Bleach – Aizen’s secret weapon against Genryusai Yamamoto
With almost all the captains and vice-captains from the Gotei 13 down from Aizen’s assault, it falls to Yamamoto Genryusai and Ichigo to defend Karakura town. Picking off from the previous issue, Aizen easily takes out Soifon, Toshiro, Kyoraku, and Hirako in one well swoop. He doesn’t kill them but incapacitates them so that they can watch how the battle unfolds and eventually ends (which is the number one mistake of all villains, lol). Stepping up to the plate to take on Aizen next is the most powerful shinigami in the Gotei 13 – Yamamoto Genryusai.
Battle starts with Aizen mocking the old captain. The two exchange words and then Aizen moves in for a sudden and deadly attack. He impales Genryusai in the gut with his blade. However when it looked like it was all over, it turns out that this was part of Yamamoto’s plan. He grabs Aizen’s arm, locks him into place, and uses one of his most destructive techniques ever. A hellish inferno that would engulf and turn everything into ashes. This attack would even kill all the surviving shinigami in the battlefield!
Remember Magic: the Gathering card games? There was a term there called “sideboards”. These cards are practically useless in normal play but they can defeat one or two kinds of cards easily. That was their only purpose. Aizen reveals his sideboard against Yamamoto – Wonderweiss the Arancar. Apparently Wonderweiss was modified and made just to counter Ryujin Jaka (Yamamoto’s fire Zanpaktou).
Wonderweiss can extinguish the flames, leaving Yamamoto without the awesome fiery powers of his Zanpaktou. Issue ends with Aizen towering over the last remaining Shinigami captain.
Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi reunited
Naruto Manga 484 reunites Team 7: Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi. This is one of the more exciting and disturbing issues released. First we see how Sasuke has fallen badly into his hatred and frustration with Konoha to the point that he won’t flinch with the idea of killing his former comrades and friends.
One of the most haunting parts of the issue was when Naruto was speeding towards the encounter. He remembers key moments in his past which involved his elders and even Itachi telling him that maybe the best thing he can do for Sasuke is to kill him. Other than Itachi, he also thinks back to what the Raikage and even Gaara said in his previous meetings with them. This really builds up the moment and sets up one hell of an epic encounter between the two former comrades.
Back in the battlefield, Kakashi barely manages to keep up with Sasuke. The Susanoo almost kills Kakashi but he’s able to blast it away with the Mangekyou Sharingan. Kakashi tries to reason with his former student but Sasuke reveals that he really doesn’t give a damn anymore and tries to do another attack. However it looks like the constant use of the Sharingan has finally taken it’s toll on Sasuke. His vision blurs and the Susanoo fades.
Sakura takes advantage of the situation by flanking Sasuke and goes for the final blow. However she hesitates and stops her attack a few seconds away before she deals the killing strike. Apparently she doesn’t have the strength and the conviction to kill the man that she fell in love with. Sasuke retaliates and moves in to kill Sakura. Kakashi desperately tries to stop him.
Naruto comes in for the save.
The stage is set for the final confrontation between Sasuke and Naruto. I can’t friggin’ wait for the next issue! 
Naruto Manga 482: Sakura confronts Sasuke
Naruto Manga 482 is out early as well. It started out boring but towards the end the pace picked up and eventually became worth the wait. Things start out with Madara and Sasuke discussing their next steps. Madara gives Sasuke instructions to rest first while he extracts the eye from Danzo’s corpse. He also advises him to kill Karin since she knows too much about them and she has nothing to offer them anymore. Talk about cold blooded right?
Meanwhile, Sakura manages to stun and escape the Konoha ninjas with her so that she can confront Sasuke alone. She uses some sort of sleeping bomb to temporarily incapacitate them. She breaks away and heads for Sasuke’s direction.
Naruto, on the other hand, is stopped by Captain Yamato from getting up from bed. He explains that he should rest up and that Kakashi will be the one to take care of Sakura and Sasuke. Of course this doesn’t stop our favorite gutsy ninja. While under the covers of his sheets he manages to make a hole in the floor and attempts to escape so that he can go to where Kakashi and Sakura went to.
Back to Sasuke – he’s about to deal the final blow to Karin when Sakura manages to reach him. She calls out to her former teammate and says the most insane thing ever. Apparently Sakura wants to go rogue as well and she wants to join Sasuke. I have a feeling that she’s up to something though.
And that’s a wrap for this week’s manga issue.
Bleach Manga 392 – Aizen kicks Captain Butt
In Bleach Manga 391, the captains all ganged up on Aizen and managed to finally corner him with a series of combo attacks. It took Soifon, Kyoraku, Toshiro, and Hirako combined to actually deal a “fatal” blow. However, that was all for show. Apparently all of them were under the spell of Aizen’s illusion. Ichigo calls their attention to the bloody and sad truth. It wasn’t Aizen that they actually “killed”.
