COLOR BLEACH OFFICIAL BLEACH BOOTLEG
July 13th 2011 02:13
Category: Manga
Story & Art by: Tite Kubo
English Adaptation: Lance Caselman
Translation: Joe Yamazaki & JN Productions Inc
Lead Design: Courtney Utt
Graphic Design: Gerry Serrano
New Touch up Art & Lettering: Mark McMurray
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC & Shonen Jump
Cost: AU$19.95/US$14.99
This particular volume caught my eye one day whilst I was perusing the Madman Entertainment website looking for various things and naturally being both curious and at the time having the means to indulge my curiosity I purchased it post haste. According to the blurb on the back this work is an indispensable guide to the behind the scenes of the shadowy world of the Soul Reapers…it is chock full of all kinds of useful information as well as full colour one shot comics of various characters from the Soul Society as well as guest appearances from key players in the World of the Living.
When it eventually arrived on my doorstep along with some other items…namely the Official Naruto Fanbook and a couple of volumes of Rosario Vampire Season 2 I immediately got stuck into reading this. Perhaps it was the glossy lose leaf cover, the bright vibrant colours or maybe the fact that I’m a real Bleach fan that drew my attention to this work first. That being said as I read the contents I confess I was laughing uproariously within the first few pages and couldn’t stop until about an hour or so later after reading the final page. In fact even as recall certain snippets of the work I can’t help but chuckle away even as I’m doing this review.
In a nutshell it could be said that Color Bleach is a rich seam of pure comedic gold that maintains its shine, lustre and value even after repeated readings. Which in a way is a remarkable contrast to the actual manga on which it’s based; there it’s predominantly about the action, the drama, the intrigue and the landscape altering fights that occur between various combatants. Sure there are moments of levity here and there amongst all the high octane intensity but with the bootleg it’s all about the humour and the sort of slice of life angle that is the audience is shown.
Let’s face it who amongst us hasn’t wondered just what exactly do the Thirteen Court Guard companies do when they’re not repelling ryoka invasions or out in the real world reaping hollows? What is the agenda of the Society of Female Soul Reapers? Where does Renji Abarai get his funky goggles and how do you actually join the various companies of the Thirteen Court Guard companies? Deep and insightful questions that no doubt we have all pondered at some stage, either in those lonely silent moments in the ungodly hours of the morning or perhaps in the cue at the local fast food outlet. Now though with this particular book we no longer have to let such conundrums puzzle and perplex us for the answers are all here waiting to be revealed.
Actually it was quite a surprise for me to discover that the cool looking goggles Renji wears when he first appears in the world of the living he actually owned and purchased himself. I would have thought they were some kind of standard issue device handed out by the Department of Research and Development, not something you’d have to spend your own wages on. And in learning this little snippet we also discover that one of Renji’s hobbies is actually collecting cool and funky goggles, so thus the reason behind his penchant for wearing such exotic eyewear. Though now it seems that in the last few fights he’s trashed his collection and doesn’t have the means to get some new goggles which is why he’s now often seen with a headband rather than the trademark eyewear. Life is obviously though in the Court guard companies and wages aren’t all that crash hot from the looks of it either…
And if you ever been curious about what kind of reading material soul reapers peruse during their off duty hours then Color Bleach has that angle covered as well. Included in its contents is a special edition of the Monthly Seireitei Bulletin, a magazine that is a most for all new members of the Thirteen Court Guard Companies, complete with a stirring introduction from Shigekuni Genryusai Yamamoto, Captain General of the Thirteen Court Guard Companies. Stirring stuff that harkens back to the long forgotten days of the Seireitei and as the captain general himself remarks wanders slightly off point here.
This soul reaper magazine which is published to build solidarity amongst the court guard companies as well as increase morale makes up the bulk of the work. It has some rather interesting articles and gives the reader an insight into the various personalities and members of the various companies from the Soul Reaper perspective rather than the third person observations found in the official Bleach character book. Here we are privy to the actual opinions of various learned soul reapers about their fellows and their organisation. Invaluable stuff as well as being highly amusing. Of special interest is the feature article regarding the ‘recent’ ryoka invasion – the real story as it were behind these unusual events.
