I think an under appreciated element of this power loss is that it leaves Ichigo even more deprived than before. He didn't just lose his soul reaper powers, he lost his spiritual powers period, and couldn't see soul reapers and hollows anymore. Even while all of his friends who previously couldn't now can. It's much more than a return to chapter 1.
whats worse about this is that his friends whom he sacrificed his life for don't even really stick by his side after he loses his powers. Im also like 45% sure he's got or had depression.
Next arc is one of the most misunderstood and irrationally hated arcs. I’d be very interested to see your take. I think it’s a masterpiece of character writing personally.
My teen brain wasn't ready to process the material on release. Now that I've experienced life more fully, I now understand far more about what ichigo was going through. It really is fantastic writing on the mental state
I think hints of Aizen's loneliness were always there throughout the story: He has this fundamentally broken conception of human connection in the first place Hinamori got too close to him; "Admiration is the furthest thing from understanding" Shinji never tried to get close to him; "You never even tried to understand me, Captain Hirako" You can't get too close to him, nor can you stay too far And most importantly, Aizen's dialogue being so exposition heavy (almost like a redditor); he wants, no, NEEDS to explain everything he's doing, even down to the last minute details Coupling this with the revelation of his loneliness, I think its pretty obvious that this was a subconsious attempt from his part to make sure his enemies at least understood where he was coming from, not through forming bonds with them, but through cold hard facts (again, his flawed views on connection), so that he could at least take solace in the fact that there were people out there who understood him And the absolute best thing about this, Ichigo IS the person who understands him the MOST, they are similar in an uncanny manner, the only difference being their approach to things Aizen rebels against the Status Quo, Ichigo rebels against the Status Quo Aizen thinks Soul Society's laws suck, Ichigo thinks the same Aizen got consumed by the negatives of the world, Ichigo didn't Aizen gave up hope, Ichigo kept hoping Aizen failed to change the soul society, where Ichigo succeeded in more than one way MAN, I LOVE THIS STORY SOOO MUCH...☺
Your comment was incredibly insightful and refreshing tbh. There's a lot of people in the bleach fandom who can only see Aizen as this flawless god king and fail to realize that due to his superiority complex he's living in a hell of his own making. Behind all the taunts and villain speeches where he comes off as completely self satisfied, deep inside he's probably a very miserable person, even though he might be incapable of recognizing that. Ichigo is a foil to Aizen in many ways, but most importantly he is the antithesis of Aizen's view on trust and connection. Aizen sees reliance and trust as a sin of the weak who burden those stronger than them. He has no use for trust because he sees himself as the strongest, the one who will stand at the top. Ichigo grows stronger throughout the story for one sole reason: to protect the ones he loves and his world. In the same way that his friends need his protection, he needs their companionship, presence, and well being, otherwise he'd fall apart. Therefore, Ichigo's bonds are his strength. He's not seeking the thrill of the fight neither he wants to feel superior to others. Even though he gains incredible strength, Ichigo remains very unassuming and down to earth at all times. His power never goes to his head, neither he sees his power as a means to subjugate others like Aizen does. Furthermore, unlike Ichigo, Aizen has nothing to protect because he never truly cared for anyone. Ichigo's journey of obtaining power is one of self understanding, he only exceeds his limits when he contends with the hidden darkness in his soul (his hollow) that he didn't want to acknowledge. It is only by accepting his inner hollow completely that he reaches his full power. Aizen on the other hand, ignores the supressed aspects of his psyche such as his loneliness and clings only to his facade of ultimate superiority. I think it is amazing character writing that Aizen's hability is to create perfect illusions, he comes off as someone incapable of true sincerity, towards others and himself.
Well, to answer your complaint about how the Hollows didn't get a resolution in the Arrancar arc (not speaking about later), there was a short story released alongside these chapters called "Nestle to Night", I believe, which shows Harribel and her Fracciones, now healed, returning to Hueco Mundo to try and prevent the place from falling into anarchy. Also, they find and pet Yammy's dog while there.
4:00 kubo said aizen not having an origin is what makes him more of a compelling character, hes a villain thats supposed to be evil and that you arent supposed to relate to, even today we still dont know much but there was an answer on klub outside implying aizen has had his eyes on urahara for a very long time (if im remembering right, it was longer than urahara had known yoruichi, and theyre childhood friends)
Love how poetic it is how Aizen was beaten by 1. Ichigo, someone he considers equal (or comparable) in strength. 2. Kisuke, someone he considers his equal in intelligence.
"The silent victory" that title that I read so many years ago summarizes so much of what puts Bleach apart. There is not fanfare, just melancholy. A war just finished, how could we be happy? In real life, when something terrible happens, we dont just get to "finish" it, we have to live with it, keep on with the baggage and scars and lessons.
@@kamikazelemming1552 Yeah, he was also my minister. This man brought me to Jesus and turned my life upside down. I got him as the best man on my wedding for that.
15:51 i wasn't going to keep insisting with this, but the story "Nestle to Night" explains what happens with Hueco Mundo now that Aizen is gone and both Stark and Barragan are dead.
The ending always hits hard with a lot of deep thinking for this arc. The first elephant in the room is how Ichigo doesn’t just lose his powers. He lost his spiritual sensing entirely. I like to think the final Getsuga Tensho was so powerful because it BURNED Ichigo’s power and potential to the point where it was permanently damaged. The other is how Aizen lost. I personally believe the Hōgyoku never abandoned Aizen but instead picked up on the loneliness and let him be defeated subconsciously. It’s genuinely WILD he was so powerful that he only lost because he accidentally willed it to existence. I also love that it’s *Ichigo* of all characters that picks up on Aizen’s inner feelings which we’ve never truly seen. He’s such a fascinating villain and definitely worth just pondering over for awhile. Also him leaving the arc by roasting Central 46 is hilariously perfect. He lost but still a titanic threat. And the farewell…. Ahhhhh my heart! I know people say Bleach could’ve ended here but I heavily disagree. So much to still explore and such
Yammy WAS used as a distraction to keep Kenpachi and Byakuya away. There's a reason the only two Espada left behind were ones who had a second release, who were much stronger than expected. Stopping Kenpachi, Byakuya, Mayuri and slowing Ichigo was clearly intentional on Azizen's part. I don't know if they would have made a difference in fake Karakura Town, but it seems pretty clear to me that Aizen did NOT want to deal with them if he could avoid it.
Also Unohana being there completes the picture. They had at least the possibility to change the situation in fake Karakura town. Knowing Zaraki's strength and Yami's state right after the fight Yami was actually powerful
As someone who read bleach as it was coming out the fact that we made it to this point in the story so quick is crazy because I literally grew up as I went through that story, hearing your read through is always so refreshing
Nel walks into the kitchen in Las Noches, sees Grimmjow on top of the fridge in his ressurreccion: ... What are you doing? Grimmjow: I AM THE KING BOW TO ME!!! Kukkapuro: Bark Grimmjow: HISSSSS
In the unmasked databook it is confirmed that yammy managed to seriously injure byakuya and zaraki and that is also why we see kenpachi without the bandage after putting it back on. And in the little light novel " nestle to night " we understand the relationship between yammy and his dog and that the only reason why he did not release all his power given by anger (and thanks to the accumulation of reiatsu through sleeping and eating) is because he risked destroying las noches (as all the espadas from 4 to 1 could have done)and killing his dog. That is why zaraki said that it was a boring battle and the number 0 on his shoulder did not go away after two ressurecions: he was holding back. Even Yammy was wondering why kukkapuro always followed him around until the end(and even beyond his death). his situation is similar to ichigo vs grimmjow while he was protecting orihime.
