ANIME REVIEW | BLEACH EPS. 1-63 (MAY CONTAIN SPOILER)

Ichigo Kurosaki is a 15 year old teenager with an unwanted talent for seeing spirits. This talent allows him to spot the Shinigami Rukia Kuchiki, whom he inadvertently interferes with during her duties. When Rukia is injured by a Hollow that attacks Ichigo's home, Ichigo is forced to temporarily take her Shinigami powers to defeat the Hollow. The next day, Rukia shows up at Ichigo's school as a normal human. She tells him that she has lost all of her powers, rather than merely the fraction she intended to give him, and cannot carry out her duties. Ichigo must take her place as Karakura Town's Shinigami while she recovers, guiding souls to the afterlife and defending people from attacking Hollows.

Ichigo's spiritual power as a Shinigami is surprisingly large, attracting hungry Hollows and even affecting nearby humans by awakening any spiritual powers they possess. His powers also attract an enemy of another type: Uryū Ishida, one of the few remaining Quincy, a race of spiritually-empowered humans who were butchered by the Shinigami long ago. In order to prove the Quincy are better than Shinigami, he challenges Ichigo to a Hollow hunting contest. This goes horribly awry, as the bait Uryū uses to start the contest is far more effective than intended, summoning legions of Hollows. During this contest, Yasutora "Chad" Sado and Orihime Inoue, two of Ichigo's friends, have their own spiritual abilities awakened when they are assaulted by Hollows. Uryū and Ichigo eventually ally to drive off the Hollows.

As the remainder of the school year passes, Ichigo, Rukia, Chad, Orihime, and Uryū become close friends. Rukia begins to grow comfortable with life in the living world, but realizes that she needs to leave. Having already spent too much time in the living world without permission, she has become a wanted criminal. Her superiors in Soul Society send two elite Shinigami, Renji Abarai and Byakuya Kuchiki, to arrest her. Ichigo tries to stop the arrest, but his efforts are in vain. Not only is he defeated, but Byakuya strips him of the Shinigami powers Rukia had given him. Rukia is taken to Soul Society, where she is put on death row.

Kisuke Urahara, a mysterious shopkeeper and ex-Soul Society resident, approaches Ichigo with a way to recover his powers and save Rukia: Ichigo must die, and then find the Shinigami powers hidden within his own soul before he becomes a Hollow. Ichigo narrowly succeeds in this endeavor, but emerges from the training stronger than he ever was before. Ichigo, Chad, Orihime, and Uryū then set off for Soul Society, led by one of Urahara's friends, a talking cat named Yoruichi.

2. Soul Society: The Sneak Entry Arc (Episodes 21-41)

Ichigo, Chad, Orihime, Uryū, and Yoruichi arrive in Soul Society, but are stopped from entering the gate of the Shinigami citadel Seireitei by Shinigami captain Gin Ichimaru, and must seek another entrance. Yoruichi takes the group to the home of her old friend Kūkaku Shiba, who owns a giant cannon usually used for fireworks, but is capable of launching other objects else where. Kūkaku agrees to fire them into Seireitei, and sends an assistant with their group, her brother Ganju Shiba, who has hated the Shinigami organization ever since his Shinigami elder brother Kaien Shiba was killed by another Shinigami during a mission. The cannon is a partial success and the party lands in Seireitei, albeit with its members split up.

Meanwhile, the flashy entrance attracts the attention of the highest Shinigami military command, which issues orders mandating the immediate capture of the intruders. Ichigo and company all continue to advance through Seireitei regardless, making short work of the rank-and-file Shinigami and lower officers who oppose them. This lasts until Ichigo and Ganju, who landed together, encounter lieutenant Renji Abarai. Ichigo defeats him, alarming the Shinigami command enough that the captains themselves are sent out to pursue them. Another captain, Sōsuke Aizen, is found brutally murdered the next morning, sparking an internal conflict among the Shinigami, several of whom suspect other Shinigami officers of the murder.

Ichigo and Ganju are met by Kenpachi Zaraki, a bloodthirsty captain with the reputation of being unbeatable, as they are approaching Rukia's prison. Ichigo sends Ganju on to break Rukia out of jail, while he duels Kenpachi alone. Kenpachi and Ichigo fight until they are both nearly dead, both ultimately admitting defeat and collapsing. After the fight, Ichigo is healed by Yoruichi who then reveals that she is not a cat but a woman, and that she and Urahara are both actually ex-Shinigami.

