEAR THOUGH.

ICHIGO AND KENPACHI: THEY DISAPPEARED…?

SCENE CHANGES TO AIZEN AND INOUE STANDS BEFORE HIM.

AIZEN: WELCOME BACK ORIHIME, WHAT’S WRONG? YOU’RE MAKING AN UNHAPPY FACE? SMILE, THE SUN HAS DARKENED, THEN EVERYONE FEELS SAD RIGHT? JUST SMILE AND WAIT HERE A LITTLE BIT.

BEHIND AIZEN, GIN AND TOUSEN THE TOWN APPEARS.

AIZEN: UNTIL WE HAVE DESTROYED KARAKURA TOWN.

EEEE. Exciting! For me, this brings several questions to mind:

1) Grimmjow is still lying there. Who wants to bet $20 that Unohana heals him?
2) Did Ulquiorra know about this plan of Aizen's? What'll he do when he comes out of his cubby hole of the damned?
3) Can the Captains in Hueco Mundo open the garganta to get back to the living world, or are they dependent on Urahara for that?
4) EEEEEEH KARAKURA PEOPLE! Okay. So that one's not a question.

Chpater 299 Discussion

2007-11-09T13:44:13Z

Spoilers out on Mangahelpers, featuring a water-marked raw from Jojohot.

http://mangahelpers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=604174#post604174

Chapter 296 Discussion

2007-10-19T07:39:06Z

'Ello folks! Here's your discussion thread for this week.

Spoiler thread for those who haven't seen it already.

Nel's released form is described here as centaur-like, by _debbiechan_ as satyr-esque. Either way, we've got yet another Arrancar with an animal/animalistic form, and one that's got some interesting connotations to it, too. Her weapon is a "Green Lance."

Pesshe pulls a sword out of his pants. Let me repeat that: PESSHE. PULLS A SWORD. OUT OF HIS PANTS. Really, KT, how much more subtext-into-text moments are we going to GET in this fight?

The move Pesshe and Dondo pull off is a "Synchronized Cero," which, um, sounds very cool and yet makes me giggle.

Nel reverts! I wonder if this means we get Ulquiorra next week.

Chapter 294 discussion

2007-10-04T14:32:43Z

This week's chapter looks like a blast to the past.

Spoiler pics at MH

Sorry for the lapse in posts the past two weeks. Hope to be more on the ball next time!

Bleach 291 Chapter Discussion

2007-09-13T14:26:12Z

Oh. Oh. Oh.

I love you KT.

First, a summary.
And another summary.

Then, a bunch of pics.
Spoiler Pic 1
Spoiler Pic 2
Spoiler Pic 3
Spoiler Pic 4
Spoiler Pic 5 (in your pants)
And the reason for the glee: Spoiler Pic 6

A little translating: Ichigo is mine!

*glee glee glee glee*

A-hem. So. Thoughts, yall?

Chapter 290 discussion

2007-09-06T06:39:30Z

Since the two unconfirmed spoilers out both confirm the spoiler picture, I am posting the link.

Spoiler pic 1
(Image courtesy of Moridin at NarutoForums)

Someone mentioned the similarities of Nell to Yoruichi in her surprise reveal, and looking at the panel I can see why the comparision was made.

More spoilers to be added as they are revealed.

Chapter 289 Spoiler Discussion

2007-08-31T14:04:27Z

Pics seem real enough.

Spoiler pic 1
Spoiler pic 2
Spoiler pic 3

Partial summary

All links courtesy of Mangahelpers.

Chapter 288 discussion

2007-08-24T13:01:22Z

Jojohot mini-raw

Episode summary

What an interesting release that is...

Chapter 287 Discussion

2007-08-15T16:25:19Z

Ya-ho!

Spoiler Pic 1
Spoiler Pic 2

No good summary yet, though you can read some of the...interesting...ones on this MangaHelpers thread. (Plus see the 2! 5! 2! controversay in action.)

Come! Let us talk about what a dork Noitara actually is~

ETA: And we have summary! I am intrigued!

Chapter 286 Discussion

2007-08-03T01:20:06Z

Spoilers out, pics and teasers below.

Teaser

Spoiler pic 1
Spoiler pic 2
Spoiler pic 3
Spoiler pic 4
Spoiler pic 5
Spoiler pic 6
Spoiler pic 7

Chapter 284 Spoiler Discussion

2007-07-18T13:29:54Z

Summary and images can be found in this Mangahelpers post

Any ideas on what's in the first pic?

