WBCR - He's Back! (Grade A-)

Guess whose back? He's strong, mature, and is now an authentic Shinigami. That's right, Ichigo's back in the game and it'll take him a couple days or so to get in on the action taking place in the Soul Society. Now this week's chapter is an incredibly short read that emphasizes Ichigo's growth as well as Basterbine's power that is likely to end the war in the Quincy's favor. Ichigo informs Urahara for everyone to stand their ground until he arrives and upon seeing Basterbine release her powers, Shinji is supposedly injured and pretty much that how's the chapter ends. The Zero Division inform Ichigo that it'll take him a week or so (the scenic route of stairs) to get to the Soul Society + informing Ichigo of his growth in spirit and in becoming an authentic Shinigami, and seeing Basterbine F sh*t up. This'll be a short WBCR, but nonetheless, a great setup for what's in store. With Ichigo making his way, it won't be long before The Hero saves the day from evil before it worsens. I hope you enjoyed my brief WBCR, hopefully it'll be longer next week. Until then, look forward to Sunday's Throwback and you all stay classy now! Big thing are coming for Bleach and for the better :)

Pros/Cons
+ Ichigo's back
+ Basterbine's power

- Too Short of a read

Grade: A-

BMW: Awwww Yeah he's back!

Affinity #18 - The Prisoner and Carer (Rukia & Hanataro)

Yes Yes, I'm aware that the latest Bleach chapter was released earlier than expected. You'll see it tomorrow morning. For now, let's talk about an affinity that not many people recall. When Rukia was imprisoned, Hanataro would care for her - comforting her, keeping her company, and offering food so she doesn't stare to death (ironically because her sentencing and punishment are just as worse as her not eating at all). Hanataro, though weak, has a heart of cares - going through the trouble of allying with the enemy despite knowing it'll look bad on him. At the end the day, Hanataro is only doing what is proper when it comes to friends - helping them despite going against your kin. Rukia, of course, isn't afraid of her demise and would rather die than be saved by Ichigo (later would change her mind upon seeing Ichigo's growth). I know this affinity isn't really there, but think, Hanataro was the only one who went out of his way to comfort Rukia. Not only that, it prompted the 8th and 13th division captains to go against the Gotei 13, Yoruichi, and even Renji, a rival and enemy of Ichigo, would join in the ranks of stopping Rukia's demise from taking place. All thanks to Hanataro's willingness to sacrifice his allegiance to save a friend in need of help in her final moments.

I hope you enjoyed this week's affinity. Look forward to tomorrow's WBCR and until then, you all stay classy!

Shizune vs. Hanataro Yamada (The Healing Practicers)

VS.

This is interesting. In all my Fight Night Mondays, I've not once, NOT ONCE, have had a battle where it was a man vs. a woman. It's strictly been man vs. man or woman vs. woman, but let's change things up a bit shall we. No need for disrespect, but there's a slight disadvantage when it comes to skill, attributes, personality, and overall their value in their respective shows if I were to go man vs. woman, but then again, this is all from my perspective so F it, I'm going to start doing that regardless of age. Starting Monday, there'll be fight nights where it'll be the boys vs. the girls. So with that being said, let's start off this little change-up with Naruto's own Shizune and Bleach's Hanataro Yamada. Both are practitioners in medicine so I thought we should start here. Let's begin. 

Character: Shizune, for what I know, has been Tsunade's assistant ever since Naruto learned of Tsunade's existence. Shizune, though happy-go-lucky and keeping tabs on Tsunade's bad habits, can pull her own weight when it comes to pulling off poisons, utilizing jutsu(s) that involve medicine, and being Tsunade's right-hand woman has its perks (such as having control of certain fields). She battled it out with Kabuto and managed to stand her ground (for a bit) and alongside Tsunade, become the duo that is inseparable, powerful, and ready to heal injuries. Shizune is smart in her own right, but I think she needs to be shown more in order to showoff her potential as Tsunade's right-hand woman + I find her to be incredibly hot (Just sayin'). 

Hanataro Yamada is the 7th seat of the 4th Squad under the now deceased Retsu Unohana (Real name: Yachiru "Kenpachi" Unohana) and has met Ichigo in the Rescuing Rukia arc. He is seen as a wimp, a loser, and a bully's target, but overall - manages to improve his healing abilities, lend a helping hand to Ichigo's wounds as well as Renji's, and is generally concerned over Rukia's wellbeing during her absence. However, what makes Hanataro unique is his Shikai, Hisagomaru, that pretty much can emit a red blast of energy when accumulating injuries (much like a battery). That is the only redeeming factor of Hanataro's abilities. He may be weak, but he has a heart willing to heal others in need of support.

