Customer Reviews

Bleach, Vol. 5

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i'm 17 and my manga collection is around the 40 something books mark. so i know what i'm talking about. this not only has some of the best and most unique artwork, but it's funny. there are even some parts that i laughed out loud at. it has some of the best action sequences, and dialogue i've read. definitely one of the best manga series' i've read. i suggest buying this. and just when you think it can't get any cooler, then volume 5 comes around. i can't tell you much because it's integral to the plot, but it will probably blow you away. i like this series a lot, i would suggest it to pretty much everyone.

Tite Kubo, Bleach: Right Arm of the Giant (ViZ, 2002)

In which we discover that Ichigo is not the only member of this loosely-allied group that has superpowers. As the cover of the book lets you know in no uncertain terms, the enigmatic Chad, who was previously seen as someone who had no supernatural abilities whatsoever (remember how he had to be told where to punch in his first battle with a hollow?), may actually be far more important to everyone's safety than we thought. Meanwhile, Uryu challenges Ichigo to a test to see which group, the Quincies or the Soul Reapers, is more efficient at dispatching hollows. Ichigo accepts, with dire consequences (but sets up a multi-book story arc, so there you go). Chad's my favorite character in the series, so I loved this; I can see why some folks who have given it not-so-good reviews might not think there's enough going on in this one, though. ****

Ichigo Kurosaki is one of those many anime heroes that takes his fights very, very personally.

And Tite Kubo's "Bleach Volume 5: Right Arm of the Giant" he's called on to defend his pride against his new rival, a mysterious young man who can destroy Hollows with a spirit-bow. But their competition basically serves as a springboard for his buddies Chad and Orihime, and the mysterious powers that start popping up for them. what's more, events seem to be getting more complicated for Ichigo's little gang, fast.

While Ichigo is left fuming and forgetful after encountering the Quincy Uryu Ishida, Rukia takes a trip to Urahara's shop to find out what the Quincies are... or were. And after learning that Uryu goes to his school, Ichigo tries to trail him -- only to have the acid-tongued Uryu rope him into a Hollow-slaying contest, and deliberately causing Karakura to be overrun. Uryu's goal: to prove that Quincies are superior to Soul Reapers.

And across town, Chad is attacked by one particularly large one as he tries to defend Ichigo's little sister Karin. For all Chad's strength, his only hope is to call on a new power of his own. In the meantime, Orihime is helping her pals clean up when she spots a horrific Hollow octopus, who turns the other students into puppetlike zombies. But when Tatsuki is wounded trying to defend her friend, Orihime gets fighting mad.

"Bleach Volume 5: The Right Arm of the Giant" is something of a crossroad -- the action-packed plot is obviously about to blow out in every direction, with more Hollows than ever before doing nastier things than before. And additionally, it's pretty obvious that soon more Soul Reapers will be entering the scene -- and this might be a bad thing for Rukia.

In the meantime, we get plenty of slam-bang action -- Chad's punching power, Uryu's glowing spirit bow, and even the mild-mannered Orihime turns out to have some power coming from a very unusual source. Lots of green gore, vaporized Hollows, and some creepy varicose veins. The big surprise is that central hero Ichigo is about the only one who ISN'T really doing any fighting, but obviously that's going to start pretty soon, now that Orihime and Chad have shown their abilities.

Fortunately all this grimness and action is leavened by the humor from Kon and Ichigo's classmates, such as Keigo's shrieking horror when he learns that the punky Ichigo is No. 23 in their class ("You're possessed by ghosts! SMART, EVIL GHOSTS!") or Ichigo's ongoing difficulty remembering names and faces. And Orihime's powers -- manifested as a cute little gang of fairies -- are worthy of some chuckles, especially the feisty Tsubaki.

Our orange-haired hero is about the only one who doesn't have much development in this volume -- Chad and Orihime have plenty. Kubo spins quiet shadowed flashbacks into their backgrounds, showing the origins of Chad's "gentle giant" status and Orihime's friendship with the tomboyish Tatsuki. And we get a full introduction to Uryu, a sort of anti-Ichigo -- he's prickly, chilly, sews like a maestro, hates Soul Reapers and there are hints about what motivates him.

"Bleach Volume 5: Right Arm of the Giant" fleshes out two established characters and fully introduces a third one, while building up to what is obviously going to be a big confrontation.

For those who have not read this series yet, I HIGHLY recommend it! And as for those people out there who have read this volume and have trash talked it, that is your opinion, but I disagree thoroughly. Yes, the hollows can be odd but I still love them, and yes Orihime's fairies are out there, but they are just too awsome not to love. Once again, I highly recommend this series to anyone who has seen the anime and want better, or those who are looking for more spiritual awsomeness with lovable characters!

My first impression on BLEACH was not good,after watching some episodes of it's anime version...up to episode#18(translated in english subtitles),I've change my mind and bought volume#1 at once!After reading the first volume#1...I saw differences from the manga and the anime,but that won't Stop me for being Fanatic fan of Bleach!!!This sure heck of a Series!!!!I love the couple Ichigo and Rukia!!!I want to see more.Now I got volume#1 of the manga now I should get the others,I'm already late...but there's a saying..."Slow but sure!".

In Volume 5 of Bleach we learn that Soul Reapers are not the only sect that dispatches Hollows. A branch of them, called "Quincies", also hunt Hollows, the difference being that instead of purifying them so they can go on to the Soul Society, they out and out KILL the demonic spirits. The last Quincy was thought to have died around 200 years ago, but Uryu Ishida, a classmate of Ichigo's, claims he is one of the clan and challenges Ichigo the Soul Reaper in a contest meant to prove Quincy superiority. He spreads bait over the entire city to attract Hollows, uncaring of the innocents that will be hurt. Whoever can kill the most Hollows wins! Ichigo probably won't be able to protect all the people he cares for, but he might have to, because his friend's own psychic powers just might awaken.

The latter half of this volume began an abrupt decline in quality. The shakiest thing about this series is the unimaginative and sometimes outright laughable design of the Hollows. Just to give one instance, when Orihime and her pals are attacked by a Hollow, it looks like one of those cut octopus looking frankfurters you see in Japanese lunches. Then the obviously pathetic Hollow says "I don't like to fight...so I fire seeds from my forehead". You feel as if the Power Rangers are going to fly in any second to fight giant guys in rubber suits! And wait till you see Orihime's power, which involves gnat sized fairies. Oh, the horror of it all. I don't know if I'm going to go beyond the next volume if this keeps up.