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| 1421549492
| 9781421549491
| 1421549492
| 4.09
| 2,966
| Dec 02, 2011
| Dec 04, 2012
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it was amazing
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"Ichigo! They must be ignorant. They think this is enough to fill you with despair. They don't know the struggles you've lived through. Show them, Ich
"Ichigo! They must be ignorant. They think this is enough to fill you with despair. They don't know the struggles you've lived through. Show them, Ichigo! Show them that they cannot stop you with despair!" After finishing reading the, hands down, worst part of the Fullbringer arc and after going through one breakdown after another breakdown, here I am - having the best time of my life (okay, I'm a little bit exaggerating here, because the Soul Society arc is clearly the best arc in BLEACH, nothing comes close). "To be able to repaint the past... It's terrifying just imagining it. But... so what?! No matter how much your past is changed, he cannot change your future! If a bond is lost, all you have to do is rebuild it! Am I wrong, Ichigo?!" Ichigo's no longer crying. No longer screaming in pain and betrayal. He's in his full power now and kicking asses left and right - AS HE SHOULD! He's all confident and cool - again, AS HE SHOULD! - and I love to see him like this! His ally-turned-enemy, Ginjou Kugo, is absolutely SHOOKETH. There he was, being all triumphant and euphoric, thinking that he took everything away from Ichigo, but then the guy didn't just stood up again to fight, but had suddenly made a comeback as a Soul Reaper. What was supposed to not be possible, became possible. The dumb teenager was supposed to regain his power and transfer everything to Ginjou and Xcution. He was supposed to be vulnerable and alone. He was supposed to be an incredibly easy target. But this dumb teenager isn't just anyone. It's Ichigo Kurosaki, for crying out loud. And Ichigo Kurosaki is the strongest, even if he doesn't have his powers. He never gives up. Never loses. And is never truly alone. "But right now he doesn't have any such powers! Cuz I stole every last drop from him! Pouring only your measly spiritual pressure into him while his tank's empty won't regain his power!" "You idiot. It wasn't just Rukia's!" This moment always gives me chills. I mean, there are plenty of moments in this volume that gives me chills (the best kind of chills), but this one is special. You have to understand the situation, dear reader. When I watched this particular episode of the anime for the very first time, I was in pain because Ichigo was in pain. I felt betrayed, because Ichigo felt betrayed. I felt weak, and alone, wanting to scream, but being unable to. I was convinced that the Soul Society had abandoned Ichigo, so I ended up holding to the last amount of hope that some kind of miracle will happen. I just wanted Ichigo's pain to end. AND GUESS WHAT? THE MIRACLE HAPPENED. 'Rukia... Renji... Kenpachi... Byakuya... Toshiro... Ikkaku... No, it's not just theirs. Shinji. Rangiku. Unohana. Hanataro. Dad. Urahara. Yoruichi. And even the captain general...' "You feel it, don't you?" The amount of tears I shared that day (and every day of my re-watching) easily matched the amount of tears I shared the day before (when Ginjou's true face got revealed and Ichigo got betrayed). The difference was that this time I cried out of happiness, not out of pain and sadness. If you know me, then you know that I'm a sucker for the stories about bonds, brotherhoods, friendships, found family and so on. What Ichigo and the Soul Reapers have is one of the bonds that, despite not being perfect, I absolutely adore and support with my whole being. You can only imagine the scream that came out of my throat when I saw the Soul Society's delegation suddenly show up and then appear behind Ichigo. It was the support both Ichigo (and I) craved for, but couldn't ask for. It was the support Ichigo deserved. "The captain general would've never given this kind of order in the past. It was you who changed him, Kurosaki. That power you received is the result of the changes you made to the Soul Society in all of your battles. Accept it with honor." HELLL YEAAAAAH!! SAY IT LOUDER, TOSHIRO!! Ginjou's face and behaviour the moment Ichigo had regained his powers was truly HILARIOUS to watch. After everything he made Ichigo go through, all he deserved was to get pummeled until he couldn't get up anymore, but Ichigo forcing him to realize what big of a mistake he had done by making him his enemy was even better to see. "Hah! Your Getsugatensho is definitely more powerful now! But is that it?! What a letdown! That's not enough to kill me, Kurosaki!" "You idiot. That wasn't Getsugatensho. It was just my sword pressure." ~ OOOHHHHHHH ...more |
Notes are private!
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Sep 14, 2024
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Sep 17, 2024
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Sep 14, 2024
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| 1421543052
| 9781421543055
| 1421543052
| 4.11
| 2,920
| Oct 04, 2011
| Dec 04, 2012
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liked it
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"Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Why? How did this happen?! I wanted to protect you guys! So why...?! What... What...! What did I regain my powers fo
"Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Why? How did this happen?! I wanted to protect you guys! So why...?! What... What...! What did I regain my powers for?!" This is the most painful BLEACH volume I have ever read so far. It's not like I haven't seen it coming - I did, because I watched the anime - but, as usual, I wasn't prepared for it in the slightest. I thought that witnessing it in the manga version will be easier since there was no way for me to hear the sounds. But it wasn't any easier. In my head I had clearly heard Ichigo's broken voice and his scream of pain. I love Tite Kubo for creating BLEACH, it's my favorite anime, but I also hate him for putting my boy Ichigo through all the pain, confusion, manipulation and trauma especially in this volume. The whole Fullbring arc is centering around Ichigo and his struggles. Because of his fight against Aizen, he had lost his powers and needed to live as a normal human for more than a year. You might think that it's no big deal. But for a person like Ichigo Kurosaki, who's whole being is build on his need to protect others, it's like loss of a soul. Loss of a limb. Loss of a life. He not only had lost his Soul Reaper powers, but also the ability to see ghosts. He didn't always have Soul Reaper powers, but he always saw ghosts. He thought of it as a curse sometimes, for sure, but if you suddenly lose something that you were used to, that you always had, it's extremely hard to keep on going forward. I wanted to regain my power. But I couldn't figure out how. All I could do was bear it... For 17 months. Being helpless... I thought I finally found a way. Finally... I thought I could protect everybody with my power. But... But he managed to do so. For 17 months he endured the loss and the pain, keeping a happy smile on his face despite hurting inside. Ginjou gave him hope. He dared to barge into his life and give him hope, and help him getting his powers back. Everything was supposed to be back to normal. Everything was supposed to be alright. But then Ginjou's real goal was revealed. He had shown his true face. Not only Ichigo's powers got brutally taken away from him, not only all the hope and happiness that he had felt, but also the ability to trust another person. He got betrayed in the worst possible way in the worst possible moment by the worst possible person. He lost EVERYONE he had cared for, because of Tsukishima's manipulations. It felt like all the blood, sweat and tears Ichigo had poured in the training, meant absolutely nothing. He did everything for the others, never for himself, and he got rewarded by not being called a hero, but with being called a bad guy instead. "Chad... You guys are the same as the others...?" "I don't know what you mean by same. I'm actually confused because you're different. Ichigo, why are you doing this?" "Ichigo, did you forget everything Tsukishima's done for you...?" Guys, he's only seventeen years old. He's still only a child. An adult would break down easily, how could a child react to all this? "Give it back... Give it back, Ginjou... Give back my power..." "What are you talking about? You were only able to regain it because of me. So why shouldn't I have it?" His eyes and his face expressions killed me in this volume. I HATE to see him in such a pain. No one should get through such a thing in such a little amount of time, especially not Ichigo Kurosaki - the boy that sacrificed everything for others. He was always the strong one. Even when he was losing the fight, even when he was terrified of his enemy, he stood proudly and gave his everything to win. He never backed down, no matter how many times he was on the death's door. To see a guy like this fall to his knees and burst into helpless tears, screaming his heart out in the feeling of pain and betrayal, is like agony for me. The amount of tears I have shared while reading this volume could easily become an ocean. I knew that the pain wouldn't last forever, because I knew how this arc will end, but it didn't matter. My favorite boy was hurting so I was hurting with him. "No... Not you guys too..." The ending of this volume doesn't make everything better, but the events of the next volume certainly will, so I'm shaking away every negative emotions I have felt until now, I'm shaking away every drop of tears that are still falling, to prepare myself for one of the best moments of BLEACH. I know that I will scream and jump around in joy very, very soon, but I wish I could say that all the hurt and pain was worth it. To be honest, if I could shield Ichigo from the events of the Fullbring arc, I would. Without question. If I could take away all the negative emotions he had went through, all the pain and trauma, I would. But it's impossible, what already happened, happened and nothing can change that. It would make Ichigo stronger, for sure. But I still wish that he didn't need to get through all of this :( Some things I need to talk about: (be aware of the spoilers, please) ~ "Stop whining. Why don't you do one more set to match your name?" "I know you didn't just say that! I hate those kind of puns!" "Liar. I know you wear a t-shirt that says 15 on it." - I hate myself for feeling sorry that Ichigo lost such a good friend like Ginjou. I liked Ginjou before the cut, I really did. He was a great guy and it seemed like he genuinely cared about Ichigo. They could've had a really fun and strong relationship, but all was lost in such a short amount of time. ~ The moment when Ichigo came back home after an insanely intense and tiring training just to see Tsukishima in his household and everyone acting like he was always a part of their life... insane. ~ Ichigo's desperation to leave his own house and run away as far as possible - feeling threatened and in danger in his house that should be the safest possible place - hurt me immensely and I hate both Tsukishima and Ginjou for putting him through this. ~ Why none of Ichigo's friends and family members didn't think that something is wrong? No one, absolutely no one gave Ichigo the benefit of the doubt. Everyone immediately assumed that he's in the wrong, that he's the crazy one. I understand that their memories got manipulated by the Book of the end, but for me it doesn't entirely justify their behaviour. They should've trusted Ichigo, but they trusted Tsukishima instead. ~ WHY DID CHAD ATTACK ICHIGO?! His memories were also manipulated, I understand that, but why the hell did he decide to straight up launch a punch towards his best friend instead of, I don't know, talk things out?! Didn't Ichigo and him promise that they will always fight in each other's name?! And seriously f Orihime and her sad freaking faces. Isn't Ichigo the love of your life?! ~ I really love Ikumi (Ichigo's boss) for welcoming Ichigo with open arms and giving him the safe space and comfort he needed. She's the best. ~ The worst pain of all is the fact that all the events brought Ichigo to the point of thinking about killing another person (Tsukishima). This is the guy who didn't kill even the worst enemy, the guy that always had excuses for the bad guys' behaviour, the guy who always fought fair and square, no matter if he was in disadvantage or not :( ~ "Your Fullbring is mine." - Ichigo's face while watching Ginjou's triumph over him :( :( :( I can't imagine the amount of hurt and betrayal he had to feel back then. ~ "He's crying. Poor thing." "Let him cry. He's useless to us now." - the hypocrisy of Tsukishima and Ginjou two is truly another level. You two are awful people. Awful, awful people. I would've put both in hell without any thought (but I know that they didn't land there, sadly). ~ The way the rain had mixed with Ichigo's tears when he saw Urahara and Isshin? Help :( ...more |
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1
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Sep 10, 2024
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Sep 14, 2024
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Sep 10, 2024
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| 1421543044
| 9781421543048
| 1421543044
| 4.01
| 2,950
| Aug 04, 2011
| Nov 06, 2012
|
really liked it
