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Episode 92: Invasion of the Shinigami World, Again!

Impressions:

I’ve read quite a few negative views about this episode, but I personally think it’s one of the better fillers eps. It gave me a sense of returning to the original storyline as everyone’s in Soul Society again and hopefully all the Captains will be involved as well. The characters have been drawn slightly better, but I can’t believe they screwed up Kariya’s face. How is that possible?! Unlike many other people, I never expected Toushiro to fight Kariya or Gowa this episode. It would have progressed way to quickly (I don’t mean I wouldn’t like if it was fast. What I mean is after watching all the fillers, I have been led to believe that they wouldn’t rush things). Another anticipated fight is Ichinose and Zaraki. Has Zaraki learnt his Zanpakuto’s name in the manga yet? If not, I hope he learns it during the fight his Ichinose (if they do fight). The next episode which seems to be about Rukia and that green-haired Bounto. The Bounto is obiously a lot stronger than Rukia, so I wonder how the fight will turn out. Perhaps Ririn helps Rukia out and finds some way of fending the Bounto off, then making friends again and agreeing to have a friendlier competition for Ichigo’s affection? Argh! What the hell am I saying?! This is Shakugan no Shana! Sheesh… Anyway, like I said before, it’s beginning to feel like the original again so I hope they don’t spoil it. I’d also like to see more Captain vs Captain battles, but that is unlikely. I hope Kariya gets to fight some of the Captains first (properly) before going against Ichigo or Ishida. That reminds me, everyone is wondering who will defeat Kariya. I believe that Ichigo will defeat Kariya with his half-Hollow/Bankai combination. Ishida will probably try first but fail – I’m thinking along the lines of using the last of his energy to give Ichigo the upper hand to defeat Kariya. I don’t know why I think that. It’s never really happened before has it? And about when I think the fillers will end, as everyone’s asking that, I HOPE by the end of this season, but I THINK by the end of the next season. Hopefully I’m wrong.

Summary:

Subsequent of the arrival of the Bounto, 1st Squad Captain Yamamoto briefs the other Captains about the situation. He places Toushiro is charge of capturing the ryoka (while I don’t know exactly what this means, he is referring to all intruders/invaders of Soul Society, regardless of who it is). He also gives him the job of delivering the correct information to every Squad, as fake info had been leaked. Finally, he emphasizes the point that they must kill anyone suspected to be a ryoka without hesitation.

Meanwhile, Kariya and Gowa land in Rukongai (the slums of Soul Society). Toushiro starts giving out orders. Kariya and Gowa are met by the 2nd and 7th Squad Vice-Captains. Gowa absorbs some nearby spirit particles, just like Ishida had done when he fought Mayuri. The two Vice-Captains both underestimate the Bounto’s new strength and are easily dispatched by Gowa’s Daruku. 2nd Squads’s Vice Captain is just a coward who fears his safety when his lower ranked Squad Members go down. The 7th Squad Member puts up more of a fight, using shunpo to get close to Gowa. However, the Bounto is able to stop his blade with his hands, like Kariya. He too gets defeated easily and is also thrown into the nearby buildings by Kariya. The two walk off, leaving the wreckage behind them. Toushiro and his Squad arrive too late and can do nothing but call for the emergency services to aid the wounded. Matsumoto returns and apologises to Toushiro for failing to keep the Bounto away. Toushiro insists it’s his fault for sending her in the first place. As Toushiro gives out orders to search and secure the area, he and Matsumoto head back to their headquarters.

In some remote, hilly place outside the residential areas of Soul Society, Ichigo and Rukia discuss the Vice-Captains’ reiatsu and the absence of the Bounto’s. They conclude that the Bounto are able to hide their reiatsu here in Soul Society as well. They stand for a while in silence, staring at the horizon. Yoruichi breaks the peace and asks them why they’re daydreaming in an emergency. Ririn is disgusted at the two, standing together like lovers, or that’s what she says at least. Inoue, Chad and Ishida return from their scouting mission and inform the others that Kuukaku has moved again (remember who she is? She’s Ganju’s sister who had helped Ichigo and the others get into Soul Society back in the good ol’ non-filler days. By the way, if you’ve forgotten, Ganju is the guy who helps save Rukia and winds up in a convenience store with Hanatarou during most of the fillers). By the end of the day after hours of trudging around in the dirt, they finally manage to locate Kuukaku. Yoruichi is wondering why Kuukaku didn’t change the look of her house like she always does. Following her saying that that’s weird, Ichigo says Rukia’s drawing is weird as well, which lands him a punch up his chin. Clutching his sore chin, Ichigo realises that Kon is nowhere to be found. Then they hear a familiar scream coming from Kuukaku’s house (it’s Ganju screaming in agony as he is being bashed by his sister).

Elsewhere, Kon is wandering around, searching for Ichigo and Rukia. He sees a group of people and notices the commotion. He asks them about what’s going on. Everyone is freaked out by the talking animal. Kon tries to clear the air by saying he’s a modified soul, but no one knows what that is and thinks he is the ryoka that destroyed their buildings.

Ichigo and the others are in Kuukaku’s house, awkwardly watching Ganju being punished by Kuukaku for being so useless in the real world. Ichigo mentions the convenience store, but Kuukaku takes offence and bashes him up as well. Later as everything has calmed down, Yoruichi informs Kuukaku about the Bounto, and also reveals that it was the predecessor of the Technological Development Office that invoked the Bounto. After further discussion (Kuukaku being informed about the Modified Souls and Yoruichi asking everyone to look out for a guy called Ran’Tao, who was the one who leaded the creation of the Bounto, and is still alive somewhere, although exiled long ago) and an accepted request to stay at Kuukaku’s place, everyone stands to leave. Kuukaku calls for Yoruichi before she can leave to and confronts her about her not revealing everything she knows. She asks her why she isn’t going to Seireitei Yoruichi reveals that she is going to look for Ichinose. She believes that the traitorous Shinigami had manipulated the information database to shift Mayuri’s attention to Ishida, which leads to him giving the Quincy his powers back, thus leading to the opening of the real world-Soul Society portal and the invasion of the Bounto. Soi-Fon is discretely strengthening Seireitei’s defence, but what Yoruichi’s worried about preventing their incursion. Furthermore, it wouldn’t be easy to get into Seireitei as she’s been exiled from Soul Society. Kuukaku gives Yoruichi her full co-operation after hearing all this, saying she simply loves trouble.

The next day, the task force part ways to look for the Bounto individually. Before they do that though, Rukia tells Ichigo to be careful and not be reckless, as well as other things that get Ririn jealous and pissed. She flies off first to look for the Bounto herself, saying she won’t lose to Rukia. After that, Ishida walks off first with a strong resolve to kill Kariya by himself. Finally, the rest split up to begin the search. As Ririn is searching, she sense the presence of a Bounto and starts running back. Rukia meets a Bounto too (or maybe Ririn’s Bounto and Rukia’s are the same), who turns out to be that Bounto whose name I forgot and can’t be bothered looking up (the green haired Bounto whose Doll is in the form of a fan and sword.) She is pleased to see Rukia and gets into a fighting stance. Rukia seems worried…

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