Verdict: I kept this one short and sweet because this is a test run. They both are knowledgable in their fields, but at the end of the day, Shizune can pull her own weight while Hanataro serves as the comic relief, clumsy, and weak Shinigami that is only good for healing, NOt pulling his own weight. Although this wasn't competitive at all, Imma give this victory to Shizune because she's smart, is Tsunade's right-hand woman, uses poisons, and can keep her ground in fights (sort of). 

So who do you think won? Shizune or Hanataro? Let me know down below by leaving a comment. Until then, you all stay classy now! 

Throwback #24 - Too Bad Kon!

Remember this omake? Kon, believing he'll get the ladies, takes the body of Hanataro Yamada, 7th seat of the 4th division. Hanataro's Zanpaktou, Hisagomaru, allows him to heal others with his sword (rather than inflict damage, it heals injuries) and then transforms to Akeiro Hisagomaru - a worthless knife that can't for sh*t and is incredibly weak after emitting the accumulation of injuries into one single blast. So Kon is once again Johnny Bravo in this case - wanting the ladies, failing miserably, and laughing at Kon's efforts in vain. To be honest, I'm not a big fan of Kon - he's annoying, became a side character, and is a moron. Hanataro, no lie, is more interesting than Kon's character strictly because he played a pivotal role in rescuing Rukia Kuchiki as a member of Ichigo's crew. So this omake is a reminder of Kon's stupidity and learning of Hanataro's weak-ass Zanpaktou, which, to be honest, is a pretty funny combo if you think about it. So Kon, though serves no purpose as much anymore, will keep on going after BEEBS and failing miserably and as for Hanataro, I haven't seen him since he attempted to rescue Rukia when she was under Zommari's control (the 7th Espada). Hope to see more of Hanataro and his clumsy ways (he may be weak, but he could become stronger).

Hope you enjoyed this week's Throwback and until then, you all stay classy now!

WBCR - The Badassery is about to begin (Grade A-)

Did you read this week's newest Bleach Chapter? Well if you haven't, then I suggest you strap in and join in for the ride as we dive into this week's chapter and it's cliffhanger leaving us saying "F*ck!" So let's start things first...Cang Du, an anticipated Stern Ritter, is defeated by Hitsugaya. Secondly, Yhwach (Formerly pronounced Juha Bach) knew of the Bankai(s) returning to the Shinigami, leaving the Stern Ritter the ability to unleash their powers completely without any restraints. Bambietta pretty much was all comic-relief in this chapter, but when she meets up with the masked Komamura and encounters Shini Hirako and his Sakanade (Counter Stroke), Bambietta, at first, was scared on what to do. However, she goes berserk mode (aka Quincy Vollstaendig - Complete). Without having control or possessing a Shinigami's Bankai, the Quincy now are using their power (over 9000 much) in order to stand a chance against the Shinigami. So in the end, it was a disadvantage for the Shinigami when the Stern ritters took their Bankai away and it's also a disadvantage for the Shinigami as well as they have to fight the Quincy in their complete Vollstaendig form. And of course the biggest cliffhanger - Ichigo calls Urahara and Urahara is just in shock How is Ichigo? Is he more of a badass now? How did his other trials go in the Zero Division's barracks? We will have to tune in later to find out. So here's this week's ups and downs.

+ Bambietta Basterbine!
+ Ichigo....is mentioned!
+ Komamura is back (masked)
+ Shinji and his Sakanade

- Cang Du defeated already?

Overall a pretty good setup for what's in store for this arc. Imma give this week's rating an A-

BMW:
DAYUM KOMAMURA

Affinity #17 - Hitsumori (Hitsugaya X Hinamori)

