Bleach 25 cover is courtesy of barnesandnoble.com.

Rated “T” for “Teen”

Ichigo “Strawberry” Kurosaki certainly never asked to be born with the ability to see ghosts.  Still, the ability is his, so Ichigo’s meeting with a young woman named Rukia Kuchiki changes his life forever when she introduces him to the world of the Soul Reapers.  Now, Ichigo is also Reaper, cleansing lost souls called Hollows and protecting the innocent.

As Bleach, Vol. 25 (entitled No Shaking Throne) opens, Ichigo is still smarting over his defeat at the hands of the Arrancar, Grimmjow.  The only way he can get stronger is to gain mastery of the Hollow inside his body – easier said than done.  Ichigo turns to the Visoreds, rogue Soul Reapers who have been “Hollowfied,” but it could cost him his life.

THE LOWDOWN:  There’s a reason Bleach has expanded out of Japan to become an international manga hit.  It’s just f****** good.  It reminds me of the best of Frank Miller’s comic book work, like Daredevil, Ronin, and the Elektra stories.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Readers who search for the cream of the crop in manga titles will find it in Bleach.

A