Bleach 528 – Nothing But The Rain
Ichigo’s identity has always been a significant focus in Bleach, and it has been brought back to the forefront again when Ichigo displayed abilities similar to Blut Vene, prompting Juha Bach to make cryptic references about his mother. Now that Ichigo has found himself without his powers yet again, his old man decides that it is finally time to spill the truth about everything. When he first sees Isshin though, he flees out of shame, and pays a visit to his employer and friend Unagiya Ikumi. To be honest, I’m not sure what role she is playing in all this besides emotional support, since she doesn’t seem to possess any spiritual ability. It’s possible she actually knows more than she reveals, but at this point Ikumi probably won’t be doing anything major.
Instead, the bulk of the content in this chapter was covered as Isshin sits Ichigo down and begins telling him the story of how he met Kurosaki Masaki. I found it odd that she had the name Kurosaki when they first met, which would mean that either their family decided to use her surname, or that they coincidentally had the surname (a bit more unusual). It probably comes as no surprise to the readers that she was Quincy, since that fact has been hinted at already. Knowing the history between the two groups, I’m guessing that their relationship ends up being a forbidden love type of thing, though we’ll just have to wait for the flashback to continue. If Isshin holds true to his word, we’ll hopefully also find out why he left the Gotei 13, what the exact nature of Ichigo and his sisters is, and how a Quincy who could defeat a captain-level enemy could be killed by a mere hollow.
February 28, 2013 at 3:06 amCrunchie
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Explanation of why Isshin and Ryuuken know each other kgo.
Show Spoiler ▼
February 28, 2013 at 5:50 amDa5id
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Or, more likely, cousins.
February 28, 2013 at 3:07 amDestiny-
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n his mother is ishida’s aunt (ishida’s dad’s sister), explains y ichigo’s dad was friendly with ishida’s dad in 1 of the scene in the past. that makes ichigo n ishida cousin, BROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMANCE~
February 28, 2013 at 3:11 amP Ko
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Most anticlimactic and obvious plot point ever in the history of any manga ever.
I mean…. HOLY SHIT! WHAT A HUGE PLOT DEVELOPMENT THAT NOBODY AND I MEAN NOBODY SAW COMING!
February 28, 2013 at 8:43 pmXero
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This was by far the biggest reveal in the world. Even more so than finding out that Tobi was Obito.
March 1, 2013 at 8:26 amspikerman87
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What I love is how it’s done:
“Now is the time Ichigo…”
*Next Page*
“You’re not this or that.”
*Next Page*
“The truth is…”
*Next Page*
“Your Mother…”
*Next Page*
March 3, 2013 at 12:28 pmKarma
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Okay, you need to shut up and go stand in the corner.
The worst manga plots are the ones that’s plot is completely unexpected and straight forward random, because they do not give the readers the chance to guess what will be happening next. Just because everyone were predicting 6000 years before this chapter that Ichigo’s mother was a Quincy does not make it a bad thing.
Bleach’s fan-base is utterly ridiculous. First, people complain about plotholes and random stuff going on, but when actually everything’s working out just fine, then it’s so god damn obvious.
February 28, 2013 at 3:24 amDude
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Legally speaking, Isshin is a non-entity in Japanese society, even Rukia needed shenanigans (with Kisuke’s help) to integrate into real world society (transferring to Ichigo’s school for instance).
So why can’t Isshin adopt the Kurosaki family name once he leaves Soul Society?
February 28, 2013 at 4:03 pmschwegburt
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Also I imagine having the name of “Isshin Shiba” (Come on, that’s the other part of their history which has all but been said outloud) would raise a lot of eyebrows. Having a human surname and Urahara’s untraceable gigais would probably make it easy to disappear.
Prooof – In Japan it’s not unheard of for the husband to take the wife’s surname. You never saw it in Western culture but this is Japanese culture.
February 28, 2013 at 3:41 amKurisu Vi Britannia
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This chapter was basically everyone going “WELL DUHHHHH”
February 28, 2013 at 3:48 amCrook
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I laughed so hard, since everyone in the comments’ section was saying how Ichigo was part of every ‘race’ except Quincy, and here you have it.