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"Who taught you how to fight?" "I was taught the basics, the rest I learned in battle. I was a Soul Reaper for only a short period. But in terms of exp "Who taught you how to fight?" "I was taught the basics, the rest I learned in battle. I was a Soul Reaper for only a short period. But in terms of experience, I got more than you guys." [Ichigo] Volume 51 starts the moment the previous one left off - in the Ichigo vs Jackie training fight. Ichigo's Fullbring power is still underdeveloped while Jackie had spend years with her Fullbring. The fight is not fair in the slightest, but despite that, Ichigo's managing to keep up with Jackie and even comes close to winning, but, when an unexpected guest makes an appearance in the Xcution's hideout, the training match gets interrupted and Ichigo needs to face a new opponent. Volume 51 is another volume with twists and turns that a reader wouldn't expect to see. It's obvious that when Ichigo is training and coming closer and closer to have a full control over his Fullbring power, the enemy wouldn't be waiting for him to become a Soul Reaper again. Xcution members have a clear goal, but Tsukishima has his own agenda that no one really knows about. Ginjou thinks that Tsukishima is after Ichigo and wants to kill him (like he had supposedly killed the previous Substitute), but is this what Tsukishima is really after? Would he really stop pursuing Ichigo despite the intervention of the Xcution members? It seems very unlikely. Of course, I already know what's up with him and I'm honestly not looking forward to the big reveal. Part of me wants to get through this arc as fast as possible, but the other part of me fears it. I will be screaming with rage and bawling my eyes out, I know it. I got through it already, not once and not twice (but I still feel like I'm not prepared for it). But I also know what happens after it and this is something I'm incredibly excited to see again (one of my favorite BLEACH episodes!) ☺️ Anyways, this volume ends in the middle of Ichigo vs Ginjou training fight. Ichigo's in a big trouble - can he get out of it and not only win against Ginjou, but fully develop his Fullbringer powers? What will be Tsukishima's next move? What will Ishida do now that he's fully healed? Will his arrival change things? And what are Urahara and Isshin up to? We will see in the next volume! ...more |
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1
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Sep 08, 2024
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Sep 09, 2024
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Sep 08, 2024
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| 1421543036
| 9781421543031
| 1421543036
| 4.04
| 3,184
| Jun 03, 2011
| Nov 06, 2012
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really liked it
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"Ichigo. You may think you're hiding it. But honestly, I couldn't stand watching you since you lost your powers. You wanna fight, don't you? It hurts
"Ichigo. You may think you're hiding it. But honestly, I couldn't stand watching you since you lost your powers. You wanna fight, don't you? It hurts you that you can't protect those around you, right? You don't have to hide it, Ichigo. That's what makes you who you are." [Chad] After Ishida's incident, Ichigo, feeling helpless and desperate, comes to the Xcution with hope that the new people he had met could help him somehow. He's shocked to see Chad there. It looks like Chad is working with the Xcution, because all of them have the same goal - to help Ichigo regain his Soul Reaper powers. In exchange for that, the Xcution members are supposed to get rid of their Fullbringer powers - powers coming from their mothers that have encountered Hollows. Ichigo, who had lived more than a year as just a normal human and who seemed fine with it, jumps immediately into training, still having doubts if it's gonna work. He is not meet with any tips nor hints on how to learn and use his Fullbring power, so he just goes with the flow. His quick thinking and a help from Chad gives him the answer he was looking for all along. And with that he started to feel an emotion he thought he will never feel again - hope. Hope that he will become a Soul Reaper again and have the ability to protect those he loves. With Volume 50 we also got an introduction to the characters of Shishigawara and Tsukishima - the big bad guys of the story. It looks like Tsukishima is the one responsible for Ishida's accident and now is after the rest of Ichigo's friends. Ginjou thinks that Tsukishima is trying to force Ichigo to stay away from Xcution, but is it really the case? What does Tsukishima really want? Can Ichigo and Xcution defeat him before will be too late to stop him? Some thing I need to talk about: (be aware of the spoilers, please!) ~ Chad is supposed to not going to school and spending time with the Xcution members, because he wanted Ichigo to regain his Soul Reaper powers. If so, why didn't he ask Ichigo about it before Ichigo had met Ginjou? All Chad did was disappear of the face of the earth and made his friends worry about him until he and Ichigo met at the Xcution's place. ~ If the Xcution's members mothers were indeed attacked by the Hollows and this is how they gained their Fullbringer powers, what does it say about Chad's parents (who we know nothing about) and Masaki Kurosaki (the only one that was actually attacked by a Hollow and nearly died from it)? ...more |
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1
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Sep 06, 2024
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Sep 08, 2024
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Sep 06, 2024
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| 1638589402
| 9781638589402
| 1638589402
| 4.31
| 1,332
| unknown
| Mar 26, 2024
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it was ok
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I'm honestly stunned by this book, but not in the good way. In comparison to Vol. 1, this one's focus is put more on the relationships between the mai
I'm honestly stunned by this book, but not in the good way. In comparison to Vol. 1, this one's focus is put more on the relationships between the main characters than on the action which automatically should make the book better, but it didn't. In the contrary. Because my soul is naturally good and pure, I will start with the good things before going to the bad ones: ~ Guo Changcheng I liked him in the previous book and I like him in this one, despite the fact that he isn't as present in the story like he was before. The author still makes fun of him in every situation possible, but there were some redeeming scenes of GC being praised and loved like she should be. ~ Chu Shuzhi Despite not being much in the focus and not being impactful on the story in any way (like every other character than the main ones), I found his character very interesting. ~ Guo Changcheng and Chu Shuzhi This is something I did not expect to like, because GC was clearly afraid of CS (rightfully so) which isn't a great start for any relationship. But despite all the issues between them there was some kind of spark there. I don't know if they will become a couple or become friends or nothing at all (I will not be there to witness it), but I liked their scenes in this book. ~ Sangzan I did not expect to like such a person, but he was so adorable in this book that I couldn't help, but swoon wherever he had shown up. ~ Wang Xiangyang's case When I was reading vol. 2, I wished for the romance plot to be more in focus than the action. My wish came true. But now I wished that the action was more in focus than the romance, because 1) I had issues with the main relationship of the story (more about it below) and 2) in the contrary to vol. 1, the action was much more interesting to me than the romance. Okay, now let's go to the bad things. My main issue with vol. 1 is the romance part, so I will start with it. Read these two quotes and tell me who did you think about, okay? He occasionally slipped into Zhao Yunlan's home at night but never dared to stay for long. Zhao Yunlan was very alert. But in a stroke of good fortune, Zhao Yunlan recently had many dinners to attend, and he would arrive home half-drunk. Only at such times could Shen Wei risk drawing a little closer. "My very existence is inauspicious," he said. "I can only bring you harm." Did you think about Edward Cullen maybe? Because if so, welcome in the club, because I thought the same thing! I had to double check the title of the book, because I genuinely felt like I had picked the Twilight book by mistake. It was so bizarre. I didn't think that anyone writes like this thinking that it's romantic, but I guess, I was wrong. For me it's not romantic. It's NOT. It's just CREEPY and makes me incredibly uncomfortable. "In this lifetime, whether dead or alive, I won't let you go again. Even if one day you've had enough or tire of me, even if you want to leave me, I'll never let you go." ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! RED FLAG! RED FLAG! RED FLAG! RED FLAG! These words belong to Shen Wei, Zhao Yunlan's romantic interest. And this romantic interest, who was supposed to stay away from his "love", not only very quickly decided to become a couple with him, but, what is the worst thing that happened in this book, HAD SEX WITH ZHAO YUNLAN WHEN KUNLAN WAS IN CHARGE OF HIS BODY AND WHEN THAT BODY WAS DRUNK OUT OF HIS MIND. ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! RED FLAG! RED FLAG! RED FLAG! RED FLAG! Again, how could this sound romantic? Just how?! How is Zhao Yunlan just smiling hearing this instead of packing his bags and running as far away as possible?! I guess, it's because he's not better than his lover. Okay, he's not as bad as Shen Wei, but he did do some things that I didn't like (and neither should Shen Wei, but they both are dumb). First of all, he basically tried to force Shen Wei to move in with him by calling the moving company to his house. I have to point out that there was no talk about it with Shen Wei. It was purely Zhao Yunlan's decision. And it was Zhao Yunlan who bought a house for both of them, took Shen Wei there without a word to him about it, and gave him the keys. And it was Zhao Yunlan who had gone through Shen Wei's stuff at his home without Shen Wei's knowledge. This is how we come to the topic of Zhao Yunlan's paintings and oh boy, this also made me incredibly uncomfortable (as it should make Zhao Yunlan, but it didn't). Except for the romance plot point problem, I had another issue. With the writing. I didn't like the author's writing style when I read vol. 1 and I didn't like it while reading vol. 2. There is no progress, it's the same kind of writing with stuff constantly being repeated, for example: Shen Wei was on the verge of losing his mind and once again Shen Wei didn't know how to react. I could ignore it a couple of times, but there was just too much of it. And what is up with throwing all the names and words at the reader like the reader is supposed to know what they mean? Don't get me started on the big history lesson that happened on the end of the book. My mind had completely shut off when I tried to get through it, so I have no idea what happened there. I tried to get through it a couple of times, but I understood nothing. I'm sorry, I'm so dumb. Anyways, I am giving up on this series. There is only one book left, but I genuinely don't care what will happen there. Both Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan don't interest me. None of them are characters that I could cheer up for, neither individually nor as a couple. I'm ending my journey with this series, but not with the danmei stories. Maybe I will pick some again in the future with hopes that those stories will be more enjoyable. ...more |
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Sep 05, 2024
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Sep 07, 2024
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Sep 05, 2024
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| 1421543028
| 9781421543024
| 1421543028
| 4.16
| 3,737
| Apr 21, 2011
| Oct 02, 2012
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it was amazing
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Karakura Town, 7.00 A.M., Monday Ichigo Kurosaki: Age 17 Hair: Orange Eyes: Brown Occupation: High School Student I can't see ghosts. Now I don't have any Karakura Town, 7.00 A.M., Monday Ichigo Kurosaki: Age 17 Hair: Orange Eyes: Brown Occupation: High School Student I can't see ghosts. Now I don't have any Soul Reaper powers. 17 months passed since the battle against Aizen. Ichigo Kurosaki, a normal human, is now at his senior year in high school. He has a job and also takes requests to join school's sports teams to earn money. I never felt superior for being able to see ghosts. I never thought I could make a living or save somebody's life with it. All it made me do was crave a life where I didn't have to see them. And now I've got what I always wanted. Ichigo can't see ghosts anymore, which also means that he cannot feel the presence of the Hollows. The role of the high-end medium of the Kurosaki family is taken by Karin. It seems like Ichigo is okay with the way his life looks like now. There is basically no evidence that he was ever someone else than just a normal human. That he was ever a Soul Reaper. That he was ever a hero who had saved the world. Ichigo is fine. Everything is fine. "You don't miss her?" "No reason to. I finally have a normal life after sixteen years. I'd be fine with this peace and quiet until the day I die." He looks like he's fine, but to anyone who really knows him it's obvious that he's not fine. It's not like he ever wanted to be a hero. All he wanted was to protect the people he loved. That's how he used his powers. But now he's powerless, unable to protect anyone. This truth is like a punch in the face when strange things starts to happen around Ichigo. Both Orihime and Ishida feel an ominous spiritual pressure lurking behind Ichigo. Ichigo himself encounters a strange man who suggests him that his family is keeping secrets from him. But things gets serious when one of Ichigo's friends is suddenly attacked and ends up in a hospital. Dammit! What's going on? What happened right under my nose?! Isn't there... Isn't there anything I can do?! Desperate to find answers and to protect the people he cares for, Ichigo reaches out to the stranger he had previously encountered. He finds out that he knows a way to bring Ichigo's Soul Reaper powers back. But can Ichigo trust him? Is he an ally... or a foe? Can he really do what he says he can do or is it just a trick? The Fullbringer arc is an arc that I think most of BLEACH fans doesn't like. I can understand why. It can feel pretty boring and unnecessary. There isn't much of action. Either Hollows nor Soul Reapers are present. This arc is concentrating on Ichigo, his physical and mental state, his emotions and his development. I will be honest here - it's not my favorite arc either, but not because it feels boring or unnecessary to me (it does not). It's because it's painful to get through. Ichigo was always incredibly vulnerable, despite all his awesome powers, but in the Fullbringer arc he's like a lamb displayed for slaughter. It seems like he's left by everyone he used to know (except for his human friends and his family, of course) and he's no longer the powerhouse he used to be. He doesn't have any necessary informations that he needs to protect himself and the people he cares for. He is painfully vulnerable and this fact is immediately used by his enemies - enemies he didn't even knew he has. When I think about all that happens in this arc, I just want to cry. I'm not sure how I will get through this (pray for me), but I have to, because I need to get to TYBW (another painful arc, see how lucky I am?). I hope that I will be strong enough to read all the way through both arcs. Some things I need to talk about: ~ I'm grateful that Karin is trying to be independent when it comes the the whole ghosts business. I bet she has questions that she could ask her brother, but she decided to not bother him and I respect that. After Ichigo spending years on protecting his sisters, now it's time for the sisters to protect their brother. I'm admiring Karin's will, but I know what happened. It's a shame that she didn't get any real opportunity to act on her words. ~ Ichigo's face expression when he saw the Substitute Soul Reaper's badge in his backpack broke me :( ~ It was funny to see people beaming with joy when Ichigo agreed to be a part of their team and to see others gloom when he declined their request lol ...more |