Chapter 283 discussion

2007-07-13T13:48:16Z

Sorry this is late, RL and all that jazz. Here are the spoilers for the chapter.

Script Translation

Composite of spoiler pics

Both courtesy of Spacecat on Bleach Asylum

Chapter 282 discussion

2007-07-05T14:28:47Z

Still not much on what the actual chapter is, but I think this is substantial enough for some discussion.

Spoiler pic 1

Spoiler pic 2

Trans of text in spoiler pic 2

The above all courtesy of Mangahelpers

Chapter 281 discussion

2007-06-28T01:04:38Z

Sorry for the lateness, wanted to verify the authencity of the pictures first.

Spoiler pic 1
Spoiler pic 2
Spoiler pic 3

Spoiler pics courtesy of MangaHelpers

Text in first two pictures: "Grind, Pantera (Leopard King)!"

Opinions, people? ^^

Edit:
Spoiler pic 4

Short spoiler: http://www.mangahelpers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=446750#post446750

YES! We finally get a reaction from a non-Visored/Arrancar on Ichigo's mask!

Chapter 280 Discussion

2007-06-22T03:13:10Z

No pictures just yet, but I thought I'll post up a confirmed spoiler that is up on Mangahelpers, courtesy of spacecat.

Spoiler here

Edit: Pictures can be found at Bleach Asylum here

Chapter 279 discussion

2007-06-15T14:31:09Z

Quite a few spoiler pics this time, though of poor quality. They can be found under the spoiler tags at Mangahelpers.

Link to post at Mangahelpers

Seems like it's a straight up fight this time.

Chapter 278 discussion

2007-06-07T12:21:46Z

3 line spoiler out on Mangahelpers

Edit: Translation of full script

Spoiler courtesy of spacecat, bulten, translation courtesy of pocketmofo

Colour cover pic

Chapter 277 Discussion

2007-06-01T01:51:31Z

Edit: Spoiler pics up

Hey all, partial script and the Jump cover are out.

Spoiler pic 1
Spoiler pic 2
Spoiler pic 3
Spoiler pic 4
Spoiler pic 5
Spoiler pic 6
Spoiler pic 7
Spoiler pic 8
Spoiler pic 9

Spoiler pics courtesy of spacecat and Jojohot

Partial Script: http://www.mangahelpers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=414478#post414478
Jump cover: http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r83/Syneiam/coverff3.png

Credit goes to Mangahelpers and Bleach Forums respectively.

The characters on the Jump cover seem a little random. ^^

Chapter 276 Discussion

2007-05-24T15:49:22Z

A full script for this chapter is out. You can find it in the link below.

Link to thread at MangaHelpers

Seems like we're moving on to new things. ^^

Chapter 275 Discussion

2007-05-18T20:48:16Z

Late spoilers, late raw, and late discussion post! Oh what a week. :)

I totally lost my link to the MangaHelpers discussion post, so I don't have an available summary and translation. The raw is, by this point, out and available, and we know the chapter title is "The United Front 2." 100 chapters after the last! Does this take the place of our usual fifty chapter Hollow!Ichigo break?

ETA: Thanks to Corgi, we gots more links!

Trans 1
Trans 2
Trans 3
Online scans

What do you say, yall? How much longer will this go on?

Chapter 274 Spoiler Discussion

2007-05-09T11:31:35Z

Since the lovely co-mod is going to another country this week, I get to host the discussion. Though I'm in the middle of finals so, ya know, kick back, grab the beverage of your choice, and enjoy the strudel. Made it myself ;)1

Confirmed spoiler and translation

I can't wait to see spoiler pics and see if KT is continuing the mad passion of Zael and Ishida. And that's not serious shipping talk, but rather a comment on KT's use of facial shots and framing, and there's really no way to say that without sounding like a total perv, is there? It also appears that Renji has caught his breath, so YAY DOUBLE FIGHT.

Also intruiged by the Grimmjow and his body revulsion--not to mention testing 'Hime's powers. GAH. Didn't one of those girls get Cero'd? Is she gonna rebuild her from the pieces splattered on the wall? (Orihime: Okay, Grimmjow, if you want me to do that, I need a scraper.) What does this "Monster" comment mean--are we meant to take 'Hime's powers as a direct offense against the natural order of things, such that even the ArranLollies are all "You a freak against nature"? Which is interesting in light of the naturalness (i.e., occurs on its own) of Aizen's Arrancar.

raynos should NOT let me do these posts when I'm writing essays already.

1 - Meaning I actually bought them from the local grocery store. This has become a standard joke both at the place where I work(ed) and at Uni.

