BLEACH – THE BOUNT (VOLUME 22)
June 4th 2010 23:38
Category: Videos, Television
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 Price (Uryu Ishida), Sam Riegel (Maki Ichinose), Steve Staley (Shuhei Hisagi), Kyle Herbert (Ganju Shiba), Stephanie Sheh (Orihime/Yoshi), Megan Hollingshead (Rangiku/Nemu), Spike Spencer (Hanataro), Wally Wingert (Renji Abarai), Michael Lindsay (Kisuke Urahara), Michael Sorich (Tessai), Wendee Lee (Yoruichi/Ururu), Keith Silverstein (Mabashi), Kirk Thornton (Ugaki), Richard Epcar (Koga/Zangetsu), Julie Ann Taylor (Lirin), Roger Craig Smith (Noba), Michael McConnohie (Kurodo), Bob Joles (Genryusai Yamamoto), Dan Woren (Byakuya Kuchiki), Grant George (Izuru Kira) & Brian Beacock (Yumichika Ayesagawa)
English Version produced by: VIZ Media LLC
Released by: Madman Entertainment
Running Time: 100 minutes Rating: M
On my way to doing my usual stint of raffle ticket selling at the Catholic Men’s Dinner Club I had some time to kill before helping open up so I perused the shelves at the local music chain store. No doubt you’re thinking how surprised I was to find this particular volume sitting on the shelf, you’d be wrong to think that, I had a feeling that it was in and lo and behold there it was sitting there – a vergence in the force I feel much in the vein of Qui-gon Jinn discovering Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine. Naturally currency had to be handed over before I could view this DVD, which was swiftly undertaken, and I carried onto the club with me to sit patiently as I went about my ticket selling rounds and enjoyed the imbibing of the freshest and purest amber fluid in the Hastings Region. Ah bliss.
Scary stuff, in previous volumes much of the drama was involved in trying to thwart the Bounts nebulous first stage of their nefarious scheme which consisted of harvesting human souls. That proved to be a dismal failure as the Bounts managed to create creatures called Bittos that could suck a human’s soul, condense it into a liquid form and then pass it onto the Bounts to drink. This liquid was concentrated soul energy and provided one heck of a kick to those who drank it. In fact so confident were the Bounts in their newfound power boost that they went forth to challenge those who would dare oppose them. But they were unaware that events were beginning to move beyond their control, the Soul Society had realised the danger the bounts posed to their world and the world of the living and taken steps, four lieutenants from four different squads were dispatched by Squad 10 captain, Toshiro Hitsugaya to back up Ichigo and his friends.
Izuru Kira, Shuhei Hisagi, Rangiku Matsumoto and Yumichika Ayesagawa arrived to prevent the bounts from destroying their comrades. This volume’s action picks up once the dust has settled on those conflicts and the four lieutenants gather at the hideout of the bounts ready to deal with them once and for all. The only problem to this is that their enemy knows they are there and has taken steps to counter the lieutenants. Which just goes to show what a master strategist Jin Kariya is, he never lets any eventually not be anticipated and planned for, well almost, it seems that no matter how hard he tries he cannot seem to shake off Ichigo Kurosaki. The spikey orange haired substitute soul reaper is a constant thorn in his side and remains so in this volume, even after he had a good pasting at the hands of Koga and his doll, Dalk.
Going to back up the four lieutenants in their attempt to end the Bount menace once and for all Ichigo and friends discover that they have to take over the job when Rangiku, Izuru, Shuhei and Yumichikia are soundly thrashed by the shadowy doll of Ugaki, the man Kariya has placed in charge of defending the Bounts lair. Ugaki’s doll Giselle seems to be capable of not only moving from the very shadows but has a multitude of various guises and can exist as numerous other smaller entities that enhance the capability of the larger core doll. No doubt it’s all down to Ugaki having imbibed the souls of the living, his powers and that of his doll have increased immeasurably which means he is an opponent that will take some effort to beat. That would be the plan that Kariya intends, still he has no idea that one of the soul reapers, Renji Abarai is capable of bankai and unleashes it with great gusto against Giselle, Renji has his own woes to face and this is how he intends to beat them down. At the end of the day this volume lives up to expectation, it provides enough action, drama, pathos and humour as well as being a good standalone. Definitely worth getting your hands on if you’re a Bleach fan, but the Bount arc isn’t over yet in fact one could say that at the conclusion of this volume its only just beginning…
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