Manga
Bleach Volume 32
By Chris Zimmerman August 12, 2010 - 12:53
Publisher(s): Viz Media
Writer(s): Tite Kubo
Penciller(s): Tite Kubo
ISBN: 978-1-4215-2810-6
$9.99 US
Ichigo and his allies continued assault on Hueco Mundo has
seen its fair share of rough spots with as Rukia and Chad have found themselves
struck down and Ichigo himself has been on the receiving end of Ulquiorra’s
wrath. Now the final battle between Ichigo and Grimmjow is here and while it
lacks the hype and fervor that went into the grudge match between Ichigo and
Byakuya, the payoff in none the less a one two punch of action that is as
satisfying as it is disappointing.
With a full volume dedicated to the fight between the two,
the action is fast and explosive. In a departure from past battles, Tite Kubo
chooses to switch it up a bit, infusing Grimmjow with a unique fighting style
that allows the fight to stand out from previous battles. While we also get the
usual tension hinting between a romance between Ichigo and Orihime, story
progression is relatively zero.
Therein lies the problem with this volume and the arc in
general. So far it’s been a retread of the Soul Society arc minus the emotional
drama that made the series suspenseful and interesting to read. Rather than
attempt to move the plot forward, Kubo has leapt from one fight after another
with no end in sight as Ichigo still looks to be far from Aizen’s level and
more than half the Espadas remain.
Also included is a bonus chapter that takes readers back to
the early days of fan favorite character Hitsugaya, showing what influenced him
to become a soul reaper. Though not really memorable, it should satisfy fans of
the character who has been absent recently from the series.
All in all, Bleach volume 32 isn’t the strongest entry in
the series but in regards to this current arc, it so far stands head and
shoulders above everything else.