C&C- Bleach - "Ashido, the Shinigami Who Came From The Past" 148 [9/12]

[Neo Ultra Mike]

Well everyone we had a movie last week but this week we have new Bleach 12:30AM and 1AM for you to enjoy.

BLEACH EPISODE 148.

LAST TIME:
Ruika was seperated from the others and met up with some weird hollow mask soul reaper (no not a Vizard) in the forest of Menos.

THIS TIME:
Ruika learns the story of Ashido. What is a Soul Reaper doing in the Forest of Menos? find out the history here

NOTE ONE: Like Megaman X mentioned, I mentioned this three episode filler arc (The Forest Of Menos) that lasts from 147-149 isn't totally filler. It's an idea Bleach creator Tite Kubo had that ended up not fitting in the manga due to pacing.

Thus in the manga Ichigo and co travel with Nel and her pals on that giant worm thing Bawadaba until they arrive at Las Noches

NOTE TWO: I don't know how much this matters but this is the third anniversary of Bleach this week. Yup the dub premeired September 8th, 2006 three years ago and is still going pretty strong.

NOTE THREE: Absolutley no spoilers of any kind on info on various characters, fights, locations and the like. Especially if their from the manga.

Well that's it. Enjoy the episode everyone.

[Megaman X]

You made a little mistake in the title, you gotta replace Shinigami with Soul Reaper. Not that it makes a difference but.. eh, I did the same thing when I started these up back when the third season started. xD

[NelStone]

Yup the dub premeired September 8th, 2006 three years ago and is still going pretty strong.

Good lord. Time's moving way too quickly. I still remember seeing the first episode like it was yesterday.

[garfield15]

BTW guys here's that nice ED song that they're playing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g27K_XteOc

[Don_East]

Last Time: Thanks to Rukia's apparent stupidity, our heroes get end up in the Forest Of Menos. Ichigo, Renji, Uyru, & Chad sidetracked with their quest to save Orihime by having to save Rukia... Again. Fortunately Rukia is saved by this Soul Reaper that wears a Naraku mask. But then he attacks her. No, really. Nel & her friends get kidnapped during a menos attack while Rukia is on the ropes with her recuer/attacker.

SHOWTIME!

Happy 3rd Anniversary, Bleach dub!

[Kitschensyngk]

Last time: An underground petrified forest with things that want to kill you. You see where this is going.

Let's just say that these guys have a nasty habit of misplacing their female leads.

[Silver Soul]

Last time: I took my eyes off the tv screen for a second and it was over :p

[garfield15]

Can I just say how much I appreciate how Viz did the credits in the OP. It matches up perfectly with the original.

[zoombie]

Ever girl on this show is captured or lost it seems. Now what will happen next. That is one weird do, save a complete stranger just to kill her.

My favorite background music is back. Yay.

[Vyse]

*BING* SHINING BURNING FINGER!!!!!

I love Aizen in these credits. He's raising a toast. To something. Any guesses?

[Don_East]

"In order to save Orihime..."

Okay, just shut up announcer. It's filler, your suppose to do something different now.

[Nobodyman]

BTW, I'd just like to say that this opening song is...okay. Not good not bad.

So it looks like Ichigo and co. have a lot of rescuing to do between Orihime, Rukia and now Nel and the gang.

Ah, so he was testing her strength. Gah, I knew it.

[Silver Soul]

In order to save Orihime, Ichigo, Uryuu and Chad broke in the Huceo Mundo, now in order to save Rukia who was separated from the group Ichigo, Uryuu, Chad, and Renji must go through the Mendo forest, now in order to save Nel who has been captured......you know what I mean

[Kitschensyngk]

Ever girl on this show is captured or lost it seems. Now what will happen next. That is one weird do, save a complete stranger just to kill her.

I shudder to think what would happen to Rangiku if she were here.

What, he just PUTS HIS SWORD AWAY? How lame is that?!

[garfield15]

Really? "Testing her strength?"

That's how you test people's strength? By being a random kidnapper and near-killer?

Menos are having a disco party with their Cero's

[Silver Soul]

Friends use the buddy system Rukia :mad:

[zoombie]

If those hollows eat Nel and her friends isn't that cannelism?, they are hollows after all.

[animePWNS]

Barfing blood attack!

[Nobodyman]

Whoa, those Menos have a little light show going.

