Review: The Battle (Bleach #59) by Tite Kubo

Title: The Battle

Series: Bleach #59

Author: Tite Kubo

Genre: YA, manga, fantasy

Publication date: February 2014

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis:

After the defeat of the Soul Reapers by the mysterious group of warriors calling themselves the Vandenreich, Ichigo heads to the royal palace to heal his wounds. With that accomplished, it’s time to get stronger! But does Ichigo have what it takes to survive some super-intense training?!

My rating: ★★★★★
This book started off amazingly with Renji and Ichigo arguing. Lol.


I love these idiots and their stupid faces. Lol. I just love the humor in this series—it always makes me laugh. Anyway, these idiots are onto the next step in their... training? I guess? After bathing and healing they’re off to get their strength back by eating some yummy food. There’s more to it than that... One of the Squad Zero reapers has this cool ability relating to the food she cooks and her energy and whatnot, and I’m just really enjoying learning about Squad Zero because they have some really cool abilities.

We also learn where mod souls come from as well as Zanpakutos, which was very interesting! I actually never gave it much thought where a Zanpakuto came from, so I loved learning about it.

And here is a super cool pic of Ichigo and Renji (and Kon being an idiot lol):

Anyway, the thing I was really excited to get to was the Unohana thing because WTF! I mean, in the last volume we are left with the cliffhanger that she was the first Kenpachi?! Excuse me WHAT?! She is sweet and she is a healer while Kenpachi Zaraki is savage and loves killing things and I’m just like...

But there is a reason why they’re both so different and yet were both Kenpachi... and it actually makes a lot of sense...

Throughout this series I don’t think we’ve ever seen Kenpachi at his actual true power. I mean, it’s why he has the eyepatch. He learned to restrain himself in order to enjoy fighting indefinitely. While Unohana learned to heal so she could heal herself in order to be able to fight forever and ever. It makes sense! I thought that was very interesting. We also learn that before she was a Captain, Unohana was the most notorious criminal EVER! What?! And after she became Captain she basically built the 11th squad to what it is known as today. Crazy stuff. I really appreciated the flashbacks we got of Kenpachi and Unohana to sort of fill in that back story of the first time they fought each other. And I say the “first time” because they fight once again in this volume, and it was intense AF! We’ve never seen Unohanah lose her cool before, not until this book. And let me tell you, she is damn scary 😨 The fight was also emotional because Kenpachi had to kill Unohana!! Ugh! Quit killing everyone I love! 😭

Back to Ichigo now: One of the things in the show that was never resolved was when Ichigo found out his dad was a Soul Reaper and there was more to the story, about his past, that he never told Ichigo. Ichigo told him to not sweat it and that he understood and to tell him when the time is right. Well that time NEVER happened in the show because it ended! BUT that time is now and we are finding out some interesting things about Ichigo’s parents—especially his mother because there is more to her than we initially thought! And my suspicions were confirmed...

Ichigo’s mother was a freaking Quincy!!! Omg! What?! So then we flashback to when Ichigo’s dad was a Soul Reaper Captain and Rangiku was his Lieutenant and little Toshiro was 3rd seat... it was so cute! Also, Ichigo’s dad is related to Kukaku and Ganju!!! Remember them? OMG! Anyway, back to the Quincy thing... The flashback then takes us to the world of the living where we meet Ichigo’s mom who is living with Uruyu’s dad?! OMG! And they were to be married to keep the Quincy line pure! OMG!

As you can see, I obviously loved this volume! There were a ton of cool and interesting revelations that just about gave me a heart attack... multiple times 😂 I am beyond excited to find out more about Ichigo’s parents in the next volume!

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a link to your review or comment below! 😊