For over a decade, “Bleach” fans have been asking questions of why Ichigo Kurosaki has these special and mysterious abilities. But to know the answer, readers must be shown who Ichigo’s parents are and why his mother was killed. Many questions are answered in “Bleach” Vol. 60. Highly recommended!
© 2001 Tite Kubo. All Rights Reserved.
MANGA TITLE: Bleach Vol. 60
STORY AND ART BY: Tite Kubo (ä¹…ä¿ å®£ç« )
FIRST PUBLISHED IN JAPAN: SHUEISHA, Inc.
PUBLISHED IN USA BY: VIZ Media, LLC/Shonen Jump Manga
RATED: T for Older Teen
RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2014
With the training not going as planned, Ichigo returns to the World of the Living to reevaluate himself. But when he runs into his father, Isshin, he discovers he has a lot to learn about his mother – and the way she died!
For years, readers have been fixed on Tite Kubo’s manga (and anime) series known as “Bleach”.
We have seen Ichigo Kurosaki go from a teenager to one of the most powerful individuals who is quite unsure about his own powers. Why does have Soul Reaper abilities? Why does he have hollow abilities? What is it about him that makes him so different?
Nearly 13 years after “Bleach” was created, the answers that everyone has been wanting to learn about Ichigo Kurosaki is revealed in vol. 60.
The background of Ichigo’s father and mother is revealed and how it ties into his special abilities.
An important volume that answers the questions that have lingered for over a decade in regards to “Bleach” is finally revealed and this is one volume that “Bleach” fans do not want to miss out on!
What is “Bleach?”
For those who are not so familiar with “Bleach”, “Bleach” has a strong fan following and since its run began back in 2001, series creator, writer and illustrator Noriaki “Tite” Kubo has been hard at work, continuing to crank chapter after chapter for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan and with the success of the series extending out to films, OVA’s, feature films and video games and other merchandise.
Because of its airing on the Cartoon Network and it being featured on Shonen Jump magazine, “Bleach” has gone on to become a fan favorite in America but also fans all over the world.
A Brief History of what “Bleach” is about
“Bleach” is a story about a guy named Ichigo Kurasaki who has a gift in which he can see spirits. One day, he saw a Soul Reaper (one who can govern the flow of souls between the human world and the afterlife) named Rukia Kukichiki who has come to find a Hollow (a lost soul). She ends up being wounded in battle when she tried to defend Ichigo and so she illegally transfers her reiatsu (spiritual pressure) to him, so that he can defeat the Hollow. But during the process, he nearly takes all of her energy and becomes a Soul Reaper himself and defeats the Hollow quite easily. So, the first storyline arc features Rukia now powerless stranded in the human world until she has the time to recover her true powers, while Ichigo fills in and battles Hollows in her place. And with each fight, Rukia starts to notice something special about Ichigo’s abilities.
The second storyline arc of “Bleach” features the Soul Society wanting to sentence Rukia to death for transferring her powers to Ichigo. His friends also begin to develop special abilities. His childhood friend, Orihime Inoue, is given special abilities courtesy of her loving brother who has turned into a Hollow. Yasutora “Chad” Sato is Ichigo’s tall friend (who is half Japanese/half Mexican) who suddenly becomes aware of spirits and develops an ability to have a special armored right arm that has special abilities. And Ichigo’s rival/friend, Uryu Ishida, who is a descendant of a hollow hunting group known as the Quincy and are enemies of the Soul Reapers.
As their adventures have continued, we have seen Ichigo and his friends getting stronger, developing new abilities and taking on their most difficult foes yet but also earning the respect of his friends and the Soul Society, having saved their lives time and time again. But this time around, there comes a new enemy that may be so powerful that Ichigo may not be able to take them on…
Enter the Vandenreich!
The Current Storyline
We have only heard of how the Quincies had perished after a long feud with the Soul Reapers. The Soul Reapers which believed in having the soul of a hollow crossover to the Soul Society, while the Quincies believed in the total destruction of the hollow’s soul. And while the two had tried to work out their dispute, in the end, it let do a war in which the Soul Reapers vanquished the Quincies.
With only Uryu Ishida thought to be the last Quincy alive, in volume 55 of “Bleach”, it was revealed that one of the deadly Quincy’s from the past, Yhwach, was not killed and has assembled a group known as the Vandenreich to eliminate all Soul Reapers and destroy the Soul Society.
