Bleach ep.17

February 3, 2005 | 13 Comments

Blah. I guess I spoke too fast last week when I said that the animation is getting better. It looks like the good animation was limited to last week's episode. So now the blurriness is back again in its full glory. Anyway, storywise, this is an okay one. At least it's not predictable. But at the same time, it still feels boring that I feel like turning it off as soon as possible and watch that last episode of Rozen Maiden. I also dislike the fact that there is a sudden, unexplained power up scene given to one of the characters here. Anyway, I'd recommend getting alternative perspective about this episode from other bloggers such as David, Ten, Kungfucius, and Tensai once they released a review for this particular episode.

Continuing from the previous episode, this one begins with Ichigo keeling over after Renji slices him with his sword. Rukia is shocked to see this and immediately loses her cool. She jumps on top of Renji and tries to take the stop the guy from attacking Ichigo while telling Ichigo to get out of the dodge fast. Not surprisingly, Ichigo suddenly wakes up again and more powerful than ever. It's powerup time!! Gust winds suddenly blog indicating that it's Renji who's in trouble right now. True enough, Ichigo manages to slice the poor Shinigami in return now. Before Ichigo can finish off Renji, however, all of sudden he finds his sword broken. It turns out Byakuya somehow manages to broke it when Ichigo was about to attack Renji. Byakuya then draws his sword and walks towards Ichigo in slow motion.

Before Ichigo knows it, he's bleeding to death on the ground. Rukia immediately panics, prompting Byakuya to comment that Ichigo does look like 'that person'. Upon hearing this, Ichigo's hand tries to grapple onto Byakuya's robe telling the guy that he's not dead yet. But upon hearing her brother's threat towards Ichigo, Rukia kicks Ichigo's hand and tells him that a human like him should not touch her brother's robe. She then tells Byakuya that she now has seen the light and wants to go back to Soul Society. So the three then returns to Soul Society and left Ichigo for dead. Thankfully for Ichigo, he's saved by Urahara who then proceeds to use a rather unusual method to warm Ichigo's body up. When Ichigo regains his consciousness, Urahara tells him that if he wants to save Rukia, he has to first train for 10 days. After this, they will then spend 7 days trying to open the door to Soul Society, leaving Ichigo with 13 days to save her.

Impression:

Unfortunately due to the fact that the animation is crappier in this one, what could have been an emotional episode ends up being boring for me. I think I supposed to feel something when Rukia left Ichigo to go to Soul Society but all I can think of was how I wish they'd tone down the blurriness because it hurt my eyes. The only saving graces to this episode are the mystery surrounding Ichigo's similarity to the person that Rukia knew in the past, as well as Urahara's true intention for wanting to help Ichigo. Urahara's own identity is a mystery on its own. Judging from the sword-like energy that came out of his cane, it's obvious that Urahara is actually more powerful than he looks. Anyway, from the days that Urahara mentions in this episode, it looks like it's still a month to Rukia's execution. So I wonder if this number (30) will actually be the number of episodes reserved for the rest of the 'Soul Society' arc.

Posted by Garten

Comments

February 3, 2005 | Darci wrote:

Personally i liked the animation in this episode more then the prior ep... the blurryness has never really bothered me.. i've gotten use to it.

I liked how alot of scenes were animated... very smooth and flowing... so man in this ep... including where ichigo kicks Tessa off of him... so i can't agree with you on that...

compared to the manga... it was pretty much spot on.. power ups and all... instead of characters having to SAY i can feel the pressure of his energy.. they depicted it.. as i thought they would...

thought i didn't like how they made byakuya "coast" behind ichigo.. would have rather liked for it to be an instantanious thing like BOOM he's there... but oh well..

twil' suck if they don't animate the arch after soul society... but then.. i can't remember if they set things up like they did in the manga for it..

February 3, 2005 | Garten wrote:

I actually like Byakuya's technique animation in this episode. It's subtle and graceful. It reminds me a lot of Samurai movies where the enemy that got sliced does not realise it until they fall down to the ground. I don't think Byakuya is a character that likes to sneak up on people so I agree with the animator's decision to animate him this way.

As for the next arc after 'Soul Society', there's nothing much that the anime can do about it since 'Soul Society' arc itself hasn't reached its conclusion. So unless this arc has been concluded, I don't think the anime will include the next arc. There's a possibility, however, that they'll slow the anime down so that it doesn't catch up with the manga before Kubo Tite can finish off this arc.

