User blog:Lia Schiffer/375: Execution, Extinction

So, this is something that I'd wanted to do for a while but didn't find a place to do it. That is, a weekly comment/opinion/OMG-squealing place for Bleach chapters and episodes. And I'm starting with this week's 375 Execution, Extinction. I'm not gonna OMG, firstly because I don't OMG, I OMU (U goes for Ulquiorra) and secondly because I'm quite past the OMU moment.

Firstly, I loved the chapter. It was very emotive and I felt I loved Starrk and Lilynette even more. Kubo showed us a different Espada, someone who didn't want to be stronger, someone who was actually thankful to his lord, someone who could see "friends" in other Hollows. Someone who actually felt pain to see others dying. It was heartbreaking. It also showed a better picture of his relationship with Lilynette, and it was really touching. To see her smiling gently as they vowed to stick together forever, to cure each other's loneliness.

Apart from that, the last two chapters revindicated Tite Kubo, for me at least. He showed us that he's still capable of making an amazing background for each amazing character. Moreover, he showed once again that he can come up with stunning powers, that go far from your usual shonen manga. And he showed that he is capable of tricking us, deceiving our eyes and fooling with our minds and imaginations, just to finally come up with something that no one could have guessed. Katen Kyokotsu's power is a clear proof of that. For a long time, we all thought it was a Wind-based zanpakutoh. And her true power was something far more amazing than that. Also, we all made a "WTF" face when Starrk and Lilynette merged. I, at least, started thinking that I was reading DBZ instead of my beloved Bleach. And Kubo was able to change that "fusion" into something far more complex. The man's got talent, we must admit that.

Finally, I was slightly disappointed with the Hiyori-Lisa-Hitsugaya vs Harribel match. First, he gave Hiyori and Lisa amazing zanpakutos (Haguro Tonbo, in my opinion, is incredibly beautiful), but with apparently no other than pure physical power. And I'm sure he has something up his sleeve for those two, but I find it disappointing to see two wonderful shikais with no further battle. If he had that in mind from the start, he should've kept those two as a surprise. And it did felt kind of sexist that the only female Espada and the two main female Vizards didn't get what we'd call a "honorable fight". Besides, that the leader had to dispose of Harribel like that, even if it's part of Aizen's character to just get rid of his subordinates without reason, felt like "yeah, good macho fights are ova' so let's kick the girl outta tha picture, 'coz she ain't gonna do anything good anyway". Maybe I'm a bit paranoid about the whole "sexism" deal, but it's something that's been bothering me since the beginning of Bleach.

Let's just wait to see what Tite has in store for us and Harribel and Aizen and let's just hope he'll keep going down the good path of the great plot. And feel free to comment if you have the patience to read it all.