Where do I begin with this affinity? I think next to Ichihime, this is my 2nd favorite couple. I mean Ichihime, it was destined. For Hitsugaya & Hinamori, two childhood friends who are practically like brother & sister, these affinity was also destined. So Hinamori joined the Gotei 13 to serve under Aizen, leaving little Hitsugaya all alone with his grandmother. However, Rangiku would later advise Hitsugaya to enlist in the Gotei 13 in order to take control of his own power. And so Hitsugaya becomes the 10th captain and Hinamori is still the 5th division lieutenant under Shinji Hirako, Aizen's previous captain/guinea pig. I like this affinity because they really do care for each other and, like Ichihime, I wish their relationship flourished or is expanded later on. I mean Ichihime, their was a "almost" kiss scene, "saving the damsel in distress arc," and the hugging scene in the 4th movie. With Hitsugaya and Hinamori, though not as many moments, they do tend to comically make fun of another, protect each other from harm, and even go out of their way to still call each other names despite one being a captain and the other lieutenant. I think this needs some exploration (much like Ichihime & Hitsugiku). Nonetheless, the caring, loving, and comic duo will always have a place in my heart. Though Hitsugiku is more likely to happen, I also wouldn't mind this either.

I hoped you enjoyed this week's Affinity and until then, you all stay classy now!

Majin Buu vs. Aizen Sosuke (Brawns vs. Brains)

VS.

Oh boy, where do I begin with this? You're probably asking - why this matchup? Why couldn't it be somebody else or why in particular Majin Buu? Well to be honest, I chose the strongest antagonist in both series, but DBZ has so many villains that you could argue that one is stronger than the other. So I went with DBZ's last villain, the pink menace - Majin Buu (in all forms, good & bad) vs. Bleach's biggest threat, Aizen Sousuke. So this battle, in all areas, clearly has a victor, but I wanted to approach it in terms of character development and whatnot. So let's begin:

Character Development: Majin Buu is DBZ's last villain and was initially a good guy, but there's a catch - there was an Evil counterpart that consumed the good counterpart and as a result, Majin Buu became evil and the more he absorbed, the powerful he became. Babidi ( I think I spelled that right) is the creator/master, but of course Majin Buu doesn't comply since it thrives on absorption and doing more harm than good to our Saiyans. Majin Buu initially becomes stronger the more he absorbs, but of course our hero, Goku, and the rest of the group must stop this menace and you know what, they did, but of course it took many episodes before that happened

Aizen Sousuke....where to begin on this guy? Well for starters, he has deceived everyone for so long that since his time as a vice captain under Shinji Hirako of the 5th division, he has plotted his deception and plans to become "God." Well with Kisuke's research of hollowfication, Aizen wanted to harness the power of Urahara's "Hogyoku." Despite this, he plots, calculates, and calmly sets things in motion and make a pacts with Arrancars to invade/destroy the Shinigami. Ichigo's ploy in rescuing Rukia is where Aizen showed off his fangs to just about everyone and with that being said, he became Bleach's major antagonist (until Ywach showed up). Ultimately Ichigo did a # on him, Kisuke sealed him away, and he still poses a threat even when locked up. 

Verdict: A short description, but plenty to work from. Majin Buu's character is interesting enough, but ultimately like any DBZ villain, met his demise in just 10 episodes of epic DBZ action that, of course, went on and on. For Aizen, he did a #, but ultimately was sealed away by Urahara....and he still poses a threat to the Soul Society because Aizen can talk the talk and walk the walk. So though this was short, I do think Majin Buu, in terms of strength, is just as powerful as Aizen (without his Butterfly wings). But of course the "Hogyoku" amplifies Aizen's power making it kinda unfair for Majin Buu. I will say this, Majin Buu has the brawn, but Aizen has all the brains. And brains, at the end of the day, wins. So the verdict, though it pains me (not really) to say it, goes to....

So who do you think won, or scratch that - did you like this matchup? I may/may not go back and reevaluate this fight (Like I did with Vegeta vs. Ikkaku). Lemme know your thoughts and until then, you all stay classy now! 

Death God's Bebop (Track #14) - Last Moment + Throwback 23 - The Sister? (Omaeda's sister)

The one ending of Bleach where, I think, most of the characters are shown as well as Ichigo's descent into full time Shinigami. Though this is the 25th ending, much can be said from the imagery in this. Ichigo's journey has gone a long way from meeting Rukia to saving Rukia to saving Orihime and defeating Aizen and losing his Shinigami powers only later to retrieve them back during the Fullbring arc in order to defeat the Quincy and find out about who he really is and what he must become. See that long inconsistent sentence? Well that pretty much sums up Bleach (not the filler). Our hero and his friends have had their fair share of making friends and meeting enemies to which they are tested whether or not they are strong enough to stay by Ichigo's side. This ending, in my opinion, showcases the ups and downs of Ichigo's journey - that along the way he has met a colorful group of people who are willing to help him out, kill him, and somewhere in between. It shows both the Shinigami & Arrancar in one scene and I think that symbolizes Ichigo's struggle and ascension into a total Badass that all Bleach fans have come to known and love.

