Bleach 235

[Dattebayo] Bleach - Episode 235: SD

Very good episode. All of Hollow Ichigo's fight scenes were animated very well and I really thought Ichigo was gonna double-team on Muramasa with Hollow Ichigo (that would have been an epic fight). Aside from that, Renji just recovered his Soul Slayer, leading me to believe that only a part of the Soul Slayer's power was transferred to their humanoid form, sealing the rest off (for whatever reason that Muramasa had in mind or his powers really can't bring out 100% of the Soul Slayer's power). I don't know... just throwing some theories out there.

I have to agree with you on that one. But it could also be because of common ground. I mean Renji got reminded that he needed to become stronger. Zabimaru said that as well. So could it be that because they both have the same resolve he managed to draw out Zabimaru?

It's either that or the Soul Slayers that are separated from their Shinigami consist of Ying/Yang. So a part of them is drawn out and the other is kind of sealed away until summoned like Renji just did.

That aside, if Ichigo fought like H.Ichigo does....then he would be a lot cooler.

Isshin is as awesome as ever though.

kinda dumb that renji released his sword. kinda defeats the purpose of the arc. doesn't really make any sense either.

Only if you assume to know what's really going on in the arc. We haven't been revealed that yet, after all. We have seen only the visible effects of Muramasa's powers, not heard the actual explanation. Though I'm not exactly overly eager to defend Bleach fillers in general, but this one has had nice scenes so I'm going to give it the benefit of doubt. For all we know, Renji's success might fit the plot perfectly.

Idea 1:
We know zanpatou's are born inside a Shinigami's soul.
So they are already special in that matter, it has never been said a Shinigami can't give birth to another zanpaktou.

Idea 2:
There's also the regeneration part that was mentionned at the beginning of the ep.
After all, Renji and all of us had a hard time believing Zabimaru looked like that. That difference could be the trick. Muramasa extracts most of the zanpaktou's power and abilities, but probably can't extract everything. What's left can be regenerated by the shinigami.
Let's even suppose 100% of the zanpaktou is extracted, the little talk in the begining could let us think that a zanpaktou can be regenerated, if the shinigami is still alive.

Idea 3:
Muramasa can only extract the obscure part of the zanpaktou, the part that isn't sure about its wielder etc... Once Shinigamis know that, they can still use the part that is 100% loyal and good. In the end, that could grow the Shinigami/Zanpaktou bound stronger and enable some powerup.

There are many ways to go around this.

The thing is that if Renji really got another Zabimaru, the news will spread and the fight could get awesome. It's just that it happened a little too early in the arc maybe.

I'm slowly beginning to think these fellows we are seeing aren't really their zanpakutou. It's also a good theory they are only partial zanpaktou, but they could as well be fully separate projections that simply possess the supposed skills, personality (to a degree), and memories of the originals, like copies. The originals could be rendered dormant, that is, sealed, until a condition is fulfilled, like a perfect sync. Renji might have achieved that now. However, even the slightest doubt could prevent it.

But who knows. It's kind of nice that a filler actually manages to make you guess and not just stare at 20% brain capacity (because it'd have been too painful to watch Lurichio at any more than that).

Well these fillers have for them the fact they are interresting and not stretched as the "usual" show is now. So it's more entertaining as you get a good pace and all.

I wonder if it's a first, that fillers get actually more interresting than the usual show itself.

Hollow Ichigo badassery, and to top it off, some Isshin goodness.

Sweet ep!

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Originally Posted by Kraco

Only if you assume to know what's really going on in the arc. We haven't been revealed that yet, after all. We have seen only the visible effects of Muramasa's powers, not heard the actual explanation. Though I'm not exactly overly eager to defend Bleach fillers in general, but this one has had nice scenes so I'm going to give it the benefit of doubt. For all we know, Renji's success might fit the plot perfectly.

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well im sure they will come up with some kind of explanation. but I was looking forward to how they would deal with getting their swords powers back using their own power. not just magically pulling the swords power out of their ass thru sheer resolve.

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Originally Posted by redcat

well im sure they will come up with some kind of explanation. but I was looking forward to how they would deal with getting their swords powers back using their own power. not just magically pulling the swords power out of their ass thru sheer resolve.

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Zanpaktou's are born in their Shinigami's soul. They are originally a part of their Shinigami.
It's not a real problem/surprise Renji finds a solution with his own forces. Is it?

so did he give birth to a new one or something?

it doesn't matter, that's not my point. the whole premise is that everyone is running around without their Zanpaktou's power which were removed from them, and here Renji is, using his Zanpaktou's power anyway. so what is the point of the arc again?

To be honest im anticipating the Anime more then the Manga. Great Arc they really should add this into the manga also :D

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Originally Posted by redcat

so did he give birth to a new one or something?

it doesn't matter, that's not my point. the whole premise is that everyone is running around without their Zanpaktou's power which were removed from them, and here Renji is, using his Zanpaktou's power anyway. so what is the point of the arc again?

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I'm guessing the point is for them to each discover whatever hidden truth is needed for them to be able to use their zanpaktou again.

Sound's like all the real conflicts in this arc are gonna be internal.


But seriously though, Renji was seriously boned without his zanpaktou. He's terrible at everything else.

I think the Zampakutou are truly extracted from the Shinigami. But Zampakutou shape and powers are derived from that Shinigami. So the Shinigami always has the ability to bring out that power since it is the source. It's not really having a new Zampakutou born once more either.

What I think is going on is that Muramasa amplified the dissonance between the Zampakutou and the Shinigami thus causing the extraction. I suspect that once the dissonance is resolved, the Zampakutou will be able to return. But that hasn't happened yet, and not with Renji either.

Look at the entire episode. It's all about how both the Shinigami and the Zampakutou hate each other. Not just Renji, but also that guy with the 69 on his face.

Renji was able to get his powers back because he remembered that he wanted to be stronger and defeat Byakuya. That's where he draws his powers from. Ichigo draws his powers from protecting his friends. So the point of the arc is finding out where each character draws there power from. What exactly do they care about enough that they'll fight for it? For Zampakutou, they get their powers from whatever it is their "instinct" to do. So the ultimate point is that the Shinigami left behind their own "drive" and substituted it with the will of the Zampakutou for their power when they should have been combining their efforts. However, I suspect the 69 guy will have problems with that.

That's my theory so far based on what I've seen.

Recap of arc:

1. Amplify dissonance between Shinigami and Zampakutou to cause separation.
2. Shinigami searches for their own "drive" or source of motivation.
3. Come to terms with their Zampakutou's "instincts" (I suspect a battle)
4. Merge back.
5. Profit

So what is Zangetsu's instinct anyhow? And what's the reason he left Ichigo? Did I miss that part?

Zangetsu's instinct it to protect Ichigo. Which he is doing somehow by faking siding with Muramasa.

Maybe he i just gathering intel on the enemy you never know. But the fact that ichigo still has his shikai zangetsu and abarai manged to call out zabimaru i think just that Muramasa manged to somehow supress their zanpaktu to some corner of their souls and then copy them and makeing them materialze in the real world ( since they look diffrent then what they really look like)

I think Ichigo's is still in shikai just because it's the kind that never shuts off.

Although, it would have been totally sweet to see Ichigo's fatass katana from the beginning of the series again.