Chapter 239 Winged Eagles and Chapter 240 Regeneration

2007-05-09T05:41:07Z

Chapter 239

Short Summary: Ichigo is confronted by his various friends

Chapter info: 22 pages, 1 colour page and 1 colour spread. Colour spread features Renji, Hitsugaya, Urahara and Ichigo as vampires.

Mashiro picks up a package and hands it to Shinji

It was left by Ichigo, containing bandages and a thank you note. Shinji calls him a moron

Ichigo is back at school, and gets scolded by Occhi-sensei

Keigo attempts to greet Ichigo as usual, but gets cut off by Mizuiro

He says he's been trying to contact Ichigo, and even his mobile phone was off. Ichigo apologises.

Mizuiro offers Ichigo tickets to the Bad Shield 2 preview

Ichigo asks when it is. Mizuiro says December 5. Ichigo says he'll see him then

Ichigo starts to walk off, when someone suddenly calls his name

It's Tatsuki. She's panting and upset

She demands to know where Orihime has gone

Ichigo says he doesn't know, but Tatsuki says she doesn't believe him

When Ichigo still says he doesn't know, Tatsuki reveals that she has seen him in a black kimono fighting monsters, and that he should reveal everything

Ichigo tells her it is none of her business

Tatsuki punches his head through the window

Keigo restrains her. Tatsuki demands who is she to him? Friends? Companions? Couldn't he just tell her...

Ichigo says he can't, and tells Mizuiro that he's leaving Tatsuki to them

From now on, they shouldn't concern themselves with him

Urahara is waiting for Ichigo outside his shop, and says he's been expecting Ichigo to ask how to get to Hueco Mundo

Urahara explains his rationale for removing Orihime from the fight

Ichigo warns Urahara that by sending him to Hueco Mundo, he would be disobeying Soul Society, but Urahara says he's been doing it all along

Ishida and Chad reveal themselves and say they are going to Hueco Mundo too

Ichigo tries to turn them down, but Chad shows off his new strength

He tells Ichigo to believe in them and not carry the burden himself. That's why they're friends

Urahara says they seem prepared for their journey

1) Visoreds
Ichigo left the Visoreds a very strange message. While the thank you is clear, the returning of the bandages is a odd touch. Most likely Ichigo is trying to specifically thank them for taking care of his wounds.

Ichigo did not give an indication of where he was going, but by Shinji saying 'Moron' it's likely that he has an idea of where Ichigo plans to go. Again, this raises the question of how much the Visoreds, or even just Shinji, know about the situation. Shinji surprised all of us with his knowledge of Aizen and his plans, though that can be linked to the Visoreds watching the Arrancar. Does he know about Orihime's kidnap and how Ichigo plans to go rescue her?

2) Mizuiro and Keigo
This chapter is notable in its attempt to recall the early feel of the manga, with the focus on school and Ichigo's interactions with his friends. More specifically, we see Mizuiro and Keigo again, being their usual selves. Keigo greets Ichigo exuberantly, and Mizuiro teasingly mocks him.

The nostalgia in setting this scene back in school highlights how strange the current situation is. There's a war coming up, yet life in the human world goes on. KT drives the point home by having Mizuiro give Ichigo tickets to the Bad Shield 2 preview. (Bad Shield is a show mentioned in Bleach 0 Side A by Keigo and Mizuiro. It is also another manga by KT.) Ichigo asks when the show is, and even though the war with Aizen is slated to occur in winter, he still promises to be back by Dec 5. Ichigo's reasons for doing this could vary from not wanting to let Mizuiro know something is wrong, to Ichigo's determination to survive the war and return by that date.

3) Tatsuki
Tatsuki has been appearing on and off in the chapters prior to this one, and here she makes an impactful appearance. Why? Tatsuki is ANGRY.

It's unsurprising, considering how much she has been kept in the last. The last Tatsuki's spirit powers were developed was during the Quincy arc, when she was able to see spirits (but strangely not Hollows). Since then, her character has been static, while the others who developed powers around the same time have experienced Soul Society and have had interactions with both the Arrancar and the Visoreds. Naturally, there is a lot that Tatsuki is being kept in the dark about.

And she knows it. After their return from Soul Society, Tatsuki got a hint of how much she missed when she sees Orihime, Chad, and Ichigo in shinigami form running out of the school. She at least knows there is something that Orihime isn't telling her, especially about the time that she was missing. Indeed, in this chapter Tatsuki proves that she has a inkling that Orihime was not where she said she was, because Tatsuki could feel Orihime's presence only faintly, as if blocked by something.

