WBCR - Oniichan to the Rescue (Grade B+)

In last week's Bleach chapter, I thought that Rukia completely eliminated As Nodt, but contrary to that belief - he is very much alive. Not only is he alive, but he is scary as F*ck. I mean look at the picture, does that guy look dead? Nope. The only fear this being has is the wrath from his own Lord. Other than that, Rukia's abilities didn't cease As Nodt once bit as he unleashes his power - Tartar Foras (Hope I spelled that right) which translated into "Fear of God." So even if Rukia froze and manipulated her cells to her very whim, As Nodt's abilities allows him to access a person's optic nerves and flood their subconscious with fear - the despair and horrific events that transpired throughout Rukia's life now are resurfacing once more. Closing her eyes won't do any good and Rukia, aware that As Nodt is someone not to be underestimated, is at an impasse. Her training drastically enhanced her abilities, but in the end - it wasn't enough to conqueror As Nodt. And so, who else is to show up and save the damsel in distress again - Rukia's Oniichan, Byakuya Kuchiki. And that pretty much sums up the chapter. Rukia thought she won, As Nodt unleashes his power, and Byakuya shows up to save her sister. First off, I will admit, they are pulling another Mask De Masculine fight, going over multiple chapters, but I find this fight more interesting than the previous (that goes without saying). Secondly, Rukia being saved again by someone else has now become one of the most cliche things in Bleach, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's a good/bad thing. There's room for improvement, don't get me wrong, but it feels as if Rukia's training and abilities was meant for, perhaps, another opponent. Maybe Rukia's chance meeting with As Nodt is a precursor to Byakuya's arrival on his growth. That could be the case, but this then makes Rukia's abilities towards As Nodt...useless. Yes, her abilities are impressive, but again and again - it's either set up as a precursor for someone else to step in or for improvement of her abilities on someone of her caliber. So I'm going to give this week's Chapter a B+ because it showcases that there is room for improvement on Rukia's part (Don't be a Wuss Rukia, you know better than that), but also will showcase that Byakuya's abilities aren't something to underestimate. As always, look forward to WBCRs every Wednesday (unless specified) and you all stay classy now. Here's the link to this week's chapter - http://readms.com/r/bleach/568/2252/1. Look forward to Bleach Yakusho's matchup today.