February 28, 2013 at 4:13 amNadester
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You know, for main character, Ichigo sucks a lot. I mean A LOT.
February 28, 2013 at 5:23 amAnanas
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Not enough.
February 28, 2013 at 5:52 amDa5id
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I mean, I’ve seen worse, but Ichigo specifically is just one character trait throughout. It gets old. Very. Fast.
February 28, 2013 at 9:33 amDarklord
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He’s better than many still…goes to show how bad some others are…
February 28, 2013 at 12:10 pmSortedevaras
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Name them.
March 1, 2013 at 12:04 amKandur
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All of them? It’s easier to name those who are better than him.
February 28, 2013 at 4:14 amMormegil
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Isshin Shiba.
March 1, 2013 at 4:09 amdefunkt_bots
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good call
March 1, 2013 at 5:56 amkishagi
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that would explain why Ichigo looks like Shiba Kaien
February 28, 2013 at 5:03 amK C M
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I don’t need an explanation of how Ichigo became a Shinigami, or a Quincy I need an explanation for how He became a Visord, or an Arrancar.
February 28, 2013 at 7:22 amPsithief
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His Hollow, Shinigami and Fullbringer powers have all just been mimicry powered by his Quincy heritage.
I thought it was obvious.
February 28, 2013 at 3:40 pmRandomRam
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Ichigo’s final getsuga tenshou was actually a letzt still. Thus no powers.
How can Kubo make us fume and still keep on reading. :p
February 28, 2013 at 6:00 pmZero Hour 17
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Urahara used a form of hollowfication(probably using data he gathered while studying the vizards) to give Ichigo his powers back after Byakuya took them away. That’s how that happened.
March 1, 2013 at 8:01 pmCamora
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Actually in that instance it was Rukia’s power that Byakuya took away. Which is why Ichigo could start fresh with his…whatever the hell he had
February 28, 2013 at 6:38 pmAquarian DragonSlayer
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I think it was that time he was almost too late getting out of Urahara’s special training hole in the ground in season 2.
February 28, 2013 at 5:13 amElegantlight
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It looks like Isshin is being a perv and checking out her panties
February 28, 2013 at 7:01 amGekokujou
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Who wouldn’t? If a cute girl in a skirt comes up to you and squats like that, could you honestly tell me you wouldn’t try looking?
February 28, 2013 at 5:21 amAnanas
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Just tell us something we don’t know.
Like Kenpachi’s sword’s name.
February 28, 2013 at 3:55 pmCastamare
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This is easy: Kenpachi zanpakutou name will be “Gashadokuro”. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gashadokuro)
From Wikipedia: “The only way a Gashadokuro can be detected before it appears is by hearing a ringing in one’s ears.”
February 28, 2013 at 5:31 amYusunoha
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what I thought when I read the last page http://youtu.be/jwQSv-SClr4?t=1m32s
February 28, 2013 at 5:43 amJBC
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This was an awful chapter, the quality in the story has gone down over the years.
February 28, 2013 at 11:48 pmKidokuOuyou
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Story quality stop after Aizen…
February 28, 2013 at 6:06 amBleach4ever
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Best chapter eva. omg i was shocked that his mother is a quincy!! best manga ever!
February 28, 2013 at 6:08 amCelecia01
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Yes, finally some character development! Not shocking in the least, but it’s nice to finally have some info on Ichigo’s mother. I hadn’t considered it until now, but I wonder if the relationship between Isshin and Ichigo’s mother is the reason he no longer serves the Gotei 13? Possibly also the reason the two sides fought to begin with? there is potential for the story here, hopefully Kubo doesn’t skip over it and let it go to waste like he did with Rangiku and Gin.
February 28, 2013 at 6:11 amHmm
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wtf? so either hollows gotten really strong over the years for her to be killed by a weak hollow, or she got weak / lost her powers somehow when she was attacked.
February 28, 2013 at 12:23 pmSortedevaras
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Maybe Quincy powers work like human muscles, if you don’t use them for years they wither. I doubt she had much use for her powers raising 3 children. Also it was a surprise attack that killed her, too fast to defend against and Quincy are as fragile as a normal human.