@ironclad-m3q it would still be in line with the fact that all the espada represent aspects of death that they try to reject. In general, even if yammy is a an arrogant, he always lets others command him as if he were a mad dog on a chain. It is only after ulquiorra's death that yammy had total freedom to do what he wants and despite everything this time he imposed a limit on himself for someone much weaker than him. This time it was his choice. If all the espada below ulquiorra used all their strength in battle, all those above him held back for different reasons, precisely because they give importance to something that goes beyond strength and clashes
@@ironclad-m3q This is false: hacchi himself confirmed that it was the fear of death that barragan rejected; nnoitra rejected desperation through continuous battle; harribel rejected the sacrifice of her fraccion even at the cost of sacrificing herself, even deciding to prepare the field full of water to face yamamoto even at the cost of holding back against toshiro; szaelaporro rejects madness with his eccentric and controlled perfectionism(and also the fact that he rejected his brother Ylford's soul into his body to remove his more violent side, even at the cost of regressing from Vasto Lorde to Adjuchas); zommari rejected intoxication with the control of other people's bodies (and his own body, seeing the way he was able to bend his neck); grimmjow rejected his physical and spiritual destruction at all costs, rejecting regression into gillian (which is confirmed in the novels Bleach can't fear your own world); aaroniero rejects total greed even at the cost of not eating one of his heads to become an adjuchas with a single dominant consciousness. Ironically, Ulquiorra is the one closest to accepting his own aspect of death before meeting Orihime and Ichigo.
@@michaelhadgu5246 Do you even remember Baraggan's AoD? It's old age. We never see him being jealous of youth. In fact, he believe his power is absolute. Isn't that him admitting the inevitability of time? Nnoitra's desperation is about proving his position. Remember his claim about being the best? Him kept fighting Nel is a desperate attempt to prove a point. When exactly does him keep fighting act as rejecting desperation? Against Kenpachi? He was leading majority of that fight. Your logic for Harribel is the goofiest. Sacrifice is about the person in question. Denying others sacrifice to do it yourself is literal example of sacrifice. How can doing something mean rejecting that exact thing? LOL Szayel removing his violent urges can be considered him rejecting madness, but come on now. In the end, dude a mad scientist to the tee. Seeing others as objects, complete with stereotypical maniacal laugh. Zommari hailing Aizen on his deathbed is peak example of intoxication from idolism. His power to control is just a realization of his AoD. That's how their power works, according to Barragan. Should have used Grimmjow logic for Harribel. Unlike sacrifice, destruction is not solely about the person. Man is battle maniac for fun, that's him being the embodiment of destruction. Bro doesn't care the world collapsing, he just want to fight Ichigo. Aaroniero took pride in his ability to keep evolving. That's a clear sign he doesn't intend to stop growing. Skipping one dish doesn't mean you plan to skip the whole banquet. Just to be clear, I'm not saying Espada can't reject their AoD. A nihilist dead after looking for meaning is one of the best character arcs in this series. But in Yammy's case, it's a mess. The setup for him being a zero is shaky. Probably a respond for JUMP's request to prolong the arc. And this answer is a patch at best since Kubo admits Kukkapuro originally meant to not survive.
There is a short story called "Nestle to Night" that takes place after Aizen's defeat and that deals with some Arrancar aftermath. It's from the 3rd databook I believe, very nice story especially for an Arrancar fan. I'd recommend you check it out
It was a good decision imo. Leaving Aizen's past completely mysterious is better than giving him one that may not live up to the titan of a villain he grew into. Leaving it a mystery lets everyone fill in the blanks by themselves which is way more satisfying for such an enigmatic character.
Aizen's loneliness is something I really like, your Yamamoto chat with Captains was very interesting actually haha and finally, I think the anime did that scene between Ichigo and Rukia beautifully!! ✨〽️
This goodbye always hits hard. The most emotional goodbye in anime for me. I love the Ichigo Rukia duo, such a funny and emotional relationship between the two. 15:01 this made me laugh. Kira just vibing man. If flawless editing is your bankai, what is your shikai!? I need answers. How good is your Kido?
I don't know about Aizen wanting Ichigo to be his comrade, but I think.. based on Aizen's meltdown upon Urahara's arrival, I think Aizen maybe wanted Urahara to be the one walking the same path he was, but Urahara decided not to change the state of things, Urahara decided to accept it, which Aizen disagrees with. He keeps going with his plan and it just so happens that Ichigo, an interesting side experiment, ends up surpassing him beyond expectations and then he loses... which.. if you remember what they said about the hogyoku's power, it might even be a situation where Aizen's hidden "desire to lose" caused the hogyoku to grant him exactly that.
There is a theory that he was also expecting more of Starrk given that he only dismantles the Espadas after his defeat. It is entirely possible he was subconsciously looking for somebody to be his comrade but every single possible candidate failed.
There is a short light novel called Nestle to Night that was released around this time, showing the aftermath for some of the arrancars. It is completely spoiler-free and definitely worth the read. Also, rest in peace, Yammy.
Great video as always though i really wanted to see your reaction to Rangiku's last thoughts about Gin. I always thought they it was a great ending to their own little arc and their character dynamic where before everytime we se her thinking about Gin she ends in "i really hate that about you" but this time it ends "in i really liked that about you". Even though the scene is really small it shows a lot about the relationship they had and i think is a great cherry on top. Part of why i love bleach is that beside the story of ichigo there many diffrent characters mostly likeable in their own ways that have their own stories and arcs we get a glimpse of.
Do not worry, I'm not even sure Yammy fans exist. Though he did do one thing, He introduced the Bala, which next to Cero is my favorite Hollow attack so far.
Something interesting about Aizen is that he keeps the Hogyoku here. They specifically imprison him in Muken because he can't be killed due to the Hogyoku. Which gives a nice perspective on the loneliness Ichigo felt when fighting Aizen. He didn't get rejected like in Uraharas hypothesis, he wanted to lose. That also ties neatly into why Aizen was so disappointed with Ichigo at first. The one guy that had the potential to surpass him seemingly lost all that. After guiding him to become stronger for so long that must've been devastating. After that there's really no excuse for his trashtalking, but he went pretty insane during Deicide, so let's not dwell on that. And he reverted to the good old calm and collected Aizen after the arc, so all is well
That goodbye to Rukia after everything that happened from the beginning is iconic. Still, we haven not seen the last of Bleach. Epic review of this section of the saga, let's see what's next. You won't be disappointed.
Considering your comments about what you are looking forward in Bleach, I can say with a good ammount of confidence that you will ready enjoy the last two arcs (definitively read the manga and watch the anime for a better experience; specially for the last arc, is a must!)
honestly this has been one of the most interesting rides, seeing all the twist and turns and how it is all absorbed by a new reader has been an incredible journey, one that I'm really happy to have witnessed, so thank you very much for sharing it with us. yes, the ending of the arc felt incredibly bittersweet, the goodbyes between Ichigo and Rukia was hurtful, but to a certain degree beautifully done by Kubo, now a new adventure begins, and it is a very polarizing arc, I honestly liked it a lot when I read it, so I'm really curious what you will think of it.
Finally you finished the Arrancar arc! Great analysis. Many ppl argue that this is how Bleach should have ended but when you understand that Ichigo losing the powers he used to protect others, you know this shouldn't be the end of his journey, he wants a happy normal life not being powerless unable to save his loved ones This may be a hot take considering the current anime arc, but the Arrancar arc is the best (imo) because of how Kubo handled the main characters' emotions, he knows how to portray a character in a unstable mental state, this arc that pushed me to read the manga I think this is when Kubo solidified his artstyle Arrancars also are still my fav faction btw.
