Bleach - Honestly? Well ...

Written by DJH4311 on May 15, 2011 at 9:20 PM

When Bleach first started, it was an exciting experience. The story was fresh and well paced, the comedy was well integrated and had excellent timing (Personally, Rukia knocking Ichigo out and dragging him "to see the nurse!" had me in stitches). Story progression was taken carefully, any necessary back story being supplied when it was needed, and always in the right amount. We learn more about the lore used in Bleach then in a lot of other anime, and this amplifies the depth the viewer is given, rather than drowning them in information or worse, leaving them asking simple, basic questions about the world they are being shown.

The true gem of Bleach is the fight scenes. At the start of the series, they are brutal, hack & slash affairs with raw strength behind each blow, as the protagonist is still learning the finer points of his abilities and swordplay. A wide array of characters from all different aspects of life interact with Ichigo during his experiences, and they all have an effect on his development as a warrior and person. However, near the end of the series, the fight scenes are all "faster than a blink" battles, much of the sword motion replaced by cheap blur lines and dashes. This really takes away from the battle quality, but each battle is fought for a reason, they aren't just "In the name of meaningless battle!" brawls. The emotions that are brought across, the sub-stories that play out during them, each fighter's persona clashing against one another can help to make this less of an issue.

The voice acting can be as funny as the character's actions themselves. The actors and actresses that portray Ichigo and those around him, both Japanese and English, provide an amazing array of emotions that really pull you into their situations. I can't help but wonder however, how much time off after the recording sessions they need, as there is an inordinate amount of screaming and battle cries once the blades are drawn for battle.

In a round about way, Bleach preaches that any obstacle can be overcome with enough patience and practice. Another message the series sends out is that no matter how dark your situation, your true friends with always be there, holding you up when you need support the most.

Bleach suffers from a number of stabbing issues, some noted above, others to be placed here. The opponents faced as the story progresses, become ridiculous in power. Their strength forces the main character to push themselves to equal or higher levels of idiotic power in attempts to defeat them. Life IS struggle, life IS hardship. Continued life IS overcoming your hardships, no matter their shape, form or purpose. Bleach just takes that to levels beyond reason. There is keeping to a tried and tested method, then there is spamming the repeat function till the mill breaks. The former can be said for Bleach.

The real grievance for Bleach, is that it is based on a manga series that is still being written. The anime catches up to the manga in regards to story quite quickly, and the series tends to suffer from the stories written to fill the gap as the magna takes a lead again. A number of the Bleach fillers are quite interesting, providing additional background information and insights are otherwise could have been missed. This is contrasted by the fact that the rest of the fillers were just created to waste time, they provide little in the means of additional story, and just serve as an excuse for the main characters to wail on someone to protect those that are vulnerable for that story.

In all, Bleach can provide you with all round entertainment, both in comedy, action and minor romantic sub-plots that play back and forth over the series. The battles that flow through the show, and the morals taught and lessons learnt carry over into life itself, bringing a real world experience to the series. Just be careful around the fillers, some of them are short but entertaining and will keep you interested, others are overly long and you may find it hard to keep watching without skipping past them.