But now Orihime's presence is completely gone, and that gives Tatsuki the incentive she needs to confront Ichigo. But Ichigo has reasons of his own for not giving Tatsuki a straight answer, and Tatsuki, already strained from worry about Ichigo and knowing that he knows something, snaps.

Tatsuki's not a stranger to violence. She's kicked Ichigo in the head before when he was down, and set herself up as Orihime's personal protector. Here though, she is acting out of anger, and she is so angry that she punches his head right through a window.

Is her anger justified? For Tatsuki her reasons are clear. She's always considered herself Ichigo's friend since they trained together in the dojo. Even when she hung out more with Orihime and Ichigo with Chad, they still kept in touch. To Tatsuki, Ichigo not telling her feels like betrayal. That is why she demands to know what she is to him.

Ichigo however, has not been telling Tatsuki the truth from the start. In Memories in the Rain, when a young Tatsuki asks Ichigo if he can see ghosts, Ichigo says he doesn't. That is not true at all. If Ichigo has been keeping Tatsuki in the dark since that time, his behaviour now is still in line with that. And indeed, Ichigo's parting words are for Keigo and Mizuiro to take care of Tatsuki before he leaves, presumeably to find Urahara.

4) Urahara's plans and Ichigo's concerns
Urahara attempts to explain the rationale behind undermining Orihime and her role in the battle. Given Urahara's slippery nature, it's probably not a good idea to take his words at face value. Letting Orihime get kidnapped by the Arrancar is a major tactical blunder, especially considering the likely reactions of Ichigo and friends. While Urahara isn't infallable, he does tend to be one step ahead of most of the Bleach characters. Making such a mistake isn't quite like him.

Ichigo's concern over Urahara breaking the law is quite interesting, considering that Ichigo declared during the SS arc that laws shouldn't be followed if they're stupid.

5) Chad and Ishida: the point about comrades/friends
Chad and Ishida express their desire to go along. Ichigo tries to turn them down, but Chad shows off his increase in powers. He then emphasises the importance of friends. According to Chad, Ichigo should believe in his friends and let them share the burden with him. Given Tatsuki's comments and Ichigo's reaction, this seems to be an important point that Ichigo has to learn.

Random fact: Ichigo doesn't seem too surprised to see that Ishida has got back his powers.

6) Winged Eagles
The opposite of Chapter 238's title Eagle Without Wings, as Ichigo now has the chance to get to Hueco Mundo. He is also no longer alone, but followed by Chad and Ishida.

Chapter 240

Short Summary: Ichigo, Chad and Ishida leave for Hueco Mundo, Orihime meets Aizen and the Espada

Chapter info: 19 pages, none coloured.

Urahara opens a gate to Hueco Mundo

He tells them that the cave they pass through is called "Garganta" and that they need to make their own path with the spirit particles there. If they move towards the darkness, they will reach Hueco Mundo

Ichigo asks Urahara to explain things to his family

Urahara asks what he should say to his friends, Ichigo says he will apologise when he gets back

Ichigo, Chad and Ishida jump in

Urahara says they can come now, and Tatsuki, Keigo and Mizuiro all reveal themselves

Urahara says he's known they were there all along, and that he should going on with his own work now

In Hueco Mundo, Orihime is welcomed to Las Noches

Aizen is on his throne, and asks her to show him her power

He also notices Luppi is upset, and apologises after Luppi has explained himself

He then instructs Orihime to heal Grimmjow's missing arm

Luppi doesn't believe Orihime can do it, and is stunned when she succeeds

Aizen explains that Orihime's power is the 'rejection of situations', returning anything to a state before it happened, and is a power that can even reach the level of the gods

Grimmjow requests Orihime to heal another spot: his 6 tattoo.

Luppi demands to know what Grimmjow wants to do, and gets stabbed and Ceroed

Grimmjow reclaims his position as the 6th Espada

1) Getting to Hueco Mundo vs Getting to Soul Society
Again Urahara provides the means of travelling between worlds. This however, differs slightly from getting to Soul Society. For Soul Society, a formalised gate was made. This is evidently a Soul Society procedure, as the same gate was made when Ichigo and the others returned to the real world. For Hueco Mundo, Urahara does an incantation similar to the one that the Shibas are known for. These incantations are similar to kidou incantations, but longer and more elaborate.