I still like to believe that Yami was the newest to be given arrancar powers by aizen and just didnt have enough time to understand his true strength making the huge disappointment he is less frustrating
In defense of Yammy, he epitomizes an ongoing theme throughout the arc where pursuit of power results in a monstrous form that is, ultimately, useless. Loneliness goes hand in hand with it, too, and you can see this repeat across many of the Espada; Starkk gave up his power because it was too monstrous and lonely Grimmjow's power came at the expense of his comrades entirely and has only served to make him everyone's enemy Ulquiorra hid his secret transformation and it ended up being something that didn't benefit him or anyone else Yammy had all the opportunity to avoid conflict entirely but became so consumed with being the strongest that it was his downfall--and at the end he laments dying with the one connection he still had, his dog. Now take all that and look at Aizen, whose own downfall came both out of a pointless, lonely pursuit of power. Yes, from a solely narrative 'what happens' angle, Yammy is largely a pointless distraction and aside, but thematically, his character is resonant with this larger exploration of the self-destructive nature of power without cause.
To that end, Ichigo also pursues power at the potential cost of those who he holds dear. What distinguishes him from a character like Aizen, though, is that he pursues power so that he can protect those bonds he does have. What distinguishes him from a character like Gin, though, is that he pursues power to protect those he can rather than at the expense of the bonds he's trying to save. The Arrancar arc is entirely a meditation on why individuals seek power and how they seek to use that power--often towards tragic ends. After all, it is an arc about Hollows--about Ichigo's Hollow, about Hollowfication, and about Hueco Mundo. The Heart is lost and a new identity is formed around a coalescence of power, insatiable in its hunger and lonely by nature.
Can't believe how we are blessed with people who actualy read the story and don't shit on it like many supposed "bleach fans" were doing in the past!!!
I feel like Yammy was more of a case of failed delivery than a bad idea on paper. It feels clear to me that Kubo wanted to do a twist on the whole Vegeta-Nappa parallel that Ulquiorra and Yammy had at the start by having the big brute actually be the stronger one all along, but it's execution was clumsy. Even more than just Chad I think the whole Karakura gang being the ones to take Yammy down would be a lot more satisfying as a runback from their first encounter than having them just be stalling for Kenpachi and Byakuya.
Don't worry brother, his return is glorious Can't wait for you to enter the new arc Took all of us to appreciate it for what it is Hope you don't fall into the same phase
It's been awesome watching you get to this point! I've been watching since you were at the Soul Society arc. At this point, I recommend reading the two short stories Two Lonely Souls' Wild Drunken Night, and Nestle To Night as well as the two volumes of Spirits Are Forever With You before continuing with the manga.
I think a part of what makes Aizen such an enigma is the fact that we don't have the answers to the questions we have about him. I personally think it would really take away from the character to get all of the backstory and motivations about him explained
Its been really interesting to watch your journey through bleach and seeing your takes on alot of stuff, how much you got right guessing and things that were wild to speculate on, the next arc is honestly one of my favs in the series and for a long time was considered by alot of fans as a step down but i think more people are coming around to it so it'll be cool to see your blind take on it as you get through chunks of it, some parts gonna break your brain haha
Byakuya being a wide range spammer and Kenpachi being a smoke demon with old man Yama being both on crack is Aizen's worst case scenario before the Hogyouku awakens. So baiting them with a loved one, research materials (I forgot to add Miyuri), and strong opponents was hella genius. Aizen confirmed this btw.
There's a couple of reads you can have of Ichigo's reflection of his fight from having the info you have 1. that loneliness is a part of aizen he himself wasn't in touch with and thus the hogyoku didn't reject him but granted him what he wanted despite not knowing that he wanted it 2. that the loneliness he felt was coming from the spirit of the sword being sad that after he archived communion with the hogyoku he never unleashed it/the sword knew the hogyoku was going to get rid of it eventually, similar to how sangetsu could tell kenny's sword was crying 3. He sensed the loneliness because aizen just believes he's better than anyone, like, even before the hogyoku because it's lonely at the top and ichigo suspecting he wanted to lose is not out of loneliness but because he's doing a 6d chess move (or just waiting for Ichigo to kick it naturally twice, once as a human and a second one as a spirit, like that bot that detected it was going to lose at tetris so it paused the game except that the problem can be solved by waiting)
Something to note about Aizen and that really gives us a sense of what he values are the Arrancars. We know he gives them their numbers and they all represent a way to death, and I think it has more to tell about them than their strengths. Three of them specifically caught my eye: Yammy, Stark and Barragan. Barragan is the death by old age and entropy. It is supposedly the ultimate form of ending. There is nothing after him. But weirdly, Stark, the avatar of solitude, is "stronger" and more important to Aizen, as if to say that loneliness is an even more crippling feeling to him than existential dread brought by old age and entropy. And then there's Yammy, both the "strongest" and the weakest of them, and he represents anger. I think it is the lowest because Aizen is someone that is calm and collected that won't let anger or other strong emotions cloud his judgment (according to him of course) but it is also the number 0, outside of the numbering, because it is the symptom of Stark. The loneliness in Aizen created a cold rage about the world that crystalized in the Soul King. That's why Aizen was enraged at the end, because it was just boiling under this whole time. Ted talk over, thanks for reading.
15:50 damn that would have been great fun. Grimmjow beeing Hueco Mundo king and ruling a feral empire. Nel and her gang running arround the desert. Starrk surviving. Would have loved to see that. Much better than what we actually got imop.
I think Yammy's final fight being barely a footnote in the story is intentional (as much as it can be, considering all the more important stuff happening). Now that you're done with the arc, go back and consider the Espadas' Aspects of Death. Consider what Ichigo felt from Aizen's sword and also which Aspect of Death was #1. The Espada were ranked by Aizen, not just according to their power, but also according to their Aspect of Death. Aizen's final speech to Urahara was an outburst he was suppressing at #10, but it's an emotion that bubbled up to the top when he lost. Yet it was just that - an outburst - not that important in the grand scheme of things. What he said was more important to his character than the way he said those things. And therefore Yammy was defeated off-screen lol. At the end of the day it just means Aizen isn't fully true to himself (Kenpachi remarked the fight vs Yammy was boring, I think), and, narratively, the fight would have no emotional/spiritual core, as most other fights in the series do. Every fight is a clash of wills, reasons and ideologies moreso than just a couple of guys swinging swords around. Yammy was doomed from the start as his reason to fight/aspect of death is so one-dimensional compared to the others.
im pretty sure the spirits are forever with you light novel takes place right after this, so now would be where you start reading it, unless you intend to go through them after the main series
@bmxgu2361 he is planning on going through them, just don't know if he's gonna go through them rn now that theres a time skip or after he finished tybw
@@skippi99r32 I see. I mean they work either way but the novels were released in line with the arcs they were supposed to add on to (barring SAFWY) so it would maybe be better if he started now. But after TYBW works fine too. Either way, I'm excited to see him talk about them
I know that you switched from anime and manga to only manga, but plase when you go Thousd Years Blood War what Anime it is have many fixes made by Kubo him-self.
I’m not gonna lie, I was disappointed Hiyori lived because looking back the only soul reapers who died in this war were the ones on Aizen’s side, and he killed them.
I kinda agree. I don't hate her character, but if anyone were to have an excuse to be killed in the battle to give it more weight, it would have been Hiyori.