And you can’t go past “Teach Me Shuhei Sensei” in which invaluable lesson in regards to the Soul Society and Soul Reapers are imparted by Shuhei Hisagi, editor of this bulletin and vice captain of Ninth Company along with “Let’s do Shikai”, tips on zanjutsu by Renji Abarai. Informative, educational and definitely hilarious Color Bleach Official Bleach Bootleg is a must for any Bleach fan…do yourself a favour and get your hands on a copy of it, you won’t regret it…
English Adaptation: Lance Caselman
Translation: Joe Yamazaki & JN Productions Inc
Lead Design: Courtney Utt
Graphic Design: Gerry Serrano
New Touch up Art & Lettering: Mark McMurray
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC & Shonen Jump
Cost: AU$19.95/US$14.99
When it eventually arrived on my doorstep along with some other items…namely the Official Naruto Fanbook and a couple of volumes of Rosario Vampire Season 2 I immediately got stuck into reading this. Perhaps it was the glossy lose leaf cover, the bright vibrant colours or maybe the fact that I’m a real Bleach fan that drew my attention to this work first. That being said as I read the contents I confess I was laughing uproariously within the first few pages and couldn’t stop until about an hour or so later after reading the final page. In fact even as recall certain snippets of the work I can’t help but chuckle away even as I’m doing this review.
Let’s face it who amongst us hasn’t wondered just what exactly do the Thirteen Court Guard companies do when they’re not repelling ryoka invasions or out in the real world reaping hollows? What is the agenda of the Society of Female Soul Reapers? Where does Renji Abarai get his funky goggles and how do you actually join the various companies of the Thirteen Court Guard companies? Deep and insightful questions that no doubt we have all pondered at some stage, either in those lonely silent moments in the ungodly hours of the morning or perhaps in the cue at the local fast food outlet. Now though with this particular book we no longer have to let such conundrums puzzle and perplex us for the answers are all here waiting to be revealed.
Actually it was quite a surprise for me to discover that the cool looking goggles Renji wears when he first appears in the world of the living he actually owned and purchased himself. I would have thought they were some kind of standard issue device handed out by the Department of Research and Development, not something you’d have to spend your own wages on. And in learning this little snippet we also discover that one of Renji’s hobbies is actually collecting cool and funky goggles, so thus the reason behind his penchant for wearing such exotic eyewear. Though now it seems that in the last few fights he’s trashed his collection and doesn’t have the means to get some new goggles which is why he’s now often seen with a headband rather than the trademark eyewear. Life is obviously though in the Court guard companies and wages aren’t all that crash hot from the looks of it either…
And if you ever been curious about what kind of reading material soul reapers peruse during their off duty hours then Color Bleach has that angle covered as well. Included in its contents is a special edition of the Monthly Seireitei Bulletin, a magazine that is a most for all new members of the Thirteen Court Guard Companies, complete with a stirring introduction from Shigekuni Genryusai Yamamoto, Captain General of the Thirteen Court Guard Companies. Stirring stuff that harkens back to the long forgotten days of the Seireitei and as the captain general himself remarks wanders slightly off point here.
This soul reaper magazine which is published to build solidarity amongst the court guard companies as well as increase morale makes up the bulk of the work. It has some rather interesting articles and gives the reader an insight into the various personalities and members of the various companies from the Soul Reaper perspective rather than the third person observations found in the official Bleach character book. Here we are privy to the actual opinions of various learned soul reapers about their fellows and their organisation. Invaluable stuff as well as being highly amusing. Of special interest is the feature article regarding the ‘recent’ ryoka invasion – the real story as it were behind these unusual events.
And you can’t go past “Teach Me Shuhei Sensei” in which invaluable lesson in regards to the Soul Society and Soul Reapers are imparted by Shuhei Hisagi, editor of this bulletin and vice captain of Ninth Company along with “Let’s do Shikai”, tips on zanjutsu by Renji Abarai. Informative, educational and definitely hilarious Color Bleach Official Bleach Bootleg is a must for any Bleach fan…do yourself a favour and get your hands on a copy of it, you won’t regret it…
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