User blog:Xilinoc/Ch. 586 - The Headless Star 5

Song to listen to while reading this chapter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liTccLRNeOM (I swear it totally fits this time)

Well, um, wasn't expecting that.

So first off, we get more build-up to and the start of the massive battle between Gotei 13 soldiers and the Sternritter. Bazz-B casually counting how many enemies there were out of legitimate curiosity and not just as a taunt was pretty funny, and his Spirit Weapon is actually kinda cool - can't say I've seen a crossbow with a handgun handle before. Guess that's what he used to cap poor Izuru. Oh, and Ikkaku can just shatter the ground with one attack now. Dem muscles. Also, I, for some reason, did NOT see the mass Vollständig coming, though I totally should have. It seems like Pepe might not have one, though, and I didn't see Giselle in that wide shot. Hm, interesting.

Oh, and Ikkaku is as silly as ever. Yay.

Then we get to a part that I honestly wasn't expecting this early on - Ichigo finally learning about Uryū's betrayal. It seems Uryū is putting on the facade of actually having turned to the dark side, although he DID just tell Ichigo to go home instead of Force-choking him. But then he uses Licht Regen of all things - another thing I didn't see coming, though Kubo had kinda forgotten about it by now - and Orihime and Sado finally arrive in Soul Society, with Orihime protecting Ichigo from the onslaught of arrows. Her Santen Kesshun must be pretty powerful by now if she can block all those Heilig Pfeil from Uryū, the guy with the arrows apparently stronger than those of Quilge. Or maybe she just has more resolve. Either one works for me. (And my LORD, Arrancar, you totally ninja'd those pages, man.) But then Ichigo can only watch as Uryū, Yhwach, and Haschwalth...vanish in a flash of light. Ooooooookay.

Overall, this chapter was decent enough for me. I liked the stuff with Bazz-B and the mass power-up for the Sternritter, but I agree with Salubri that we kinda got left hanging there at the end, although I'm sure it'll resume next week. I also liked the emotional bit at the end with Ichigo and Uryū; I've been waiting for it to happen for a long time now, and it played out in an interesting manner. Oh, and Orihime and Sado are here, which is cool and stuff.