The sad thing is that isn't the worst case of "fake death" either, but I agree. Of one the major flaws of Bleach (but of many other shonens as well) is the inability to kill off the characters on the "good side" despite having some huge conflicts.
To be fair given how death works in Bleach, Kubo can't just go around killing Soul Reapers. Even if he did that well you know they are likely to comeback soon in the REDACTED arc.
Why would you be disappointed? its a very subtle show of how aizen was never the bad guy but soul society is, people keep saying aizen villain this aizen traitor that when he was literally the hero of the world trying to change the corrupt state of the world
Very cool that you picked up on the idea of Aizen and Ichigo both being isolated in their own way at the end of this arc. There is a lot of interesting parallels between the two like that.
Zaraki represents the strength and unyielding power that Yamamoto also has. Byakuya represents law, order, a strong and dedicated officer in charge who goes by the book but can do what is necessary if needed. Shunsui is definitely the poster child, the one with the legacy and closest to understanding Yamamoto through his own lens. Very good ideas and how you understtod Ukitake's words like this. All i am gonna say is that there is still debate about who could replace Yamamoto, but you will find for yourself soon!
Kenpachi has a few things to him that would make things a bit too crazy if he was in FKT. While it doesn't feel right a few things to note Senbonzakura kageyoshi bounced off Yammy's skin, he was able to severely wound both Kenpachi and Byakuya and he held them off for that long. Read Nestle to Night to see what happens to the rest of Hueco Mundo. Nice pickup on how Ichigo feels that's one of THE most important things about the next arc.
The thing with Orihime is that she only seems to be able to reject PHYSICAL phenomenas, with Ichigo, it's not physical it's got to do with his inner being, so I don't think she'd be able to reject it as a result. I might be wrong, but I don't think I've ever seen her revert anything that wasn't physical
Putting someone like Aizen in a prison for tens of thousands of years is a really bad Idea. There's a quote I heard from Warframe but otherwise not sure where it's from, anyhow its "Small minds die in cells, great minds do their finest work."
Around 4:05 In Kubo talk about this recently and in his own words, he won't talk about it, he has it all in his mind, but in his opinion, that would take away from what people find fascinating about Aizen. Whatever people agree or not, is another thing.
There is a theory about how the Yammy fight went which I subscribe too: It's about the way Kenpachi answers, he just says "Right it was a total bore", meanwhile from what we saw, Yammy got ignored while Kenpachi and Byakuya were roasting each other. So the theory is that Yammy got defeated early on because he was in the way. The injuries Kenpachi and Byakuya got is from them fighting each other.
I think the reason Aizen narratively took Byakuya, Kenpachi, Retsu, and Mayuri out of the fight is because he had contingencies for everyone else. He didn’t know how strong Retsu or Kenpachi truly were so he wanted them out of the picture. Mayuri is usually prepared for the most crazy situations so he got him out of the way and Byakuya is a match for his right hand man making him more vulnerable before hyogyoku had fully merged with him
Now that has reached the Fullbring arc it will be interesting to see his reaction to it as it is one of the arcs in manga that shows if you truly know writting or not
Kubo has said before that he doesn't want to give Aizen a fleshed out backstory because that tends to make the reader feel sympathy for the villain and he doesn't want that with Aizen. As far as the arc's ending goes I do think it was the only way to end it. Naritivly Ichigo couldn't keep that level of power for the series to continue. And if it had to it would have made a decent ending to the entire series. Sure it would have been bittersweet and it would have left fans wanting more but it would have been memorable and many endings in real life are not happy ones.
Bro is about to be on peak for the next two arcs 😭 I mean don't get me wrong, Soul Society Invasion was peak in of itself. But the next two arcs are just a different kind of peak.
I can tell you're a drama and mystery lover, and I'm just gonna tell you that you will enjoy the next arc, so you don't have to worry about the general consensus of it
I'm yet to watch the video, but episode 342 of the 2004 anime offers an amazing transition to the upcoming arc, since some have felt the jump to the start of the coming arc to be abrupt. I love your content, please do continue enjoying the series at your own pace.
The amount of faith and expectations this man has built on a certain character …. Please try not to be as disappointed by as I was .. just be prepared no story is perfect but bleach is close to that term !!
Next arc is pretty great, regardless of what some people will tell you. There will be a cute twintail girl in there, which is already enough reason to like. And also, my uncle is there as well!
Congrats Aga! You can now preorder Bleach: Rebirth of Souls! Just don’t look at the DLC as they recently confirmed the DLC characters will be from the Last Arc.
I just want to describe what this chapter felt like on release. Nobody knew what or if there would be anything after Aizen. There were rumors that Kubo had some more arcs in him, but these last few chapters felt so final, nobody was sure what came next or if anything could come next. The anime for this portion was very close to the manga and the eoisode endings also were very "finale" feeling, especially when they started adapting this last bit. Ichigo saying goodbye to Rukia felt like a series finale. Nobody had any idea if Bleach was over or where the story was going or where it could even go.
I think an under appreciated element of this power loss is that it leaves Ichigo even more deprived than before. He didn't just lose his soul reaper powers, he lost his spiritual powers period, and couldn't see soul reapers and hollows anymore. Even while all of his friends who previously couldn't now can. It's much more than a return to chapter 1.
its more bittersweet when you remember, Just how much Ichigo wanted to be normal person and now he got his wish in a "monkey paw" kind of way...
Adolescent me was like "fullbring? Lame, [insert spoiler here]?"
Adult me seeing the arc with my gained life experience? One of my favorites.
whats worse about this is that his friends whom he sacrificed his life for don't even really stick by his side after he loses his powers. Im also like 45% sure he's got or had depression.
Next arc is one of the most misunderstood and irrationally hated arcs. I’d be very interested to see your take. I think it’s a masterpiece of character writing personally.
My teen brain wasn't ready to process the material on release. Now that I've experienced life more fully, I now understand far more about what ichigo was going through. It really is fantastic writing on the mental state
its disliked by idiots that somehow want a fight bigger then the aizen one right away
Agreed. The fullbring arc is fantastic.
It aged like fine wine. The fact I got to experience it on weekly release was even better.
I liked it tho ngl I did miss the Gotei 13 so when THAT moment happened I was hyped
I think hints of Aizen's loneliness were always there throughout the story:
He has this fundamentally broken conception of human connection in the first place
Hinamori got too close to him; "Admiration is the furthest thing from understanding"
Shinji never tried to get close to him; "You never even tried to understand me, Captain Hirako"
You can't get too close to him, nor can you stay too far
And most importantly, Aizen's dialogue being so exposition heavy (almost like a redditor); he wants, no, NEEDS to explain everything he's doing, even down to the last minute details
Coupling this with the revelation of his loneliness, I think its pretty obvious that this was a subconsious attempt from his part to make sure his enemies at least understood where he was coming from, not through forming bonds with them, but through cold hard facts (again, his flawed views on connection), so that he could at least take solace in the fact that there were people out there who understood him
And the absolute best thing about this, Ichigo IS the person who understands him the MOST, they are similar in an uncanny manner, the only difference being their approach to things
Aizen rebels against the Status Quo, Ichigo rebels against the Status Quo
Aizen thinks Soul Society's laws suck, Ichigo thinks the same
Aizen got consumed by the negatives of the world, Ichigo didn't
Aizen gave up hope, Ichigo kept hoping
Aizen failed to change the soul society, where Ichigo succeeded in more than one way
MAN, I LOVE THIS STORY SOOO MUCH...☺
“He NEEDS to explain everything.”
I have never related to Aizen so much.