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1
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Sep 05, 2024
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Sep 06, 2024
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Sep 05, 2024
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| 142154301X
| 9781421543017
| 142154301X
| 4.38
| 3,708
| Dec 03, 2010
| Oct 02, 2012
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it was amazing
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I can tell that you've never been true to me I can smell that you're acting so fearfully I can hear what you're hoping I want to hear I can feel the alar I can tell that you've never been true to me I can smell that you're acting so fearfully I can hear what you're hoping I want to hear I can feel the alarm bells are ringing in me I can touch but I know you don't feel a thing I can pray but I know you commit a sin I can sense now it's all become clear to see You're no good, and you mean no good, treacherously (Sagisu Shiro, "Treachery") People are acting like this song belongs only to Aizen, but why didn't anyone consider it an Aizen AND Gin song? It works perfectly for both of them. Because of this reason, I had to use these lyrics in my review. Anyways, I hope that no one is surprised by my rating for this volume. It was obvious to me that I will give it the biggest amount of stars, not only because I already knew what will happen, but because it's a perfect ending for a perfect saga. GIN. "What did you do to her?" "I killed her." "Her spirit energy is certainly gone. I'm surprised. I thought you might show her mercy." "Mercy? I didn't have anything like that. Didn't I tell you the first time we met? I'm a snake. My skin is cold. I have no heart. I slither, looking for prey with the tip of my tongue. I swallow the people I care about whole. That's the kind of creature I am." I feel like I saw this scene a thousand times already, so it should've been easier to witness it. But despite that I knew that I will bawl my eyes out, and I did. You see, Gin was a villain. Or, perceived as a villain through the whole of BLEACH. He's one of the treacherous captains, a true genius of his generation, a man like a snake that looks like it's always ready to suffocate you to death and swallow you whole. He was the one who sliced Jidanbou's arm off. He was the one who stabbed Hiyori so bad that she was close to standing on the death's door. He was the one standing on Aizen's side for decades, so he seemed like the most loyal servant of all. But then a moment comes that your view drastically changes. It's quite a short moment that could mean nothing, but ends up meaning everything. It's a moment that brings you so much pain, that makes your heart break into thousand pieces and you can't help, but burst into tears. It hurts so bad that it's hard to breathe. He's supposed to be a villain. He's supposed to mean nothing. But on the end you're crying for him like you're giving a farewell to the greatest hero of all. This is how amazing storytelling of Tite Kubo is. Rangiku... I couldn't do it. I couldn't... get back what he took from you. Oh, I'm so glad... I got to tell you I was sorry... ICHIGO VS AIZEN - THE FINAL BATTLE. "If you're really Ichigo Kurosaki, I'm disappointed. I didn't feel any spirit energy from you. Even if you're restraining your spirit energy, it's inconceivable that I wouldn't feel it. You've failed to evolve." This battle is both incredibly exciting and hard to watch. I love Ichigo with every fiber of my being, but a confident Ichigo is the one I'm always the most happy to see. He was powerful and he knew it. He was able to win and he knew it. Aizen, who surpassed both Shinigami and Hollows and became a god-like creature, roared and raged and sang about how he's in a state that no one can defeat him anymore. Ichigo on the other hand just stood there, all calm and collected. Like a statue. "What are you so surprised about? Is it that unbelievable that I caught your attack? Are you scared because something you can't understand is taking place right before your eyes?" It's honestly a big irony of fate that the kid that's being Aizen so carefully created, the kid that Aizen himself gave an opportunity to become stronger and face him once again, became his undone. But, to be honest, with all due respect to Ichigo's power and overall him being cool, what struck me when I first watched this battle and what struck me now about it is how the faces of both Ichigo and Urahara looked. These weren't the faces of the winners. What I saw in their eyes was an ocean of sadness. And, despite it being the final battle, there was no celebration on the end. GOODBYE, RUKIA. How to break me to the point of no recovery? With this: I can't sense any spirits. And with this: "Goodbye, Rukia. Thank you." The moment her presence was slowly fading and Ichigo witnessed it? Yeah, kill me now, please ...more |
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| 9781421543000
| 1421543001
| 4.31
| 3,742
| Oct 04, 2010
| Sep 04, 2012
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really liked it
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"I didn't ask how you got here. I asked why you came when you can barely stand." "Why do you think? Because you're here." AAAAAAAA THE GIN AND MATSUMOTO "I didn't ask how you got here. I asked why you came when you can barely stand." "Why do you think? Because you're here." AAAAAAAA THE GIN AND MATSUMOTO FEELINGS!! Gin's face expression when he looked at her bad state... He could've looked like he was smiling like usual (well, like a snake), but if you look closer, you can see the pain and regret on his face. This face expression killed me. My guy, please, I BEG YOU, take her and run away! Run away RIGHT NOW AND DON'T LOOK BACK!! ...more |
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| 1638589364
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| 1638589364
| 4.30
| 2,723
| unknown
| Aug 29, 2023
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liked it
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When I decided to pick this book up, I thought that it's gonna be something in a shape of all the reincarnation fanfics that I used to stumble upon in
When I decided to pick this book up, I thought that it's gonna be something in a shape of all the reincarnation fanfics that I used to stumble upon in AO3, but, you know, in a novel version. I didn't quite got what I expected. Let's start with the writing. First of all, the story lacks the balance between the serious stuff and the unserious stuff. This book's writing feels a little bit too unserious for my liking and I couldn't help, but cringe a little wherever the sentences ended with !. It destroyed the ominous atmosphere that the author (sometimes) tried to build. The story has some of horror-like type moments that normally would frighten me, but I couldn't bring myself to feel anything. I also got the impression that the 'show, don't tell' rule was forgotten by the author and, even worse, there was no depth in most of the characters. It was like the author immersed himself in the action and forgot to give life to his characters. I couldn't bring myself to care about anyone, except for Guo Changcheng. Honestly, Guo Changcheng, despite not being a main character of the story, is one of the most relatable characters (if not the most relatable one!) I have ever encountered in a book. I felt like I have been reading about myself wherever he showed up in a scene. Just look at these: But Guo Changcheng had always been terrified of social interactions, and staying home for more than half a year had given him a severe case of telephone phobia. As soon as he even thought about having to call someone, he felt so stressed that he couldn't sleep for nights on end. He loved people like this, warm and brimming with enthusiasm. As long as the other person's mouth was moving, he only had to nod or shake his head. No need to string words together. He didn't feel lucky at all - father, he felt a puff of misfortune float up from his head like a ghost. Once again, Guo Changcheng didn't understand, but he was still afraid of seeming stupid, and embarrassment kept him silent. Guo Changcheng, who had been pretending not to exist, suddenly butted in. It's like I was reading about myself. I didn't know if I should laugh or cry, really, especially because of the way this character was treated by others through most of the story. He's supposed to be a comedic relief, I guess, but I didn't felt the need to laugh. In the contrary. Now let's talk a little bit about the plot. To be quite honest, most of the time I didn't know what is happening. I didn't understand how the events tied together until the very end of the story. I thought that the main center of the story will be the past and the present of the relationship between the main heroes: Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei, but most of the story's time is taken by the action. I know that Zhao Yunlan is a detective-like hero, so there had to be some kind of mystery going on, but I needed the balance between the action and the romance, but the story didn't gave me that. I thought that Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei's story will be one of the soulmates kind and I was excited to read about the reincarnation and how their past looked like, but this book didn't deliver it. If they are soulmates, I didn't felt it. There were multiple foreshadowing moments of the reincarnation and the sacrifice, so I thought that it's gonna bring me somewhere I needed to be, but nah. It will either be the plot of the next books or will be completely ignored *sigh* Even without the soulmates part, the romance should stay strong on it's own, but it didn't. These two didn't felt like they were falling in love or were already in love with one another. All it seems to come from both the characters was lust and that's it. There was a couple of moments that gave me hope when it comes to Shen Wei (when he looked longingly at Zhao Yunlan), but on the end it all came to the lust. It's not what I am here for. But hey, I found the worldbuilding very interesting. I didn't quite understand everything. So many things were mentioned with only a little bit of description that made me feel lost and confused, but that's all right. It means that I have many things to learn and many things to uncover, so I'm excited. Anyways, I really like the various types of species that this world has and I hope to see more. Now, the Shen Wei's mystery plot point. I did NOT expect him to be who he ended up to be. It was obvious that he wasn't just a human, but I didn't realize who he actually is, so I need to give a big point for the author for the great plot twist. Now I wonder how it ties up to the reincarnation part, if the reincarnation part is indeed a plot point of the next books. I will know when I will pick the next books up, I guess! I hope that I will enjoy them more than book one, I genuinely hope so :) ...more |
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Aug 31, 2024
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| 1421542994
| 9781421542997
| 1421542994
| 4.30
| 3,672
| Aug 04, 2010
| Sep 04, 2012
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really liked it
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"There are no truths or lies in this world. The only thing that exists is hard reality. And yet everything that exists in this world lives by convenie
