Joint Review of Bleach 490: March of the StarrCross 2

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What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
What doesn't kill you makes a fighter
Footsteps even lighter
Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone~

---

/too lazy to write proper intro. UMAD BRO?

Bleach 490: March of the StarrCross 2
A Joint Review


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Analysis:

Plot

"March of the StarCross 2" opens with the usual sentence by the Shonen Jump (sentence which will be removed in the volume edition) which reveals that Buckbeard was actually the Quincy who survived 1000 years ago against Yamamoto. Yet, being a sentence written by the Jump it's not official entirely, although it's quite obvious that he was that Quincy . Hence, the real chapter starts with the comunication of the emperor's order towards the Stern Ritters to gather at the "Gate of the Sun" (what an heavenly name) after preparing, to invade SS,taking advantage of their army which is currently fighting Ichigo,revealed to be one of the 5 "special war potentials". Thus, 7 (or maybe more) guys (all with the Quincy cross on the cloak) gather.

In Hueco Mundo, Kirge's attacked Ichigo, congratulating on being strong. The latter doesn't even need his zampakuto to stop that attack and wonders why that Quincy isn't holding a bow,as Uryu told him about Quincies' only weapon. Ichigo throws that attack back, comes down,and throws Nel to Orihime, while Kirge shoots other Heiling Pfeil (Holy Arrows), destroyed by Zangetsu,though. Opie can't but realizing how weak his attack still is, but Ichigo tells him not to worry, since his arrows are stronger than Ishida's when they last fought each other. Not just Kirge knows that he is talking about Uryu (and not about Ryuken), he even states that this is impossible! Though,he refuses to answer Ichigo and pronunciates the well-known proverb "silver is speech, silent is golden". After extracting the sword, the Quincy says he will report to his majesty, and then activates something on his glasses near the ear, maybe an earphone to share infos with his comrades (a kind of DB's scooters ). Thus, Kirge pulls his glover out and advises Ichigo of the "Quincy Letzt Stil", whose real name is "Quincy Vollständig" (Quincy Complete Holy Form). Kirge transforms and becomes an angel!

Meanwhile, Urahara and Pesche freed Dondochakka, and the former is worried sensing something: either Kirge's transformation or SS in danger. In fact, above SS the enemies have arrived.


Characters

If you were hoping for a Bad-ass Ichigo moment, or answers to this confusing arc from the all seeing Urahara, you are sadly left displeased. Ichigo shows amazing skills, impressively crushing or rebounding Quincy arrows with his bare hands, but fails to wipe the floor with the Quincy; allowing him to take a second form, a form similar to Arancar’s Resurrección or a Soul Reapers Bankai. If Ichigo was so strong that he could effortlessly defuse the enemy’s attacks then why doesn’t he obliterate them outright? It seems a more prudent action, saving the time and energy that would otherwise be consumed fighting this powered up opponent. One might think differently had Ichigo been any kind of strategist, with the intention to learn his enemies’ attacks before facing them, but as we know Ichigo to be the kind of hero to rush into battle without giving it second thought, these delayed battles seem counterproductive. Will Ichigo find this new power difficult to overcome? It is hard to say, but many readers were surely hopping to see Ichigo squash him effortlessly. However this development suggests that Ichigo still has a way to go.

As for Urahara, the soul societies lazy genius and seemingly most knowledgeable and in-the-know man, we see him playing around with the Arancars; his purpose in entering Huaco Mudo, just as his true powers have always been, remains hidden. But perhaps that’s the way we love Urahara the most, the man who never reveals his hand until it’s time to strike. Certainly the serious look on his face suggest that he has an ulterior motive for following Ichigo into Huaco Mundo, but as to when Kubo will manifest action from this plot twist character, we can only wait.

Impressions:

Fanboy

All right, time to point out the (many) great things about this chapter, if I were a fangirl I would be screaming like a crazy scared monkey but since I’m a fanboy I’ll get you a damn psyched review.

First of all ladies and gentlemen get your hands together for Mr. Kubo ‘cause he really wants to make this last arc epic and he is providing us with some serious action right away: war is coming to SS and it ain’t gonna be easy for the shinigami since they’ll have to fight the Stern Ritter (including a real punk-rocker and Ukitake evil twin).