February 28, 2013 at 5:15 pmFlanders
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Or she somehow transfused most of her powers into Isshin, as we all know, Isshin lost his Shinigami powers when he used Final Getsuga Tensho as well (he taught FGT to Ichigo as a last resort), probably after the birth of Yuzu and Karin.
February 28, 2013 at 6:38 amArky
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why the **** Masaki is so young?, isshin must be some 30 or 40 something (even more on SS years) hitting on some 16 girl? wtf
February 28, 2013 at 8:44 amZahha
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He is probably a few hundred years old. I don’t think he is hitting on her just yet though. =p
February 28, 2013 at 6:39 amSilivious
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Called this so long ago, and I had to lol @ the fact that he even put this in the story as a major “plot” point.
February 28, 2013 at 6:58 amRyudo
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Unagiya Ikumi might be more important than you suspect.
Notice how she found Ichigo’s badge? That badge is supposed to be invisible to anyone that doesn’t possess some form of spiritual powers. So she does have some, either she’s lying, or she’s completely unaware of her powers still, but there’s definitely something there.
February 28, 2013 at 7:49 amFlanders
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You’ve got a good point there. This maybe a wild speculation but I think Ikumi maybe related to the Quincy, or at least knew about ichigo’s mom one way or the other. I always found ichigo’s relationship with her rather odd… Ichikumi, heh.
Anyways, it was clear that Masaki was a Quincy, however instead of being negative about it, I am quite interested in her and Isshin’s story, maybe a little bit more than Zaraki’s sword name reveal (ichigo, nah, he’s one of the most bland shonen main characters I’ve seen, so one dimensional). I am just crossing my fingers Kubo doesn’t make a mess of what could potentially be a good side story (like Zaraki, egads, I hate what they’ve done to Unohana!)
February 28, 2013 at 7:06 amOwaranai
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Lots of negativity here, though perhaps not unwarranted. I can see how sub-par plots and character development has weaseled the way into people’s minds on how much quality (or lack thereof) Bleach has. Pretty sure many here are just reading for the sake of getting through the whole story and finishing what they started.
Rather than focusing on the obvious negative issues, which everyone has already been doing, I’d think it will at least be interesting to see what kind of history they have, and perhaps the Uryuus can be a little more than peripheral side characters.
I foresee, though, that despite being ‘close’ to the ending, we’re not really all that close. Now if only Kubo can tell a more decent story with the impending flashback…:p
February 28, 2013 at 7:34 amLogan
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“You’re not a Shinigami”… ” However you are not a mere human either”. When Isshin said these words it was a bit of a shocker. Of course the whole “oh btw your mom is a quincy” bombshell we all saw it coming every since Juha bach had Ichigo’s neck held with a big ass sword.
But “you’re not a shinigami”? This one line was a bit scary. Im starting to believe Isshin Kurosaki had a different name. Isshin was once one of the blood thirsty captains 1000 years ago. And he was revoked from his title and stripped from all of his powers along with misaki kurosaki. Probably after they were caught? because the fled? Idk… They both become humans, then they have kids, misaki gets killed and the story of Bleach starts.
Ichigo’s core is of a quincy, a quincy’s main ability is to absorb reiatsu when exposed to the utter limits. Everytime Ichigo releases all of his powers (just like in Kirge’s Jail before facing Juha Bach) he then absorbs partial energy from around him. Because of this trait he has always been able to evolve in many MANY ways. Ichigo is like a big sponge and for some hereditary reasons, he does not obliterate hollows like quincies do (because of isshin being a shinigami maybe?) Absorbed hollow before turning into one, absorbed urahara’s power that’s like a getsuga tensho, absorbed bankai ability, hollow is all enfused with him by now, etc etc etc.
Maybe All of Ichigo’s powers and abilities, have just been absorbed and none of it is his, in a way. Idk I have a head ache just thinking about all of this, Im a huge fan of the manga, i look every week for the next chapter relentlessly, and i have no respect for anyone that bashes an unfinished story without making a solid argument.
February 28, 2013 at 7:40 amK C M
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You should have been hire by TK(the author) to write some of the episodes because what you just wrote now makes more sense than the nonsense negativities that I see from other bloggers.