Your comment was incredibly insightful and refreshing tbh. There's a lot of people in the bleach fandom who can only see Aizen as this flawless god king and fail to realize that due to his superiority complex he's living in a hell of his own making. Behind all the taunts and villain speeches where he comes off as completely self satisfied, deep inside he's probably a very miserable person, even though he might be incapable of recognizing that.
Ichigo is a foil to Aizen in many ways, but most importantly he is the antithesis of Aizen's view on trust and connection.
Aizen sees reliance and trust as a sin of the weak who burden those stronger than them. He has no use for trust because he sees himself as the strongest, the one who will stand at the top.
Ichigo grows stronger throughout the story for one sole reason: to protect the ones he loves and his world. In the same way that his friends need his protection, he needs their companionship, presence, and well being, otherwise he'd fall apart. Therefore, Ichigo's bonds are his strength.
He's not seeking the thrill of the fight neither he wants to feel superior to others. Even though he gains incredible strength, Ichigo remains very unassuming and down to earth at all times. His power never goes to his head, neither he sees his power as a means to subjugate others like Aizen does. Furthermore, unlike Ichigo, Aizen has nothing to protect because he never truly cared for anyone.
Ichigo's journey of obtaining power is one of self understanding, he only exceeds his limits when he contends with the hidden darkness in his soul (his hollow) that he didn't want to acknowledge. It is only by accepting his inner hollow completely that he reaches his full power.
Aizen on the other hand, ignores the supressed aspects of his psyche such as his loneliness and clings only to his facade of ultimate superiority. I think it is amazing character writing that Aizen's hability is to create perfect illusions, he comes off as someone incapable of true sincerity, towards others and himself.
I got to say, I love this community
@bluepill2288 you spittin'
Bro woke up and decided that truth is their mother-tongue
@lennartweinrich7381 agreed
Agamotto continues to prove that he knows how to read 😂😂😂
Well, to answer your complaint about how the Hollows didn't get a resolution in the Arrancar arc (not speaking about later), there was a short story released alongside these chapters called "Nestle to Night", I believe, which shows Harribel and her Fracciones, now healed, returning to Hueco Mundo to try and prevent the place from falling into anarchy. Also, they find and pet Yammy's dog while there.
4:00 kubo said aizen not having an origin is what makes him more of a compelling character, hes a villain thats supposed to be evil and that you arent supposed to relate to, even today we still dont know much but there was an answer on klub outside implying aizen has had his eyes on urahara for a very long time (if im remembering right, it was longer than urahara had known yoruichi, and theyre childhood friends)
"If it is hidden, it is the flower."
Love how poetic it is how Aizen was beaten by
1. Ichigo, someone he considers equal (or comparable) in strength.
2. Kisuke, someone he considers his equal in intelligence.
except he was beaten by himself
@@UryuCifer all of the above
"The silent victory" that title that I read so many years ago summarizes so much of what puts Bleach apart. There is not fanfare, just melancholy. A war just finished, how could we be happy? In real life, when something terrible happens, we dont just get to "finish" it, we have to live with it, keep on with the baggage and scars and lessons.
It has been a ride. The next arc is really great and misunderstood imo
It’s the best in terms of emotion and tension. Especially how well the manga does the expressions
@@biety8501exactly. It’s just that the average people wants only fights and brawls like caveman
Next arc is my favorite 😊
Same here, but I'm biased because my cousin is there 😁
@@TbxB95that’s crazy, so is mine!
Definitely. Love the pacing whiplash and psychological horror in it lol
Im honestly curious to hear what agamotto has to say about this next arc since its such a "controversial" one
Based
Can't wait for the next arc, i hope they did my uncle justice
You must be talking about my best friend he helped me get through some really rough times when I was younger.
@@no_nameyouknow Nah man, he's talking about my cousin whom I haven't seen in a while
Oh, you guys know my brother? He's been there for me like no other.
@@loganhayse8771
Your brother? He was my former roommate. Dude always washed the dishes and cleaned up after himself. Best roommate I ever had.
@@kamikazelemming1552 Yeah, he was also my minister. This man brought me to Jesus and turned my life upside down. I got him as the best man on my wedding for that.
15:51 i wasn't going to keep insisting with this, but the story "Nestle to Night" explains what happens with Hueco Mundo now that Aizen is gone and both Stark and Barragan are dead.
The ending always hits hard with a lot of deep thinking for this arc.
The first elephant in the room is how Ichigo doesn’t just lose his powers. He lost his spiritual sensing entirely. I like to think the final Getsuga Tensho was so powerful because it BURNED Ichigo’s power and potential to the point where it was permanently damaged.
The other is how Aizen lost. I personally believe the Hōgyoku never abandoned Aizen but instead picked up on the loneliness and let him be defeated subconsciously. It’s genuinely WILD he was so powerful that he only lost because he accidentally willed it to existence. I also love that it’s *Ichigo* of all characters that picks up on Aizen’s inner feelings which we’ve never truly seen. He’s such a fascinating villain and definitely worth just pondering over for awhile.
Also him leaving the arc by roasting Central 46 is hilariously perfect. He lost but still a titanic threat.
And the farewell…. Ahhhhh my heart! I know people say Bleach could’ve ended here but I heavily disagree. So much to still explore and such
His majesty is coming. Soon you will know.
His Majesty will recover his mind in 999 years, his body in 99 years, his power in 9 years and the world in 9 days.
@@thetitanhater
900 years
90 years
9 years
9 days
9 seconds💀👀👁️
@@saketmeena9581 defeated in 9 seconds
Yammy WAS used as a distraction to keep Kenpachi and Byakuya away. There's a reason the only two Espada left behind were ones who had a second release, who were much stronger than expected. Stopping Kenpachi, Byakuya, Mayuri and slowing Ichigo was clearly intentional on Azizen's part. I don't know if they would have made a difference in fake Karakura Town, but it seems pretty clear to me that Aizen did NOT want to deal with them if he could avoid it.
Also Unohana being there completes the picture. They had at least the possibility to change the situation in fake Karakura town.
Knowing Zaraki's strength and Yami's state right after the fight Yami was actually powerful
As someone who read bleach as it was coming out the fact that we made it to this point in the story so quick is crazy because I literally grew up as I went through that story, hearing your read through is always so refreshing
Nel walks into the kitchen in Las Noches, sees Grimmjow on top of the fridge in his ressurreccion: ... What are you doing?
Grimmjow: I AM THE KING BOW TO ME!!!
Kukkapuro: Bark
Grimmjow: HISSSSS
I think your going to love the next arc.
In the unmasked databook it is confirmed that yammy managed to seriously injure byakuya and zaraki and that is also why we see kenpachi without the bandage after putting it back on. And in the little light novel " nestle to night " we understand the relationship between yammy and his dog and that the only reason why he did not release all his power given by anger (and thanks to the accumulation of reiatsu through sleeping and eating) is because he risked destroying las noches (as all the espadas from 4 to 1 could have done)and killing his dog. That is why zaraki said that it was a boring battle and the number 0 on his shoulder did not go away after two ressurecions: he was holding back. Even Yammy was wondering why kukkapuro always followed him around until the end(and even beyond his death). his situation is similar to ichigo vs grimmjow while he was protecting orihime.
The problem with this is holding back total opposite of rage, Yammy's aspect of death. Not a satisfying answer for an already weak setup.