The entrance to Hueco Mundo is called "Garganta", spanish for throat. The entrance does bear striking similarity to a mouth. Inside the gateway, as with Soul Society, there is a buffer region before Ichigo and the others reach Hueco Mundo proper.

Just a note: How will Ichigo and the others return to the real world? Unlike Soul Society, they do not have Yoruichi as a guide nor any possible allies who could help them return home.

2) The rest of the Karakura crew
It's not only Tatsuki who learns Ichigo's secret by following him, both Mizuiro and Keigo also find out that Ichigo is a shinigami.

Keigo has already begun to see shinigami, as evidenced by his meeting with Ikkaku and Yumichika outside of their gigais. However, Mizuiro has not shown any evidence of spirit power to date. Still, for KT to introduce him along with Tatsuki and Keigo here, it's a good bet that he can see Ichigo as a shinigami too.

Interestingly enough, on one of the first few chapter colour spreads the Jump splash text mentions the Karakura group as "7 shinigami sentai". (Source from here: http://chirachira.livejournal.com/92930.html) Despite the tag "Just kidding" afterwards, it's worth some consideration. Perhaps Urahara's statement "I am going to go on with my own work" is an indication that he will take them under his wing and train them.

3) Initial similarities and differences with Soul Society arc
With Ichigo and the others heading off to rescue someone, comparisions with the Soul Society arc are inevitable. At this early stage there are definitely a lot of similarities. The most superficial is the fact that Urahara has organised a rescue team comprising of Ichigo and his friends to go into 'enemy' territory. Orihime, like Rukia, is being held captive in another world. Unlike Rukia, however, we have no idea what Aizen has in store for her.

Ichigo also took a lot more convincing to go rescue Rukia as compared to Orihime. This can be attributed to the fact that Rukia was from Soul Society originally and belongs there, as compared to Orihime who definitely does not belong in Hueco Mundo.

Ichigo's insistence on going it alone on his rescue mission in Hueco Mundo can be attributed to his experience in Soul Society. Out of his friends, he is the one who has progressed the most, achieving captain-class abilities such as bankai. This, to him, gives him the greater chance of success in rescuing Orihime. His friends however, do not consider that as important.

4) Orihime's power and Aizen's schemes
Aizen introduces Orihime to the Arrancar citadel: Las Noches. He has brought her to the throne room and the amassed Arrancar to give a demonstration of her powers. The subject: Grimmjow's arm.

Naturally, that sets Luppi up as the disbeliever of Orihime's abilities, especially since a restored Grimmjow would threaten his current position as the Sixth Espada. Add the fact that Luppi was already unhappy with the mission being a distraction to retrieve Orihime.

Orihime achieves it, laying to rest any doubts that Luppi has raised. Aizen then explains Orihime's powers in detail as "the rejection of situations", which returns anything to the state before it happens. He then proclaims that her power has the potential to reach that of the gods.

Given that Aizen knows her potential, he definitely has some plans for her. Unfortunately, what those plans are have not yet been revealed.

5) Luppi vs Grimmjow
Grimmjow wants his position back, and he makes that clear when he gets Orihime to heal his scraped off tattoo. He backs up his words with action by stabbing Luppi through the chest and ceroing him.

The Arrancar are not nice people, and this scene just goes to prove it. Within Aizen's ranks there is a lot of back-stabbing and simmering tensions. Managing such an army is rather impressive.

Interestingly, we only get to see Aizen's eye but get a clear view of Ulquiorra, Wonderwyce and Yammy's reaction.

6) Regeneration
The chapter title is clearly referring to Orihime and her powers, and/or how she regenerated Grimmjow's arm.

Chapter 273 Spoiler Discussion

2007-04-25T09:24:16Z

Edit: Translated script up

Spoiler pics 1
Spoiler pics 2

Translation of teaser
Translation of summary pt 1
Translation of summary pt 2

Links courtesy of Naruto Forums

Translation of script

Translation of script courtesy of pocketmofo at MangaHelpers

Chapter 272 Discussion

2007-04-18T09:01:19Z

2nd wave of spoiler pics

Short teaser and spoiler pics here

Spoiler courtesy of Spacecat on BleachForums

Translated mini-script

Spoiler pic 1
Spoiler pic 2
Spoiler pic 3
Spoiler pic 4
Spoiler pic 5
Spoiler pic 6

Spoiler courtesy of Mangahelpers

... KT, you crazy thing.

Chapter 271 Discussion

2007-04-13T08:04:45Z

Late with the spoilers this week. Sorry about that.

Spoiler pics

Post with teaser

Both links courtesy of Naruto Forums.