Recollection #3 (Episodes 5-6 Summary + Review)

#5) Beat the Invisible Enemy! - Continuing from last week's episode, Yasutora Chad, Ichigo's friend, is helping out Yuichi Shibata, a soul that is trapped inside a parakeet's body. From the devious clutches of  Shrieker, a manipulative, pretentious, and insidious hollow that was once a human serial killer, Shrieker is bent on torturing Yuichi Shibata, killing innocent people around them, and stopping all attempts of rescue from Ichigo, Rukia, & Chad. However, Chad, being aware that there is a hollow there, can still put up a fight as he punches Shrieker blindly. Rukia on the other hand, unfortunately, is powerless in stopping Shrieker and enlists the help of Chad to tag-teaming the hollow. Even in her Gigai form, Rukia can somewhat put up a fight, but it wasn't enough to silence the hollow. Pinning her down and thwarting their tag-team effort, Rukia is beaten up pretty badly by Shrieker as he launches an attack of leeches (Shrieker's artillery). Shrieker's artillery fires leeches on Rukia that, when activated by Shrieker, explode. Exposing Rukia's weakness, it seems as if this could be the end for Rukia, but hope doesn't waver as Ichigo comes to save the day, demanding that Yuichi be freed from his diabolical clutches. The circumstances surrounding Yuichi's death and Shrieker's "promise" of bringing back his mother were what brought about the Gates of Hell to surface and to take Shrieker. - his sins cannot be cleansed due to the actions he took when he was a human and a hollow. The aftermath of it all is Yuichi's chain of fate being severed and eventually be sent off to the Soul Society to be at peace. Karin, frightened at Yuichi's soul entrapping a parakeet, can now be at peace as Ichigo once again saves the day from Shrieker's games. 

Review/Thoughts - This episode showcases Chad's involvement with the supernatural, being able to foster a friendship with Yuichi Shibata, and being saddened upon his departure to the Soul Society (learning of a plus being at peace). Though Chad is still without powers, his strength and courage alone did do a little damage to the hollow. This also shows Rukia's depravity of her own powers, having to rely on Chad, and using whatever she can conjure up in hopes to stall the hollow from doing anymore damage. Ichigo's growth as a Shinigami is also showing - going through the trouble of taking out hollows, sending pluses off to the Soul Society through Konso, and protecting his friends from being Hollow food. I like the growth of Ichigo's development as a Shinigami. I like Chad's willingness to go through the lengths of saving Yuichi despite being without supernatural powers, but physical strength enough sent the hollow flying. I like Rukia knowing her limitations as she discovers the implications of a Gigai's capabilities and her depravity having its consequences that would surely turn out for better or worse of our hero Ichigo and his friends

#6) Fight to the Death! Ichigo vs. Ichigo - This the introduction to Kon pretty much. With Ichigo going out and about as a human and as a Shinigami, he doesn't have the time to have someone, more-or-less Rukia, protect Ichigo's conscious body while he goes and saves the day from Hollow evil. So Rukia insists on a substitute in which a pill, when swallowed, will takeover Ichigo's body while Ichigo (in his Shinigami form) can peacefully, without worry, save the day. This doesn't turn out pretty well when the host embodying Ichigo takes it for a joyride (flirting with the girls in Karakura High School + performing stupid acts that the REAL Ichigo wouldn't commit). Rukia explains that the modified souls were meant to combat Hollows - pretty much a soldier. However, Operation Spearhead, the name of the operation entitling Modified souls to fight Hollows in soulless bodies, was scrapped and they were ordered to be wiped out, with Kon escaping his own demise. Kon understands the implications and prefers to enjoy Ichigo's body as much as he can to escape being demised altogether. This also introduces Kisuke Urahara and his shop, helping out Rukia with Soul Candy (the pill) and how to go about with her Gigai adjustment. This is, in my opinion, a 2-parter episode because it discusses Kon's involvement as well as the implications that surround Rukia's Gigai. 

Review/Thoughts - This episode is just a developmental stage for Ichigo in which he has to make adjustments on fighting hollows while his body is detached. The Modified soul seemed to be the answer to all of Ichigo's troubles, but it was just the beginning of a revelation of how dangerous Mod Souls' past were in Operation Spearhead and how occupying a host body could end up becoming one's person treasure. Kon, a perverted, powerful, and comical Modified soul and Ichigo do not get along and with things heating up with how they are, will Kon end up being an ally or enemy? It isn't a bad episode, but rather a setup of what's in store for Ichigo's responsibilities, the implications surrounding Rukia's "human adapting" to the Real world, and the consequences of it all when Rukia's acts and Ichigo's power take a turn for the worst (Spoiler). The supernatural and human world are so different, what are the boundaries one can set for themselves - diverging between both worlds or adapting to one world, discarding the other? Well, we'll just have to see in episodes 7-8. Look forward for next week's recollection and I'm pretty aware the summaries did cover everything, but it covered the central themes surrounding that episode. Until then, you all stay classy now. 

Note: There will be No Wednesday/Friday posts due to hiatus on Bleach manga. This week's Bleach segment will be the last segment until Hiatus status ends