Throwback #23 - The Sister? 

Where do I begin with this? Does this cute, lovely, and innocent face remind you of anyone? Perhaps the sister of a famous, good looking, and well-liked captain or high-ranking officer of the Gotei 13? Well, do you know who she is and who she is related to? If you answered this and got Omaeda, then I'm afraid you are unfortunately right and a big WTF is in order. This and Omaeda do not look a like at all and to add more insult to injury, she is considered the "ugliest" of the Omaeda siblings. REALLY? REALLY now? That's pretty funny since the older sister looks like Omaeds with hair & the brother is a dork. This lovely face unfortunately was injured (hopefully not killed) by BG9, but Omaeda's face shows his genuine concern, love, and care for his sister despite the idea that she is, in Omaeda's opinion, the ugly one. No no no - OMAEDA is the ugly one who may be tall and stupid at times, but he's likely to show some pair of balls when the going gets tough (and later puss out). But the sister, though innocent, has one of the cutest and unlikely relations to a Bleach character I've ever seen. I mean I know this is some sort of joke, but damn - you don't think that this face is related to Omaeda, the nose-picking, bumbling, and comedic Lieutenant under the more serious, diligent, and stealth force captain Sui-Feng. Overall, WTF (lol).

I do apologize once again for not being able to post Saturdays. I am possibly thinking of getting rid of this segment due to my forgetful nature of not posting on weekends + school. I will continue posting Sundays, but Saturdays is unlikely to continue. Please comment or email me if you'd like me to continue Saturday posts on Bleach music. Until then, look forward to tomorrow's fight night post and yeah, we'll see about Saturdays. You all stay classy now!

Update (10/19/13)

Hey everyone, sorry I was unable to post anything today. I honestly forgot and it'll be one of those back-to-back posts tomorrow. Until then, look forward to tomorrow's back-to-back posts

-Stillmattic-

WBCR - The Comeback Pt. 1 (Grade A-)

Did you read today's chapter? Well if you haven't, go check it out because it's freaking awesome! The Comeback of the Shinigami has begun and the Stern Ritters find themselves in a pickle with the Shinigami's power mixing with that of a hollow's. This was a short and easy read considering it covered mainly two fights (Sui-Feng vs. BG9 & Hitsugaya vs Cang Du). Since Urahara found a way for the Shinigami to retrieve their Bankai(s) back and to make a "poison" for the Quincy, the Shinigami have the home court advantage. The chapter pretty much is this:

+ Hitsugaya gets his Bankai back and defeats Cang Du
+ Sui-Feng gets her Bankai back and blasts BG9
+ Hitsugaya's Bankai Form

- Too Short

And that's honestly it. The Hitsugaya fight was elaborated on with Cang Du commenting that Bankai(s) don't have souls, but Cang Du was naive and got his ass handed to him. In a desperate attempt to showoff his true power, it was too late for Cang Du at the end - he was no match for the Ice Dragon. So there's not much to say other than the Shinigami are coming after the Vandenreich all thanks to Urahara's methods. Though short, it's a perfect set-up for the badassery that's about to come. I'm going to give this week's chapter an A-. I hope you enjoyed this week's WBCR and until then, you all stay classy and look forward to next week's badass chapter. Things are happening and they're happening now - Thank you Bleach :)

BMW: That Dragon!

Affinity #16 - The Snake & Strangled (Rukia & Gin)

During Rukia's recruitment days, her older brother became captain of the 6th division whereas she was assigned to the 13th division under Ukitake Jushiro. In the midst of Byakuya's newly assigned position, Rukia, being of the Noble Kuchiki Clan, would always tag alongside her brother wherever he went. One day, she met Gin Ichimaru, newly promoted captain of the 3rd division around the same time as Byakuya himself. As the two captains conversed, Rukia felt a cold shiver throughout her body as Gin and Rukia's eyes met - like a snake strangling her. Rukia from the moment she laid her eyes on Gin despised him - the aura of Ichimaru not once changed even at Rukia's own execution. The teasing captain almost gave Rukia a sliver of hope when he agreed to help out Rukia, but he simply patted her on the head, said Just kidding, and left Rukia to shatter as her sliver of hope vanishes thanks to Gin's tease. It's hard to imagine that from first impressions or heck, first glances, Rukia despised Gin. Even the few times they talked, her opinion on him hasn't changed. I find this fascinating because Gin, at the very end, did what he had to do to protect Rangiku - even if it meant becoming the most convincing bad guy ever. So even in death, Rukia's previous thoughts on Gin were that of hatred and remorse, but what would've happen if Rukia saw past that - saw Gin's true colors? Well it couldn't be helped because in order to become a convincing bad guy - you gotta be bad, act cold and untrustworthy towards others, and pretty much go alongside the team that wishes to do more harm than good (aka Aizen).

