Bleach Ep. 9: Unbeatable Enemy

The conclusion to the Memories in the Rain mini-arc finds Ichigo face to face with a nightmare from his past and reveals just a little more of Rukia’s. Can Ichigo save his sisters from the fate that befell their late mother or will his anger lead to yet another tragedy?

I’ve always enjoyed the creativity of the individual episode title shots. Blink and you may miss them. Part of the fun of Bleach is the ever changing opening and closing sequences along with the different music themes.

With the cliffhanger of the previous episode yet to be resolved, things start with Ichigo rescuing Yuzu but unable to do the same for Karin. Back up arrives in the form of Rukia and the Soul Reaper sent to retrieve her.

One of the things about anime that alternately cracks me up and annoys me is the exposition that is shoe horned into fights. Both sides suddenly stop until the dialogue is concluded, then go back to fighting. It is like having Lex Luthor explain everything every other moment in a battle with Superman – but without kryptonite to keep him weakened. Call it the pro-wrestling effect, which is what it reminds me of.

So we get an entire conversation from Rukia, the Soul Reaper, and Ichigo while the Hollow just stands there and watches. Maybe he is enjoying the fact that he is a legend who is notorious amongst the Soul Reapers and has a name, the Grand Fisher. In the end it doesn’t matter as the stunning revelation that this Hollow is the one who killed Ichigo’s mother drives Kurosaki into a berserk rage.

The following fight does not go well.

Rukia backs up Ichigo with spell casting, which is delivered in a pretty display only to have little effect. It goes worse for the Soul Reaper who sacrifices himself to save Karin. There is no sense of fun in this particular fight, only well rendered grim desperation.

Oh and it is revealed that Soul Reapers are mortal and can be killed. That is an interesting little tidbit to go along with the fact that the Grand Fisher has killed multiple Soul Reaper’s over the past decades. Ichigo is completely out matched.

So of course the teen decides to take on the Hollow solo. The rain begins to fall, one of the themes associated with Ichigo throughout the series. Meanwhile, Kon finds it difficult to maintain acting like the boy as he and Isshin wait out the rain at a temple.

It isn’t just his own personal grief driving the substitute Soul Reaper. As he is fighting, images and thoughts of how hard it was for his sisters to loose their mother fuel his anger even higher. There is a relentless sense of loss underlying every moment of the episode.

For the first time, Ichigo takes serious wounds in Bleach. Watching in horror, Rukia wants to intervene in this private battle of vengeance, but flashes back to her life in Soul Society when a mysterious superior lectured her on how some fights are about honor.

Because of what happened then, she decides to hold herself back though it is killing her not to help. All she can do is hope he does not die.

Then things in the fight get worse as Ichigo finds his resolve shaken by an unexpected turn of events.

Thoughts

Memories in the Rain is a sad exploration of what motivates young Ichigo Kurosaki and the visuals of the episode are dark, dreary, and despairing. In some ways, he comes off as almost an anti-hero because of his anger and dour disposition. But here we are shown a  good reason for it and it adds some depth to the character.

The tantalizing snippets of Rukia’s past add to her character too. More mysteries lie with this woman, it is clear.

It strikes me that even the humor is muted in this episode, something unusual for the series so far.

BEWARE HERE BE SPOILERS!

 

 

 

 

The use of a copy of Ichigo’s mother by the Grand Fisher had to be one of the creepier moments. That creature is so disgusting in concept that it amplified the wrongness of her being used to counter the boy.

The idea that her last thoughts were absorbed and copied by the Hollow is interesting, because it implies that souls are actually devoured by these creatures. When her last thoughts prove to be more powerful than the Grand Fisher can control, it is a wonderful bit of dramatic irony. He is undone by a previous victim of his.

Masaki Kurosaki’s last thoughts were of her family and especially of her son, Ichigo. It is a touching moment when he hears how she felt about him and a pivotal one for Ichigo. With her love and approval empowering him, the boy manages to wound his opponent badly.

The lack of resolution to the battle and the Grand Fisher’s escape might bother those who tune in for the fights, but it was high drama. Not being able to avenge your own mother’s death is yet another thing to add to Ichigo’s adolescent frustrations.

Orihime’s thoughts about reaching Ichigo’s heart are repeated near the end of the episode. Her kind sweetness and growing devotion to the boy are gently handled in poetic fashion.

Notice the attention paid to the full moon in Bleach. This is another theme associated with Ichigo, one that becomes clearer much later on. People may slam Tite Kubo as a hack writer, but he is not as bad as they think. It may not be deep material, but it isn’t shallow. I enjoy the symbolism he slips in from time to time.

Well written is how I would describe the father and son scene between Isshin and Ichigo at the end. Unexpected seriousness and good advice from the usually manic parent is well executed, with the impression that this is the real man without his clown mask on. It is also clear that he isn’t over the loss of Masaki.

Rukia’s expression looks like something close to adoration there, doesn’t it? The Soul Reaper left while saying he wouldn’t want to “break up such a serious couple” earlier and the lines were not delivered in a sarcastic tone. Ichigo may be oblivious, but it appears he now has two girls interested in him.

The imagery of the final shot jumped out at me. Here is the full moon out with the rain having stopped. Ichigo and Rukia are looking at each other, with her in a higher position, nearly unattainable.  To what heights will Kurosaki have to ascend to reach her?