@ironclad-m3q it would still be in line with the fact that all the espada represent aspects of death that they try to reject. In general, even if yammy is a an arrogant, he always lets others command him as if he were a mad dog on a chain. It is only after ulquiorra's death that yammy had total freedom to do what he wants and despite everything this time he imposed a limit on himself for someone much weaker than him. This time it was his choice. If all the espada below ulquiorra used all their strength in battle, all those above him held back for different reasons, precisely because they give importance to something that goes beyond strength and clashes
@ The only ones trying to reject their aspect of death are Ulquiorra and Starrk.
@@ironclad-m3q This is false: hacchi himself confirmed that it was the fear of death that barragan rejected; nnoitra rejected desperation through continuous battle; harribel rejected the sacrifice of her fraccion even at the cost of sacrificing herself, even deciding to prepare the field full of water to face yamamoto even at the cost of holding back against toshiro; szaelaporro rejects madness with his eccentric and controlled perfectionism(and also the fact that he rejected his brother Ylford's soul into his body to remove his more violent side, even at the cost of regressing from Vasto Lorde to Adjuchas); zommari rejected intoxication with the control of other people's bodies (and his own body, seeing the way he was able to bend his neck); grimmjow rejected his physical and spiritual destruction at all costs, rejecting regression into gillian (which is confirmed in the novels Bleach can't fear your own world); aaroniero rejects total greed even at the cost of not eating one of his heads to become an adjuchas with a single dominant consciousness. Ironically, Ulquiorra is the one closest to accepting his own aspect of death before meeting Orihime and Ichigo.
@@michaelhadgu5246 Do you even remember Baraggan's AoD? It's old age. We never see him being jealous of youth. In fact, he believe his power is absolute. Isn't that him admitting the inevitability of time?
Nnoitra's desperation is about proving his position. Remember his claim about being the best? Him kept fighting Nel is a desperate attempt to prove a point. When exactly does him keep fighting act as rejecting desperation? Against Kenpachi? He was leading majority of that fight.
Your logic for Harribel is the goofiest. Sacrifice is about the person in question. Denying others sacrifice to do it yourself is literal example of sacrifice. How can doing something mean rejecting that exact thing? LOL
Szayel removing his violent urges can be considered him rejecting madness, but come on now. In the end, dude a mad scientist to the tee. Seeing others as objects, complete with stereotypical maniacal laugh.
Zommari hailing Aizen on his deathbed is peak example of intoxication from idolism. His power to control is just a realization of his AoD. That's how their power works, according to Barragan.
Should have used Grimmjow logic for Harribel. Unlike sacrifice, destruction is not solely about the person. Man is battle maniac for fun, that's him being the embodiment of destruction. Bro doesn't care the world collapsing, he just want to fight Ichigo.
Aaroniero took pride in his ability to keep evolving. That's a clear sign he doesn't intend to stop growing. Skipping one dish doesn't mean you plan to skip the whole banquet.
Just to be clear, I'm not saying Espada can't reject their AoD. A nihilist dead after looking for meaning is one of the best character arcs in this series. But in Yammy's case, it's a mess. The setup for him being a zero is shaky. Probably a respond for JUMP's request to prolong the arc. And this answer is a patch at best since Kubo admits Kukkapuro originally meant to not survive.
Chair-sama's first appearance !
"Nestle by Night" READ IT, PLEASE!
Yes!
There is a short story called "Nestle to Night" that takes place after Aizen's defeat and that deals with some Arrancar aftermath. It's from the 3rd databook I believe, very nice story especially for an Arrancar fan. I'd recommend you check it out
4:00 Kubo said that's by design.
It was a good decision imo. Leaving Aizen's past completely mysterious is better than giving him one that may not live up to the titan of a villain he grew into. Leaving it a mystery lets everyone fill in the blanks by themselves which is way more satisfying for such an enigmatic character.
Aizen's loneliness is something I really like, your Yamamoto chat with Captains was very interesting actually haha
and finally, I think the anime did that scene between Ichigo and Rukia beautifully!! ✨〽️
I really recommend reading the short story "Nestle to Night" after this. It's just a few pages long, but it complements the ending of this arc.
This goodbye always hits hard. The most emotional goodbye in anime for me. I love the Ichigo Rukia duo, such a funny and emotional relationship between the two.
15:01 this made me laugh. Kira just vibing man.
If flawless editing is your bankai, what is your shikai!? I need answers. How good is your Kido?
I don't know about Aizen wanting Ichigo to be his comrade, but I think.. based on Aizen's meltdown upon Urahara's arrival, I think Aizen maybe wanted Urahara to be the one walking the same path he was, but Urahara decided not to change the state of things, Urahara decided to accept it, which Aizen disagrees with.
He keeps going with his plan and it just so happens that Ichigo, an interesting side experiment, ends up surpassing him beyond expectations and then he loses... which.. if you remember what they said about the hogyoku's power, it might even be a situation where Aizen's hidden "desire to lose" caused the hogyoku to grant him exactly that.
There is a theory that he was also expecting more of Starrk given that he only dismantles the Espadas after his defeat. It is entirely possible he was subconsciously looking for somebody to be his comrade but every single possible candidate failed.
I think your really gonna love next arc excited for your next Bleach vids!
End to a PEAK arc. ONTO EVEN PEAKER!
There is a short light novel called Nestle to Night that was released around this time, showing the aftermath for some of the arrancars. It is completely spoiler-free and definitely worth the read.
Also, rest in peace, Yammy.
Great video as always though i really wanted to see your reaction to Rangiku's last thoughts about Gin. I always thought they it was a great ending to their own little arc and their character dynamic where before everytime we se her thinking about Gin she ends in "i really hate that about you" but this time it ends "in i really liked that about you". Even though the scene is really small it shows a lot about the relationship they had and i think is a great cherry on top. Part of why i love bleach is that beside the story of ichigo there many diffrent characters mostly likeable in their own ways that have their own stories and arcs we get a glimpse of.
Do not worry, I'm not even sure Yammy fans exist. Though he did do one thing, He introduced the Bala, which next to Cero is my favorite Hollow attack so far.
Something interesting about Aizen is that he keeps the Hogyoku here. They specifically imprison him in Muken because he can't be killed due to the Hogyoku. Which gives a nice perspective on the loneliness Ichigo felt when fighting Aizen. He didn't get rejected like in Uraharas hypothesis, he wanted to lose.
That also ties neatly into why Aizen was so disappointed with Ichigo at first. The one guy that had the potential to surpass him seemingly lost all that. After guiding him to become stronger for so long that must've been devastating. After that there's really no excuse for his trashtalking, but he went pretty insane during Deicide, so let's not dwell on that. And he reverted to the good old calm and collected Aizen after the arc, so all is well
That goodbye to Rukia after everything that happened from the beginning is iconic. Still, we haven not seen the last of Bleach. Epic review of this section of the saga, let's see what's next. You won't be disappointed.
Considering your comments about what you are looking forward in Bleach, I can say with a good ammount of confidence that you will ready enjoy the last two arcs (definitively read the manga and watch the anime for a better experience; specially for the last arc, is a must!)
honestly this has been one of the most interesting rides, seeing all the twist and turns and how it is all absorbed by a new reader has been an incredible journey, one that I'm really happy to have witnessed, so thank you very much for sharing it with us.
yes, the ending of the arc felt incredibly bittersweet, the goodbyes between Ichigo and Rukia was hurtful, but to a certain degree beautifully done by Kubo, now a new adventure begins, and it is a very polarizing arc, I honestly liked it a lot when I read it, so I'm really curious what you will think of it.
Finally you finished the Arrancar arc!
