BLEACH – THE ASSAULT (VOLUME 26)
September 9th 2010 08:03
Based on the original Bleach manga by: Tite Kubo
Director: Noriyuki Abe
Screenplay by: Masahi Sogo et al
Producers: Shunji Aoki (TV Tokyo), Yukio Yoshimura & Ken Hagino
Starring: Johnny Yong Bosch (Ichigo Kurosaki), Michelle Ruff (Rukia Kuchiki), Troy Baker (Jin Kariya), Jamieson Price (Chad), Derek Stephen Prince (Uryu Ishida), Brian Beacock (Yumichika Ayesagawa), Steve Kramer (Shunsui Kyoraku), Kate Higgins (Nanao Ise), Stephanie Sheh (Orihime Inoue), Megan Hollingshead (Rangiku Matsumoto), Dan Woren (Byakuya Kuchiki) Wally Wingert (Renji Abarai), Richard Epcar (Koga), Julie Ann Taylor (Lirin), Roger Craig Smith (Noba), Michael McConnohie (Kurodo), Bob Joles (Genryusai Yamamoto), Liam O’Brien (Junshiro Ukitake), Steve Staley (Toshiro Hitsugaya/Shuhei Hisagi), Kirsten Potter (Ran’tao), J B Blanc (Sajin Komamura), Vic Mignonga (Ikkaku Madarame), David Lodge (Kenpachi Zaraki), Stevie Bloch (Yachiru Kusajishi), Karen Strassman (Momo Hinamori), Grant George (Izuru Kira), Quinton Flynn (Kon) & Sam Riegel (Ichinose)
English Version produced by: VIZ Media LLC
Released by: Madman Entertainment
Running Time: 125 minutes Rating: M
At last the Bount story arc finally comes to a cataclysmic conclusion, this particular tribe of beings can at last see the fulfilment of their grand enterprise against the Seireitei and the Soul Reapers or will they? In reality it seems that it will only be their leader who shall see the fulfilment of the Bount’s grand agenda, the rest of this small and unique tribe have at this volume’s opening apparently passed into the great cycle, their souls at last perhaps merging with the cycle of souls in between life, death & rebirth. They will not witness Kariya’s moment of triumph as he achieves his endgame. Sad really...
At the end of the day you could be forgiven for thinking that this particular DVD volume in the ongoing Bleach anime saga wanders a bit off into the land of existentialism or comparative theology depending on your particular viewpoint. In the end though what is going on here in these closing moments of one story arc is the production team laying the groundwork for the next story arc. The conclusion of this drama is not the end of the whole shebang, not by a long shot and what is really going on in these concluding chapters is as much closure of one period and the opening of the next. Thus a deeper bond is formed between the three principal protagonists whilst the antagonist himself seems to provide a source of doubt and vexation that will lead to great changes in the drama that will unfold in the next episodes.
All that aside though when the dust finally settles you are left to wonder about the true motivation behind all the action and conflict that has occurred. It is not simply a cut and dried matter, the ‘good’ guys beating the ‘bad’ guys because you come to ponder just exactly how ‘bad’ they really were and whether or not there was some kind of desperation behind it all...not so much for destruction, chaos and carnage but desperation to finally change, to break out of a stagnation that has been aeons long. Even though the Bounts have phenomenal powers and abilities they do not age or change significantly in the same manner as ordinary people do. They’re like flies trapped in amber, eternally in a particular moment or stage of life one that even though centuries may pass never fluctuates; this is the dilemma of the Bounts.
So how can a society that is comprised of people who never age, never change outwardly hope to have any real significant impetus? How they maintain some kind of inward drive, some kind of spiritual/ethical/creative spark that invigorates and improves their society? At the end of the day they seem to be stuck in a rut, focused on returning to the Soul Society in order to gain some kind of succour from their condition. They crave constancy, stability, stagnation which at the end of the day is just what the Soul Society offers...let’s face it the Seireitei and even the Rukongai are still locked in the era of Tokugawa era Japan from all accounts. Very little changes in this place of pure spirit so it’s no wonder the Bounts seek to find aid from this quarter.
Even the creator of the Bounts, the engineer Ran’tao hasn’t changed significantly from her first contact with them all those countless years ago. She is still exactly the same as Kariya remembers her, which in his eyes is precisely part of the problem. Nothing seems to change and the only way it will change is if something drastic is done. And that drastic act which is required necessitates him attempting to destroy the entire Seireitei and the Soul Society by detonating the Jokai Crest. Of course the various members of the 13 Court Guard squads and the substitute soul reaper, Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends are keen to prevent this from happening. But is this what Kariya really wants? Is it his driving ambition or is there something else?
No doubt there are probably forums and internet chat rooms established that could be debating the nature of Jin Kariya’s overall objectives ad nauseum; I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case, but my opinion is that Kariya wanted in the end to pass on. He had lived for so long and his agenda wasn’t really the destruction of the Soul Society but the passing away of the Bounts, the release of their souls into the cycle of life. Only in the fire of destruction would they have any real hope overall, they would be released from their stagnation just as he would be if he died at the hands of his foes. This was a great DVD frankly, I loved every minute of it, Bleach is such a finely tuned and well crafted anime that works on so many different levels. My advice if you like your anime full of intense drama, action , humour and thought provoking then this volume of Bleach is for you...
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