ravens_rising | (no subject)

Both this week’s chapter and last week’s chapter sent me into visible flailing and incoherence. I am so freaking intrigued by this arc. All you people on my flist that gave up on Bleach, I’d definitely recommend popping in now or in the future (when we actually know more of what’s going on, haha).

First let me just say that I love the nakama these last few chapters. I’m more of a shinigami girl, as you all know, but the nakama had me flailing. They’re just so competent and relaxed with each other. Adorable. On the other hand, I have a feeling that this is setting us up for a fall, where there are tensions between Ishida and the others. I’m really apprehensive about how Ishida is going to be handled- I don’t want to see tension within the nakama, or tension between Soul Society and the nakama because of Ishida. Argh. (Or at least some of Soul Society. I am fine with their being tensions between, say, Mayuri and Ishida, haha.)

I love how we have no idea what’s going on in Soul Society. So Ikkaku got... a report from 12th saying that kids were disappearing? Do he or does he not know anything about possible Quincies? It was sounding like they didn’t… And is the implication that they’re being destroyed, or... transported somewhere? And their revelation has me a bit confused. Were they taken away by someone in the village? I don't see how the sandal thing tells them that. If anything, to me it seems like it was someone not from Rukongai.
I mean I think it’s probably these new Quincy/mysterious doing stuff, but... that doesn’t seem to be what Ikkaku and Yumi are talking about, lol. Thoughts?

Also, I am not sure how I feel about Yumichika’s new hairstyle.

And of course, what the heck is Ivan? From the spoilers it sounded like he was definitely an arrancar/quincy hybrid like people were saying, but he seemed to look down on arrancars in the chapter. But I guess if he’s, like, the Quincy version of a Vizard maybe he still would look down on arrancar. And I suppose it would make sense as far as my skepticism about the Quincy being powerful enough to leave SS in ruins... on the other hand the Vizard didn’t end up being THAT much more powerful than the Shinigami, so. I don’t know. I still think there’ll be more to the story about the power the Quincy have. I still think they may have also allied with another group.

I wonder what his purpose was/is? Ichigo was the one that was instigating the fight, Ivan didn’t say anything about fighting before Ichigo did. I’m with the camp that thinks he was more of a messenger, sent to see where Ichigo’s loyalties lie. At least at first.

Does he know about Ishida? He didn’t acknowledge him at all.

But of course the last scene was what made me freak out. What are they doing? Who are they? Are they the same as Ivan? Obviously they look very different but that could be masks or something. How did they get into Seireitei without getting noticed? How did they get SO DEEP into Seireitei without being noticed?? I’m not sure whether the implication here is that they’re just that powerful (which would make sense if they’re going to bring SS to ruins) or whether someone inside helped them in.

And then of course, what’s going to happen next chapter? As in, what’s Yamamoto going to do? Are they just redshirts and Yamamoto is going to dust them? Considering how FAST Kubo’s pace has been the last few chapters, I’m almost wondering if they’re going to kill/defeat/injure Yamamoto and we’re already starting the SS being ‘in ruins’ part. I’d assumed that wouldn’t happen for a while...

I think my favorite part of the chapter is the text on page for.

"... no one knows that the end is coming."

Thanks, Kubo. I am sufficiently creeped out now.