Filler is over. Rather lackluster end.. =( The fact that Ichigo jus doesn't die....sheesh.

On to better days though. =D

Meh, I thought that the ending was good to the arc. Kinda one of those "dramatic endings" that you feel good about watching because everything gets set right in the end. My only concern is for those Engineers and Construction Managers who have to rebuild that poor Castle in the middle of Serenetti EVERY TIME some crap goes down in Soul Society. haha.

Finally also got to watch the newest episode going back to Spanish Land (Hueco Mundo). Thought it was a great catch-up to what was happening in the Manga. I'm totally digging the way they portray the 5th rank Espada. He's totally a Bad A with that whole chained trident/hellraiser he has. I'm excited for the next fights

Also, in response to Rudy's comment about Ichigo NEVER dying... I like the fact that he always pulls something from the bottom of the gas-can and finds a way to win. I like that mentality, even though sometimes in my swimming career I never could pull that off...

I also noticed that the Vaizards have a good chunk of the opening and ending. I hope we get to see them soon!!!!

Yeah, I pretty much lost interest in the filler entirely ever since Shuusuke was revealed to be a villain. *sigh* I thought the final episodes were pretty lame, but oh well. In any case, I'm definitely glad to be back in Hueco Mundo, as I've been eagerly awaiting several fights and such that are coming up.

TBH I am beginning to lose interest in Bleach. Maybe Kubo Tite has run out of ideas or something, but lately, the storylines are terrible.....

Are you talking about the anime now or the manga? Because this is the anime topic, I'll assume you meant the anime. But it's been going on a filler arc for the past few months now, and Kubo doesn't have anything to do with those.

It seems the the fillers finally ended though, so I'm going to start watching again. I have the new episode downloaded and all, just need to get some snacks or something, and I'm all set.

I should be angry that most of the episode had already been shown, but to be honest I was glad for the catch-up... it's been so long since I watched Bleach (I just couldn't do the filler).

It's a little annoying that they've dropped any kind of story development to just have episode of episode of Ichigo versus Espada... Grimmjaw was interesting but I don't want another couple of episodes of watching Ichigo having his arse handed to him and then remembering the power of friendship or something and winning again.

I like Inoue... I've always liked Inoue but you'd think that maybe just once she'd break cliché and do something... ANYTHING. Rukia is a strong female lead and doesn't really feel too cliché, but they just don't want to do the same with Inoue. Why does it either have to be feminine and weak... or Tomboyish and slightly less weak. Inoue has shown signs of having a very strong will and I'd love to see her powers develop but she seems to be the "Love can prevail" kind of annoying anime character... I think I'm only annoyed because it looked like her character was going in another direction but ended up just the same old kind of character.

</rant>

I'm slightly looking forward to next weeks... as long as this espada fight isn't dragged out.

My stupid university has been holding me back with the anime LOL so I have a few episodes to catch up with.... But when it comes to the last filler..... what was Kubo thinking?!

Well Kubo isn't involved in the fillers, or even with the production of the anime at all. He only writes the manga. Studio Pierrot who bought the rights for the anime try to make it as close to his original work as possible. But some times they add their own material, such as the fillers episodes.

ya I knew that, but it's Kubo's idea, he should have the final word....

Well you'd think so, but the anime is produced without Kubo's involvement. It's the same with Naruto and some other anime. They some times take liberties with the stories that can come back and bite them in the ass when it contradicts the manga later on. One example would be in Naruto during a fight when Sasuke declared that with his eye, the Sharingan, he could see which among the clones was the real one. A statement that was absent from the manga, and something which turned out to contradict the manga later on when it was revealed that a sharingan user can't tell the difference between a clone and a real person. For these reasons people usually don't consider the anime adaptions as canonical. The filler arcs especially put the anime creators to the test, and it doesn't often end well.

You seem like you know what you're talking bout... I'd personally go insane if someone would diversify my manga, considering the fact that it took me so long to actually make the story......

For people that don't like the fillers, it's best just to watch them until the series returns to the main story. You can act like the series is on hiatus while fillers are on, like myself. Losing interest in Bleach over fillers is disappointing.

It's not just over the filler, yet the story in general. TBH nothing special was happening while Ichigo and the crowd was at Hueco Mundo....... They just.... fought... nothing special...

Well they paused the story right before the interesting part, but I know what you mean. I posted this in the manga topic earlier.

Meh, I'll stick this one till the end. I don't mind the "storyless" thing. I like Ichigo, so I'll keep watching it till he finally dies or something. I've invested too much time in this to just give up and die because of a filler/ other reasons why people are dropping off!!!! haha.

Unless the story does not get any better, I'll drop it.... I'd read the manga, as I hear that it has been constructed much better, but Kubo really doesn't know ##### about manga dynamics.... You don't know what happened in a page untill you read the next three and then you go back to that page and realized someone was blown off.... geez

Am I the only one that expected grown-up Nell to sound different?

I was rather thrown off by that, as well... How old is she supposed to be equivalent to, anyway? I always thought she seemed around 20's to early 30's, but maybe she's around the main cast's age? In any case, the voice doesn't really match up too well as is... <.<;

It just goes to show you that even Japanese dubs can screw up fan expectations on a series. In anycase, it doesn't bother me too much. I always figured to be like Orihime, just that she has... common sense and has green hair.

waiting for an awesome dramatic fight *waits longer*

Ya, I expected the older Nel to have a much more mature voice.... but I was unpleasantly suprised.