"There are no truths or lies in this world. The only thing that exists is hard reality. And yet everything that exists in this world lives by conveniently believing a few untruths. That's the only way they know how to live. But for the weak, who make up the majority of this world, some facts are simply too painful to believe." [Aizen] After Genryuusai's desperate sacrifice to save the Karakura Town, Ichigo's there to attack Aizen. Every Ichigo's fight was never easy, but the one against Aizen seem to be the hardest of all. Ichigo's powerful, true, but still just a teenager. He's powerful, but still vulnerable. He's powerful, but doesn't have the necessary informations, like Aizen has. He's powerful, but simply not ready for this encounter. He's powerful, but Aizen's already knows it. Knows his strengths and his weaknesses. Knows his limits. Knows everything. "The number of ways you come up with to defeat me is proof of your desperation and is also the exact number of hopes you have left. It's my duty to crush every one of them. [Aizen] In Volume 46 Aizen reveals himself not only as the strongest living Soul Reaper (and more than a Soul Reaper), but also as a true mastermind behind everything. And by everything, I mean EVERYTHING. He was playing his game before anyone realized it. His chess pieces were put in the right places a very, very long time ago. Now it was time for the final move. It was time for the win. This volume is build up with a lot of twists and turns. It's truly a rollercoaster of events. When it seems like the heroes are close to victory, Aizen's there to prove them wrong time and time again. He was already absurdly strong before, but now he's like in Thanos' level. Undefeatable. No matter who comes with an attack, it's useless. There is no victory for the good side. All they manage to do is to speed along Aizen's evolution into the perfect being he always dreamed to become. How to fight such a powerful individuum? It's like battling a god itself. Does our heroes stand a chance? Does Ichigo - the Soul Society's only hope - stand a chance? He seems to be more vulnerable than he had ever been. Even with support from his friends things are too hard for him to handle. Not only because of Aizen's strength - in Volume 46 he had to face some really shocking truths. How to keep a clear mind when everything you believed in suddenly became a lie? Things are wrapping up quickly, so the Winter War arc will end up soon. Part of me is in a hurry to read as much as possible (TYBW Cour 3 is coming in October!), but other part of me is trying to read slowly so I could cherish the story as long as possible. Anyways, I'm jumping into volume 47 right away! I see Gin on the cover, so it's obvious what's coming. It feels like I saw this scene play out a thousand times already and I used all the tears that I had left, but I'm sure that I will be bawling once again. I will have tissues ready! ;) Some things I want to talk about: (beware of the spoilers of the entire series!) ~ When Aizen said that Ichigo had been born special and started to say who he really was, Isshin's arrival gave Ichigo the answer he was looking for, but after watching TYBW it's clear to me that it wasn't what Aizen had in mind. I wonder now how the events would play out if Ichigo knew the truth! ~ The TYBW events let me realize what a mastermind Aizen truly was. When he said to Ichigo in Volume 46 "I've known you from the moment you were born.", I thought that he is just using his effortless manipulations skills to shake Ichigo up. That there is no truth behind it. But oh boy, I was wrong! He was truly there from the start! ~ Isshin might be seen as a bad father for all the punches he uses and for all the truths that he's hiding, but let's be real - he ISN'T a bad parent. He's doing his best and it clearly works for Ichigo. I don't like how he kept his son in the dark for so long, I admit it, but I really like his parenting methods. He uses his strength, but it's something Ichigo needs to snap up from his funk. ~ I really love the Isshin and Ichigo & Urahara and Yoruichi bickering scenes in this volume! ~ Ichigo's comeback to Rukia's words of understanding from the early Bleach volumes melted my heart. ~ Why isn't Gin leaving the battlefield? Why, why, why? Just go away, my boy, come back to Matsumoto and be happy (I know it will not happen, but I wish it did) ...more |
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| 1421542986
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| 4.29
| 3,540
| Jun 04, 2010
| Aug 07, 2012
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it was amazing
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"Did you think you could overpower me? How foolish. No. Our understandings of the word power are fundamentally different. Let me show you what real po
"Did you think you could overpower me? How foolish. No. Our understandings of the word power are fundamentally different. Let me show you what real power is." [Aizen] What kind of words should I use to describe the masterpiece that is this volume and BLEACH overall? I don't think any of words I could think of would've been enough. As an anime fan, I already knew what will happen, but no matter if it's the anime version or the manga version, the feelings are the same. Tite Kubo, the author of BLEACH is truly a genius when it comes to art, to visuals of the battles, the designs and depth of the characters, the creation of the villains, and the plot twists. Trust me when I say that BLEACH has it all. "I'm not asking you not to hate me or to put aside your grudge. Just... don't allow your hunger for revenge to change who you are. As with the loss of your friend... To lose you would leave a hole in my heart." "Thank you, Komamura. Hisagi... Let me take a good look at your face. I can still see, thanks to the effects of hollowfication." I am saying once again that I'm not sorry for Tousen. He made his choice in life and every choice has its' consequence. He had every opportunity to change, but he never did until it was already too late. The "Let me take a good look at your face line made me tear up, but not because of Tousen, but because of Hisagi. I know how much his captain meant to him and I can only imagine how much of a torture the whole battle had to be for him. And the way it all ended? I remember how shocked I was when I first saw the BOOM in the anime. But it should've been obvious what will happen, knowing Aizen's character. It seems like too much of cruelty, but... it's Aizen. He was never merciful. To anyone. What would've happened if the BOOM never took place? Would Tousen change sides? Would Soul Reapers forgive him? We will never know. "Let me ask you one thing, Ryoka boy. What are you fighting for? Do you hate me? You shouldn't. The fact that you're here means that Orihime Inoue is safe. Judging from how you look, none of your friends are dead. If that is all true... can you really hate me from the bottom of your heart?" [Aizen] Sôsuke Aizen is without any doubt one of the best written anime villains of all time. You can argue that his goal is hollow (pun not intended), but you can't deny what of an incredibly intimidating and terrific aura he always has. He strives for power, but the truth is that he doesn't need any more power - he already is an incredible danger for the Soul Society. None of the captains stand a chance against him. He flicks everyone away like they aren't nothing more than irritating flies that dare to attack him. With a very dangerous combination of intelligence and power, he's always a step ahead of everyone. No one stand a chance against him, because people's personalities and behaviours are like an open book for him. It's like no matter what you're gonna do, what choice you will make, he will know about it even before you will make the decision. And I didn't even point out yet how powerful his Zanpakuto is. With his intelligence, his strength and the manipulations skills of both him and his sword, he seems to be unbeatable. "We'll fight to protect you." "Fight to... protect me?! What are you guys talking about? That's crazy. You're all beat up!" "What's so crazy about it? To allow you to fight alone would be even crazier. A lot of people wouldn't appreciate you doing it singlehandedly. Don't take this all on yourself. That's arrogance. We all have a stake in this battle." "Put on your game face already. You'll only get one chance to attack him. You'll squander the opportunity like that. Don't think because we're fighting this battle that we're resigned to death. We're fighting to live. Saving the world is just a lofty-sounding pretext. We're fighting to save ourselves, to save you and save everybody from Aizen. So don't fall behind Ichigo Kurosaki." CAN YOU IMAGINE THE AMOUNT OF TEARS I HAVE SHARED OVER THIS SCENE IN BOTH THE ANIME AND THE MANGA?? This is the one thing I always wanted to see - Ichigo being in the center and everyone else standing around him and fighting all together - for themselves and for him. This one scene alone is like a dream come true! And it's REAL! It's canon! It really happened! That's right. What am I so afraid of? It's the Vizards and the captains! Believe. I can trust them. Watch closely where this battle goes. The way Ichigo protested at first (but only because he saw that everyone were in a bad shape already), but decided to stay back and observe the battle, believing wholeheartedly in his Soul Reaper friends and waiting patiently for the right opportunity to strike... THIS IS CINEMA FOR ME, MY FRIENDS. It's all I ever wanted to see! Ichigo and everyone together, fighting side by side and believing in one another. When I was younger I was obsessed with romance books (especially paranormal romance ones). Now I still like romance stories (the well-written ones), but what I'm mostly yearning for in the stories are all kinds of love, not just the romantic one. All kinds of bonds between people. And BLEACH is giving me that. "Aizen, you said a blade without hatred is like an eagle without wings. That sword swung out of duty couldn't reach you. I'll tell you since you don't seem to know... Swinging your sword for duty is what a captain does. To swing a sword out of hatred is just violence. We don't call that a battle. Aizen, you aren't captain material." "Interesting. I'm surprised to hear those words from the captain who hates me the most. Are you saying there's no hatred in that sword you're holding? Or... did your hatred disappear the moment Hinamori showed up here fully healed?" Can we talk for a second about the amount of trauma that Aizen had put Hitsugaya in? I don't know what kind of grudge he had hold for Hitsugaya or if he was just a convenient tool that he needed in his twisted game, but damn, it's truly crazy how much this boy had to get through! Everyone were manipulated, but Hitsugaya and Hinamori took the hardest blow, not once and not twice. I cannot blame him for loosing control in the middle of the battle. Do Soul Society have psychiatrists? Because this boy definitely needed one! The poor, poor soul :( Everyone: "WE GOT IT! THEY DID IT!" Ichigo: "What.. WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU GUYS DOING?!" I already praised Tite Kubo for the amount of twists and turns his story has, and I will do it again, because it's truly something phenomenal. There is no way you can predict what will happen (if you're not Aizen, that is). As an anime fan, I was already prepared, but I'm still in awe of everything what's happening, especially during the Winter War. In Bleach there are always ups and downs. You think the hero is getting an upper hand, but then the tables get turned so quickly and so spectacularly that you're left speechless. Truly a masterpiece. There are some things left to write about, but I will stop my review now, because it's too long already. We ended Volume 45 with Ichigo (finally) jumping into action and standing up against Aizen. But is this it? Is this the final battle? With all the captains down, with Tousen down, the only one standing are Ichigo and Aizen... And Gin. What is Gin doing? Will he intervene? Will Ichigo be strong enough to win against them? We will see very soon! Some things I need to talk about (please forgive me for the length of this review!) ~ "Welcome to the upside down world." - Shinji's Zanpakuto is one of the coolest Bleach swords ever and it makes me upset that his fights are always so short (because his mouth is too big!) ~ Ichigo's entrances are always iconic! ~ The way everyone went down in such a short amount of time... They dropped like flies... :( It's so painful to see every time :( ~ How did Hinamori got up there?! Seriously, how?! ~ "You're naive, so naive it makes me dizzy. Don't you know why I've been able to serve as the captain general of Gotei 13 for a millenium?" - FOR A MILLENIUM?!! ...more |
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Aug 18, 2024
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| 1421542978
| 9781421542973
| 1421542978
| 4.22
| 3,464
| Apr 02, 2010
| Aug 07, 2012
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really liked it
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"All beings trust their superiors. They can't survive if they don't follow blindly. And those who are trusted seek to pass their burden to those above