Ganju reaches Rukia's prison, where he discovers that she is the Shinigami who killed his brother, Kaien. A flashback scene ensues, in which it is shown that Rukia killed Kaien only after his body had been completely taken over by a Hollow, but that Rukia still feels guilty for his death. They are interrupted by the arrival of captain Byakuya Kuchiki, who noticed the prison being opened. Byakuya defeats Ganju, but Ichigo comes flying to the rescue, and a brief battle takes place. Yoruichi arrives on the scene but knocks Ichigo unconscious to end the fight.

3. Soul Society: The Rescue Arc (Episodes 42-63)

Yoruichi knocks Ichigo unconscious when he refuses to leave, and manages to escape Byakuya with Ichigo. After Ichigo regains consciousness, Yoruichi begins to train him to use his Bankai, the most powerful form of Zanpakutō. Renji later joins to train with them as well, bringing news that Rukia's execution date has again changed. Meanwhile, Uryū and Orihime are confronted by Shinigami captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi. Uryū battles him but is quickly disabled by the Shikai of Mayuri's Zanpakutō. Even after Uryū overcomes this with the Quincy technique Ransōtengai, Mayuri is still too much for Uryū, who is forced to remove his Sanrei Glove. Uryū then completely overwhelms Mayuri, even after Mayuri uses his Bankai, but is unable to finish him, as Mayuri escapes by turning himself into a liquid.

Meanwhile, Shinigami officers are fighting throughout Seireitei. Shinigami captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya confronts fellow captain Gin Ichimaru, whom Hitsugaya believes killed Aizen, and battles him. Ichimaru retreats after lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto arrives. The next day, Kenpachi rescues Ichigo's comrades, but is stopped by Shinigami captains Sajin Komamura and Kaname Tōsen. Kenpachi manages to defeat Tōsen, even after Tōsen uses his Bankai. Elsewhere, Renji attempts to rescue Rukia, but is stopped by Byakuya. Renji, despite using his newly acquired Bankai, is defeated by Byakuya. Finally, Rukia's execution begins, but she is saved by Ichigo and sympathetic captains Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake.

While Rukia is spirited away by Renji, numerous Shinigami officers start to battle each other. Ichigo defeats three lieutenants that were pursuing Renji and is then engaged by Byakuya. Ichigo was about to die in the battle but his Hollow self takes control of him and attacks Byakuya with more powerful attacks. Ichigo then manages to retake control of himself in the battle. Using his Bankai, Ichigo manages to battle Byakuya on even footing, and narrowly defeats him. Kyōraku and Ukitake flee the execution area for a more secluded place to battle Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto. Yamamoto incinerates the surrounding area with his Shikai, and begins to battle his former students. Captain Suì-Fēng is similarly accosted by Yoruichi, her former mentor. In a tearful encounter, Yoruichi defeats her using the Shunkō technique, but was underestimated earlier because of her avoidance of battle for many years.

Hitsugaya, while searching the Central 46 Chambers, discovers that Aizen is alive, and is the mastermind behind the events that have transpired in Soul Society. Aizen then effortlessly defeats Hitsugaya and travels to the execution area. As Rukia has been sent there by Tōsen, Aizen's accomplice, Aizen extracts the Hōgyoku from her, despite the efforts of Renji, Ichigo and Captain Komamura. However, before Aizen can flee, the entire officer corps of the Gotei 13 stops him. However, the arrival of several Menos Grande enable Aizen and his accomplices to escape to Hueco Mundo. Ichigo and his friends then return to the real world, leaving Rukia behind on her request.

Hitsugaya Toushiro, Captain Squad 10.

Also, I cannot forget how awesome the openings of Bleach were. One DO NOT SKIP Bleach opening. I felt bad skipping the first opening. It's so dope. Listening to it now, I still feel the same way. The song, the coolness, the visual, the rap? Chef's kiss.

Kyoraku x Nanao

Hitsugaya x Matsumoto

Zaraki x Yachiru

All Gotei 13 Captains

All Gotei 13 Liutenants

Kuchiki Byakuya, Captain Suqad 6.

Overall, Soul Society Arc is probably my favourite arc so far because Shinigamis are hilarious. They are likeable. Now, I want to marry Byakuya and I don't know if I want to date or befriend Ikkaku. He's probably my favourite character because wherever he is, he always cracks me up. Even from the first time he debuted, he's already funny 😂

Overall, I'm loving Bleach so far. Though I don't really care to watch the battles between the characters I'm not attached to. But I'm going to keep watching and finish until the end because the final arc is coming out in 2021 and I want to see my OTP together hehe. 

💕RenRuki is canon💕

I'm writing a post about RenRuki, if you ship them, stay tuned! Even if you don't, you will start shipping them after reading the post!