Bleach 128

[LobsterMagnet]

Hate ruin everyone's day but it looks like for the next month we're going to be stuck with nothing but filler. Checkout the episode titles. No manga material in sight.

128 "The Nightmare Arrancar! Team Hitsugaya Moves Out"
"Akumu no arankaru! Hitsugaya tai shutsugeki" (悪夢のアランカル！日番谷隊出撃) June 6, 2007
129 "The Swooping Descent of the Dark Emissary! The Propagation of Malice"
"Maiorita yami no shisha! Zōshoku suru akui" (舞い降りた闇の使者！増殖する悪意) June 13, 2007
130 "The Invisible Enemy! Hitsugaya's Merciless Decision"
"Mienai teki! Hitsugaya, hijō na ketsudan" (見えない敵！日番谷、非情な決断) June 20, 2007
131 "Rangiku's Tears, the Sorrowful Parting of Brother and Sister"
"Rangiku no namida, kanashiki kyōdai no wakare" (乱菊の涙、哀しき兄妹の別れ) June 27, 2007

[Darknodin]

shouldn't have read this thread... while the ep was kinda bad, I was massively intrigued by it, since it comes out of literally nowhere...

[big_ac]

Actually anything like they couldn't wasn't explicitly said. Espada #10 was saying he would have rather have left it to heal by itself like Ulquiorra let his eye to heal.

What Yammy actually said was that he WISHED he could grow his arm back like Ulquiorra did with his eye. He has to have the old one reattached because he lacks Ulquiorra's regenerative abilities. We don't even know if Ulquiorra can regenerate anything besides that eye.

[Kraco]

Yeah, well, you can interpret it that way if you want, but we just saw Grimmjow with two arms, so unless you really believe the only explanation is a glaring error by the animation team and the director, it makes somewhat sense to keep your eyes open to all possibilities.

[masamuneehs]

i personally put more stock into the previous episode, which was apparently not filler, including the discussion between yami (Espada 10) and Ulqiorra, where they make it quite clear that Grimmjow won't be growing back his arm, since Tousen burned it.

i simply see all filler as hastily made drivel that the studio doesn't care much about in getting right, they just want something to fill the timeslot and get maybe OK ratings... So I honestly do believe it is a "glaring error" on the part of the fools who were in charge of this week's installment. I mean, look at the rest of the episode and tell me you think those guys aren't capable of fuckin up like that? (honestly, they probably used exact animation of Grimm from previous episodes and pasted it in to make this week's Arrancar Encyclopedia, as the majority of that sequence has been literally clips of previous footage)

[Kraco]

I don't know. Before I made my initial post, I rewatched the part of the episode (DB's translation), and I for sure couldn't draw any such conclusion that it would be impossible to regenerate his arm (Grimmjow or even Espada 10). And if you grow a new arm, where do you need the old one, anyway? So, it matters little if it's unspoiled or pure ashes.

Well, if in a later episode Grimmjow still is without his other arm, then it'll be settled. Until then I deem it careless to summarily dismiss any evidence just because it doesn't support your hypothesis.

[DarthEnderX]

You're not seriously trying to pretend that the Arrancar Encyclopedia encyclopedia is something that's actually happenening, and thus, the things happening in it are real?

Because Gin is standing around giving Arrancar lessons to...who exactly?

[Kraco]

Har har. I'm not. My prime argument is that DB's translation, at least, gave me a different kind of impression from what a few people here are advocating, although I'm keeping both doors open. And now when that Arrancar Encyclopedia presented Grimmjow with both hands, some decided to dismiss it outright as carelessness of the director. I'm just saying, however unreliable it is, even I admit that, it's still there until proven otherwise.

Though I didn't rewatch that part, but if Grimmjow had lost his arm for good, somehow I think he would have been a bit more pissed off, unless he's another airhead like Deidara from Naruto. Tousen should watch his back... Well, he should if he had functional eyes to watch anything...

[Animeniax]

I should have seen it coming, but somehow I expected more praise for this episode. I wasn't sure if it was filler or not, but it was so entertaining I didn't care. I like the light-heartedness of this episode. It was like early episodes with the goofiness mixed in with serious action. The Rangiku shopping scenes were hot, and the gigai scene was hilarious. The first arrancar fight was interesting, though I figured a vice captain could take it (of course I thought it was just a hollow at the time). The kid was hilarious, making fun of the SS guys and getting pummeled in return. The soul burial/investigation scene was really well done, stretching it out but keeping the dialogue and deductions logical and interesting. It wasn't like typical filler discussions, where the obvious is questioned and repeated, with weird pauses and taking forever to resolve. I didn't like hearing the filler bounto background music, gave me an uneasy feeling.