RUN AWAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!

Enjoy your usefulness while it lasts Bawabawa.

[Don_East]

Testing her strength?

That's pretty lame, Anime.

[Kitschensyngk]

They're falling behind now. So many girls to rescue, so little time.

[Vyse]

Really? "Testing her strength?"

That's how you test people's strength? By being a random kidnapper and near-killer?Welcome to Shonen Logic. You never question Shonen Logic.

They found their worm. Now, to find the anthropomorphic beings!

[Silver Soul]

Oh look it's the time wast....I mean baddies, SCARY! :shrug:

[Oops]

Nel is a priority??? Ichigo is straying from the path. Man this filler blows.

[garfield15]

My closed captioning is telling me the purple Hollow that's talking is named Terreshorkan

[NelStone]

Did all of those hollows just do a head-bob? lol

[Vyse]

HULK SMASH!!!

Yes! Bleach. We rip off everyone else.

[Don_East]

Nel is a priority??? Ichigo is straying from the path. Man this filler blows.
I won't go that far. Still better than the four episode filler with the brother & sister. Better pacing too.

HULK SMASH!
HULK SMASH!!!
Curse you, Vyse!

[Nobodyman]

And the Shinigami from Deathnote show up. Geez, did anyone else see the buttcrack on that one Hollow?

[garfield15]

Gum-Gum....GATLING!

(Don't tell me you weren't thinking it)

[Oops]

They're falling behind now. So many girls to rescue, so little time.
I'd say forget Nel it wasn't like she was part of the original plan. And Rukia I say forget her too, she got a bodyguard.

[Silver Soul]

Well..that was fast:shrug:

[garfield15]

Looks like Naraku kept his god-modding barrier.

Okay that slice-up of 6 Gillian at once was pretty cool

[Kitschensyngk]

How long is this arc exactly? You can put it in spoiler tags, I won't mind.

[Nobodyman]

Well, so much for the Incredible Hulk Hollow (with tiny tiny legs)

[Kitschensyngk]

I suppose we'd have to recap the ENTIRE first rescue arc for you.

[Silver Soul]

That's one flashback!

[Oops]

I won't go that far. Still better than the four episode filler with the brother & sister. Better pacing too.
And the bad memories return.

Its like a villian unmasking a superhero and saying who the hell is this guy?!

[garfield15]

How long is this arc exactly? You can put it in spoiler tags, I won't mind.
Ends on the first episode next week actually.

[Vyse]

Great. Rukia is now remembering how Aizen had his way with her.

The mutant Menos want to be creepy, but they're not.

[Silver Soul]

Ends on the first episode next week actually.
And Ashido is never heard from again :sad:

[garfield15]

A BISHOUNEN HAS APPEARED.

(He actually came from Feudal Japan. :p)

[NelStone]

I thought he'd be a lot younger. o_O

[Kitschensyngk]

Ends on the first episode next week actually.

I kinda meant this whole Hueco Mundo thing. I'm a little afraid I'll get bored with it like I did the last time they had a damsel-in-distress storyline. You know, subplots, backstories, flashbacks and all that.

He looks like Aizen's little brother.

[Nobodyman]

"That mask..." Yes, it's a ripoff of Naraku what of it.

And it turns out he's a bishonen hottie. Cue squealing fangirls.

[Don_East]

Ends on the first episode next week actually.
How nice. Imagine how long it would if Kubo did it.

Hey look, it's Gaara without the make-up!

[Vyse]

Naraku removed his mask, causing thousands of fangirls to faint.

[Neo Ultra Mike]

Yeah Ashido you should of known your plan was doomed from the start since you're a filler character technically and thus are only killing filler hollows. Thus canon hollows are still going to pop up all they want and you really can't do anything to stop them.

[garfield15]

I kinda meant this whole Hueco Mundo thing. I'm a little afraid I'll get bored with it like I did the last time they had a damsel-in-distress storyline. You know, subplots, backstories, flashbacks and all.

You mean the entire Hueco Mundo arc itself?

Still going on today. Hasn't even ended in the manga. In fact, it doesn't look like it will end in the manga anytime soon either. And you know that means that they've done something interesting with fillers in that regard. I'll get to that sometime later.

[zoombie]

So Ashido is basicly a Soul Reaper hermit.