I hope you enjoyed this week's Affinity. Until then, look forward to tomorrow's chapter review and you all stay classy now! 

Death God's Bebop (Track #13) - Alones + Throwback #22 - It's a Fight (Ichigo vs. Ganju)

Remember this opening? Now only does it show Orihime almost kissing Ichigo (Ichihime 4 Life), but this opening opens a new chapter in the Bleach universe - the world of the Arrancars. This is probably my favorite opening and favorite arc because Ichigo, Uryu, Chad, Rukia, & Renji have had their fair share of fights against various Arrancars. Ever since Aizen's defection, their's been a gap of action in Bleach. We're not counting the Bount Arc because that is technically considered filler and there was less emphasis on fighting than just trying to lay out a new world w/new bad guys - though it didn't leave any expectations from me other than to see Aizen and his reign of power come reigning down on the Soul Society. I like this opening not only because of the beat, the artist, and the overall imagery in the opening - but the feeling that this is returning to where we left off in Bleach when Aizen defected - it's about time, ya know? No offense to those with liked the Bount Arc, but it didn't do it for me - it was slow, talky, and the enemies weren't as interesting as, do I dare day, the fullbringers or heck, even the Zanpaktou manifestations? So this opening marks my favorite arc n time in Bleach and when it comes down to it, that's all we wanna see - Bleach, no BS, just fighting, continuing story, and kick ass amounts of fights.

Throwback #22 - It's a Fight (Ichigo vs. Ganju)

Ah yes, who could forget this comedic madness? Before Ichigo fought Ikkaku, Renji, Kenpachi, Byakuya, and even rescuing Rukia from her demise - Ichigo had to face Ganju, the certified #1 Shinigami hater. This dates back to Ganju's past where he holds a specific grudge against the Shinigami who killer Kaien Shiba, Rukia Kuchiki. Though Rukia regrets it and it was all a misunderstanding on the Shiba's side, Ganju couldn't forget that face. However, later tensions would ease and all would be forgiven once the story was elaborated on by Ukitake, Kaien Shiba's superior and Rukia's captain. So this fight scene between Ichigo & Ganju served as comic relief, but there's more to it. Later on, way later, Ichigo is related to the Shiba clan, but he is unaware of this fact. This relates to more on why Ichigo and Kaien look and somehow act the same manner. Ichigo pretty much is a cousin/relative to Ganju & Kukaku (BEEWBS). Ichigo and Ganju's meeting, to me, was destined for something more than to end a rivalry, but to create an enduring friendship that started with Rukia's sentencing. If it wasn't for Rukia, Ichigo would have never met anyone and we wouldn't have had Bleach. That is why every character, even Ganju, had a key role in Ichigo's life. Ganju, though angry with Shinigami, came to appreciate them and, when fighting Ichigo, stood toe-to-toe with him with his skills and talents of sand. Thanks to Ganju and Kukaku, we learn more about Ichigo as the story unfolds for our hero.

Well I hope you enjoyed today's back-to-back posts. There will be no post tomorrow. Until then, you all stay classy now!

Update (10/13/13)

Sorry for not being able to post yesterday Death God's Bebop. I honestly forgot to post it, but later on today, look forward to back-to-back posts (Death God's Bebop + Throwback). Also, I will be unable to post tomorrow (Monday, 10/14) due to other obligations. I want to apologize again for not being on time with posts. Until then, look forward to today's 2 posts & Tueday's Affinity post. Fight Night Monday will resume 10/21/13.