Great analysis. Many ppl argue that this is how Bleach should have ended but when you understand that Ichigo losing the powers he used to protect others, you know this shouldn't be the end of his journey, he wants a happy normal life not being powerless unable to save his loved ones
This may be a hot take considering the current anime arc, but the Arrancar arc is the best (imo) because of how Kubo handled the main characters' emotions, he knows how to portray a character in a unstable mental state, this arc that pushed me to read the manga I think this is when Kubo solidified his artstyle
Arrancars also are still my fav faction btw.
PS I'm also hyped for the next arc, I'm curious to find out what you will say about it
I still like to believe that Yami was the newest to be given arrancar powers by aizen and just didnt have enough time to understand his true strength making the huge disappointment he is less frustrating
In defense of Yammy, he epitomizes an ongoing theme throughout the arc where pursuit of power results in a monstrous form that is, ultimately, useless.
Loneliness goes hand in hand with it, too, and you can see this repeat across many of the Espada;
Starkk gave up his power because it was too monstrous and lonely
Grimmjow's power came at the expense of his comrades entirely and has only served to make him everyone's enemy
Ulquiorra hid his secret transformation and it ended up being something that didn't benefit him or anyone else
Yammy had all the opportunity to avoid conflict entirely but became so consumed with being the strongest that it was his downfall--and at the end he laments dying with the one connection he still had, his dog.
Now take all that and look at Aizen, whose own downfall came both out of a pointless, lonely pursuit of power.
Yes, from a solely narrative 'what happens' angle, Yammy is largely a pointless distraction and aside, but thematically, his character is resonant with this larger exploration of the self-destructive nature of power without cause.
To that end, Ichigo also pursues power at the potential cost of those who he holds dear.
What distinguishes him from a character like Aizen, though, is that he pursues power so that he can protect those bonds he does have.
What distinguishes him from a character like Gin, though, is that he pursues power to protect those he can rather than at the expense of the bonds he's trying to save.
The Arrancar arc is entirely a meditation on why individuals seek power and how they seek to use that power--often towards tragic ends.
After all, it is an arc about Hollows--about Ichigo's Hollow, about Hollowfication, and about Hueco Mundo.
The Heart is lost and a new identity is formed around a coalescence of power, insatiable in its hunger and lonely by nature.
Awesome video as always , I 100% sure you will absolutely love the next arc!
Can't believe how we are blessed with people who actualy read the story and don't shit on it like many supposed "bleach fans" were doing in the past!!!
I feel like Yammy was more of a case of failed delivery than a bad idea on paper. It feels clear to me that Kubo wanted to do a twist on the whole Vegeta-Nappa parallel that Ulquiorra and Yammy had at the start by having the big brute actually be the stronger one all along, but it's execution was clumsy. Even more than just Chad I think the whole Karakura gang being the ones to take Yammy down would be a lot more satisfying as a runback from their first encounter than having them just be stalling for Kenpachi and Byakuya.
Glad to still be here on this journey with you! Hope you enjoy the next arc!!!
Don't worry brother, his return is glorious
Can't wait for you to enter the new arc
Took all of us to appreciate it for what it is
Hope you don't fall into the same phase
It's been awesome watching you get to this point! I've been watching since you were at the Soul Society arc. At this point, I recommend reading the two short stories Two Lonely Souls' Wild Drunken Night, and Nestle To Night as well as the two volumes of Spirits Are Forever With You before continuing with the manga.
I think a part of what makes Aizen such an enigma is the fact that we don't have the answers to the questions we have about him. I personally think it would really take away from the character to get all of the backstory and motivations about him explained
Its been really interesting to watch your journey through bleach and seeing your takes on alot of stuff, how much you got right guessing and things that were wild to speculate on, the next arc is honestly one of my favs in the series and for a long time was considered by alot of fans as a step down but i think more people are coming around to it so it'll be cool to see your blind take on it as you get through chunks of it, some parts gonna break your brain haha
Now onto the lost agent arc my second favorite arc and i personalu thin you'll enjoy it
Awesome series. I think the next arc might be your top 2, no joke.
Byakuya being a wide range spammer and Kenpachi being a smoke demon with old man Yama being both on crack is Aizen's worst case scenario before the Hogyouku awakens. So baiting them with a loved one, research materials (I forgot to add Miyuri), and strong opponents was hella genius. Aizen confirmed this btw.
There's a couple of reads you can have of Ichigo's reflection of his fight from having the info you have
1. that loneliness is a part of aizen he himself wasn't in touch with and thus the hogyoku didn't reject him but granted him what he wanted despite not knowing that he wanted it
2. that the loneliness he felt was coming from the spirit of the sword being sad that after he archived communion with the hogyoku he never unleashed it/the sword knew the hogyoku was going to get rid of it eventually, similar to how sangetsu could tell kenny's sword was crying
3. He sensed the loneliness because aizen just believes he's better than anyone, like, even before the hogyoku because it's lonely at the top and ichigo suspecting he wanted to lose is not out of loneliness but because he's doing a 6d chess move (or just waiting for Ichigo to kick it naturally twice, once as a human and a second one as a spirit, like that bot that detected it was going to lose at tetris so it paused the game except that the problem can be solved by waiting)
Something to note about Aizen and that really gives us a sense of what he values are the Arrancars. We know he gives them their numbers and they all represent a way to death, and I think it has more to tell about them than their strengths. Three of them specifically caught my eye: Yammy, Stark and Barragan.
Barragan is the death by old age and entropy. It is supposedly the ultimate form of ending. There is nothing after him. But weirdly, Stark, the avatar of solitude, is "stronger" and more important to Aizen, as if to say that loneliness is an even more crippling feeling to him than existential dread brought by old age and entropy.
And then there's Yammy, both the "strongest" and the weakest of them, and he represents anger. I think it is the lowest because Aizen is someone that is calm and collected that won't let anger or other strong emotions cloud his judgment (according to him of course) but it is also the number 0, outside of the numbering, because it is the symptom of Stark. The loneliness in Aizen created a cold rage about the world that crystalized in the Soul King. That's why Aizen was enraged at the end, because it was just boiling under this whole time.
Ted talk over, thanks for reading.
15:50 damn that would have been great fun. Grimmjow beeing Hueco Mundo king and ruling a feral empire. Nel and her gang running arround the desert. Starrk surviving. Would have loved to see that. Much better than what we actually got imop.
You need to read "Nestle by Night" , this novel explains what happens with Hueco Mundo
Get ready for the most divisive (and maybe my personal favorite) arc in the entire story.
My hope was that we would get a karakura plus renji and rukia battle vs raid boss yammy
I think Yammy's final fight being barely a footnote in the story is intentional (as much as it can be, considering all the more important stuff happening).
Now that you're done with the arc, go back and consider the Espadas' Aspects of Death. Consider what Ichigo felt from Aizen's sword and also which Aspect of Death was #1. The Espada were ranked by Aizen, not just according to their power, but also according to their Aspect of Death. Aizen's final speech to Urahara was an outburst he was suppressing at #10, but it's an emotion that bubbled up to the top when he lost. Yet it was just that - an outburst - not that important in the grand scheme of things. What he said was more important to his character than the way he said those things. And therefore Yammy was defeated off-screen lol.
At the end of the day it just means Aizen isn't fully true to himself (Kenpachi remarked the fight vs Yammy was boring, I think), and, narratively, the fight would have no emotional/spiritual core, as most other fights in the series do. Every fight is a clash of wills, reasons and ideologies moreso than just a couple of guys swinging swords around. Yammy was doomed from the start as his reason to fight/aspect of death is so one-dimensional compared to the others.