Well, I liked Nel's foray into the fight. I'd been waiting for that ever since I read the manga about it, and I wasn't dissappointed in the fight. I wish they'd drag this one out since I really like her fighting style. Can't wait for next week!!!

Alright, here's my oppinion on the last few episodes.

I was disappointed by a few things. First off, this was a battle I was looking forward to for quite some time. (Nel vs. Nnoitra that is.) But now when I finally get to see it, I'm a bit disappointed in the animation quality. I'm not asking for movie quality, but Nel is a stylish character and should be drawn with a little more detail. Especially since it's her first appearance. The closeups on her face were nicely made, but that's about it. The rest usually looks very bland, Especially when she moves. And speaking of the movements, they were really awkward at times. I'd make animated gif's, but I don't want to waste my time.

These particular scenes come to mind.



When reading the manga, I got the impression that Ichigo moved outwards while moving forward, taking advantage of the momentum. In the anime? He runs forward. Then stops completely. Backs up a bit. Moves to the side. Then resumes running forward again... Instead of making it all one swift movement, they made it into 4 - 5 separate and slow movements.
Not at all what I pictured when I read that page in the manga.



This is another scene I interpreted as fast movement in the manga. But in the anime it looked like he had swallowed a bunch of helium filled balloons, and was floating down really slowly. It looked really awkward.
Same for when Nel spinned around and kicked Nnoitra.

And then there's the voice. Not what I imagined.
It was great. Until she opened her mouth. I don't know who came up with the idea to give a busty lady in a skimpy outfit the voice of a 5 year old. When she is all over Ichigo now, it just seems really wrong.

This topic hasn't been touched much lately has it?

So the Captains have just stepped in to save Ichigo and his Pals... it seemed inevitable... especially when he said "There is no one left to save you" and then showed a montage of clips of everyone dying hopelessly.

Fatty and Peche were actually quite cool... although that whole thing with his sword was wrong... VERY wrong but actually quite funny. It was annoying that after ALL that it was useless... it just felt very time wasting explaining their pasts and revealing all their powers just for someone to go "You may just have well not have bothered".

I must admit, the fights lately have been stagnating.... I remember when bleach first started they had stand alone episodes... or episodes dedicated to a fight and that was it. It was quick and snappy but still very satisfying. Now it seems that have whole seasons dedicated to the fight. The story has hardly moved on in months...

I'm the same way. It seems that Bleach is dragging itself down into a DBZ re-hash of heavy breathing and not doing anything.

**snap snap** Come on peoples, work with me... work with me.

Don't forget training and unknown powers that allow the good guys to win their battles.

True... true true true.

But what the poop is up with Episode 197's opening and ending!!! Is there a new "filler" in the works??? It seems like there's either a new movie coming out, or they're gonna pause the Hueco Mundo thing again for some new filler.

The stuff looks promising though... (I don't put pictures up since I'm not that good with that kinda stuff.)

The people with the Scyths look AWESOME!!! And more Kon and his perverted-ness!!!

Now about the episode.

I liked how it went. One main fight, from start to finish within one episode. That's how it should be. (Although they left a cliffhanger...) And why the heck do they still insist on putting three past episodes within one "recap"???

But I will faithfully still watch this show as long as I see Kenpachi slice people/things in half. If he keeps on doing that, I'll watch it JUST for that.

Uhh, I'm somewhat confused about some minor details.

Pesche and Dondochakka... After their Cero attack, nothing really happened to them, but in the next episode, they "revive" and come jumping out from the rubble. What the hell? How'd they get buried to begin with? Lol. Similarly, why is Nemu looking beaten up, and lying on the ground when we finally see her on-screen? (I guess this may or may not have something to do with Mayuri, but if that's the case, then I guess I'll find out in time.)

Anyway, to the opinion(s) most people have been bringing up: I agree. Things are getting stretched out too much, and the story really could use some development. I'll leave it at that.

Minor complaints aside, huzzah~! More Kenpachi is always good. I look forward to the (spoiler?) anticlimactic end of his fight, lol. More Mayuri seems entertaining. Heck, more of all of these guys is refreshing. Looking forward to this stuff, however drawn-out it may be.

What is up with this opening?? It seems like they're either setting up another filler, or another OVA. It looks cool, whatever it is. I wanna see that!!

No more Hueco Mundo, MORE WHATEVER THE CRAP THAT WAS!!!!

I thought it be obvious that it's clips from the up and coming Bleach movie. Bleach seems to release a movie every December the past three years.

Yup, and it looks like an interesting movie as well. It seems everyones memories were altered to a world where Rukia never existed. Which in turn meant that no one met Ichigo either, so Renji doesn't know how to do Bankai. What I'm wondering is why Urahara is still a Captain though. Because it looks like Aizen isn't there anymore, and those who read the manga know the details of why Urahara left. Not sure how the memory of Rukia affected him staying. But Yoruichi has her orange outfit, so it seems that she at least left her position in SS.