New Bleach chapter out.
:(
Jesus Christ.
I had a hard time getting through this chapter, actually.
Minor things first: Ichigo's still stuck. I wonder if this means Opie isn't dead, or that the cage somehow magically just...lasts? Either way, he's still in despair, and given what's happened this chapter I suspect some more vital characters are going to start going down soon. The identity of the anonymous swordsman waits for another week.
Nii-sama. :(
This was....horrible. As Nodt's ability apparently involves being able to instill fear into other people with every one of those little mind-thorns. The Quincy commends Byakuya for resisting, but it's too late, and the fear - which as As Nodt points out is unavoidable, since it is a feeling - strikes Byakuya of course at the core of everything he wants to protect.
This, along with Nemu's impregnation by Szayel, is probably one of the most grotesque things I've seen in Bleach. I'm honestly surprised Kubo drew it. I cringed.
Just....really grotesque images. And I hated it. Which makes me think Kubo probably did it well, because I had a very visceral reaction to it: the imagery of fear as insects crawling into his mouth is awful.
I was glad this beautifully defiant nii-sama moment happened anyway. His face has a lot of Ichigo in it there, no?
Bad. :(
Okay. Let me try to be logical about this chapter because the entire thing made my skin crawl and I'm having a hard time writing about it coherently. I'm not sure what to think. I'm not initially inclined to believe Byakuya's down for the count if Kira's still possibly alive, but that falling sakura blossom and Rukia's "nii-sama?" chipped at my faith a little bit. That said, Renji's there, and I wonder...is it possible Renji's going to be able to step in here? For Byakuya who's repressed so many of his emotions that kind of paralyzing fear must be like a tidal wave, but for Renji who's lost so much, who was in Rukongai, who felt so much - is it possible he can get by somehow? And Unohana's still around, of course.
But still...even assuming Byakuya survives, Kubo wants to strip him down to the very heart, huh? :/
I'm so freaked out by the chapter I can't give a shit about anonymous!swordsman currently. I do wonder if this isn't the beginning of what I initially predicted: the slow devastation of the shinigami. I wouldn't be surprised if Renji or Rukia went down next; Rukia has her own fight, and I can't think Renji will watch his captain go down without jumping in.
Then again, I can't count Byakuya out, either. He's had seemingly impossible situations like this before, although the unusual emotional tenor of this one is maybe what bothers me. It also occurs to me there's a Yoruichi out there somewhere, doing her thing.
Kubo, don't stomp on my heart too much, okay?
P.S. My sole moment of delight this chapter was Byakuya and Renji's change, when Byakuya and Renji pretty much agree that Renji is kind of an idiot when it comes to drawing out an enemy's weaknesses.
Jesus Christ.
I had a hard time getting through this chapter, actually.
Minor things first: Ichigo's still stuck. I wonder if this means Opie isn't dead, or that the cage somehow magically just...lasts? Either way, he's still in despair, and given what's happened this chapter I suspect some more vital characters are going to start going down soon. The identity of the anonymous swordsman waits for another week.
Nii-sama. :(
This was....horrible. As Nodt's ability apparently involves being able to instill fear into other people with every one of those little mind-thorns. The Quincy commends Byakuya for resisting, but it's too late, and the fear - which as As Nodt points out is unavoidable, since it is a feeling - strikes Byakuya of course at the core of everything he wants to protect.
This, along with Nemu's impregnation by Szayel, is probably one of the most grotesque things I've seen in Bleach. I'm honestly surprised Kubo drew it. I cringed.
Just....really grotesque images. And I hated it. Which makes me think Kubo probably did it well, because I had a very visceral reaction to it: the imagery of fear as insects crawling into his mouth is awful.
I was glad this beautifully defiant nii-sama moment happened anyway. His face has a lot of Ichigo in it there, no?
Bad. :(
Okay. Let me try to be logical about this chapter because the entire thing made my skin crawl and I'm having a hard time writing about it coherently. I'm not sure what to think. I'm not initially inclined to believe Byakuya's down for the count if Kira's still possibly alive, but that falling sakura blossom and Rukia's "nii-sama?" chipped at my faith a little bit. That said, Renji's there, and I wonder...is it possible Renji's going to be able to step in here? For Byakuya who's repressed so many of his emotions that kind of paralyzing fear must be like a tidal wave, but for Renji who's lost so much, who was in Rukongai, who felt so much - is it possible he can get by somehow? And Unohana's still around, of course.
But still...even assuming Byakuya survives, Kubo wants to strip him down to the very heart, huh? :/
I'm so freaked out by the chapter I can't give a shit about anonymous!swordsman currently. I do wonder if this isn't the beginning of what I initially predicted: the slow devastation of the shinigami. I wouldn't be surprised if Renji or Rukia went down next; Rukia has her own fight, and I can't think Renji will watch his captain go down without jumping in.
Then again, I can't count Byakuya out, either. He's had seemingly impossible situations like this before, although the unusual emotional tenor of this one is maybe what bothers me. It also occurs to me there's a Yoruichi out there somewhere, doing her thing.
Kubo, don't stomp on my heart too much, okay?
P.S. My sole moment of delight this chapter was Byakuya and Renji's change, when Byakuya and Renji pretty much agree that Renji is kind of an idiot when it comes to drawing out an enemy's weaknesses.