"All beings trust their superiors. They can't survive if they don't follow blindly. And those who are trusted seek to pass their burden to those above them. Those above them pass it higher still. And that is how all kings are created. And how all gods are born." [Aizen] Within the first chapters of Volume 44 we came back to the events happening in Hueco Mundo. Chad and Renji are down, and Rukia is stuck in Yammy's clutches. She can be very easily killed in less than a second. When Yammy throws her in the air, it seems like it's her end. But there comes Ichigo, as always right on time and in the coolest way possible :) "You!!" "Yo. You've grown real big since the last time I saw you. I almost didn't recognize you." Yammy is raging badly, but Ichigo's not shaken. He's here to win. But something feels off about him - it's something Rukia realizes with just one look at his face. What happened at the canopy? His eyes weren't the eyes of a victor. They weren't the eyes of a man about to slay an enemy either. What happened? When Ichigo calls for his Hollow mask, there is another change that Rukia notices. The pattern on his mask seems to be different than the last time she saw it. And, despite acting confident and tough, Ichigo's having trouble against Yammy. Either his opponent is stronger than anyone else they had ever faced or Ichigo is not as strong as he usually is. The situation could've ended very badly if it wasn't for the appearance of unexpected help. "What is your duty? Your duty is to defend that town. Go. You are the Substitute Soul Reaper of Karakura." It seems like Ichigo is no longer needed in Hueco Mundo, which means that he should go back to the world of the living and help in the battle against Aizen. "At this point, the only person from the world of the living, the Soul Society, Hueco Mundo or anywhere else who can confront Sôsuke Aizen is probably you." [Unohana] Because of Mayuri's intelligence and skills, the passage to the world of the living is finally opened. With Ichigo on his way, we could go back to the events happening in the Karakura Town. Shinji stands up against Aizen, while Komamura and Hisagi are up against Tousen. "Why did you throw everything for the sake of power?! What is that you fear now?!" "I do fear something. I've had the same fear for a hundred years. The fear of assimilating and dying as a Soul Reaper." The battle between Komamura, Hisagi and Tousen is a tough one, for one side at least. Tousen shocks both of his former friends by transforming into a Hollow and attacking them mercilessly. It's like their common history didn't matter anymore. Tousen didn't seem like the person Komamura and Hisagi used to know. It's like they encountered a stranger. An enemy, not a friend. To be quite honest, I always found Tousen's character confusing. It looked like he was mourning the loss of his friend that died by a Shinigami's hand, but still become a Shinigami, because he wanted to carry his friend's will. With him turning against the Soul Society, it looked like his goal is revenge. But because of his show of the Hollow power he got from Aizen, it looks like the revenge was never his primer goal. He was seeking power. He wanted to be stronger than a Shinigami, that's why he sided with Aizen and betrayed everyone he knew. What was up with his speeches about justice then? He doesn't look powerful or wise. He just looks like a hypocrite who doesn't deserve the devotion of his friends. I am not sorry for Tousen. I will never be sorry for Tousen. But I am sorry for Hisagi and Komamura. I can't imagine how tough this battle had to be for them and how painful it had to be to see their beloved person transform into a being they couldn't recognize. Tousen had a big impact on both of their lives, so no wonder that their goal was to change his way and make him come back to the Soul Society's side. Through the fight it was obvious to them that it's not gonna happen. So there was only one thing to do then. Give their all to win and get rid of their beloved friend. "REAP, KAZESHINI." :( Volume 44 was a tough one to get through, mostly because of the bad situation everyone were in. But Ichigo's on his way to the world of the living now! The only hope is coming! All the Soul Reapers and the Vizards need to do now is to stay strong until he arrives. I cannot wait for it to happen! Some of my thoughts while reading (beware of the spoilers) ~ I find interesting that the battle between Ichigo and Yammy basically ended the same way their first encounter ended. ~ Ichigo's not broken yet, but definitely shaken pretty badly after his battle against Ulquiorra. His gaze full of pain broke me. He always fights, because he has to. He always gives everything to win, because he has to. But a fight needs to be fair and the one against Ulquiorra didn't feel fair. ~ I felt the same amount of joy seeing Byakuya's and Kenpachi's intervention in Ichigo's fight against Yammy like I did when I saw it for the first time. ~ "Step back, Ichigo Kurosaki." "Huh?" "Pft! You heard me! You get pounded everywhere you go. I said step back because you're an embarrassment, you hack." "Huh?!" - the scenes between Zaraki and Ichigo are always hilarious lol ...more |
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Aug 16, 2024
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| 142154296X
| 9781421542966
| 142154296X
| 4.30
| 4,350
| Feb 04, 2010
| Jul 03, 2012
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really liked it
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"Humans die... Birds and beasts die... Plants... Even Soul Reapers die. But before all these things die, they grow old. And if men's creations grow ol
"Humans die... Birds and beasts die... Plants... Even Soul Reapers die. But before all these things die, they grow old. And if men's creations grow old... then the Kido of the Soul Reapers too. There may be a kido spell that lasts a thousand years, but not Kido endures for all eternity. And it's no surprise because the concept of eternity is an absurdity torn out of the fear of aging. Now perish." [Barragan] The previous volume ended with the appearance of the Vizards in the Karakura Town. The forces seem to be equal now, for a little while at least. Hiyori and Lisa joined Hitsugaya in the fight against Hallibel, Hachi appeared beside Soi Fon and Omaeda in front of Barragan, and Rose with Love stood up against Stark. All three treacherous captains are free, but for now it's only Tousen who's ready for a fight. "It's been a while... Captain Tousen. I've come here to thank you." "You've grown wise. Or are you being sarcastic?" "I'm grateful for all your teachings. With everything I've learned from you... I will open your eyes and pull you back to the Soul Society." "Open my eyes? You? Open my eyes? You haven't changed. Hisagi, I thought I told you, those who don't know fear have no right to fight. You haven't changed at all. Even those words of yours... there wasn't a hint of fear lurking in them." Hisagi's in a bad shape, but he still found the strength to stand up against his former captain. I understand his need to do so, but I don't understand the naivety of thinking that he can bring him back to the Soul Society's side. Tousen is a TRAITOR, he was a traitor for at least a hundred of years, betrayed everyone and there stands Hisagi, saying that he wants to pull him back to the Soul Society? I love Hisagi with all my heart and I admire him for such strong feelings for his former captain, but c'mon, mu guy, we need to be wise here. He's standing up against Tousen, the guy who was his mentor for years, but also the guy who had painfully betrayed the guy who saved his life as a child. There are things that can be forgiven, sure, but there are also things that shouldn't ever be forgiven. P.S. It pains me that Kensei didn't get his chance for revenge on Tousen, but I understand that it were Komamura and Hisagi that had the right to bring justice. "Know your place! I am the great emperor! Barragan Luisenbarn! The god of Hueco Mundo!" I must admit, I find the fight against Barragan with Hachi on the board quite ridiculous. It's not Hachi's fault, but Soi Fon's. After Hachi had shown up, it seems like Soi Fon decided to leave everything to him. She absolutely refused to move a finger until she personally gained something from that. The way she acted was truly painful to see. I was never a fan of hers and her behaviour here is one of the reasons why. It was Hachi who went full on against Barragan and it was Hachi who had to beg Soi Fon for help. Soi Fon acted like the weight of the world wasn't at stake in this fight. Like she didn't give a flying f about the end result. She only acted when she got something from that. That shocked me when I watched it in the anime and it shocked me while reading the manga. "In the Soul Society there are no gods except the Soul Reapers. That's why we can't fathom the meaning of your words. Please forgive our impertinence, god of Hueco Mundo." Letting go of Soi Fon's topic, I really liked the visuals of Hachi's battle against Barragan. It shown how amazingly powerful Hachi is and how dangerous of an opponent Barragan was. There wasn't any other way to beat him than make a sacrifice. And Hachi made a great one. "A battle after the loss of a friend is a battle of revenge." "Yeah? But he doesn't seem like the type." "That's what makes it so scary." With Kyoraku and Ukitake down, it was up to Rose and Love to stand up against Stark. The situation seemed much more dangerous after the defeat of Barragan, but, surprisingly, Stark wanted to let go. It was only because of Lilinette's reprimand that made Stark go full power against the two Vizards. Both were dangerous opponents, but didn't stand a chance against Stark. If it wasn't for someone's great comeback, Stark wouldn't have been defeated. And Aizen wouldn't suddenly act. And Hallibel wouldn't be so easily defeated either. "That's enough, Gin. Let's end this." After such a long time of doing absolutely nothing, it seems like Aizen got impatient. With all three strongest Espadas finally down, it's time for Aizen, Gin and Tousen to step into the battle. Tousen seems busy against Komamura and Hisagi. Gin and Aizen are up against everyone else. But no one is willing to attack first. "What's there to fear? You all died that night a hundred years ago." Obviously Aizen knew what words to use to bring the Vizards to their limits of control. He never does anything without calculating the results. He knew who will act and when will act. All he had to do was to tease a little. Gin did the rest. Things ended up with Shinji's desperate cries for help... "ICHIGO!! WHEN WILL ICHIGO BE COMING?! ICHIGO!!" Things doesn't look good for our heroes. Most of them are down. The three treacherous captains are in their best shape, all mighty and powerful. Ichigo's still not present in the Karakura Town, being stuck in Hueco Mundo alongside his friends and four other captains. Will he come back in time to save everyone or will Aizen win? Some of my thoughts while reading: ~ Tousen is in no position to judge anyone, truly. Dude, just shut up. ~ I'm surprised that in the manga there was no flashback of Hallibel's time as a Hollow and no conflict between her and Barragan that was stopped by Aizen's intervention. ~ There wasn't any Hiyori speech about the dangerous lives of the Soul Reapers and about her feelings regarding the incident that turned her and the other Vizards into Hollows. That upset me. ~ The Hitsugaya and Hiyori interaction was short, but hilarious! It's so funny that Hitsugaya could control himself most of the time, but absolutely lost it when Hiyori called him "shorty" ...more |
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| Jul 03, 2012
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it was amazing
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"Not so fast. It's been a while... Aizen." The amount of twists and turns this volume has is truly outstanding! The reader cannot lose focus even for a "Not so fast. It's been a while... Aizen." The amount of twists and turns this volume has is truly outstanding! The reader cannot lose focus even for a second to not be lost on the events. You might think that you know what will happen, that things will be predictable, but you're wrong. Tite Kubo, a genius that he is, creates his story beautifully and carefully like a compositor creates his music. It's a top notch entertainment! "What is this?" "Hyôten Hakkasô. Anything that the snow touches instantly freezes into the shape of a flower. By the time a hundred flowers have blossomed... your life will have disappeared." Hitsugaya ends his fight spectacularly. Hallibel is now locked in an ice cage, so it seems like one enemy is down. Meanwhile, Omaeda very clumsily plays a role of a decoy to keep Barragan busy while Soi Fon prepares her ultimate attack. At the first sight, it looks like her plan works. Now the only one standing is the no. 1 Espada, Stark. His fight against Kyoraku didn't seem serious in the slightest. Both men clearly hates fighting, so they avoided going full power against each other. But things suddenly changed. Kyoraku let's go of his beloved cloak and Stark summons Lilinette. Everything seems to get quite well for the Soul Reapers side until a crack shows up in the sky. This is the time to I would normally start panicking, because with the new addition in the battle the fallen Espadas come back and the captains start to lose. But since I knew what will happen, instead of being terrified for all of my favorite characters, all I felt was excitement. "It's been a long time. Anybody wanna say hi to the Thirteen Court Guard Companies?" The Vizards are finally back!! They are finally here which means that everything's gonna be alright!! The amount of both happiness and relief I have felt when I saw the image of Shinji's smile is truly beyond description. I missed these guys so much! I remember how I cried when I saw their entrance for the first time in the anime. The amount of emotions I have felt when Shinji approached Genryuusai or Lisa approached Kyoraku (especially because of Lisa) was so awesome. And in the manga, IN THE MANGA HISAGI SENSED KENSEI! He was laying down after the beating he got from Ayon (like the other lieutenants), but opened his eyes immediately when Kensei had shown up. I screamed when I saw it in the manga, because it didn't happen in the anime! The Hisagi/Kensei reunion is something I have missed terribly in the anime version. Don't get me wrong, I was dying of happiness because of Lisa and Kyoraku, but the Hisagi/Kensei reunion was something I was looking forward the most. Luckily the disappointed was quickly overshadowed by other things, but I did felt disappointment nonetheless. I'm so happy that it has it's place in the manga! Can I get more? Am I even in a position to request more? Because I need more ...more |
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| Oct 02, 2009
| Jun 05, 2012
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really liked it
