User blog comment:Godisme/Battlefield Shallows, Otherfield Abyss/@comment-1268838-20110331004542/@comment-1393830-20110331023033

I don't expect any one chapter to make the arc better but look at 441 which seemed to have unanimous praise. It was interesting, it was exciting, we all enjoyed it. There are some chapters I can go back and read at any time. I re-read the entire soul society arc for fun a few months ago. This chapter I cannot envision myself going back to read for any reason other than doing work here. I can say the same thing about pretty much this entire arc so far. Look at it this way. We are 17 chapters into this arc. 17 chapters into the SS arc we were in the middle of Ichigo's fight with Ikkaku. 17 chapters into the Arrancar Arc, Ulquiorra and Yammy had already come and left. So I would say the pace and excitement level is very toned down in this arc