Welcome back for another episode of My Taste is Better Than Yours! Our Jump Kaiju tennis match continues, as Samu serves up another arc of Bleach for me to take a swing at. This time it’s a big one, regarded by many as the series’ best – “Soul Society”. So is it an ace or a double-fault?
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August 14, 2025 at 10:23 amIt’s always great to hear your opinions on Bleach!
– On the popularity of the Soul Society arc: I think it resonates with fans because of what Samu said, the interconnected characters who have their own lives outside of Ichigo just dropping in. Each character has their own motivations and relationships, and it’s less blatantly “good guys vs bad guys” (though it doesn’t fully escape that kind of narrative). But I get your point about how it could feel repetitive after a while.
– Agree with your thoughts on Byakuya. We never really saw his internal struggle or turmoil until the end of the arc, which would have made his journey more impactful. On the other hand, his aloofness fits the traditional villain role better.
– I knew you would like Shunsui! Voiced by none other than the great Otsuka Akio! And somehow I’m not surprised that you liked Hanataro and Ganju.
– I was also a bit disappointed to see Rukia relegated to the damsel in distress role, especially considering her larger role in the first arc.
– Another thing about the zanpakuto, and it ties in to the earlier discussion of Kubo as being very poetic — he crams in so much meaning and imagery in the names and release commands of the zanpakuto.
– I don’t think I figured out the villain reveal back then… but I do remember a tiny thought going “he can’t really be that nice, and he can’t be that obviously evil, right?” I think what makes him such a memorable villain is the confidence he carries himself with, and how untouchable he seems. And of course a great performance in the anime.
Guardian Enzo
August 14, 2025 at 11:34 amAlways interesting to talk about Bleach. It’s not really in my sweet spot but I can certainly appreciate why it became such a big hit.
I had no idea Ohtsuka voiced him, that only makes me love him more lol. Not exactly who I would have envisioned for the role but he can pretty much do anything.