Bleach (Manga) / Manga

I found this to be the funniest Bleach chapter in a long time, and I actually laughed out loud several times while reading. Foremost this week was the healing master of the Zero Division, Kirinji Tenjiirou, whose supreme healing technique apparently takes the form of a hot spring bath. The combination of his gangster appearance and manner of speech make it all the funnier as he pins Byakuya in the water, holds Renji like a carrot, and lets Rukia float face down in the pool. I definitely lost it when Kirinji started chucking their unconscious bodies between the two hot springs to leech out the “bad reaitsu” (repeat process until healed). Readers will probably also note that they are all, literally, butt-naked — and yes we get little peek of both Ichigo and Rukia.

Aside from the funny stuff though, a decent amount of new information was also revealed. For one, the spirit keys are built into Zero division’s bodies; Aizen was trying to make his own to get into the Spirit King Palace. The palace is actually comprised of an enormous complex of floating cities. Each of the five Royal Guards has their own castle in the sky that they rule over, making me curious about who else lives there and what their purpose is. Shinigami are pretty much are not allowed into the place, which brings us to another mysterious tidbit about Urahara: he’s been to the Spirit Palace and knows the Zero Division fairly well. He even copied Kirinji’s technique (one which supposedly surpasses Unohana’s capabilities), proving yet again how damn smart he is. In the past, Aizen has also hinted that he works closely with the Spirit King, and so as always, it may turn out that Urahara is much more involved in the plot than it seems at face value. After getting a first glimpse of the Spirit King and his demon eyes however, I can’t help but wonder (just a little) whether these people are truly the good guys.

49 Comments

    1. @woope:
      Bleach wiki says 霊王 or Reiō.

      I doubt Urahara outright copied the technique and got the exact same results, he probably tried to mimic it but ended up with a weaker (though still powerful) version.

      Asteo
      Reply

    1. To be honest, we can so predict that, the moment when Rukia wakes up, she will KICK Ichigo big time while saying how “my body has been soiled.” Obviously this is the first time Ichigo saw any of Rukia’s privates.

      Anyway, this was Kirinji Tenjiirou’s method of healing. I can see why Unohana wasn’t using this healing method, she was never the type to let people see her rather well endowed body so I doubt she is the type to use this method with her body is at risk.

      As for the spirit king, much to my disappointment, it is a guy. I wanted a little cute girl. Well I hope that the female zero shinigami would become part of Ichigo’s harem.

      L002
      Reply

      1. Also, people, please don’t take my harem joke to seriously. When I say Harem I mean just girls who would risk their life for Ichigo and made some sort of “bond” with him. The idea is similar to Nel as she went as far to follow him to the human world instead of going to find some other hollows for help.

        Same goes for the Unohana one, as we know Shunsui is the type of person that would persistently ask Unohana for a “healing treatment” like hot springs. It is likely that Unohana is reluctant to use such a treatment since it gives Shunsui perverted ideas.

        L002
        Reply

  4. Best damn Bleach chapter in a long time! Both funny and informative! I can’t help but see this whole “class division” here as well (where there are “elite” societies living in these floating cities while the “commoners” from Seiritei are not allowed there).

    Also, it seems to me that Urohara was probably part of the Zero squad in the past but his wacky brain got him kicked out. Finally, I wonder if Aizen has somehow found his way into the palace already 🙂

    dimasok
    Reply

    1. I’m assuming you meant UrAhara, not Urohara, which sounds like a combination of Unohana and Urahara.

      Anyway, Urahara became Squad 12’s Captain after the previous Captain, Kirio Hikifune, took a position in the Royal Guard. After that, he was framed by Aizen for the Hollowfication experiments and stayed in hiding in the world of the living while on the run from the Soul Society. There was no time for him to be a member of the Royal Guard.

      Da5id
      Reply

  5. Bleach power level vs appeareance . Through multiple studies that I have done with Nobel winning scientist,we have concluded that this formula can be apply to most bleach characters. Power level is proportional to eccentricity and as the Troll variable tends to infinity a quantum hole (now know as “The Wtf hole”) rips a hole in the fabric of time in which new ideas for bleach are found . Thus it is a constant cycle. QED

    ComM3
    Reply

  10. well after that kind of humiliating healing I’m sure we can never look at Byakuya and Renji the same again. BTW don’t you think the Spirit King looks like the butterfly Aizen without the mullet? Suspicious…

    gawrshness
    Reply

  22. Bleach really is better at comedy than action and drama, it’s why those early chapters of every arc are always infinitely better than the ones bogged down with fighting and nonsensical plot twists.

    Let’s hope Kubo’s next manga embraces comedy ala Fairy Tail and One Piece, it even makes the fillers better.

    caramel_cod
    Reply

    1. THIS. IF Kubo comes back to do another manga, he should a shonen comedy ala Medaka Box/School Rumble. Comedy is much BETTER for him then Action Drama. Even better let him collaborate with another mangaka and let him do the art, and have a better writer (Nobuhiro Watsuki)

      Corey
      Reply

  25. I don’t remember Aizen hinting about working with the Spirit King. Thanks for the reminder!

    (By the way, just wanted to let you know that the phrase is actually “buck naked” not “butt naked.”)

    Lyn
    Reply

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