February 28, 2013 at 9:57 amMovieKeeper
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If your theory is correct, all he has to do is fight a super saiyan, ninja, and a mahou shoujo and he will be complete!
February 28, 2013 at 2:19 pmSuppa Tenko
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Don’t forget a pirate, a chef, a demon, a heroic spirit, and a gunslinger.
February 28, 2013 at 11:04 amP Ko
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Yer a wizzard, Ichigo!
February 28, 2013 at 4:42 pmFlanders
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That my friend is one of the most logical explanations I’ve seen for Ichigo!
Remember that one of Juha’s comrades had the ability to mimic his opponent’s powers (the one that fought Kenpachi, and the twin that had the ability to get the look and memories of anyone he wished). What if Ichigo had that all along? What if the ability to do that got jump started the moment Rukia gave her powers to Ichigo the first few chapters? For me, Quincies get reiatsu from their environment; shinigami outputs reiatsu (it comes from within them). Ichigo as half shinigami, his reiatsu springs from within, but when he loses it (like spending all his strength in a fight), he absorbs reiatsu, as half-Quincy.
That would also explain his ability to evolve powers of the Arrancar and the Visoreds, even that of a shinigami. However, Ichigo is unique in the sense that he is a hybrid (son of Isshin and Masaki). Many wonder why Ichigo had fullbring powers, if Masaki was fighting hollows before, when she was pregnant, Ichigo may have gotten hollow powers from there (Ginjo’s explanation on how fullbringers are more of a hollow than a shinigami). Also, the only person that may come close is Ginjo, he maybe a hybrid himself, but different in the sense that his mother may have not been a Quincy, but attacked by hollows while he was still in the womb, and his father a shinigami. The surprising thing is maybe Ginjo, like Isshin maybe related to the Shiba clan. The Shiba clan definitely has a role to play here in this sense.
This may also explain why Ichigo aside from Isshin has Getsuga too. Anyways, I have to stop, my head is spinning with “conspiracy” theories.
February 28, 2013 at 7:37 amK C M
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I don’t care whether people like this shounen manga, or whether they dislike it, or whether they are starting to like it, or starting to dislike it. Bleach still rocks and I can’t wait for the Anime to return and it will in either 2014 or 2015.
February 28, 2013 at 8:03 amArakan7
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First thing Ichigo does upon arrival and has had his heart broken? Run to the comforting
armsshower of a MILF… Best decision ever, Ichigo.February 28, 2013 at 9:12 amGermanguy
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Well, all other “Friends” are stuck in Huenco Mundo. And She was his Boss.. Better then nothing. He dont wanted to see his Dad. But his Dad, know it all along. Perhaps She and Dad are Comrades from the Past?
February 28, 2013 at 9:13 amGermanguy
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Perhaps “Exiled” Shinigamis, that have “Human” Children…
February 28, 2013 at 8:17 amAlcren
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Using past anime as an example( since I don’t study anything about marriage in Japan) if the wife has a higher standing the husband can actually take on her family name instead of her taking his name. My example is actually from evangelion since the ikari last name comes from yui (the wife and shinji’s mom) instead of gendo being the one with the original Ikari family name.
February 28, 2013 at 8:26 amstarss
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Isshin sits Ichigo down and tells him more about his mother and how he met her?!
THANK you GOD!!!!!!
FINAL-FUCKIN-LY!!!!!
IT ONLY TOOK 500 FRIGGIN CHAPTERS!!!!!
February 28, 2013 at 9:08 amGermanguy
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Well, even his Sisters could see the Hollows from the Start. We just know it, but there was no explanation until now. But we still have a “trump card”. Inohes “Female” Buddy. She could see the Hollow as well, and still no explanation for that.
Is it Ichigos fault? Because of his Reiatsu leaked?
February 28, 2013 at 11:49 amEH2
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So in this case, Bleach has an advantage over How I Met Your Mother.
February 28, 2013 at 9:06 amGermanguy
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Okay, the Guy how bet on “His Mother is a Quincy” has Won :) I dont saw that coming… My guess was more “King blood” line.. but, well i lose :)
February 28, 2013 at 9:10 amWuz
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Next chapter the long awaited UFO will come to take Ichigo to his home planet, to explain how he can have so many different origins. Can’t wait.