Ichigo is on whole other level, he doesn’t even need a zanpakuto anymore to kick asses, he also practice his football skills as we can see when he passes Nel like she was just a ball, Inoue catches it…TOUCHDOWN!

I must say, Kirge is really surprising me, if he is a captain but he is weaker than Ishida then what rank would Ishida have if he was in The VReich??? Is he that strong??? Just can’t wait to see him in action, with his intelligence he could be a pain in the ass for every enemy, even the most powerful.

Anyway Kirge loses his cool only for a moment, he is not afraid of fighting Ichigo since he has an ace in his sleeve: the letzt stil, he transforms in an (ugly) angel showing the fight has just begun. I think this is pure genius: a death god vs. an angel, they’re like natural enemies so it makes the contrast between quincies and shinigami more evident.
About the art I just loved the last page: having the point of view set above the actions makes you feel like a god who knows everything, it is so fun looking at the shinigami running around ignoring they’re about to be attacked.

P.S. I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks Quincy names are impossible


Hater

So lets start hating chapter
First I have to write it was really really hard to hate something in this chapter but I managed do hate it enough to write thing or two.
Chapter was pretty short on developments. We just saw Ichigo doing few jumps and slashes, Kirges transformation and some Vanderreich attacking SS and not even them in person- we saw- a shoe... Simply wow

Ichigo in his shikai is fighting Opie and well he blocks heiling pfeils with his hands.. damn.. Zaraki blocked 5th espadas cero with one hand even before time skip while not knowing his swords real name and stuff- that was badass- what we saw in this chapter was just to show us how much of a power up Kirge will get from his final asspull form
Of course Ichigo as retarded as he can be(he is bit smarter than he was but still dangerously close Forrest Gump level...) is keeping as standard some actions like giving EVERYONE that he fights chance to relase their hidden powers. Why cut down someone who he has chance at defeating if you can let that someone use extra power boost and give oportunity to beat you to a pulp then having asspull power up from frendship bonds or some other fairy ways?

Last thing- well, ok I know that Kubo had to do something to point that Vanderreich is already in SS but ending chapter with someones shoe() gotten old like years ago and we still get some fancy shoe for half of last page. I knew it some kind of foreshadowing that Quinces will "stomp" but "last page shoe" for 12384 time instead of showing some badass new character makes me wanna puke
Thats all about what I hated in this chapter

Predictions:

Now, we move on to the predictions. If Ichigo maintains his slow but badass fighting style -which seems to underestimate his opponent’s abilities- then I foresee a grueling sludge match that will leave Ichigo drained of energy in later battles; but on the other hand, this course of action will lead him to ‘power up’, so that he will finally have enough strength to fight the boss at the end; a character trait common with Shounen manga and Ichigo in particular. This match may last a number of chapters. However, in the unlikely hood that Kubo presents Ichigo as ‘ready’ and he fights seriously, the battle will be over in a course of a chapter and he’ll move on to other battles, but to be honest, that would be nowhere near as interesting and unlikely given Ichigo’s character.

I also foresee Urahara playing a pivotal role in uncovering the twist to this arc, do to his uncharacteristic activity that only takes place when something big is about to go down, such as the fight with Aizen. It may very well be Urahara who brings out the much anticipated 0 squad, as apart from Aizen, he is the only one who has made it clear that he has had contact with the Spirit King, or at the very least, knows what he looks like.


That's it. See ya next week. Don't bother giving us feedback.

Section List

mattiaildivino	Plot (Analysis)
Mrlazsa	Fanboy (Impressions)
vagabond87	Hater (Impressions)
OtakuModeEngage	Characters (Analysis), Predictions
Googlez_kun	Banner

[kanamechidori]

A shonen character letting his enemy transform instead of beating him down?

That's like every shonen manga. The only ones that don't do it are gag/shonen mangas that take the guy out with a sneak attack while transforming/powering up as a take that! to other shonens

[mattiaildivino]

lol,in the analysis I should have said that it's strange that Uryu is stronger than kirge: after all he was almost killed by ginjo.
well,I've said that here