- Stillmattic -

WBCR - The Quincy's Poison (Grade A)

So did you read this week's chapter? Informative, funny, and satisfying, this chapter does its best to explain the situation on Bankai, Quincy's "poison," and the man behind it all - Bleach's own Kisuke Urahara. I thoroughly enjoyed this lengthy chapter (the dialogue made it lengthy) and when it comes to Kisuke Urahara - you know he's got some trick up his sleeve. Because with him, you know he's pretty smart and knows what he's doing, but the idea that he's nonchalantly happy-go-lucky is what makes it all the more investing to see how his mind and process works. In a nutshell, he develops the Shineiyaku (Shadow-invading pills), pills that are absorbed by those with Bankai that'll permeate throughout one's soul. With this, Hitsugaya managed to land a hit on Stern Ritter I, "Iron" Cang Du, the man who stole his Bankai and wounded Rangiku (Please don't die Rangiku, I love you!). The chapter starts off as comic relief when Mayuri was about to hang up on Kisuke's transmissions, but it was all a trick as Urahara was nearby. Everyone is now alerted of Kisuke's pill and with this, the Shinigami may stand a chance against the Quincy. However, one thing caught my attention on this week's chapter - Urahara's explanation on why the Quincy can't steal an Arrancar's resurreccion. This is what I got from it, the reason why Quincy exterminate the Arrancar is because their resurreccion is detrimental. The Quincy have no defense against hollows, indicating why they must kill hollows and why Quincy can't undergo hollowfication. So the next best option is to make everyone's Bankai pretty much hollowfy (mixing Bankai & a part of a Hollow's power) and BINGO - the poison needed to defeat the Quincy and to regain Bankai once more.

Overall I get what's going on. Because of Quincy's resentment of the Hollows, they are powerless against them and as such, have no choice but to either use them or eradicate them (without taking their full power). I like that Urahara is trynna make everyone pretty much like Ichigo (have hollow power) in order to defeat the Quincy. I didn't think there was anything negative in this chapter, it's set-up for the kickass action that's to come.

+ Kisuke Urahara
+ Shineiyaku
+ Quincy's "poison"
+ Mayuri and Urahara's comic relief

BMW: The Comeback

Affinity #15 - One big family (The Omaeda)

The Omaeda family seems like any ordinary family, but there's one thing that I found unusual about this group of people - look at the little sister. I mean she doesn't look remotely close to any of her siblings or heck, even her parents. So WTF is going through my mind when it comes to this weird family. I mean the older sister looks like a female version of Marechiyo and the younger brother looks like a dork with glasses + looks like Marechiyo. Yeah, the older sister and younger brother like Marechiyo, but with their youngest sister - she looks nothing like her family members and is even gone so far as to be called or considered ugly by Marechiyo himself. Again, WTF on this because she has to the cutest girl in the family excluding the looks of everyone's large, jolly, and big personality. So this week's Affinity tackles Marechiyo's affinity with her family. Well it goes without saying because family will always be there, but in the recent chapters surrounding Marechiyo and the youngest sister - Marechiyo was extremely pissed when his sister was impaled by BG9. So will Marechiyo deliver justice along with Sui-Feng on this Stern Ritter or will he do whatever he can to save his dear sister from dying before him. Even though he's the older brother, he still cares for her regardless of what she looks like. And her impalement just proves that Marechiyo does care and that he will kick anyone's ass to ensure that they are safe, sound, and out of harm's way. So this marks the Omaeda family - though not expanded on, the older brother, younger brother, and little sister are close.

I hope you enjoyed this week's brief Affinity. Until then, you all stay classy now!

Revisiting - Vegeta vs. Ikkaku (Craving the Fight)

VS

So one of the fights I've neglected to expand on was the Vegeta vs. Ikkaku fight in which I gave the clear victory to Ikkaku clearly on the basis that Vegeta is more hotheaded than Ikkaku + Ikkaku calculates his opponents more. But let's be honest, I was lazy that day and I was only thinking of brains over brawn. That's not fair since both are known for their strength, their rivalry/friendship with their equal, and their admiration of fighting stronger and stronger opponents to best themselves. So let's reevaluate this one more time because let's be honest, there were fight night Mondays in which I was either lazy or unable to expand on a certain character. We're not gonna go off history or anything, but let's decide the main factor - their fights

Ikkaku: Ikkaku has had his fair of victories over defeats. The most notable defeat in his life was against Zaraki Kenpachi and after that, Ichigo. However, the most disappointing fight of em all was his fight against Choe Neng Poww, in which he failed to protect one of the barriers protecting the Human World & Soul Society. This not only was disappointing, but he lost simply because he is secretive about his Bankai. YES - Ikkaku lost because he has a secret he doesn't want the whole Soul Society to know. This leaves him weak at some points, but when it came to fighting Edrad, he showed off his Bankai since no one was around. But with Poww, he had a choice to fight at full strength, but didn't. This leaves Ikkaku at a big ass disadvantage when it comes to fighting strong opponents - he simply would die than to let his Bankai be shown...and that's not fair on Ikkaku.