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Harmony is Harmony is, harmony is not with us Harmony is not with us Living hell is coming (Sagisu Shiro, "Incantation Part C Opus 1", "BLEACH The Movie: Harmony is Harmony is, harmony is not with us Harmony is not with us Living hell is coming (Sagisu Shiro, "Incantation Part C Opus 1", "BLEACH The Movie: The Hell Verse") After the ending of the previous volume, for an anime fan like me it was obvious what will come next. The transformation of Ichigo and the fight against Ulquiorra that followed are definitely not just one of my favorite moments, but one of the best Bleach moments of all time. This fight alone deserves five stars. "This can't be. You can't be alive. What is this form? Who are you?" [Ulquiorra] Ulquiorra had the biggest surprise of his life in this volume. He knew that his opponent is powerful, but even in the greatest of nightmares he would never imagine how strong he actually is. Ichigo, or should I say his Hollow side, proved that not only he's a force to be reckoned with. Ulquiorra seemed like a monster, but his strength and his merciless nature paled in comparison to the greatness of Ichigo's new form. The way Ichigo looks and behaves as a Hollow in this volume is scary and fascinating at the same time. At the first look he seems nothing like the Ichigo we know and love. This version seems to be ruthless and merciless. This version seems to be so wild that he doesn't recognize who's an enemy and who's a friend. He does not follow his logic, only his instincts. And instincts are telling him to fight. Telling him to destroy. All in the name of, well, love. "Pro... tect... I will... protect... her." [Ichigo] But even if his craziest state Ichigo is still Ichigo. He always fought to protect others and it's no different this time. Orihime screamed for help and all he did was respond. He became a fulltime Hollow, he could very easily be a creature of destruction and death like the others are, but all he concentrated on, even unconscious, was the need to protect. He just freaking died and came back and all he concentrated on was someone else's wellbeing. I have no words for the amount of love I have for this boy. He's the most precious thing I have in my life and he's not even real! And that's not all, because read this: "Your left arm and leg... Did I cut them off too? If I did... then cut my left arm and leg. The guy you were fighting before was me in a hollowfied and unconscious state. It wasn't the real me. If we're gonna settle this, it won't be fair unless I'm in the same condition as you are." [Ichigo] And this: "Hurry up. I don't even have the strength to walk anymore. If you don't cut me down now, you'll never get to settle this." "No." "What?" "I said no. I... I don't want to win like this!" Everyone else would've been elated by this kind of power and by having the upper hand over their opponent. Everyone else, after all that Ichigo and his friends were through because of Ulquiorra, would cheer that their enemy is weakened and will most likely die very soon. Everyone else would leave him to slowly die or would kill him in a cold blood and don't care if the fight was fair or not. Victory is a victory, right? But not for Ichigo Kurosaki. He was the one who suffered the most from Ulquiorra's hand and he was the one winning the fight. He could end it without putting much strength into the blow. But here he was, standing and shaking after his unexpected transformation, realizing what had happened and FEELING GUILTY instead of elating with power. He was ready to let his opponent cut his limbs off so their fight would be fair! "Orihime... Are you all right?" [Ichigo] And he asked HER if she's alright while HE was the one who suffered the most. He's such a wonderful person, such a precious being that my heart is always full of warmness and love wherever I think of him. But when I think about Orihime my heart is no longer full of warmness and love. In the contrary. This is my fault... Because I said that... Ichigo is just... trying to help me. Why? I trained so that I wouldn't get in his way. I came here to protect him. So why? Why at the very end... did I have to rely on Ichigo? [Orihime] Why indeed, Orihime? What an amazing question! I would like to know the answer to it too! She was so devastated after she realized it was all her fault and rightfully so! Why didn't she stand up to Ulquiorra herself instead of screaming for help to Ichigo (who was FREAKING DEAD AT THAT TIME)? She could've done everything else instead of that! But she choose not to! It was her own choice and her own will! *sigh* "There are ten causes of death. They are our abilities, our thoughts and the reasons for our existence. Solitude. Sacrifice. Nothingness. Despair. Destruction. Ecstasy. Madness. Greed. Rage. And the form of death I govern is senescence. Senescence, aging, is a product of time. It's the mightiest and most absolute power of death." [Barragan] While Ichigo was fighting Ulquiorra and his friends were dealing with Rudobôn (and later, Yammy), the Soul Reapers were busy with their own battles in Karakura Town. Kyoraku is fighting Stark, Hitsugaya is having a hard time against Hallibel, but it were Soi Fon and Omaeda who seemed to pick the hardest battle to win. Soi Fon tried her best to find out what is Barragan's power and what are his weak spots, but came with nothing. All she knew that he was dangerous and not be underestimated. She was right, because Barragan's power is the power of death. And death is something that no one, even the Soul Reapers, can escape from. "How amusing. Looks like even Soul Reapers fear death." [Barragan] I already praised Tite Kubo's talent for design and visuals, but I need to do it again (and I'm sure that it's not the last time). The images of the fights and characters' shows of power and transformations are incredibly creative and breathtaking. Stark didn't make any special move yet (but it's coming), but both Hallibel and Barragan are clearly giving their all in the battles. Hallibel's powers are so beautifully shown and Barragan's transformation design is so impressive that, honestly, the author should get much more praises for his talents. I wish I could get at least 10% of his creativity. What a blessing that would be! Anyways, I'm having a little bit of free time these days so I will try my best to read. I have so much to catch up on, it's truly not funny! Bleach TYBW Cour 3 is coming shortly and I'm not even half buried in the manga yet, how embarrassing is that? I need to do better and be ready for the premiere! Some of my thoughts while reading: ~ Ichigo's Hollow version was truly a hell monster. Scary, but I love it. Part of me would like to see more of it, but other part of me is happy that Ichigo will not have to get through all of this once again. ~ Yammy's called the lamest of the Espada and I think it's accurate lol ~ Ichigo's horrified expression when he realized what he had done broke me :( ~ I don't like Omaeda, but his obliviousness can be funny at times :D ~ Renji jumping to become a leader of their small group is something I like to see. He's not appreciated enough for what he is doing and it needs to change. ~ HOW COOL IS THE THOUGHT BEHIND THE ESPADA?! TITE KUBO IS A GENIUS ~ I was never a fan of Soi Fon, but her willingness to do what's necessary at all times is truly impressive. Why are she and Byakuya not best of friends is beyond me, they are so similar. ...more |
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| Jun 05, 2012
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liked it
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"Look, Ichigo Kurosaki. This is what true despair looks like." [Ulquiorra] First of all I want to apologize for the delay of the review. I gave only a "Look, Ichigo Kurosaki. This is what true despair looks like." [Ulquiorra] First of all I want to apologize for the delay of the review. I gave only a short reaction when I finished reading this volume and left it at that. I didn't write a proper review (until now) for two reasons. First, because of the lack of time (work is getting in the way of my reading and it's so upsetting!) and second, because of the emotional rollercoaster I was put in with the last chapter of this volume. It's truly funny how you think you're prepared for something because you already went through it before, but then it happens again and you're struck like you are living it for the very first time. Before I will go to the most important part of my review (the ending), I will write down everything else (before I will forget or lose my notes!). Ready? "I couldn't predict what you were gonna do the last time we fought. Your attacks, defense, reactions, speed, direction... I couldn't predict any of that. I felt like I was fighting a stone statue. Am I able to predict those things because I'm closer to a Hollow now? Or... have you become more human?" [Ichigo] In the previous volume, Ichigo encountered Ulquiorra for the third time. After Orihime's capture, he didn't had any other choice than step into another battle with the Fourth Espada. Surprisingly, this time Ichigo can actually hold a stance against Ulquiorra and have a real chance to come out victorious. Or so it seems like. "Your hollowfication abilities have increased. You're able to keep the mask longer too. But I don't think it would shatter so easily. How unfortunate." [Ulquiorra] This battle is as visually stunning as any other Bleach battle. It's as brutal as it's beautiful. The choreography is amazing and both sides impress very easily with their cleverness and strength. Don't even get me started on Ulquiorra's transformations designs. Tite Kubo is proving time and time again how incredibly talented he is when it comes to his drawings. Okay, I delayed it as much as I could, but here it is - the talk about the ending of the volume. THE freaking ending of the volume. I knew what will happen. Of course I knew. As the anime fan, it was obvious to me what was coming. I thought I was prepared for it. I thought that it will be easier to witness it in the manga than it was in the anime. There wasn't any sounds, just images, so technically it should be easier. But it wasn't. Oh boy, it totally wasn't. If I wrote that I cried it would've been an understatement. If I wrote that I bawled my eyes out would've been an understatement too. I feel like part of me hoped that the events were different in the manga than in the anime. An irrational hope, but hope nonetheless. Only because of the ending I gave this volume only three stars. Call me petty all you want, but this ending scene will always upset me. Ichigo is only fifteen years old. FIFTEEN. The things he had already went through to this moment are truly traumatic and it's far from over. My heart is bleeding for this boy :( "What?" "I'm asking you why you helped him." "Why? Because..." "Because he's your friend? Then why didn't you protect him from the first strike? Why did you hesitate?" Yeah, Orihime? Why did you hesitate? And why can't you answer such a simple question? Isn't Ichigo your friend? I could not ignore the topic of Orihime even I wanted to, so let's just go with it. If you read my previous volumes, you know what kind of feelings I have for her character. I am very torn when it comes to her arc in this volume. Let's start with the Loly and Menoly case. First of all, why could Orihime sense Ichigo when he was missing and no one else could do so (when he was training with the Vizards), but she couldn't sense Loly and Menoly approaching? Second of all, why the hell did she let them manhandle her? She did the same thing she did when she encountered them for the very first time - nothing had changed! She just let herself beat up! I wouldn't care if it didn't mean that Ichigo would be distracted and very easily get killed because he was in the middle of the fight with Ulquiorra. This is what Orihime is in this arc - she's a freaking obstacle most of the time. It's not like I don't feel sorry for her. I do. She was treated very badly from the very moment she encountered Ulquiorra for the very first time. But there is no excuse for her to just freaking stand there and let herself be beaten up for no reason! The love of her life was fighting for her, so why couldn't she do the same for herself? Now we come to the moment that really REALLY PISSED ME OFF both in the anime and the manga. 'What should I do, Ichigo? I don't know what to do! I... I don't know anything. Ichigo... Ichigo... Ichigo... Help me.' [Orihime] Orihime's desperation, her fear and her devastation are something I had also felt, so it's relatable. The situation she was in (or, should I say, she put herself in) was incredibly difficult and the mess of emotions is something I can understand. But what I don't understand is what in the world had possessed her to scream for help to Ichigo. Like, I know it's something she would usually do, Ichigo's the one everyone are counting on when chaos encounters, but in that particular situation it was a totally ridiculous move. She looked completely stupid and I couldn't help, but cry, not out of sadness for her, but out of sadness for Ichigo. There he was, just laying there in a pool of blood, and there she was, kneeling and screaming for him to help her. It's funny how her first instinct was to reach out to Ichigo instead of, you know, trying to fight for herself. Didn't she want to get stronger so she wouldn't count for Ichigo's help just a couple of volumes ago? Guys, I know that this action was needed for Ichigo's rise as you know what and for one of the greatest battles in Bleach's history to happen. I know that. But it doesn't mean I'm accepting it. Anyways, that's the end of my review. I'm jumping into the next volume, but I'm not sure when my review will drop. As I said, I'm working now so it's difficult for me to find some free time to read. But I will do my best! :). Some of my thoughts while reading: ~ I honestly am baffled when it comes to Loly's character. Why was she so obsessed with the need to bring Orihime down? All the girl did in Las Noches was being locked in her room and observing a window. And what was Loly's and Menoly's position in Las Noches anyway? How close were they to Aizen? Nothing was explained. ~ I'm fine. I can see it. I can react to it. ... Watch closely. Watch closely. Watch. - I love Ichigo's inner monologues! ~ I can't believe that all Yammy took as his Fracciones was a small Arrancar dog. ~ I love Ichigo's entrances the most, but Ishida's ones are close second. He's always so cool! And so clever! I love smart men ...more |
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| Nov 21, 2023
| Nov 21, 2023
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really liked it
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Well, I was a weapon. I reaffirmed that belief to myself. I'd been weak earlier, but I couldn't afford weakness. It didn't matter if I was divided off
