Volume 10: Chapter 80 - 88

Arc 2: Soul Society: The Sneak Entry

This volume first introduces the captains of Gotei 13. They are Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto of the 1st Division, Suì-Fēng of the 2nd Division, Ichimaru Gin of the 3rd Division, Retsu Unohana of the 4th Division, Sōsuke Aizen of the 5th Division, Kuchiki Byakuya of the 6th Division, Sajin Komamura of the 7th Division, Shunsui Kyōraku of the 8th Division, Kaname Tōsen of the 9th Division, Tōshirō Hitsugaya of the 10th Division, Zaraki Kenpachi of the 11th Division, Kurotsuchi Mayuri of the 12th Division, and Jūshirō Ukitake of the 13th Division.

Ichigo, Inoue, Chad, Ishida, Yoruichi, and Ganju manage to enter the barrier of Seireitei. However, they are separated into 4 groups: Chad, Inoue, and Ishida; Yoruichi; Ichigo and Ganju. Ichigo and Ganju confront Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa. Ichigo engages in a fierce battle with Ikkaku and ultimately manages to defeat him. This sets the stage for further adventures and challenges as they continue their journey in the Soul Society.

A basic volume that marked the inception of the Soul Society arc. This entry was concise and to the point, and I really appreciated how the tension was instantly ratcheted up by the main cast being split apart in such a hostile and unfamiliar terrain. In the previous volume, we had already learned just how perilous this place can be. So, to witness a significant number of Soul Reapers scurrying about and to know that our protagonists are isolated from one another in an environment they are not acquainted with, with powerful and menacing Captains lurking around every corner, is an engaging and thrilling way to kickstart this arc and propel the story forward. We do get to see our first battle within the Soul Society, but it's against a lower ranked character and concludes rather swiftly.

To reach out with our hands,

We strive to achieve the impossible.

Brush away the clouds and pierce the sky,

With determination and a burning desire.

To grab the moon and Mars,

Expanding our horizons and pushing the boundaries.

But despite our greatest efforts,

We still can't reach the truth.

The truth remains elusive,

Hiding behind a veil of mystery.

We search high and low,

But it seems to always be just out of our grasp.

Maybe the truth is not something that can be easily found,

But rather something that we must continuously strive for.

As we reach out with our hands,

We must also keep our minds open and our hearts receptive.

For only then can we hope to catch a glimpse of the truth,

And continue on our journey of discovery.