Bleach - Anime Review

[AnimeSpirit]

Despite what the name may suggest, the series has nothing to do with cleaning products. Bleach is a series about a teenage boy name Ichigo Kurusaki (Image #1 below) who has the ability to see the spirits of the dearly departed. He lives with his dad and two younger sisters, goes to school, and otherwise lives a fairly normal life.



One night, a mysterious young woman named Rukia Kuchiki (Image #2 below) leaps in through his bedroom window. She was dressed in black and carried a sword at her side. She was quite suprised when Ichigo revealed that he could see her as clearly as any other person. Rukia revealed that she was a soul reaper, a spiritual entity with two main duties: delivering departed souls to the afterlife and defeating the violent spirits known as Hollows. She had been tracking a hollow which was homing in on someone with immense spirit energy.



Shortly after their introduction, Ichigo's home is attacked by a giant hollow, bent on ripping his house apart. Rukia quickly jumps into action, but so does Ichigo. When Ichigo tries to fight off the hollow, Rukia steps in the way and is injured. Her only chance was to offer her powers to Ichigo in order to defeat the hollow. With Rukia's blade, Ichigo pierces his own chest. In a blinding flash of light, his physical body falls to the ground. Standing over Ichigo's body was Ichigo in soul reaper form, dressed in black and carrying a massive Zanpakuto (soul reaper sword). He quickly defeats the hollow and begins his new line of work as a reaper of souls.

The series has a very entertaining storyline for the fan who digs a good demonic-combat anime, which is quickly becoming popular in Japan. The series has many different characters both battle-hardened and hilariously goofy. I would recommend it to any fan of action anime.