The first comic: #788 Bleach
500 and a bit chapters in, I think I've read enough. Partway through the 'final' arc, it gets samey. Higher powered villains, more of the good guys cut down (although more actual deaths) and more powerful beings showing up. The criticisms continue to stand and while the series attempts to humanize the bad guys, their motivations aren't explored enough to turn it around.
Still, it's been a good run and the storylines were engaging. It would have been nice to have it be rebalanced, but still impressive enough. I'm looking forward to reading more manga of this type.
The first comic: #788 Bleach
I've finished reading the first big arc, moving on to the second to get some impression of it. It's become a fun enough read that I wanted to go on anyway, but it shows how these longer arcs can be a problem when it ends (and especially when they don't really overlap). Without spoiling it, the power issue isn't as big a problem - the jumps don't need to be as big because of The Things That Happened.
However, it's a bit of a downer. You have everything working together and after that there's nothing. About fourty chapters later, some of it came back, but it's sad and slow. Bleach embraces it, making it part of the character, but there's clearly a struggle to bring it back in.
I'm close to the end now, at least as far as I can get. It's starting to feel like I'm getting to the point where a switch would be welcome though. Soon enough!
The first book: #1 The Arabian Nights
The first comic: #788 Bleach
Bleach is back! Problems resolved 😀
Arabian Nights - still quite a bit to go, but the story changed tactics with a number of shorter stories, this time with more animal protagonists and feeling more like parables than the fairy stories from the start or the lengthier stories that came in later. It has actually been getting more entertaining this way - I think I prefer the shorter stories for my commute.
Bleach - pretty good still. With the story ramping up to the final confrontation, it all feels more serious, but also like the protagonists are actually more powerful, the threats feel more realistic now. The fights also drag on a bit less as there's so much more to get to. It's all pretty fun really. Perhaps the break helped - it feels stronger.
The first book: #1 The Arabian Nights
Finally, over 140 nights in, the king asked for a story - a breakthrough in any other point. And a nice breather, as the tale of Kana-ma-kana was going on for quite a while. it's probably the longest so far and that made it more difficult to keep track of through the reading sessions I've had.
The nights as a framing device have been interesting as well. Although early on they have some story content, about twenty nights in each night starts with the exact same phrasing, just a different number for the night. It's clear these would just have been the breaks for the storytellers, separating them. Not even always in obvious places - rather than cliffhangers, there are several places where they interrupt the action for no real reason other than length - especially where there are just treatises on asceticism. Even so, as we move between longer stories - and, I believe, different sources of tales - the length differs, and the first 40 or so nights are each noticably longer than the next 100 or so. It's been interesting looking at the stories on that level as well, how the different sources move from the actual tale as at least some vague story to just using it as an almost ritualistic framing device.
The first book: #1 The Arabian Nights
Taking a break from Bleach because of various issues, we're hoping coverage will resume soon.
The first book on the list is of its time. Some lessons learned are that wives enjoy sleeping with slaves and that you shouldn't trust ifrit. And maidens can detect if your shape has been changed. Wonderful so far.
Genuinely good stories though, even if the stories-within-stories get difficult to keep up with.
The two hundred twenty-second movie: Il Vangelo Secondo Matteo
Yeah, I watched plenty of these before and have been tracking them.
I know enough of my biblical history to understand a lot of what was going on. That unfortunately was the downside as well. While the familiar bits were nice in places, a lot of it dragged on - in part because you knew what'd happen, in part because, well, religious text doesn't necessarily make for interesting happening.
Enriching, sure, but not enthralling, we got distracted during this.
The first comic: #788 Bleach
What's with the constant reliance on honour? Several times now, I've seen characters fight on their own, with others either waiting in the wings or intentionally holding off. They get beaten up, either win in the end or have someone else step in. I get that sometimes, the others are beaten up, but even so any distraction should often help, surely? Flanking and all that.
It's a bit annoying, as it makes some of the battles (and Bleach has a lot of them) frustrating. They can drag on a bit anyway - breaking up the story - but it feels padded when it so much feels like they're intentionally holding off.
Three quarters of the way through, now to an extended flashback. Joy!
Friday to Tuesday at Lake Bled.
Most amazing sights (most beautiful place I've ever been), great walks (even if my feet are regretting it now and my knees keep hurting) and a wonderful time overall.
And yes, I read some more Bleach during my downtime
The first comic: #788 Bleach
I'm not sure how far to go with spoilers here. We've spent quite some time in the spirit world now, looking to rescue Rukia.
The size of the cast has increased with it, introducing loads of captains, vice captains and other shinigami in the area.
Still pretty engaging though, even if it's a bit slow at times. It feels like I've been here forever.
The first comic: #788 Bleach
Stakes are raised, we actually see more of the shinigami world and taking it out of the immediate surroundings. It's what I've been waiting for for a while - hoping to see more of the bigger world. Looking forward to see that continue.