Two reviews in one week?! What! I've been a bit extra this week and decided to make another review for the heck of it. This time, I've been feeling some bleach fever and couldn't avoid making a review out of this anime! (Since I play the mobile game of it and can't stop playing it)
Bleach is one of the three so-called " mainstream shonen animes"; together with Naruto and One Piece these three are immensely popular, and the topic of endless comparison among their fans set out to prove that their favorite is the best out of them. They simply refuse to exit their fanboyism to view the series in an objective light, which is a shame, because they are probably missing out on great adventures, which is the case of Bleach in many ways.
Story: The story, or perhaps setting to be more accurate, is quite unique. Shinigami, or Soul Reapers, that have their own special society watch over the souls in the living world. Each Shinigami carries a unique sword(soul slayer) or Zanpaktou that has its own unique name and abilities based on the wielder's style and personality. Alongside them are the Hollows, and two subgroups later to be known as the Vaizard and Arrancar. It is this unique setting that gives Bleach the power to create so many characters under such a captivating environments, and this I believe, is one of the story's strong points. In terms of plot, it isn't very strong. The whole 'rescue a friend' is seen in pretty much every anime, and the whole 'I need to get stronger to protect my friends' is equally overdone. But I personally enjoy watching series with this type of theme, so I can't mark it down because of such overdone plot devices. But Bleach also comprises by adding a few twists into a seemingly transparent storyline, and it is here that I again am impressed. Bleach isn't just about mindless violence, its about friends striving to help each other, looking out for each other and improving themselves. There's a bit of romance tossed in too, so that's a bit of a plus. The great setting and positive themes of friendship and perseverance made me give this an: 8/10
It does have a lot of shortcomings, yet it is a most enjoyable watch still. Now, why is that? The answer is the unexpectancy factor it has. Due to its vast cast and great universe, you can't really know what comes next, only make qualified guesses. What kinds of powers will that character have? What is the villain really up to? And what's with that guy? What will happen next? Who knows, who knows. So one could say that the true strength of Bleach lies in its cast, which can bring about mysteries, plot twists and other aspects of awesomeness, and cover up for a somewhat lacking storyline.
Characters: Bleach has a huge number of characters, some of them developed fairly well, otherwise poorly. But it is the huge cast of such unique and usually admirable individuals that makes this anime so captivating. You just hold your breath everytime someone pops into release their soul slayer or release their Bankai. It's because of all these characters and their own unique swords and abilities that make the fights in this anime worth watching. You just can't wait to see what the characters are capable of. In terms of character development, I would say that it isn't bad, especially in terms of Ichigo who starts off as a badass that can take down most hollows with ease. In time, (particularly the current arc) he realizes how insignificant he really is, and tries his hardest to get stronger. The same is similar for the other characters such as Chad. Although most of the character development is in terms of strength and not so much in personality, I still rate the characters high for their largely unique cast: 8/10
Sound: The soundtrack however, is very great. It is greatly varied and is renewed per story arc, introducing new tunes often whilst keeping the old ones around too, and this variation is intrinsical of any above-average soundtrack. The soundtracks really intensify the battles and make even the smallest things seem cool. Thats what Bleach is good at - making things seem cool, and the soundtrack is a key and necessary component. But it isn't just the action scenes. It makes the sad and thoughtful moments come alive, in addition to the mysterious and tense situations Bleach presents. It's also accompanied by some of the best opening and closings I've seen in anime, in terms of both music and visuals. They greatly depict the story and the songs set the mood beautifully. It stays perfectly in tone and atmosphere with the current events, and feature everything from upbeat, adrenaline-pumping electric guitar pieces to melliflous piano pieces, and standard comedic moment tracks. The opening and endign themes feature a lot of types and genres, from the serene and sentimental to rap and rock. And pop, of course. 10/10
I have little to say here. The art is quite good for the most parts, and I loved the coloring in the first few arcs, particularly the bright glow/misty colors. Most of the fights are animated very smoothly with a variety of scenes and angles and such. Its on par with most anime these days:
Overall: Bleach is one of my favorite anime. I know most people consider it overrated, repetitive and predictable, but hey, it presents some epic fights and follows them through nicely. Most of the fights are a good length (couple episodes) and I'm a fan of swords and people who power up, so what can I say, this anime is gold to me. If you're the type that doesn't care too much about a complicated story or deep compelling characters and you just want to see some epic fights, Bleach is right for you. This deserves an 8/10 overall (bogged down with fillers too much, although I didn't take that into account while rating. Fillers aren't part of the show, just don't watch them =/ ), but I personally love it and rated it a 10/10 on my list.
Thanks for joining me in this edition's review, and don't be shy to give me any new suggestions along the way!
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