Vegeta: Oh boy, Vegeta is by far one of the most badass characters in all of Anime. The catchphrase everyone knows pretty much sums up Vegeta. He's had his fair share of losses against Goku, Frieza, Cell, Majin Buu, and the list can go on. But that doesn't mean Vegeta's weak - he bested Frieza's underlings, the Ginyu Force, Nappa, and again the list can go on. But what makes his defeats pretty bad is that he dies and later resurrected thanks to the Dragon Balls. But to think Vegeta is a hothead, well he is. But think - he is Goku's equal- he can mess up Piccolo, Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, and Yajirobe anyday. He can go all the way to SS4 and that's quite a feat since he and Goku can accomplish that. I mean yeah he is short-tempered, but we all know - he power level has excelled beyond 9000!!!!!!!!

Verdict: So in terms of power, let's decide this once and for all on one factor - Ikkaku's Bankai and Super Saiyan 4 Vegeta. Now once is afraid to show off and the other clearly doesn't mind at all. The problem is Ikkaku no confidence whatsoever to showcase what he's capable off because he wants to remain under Kenpachi's command. But for Vegeta, he may be a follower undr Goku, but he has proven to be a badass #2 as he & the Saiyans do their upmost to kick alien ass - in style. So this revisiting of my fight night post will change as the victor will be....

So who do you think won this fight? Don't judge the previous post, judge this one. I hope you enjoyed my revisiting of an old fight night post and until then, you all stay classy! 

Throwback #21 - Like Butter (Ichigo vs. Urahara)

Remember this moment? Remember how that sword was easily cut by the Crimson Princess? Man that was awesome, but it showcases that our hero must become stronger if he is to rescue the damsel in distress. So this training scene is where our hero, Ichigo, is faced with Kisuke Urahara - the former 12th captain of the Gotei 13. Ichigo tries to best Urahara, believing Urahara couldn't possibly own a Zanpaktou. But surprise surprise - Kisuke Urahara does wield a zanpaktou. This leaves Ichigo getting easily owned by Urahara and his zanpaktou easily cut through by Benihime, the name of Urahara's zanpaktou. I like this training scene for many reasons - Ichigo's being pushed to a corner, Ichigo fighting Urahara is unlocking his true potential, but most importantly - Kisuke Urahara is a badass. He seriously wants to buff up Ichigo, but if Ichigo doesn't put in the work or effort, Urahara was serious about killing him if Ichigo persisted to fight with his broken sword (in the picture). Ichigo clearly is afraid of Urahara, underestimating him. Urahara, in subbed and dubbed, sounds badass and with Benihime, it's no wonder Ichigo couldn't best him. But when unlocking his true potential and overcoming all the trials, Ichigo wields his weirdly-shaped Zanpaktou and manages to overcome the trial - un-hatting Kisule Urahara. Yes - the trial was just getting rid of Kisuke's hat and it soon became a life-or-death scenario for our hero. I can tell you - if Ichigo kept fighting with his dinky sword, then Urahara would really have ended him *snap* just like that. So this is one of the most memorable training scenes in all of Bleach.

I hope you enjoyed this week's Throwback. Until then, you all stay classy!

Death God's Bebop (Track #12) - Hanabi

The 7th ending of Bleach can best be described in 2 words: GIRL POWER! This is one of the first endings where a lot of the Shinigami women are featured + occasional men. The song is titled Hanabi and in my opinion, is a pretty chill Bleach ending because not only the song sang beautifully, but the Bleach women are  symbolized by their beauty, growth, strength, and determination. I like the pairs to - the 4th division, Orihime & Rukia, Yoruichi & Sui-Feng, and surprisingly enough - Nemu & Momo. Do you see that everyday? No. Do you see them lie around in a circle? No. Is it cool to see it - Yes. Some say that a lot of Bleach endings are catchy and whatnot, but it's rare that a ending can capture the essence and heart of Bleach's characters - men & women alike. I mean a lot of endings capture Bleach, but you could argue that some are more action-packed than others or just showcasing the content of the character's growth and power. But when there's no fighting in the opening or ending and just shows the characters - I think that itself capture that these too are characters - we are invested in this world and we'd like to see them. So I think the essence of the circle at the end symbolizes endurance, friendship, and that bonds can be formed between just about anyone - whether Shinigami & human.