February 28, 2013 at 9:16 amGermanguy
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We must just recall the Scene, when he gain his “powers” in Unoharas Basement… I think there was some kind of “Drawer” he must choose in a little Time… (If i remember correct). He hold so many “possibilities” and at that Time it was “Shinigami” (I bet of “Rukia’s” Influences)
February 28, 2013 at 9:29 amKubo
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Actually Ichigo is Aizen’s twin brother…
February 28, 2013 at 9:41 amVivace
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In case anymore that does not know, there is one fact about the Kurosaki couple, they named their children with the name of fruits.
ichigo – Strawberry
karin – Quince
yuzu – Pamelo
February 28, 2013 at 9:42 amVivace
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In case anyone*
March 28, 2013 at 9:48 pmLim Lynn
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Possibility
Yuzu Full Quincy
Karin Full Shinigami
Ichigo Half Shinigami Half Quincy
February 28, 2013 at 10:14 amZaku_Fan
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I’m guessing his real father isn’t Isshin but rather Isshin is his stepfather. His real father might be the big bad (forgot his name) so it’ll end up as father vs son
February 28, 2013 at 11:29 amsuperpat3
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Finally after 10000 years Masaki is free! Time to conquer the earth-err I mean, time for a back story clarification the fan community has speculated about for a while now! I wonder what the fate is for Zangetsu though… since he/it is not going to get “repaired” and Ishiin figured out Ichigo’s Zero Squad booting, something fishy is in the air. In a good way that is. Regardless, I’m glad loose ends are getting cleared up. Still sad about Unohana though. (T-T)
February 28, 2013 at 11:30 amWatermelon
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Soooooo, shinigamis are black, quincys are white. Ichigo lost his shinigami powers and will be BLEACHED into quincy?
March 2, 2013 at 1:31 amkizamikun
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You might not be currently the most liked comment, but from everything we’ve seen, I seriously believe you might be on to something.
February 28, 2013 at 11:36 amYanDaMan
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We totally didnt expect THIS development, not after Ichigo justed Blut and Juha called him his son, nah.
February 28, 2013 at 11:50 amspikerman87
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Wait a minute, I thought it was the Hōgyoku that did everything! Boo! Zero stars. (joking)
February 28, 2013 at 2:37 pmyoblob
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Ichigo’s mother was supposedly killed by Grand Fisher who is supposedly extremely powerful.
I can only assume that when Misaki found Isshin he was no where near as powerful as he is now, and that Misaki never became as powerful as him.
February 28, 2013 at 5:08 pmrasone0104
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Well since he really is a shinigami/quincy hybrid that might and might explain why Aizen was watching him since the beginning or just more of kubo’s BS…. I’m actually leaning on the latter.
March 3, 2013 at 12:47 pmKarma
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I actually support the idea. Why would Aizen be observing a mere human? Because Ichigo isn’t a mere human, he’s a rare hybrid between a Shinigami and a Quincy. Considering how Aizen was all about testing (Visoreds), he might of had chosen Ichigo as his next subject and as an end game, create a living weapon out of him considering how Ichigo has absorbed and learned abilities of every other race like a sponge, the possibilities are limitless.
February 28, 2013 at 5:35 pmNine
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I feel very sad for Ichigo because he doesn’t really know his own mother up until this chapter, and everyone else seems to know about him more than he does. Like a fool being manipulated by others and push around here and there.
February 28, 2013 at 7:10 pmSwarz
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I wouldn’t be surprised if Unagiya Ikumi becomes Ichigo’s new master.
February 28, 2013 at 7:49 pmL002
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Unagiya Ikumi…….will she be able to see hollows? She has been around Ichigo-chan for a while.
Anyway, I am now assuming Ichigo inherited his looks from his mother, I think, which explains why he doesn’t look much like Isshin.
To be honest, I was more assuming Ichigo’s plot twist origin was that he was an artificially created being. Most readers had figured out Ichigo’s half-quincy several chapters ago. I had assume, like Kubo’s twist of Aizen being the most nicest guy to be a JERK in the end, that it wouldn’t be that obvious.
