Bleach Vol. #23

By Danielle Van Gorder     July 09, 2008
Release Date: June 10, 2008



Creative Talent
Writer/Artist:Tite Kubo
Translated by:Lance Caselman
Adapted by:Joe Yamazaki

What They Say
The Arrancars, Hollows that have attained Soul Reaper-like powers, have descended on Karakura Town. Led by Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, they plan to eliminate anyone who poses a threat to them. And their deadly hunt doesn't stop with Ichigo and the Soul Reapers - the Arrancars are after anyone with even a trace of spiritual powers!

The Review
The Soul Reapers are trying their best to fit into the human world, but without even a place to sleep, things are proving difficult. Rukia is at just as much of a disadvantage, since Ichigo refuses to let her sleep in his closet again. But - beg, borrow, or shamelessly steal - they all manage to find a way to get by, even if they completely fail at fitting in in a subtle manner.

After Ulquiorra made his report on what he experienced in the human world, no fewer than six Arrancars head there with one goal - to kill anyone with the slightest sign of spiritual pressure. That means Ichigo, his friends, and the soul reapers who have come to help are all at risk, and with six powerful enemies to face, nobody's going to put the odds on them all surviving.

Even Ichigo, as strong as he has become, struggles against this enemy, while Chad struggles with his relative powerlessness in this conflict. A newly reinvigorated Rukia faces off against the arrancar D-Roy, using her zanpakuto, Sode no Shirayuki. As it turns out, not all arrancars are created equal, and Ikkaku may have more than he can handle with Edorad. He may not survive the fight, but even if he doesn't Ikkaku will die happy.

Following the main story is a series of short glimpses into where each character was before the story started. It's a nice piece of work that really expands on some of the characters and gives you glimpses into their goals and motivations. Fans of the series should love this volume - there's comedy, there's action, and both are done very well. If you're not a fan of the series, why read twenty three volumes to get to this point?