The preview dialogue was hilarious!

Though I miss the Shinigami Golden Cup (where's Kon??), the end of the Arrancar class was awesome, with Gin asking who they should use next time to block Grimmjow's release scene. Too funny.

Episode rating: B+/A-

[Nai]

Oh joy, a filler arc focusing on the airheaded breast queen of the show. So, when did Bleach turn into VIP? Seriously, I couldn't stand this episode at all. Rangiku is okay in small doses and that mainly thanks to her ample cleavage but when we have her acting like a retard for the entire episode it just grows extremely tiresome... especially so when she's paired up with an extremely obnoxious brat. Should have done that soul burial, Hitsugaya.

As a side note, why the hell did she need Ikkaku's ( yeah, I know he's a suave bastard and all but still ) help to dispatch random filler beast #1? Considering he downed it in two normal blows it couldn't have been especially powerful. Those amazing filler powers also seems to have healed up Grimmjow just fine. I guess Kariya wasn't smoking shit after all when he proclaimed their awesomeness.

[Animeniax]

This filler arc has potential. It will possibly show some character development, focusing a bit on the humorous aspects of the SS members. I hope it's more than just boob jokes for Matsumoto, but I think they already accomplished that a little in this episode. Maybe during this filler run they'll take some creative liberties and elaborate on Yumichika, Ikkaku, and Hitsugaya too.

Ikkaku beat the arrancar easily, but he didn't have to worry about the soul kid, and he's probably stronger than Matsumoto anyway, even if he's the 3rd seat and not a Lieutenant.

Like DE said, the encyclopedia isn't happening real time. Look at it like an archive and imagine it was filmed before Grimmjow lost his arm, then recorded to DVD for later viewing. Isn't that so much better than going into fanboy rage mode because they missed a detail?

[Harima Kenji]

This filler can prove somewhat useful if they show the process of Rangiku realizing that she is too weak right now and needs to train. I don't see Matsumoto being a character that will be followed in the regular storyline, just like Yumichika. So if they show them training or realizing that they have to train then it won't be a complete waste..
Since all the main characters are training, it's up to the side-characters to do it..might be refreshing.

I'll keep thinking about it this way: Maybe this filler will be very cool and a good addition to the rest of the story. Verbally killing it before we actually see it is a bit useless I think.

[DarthEnderX]

Of course! Because Matsumoto is a girl, which of course means she sucks in battle and needs to realize she's not strong enough.

No. I don't think so. She's a vice captain, and one who's only been in one non-filler so far in which she obliterated her opponent as soon as she was allowed to use her full powers.

[masamuneehs]

she also schooled Kira (Ichimaru Gin's Vice-Captain) once she started using her Shikai Release. Funny thing though, we've really never seen her fight. She's explained her Shikai, and we've seen her swinging her unreleased Zanpaktou, but never actually utilizing her Shikai release. They always cut away and never show it...

still, she's one of my least favorite characters. I know there's going to be something with her and Gin that'll probably become important (alluded to in cryptic flashbacks in the SS arc), but I just don't like her personality. Too happy-go-lucky and ditzy. And even though she might not actually be that way, the fact that she chooses to act that way usually annoys me. I don't find her shopping or slutty dressing to be humorous at all.

[DarthEnderX]

It's not supposed to be funny, its supposed to be HOT!

Mission accomplished!

[Animeniax]

They characterize Isshin the same way, as a goofball and comedy relief side character, but it's just a mask for someone who probably holds amazing power and is important in the bigger picture. Matsumoto probably isn't as important, but her ties to Gin will play a part in the story, so I like that they're developing her character more, even if it's in filler episodes. I can't wait until they show Isshin's true self, but I love the way they've portrayed him so far.

Of course! Because Matsumoto is a girl, which of course means she sucks in battle and needs to realize she's not strong enough.

No, it's because they do that with every character in a shounen anime. Every good guy is too weak and needs to train more, but every bad guy is as strong as they can get already.

[animus]

Matsumoto's always throwing herself at Hitsugaya, but bats away any guy wanting to get in her Shinigami robes. She's either a total ringer for authority, a shotacon, or just likes to tease kids with her Goddess Valley.

[mage]

Or a paedophile.

[animus]

That's what I implied when I said shotacon (well I implied pedophile).

[WRX Sti]

anyone have any idea how long this arc will last?