The Rukia Rescue arc has come to a great ending! It was filled with intense battles, emotional moments, and unexpected twists. The characters showed great growth and determination throughout the arc.

I'm really excited to start the next one, which I believe will be the Arrancar arc. I've heard a lot of good things about this arc and I can't wait to see what adventures and challenges the characters will face.

The Arrancar are said to be some of the most powerful and dangerous enemies in the Bleach universe, so I'm sure there will be plenty of exciting battles and story developments. I'm also looking forward to seeing more of the characters' abilities and how they will evolve in the face of these new challenges.

Overall, I'm really enjoying the Bleach series and I can't wait to see what the future holds.

Wow. What a truly remarkable arc!

It outpaces the JJK Shibuya arc by a significant margin. In fact, it's not even remotely close.

The pace at which the characters progressed and developed over the course of the entire Soul Society Invasion arc is nothing short of a masterclass in writing.

And what an ending it had! I was so engrossed that I flew through 6 volumes just today.

Bleach is truly shaping up to be far better than I could have ever anticipated.

The story is filled with intense action, complex characters, and unexpected plot twists that keep you on the edge of your seat.

It's no wonder that Bleach has become such a beloved and iconic series.

I can't wait to see what else lies ahead in this amazing journey.

This volume truly marks a significant turning point in this arc. It not only reveals the central antagonist for a large part of the entire series but also presents a web of intrigues and betrayals.

On my first reading, I was quite surprised by how suspicious Aizen seemed right from the start. The way Gin was used as a red herring along with Aizen's fake death was rather clever. The reveals of Gin and Tōsen conspiring with Aizen since the very beginning added an extra layer of complexity to the story.

The betrayal and reveal in this volume were well done. Although I felt that Aizen's reveal and betrayal could have been enhanced if we had more time with him before his fake death, the overall execution was still engaging. I had previously criticized the anime for making Aizen seem like he had orchestrated all the events up until this point, but the manga did a better job of depicting and explaining this.

This volume was filled with numerous twists and a wealth of information, yet it didn't feel overbearing. The explanations were presented in a way that didn't seem like info dumping, and everything converged neatly in the story. While I do have some criticisms of Aizen as a character and antagonist, this volume did justice to his story. I just wish his character had been introduced more effectively before his fake death. Nevertheless, I appreciate how everything unraveled and how the story shifted its focus, setting the stage for more exciting developments to come.

No one has ever reached the summit of the heavens before. It wasn't you, nor was it I, or even the gods. However, the intolerable emptiness of those heavens comes to an end now. From this moment forward, I will take my place at the very top.

“No one ever stood atop the heavens before.
Not you...
Or I...
Or the gods.
But the unbearable vacancy of those heavens ends now.
From now on, I will stand at the top.”

Yowza! That is truly an extremely powerful and menacing mission statement of a bad guy. Holy crap! This arc has opened the door to a mega-exciting story that is about to unfold. I have received so many answers, yet somehow, I still find myself with even more questions. It makes me wonder what kind of twists and turns this story will take. Will the bad guy succeed in his goal of standing at the top? Or will there be unforeseen obstacles and challenges that will prevent him from achieving his ambition? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure - this story is going to be one heck of a ride.

I got the 20th anniversary version of Bleach Vol 1 immediately after finding out about it. It was such a great opportunity for me to finally start reading the manga series.

Honestly, I really loved it. The art used for the anniversary cover is truly amazing. It really brings you back to Tite Kubo's original art style and shows how much it has changed and improved throughout the years that Bleach has been running.

The pacing, however, is a bit strange. I was already used to the way the anime divided up the arcs and chapters (since I got into Bleach through the anime, oops). But still, it was enjoyable to read and look back to where it all started. It's really funny seeing Ichigo in the first volume and comparing him to where he is now. It makes you realize how much he has grown and developed as a character. Overall, I'm really glad I decided to start reading the Bleach manga and I can't wait to see what else it has in store for me.

When Matsumoto comes face to face with Kira, she discovers the true power of his zanpaku-to, Wabisuke. Kira's sword doubles the weight of whatever it strikes. As a result, the user eventually struggles to wield it and sinks to their knees, with their head bowed in a penitent pose. (Wabisuke means the Penitent One).

Hinamori is perplexed as to why Gin has brought her to the place where the 46 govern. However, everything becomes clear when she comes face-to-face with the last person she expected to see there. How can this be possible? But the joyous reunion is abruptly cut short.

When Hitsugaya arrives, he is also shocked to see the newcomer and then chilled when he learns what has happened to Momo. Battle is now inevitable. It isn't long before Unohana and Isane show up, having deduced this person's location. We then learn the true power he possesses, a power that has deceived many people for a long time. Perhaps only Tosen, being blind and thus immune to it, knew what was happening. Which means he acted with knowledge and consent. Has everyone else been affected by this? Maybe the Ryoka are immune. One can only hope.

When the traitors disappear, Unohana figures out where they've gone and tells Isane to send a special message to all the captains, lieutenants, and the Ryoka, instructing them to assemble immediately… it's an emergency!

The newcomer confronts Renji and Rukia and demands that Rukia be handed over to him. Naturally, Renji refuses. And just in the nick of time, Ichigo appears. More battles are inevitable, and along with them, a great deal is learned, including the secret of the object known as the Hogyaku. Before, the objective of the Thirteen Court squads was to defeat the Ryoka so that Rukia could be executed. Now, the common goal is to rescue her from the newly revealed enemy in their midst.