Well, I was a weapon. I reaffirmed that belief to myself. I'd been weak earlier, but I couldn't afford weakness. It didn't matter if I was divided off, isolated from others. Didn't matter if everything was different, wrong, broken. That was what I needed to do. That was what I needed to be. After the disappointment that was Cytonic, I was wary of Defiant. It turned out that I shouldn't have been. It's not as good as the first two books, and I do have some issues with it, but overall it was an enjoyable experience. I will start with the bad things first, okay? The first issue I have with the story is the fact that it begins a week after Spensa returned from the nowhere. A WHOLE WEEK had passed. I expected to see the reunions and the emotional talks from both sides (from Spensa and her friends), especially when it comes to Jorgen's situation, but it didn't happen. It was only mentioned that Jorgen had a breakdown in Spensa's arms and that was that. That hurt me tremendously. The second issue I have with the story is the fact that I couldn't comprehend how Spensa's powers actually work. It kind of felt like she could do anything the plot wanted from her at the moment. When we are on the Spensa case, I have to admit that I struggled to get used to her POV again. I did not think this could happen, because I really love her as a protagonist and, after reading all the novellas, I was very excited to get back to her story. While reading, I felt like she didn't learned the lessons she should've. I mean, she still talked about "the blood of her enemies" when, in the previous book, she thought that she sounded very lame talking this way. And on the end of the story she jumped with the I'm not alone speech when it was part of book one's storyline (she was all alone in her fight to make her dream come true until she found friends and became a part of something bigger). It's not that I didn't smile when I read that part, because I did (I like things like these very much), but, at the same time, it felt a little bit repetitive. Oh, and her 'I am a weapon' talk got quite tiring the more it went on. And now the last thing I have a problem with - the villain plot twist. This was supposed to be shocking and turn things around, but all I did was to sigh when I came to this part. I do not understand this change. It doesn't make any sense when it comes to the way the Superiority used to work. Why would they put a person, that they used to think of as a savage and beast, in charge? Okay, now that the bad part is over, let's go to the good part of the review! ☺️ Spensa. I wasn't human any longer. I was a weapon. Who cares about my emotions or the damage of my soul and psyche? I need to announce with a positive surprise that Defiant's focus is put more on the characters than the action, at least for most of the story. Usually the final books' storylines are focused more on the villains and the final battles. It's a nice change. With this announcement, and with knowing that it's a final book, you can imagine what the MC can go through the story. And she's going through A LOT. After the events of Cytonic Spensa's struggling with herself and the situation around her. She's supposed to be Detritus' hero, but she's feeling more like an outsider, like a complete stranger. It seems like the new additions to Skyward Flight (Alanik and Sadie) are more comfortable around Spensa's friends than she is. She has no clue how to speak about her experiences in the nowhere, so she doesn't. And she has trouble catching up to everything that happened in her absence. She's afraid of herself - her new abilities seem to be very dangerous and she's struggling to control them. Her imprisonment storyline in Defiant reminded me a little bit of Darrow's storyline in Morning Star. Both things were painful to get through (Darrow's more, but it's not a surprise), but necessary to the story and the character development. Anyways, despite my issues with Spensa, I really enjoyed her story in Defiant. It was a nice change to see her not as strong as she liked to be (despite all her powers). She always felt real and natural to me, but she's seems to be even more natural and real in Defiant (it's kind of an irony if you consider that through most of the story she thought of herself as a weapon, not a human). She made some amazing things and made mistakes. She felt like a hero and also not so much. With her it was a truly rollercoaster of emotions and I really liked it. Despite my disappointment with Cytonic, I'm happy to announce that Spensa Nightshade remains one of my favorite book heroines ☺️ Skyward Flight. "And if piece doesn't fit well, we'll just have to cut out more room until it does." (Kimmalyn) There wasn't as much of the Skyward Flight members as I would like, but the amazing positive feelings that I felt about them before were still there. I LOVE this little found family. I LOVE the fact that they mean so much to each other and that they are always there for each other. People can laugh all they want about the 'power of friendship' thing, but it was always something that made my heart warm all over and it continues to do so. I'm so happy that Spensa had such amazing people around her. There was so much understanding and trust there, especially when it comes to characters like Kimmalyn and Jorgen, that it made me want to cry. WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER "Our coalition," Jorgen said, "includes three planets so far - but four species." You cannot understand what this speech means to me. I cried like a baby, honestly. I really love all the different Skyward species, especially the slugs and the kitsen, so for Jorgen to announce that everyone are in this together, that everyone are a part of the coalition - that everyone are important - was the thing that actually made me bawl. THE SLUGS! 'You can't save me.' 'Save them instead.' These little creatures are easily the highlight of this book for me. Heck, the highlight of the whole series! I LOVE THEM TO DEATH! They all are so incredibly precious to me, I wish I could have one so I could cherish it forever! These beings were the second thing that made me burst into tears. Especially when it comes to Comfort. These little creatures are made out only of positive feelings and their community is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. While all of our nations are busy with racism and wars, all these precious things are focusing on are each other. They are each others' comfort. They were going through hell and back for YEARS and, despite that, all they thought about was the wellbeing of one another. Despite all the pain, darkness and silence (it's the way were being punished in the Superiority), they managed to get past their own tragedy and trauma and help each other. And what's even more impressive is the fact that in the moment of an immediate death they were ready to put a human's life above themselves. Who is capable of such sacrifices? They all a little beings made of love and comfort. So incredibly precious things that need to be protected at all costs. Spensa and Jorgen. Spensa: "Jorgen?" I forced out. "When I was in there... lost... you were my anchor. You were the lighthouse that brought me home." Jorgen: "When you were in there," he said, "and I was trying to make sense of all that was happening, I kept asking myself, 'What would Spensa do?'" This relationship is one of the best things about the Skyward series. Overall the focus is not on the romance, but on the plot, characters, worldbuilding and action, but despite all the author had managed to create a couple that the reader can't help, but root for. Spensa and Jorgen, despite their very rough start, build a relationship full of comfort, trust, honesty, understanding and respect. They are always there for each other, no matter what. Always worrying about the wellbeing of the other one. Thinking about each other and needing each other's presence. There are conflicts, of course, but they resolve their issues in a healthy way. Spensa's afraid of hurting Jorgen, but she doesn't keep things from him. She's sharing her plans with him and asking for his opinions. And Jorgen, knowing what kind of person Spensa is, is worrying, but has trust in her and her abilities. He comes as far as choosing her over rules which in Jorgen's case is the most important love message he could've send. They are precious to me just as the slugs and the Skyward Flights are. I love them to death. The delvers's case. KILLING THE LITTLE DELVERS? KILLING THE ONES WHO HELD US? KILLING THE ONES WHO LOVED US? This is one of the biggest surprises I had with Defiant. I had a feeling how the things will end, of course (bless Spensa for the right choice!), but I did not expect to become so emotional over the delvers' case. And I certainly did not expect 'the win of love' card. It might be a negative thing for some people, but, Brandon Sanderson, I will be forever grateful to you for this. Anyways, I apologize for such a late review. I finished reading this book more than a week ago, but couldn't find time to write. It was an agony, because I had so much to say and couldn't do so! I still feel like I forgot half of things I wanted to write about. If I will remember them, I will definitely add them, but I'm finishing my review for now. I'm so excited for Skyward's sequel! ☺️ The Skyward series - my rating: 1. Skyward: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) 2. Starsight: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) 2.1 Sunreach: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) 2.2 ReDawn: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) 2.3 Evershore: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) 3. Cytonic: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5) 4 Defiant: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) ...more |
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Jul 28, 2024
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Aug 31, 2024
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Jul 28, 2024
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| 142153598X
| 9781421535982
| 142153598X
| 4.20
| 3,532
| Jun 04, 2009
| Apr 03, 2012
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really liked it
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"A creature whose only thought is to kill... How sad." [Genryuusai] The big three of the Espada are basically chilling out there while their minions ar "A creature whose only thought is to kill... How sad." [Genryuusai] The big three of the Espada are basically chilling out there while their minions are giving their all in the battle. Soi Fon and Omaeda are up against Ggio and Mammoth (Barragan's Fracciones), while Matsumoto is up against Sun-Sun, Apache and Mila Rose (Hallibel's Fracciones). But the real focus is put on all the lieutenants when Hallibel's minions sacrifice their body parts to create a terrifyingly strong creature known as Ayon. "I always taught you to see the loss of a comrade as an opportunity. Don't get in the middle. Just stab the enemy in the back. If you're too incompetent to do even that... then let your comrade die right then and there. That's the way of the Secret Remote Squad." [Soi Fon] Omaeda saving Soi Fon ...more |
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1
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Jul 27, 2024
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Aug 04, 2024
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Jul 27, 2024
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| 1421535971
| 9781421535975
| 1421535971
| 4.19
| 3,394
| Apr 03, 2009
| Feb 07, 2012
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really liked it
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There is only one thing to fear... To become a warrior without fear. [Hisagi] The center of Bleach's Volume 38 is the topic of warrior - who the warrior There is only one thing to fear... To become a warrior without fear. [Hisagi] The center of Bleach's Volume 38 is the topic of warrior - who the warrior is and who must they be. On the focus are events happening in the Karakura Town. With Yumichika's victory over Chuhlhourne, one of the four pillars protecting the city is secured. Hisagi, Kira and Ikkaku are currently fighting to secure the other three pillars. "Fighting isn't heroic. It's not meant to be exhilarating. Violence should only bring despair. It's dark and terrifying. It must remain gruesome, otherwise people won't fear it and try to avoid it." [Kira] Kira's opponent is in his Resurrection form, being a big bird with wings as heavy as steel. Kira seems to having quite a hard time, using only Kido spells instead of his sword. But the answer to the question why didn't he draw his Zanpakuto comes rather quickly. His sword's ability is special and it matches Abirama's powers. To secure his victory, all Kira needed to do was to somehow bring the bird down so he could touch his wing with his sword. It was endgame from there. "You asked what I intended to cut with this silly-looking blade." "W-Wait!" "A warrior should never beg for his life." For someone like Kira who never seemed like someone who enjoyed fighting and who came from the Third Company, delivering such a finishing blow like he did against Abirama is something really shocking to see. I never thought of Kira as a cold person, in the contrary. I could never quite figure him out, but he never seemed merciless. The end of his fight against Abirama shows us his dark side. He didn't need to do what he did. His opponent was already down, completely hopeless and completely at his mercy. All he needed was just to leave, but he made a different decision. I know that Abirama was an enemy. I know that he would (probably) kill Kira if he had an opportunity to do so. But, despite that, I still felt a deep sorrow seeing his death. It was bloody. It was brutal. No one deserves such an ending. Anyways, with Kira's victory only two pillars remained to secure: the Hisagi's one and the Ikkaku's one. "So that's your Zanpakuto, Shuuhei Hisagi." "Yes. This is Kazeshini, my Zanpakuto. Although I don't like it very much." "What do you mean?" "Just what I said. I don't like the shape. Look at it. It's shaped like something designed to take lives." First of all, I have to admit that the Hisagi vs Findorr fight is one of my favorites in Bleach. The choreography, the visuals and the music (especially the music! It's "Fade to Black B13a" by Sagisu Shiro, which is one of my favorite Bleach OST tracks)- everything is perfect in the anime and it's also perfect in the manga. Second of all, despite the fact that Kazeshini (Hisagi's Zanpakuto) is a reaper, it's my favorite lieutenant weapon. Third of all, the relationship between Hisagi and Kazeshini is certainly one of the most interesting ones in Bleach. There isn't any other Soul Reaper displeased with his weapon, but Hisagi clearly is, which is very strange considering the fact that Kazeshini is a part of him. In the Soul Reapers' case, 'I am the blade and the blade is me' thing is 100% real, because the they share one soul with their weapons. They are like a one living being just split into a human and a blade. P.S. I'm wondering now what kind of dangerous traits is Hisagi hiding from the world if his Zanpakuto is a bloodthirsty reaper ...more |
