I'm really trying hard not to like bleach...

[zaldar]

as I watch it on the cartoon network since I have read about how bad it gets but main I do so enjoy Ichigo going up in power and those around him do the same and as we learned last week that the "cat" is not a cat really and has some relation to all the involved characters very nice.

It ALMOST made me actually care about the big guy icigo just killed (who surly should have been the hardest one but evidently not). I'm sure the guy who didn't know know his swords name and who had the child captin will be back though in grand anime fashion.

And the ending song is just so catchy though if I listened to it enough I am sure it would get annoying...

[Splitter]

As the next 20 or so episodes are the best of the entire series thus far, don't fight it and just go with it. It really is very well done from here-on-out until the end of the arc. Much better than any above-average Naruto arc.

[The Creation]

TOO BAD after the soul society arc the show completely went downhill. i was actually quite furious with how BAD it turned out. the soul society episodes had me losing sleep 2 days in a row but good things never last long enough. long running shows like this are cursed i tell you.

[Sensuifu]

Sadly, at times I'm not sure if I'm watching the same show. cake anyone?.

[DanielJr]

I'm enjoying this show immensely! So what if you don't like some of the later arcs, what you've seen so far is great, isn't it?

[Suwako Moriya]

Rather than try your hardest to not like a show or vice versa I say just go with the flow. In short so long as you're enjoying watching Bleach then stick with it. If you reach the point where you're no longer enjoying it then well drop it.

[The Great Bear]

I've been enjoying what I've seen so far on Cartoon Network. I'll probably collect Bleach up to the end of the Soul Society arc. Then just watch the filler as it runs on CN and see when it picks up again.

[Speedy Boris]

There have been a few bumps along the way (the fairy episode; episodes 36-40; the episode back in the real world with the kids), but overall I'm liking Bleach a lot. And episode 41 was greatness.

[mikedude]

There have been a few bumps along the way (the fairy episode; episodes 36-40; the episode back in the real world with the kids), but overall I'm liking Bleach a lot. And episode 41 was greatness.

Surely you don't mean Karakura Superheroes. That was comedy GOLD.

[EmperorBrandon]

Surely you don't mean Karakura Superheroes. That was comedy GOLD.

Yeah, really. I think that may have been one of my favorite episodes so far - cheered me up when I was in a moment of being a little depressed. :sd:

[Speedy Boris]

It had its moments but overall I didn't like how it completely interrupted the main story, just when it was getting good.

[HitokiriShadow]

There have been a few bumps along the way (the fairy episode; episodes 36-40; the episode back in the real world with the kids), but overall I'm liking Bleach a lot. And episode 41 was greatness.

Surely you don't mean Karakura Superheroes. That was comedy GOLD.

While they could have picked better spots to put those episodes, I found those episodes highly amusing. Same for the recent filler episode focusing on Ikkaku. That was hilarious. While it wasn't as comedic, I enjoyed the episode on Karin and Hitsaguya as well. I haven't gotten around to watching the most recent episode though.

On the other hand, the Bounto arc was mediocre at best and lasted way too long (almost as long as Soul Society) and that 4 episode mini arc sucked ass. And I strongly dislike the inclusion of certain filler characters in the canon story. Same for watchin a 5-second clip of a character stuffing their face looped for a full minute.

[zaldar]

being better than a naruto arc doesn't say much though that is one show along with DBZ that I just can't stand. I mean it is just another battle anime they might as well make it a tournament the way it is going (probably will at some point) but they have well drawn characters that I actually like and the plot keeps getting more and more interesting sigh. I mean the fighting with your sword instead of just using it as a tool was actually somewhat thought provoking something you hardly find ever in this type of anime so yeah I guess I'll keep watching it until I loose interest...still not as good as blood + or noein which I may someday own..

[Ty]

It gets better and better until around episode 60 so you have quite a bit left to enjoy. The material that follows after that really isn't terrible, it just feels like a disappointment in comparison much like how Kenshin's Meiji tales season did. The fight scenes in particular feel lame in comparison to the high the show comes off of.

That filler lasts for a long time (after which we get a brief return to awesome and now w're back into crap at the moment) so if you get hooked on the show and are following it on AS you'll be taking at least a 1 year break from it once you get episode 64. The show has most people so hooked at that point they're willing to stick it out.