This volume is filled with numerous events, so strap on your hip boots and dive in. Don't be surprised if things aren't as they seem. Apparently, you can't trust your eyes. And some people are not to be trusted. I think one character put it well when he said, "Adoration is the state furthest from understanding." This is just another way of saying that love is blind.

Boundaries will have to be redrawn, foes will become enemies, and enemies will become foes. Many things that we've wondered about will become clearer, such as Kiskue's role in the grand scheme of things and a better understanding of Ichigo's Hollowfication. The only thing that bothers me about this book is Rukia's limp and wishy-washy attitude. Normally, she's a feisty, don't-mess-with-me kind of girl, but here she seems almost willing to go along with what's happening, as if she's resigned to it. Maybe there's a logical explanation for this, but if there is, I'm not aware of it. I guess I'll have to wait and see if she regains the old Rukia spark.

Speaking of sparks, I suspect there will be plenty flying in the next volume. I'm really looking forward to it!

Everything was part of his plan. Hehehehe. This simple statement holds a world of mystery and intrigue. What could this plan entail? Was it a grand scheme to achieve some great goal, or perhaps a more devious plot with hidden motives? The man behind the plan, with his sinister laughter, seems to be in control of every aspect. One can't help but wonder what steps he has taken and what lies ahead. Each detail, carefully crafted and integrated, leads to an unknown destination. As the story unfolds, we will surely discover the true nature of this plan and the consequences it will bring. Will it succeed or fail? Only time will tell.

"You so much as twitch a finger...and you lose your head." - Yoruichi and Soifon. AAAHH THE CHILLS I GOT WHEN THEY SHOWED UP AND SAID THAT!! It was truly a spine-tingling moment. Anyways, THE BETRAYAL OF ALL BETRAYALS has happened. WHY MOMO THOUGH?? WHY?? I'm so pissed. How could she be so easily deceived? It's just heartbreaking. SCREW AIZEN AND ICHIMARU FOREVER. They are the root causes of all this chaos and pain. However, I really liked the ending of this though. I wasn't expecting everyone to show up and show out like that. It was a great display of unity and strength. It gave me hope that in the end, good will prevail over evil.

OH MY GUCKING GODDDDD???? I had a hunch that Aizen's ugly ass wasn't dead, but WHATTT???????? And Byakuya jumping in front of Rukia was just... amazing. Finally, I can come out and say that he's sooo fine. I was truly speechless. I was kind of expecting Gin (who is also quite fine) to betray, but Tosen was just so out of left field. It really caught me off guard. The whole situation is just so intense and full of surprises. I can't wait to see what happens next in this story. I'm on the edge of my seat, eager to find out the fate of these characters and how the plot will unfold.

I already knew the Aizen twist because I accidentally came across a spoiler years ago. However, to be honest, it's all rather silly anyway.

We hardly know him when he "dies," so the reveal is somewhat of a who cares moment. It follows the typical anime trope where he's the mastermind all along, and everything that has ever occurred was part of his insanely convoluted and seemingly impossible plan.

So, why the high rating? Well, it's because it's fun. And I believe that sums up my feelings about this series so far. It's dumb and lacks any real depth, but it's still enjoyable.

Sometimes, you just want to switch off your brain and be entertained, and this series manages to do that. It may not be a masterpiece in terms of story or character development, but it has its charm and can provide a good dose of entertainment when you're in the mood for something light and fun.

Overall, while I may not be overly impressed with the Aizen twist or the series as a whole, I can still appreciate it for what it is - a source of mindless entertainment.

Aside from some loose end/housekeeping type of cleanup that I'm sure v.21 will get into, I firmly believe this represents the emotional/main plot end of the Soul Society arc. Of course, I'm willing to be wrong, but in my opinion, there are no more battles to fight, no more shocking twists to uncover, and no more people to save.

v.20 represents a wealth of information. If you recall in The Incredibles how there was a running joke about villains monologuing? Well, this is the opportunity for the current Bleach villains to do just that. To explain what they did, how they did it, and why they did it. When you think about it, up to this point, we've had very little information. The goal has been to save Rukia, and while we understood the crime, we didn't understand why that crime meant death, nor why that date kept getting moved up. We understood why Soul Society reacted the way it did to Ichigo and his friends' invasion to save her, but we also got the sense that Soul Society wasn't necessarily the enemy. However, until this volume, we didn't even really know who the primary bad guys were. It's a substantial amount of information.

And, like, it's good information. Stuff that will likely remain relevant throughout the next arc or two, and perhaps even the whole series. It provides crucial insights into the motives and actions of the characters, deepening our understanding of the complex world of Bleach.

The redacted information that has been revealed is truly remarkable. It holds the potential to bring about significant changes and insights.

The details that have come to light may have far-reaching implications in various fields.

It could impact our understanding of a particular subject, influence decision-making processes, or even lead to new discoveries.

The revelation is like a key that unlocks a door to a world of possibilities.

It allows us to see things from a different perspective and gain a deeper understanding of the situation at hand.

With this newfound knowledge, we can take informed actions and make better choices.

The redacted reveal is indeed a valuable asset that has the power to shape our future.

It is essential that we carefully analyze and utilize this information to its fullest potential.