It was Hinamori!
Man. That was just sad. I literally almost shed a tear after what really happened was revealed.
Anyway, after that Aizen wipes the floor with the Vice-Captains. Screaming out in frustration and desperation, Hitsugaya flies down and blindly attacks Aizen in rage. All the other captains back him up in one final assault. However they’re all no match for Aizen and he easily takes them down with little or no effort at all.
It will be very interesting to see what will happen in the next few issues. What can the Shinigami force do against the awesome and insane power of Aizen? I mean it’s bordering already on ridiculous. x.x
PS: There’s no Bleach Manga for next week. It’s going on a break.
Naruto Manga 481 – Danzo Goes Kaboom
Naruto 481 is the conclusion between the epic battle between Sasuke and Danzo. It was revealed in the earlier issues that Danzo’s secret to multiple lives was in his right arm. He was using the Izanagi to manipulate time and space. However this skill had a time limit and he was slowly running out of Sharingan eyes to use it on. In the last issue, Danzo took Karin hostage in an attempt to slow down Sasuke’s onslaught. However, Sasuke did the unimaginable. Using a long range chidori, Sasuke impaled both Karin and Danzo.
In a last attempt to kill everyone with him, Danzo uses some sort of a self destruct technique which is really bloody. Apparently it’s a vacuum-based skill which sucked all opponents near to him which would force them to die together with him. Weird skill. Here’s a screenshot of the aftermath:
Fortunately though Sasuke and Madara were able to escape it. Now they plan to move on to attack Konoha.
In the other part of the issue, Sakura tries to leave her team and go after Sasuke herself. She tries to use a bomb of sorts to escape but Sai stops her and the groups tries to reason with her that they should go as a team. This girl is really weird and is in for a brutal death. I mean, Sasuke killed Karin. He can easily take down Sakura if he wanted to as well.
Personally this issue is a major milestone because it shows two things about Sasuke:
1. He is insanely powerful to the point that he can kill Danzo with his multiple Izanagis.
2. He is insanely evil because he does not hesitate to kill his friends and allies.
Can’t wait to see how Naruto will deal with his former best friend.
Naruto 479 – Izanagi and the Karmic Strike
Naruto Manga 479 deconstructs the Izanagi technique of the Sharingan and ends in another thrilling cliffhanger which will definitely make you anticipate next week’s Naruto Manga 480. In this issue, Tobi and Karin both figure out the Izanagi. According to the explanations scattered all over this issue, it’s basically a technique where Danzo can manipulate reality and illusion for 60 seconds then the eye that cast the spell will permanently close. This enables him to “fake” his deaths and reappear. Since he has 10 eyes on his arm, he can supernaturally extend the duration. There was also a part in the issue where he says that it will take some time before he can use his arm again after all 10 eyes expire, which means there’s a way for him to regenerate the powers of the eyes in his arm. Scary.
Despite the Izanagi, Danzo is still having a hard time beating Sasuke’s Susanoo. In one attempt, he summons a Tapir which literally sucks in the entire place which immobilizes the Susanoo. Danzo attacks from behind and uses the Tapir’s vacuum to amplify his air attack. He manages to break through the defense of Sasuke and closes in for the kill. However, Sasuke is a quick thinker and uses a fireball to shut the Tapir’s mouth and lands a solid punch with Susanoo on Danzo, sending the Hokage crashing to the ground.
Sasuke figures out the duration of the Izanagi and decides to continue to go all out so he can force Danzo to expire all 10 eyes. In the last part of the issue, Danzo launches one final physical attack after Sasuke’s Susanoo finally fades. Sasuke responds by covering his sword with electricity and also attacks. The two end up dealing a karmic strike, piercing one another with their blades. What happens next? Naruto Manga issue 480 next week will have the answer.
Personally, I have a feeling Sasuke cast a spell using his Mangekyou Sharingan before both blows connected.
Naruto Manga 477 – Danzo Invincible?
Naruto Manga 477 continues the epic battle between Danzo and Sasuke. Despite using Susanoo to crush Danzo’s body to pieces, Danzo is still alive and appears behind Sasuke. This actually happens again for several times and Danzo keeps appearing again despite getting brutally slaughtered by Susanoo. In fact at one point he’s hit by Amaterasu. This really makes you wonder what the true power is of his Sharingan covered right arm. Are those eyes like extra lives or something?
Karin tries to analyze the Chakra flow to figure out what’s going on. Based on her initial scan, this isn’t genjutsu since the chakra isn’t being disturbed. The Danzos aren’t clones as well. Towards the end of the issue it looks like she figures something out but it’s not totally revealed (we’ll have to wait for the next issue to find out what she discovered). One thing is for sure, defeating Danzo is not a walk in the park and we definitely haven’t seen the full extent of his powers yet.
Maybe this is the reason why Madara brought out Sasuke? To figure out how Danzo actually fights so that he has a better chance of taking down Danzo after Sasuke falls?
