BLEACH – THE BOUNT VOLUME 19
March 3rd 2010 18:28
Category: Videos
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), Stephanie Sheh (Orihime), Jamieson Price (Chad), Wally Wingert (Renji Abarai), Derek Stephen Price (Uryu), Terrence Stone (Captain Mayuri) Liam O’Brien (Captain Ukitake), Steve Staley (Captain Hitsugaya), Steve Kramer (Captain Kyoraku) Megan Hollingshead (Rangiku/Nemu), Kyle Herbert (Ganju), David Lodge (Kenpachi Zaraki), Spike Spencer (Hanataro), Wendee Lee (Yoruichi Shihoin), Michael Lindsay (Kisuke Urahara), Michael McConnohie (Kurodo), Julie Ann Talyor (Lirin), Roger Craig Smith (Noba), Karen Strassman (Dalk), Troy Baker (Jin Kariya), Dorothy Elias-Fahn (Yoshino Soma), Tony Oliver (Ryo Utagawa). Sam Riegel (Maki Ichinose) & Richard Epcar (Koga)
English Version produced by: VIZ Media LLC
Released by: Madman Entertainment
Running Time: 100 minutes Rating: PG
Even though I have never met the guy, and possibly will never meet the guy, I have to say that I do like Johnny Yong Bosch’s acting style. Frankly I feel that there is no one else in the English speaking world that can bring that certain energy and verve to the character of Ichigo Kurosaki, he is pure entertainment to listen to and watch. If you haven’t gotten into the whole Bleach thing yet then my advice is to do so; and what better time to get into Bleach than in March, the ‘official’ month of all things Bleachy. Nothing better than either watching Bleach or reading Bleach or as I am wont to do whistle one of the many catchy theme songs whilst engaged in your everyday activities – although I do advise against doing this when spending romantic time with your significant other if you know what I mean. Ichirin no Hana by High and Mighty Colour is my fave, but that’s just me.
You see Bounts initially start out like normal people, they’re born and then they just keep on going, they never age and they effectively are immune from the various natural causes of death; especially if they consume the souls of the recently deceased. For all intents and purposes they are the Bleach equivalent of vampires, and as Kisuke Urahara succinctly explains in his description of them vampire is one name by which they have been known by down through the ages. All Bounts also possess something called a doll which they call forth and orders to fight their opponents or perform any other relevant tasks, in order to control a doll a Bount needs a monsho or crest which gives it the ability to control this entity. It is mentioned once or twice that a Bount’s doll is similar to a soul reaper’s zanpakuto although only in the fact that both dolls and zanpakuto are living entities, not just mindless tools.
In essence what Ichigo and friends are hoping to achieve is to somehow thwart the efforts of Jin Kariya, but they are literally out of their league simply because they have little real intel on just what exactly it is that he’s planning to do in the first place. Certainly they successfully manage to rescue Uryu and the female Bount, Yoshino, but at the end of the day all their good work is thwarted by Yoshino attempting to make a misguided restitution. She feels a need and desire to bring an end to Kariya’s scheme but instead all that she manages to achieve is simply playing into the hand of her opponent.
Strangely out of all of the Bounts that have made their appearance so far, Kariya seems to be the one who realises that with the long life of his kind comes the need for an equally long perspective and world view. He is not focused on simple materialism or satisfaction of his whims down through the centuries; he has a plan and intends to follow it through to the end no matter what. It seems rather strange that for a long lived species most Bounts seem to be cursed with a short term perspective, the kind of perspective one would expect from an ordinary person who doesn’t live for centuries and is very much focused on the now, the me generation so to speak.
But even though he has some grand scheme to fulfil the actual danger of Kariya is not so much his carefully laid out plans or even his own abilities and prowess, it’s his sheer charisma and magnetism. Through his strong, assertive personality he is able to wield a coalition of beings who are notorious for being independent and free willed to carry out his agenda, he is also able to win to his cause a former soul reaper, Maki Ichinose, who serves his goals like a loyal samurai warrior of old. And the fact that he is voiced by Troy Baker, who voiced the part of Ganryu in the first Bleach movie, the character has a certain suave, sophisticated old world charm about him. For my way of thinking Kariya is every bit a major danger as Sosuke Aizen.
Of course all that old world charm and sophistication means bat’s spit to our spiky haired, mouthy protagonist. But that only adds to the appeal, the character of Kariya is a fantastic foil for Ichigo, he is a villain that gives more depth and development to the protagonist rather than just being some evil doer to whack over the head with his trusty zanpakuto Zangetsu. Bleach – The Bount Volume 19 was an enjoyable viewing experience, if this kind of thing is up your alleyway then get a hold of a copy, especially amusing are the Illustrated Guide to Soul Reaper shorts at the end of each episode; laugh, I almost fell off my seat with hilarity.
| 70 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
