Bleach ch435 – Panic at the Trollhouse

Well, Kubo managed to troll us for one more week. While I thought that this chapter was better than the last one, that’s like saying that paint dries faster the longer you wait. Inevitable, but it doesn’t stop the process from being as horrifically dull as the last. I read this alongside Naruto’s release and I can’t help but compare how the two series approach their story telling. Even at Naruto’s dullest moments (and it does have a few), it is still much better than Bleach’s more recent high points.

This chapter could have and should have been bundled along with last week’s, since all we got really is an explanation of Riruka’s Fullbring. Seriously, how hard is it to combine the two? Instead of having the last one revealing the dollhouse, it couldn’t have been too much to ask to have her explain that the powers are invoked through love. Jeebus.

Mr. Pork Chop, as the teddy bear is affectionately called, is just a yakuza that Riruka trapped inside the stuffed animal. Comical maybe, but he is just a yakuza version of Kon, this time with a time limit of 15 minutes before all hell breaks loose. And that was where it all ended, a pretty halfhearted cliffhanger. I loved (in a bad way) how everyone was so serious about the 15 minute limit towards the end, because it was so funny that they think this isn’t trolling.

I guess you could also add the fact that Chad manages to give Ichigo the decisive clue about releasing his fullbring powers. Riruka was being a dick anyways, since she is probably too stubborn to help Ichigo, given her tsundere crush. This pretty much means that the next chapter will delve into Ichigo trying to use it, or probably try to have it materialize in time for him to save his own ass from Mr Pork Chop.

The only saving grace from this whole situation would be the advent of Ichigo’s new powers. Whether that is just the transformation of his shinigami badge, or maybe even the return of his powers, we won’t know until next week. I just hope it looks good. One thing I am certain of though is that Kubo will continue to drag this out in the foreseeable future. We will get huge meaningless panels with prissy and pretentious ways of introducing the Bleach title and chapter number.

Don’t be surprised if he manages to drag the transformation sequence a couple of pages long. Most likely with multiple “cool” views that span another few pages. I think I’m just spoiled by Jump’s newer and more exciting manga, but judging by the reaction of TJ, Klux and Prooof, I’m not the only one who thinks that the Japanese public need to open their eyes and stop voting for this shit.

Top 5-10 is too high for a manga of this quality. It’s time for Bleach to either put up or shut up, especially if better manga like Oumagadoki Zoo continues to toll around in the bottom ranks because of it lingering.

/ 8 Commentsleave a comment /

• kluxorious says:

  February 4, 2011

  No, I don't want Bleach to end despite the shit! I want someone to put a gun to Kubo's head and make sure that he won't produced this kind of shit anymore. We all know he can do it. SS arc was fucking excellent but then he lost it. He just need some help finding the right path again. If I live in Japan, I would have stalk him and grab his balls really tight until he turns blue. I'm sure that will motivate him

  Reply
  • Bass says:

    February 4, 2011

    He recently dropped out of the top 5 in the TOC rankings, which is rare for Bleach so I hope a slight drop will make him realise that people are getting tired of stunts like this.

    I wish we could go back to something similar in quality to the SS arc, but that was so long ago >_< I just hope his priorities are straight cos right now Im getting the vibe that hes just cashing it in atm.

    Reply
    • morri says:

      February 5, 2011

      This reminds me of a speech I read recently. It was given by an author and touched on how everything is so money oriented right now. How publishers don't want to publish things that a minority like, they want to publish bestsellers. How books (and authors) have no value to them if they are not going to be bestsellers.

      Frankly, that's what I see in manga right now. It doesn't seem like publishers (specifically WSJ) are interested in anything that would make an immediate cash cow. They aren't interested in cultivating new talent or letting their established mangaka grow beyond the story lines that are tried an true. In other words, they've become money-grubbing pussies who are afraid to take chances and try something new that might be fucking amazing.

      Anyway, I actually don't read "Bleach" anymore. (Same with "Naruto" and KHR.) I skim read reviews/summaries of the chapters and then skim through the chapters themselves if they seem interesting. They are more often not.

      Reply
      • Bass says:

        February 5, 2011

        Yea I have a feeling that that is the case nowadays. I'm damn sure that the editors aren't blind enough to know that some series just aren't pulling their weight. In an ideal world, Bleach would be over by now and we would be getting a new batch of Jump pillars.

        I just hope Kubo doesn't think that he can coast through each week with mediocre shit, but the damn japanese public are still voting like there's no tomorrow.

        Reply
    • TJ says:

      February 6, 2011

      What's the TOC rankings? Is the Shounen Jump reader polls? Bleach's story has been in the gutter for a while now, so maybe people have finally had enough.

      Reply
      • Bass says:

        February 6, 2011

        http://community.livejournal.com/weeklyjump

        Table of Content rankings, altho the rankings reflect chapters released 8 weeks prior to the currently out ones. Bleach is still consistently in the top5 to top 8, which skeeves me out >_<

        Reply
• Yi says:

  February 8, 2011

  I actually really like this doll house ability. I'm imagining all the fun stuff I could do with it if I had it. It's a pretty unique thing too.

  Still, I didn't enjoy the chapter though. :(

  Reply
  • Bass says:

    February 8, 2011

    Kubo has all the pieces in place. His execution is the one thing that's lacking lately.

    And that frustrates me given the heights Bleach reached earlier.

    Reply