[CGord]

Sadly, at times I'm not sure if I'm watching the same show. cake anyone?.

Agreed, but unlike Naruto, I'm willing to stick it out. I love this show, loved it from the 1st ep fansub I watched a couple of years ago. As great as the current manga arc is (the intro animation makes perfect sense if you're up to date w/the manga), I am more than willing to sit through some minor garbage for a few weeks at a time. As long as I don't have to deal with another long, boring Bounto-esque filler arc. I'd much rather have silly unrelated single eps; the anime writers do comedy OK, but long, involved storylines require Kubo Tite.

[seca]

Even though I'm not a big fan of current Bleach, anime or manga, I don't think you should stop liking the series. Up to the end of the Soul Society arc the story is very enjoyable but unfortunately afterwards a lot of that spark seems to fade away.

I think I would enjoy still be enjoying the series if the current arc wasn't Soul Society Take 2 with less likeable characters or Ichigo actually grew as a character instead of being the same person he has been since the beginning.

[brycec1701]

As a reviewer, I don't think the Naruto filler arcs were all that bad. There are a few dry spots, but the overall pacing is just about the same. I liked the idea of getting to know the supporting cast better in the filler arcs.

As for Bleach, I'm not quite at the first filler arc point.

Overall, I'm glad that both shows continue on and don't drop off or end abruptly. I'd rather have that than a show that leaves you with lots of questions about who, what, when, where, and why...

[zaldar]

agreed on that though maybe anime should only be written after the manga is finished? That way we don't have to have either bleach filler or inuyasha strange endings. I won't comment on naruto as I didn't like the non-filler.

[Rhodes]

well after another filler episode for 135... someone posted up the translated english titles for the next 2 (no episode next week) episodes...

Info from Random Curiosity.

EP136 “Hueco Mundo civil war! Ulquiorra’s death”
August 8, 2007

EP137 “Battle of bad faith, Aizen’s trap”
August 15, 2007

Anyone familiar with the manga knows if these episodes fit into the manga story?

[christianlf]

EP136 “Hueco Mundo civil war! Ulquiorra’s death”
August 8, 2007

EP137 “Battle of bad faith, Aizen’s trap”
August 15, 2007

Anyone familiar with the manga knows if these episodes fit into the manga story?

No, they do not, and *groan* at the titles. I do wish they'd stop mucking about with the manga storyline.

[Ty]

As can be inferred from the lame plot element they introduced a little while back about the big battle "taking place this winter" I think we can assume we've got a good 20 more episodes of filler ahead of us. Which is incredibly disappointing because the animation team's original episodes are simply bad by any standard and because we barely got any new manga story material before going right back to this mediocrity.

Why, Why, WHY can't they use this time to do stories that further develop the characters and their personalities? There doesn't have to be much action, hence no big animation budget, and any idiot can come up with good character interaction dialogue for episodes like that. I want to know more about the shinigami that haven't gotten much screen time, and if they don't let us know how Hinamori is doing I'm going to fly over there and smack them. :)

[mikedude]

As can be inferred from the lame plot element they introduced a little while back about the big battle "taking place this winter" I think we can assume we've got a good 20 more episodes of filler ahead of us.

Well, if I recall correctly from the manga, the battle was supposed to take place in winter as well. However, things kind of jumped the gun and stuff started happening before they even made it to winter. I'm hoping the anime does the same so we aren't in filler forever.

[Ty]

As can be inferred from the lame plot element they introduced a little while back about the big battle "taking place this winter" I think we can assume we've got a good 20 more episodes of filler ahead of us.

Well, if I recall correctly from the manga, the battle was supposed to take place in winter as well. However, things kind of jumped the gun and stuff started happening before they even made it to winter. I'm hoping the anime does the same so we aren't in filler forever.
I think they coordinated that deliberately because the manga is moving more slowly and they knew they needed to go to filler again. It just felt a lot more obvious this time because the show couldn't end on an arc. Big fights and things heating up, and then suddenly "okay there not going to attack again until winter, let's train!" like a bad chapter out of DBZ. Much as I love the show it hurts to see it fall from grace like this.