February 3, 2005 | Trepo wrote:

Well, if it wasnt for the blurryness... the animation in this this ep would be a lot better than 16...

The anime is aiming for the Long Shonen Series... they just rushed to soul society because the manga wasnt really popular till that arc...

February 3, 2005 | athena wrote:

It seems you didn't like this episode so much? ^_^;;

I loved it myself...but I'm also a sucker for melodrama. I thought it was especially poignant when Ichigo realizes that he's been saved - again - by somebody he was supposed to protect. I didn't think the animation took away from the emotional aspects of the episode at all.

February 3, 2005 | Crofesima wrote:

Hm... I think this ep isn't as bad as you said. I really like this one! But Byakuya looks worse than in manga -_-' and Renji has a PINK, an incredible PINK hair... everyone says to me that he has a RED hair... omg it looks... ok, nevermind...
And about this Byakuya's technique... it was quite good...
And blurryness... oh man, it looks better than in previous episodes... but... yeah, I still don't like it.

(sorry for my crappy english... you know, I'm from a small, poor country in the middle of Europe and I've been learning English only for one year... oops, I went too far... sorry again ^^''')

February 5, 2005 | cachick wrote:

the episode was definetly to blurry, In your reviews arcs are mentioned .I was wondering what volume in the manga is the show up to?

February 6, 2005 | iQing wrote:

Many people online said that this episode is very well done.

I would say that there�s a strong ichigo-rukia chemistry here.

see how Rukia tries to save ichigo, even she have to sacrifice her life and act stone cold towards ichigo so that ichigo is spared.

well, it�s obvious that on this episode Renji-Rukia relationship is not possible as you can see how rough renji treats rukia. I do not like to see how he hold rukias neck and scolded her. no girls like that right? and renji�s forehead is damm ugly.

I like it. ;)
go ichigo! Love is harder than steel !

February 7, 2005 | Celira wrote:

*looks up and reads some comments* Wow, some of the children here -really- haven't read the manga and jump to conclusions. Pffffft.

In any case- I agree that the animation detracted slightly from the overall scheme of it, but that's not the point that irked me most. I think their habit of blatantly highlighting the Ichigo/Rukia moments really took a bit out of it- whatever you take their relationship as or think it's supposed to be, it's at least supposed to be more subtle...meh, this could just be me. -shrug-

Ah, yes. Urahara and his sword-like energy. *SPOILER STARTS* -coughBenihime(or Kurenaihime depending on how you read the sword's name)cough- I also hope that they do a good job with animating Zenbonsakura's attack. As you mentioned, Byakuya's attacks are graceful and deliberate...or, at least, until Ichigo shows up in volume 18. But that's another story. -_-*SPOILER ENDS*

Hmm, I actually rather like the direction of the anime, but character interaction isn't quite clicking there for me. Keep up your diligent reviewing work. ^^;

February 8, 2005 | David wrote:

Ha, I just *had* to show this to you, Garten :)

https://www2.shueisha.co.jp/CGI/mekke/shop/s_seq.cgi?code=4530430110506

Kon Plushie!

February 8, 2005 | Garten wrote:

Ha! Thx David!! LOL, they actually sell the doll. It's a bit yellow-ish though. I thought Kon is supposed to be Orange. But he does look like Kon down to the unhappy face. Now, I'm wondering if there is a Rozen Maiden Kon doll :)

February 12, 2005 | Vathei wrote:

I love how the bleach recent epsiodes have finally speeded down the more interesting plots. ohh Such as who is the guy in Rukia's past and how similar are they?
*looks up and replys to comments*
A bit childish, don't you think , to refer to people as children due to their opinion?
Maybe I am a bit childish..HAH!

November 16, 2005 | Bleachigo wrote:

Has anybody seen episode 58 from bleach? is the best

August 31, 2007 | enma ai wrote:

what i like this episode is when ichigo gain his reiryoku and beat renji with it... but when rukia dosn't want him to help her n follow her to the shinigami place i fell kinda sad for him.. he tried so hard to beat renji but rukia seems doesn't care...but i think she do that to protect ichigo from being punished by her brother.... don't you think???...