Amazing analysis as always and I really believe that you will enjoy the next ark
im pretty sure the spirits are forever with you light novel takes place right after this, so now would be where you start reading it, unless you intend to go through them after the main series
There's already a few novels he can read at this point. Hopefully he at least checks them all out after TYBW.
@bmxgu2361 he is planning on going through them, just don't know if he's gonna go through them rn now that theres a time skip or after he finished tybw
@@skippi99r32 I see. I mean they work either way but the novels were released in line with the arcs they were supposed to add on to (barring SAFWY) so it would maybe be better if he started now. But after TYBW works fine too. Either way, I'm excited to see him talk about them
I'm the most excited for the next arc out of all. I feel it hits some really damn good beats.
Next arc is one of my fav.. can't wait for your walk through
I know that you switched from anime and manga to only manga,
but plase when you go Thousd Years Blood War what Anime it is have many fixes made by Kubo him-self.
I actually still do both so don’t worry!
I’m not gonna lie, I was disappointed Hiyori lived because looking back the only soul reapers who died in this war were the ones on Aizen’s side, and he killed them.
I kinda agree. I don't hate her character, but if anyone were to have an excuse to be killed in the battle to give it more weight, it would have been Hiyori.
The sad thing is that isn't the worst case of "fake death" either, but I agree. Of one the major flaws of Bleach (but of many other shonens as well) is the inability to kill off the characters on the "good side" despite having some huge conflicts.
@@TbxB95 well it's a good thing tybw kinda fixes that problem and is more bold with the deaths of the "good characters"
To be fair given how death works in Bleach, Kubo can't just go around killing Soul Reapers. Even if he did that well you know they are likely to comeback soon in the REDACTED arc.
Why would you be disappointed? its a very subtle show of how aizen was never the bad guy but soul society is, people keep saying aizen villain this aizen traitor that when he was literally the hero of the world trying to change the corrupt state of the world
Very cool that you picked up on the idea of Aizen and Ichigo both being isolated in their own way at the end of this arc. There is a lot of interesting parallels between the two like that.
Zaraki represents the strength and unyielding power that Yamamoto also has.
Byakuya represents law, order, a strong and dedicated officer in charge who goes by the book but can do what is necessary if needed.
Shunsui is definitely the poster child, the one with the legacy and closest to understanding Yamamoto through his own lens.
Very good ideas and how you understtod Ukitake's words like this. All i am gonna say is that there is still debate about who could replace Yamamoto, but you will find for yourself soon!
The fight with Yammy always felt to me the opportunity for Byakuia and Kenpachi to fight each other.
Kenpachi has a few things to him that would make things a bit too crazy if he was in FKT.
While it doesn't feel right a few things to note Senbonzakura kageyoshi bounced off Yammy's skin, he was able to severely wound both Kenpachi and Byakuya and he held them off for that long.
Read Nestle to Night to see what happens to the rest of Hueco Mundo.
Nice pickup on how Ichigo feels that's one of THE most important things about the next arc.
Man the episode where Rukia dissapears in front of Ichigo always makes cry, every time!
Can't wait to hear your thoughts on the Fullbring Arc, and your reactions to the new characters that get introduced.
You know, if he keeps this pace up, he might be able to finish the entire Manga by the time the anime comes back for it's final cour 👀
This isn't the end, we have only just begun. * some dope music plays *
This arc has not made it realise how significant old captains of Gotei 13 are.
The thing with Orihime is that she only seems to be able to reject PHYSICAL phenomenas, with Ichigo, it's not physical it's got to do with his inner being, so I don't think she'd be able to reject it as a result. I might be wrong, but I don't think I've ever seen her revert anything that wasn't physical
Putting someone like Aizen in a prison for tens of thousands of years is a really bad Idea. There's a quote I heard from Warframe but otherwise not sure where it's from, anyhow its "Small minds die in cells, great minds do their finest work."
I am SO damn excited for him to read/watch the Thousand year blood war arc.
It's all coming together.
Looking back on this I wonder who broke the news to kenpachi that he can’t fight his favorite sparing buddy anymore
Around 4:05 In Kubo talk about this recently and in his own words, he won't talk about it, he has it all in his mind, but in his opinion, that would take away from what people find fascinating about Aizen. Whatever people agree or not, is another thing.
There is a theory about how the Yammy fight went which I subscribe too:
It's about the way Kenpachi answers, he just says "Right it was a total bore", meanwhile from what we saw, Yammy got ignored while Kenpachi and Byakuya were roasting each other.
So the theory is that Yammy got defeated early on because he was in the way. The injuries Kenpachi and Byakuya got is from them fighting each other.
I think the reason Aizen narratively took Byakuya, Kenpachi, Retsu, and Mayuri out of the fight is because he had contingencies for everyone else. He didn’t know how strong Retsu or Kenpachi truly were so he wanted them out of the picture. Mayuri is usually prepared for the most crazy situations so he got him out of the way and Byakuya is a match for his right hand man making him more vulnerable before hyogyoku had fully merged with him
Youre coming up on one of the most underrated arcs in Bleach. Many didn't like it. I was NOT one of them.
i think you will love the next arc
Now that has reached the Fullbring arc it will be interesting to see his reaction to it as it is one of the arcs in manga that shows if you truly know writting or not
Kubo has said before that he doesn't want to give Aizen a fleshed out backstory because that tends to make the reader feel sympathy for the villain and he doesn't want that with Aizen.
As far as the arc's ending goes I do think it was the only way to end it. Naritivly Ichigo couldn't keep that level of power for the series to continue. And if it had to it would have made a decent ending to the entire series. Sure it would have been bittersweet and it would have left fans wanting more but it would have been memorable and many endings in real life are not happy ones.
Bro is about to be on peak for the next two arcs 😭
I mean don't get me wrong, Soul Society Invasion was peak in of itself. But the next two arcs are just a different kind of peak.
I can tell you're a drama and mystery lover, and I'm just gonna tell you that you will enjoy the next arc, so you don't have to worry about the general consensus of it
My favorite uncle is coming.
im like 100% sure the next antagonist will be your favorite
I'm yet to watch the video, but episode 342 of the 2004 anime offers an amazing transition to the upcoming arc, since some have felt the jump to the start of the coming arc to be abrupt.
I love your content, please do continue enjoying the series at your own pace.
As someone with Dr. Strange as his favorite marvel character, I love this channel even more with every video.
Easily my fav arc of the series
The Hollow dog is named Kukkapūrro and is playable in Brave Souls :)
if you consume the next arc as an anime it might be a little underwhelming but if you read it boh oh boy you're gonna love every aspect of it
We've beaten Yammy, after hundreds of episodes! After hundreds of chapters!
The amount of faith and expectations this man has built on a certain character ….
Please try not to be as disappointed by as I was .. just be prepared
no story is perfect but bleach is close to that term !!
Next arc is pretty great, regardless of what some people will tell you.
There will be a cute twintail girl in there, which is already enough reason to like. And also, my uncle is there as well!
Congrats Aga! You can now preorder Bleach: Rebirth of Souls! Just don’t look at the DLC as they recently confirmed the DLC characters will be from the Last Arc.
You could even say that Yami had 0 importance
I just want to describe what this chapter felt like on release. Nobody knew what or if there would be anything after Aizen. There were rumors that Kubo had some more arcs in him, but these last few chapters felt so final, nobody was sure what came next or if anything could come next. The anime for this portion was very close to the manga and the eoisode endings also were very "finale" feeling, especially when they started adapting this last bit. Ichigo saying goodbye to Rukia felt like a series finale. Nobody had any idea if Bleach was over or where the story was going or where it could even go.
bro i cannot believe i missed the Eye of Agamotto reference all this time