Manga - The Other White Meat

Aching for your weekly fix of death gods and ninjas? What a coincidence…so was I! In the episodes this week we had two relatively simple chapters for once. Both were almost entirely based on one setting. There was no real progression of the battles or stories, and we had one moment that, at least for me, was a holy crap ending.

When we last left our various heroes they were in two very different places. Ichigo is in the middle of the final fight of the arc where he is facing off against former captain Ichimaru Gin while his father, Isshin, is battling the main villain of the arc, former captain Aizen Sousoke. Naruto however has been hidden on an island where the Raikage and his little brother, jinchuuriki Killer Bee once trained. Killer Bee is the current host of an 8-tailed demon, while Naruto is the host of the 9-tailed demon. They had just met for the first time as Killer Bee fought off a giant squid to save Naruto and all the other ninja approaching the island by boat. Without further ado let’s go into a recap of what has happened since.

BLEACH

Chapter 401 was an explanation chapter for lack of a better way of explaining it. At the conclusion of chapter 400 Aizen said that Hougyoku had finally realized his heart, and he had reached the limit of his Shinigami self. It is finally explained that this powerful artifact essentially makes the deepest desires of people’s hearts a reality. If they have the ability within them to achieve what are their hearts deepest desires, the Hougyoku makes that a reality. This is why Ichigo has developed the way he has, and why his friends mysteriously developed crazy powers.

This is also why it turned the shinigami into Vizards instead of simply allowing them to turn into powerful hollows with no ability to control themselves. It has controlled essentially everything that has happened in the story since the very beginning. Now, it is transforming Aizen’s body according to, I assume, his yet unstated deepest desires. Aizen has always said he wanted to become a god so I can only assume something like that is happening. Confused? So am I.

Ichigo is then blasted onto the scene by an attack from Gin as he and his father argue as they often do. Aizen’s body begins to change that moment and everyone is pretty stunned. Aizen looks very smug and Gin is confident when suddenly a beam of light pierces through Aizen’s body leaving him looking a little surprised. As he looks up he spots the only main character still MIA in this fight, Urahara Kisuke. Kisuke was exiled due to Aizen’s experiments in the past, and honestly I think he is one of the most powerful people in the entire Bleach title, only we’ve never really seen him fight seriously. While the chapter itself was boring, I am VERY excited to see the man who trained Ichigo and always seems one step ahead finally mix it up.

NARUTO

Naruto begins with Killer Bee transforming back into the form of a human from his demon form. He has gained full control over the demon sealed within him and can use its power at will. This is why the Great Frog Sage from the last chapter predicted he would work with an 8-tailed beast. Naruto has a word that he says at the end of most of his comments, dattebayo. It really doesn’t mean anything, but Killer Bee likes it for his rapping. Oh, did I forget to mention that Killer Bee speaks in rhymes and raps? Yeah, manga is weird and random; maybe that’s why I like it. They arrive on the island and are attacked by a giant ape. Killer Bee however has tamed every creature on the island so when he talks to it the ape calms down.

Once they arrive at the place they are staying, Naruto approaches Killer Bee and asks him for help with his training. Naruto tries to rap, and Killer Bee tells him it wasn’t bad (it was…trust me…they are all bad) and wants him to pound fists. Naruto screws it up and eventually Killer Bee slams the door in his face. In frustration Naruto goes to the guide and asks for help which he eventually gains. The guide takes Naruto to a place called The Falls of Truth and says that it is where Bee trained. There is a clear patch of land in front of the falls where he tells Naruto to sit and close his eyes and the true Naruto will greet him.

In order to realize what made the next frame really creepy you have to know that Naruto is the most positive, upbeat and caring character in his own way of any main figure I’ve seen. He will sacrifice himself immediately for his friends, but he loses control from time to time in fights. Out of the waterfall emerged a really creepy evil Naruto that just gave me a little chill. I was NOT expecting it and occasionally it is nice for a surprise to emerge. I’m REALLY interested to see what will happen in Chapter 493 when Naruto and his evil shadow self have a conversation.

See you then.