Bleach (Manga)

Image from: http://www.mangareader.net/94/bleach.html

Name: Bleach ブリーチ

Author: Tite Kubo

Status: On-going

Chapter: 582

Release date (for eng scan): Once a week, Every Thursday

Summary: 

Kurosaki Ichigo is a normal high school student with abnormally high spiritual powers (reiatsu), because of that, he is able to see things that normal people can't. Like ghost, hollows and shinigamis (death reaper). One day, he meets Kuchiki Rukia, a shinigami who happens to be passing his house in search for a hollow. When the hollow attacked Ichigo's family, he was given power from Rukia to turn him into a temporary Shinigami (subsitude Shinigami). However, he takes all her power, which awakens his true Shinigami's powers within him. With Rukia left powerless, Ichigo agrees to help her eliminate hollows. While hollows aim to kill Ichigo because of his high spiritual powers, the people around him started getting involved. Unexpected event took place and he found himself deeply connected and involved in the Shinigami world.

Summary by: AngelaAgness

Personal ratings: 3.5

Truthfully I almost gave it a 3 because of the overwhelming amount of unexpected turn of events. However,  I really found that this manga, compared to the other popular Shounen manga (e.g. Katekyo Hitman Reborn), very well planned out. I could really see the deep connection between the arcs. It really gave me a very good impression that everything was planned out since the beginning. Many events that occurred in the beginning was shown and link back to the other arcs after that. 

I have to say that the first and second arc has to much of a connection that they seem to be as a single arc. (the one about Aizen). Although the purpose and main point of the first two arc is totally different, one incident led to another and it made it seem like it was connected, unlike the third and fourth arc. The third and fourth arc really made it seem like it has totally no connection to the first two arc at all. However, in the third arc, they really solved all the questions that we had in the first two arc, which really surprised me, because it really made me think that the author planned way ahead, and connects the whole story together, which is what i really liked about this manga.

However, as i said in the beginning, there was too much unexpected turn of events. Some of it really ruins the whole manga. The fact that the author made Aizen to pro and strong was really a mistake. They made him seem almost invisible. I really hated how they showed that Ichigo was totally no match for him, they should have at least shown something more realistic. Also, the part about Espada, Uluqiora (sorry if i mis-spelled it), he was the only one in the whole espada that could transform into the final stage, and i cannot see how he is only the 4th. In my opinion, the 3rd and the 1st epspada was really weak compared to him. 

Also, what i didn't like about this manga was about Inoue and Chad. Even though the author said that they have unique powers awaken by Ichigo's strong Spiritual powers. However, I'm wondering about under what power groups are they classified into. They should explain how come these people have these kind of powers and are there any more out there that have this. 

I totally loved the way they slowly revealed bits and pieces about Ichigo's family in the different arcs.

Art ratings: 2 to 5

When Bleach first started out, the drawing was terrible. I cannot say why, but it just looked terrible, the whole thing. However, in the later chapters, there was a drastic improvement from the artist. The art became more unique, more complex but in the simple way. Totally in love with the art now. It is such a huge improvement that i could not believe that the artist then was the artist now.

I think right now, the artist is able to express a lot of feelings just through the art itself, which makes it very valuable.

Recommended for:

Gender: Male & Female

Age: 13 and above

My ratings: PG - 13