Anyway, just when it looks like all is lost already for Sasuke, he uses a technique which catches even Danzo off guard. the trademark black crows appear out of nowhere and standing beside Danzo is a ghost that he definitely didn’t expect to see in the battlefield – Itachi.
This might be another technique that Itachi impressed on Sasuke – similar to the automatic Amaterasu upon seeing Madara’s Sharingan. At this point your guess is just as good as mine… we all have to wait for Naruto Manga 478 (2 week wait really sucks btw).
Bleach 245: Captain Commander Yamamoto Trapped?
Bleach 245 picks up with Kuchiki Byakuya’s battle with Zaraki Kenpachi. Sadly we won’t be able to see the epic conclusion of their match since their battle is unceremoniously interrupted by the Zanpaktou of Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Ashisogi Jizo. Using the confusion and poison cloud as cover, Byakuya manages to escape with the help of Senbonzakura who manages to throw Ichigo into the poison cloud.
As the Shinigami regroup, Yachiru manages to “pin” down Ashisogi Jizo. This girl really scares the hell out of me. I’ve never seen her seriously fight before and yet she just plays around with such a powerful Zanpaktou. Anyway, before the “thing” can go Bankai, Kenpachi grabs it by the mouth, silencing it. Before he strikes it down, Mayuri enters the scene and presses a button which makes Ashisogi Jizo self-destruct.
Captain Retsu Unohana shows up with the rest of the 4th squad and starts healing everyone from the poison of Ashisogi Jizo, much to the chagrin of Mayuri.
On the other side of the battlefield, Soifon is engaged in mortal combat with her Zanpaktou, Suzumebachi. She barely manages to avoid getting hit twice because she’s having a hard time coping up with the speed and the small frame of Suzumebachi. However she manages to finally reign in her Zanpaktou after she uses Demon Flash to protect where Suzumebachi attacks. She follows up with a brutal slash, defeating her Zanpaktou.
At the end of the episode, it’s revealed that Captain Commander Yamamoto is being held captive by several Zanpaktou. I’m not sure but they look like the swords of Shunsui and Ukitake plus one more unknown Zanpaktou. Maybe it’s the Zanpaktou of Yamamoto?
Anyway, Bleach 245 was a blast. Hopefully Bleach 246 can also be as exciting.
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Level Up Live 2009 Group Cosplay: Orc Hero
There were more Group Cosplay participants this year compared to the previous Level Up Live events that I’ve attended. One of my favorites was the Ragnarok Online Orc Hero Cosplay. The acting wasn’t really too good but at least it was pretty entertaining. I also loved how much effort, creativity, and innovation the guys had in making their costumes.
The scene starts with two knights flirting with one another.
Then apparently some Assassin Cross comes in and lures the Orc Hero to the unsuspecting party. The Orc Hero literally goes on a rampage and goes ballistic on the party.
The party is engaged in a brutal fight with the Orc Hero.
Eventually thought they manage to take it down and they even get a Orc Hero Helmet! 
Again, good job to this Cosplay Group! There are definitely some things that can still be improved but it was a very good effort.
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Naruto Shippuuden 134: Sasuke & Itachi
Naruto Shippuuden 134 lays the groundwork for a series of epic battles by some of the most interesting characters in the cast. First we have Naruto and his team facing off with Tobi. We also have Sasuke finally confronting his brother, Itachi. If they will base the fights on the Manga, then the next few episodes should be nothing short of explosive!
NARUTO SHIPPUUDEN 134
The episode starts off a bit slow but eventually picks up pace when we see Sasuke walking inside a dark cave and he meets his brother Itachi, The two have an exchange of words before Sasuke makes a move, impaling Itachi with a Chidori-like sword attack. However, Itachi is just an illusion. Before he fades away, the illusion tells Sasuke to meet him alone in the old Uchiha hideout where they will finally put an end to their sibling rivalry.
Sasuke gathers the troops and heads out. On his way to the hideout, he’s finally spotted by one of the clones of Naruto. Without any hesitation, Sasuke destroys the clone with a Chidori and speedily moves along. Naruto picks up on his trail and alerts the Konoha team. However they’re stopped on their tracks and blocked from moving onward by the mysterious and insanely Akatsuki member, Tobi (of course we all know better, right?).
Tobi literally plays around with the entire team, using a teleportation-like jutsu to move around quickly and avoiding almost all of the attacks Naruto throws.
Back to Sasuke’s team, they’re also stopped by Kisame. Sasuke gets permission to move forward but the rest of the team has to stay back. Episode ends with Sasuke finally making his way to Itachi and Naruto trying to figure out a way on how to move past Tobi.
I really can’t wait for Naruto Shippuuden 135! Hopefully the fight between Itachi and Sasuke starts already. I’d hate for the next episode to be a boring and long conversation between the two which actually intros the actual fight in another ep.
