Bleach Box Set 7 (ep.122-133)

The arrancar are threatening the world of the living, and Ichigo's only chance of defeating them lies with the visoreds. And "Bleach Uncut Box Set 7" kicks off around round of shonen-action training -- this time focused on whipping the teenage protagonists into some kind of fighting shape.

Ichigo finally comes to the visoreds for help controlling his inner hollow, and soon discovers that it's not his choice but theirs whether he'll learn from them. Before long, he's been thrown into a pitched battle with his inner hollow -- and as his monstrous body fights with the various visoreds, he goes through a terrifying ordeal inside his own head, with his life and soul in the balance.

But he's not the only one trying to learn: Chad goes to Urahara and asks him to train him, and Uryu keeps struggling to get back his Quincy powers. And in the Soul Society, the Soul Reapers have discovered the core of Aizen's malevolent plan, which could give him control of the worlds of the living and the dead...

There's a grim, desperate undercurrent to all the episodes of "Bleach Uncut Box Set 7," especially when we discover that Aizen isn't just planning to rule over Hueco Mundo. There's still plenty of funny moments (especially Ikkaku in his pinky fluffy T-shirt), but it feels like the tense grey moments right before a storm breaks.

This arc starts off strong, especially since the training episodes are surprisingly solid and interesting, especially when Ichigo's hollowfied form goes on a screeching rampage against all the Visoreds. The episodes become a little weaker near the end, since the writers tack in some filler episodes involving a ghostly brat who causes trouble for the Soul Reapers. But I gotta admit, it's fun to see Ikkaku and Hitsugaya engaging in some spots (soccer and kendo).

So what's the biggest downside of this boxed set? It's only twelve episodes! Again! It's three bucks an episode! What is UP with this?!

Ichigo obviously gets the most attention in these episodes -- basically he's thrown headfirst into the darker corners of his soul, and has to become stronger by conquering and training his hollowesque abilities. And there's some solid development for the girls when Orihime gets depressed over being told not to fight, and Rukia rises to her defense. It's nice to see two very different female characters who share a strong friendship.

Also, the Visoreds are fleshed out at last... and they're about as peaceful and orderly a group as you'd expect from a random gang of ex-Soul Reapers. We've got a thug, a flake, a gentle giant, a fop, and so on and so forth.

"Bleach Uncut Box Set 7" suffers from a distinct shortage of... episodes. But fortunately what content there is is of good quality -- some middling filler meshed with outstanding main stories.

I have had enough. As much as I love the series, VIZ's money grubbing has to come to an end. I just cannot afford to continue to pay the same price for half the content any longer. Enough is enough.
Thanks VIZ for driving away another fan.

SO by the episode count on the picture I have to assume that viz media is no longer breaking this series into season long box sets as this box set will wrap up season 6 and bleed over to 7 with episodes 132 and 133, but they may be combining it all into one season too - either way it just means more money from us, the consumers who will still buy the box sets instead of the individual volumes.

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