Bleach, Vol. 29

I read this volume after watching the anime, and it is after the fact that I caught something. Dordoni says something about Ichigo "becoming a monster", and that is important! Other than that, a good battle for Uryu and his comic relief "friend", Peschi.

There's just no end to the fighting in Hueco Mundo, and it doesn't look like it will be stopping anytime soon. Instead "Bleach Volume 29" is basically a trio of explosive superhuman battle scenes, which occasionally hit "pause" so Tite Kubo can pile on some goofy physical and verbal comedy. I just wish something OTHER than fighting would happen. Ichigo's fight with Dordoni takes a nasty turn when the young Soul Reaper refuses to use his bankai against a lesser arrancar -- and Dordoni retaliates by targeting the "bebe" Nel, especially after she swallows and regurgitates his cero. To protect the slobbery little girl, Ichigo unleashes his full power against Dordoni. Meanwhile, Renji is racing around Los Noches with Dondachakko chasing him and blubbering. This will presumably lead somewhere. And Uryu and Chad have their own battles to fight, and new powers to reveal -- Chad's battle with a minor arrancar reveals a shocking new side to his powers. And Uryu (along with the dippy Pesche) faces off against a mocking arrancar girl whose powers provoke him to draw a new weapon he "borrowed" from his dad: the Seele Schneider, a deadly energy sword. Incongruously, there's also a hilarious four-page short called "Bleach at the Beach," in which various characters (for no explained reason) are having a sand-sculpture competition on the beach. Yachiru tortures Ikkaku, Rangiku corrupts Orihime, the Kuchiki family flaw is revealed, and poor Ukitake completely overheats (with funny consequences). "Bleach Volume 29" is a nice solid slice of "Bleach," if you don't mind that the entire thing is basically made up of people one-upping each other with new'n'improved superpowers (in classic shonen tradition). Lots of explosions, dust clouds, weird Hollow powers, and the occasional gross interlude with Nel (who apparently has magical healing saliva... so guess how she makes owies better). And Kubo occasionally breaks from all the action to provide something else, such as the spurts of weird humor ("You're proud of your whites? You sound like a detergent commercial!"), although for some reason Dordoni (or "Don Panini") keeps making weird slashy remarks about how Ichigo is "soft and sweet like chocolate." And occasionally Kubo dips into what Aizen and the Espada are doing during all these fights -- including one who seems inclined to do what he wants, regardless of Aizen's wishes. Obviously Kubo doesn't weave a lot of character development into a volume that's mostly fightcentric, but he does manage a bit of it, including for the minor villains -- Dordoni is kind of a goofball, but is revealed to have his own brand of honor and respect for Ichigo. Pesche is worse with names than Ichigo. And Uryu steps smoothly back into his "buttkicking Quincy" role now that his powers have returned. "Bleach Volume 29" is heavy on fights and short on plot, but the fights are still pretty solid and speckled with humor. And I'd love to see what Aporro has coming for Our Heroes.