Bleach (Chapters 17-21) - Review

Chapter 17

This is a poem about Orihime and how she wants to connect with Ichigo by being the rain. However "the rain" is Ichigo's despair and sorrow as you will soon see. Do you see what I mean? Orihime doesn't understand Ichigo at all.

Who is that?

So Ichigo and Rukia decided to put Kon in a stuffed animal, so that he could become the mascot and comic relief of the series. Kon wanted to live like everyone but he is stuck in a useless body. He is definitely a wasted good character as they could have given him a Gigai (an artificial body) so that he could help Ichigo in fights.

However, I also like Kon as a funny stuffed lion, so I think a good compromise would be to imitate other mod souls (Ririn, Kurodo and Noba) in fillers. In other words, he could switch between his stuffed animal form and his Gigai form. The former would be for comic relief while the latter would be used in fights and serious moments. 

In an interview, Kubo said that the plushie body of Kon is the fake copy of the main character of the popular TV show, "Carnivor Kingdom" named "Ponkichi". It was a prize from the shooting game in the Karakura Town Festival (Source).

I'm sorry Ichigo, but Kon sounds way better than Kai. Kaizou Konpaku means "Mod Soul" by the way.

I wonder what Yuzu thinks Ichigo was doing. 

Ichigo wonders why his dad didn't wake him up. Then he looks at his watch and realizes what day it is. 

Orihime is a social butterfly as she has many friends. Tatsuki is of course Orihime's best friend. She is a good fighter and a good artist. Now let's have a look at Orihime's picture!

Orihime is way too funny!

Orihime's love towards Ichigo is genuine. She really cares about him. She managed to read Ichigo's true emotions.

The Kurosaki family is a good family (although Isshin is usually an asshole to Ichigo).

Ichigo asks if he can take a break from Shinigami work, for just one day. Rukia said that he can't as hollows could come and kill people. But Ichigo wants to pay respect to his mother on the anniversary of her death.

Chapter 18

The chapter begins with that very sad page. I honestly don't know how to analyze this page. Usually you use black color to represent depression and solitude. But here Ichigo is surrounded by white. Why?

Tatsuki knows Ichigo since he was four years old! 

Interestingly enough, before his mother's death, Ichigo was weak but happy. But after his mother's death, he became stronger but unhappy. 

HAHAHA! Isshin is funny, but he is also a bad father.

Rukia came to see Ichigo!

After Mizuiro and Keigo, Karin also believes Rukia is Ichigo's girlfriend.

Rukia asks Ichigo if a hollow killed Ichigo's mother. But Ichigo said that it is not the case and she should stop being obsessed with hollows all the time.

Ichigo saw a strange girl and started to run out of fear. Rukia didn't see anyone but decided to follow him.

Tatsuki explained to Orihime that Ichigo's mother is dead when he was only 9 years old.

"Starting the next day, he skipped school. When I wondered what he was up to and went looking for him, he was at the riverbank where his mother died, carrying his schoolbag from morning till night. It looked like he was searching for his mom... wandering, wandering... He would squat down if he was tired. But soon after he'd then stand up to wander again. Every single day, from morning till night... It was so hard to see him like that. The Ichigo from that time..." Tatsuki

Rukia catches up to Ichigo and grabs the back of his shirt, which causes him to trip and fall, before demanding to know why he ran, only to be shocked when Ichigo informs her that he is the one who killed his mother. Of course, he didn't "kill" his mother, but he believes he was responsible for her death.

 

Chapter 19

Like in chapter one, Rukia feels guilty for telling Ichigo things she shouldn't have said. She realized she was insensitive because she only thinks about killing hollows.

Kon has just said what Rukia fears the most. Losing her only friend. Losing Ichigo. 

Ichigo recalls how Masaki was the center of his family's universe, with his sisters and father loving her as much as he did, and how he had vowed to protect her.

Even when he was a child, Ichigo wanted to protect everyone. He is a good kid.

 

But when he woke up, Ichigo realized that his mother was dead. He feels guilty for his mother's death. That's why he stopped smiling. 

Well, it turns out that Rukia was actually right. Masaki's death was not an accident. It was the result of a hollow. The mysterious girl Ichigo tried to save was not a random ghost, it was a dangerous hollow.

Chapter 20

IchiRuki forever!

The hollow who killed Ichigo's mother is now trying to kill his sisters. 

Will Ichigo manage to save his sisters?

Chapter 21

Nightmare Fuel! That's... disgusting and scary.

Grand Fisher has an S-tier design for a hollow.

So Grand Fisher is a strong hollow who has killed people for 54 years. 

Grand Fisher prepares to attack Ichigo with his fur after effortlessly evading him.

Ichigo finally realized that he had been tricked by this hollow when he was 9. Grand Fisher was the reason why his mother died. Rukia wanted to help Ichigo but he stopped her. "This is my fight", he said. 

Next chapter: ICHIGO VS GRAND FISHER!