Many have gone missing in Karakura Town and while the Vandenreich have made their presence known to Captain Yamamoto by killing 1st Division Lt. Sasakibe. Also, Hueco Mundo Arrancars have been attacked by the Hueco Mundo Army led by Quilge Opie who are trying to force the Arrancars to join them or else be killed.
As Nel goes to the human world to beg for Ichigo to save Hueco Mundo, Ichigo, Kisuke Urahara, Chad and Orihime hurry to Hueco Mundo to see what is happening. And with the distraction caused in that area, Yhwach orders the Vandenreich to attack the Soul Reapers in their home area inside the Seiretei and the top Quincy combatants of the Vandenreich, the Stern Ritter continues their destruction by trying to kill all Soul Reaper captains.
In vol. 57, as Ichigo tries to hurry back to the Soul Society, he is encased in some object and is unable to escape from it. Meanwhile, Byakuya Kuchiki and Renji Abarai take on Stern Ritter’s “As Nodt”, Shuhei Hisagi takes on Stern Ritter’s “O” [The Overkill] Driscoll Berci and it looks like that without using their Bankai, the Soul Reapers have no chance.
Until Division 1 Captain, Shigekuni Yamamoto Genryusai, the most power soul reaper decides it is time to intervene and try to kill all of the Stern Ritter.
Leading up to a battle between Soul Reaper leader Captain Yamamoto vs. the King of Quincy’s, Yhwach.
In vol. 58, Captain Yamamoto unleashes his bankai on Yhwach, a bankai that is so powerful that he would lost his arm. With the great power of Yamamoto’s Bankai, it was thought to have killed Yhwach but instead, it is revealed that the man who died is one of his followers who has the power to shapeshift.
With many Soul Reapers badly injured or have been slaughtered by the Vandenreich, others try to get Ichigo Kurosaki to fight Yhwach but will Ichigo be powerful enough to take him or the Vandenreich on?
Meanwhile, there may be a group that can help Ichigo fight against Yhwach and its the mysterious and secretive Squad Zero.
In vol. 59, after the death of Captain Yamamoto and the Soul Reapers trying to assess the damages to their corps, Ichigo and Renji are taken in by Squad Zero to partake in their special training in hopes to fight the Vandenreich.
But as the two go through the simple path of meeting Kirio Hikifune, the two must go through the tests of Oh-Etsu Nimaiya, best know as the creator of the zanpakuto that each Soul Reaper is responsible for.
Meanwhile, as Ichigo and Renji undergo training, Kenpachi Zaraki is engaged in a fight to the death with Division 4 Captain Retsu Unohana. But why are these two Soul Reapers fighting to the death?
And last, the biggest reveal from Ichigo’s father of who and what his mother is and why he is special.
In vol. 60, all is revealed of who Ichigo’s parents are and how Ichigo became the person he is today and why his supernatural abilities are unlike others.
But also the biggest reveal of how Ichigo’s mother died and the true identity of Zangetsu.
In 2001, “Bleach” was made into a manga series. For the next ten years, fans would read the manga series, watch the anime series and for the most part, see how this human would eventually have this amazing power that rivaled even the most powerful Soul Reapers.
Ichigo Kurosaki has been able to grow in his training in order to protect his friends and through every strong rival, he has managed to overcome any weakness until the Vandenreich has appeared.
In order for Kurosaki to go further in his training, he must know where he came from. Who is his parents and what they had to do with his supernatural ability and why there is a Hollow spiritual pressure within him.
He must know the truth of why his mother was killed. He must know the truth about why his father who managed to show that he was a former Soul Reaper, was living on Earth. He must know the truth of his power but also what is Zangetsu.
For over a decade, there have always been questions about Ichigo Kurosaki. And with volume 60, many of those questions will be answered.
While Ichigo or the other Soul Reapers are not the main focus in volume 60, it is possibly one of the most important volumes in “Bleach” as we learn who Isshin Shiba and Masak Kurosaki are.
Featuring wonderful artwork and writing from Tite Kubo, this is one of the best “Bleach” manga volumes, even though it doesn’t feature Ichigo all that much. It’s simply a “Bleach” volume that is a must-read!
For longtime “Bleach” fans, “Bleach” Vol. 60 is highly recommended!