Shonen Jump: Bleach Volume 12 (Episodes 46-49)
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: BleachDirector: na
Brand: Warner Home Video
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Stereo; English (Subtitled); Japanese (Original Language); English (Dubbed), Stereo
Format: Animated, Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 100 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-09-23
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: VIZ VIDEO
Movie Reviews of Shonen Jump: Bleach Volume 12 (Episodes 46-49)
Movie Review: Flashbacks and duels
Summary: 5 Stars
Of all the volumes of "Bleach" thus far, the twelfth is the first to focus almost exclusively on the Soul Reapers, not on our odd little band of heroes.
In fact, we get two whole episodes of solid backstory for the various Soul Reapers we've become attached to -- and in the present, the captains are suspecting each other and unearthing the roots of a very nasty conspiracy. It may start off on a rosy, mildly humorous note, but the story becomes progressively grimmer right up to the truly tragic ending.
As the three lieutenants Renji, Momo and Kira all sit in prison for different reasons, we see a flashback to their early days at the Soul Reaper Academy. They were among the elite students, and so ended up on a special field trip that Shuhei Hisagi was leading -- which went horribly wrong when a horde of enormous Hollows appeared, attacking the older trainee. They were only saved by the arrival of two very familiar Soul Reapers...
When Momo escapes from her cell, Hitsugaya goes after Gin Ichimaru, intent on killing him before Momo can do it herself. But when Momo arrives she attacks "Li'l Shiro" instead, claiming that her beloved Captain Aizen identified him as a destructive traitor. Hitsugaya must somehow subdue his hysterical friend without killing her -- just before he turns his ice sword's awesome power against Gin.
And then a shocking announcement is made: Rukia's execution is set for the next day -- and Ichigo hasn't yet reached bankai. As her death approaches, Rukia thinks back on a terrible event many years ago, when she befriended Captain Ukitake's lieutenant, Kaien Shiba. But
There's always been a dark undertone to many of "Bleach's" characters, since most of them have lost someone to the Hollows. But the twelfth volume explores what people will do for or to the people they love -- Hitsugaya is all too willing to kill to protect his closest childhood friend, and Rukia is haunted by the night when she killed Kaien.
It's really a very dark string of episodes, reaching its climax in the exploration of just how Rukia killed Ganju's older brother. The episode is filled with dark forests, mad laughter, and splatters of gore -- including one moment where Ukitake starts hacking up blood -- only make it worse. But Kaien's greenish "Hollow" face is perhaps the most ghastly of all.
So unsurprisingly most of "Bleach's" trademark humor is missing, although there are a couple funny moments like Renji kicking Rukia in the butt. Instead, the plot is devoted to the characters' backstories, some spectacular action scenes (Hitsugaya's zanpakuto is awe-inspiring), and the ongoing efforts to uncover the conspiracy within the Seireitei. Who is the traitor, and what do they want?
Ichigo and his friends don't have much presence in these episodes, so most of the character development belongs to Hitsugaya. We get to see this child prodigy's curt efficiency and his passionate loyalty, as well as a stormy ice dragon attack that outdoes every other Soul Reaper's thus far. And we get to see how Momo, Kira and Renji became fast friends, and how Momo's infatuation with Aizen began.
The twelfth volume of "Bleach" is building the arc to a stunning climax, with plenty of conspiracy, tragedy, blood, and the occasional killer ice dragon. And it promises to get even better.
Summary of Shonen Jump: Bleach Volume 12 (Episodes 46-49)
Studio: Viz Media Llc Release Date: 09/23/2008Ichigo strives to achieve a greater level of power and masteryover his Zanpak-tô sword, but the focus of these episodes of Bleach shifts away from him and his friends: The viewer learns more about the Soul Reapers through a series of confrontations and flashbacks. Renji, who's joined Ichigo's side, was a fiercely competitive student: when a giant Hollow attacked his class during a training mission, he, Izuru, and Hinamori fought it off until help arrived. Hinamori is also a childhood friend of Toshiro, the child prodigy-captain. Yet she believes he was involved in the assassination of her beloved Captain Aizen. While these internecine battles threaten to destroy the Soul Society, Rukia quietly awaits her execution. But the Sokyuku, the blade that will be used to kill her, may to be more important than any individual's life. Despite the shifting focus, director Noriyuki Abe keeps the action exciting and the story moving briskly.(Rated "Teen," suitable for ages 13 and older: violence, grotesque imagery) --Charles Solomon
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