User blog comment:Xilinoc/Ch. 665 - The Princess Dissection/@comment-24531362-20160310210550

ANALYSIS MODE ENGAGE:

We start off, in true Kubo fashion, with a new look at last chapter's ending, wherein Urahara states that he has no choice, in the face of Askin's aggressive tactics, but to activate his Bankai. Seems a bit different than Shunsui's 'absolute last chance' Bankai justification; Shunsui wasn't sure he'd be able to beat Lille otherwise, while Kisuke wants to end the fight before something unexpected happens.

Anyway, back in the now, we see Askin reacting to the activation of Urahara's Bankai: Kannonbiraki Benihime Atarame with a look of shock and bewilderment. Apparently, Kisuke has been so good at not needing to use his Bankai that the Wandenreich had literallu no info about it other than 'Kisuke Urahara has a Bankai' (BUT WAIT, you say, what about his proficiency test? He had to use it then, right? To that I answer, yes, he had to activate it, but that is it. All he had to do is indicate possession of Bankai, not demonstrate it's effects. Furthermore, thanks to Mayuri and Renji, we know that Bankai can change, evolve, or even be artificially modified, so there's no guarantee that this Bankai is the same as the one he demonstrated. Aside over). The 'ritter asks what his opponent's new ability can do, but Kisuke's lips are sealed.

You know what isn't sealed, though? Askin's arm. In an excellently eerie panel, Askin's arm seems to unzip, revealing all sorts of spiritual goodies inside. Askin flees from Urahara's immediate vicinity, guessing that his attack must have an effective range, but is shocked to see his opponent's eyes have regenerated. The ersatz science man reveals that the ability his Bankai possesses is 'restructuring'; he can make changes in any substance in order to suit his needs, and he changed the makeup of his eyes so they work again.

The two opponents then clash physically, with Askin using what appears to be a straightened, staff version of his Heilig Bogen to block his foe's sword. Unfortunately for our bizarrely-adventurous Quincy, Urahara restructures his hand to increase his physical force, overwhelming his enemy's defenses. Askin complains that what should have been a fight of techniques and finesse has, through conflict with Grimmjow, Ichigo, the Shihoin siblings, and now Urahara, become a basic, brute force competition. Fed up with the whole thing, he decides to turn up the juice on his inescapable Gift Bereich. Kisuke trolls him by basically pointging out that the Gift Bereich's poison field is obviously working sooooooooooooo well on him, but Askin is having none of that.

You know what else Askin is having none of? His heart. See, Kisuke had deduced that while nothing could get out of Gift Bereich, the attack made no sense if enemies could not enter the field. So, he restructured up a quick path between the field's exterior and Askin, and who would rush in but a fully Resurrección-clad Cowboy from Hell, Grimmjow. Good ol' Mr. Five Minutes Alone crushes the Quincy's heart in what can only be described as a vulgar display of power.

That was quite a chapter. When Kisuke said his power was restructuring I kinda expected him to tweak Askin to either remove The Deathdealing or make Askin vulnerable to his own poison but going full circle and bringing Grimmjow back into the fight he started was a nice touch. I can't wait to see how this continues, as I, like Xil, doubt this is over.

That's a wrap!