Speaking of Aizen, he told IChigo that he was a offspring of a Human and a Shinigami. Was this a lie so that IChigo wouldn’t get too strong or was Aizen trolling. Regardless, I feel that Aizen must have a back-up plan. Or Aizen would get involved in this. Out of all the characters in Bleach, he has been doing the most proper research on IChigo, so he should be able to know how to make Ichigo stronger.
February 28, 2013 at 10:29 pmKuro
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Yeah, Show Spoiler ▼
February 28, 2013 at 10:33 pmKuro
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I wonder…Show Spoiler ▼
March 28, 2013 at 9:51 pmLim Lynn
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Using Gigai and a human women possible.
March 1, 2013 at 7:36 amDamrod
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Kubo likes a good romeo and juliet story in his manga i guess?
March 1, 2013 at 8:13 amspikerman87
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Let me save everyone a lot of time. Ichigo will learn Quincy powers from Ishida and/or his dad. Juha Bach will kidnap a female character, and Ichigo, Ishida, Renji, and Chad will go to save her, they’ll all get separated, everyone except Ichigo will lose their fights, they win. The End. That’s Bleach.
March 1, 2013 at 9:28 amGermanguy
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female character… you mean Inoe or Rukia? :)
March 1, 2013 at 11:04 amspikerman87
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Well I guess it’s Halibel since she’s already kidnapped.
March 1, 2013 at 2:17 pmRachel
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Well what I’m curious about is— how did Isshin and Masaki end up having 3 kids? I mean technically he is a soul and she is a human right?(I mean though he might be in his gigai but he was an ex-captain in the “Soul Society” means he is technically not from the mortal world.)
March 2, 2013 at 6:41 amGermanguy
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We just saw a Scene, where they both meet. Perhaps She has someone other that She loves.. And he take care of them, because they Died? Well, we still have no Proof that he is the Father by “Blood”. Only connection here, is Her Hair color. So we dont have 100% Proof yet (But nearly 99%) :)
March 1, 2013 at 7:08 pmLemona
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Wait guys, please enlighten me on this.
How did Ichigo get a zanpakuto if he wasn’t given one. In the previous chapter it was said that every shinigami is given a zanpakuto once they become one, but Ichigo never entered Shinigami school or anything, it just appeared out of nowhere and became Zangetsu. How did that happen, is it a plothole? I’m sorry if I missed something^^;;
March 1, 2013 at 8:06 pmCamora
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I would theorize that because he was Isshin’s son that he somehow borrowed it from his father. How else would Isshin have known about the final getsuga? Didn’t his dad let out a getsuga tensho during the fight with Aizen? Do we even know his zanpaktou’s name? If we do then Im probably wrong. But thats my theory
March 2, 2013 at 6:44 amGermanguy
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Good point, the Influence of Both Parents made Ichigo going both Ways. Shinigami or Quincy. Perhaps this Mix allowed all kind of Possibilities. Quincy to gain Spiritual Power, Shinigami to manifest this Power
March 1, 2013 at 8:12 pmCamora
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What I want to know is when Isshin fits into the Gotei 13. Could he have been one of the shinigami that arrived with Yammaji?
March 2, 2013 at 6:50 amGermanguy
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AFAIK (As Far As I Know), we only have 3 Captains that are way Old like Yammaji… Healer Captain, now Captain in Charge, and his Reflect Attack Captain… It was said that they are from Yammaji’s Time
To understand this, we must know “Why” Isshin (and other Shinigamis) left his World and stay in Human World for so Long…
Well Urhuara with his Gigai Invention, made it Possible.. So only from this point on, they could be “exiled/moved” to Human World
GiGai ist the Key for Kurusaki’s Family Story
March 2, 2013 at 6:54 amGermanguy
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..or Uruhara found a Ritual to invuse the “Shinigamis” Soul in a empty Human Body shell, perhaps he could do something with DNA and Cloning Cells.. He is even more Smarter then we think…
March 2, 2013 at 8:13 pmAizenss
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I am still waiting for Ichigo to realize it was Aizen from the beginning. All of it. Everything. Ever. Part of his plan is to make you think he has no plan.