I hope you enjoyed this week's Death God's Bebop. Until then, you all stay classy now!

WBCR - The Burner Finger 2!!! (Grade A-)

Oh boy, Bazz-B is killing me. In the previous chapter, he uses 1 finger to pretty much inflict damage on Captain Hitsugaya. However, Bazz-B clearly states that his attack is titled: Burner Finger 1. So that means if he can inflict a lot of damage to Hitsugaya with just 1 finger, just imagine what would happen if he uses 2 fingers. Well, guess what - he uses two fingers. And what's the name of the attack? Well, it's called Burner Finger 2. Hitsugaya tries to get away from Bazz-B' by using mist and even setting up a trap, but Bazz-B proves to be too much for Hitsugaya as his sword is now broke, Bazz-B mocking the ice captain's abilities and short-thinking. Meanwhile, the 1st Division has problems on their own as Kyoraku & Nanao face Jugram.Haschwalth. Nanao expresses that she is well-known for her Kido, developing a barrier titled Hakudan Keppeki (White Rejection Barrier). The surprising thing is that no one else can do this but Nanao, but Jugram states that if everyone used Nanao's "Hakudan Keppeki," then they could last longer against the enemy. As a result Hitsugaya and Sui-Feng are pretty much out of the picture....or are they? BURNER FINGER #2 pretty much inflicted heavy damage on Hitsugaya. However, Bazz-B didn't finish him off, leaving the Stern Ritter who took Hitsugaya's Bankai to administer his execution. On the hand,  Mayuri is smart enough to fight without a Bankai, but all of a sudden - hope comes in the form of Kisuke Urahara, alerting Mayuri that there's a way to get everyone's Bankai back. So this brings me question -what is this method Urahara speaks of? Will it be smart or stupid? Retrieving one's Bankai after it's stolen, Tite Kubo better explain it enough so that I can understand and possibly accept this big big news.

Overall, I give this chapter an A- because the Stern Ritter aren't to be messed with and I'm curious to know of Urahara's words - is it legit or sh*t? We won't know until next week, but until then, Imma give this week's chapter an A-

+ Burner Finger #2
+ Kisuke Urahara
+ Mayuri can find without a Bankai
+ Nanao and her kidou abilities

- Hitsugaya beaten way too easily along with Sui-Feng

BMW:
BURNER FINGER #2

Affinity #14 - The Womanizer & Responsible (The new 1st Divison!)

Captain Shunsui Kyoraku & Nanao Ise were once the body and soul of the 8th division up until Captain Yamamoto's death at the hands of the treacherous quincy leader,  Juha Bach, leaving the 8th division captain & his lieutenant to fill the vacant seat of 1st division Captain & Lieutenant alongside Genshiro Okikiba, former 3rd seat of the 1st division now co-lieutenant with Nanao. The Drunk, lazy, and womanizing man now has some big shoes to fill now that the Old Man hit the bucket, but fear not - he is not to be trifled with. Even Nanao, with her glasses, responsible attitude, & disgust of her captain's womanizing - is not to be messed with. Kyoraku has a fine balance of being serious & laying back - meaning he's an adjustable captain capable of controlling how he feels and acts. Upon Captain Yamamoto's death however, Kyoraku has taken on a more serious note as he, alongside Nanao, try to enforce the Soul Society's defenses. On the hand, in the past, Nanao saw Kyoraku & Ukitake fight Captain Yamamoto when they helped aid the Ryoka in stopping Rukia's execution, but Nanao, not knowing firsthand Captain Yamamoto's spiritual pressure, fainted and was convinced that even two captain-class Shinigami weren't enough to stop the Old Man's wrath. Nanao has wanted to join  Captain Kyoraku's division since her role-model/big-sister figure, Lisa Yadomaru, was the previous Lieutenant. A lot of Lisa's attributes have passed onto the now responsible Nanao as she, alongside her Captain, fill in the 1st Division void as they strive to defend the Soul Society from the Quincy.

I hope you enjoyed this affinity. Until then, you all stay classy now!