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Jul 23, 2024
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Jul 25, 2024
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Jul 23, 2024
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| 9780593566633
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| 4.37
| 16,604
| Dec 28, 2021
| Dec 28, 2021
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it was amazing
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I tried to give you the story you needed, Gran-Gran said. I told you to imagine yourself flying among the stars. I remembered Gran-Gran's story, about I tried to give you the story you needed, Gran-Gran said. I told you to imagine yourself flying among the stars. I remembered Gran-Gran's story, about how disobeying orders could be the right thing to do. Wait until you hear what I've done, I said. I can see it, she said. I tried to give you the story you needed, but perhaps you've found your own story after all. Evershore is the third installment to the novellas belonging to the Skyward series by Brandon Sanderson. All three show the story of the Skyward Flight happening between book two (Starsight) and book three (Cytonic). But in comparison to the previous two novellas, Evershore is a little bit different. Sunreach and ReDawn are both told from a perspective different than Spensa's, but aren't heavily focused on their MC's. Evershore is full of action, humour, amazing characters and great worldbuilding like the previous books, but the focus is heavily put on its MC's - Jorgen's - struggles with his inner problems and issues regarding the situation of humanity and their allies in the war against the Superiority. I didn't have anything inspiring to say. I wasn't even sure how I was staying on my feet. I had to, though. They were all looking to me. Or at me. I couldn't really tell. I wasn't going to fall apart. Not here, not where my entire flight could see. Jorgen Weight, the flightleader of Skyward Flight, is in trouble. His inner world, never really being in the greatest shape, had grumbled to ashes after the events of ReDawn. When the greatest tragedy hit, you either fall down or get up and move on. Jorgen decided to lock his feelings in a tight box and to focus everything that he had on the situation of DDF and Detritus. And that situation is sticky. With half of Nation Assembly's being mercilessly killed and with Admiral Cobb missing, it's up to Jorgen to take control over DDF and, well, the ongoing war. Jorgen is now the only still available cytonic - and he isn't either trained nor looking promising with his abilities, like Spensa or Alanik are. The Superiority had escaped, but they can come back at any moment. DDF needs new alliances or they will be crushed like ants. There is plenty things to do, and there are plenty people who might help, but Jorgen feels like the heavy amount on responsibility is put only on him. He tries his best, but still feels like a failure. Does everything in his power to protect his friends, his allies and his people, and blames himself every time something goes wrong, no matter if it's his fault or not. Goes on full power from the very start, ignoring his inner struggles to focus on bigger problems, but how long can one man run without losing his strength or his mind, or worse, not just fall down, but to crush and burn? "I didn't want to leave them," I said. "If Alanik hadn't pulled me out, I would have died there." FM closed her eyes. "Thank the stars for Alanik then." I couldn't say the next part. I couldn't bring myself to form the words, especially not to FM. Maybe it could have been easier if I had died there. Jorgen's mind is a truly dark place in Evershore. He's trying his best to put his feelings aside - his grief aside - to focus on the ongoing war, but it's obvious to everyone that he's struggling immensely. Jorgen's mindset isn't just the 'everything is more important than me' type. There is also a big inner demon in him that questions everything he's doing. He is not good enough. Not strong enough. Not smart enough. He feels foolish and painfully incompetent for the job he took upon himself. He thinks he doesn't have the stomach to do what needs to be done. He feels unworthy of the position he is in and downgrades himself in every possible situation. He thinks that he acts brave, that he knows what he is doing, but that's actually is just an act and he's afraid of failure. He's convinced that he's all alone with the responsibility. There is no Spensa to help. There is no Cobb, no Gran-Gran, no mother and no father. Just Jorgen Weight and his struggles. Jorgen, Alanik said again, are you okay? I'm fine, I said and I cringed, glad FM couldn't hear me. You aren't fine, she said. You can't be fine. For me, who's an introvert with anxiety that constantly overthinks everything and is constantly struggling with himself, Jorgen is very relatable. I'm also acting brave in every situation, trying my best every day, but I'm always questioning my decisions and constantly overthink if I did the right thing and if I should apologize for my actions. Do I deserve to be where I am? Am I doing things right? Even if something happens that I'm clearly not to blame, I feel guilty and putting myself through hell for the smallest of things. Everyone else and everything else feels more important than me and my struggles. It's a painfully wrong mindset, because there are always people to turn to, but it feels like you're alone with your struggles. This is what Jorgen needed to learn in Evershore - to open himself to his feelings, to his friends, and to share his burdens and his responsibility with them. "we know that on the end of the day Jorgen Weight will do the right thing. Sometimes you lose sight of that. Sometimes you get so bogged down in the rules that you lose track of what's right for a minute. But when it comes down to the decisions you make with our lives, you do the right thing every time." I scudding love Jorgen's and FM's relationship in this book. It's not like I haven't appreciated it before, I did, it was always important to me, but their relationship is a highlight of the book for me. It wasn't a big part of the story, but their scenes were extremely meaningful to Jorgen's character development. It was even more important now after the conflict between them that happened in ReDawn. The atmosphere between them was already extremely heavy and became even heavier after the tragedy that struck Detritus. FM, despite Jorgen ignoring her most of the time, never stopped trying to talk to him and to bring him to stop for a minute, to take a breath and, most importantly, to talk about his feelings that he had buried deep inside himself (bless FM, truly). When their talk scene finally happened, it was such a big relief for me (and for them as well). I needed for them to reconcile, to open up and to become the powerful duo that their team, and their planet, needed. Now, with the events of the end of the book, they are even more important to their planet and I'm super excited to see them in action! Spensa flies among the stars, Gran-Gran said. But you build things up from the ground. She is a warrior, and you are a defender. I like the way Gran-Gran described Jorgen and Spensa. I think it's the best description not only of their characters, but their relationship as well. We don't see much of them together in Evershore since Spensa spends time being stuck in nowhere, but there are a couple of scenes with them that warms my heart. They love each other SO MUCH, missing one another SO MUCH, and I'm so sad that they couldn't be there for one another when they needed each other the most. I need them together in Defiant otherwise I will throw hands! Anyways, there is a final book to read (if you don't count the last novella). I'm both upset and excited about it. I'm upset, because it's the last book, and I'm excited, because I want to see how things will play out. With Defiant Spensa is coming back as an MC. After reading three novellas with the POV's of different people, I missed her presence deeply. Now everyone will be reunited and the final battle will happen. Will we get a happy ending? Will I give another five stars? I surely hope so, but we will see! ;) Skyward series - my rating: 1. Skyward: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) 2. Starsight: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) 2.1 Sunreach: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) 2.2. ReDawn: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) 2.3 Evershore: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) 3. Cytonic: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5) 4. Defiant: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) ...more |
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| 4.09
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it was amazing
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Sep 17, 2024
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Sep 14, 2024
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| 4.11
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Sep 14, 2024
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Sep 10, 2024
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| 4.01
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really liked it
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Sep 09, 2024
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Sep 08, 2024
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| 4.04
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really liked it
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Sep 08, 2024
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Sep 06, 2024
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| 4.31
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it was ok
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Sep 07, 2024
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Sep 05, 2024
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| 4.16
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it was amazing
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Sep 06, 2024
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Sep 05, 2024
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| 4.38
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it was amazing
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Sep 04, 2024
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Sep 03, 2024
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| 4.31
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really liked it
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Sep 03, 2024
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Sep 03, 2024
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| 4.30
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liked it
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Sep 02, 2024
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Aug 31, 2024
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| 4.30
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really liked it
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Sep 02, 2024
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Aug 31, 2024
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| 4.29
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it was amazing
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Aug 18, 2024
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Aug 17, 2024
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| 4.22
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really liked it
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Aug 17, 2024
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Aug 16, 2024
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| 4.30
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really liked it
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Aug 16, 2024
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Aug 16, 2024
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| 4.28
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it was amazing
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Aug 16, 2024
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Aug 15, 2024
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| 4.27
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really liked it
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Aug 15, 2024
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Aug 12, 2024
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| 4.37
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liked it
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Aug 05, 2024
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Aug 04, 2024
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| 4.34
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really liked it
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Aug 31, 2024
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Jul 28, 2024
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| 4.20
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really liked it
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Aug 04, 2024
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Jul 27, 2024
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| 4.19
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really liked it
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Jul 25, 2024
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Jul 23, 2024
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| 4.37
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it was amazing
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Jul 28, 2024
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Jul 22, 2024
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