[Silver Soul]

I kinda meant this whole Hueco Mundo thing. I'm a little afraid I'll get bored with it like I did the last time they had a damsel-in-distress storyline. You know, subplots, backstories, flashbacks and all.

He looks like Aizen's little brother.
OH BOY! Depending on your definition of end is (whether they get out of Hueco Mundo) you'll have to sit through a filler arc before it actually end

[NelStone]

I kinda meant this whole Hueco Mundo thing. I'm a little afraid I'll get bored with it like I did the last time they had a damsel-in-distress storyline. You know, subplots, backstories, flashbacks and all that.

He looks like Aizen's little brother.

I haven't seen anymore than you have but I hear this arc is still going on in Japan. The manga, even. Yikes.

[Silver Soul]

You mean the entire Hueco Mundo arc itself?

Still going on today. Hasn't even ended in the manga. In fact, it doesn't look like it will end in the manga anytime soon either. And you know that means that they've done something interesting with fillers in that regard. I'll get to that sometime later.
Actually it ended quite a while ago in the manga and in the anime, we're in the Winter War Arc but the gang is still stuck in Huceo Mundo

[Don_East]

I kinda meant this whole Hueco Mundo thing. I'm a little afraid I'll get bored with it like I did the last time they had a damsel-in-distress storyline. You know, subplots, backstories, flashbacks and all.
Oh good God, you don't wanna know man. You might lose interest in the show and I won't blame you actually.

You know, I want to see Ichigo go Bankai on the Mac guy. I do not like him at all.

BACK TO ACTION!

[garfield15]

Actually it ended quite a while ago in the manga and in the anime, we're in the Winter War Arc but the gang is still stuck in Huceo Mundo
Well if they're still there that means it still hasn't actually ended right?

Fine, the Hueco Mundo saga is still continuing.

[Silver Soul]

Well if they're still there that means it still hasn't actually ended right?

Fine, the Hueco Mundo saga is still continuing.
Well it officially states that the Hueco Mundo arc ended last year in the manga

[Don_East]

To paraphrase the Nostalgia Critic...

"I love these guys, why don't they have their own Saturday morning cartoon show?"

[zoombie]

I love Nel and her friends, they are hillarous.

[Kitschensyngk]

Actually, I heard she was a president of Yoko Littner's fan club and she made that herself out of papier-mache.

I think ALL your masks are cracked, if you get my drift.

Hey, I hear they have good tea at Las Noches.

[Nobodyman]

So being an arrancar gets you a free cup of tea? Cool (BTW, that was quite the ridiculous plan that Nel and the gang came up with)

And another flashback.

[Neo Ultra Mike]

So Nel was made into an Arrancar by Aizen eh?

... Oh wait that's just a lie anyway. Guess she never had any Espada brand tea then. Too bad I heard their lemon and sugar is good stuff.

You know I always wondered something about this filler arc: How easy it is to get into the Menos forest for Ashino and his pals. I mean how come no one else tried entering in the forest that way... I guess the forest of menos has something to do with it but you know still dosen't make the most sense to me.

.... Are we freaking seeing his flashback again in fast motion with video filters? That is just cheap aniamtiors. You here me? Cheap!!

[garfield15]

I really want to know what exactly made them all jump in there like that. Shouldn't they have left like a few Soul Reapers outside for reconnaisance or something?

Is he having a flashback in a flashback?

[Kitschensyngk]

Hey! You can't flash back to what you just flashed back to ten seconds ago!

I really want to know what exactly made them all jump in there like that. Shouldn't they have left like a few Soul Reapers outside for reconnaisance or something?

Hey, it's the Soul Society. Their hiring policy doesn't include anything along the lines of background checks.

[zoombie]

Actually it ended quite a while ago in the manga and in the anime, we're in the Winter War Arc but the gang is still stuck in Huceo Mundo

Well to clearify

The rescue Orihime plot ended in the manga, but not in the anime which is in the middle of a long filler arc.

Also the statous of the main characters are up in the air in the manga as we haven't seen them for a while.

[Silver Soul]

And that's how he dons the mask
This is my purpose
This is my curse
Who am I
I'm Hollowman

[Don_East]

Hey! You can't flash back to what you just flashed back to ten seconds ago!
Tell that to White Head in the four episode filler arc.

Okay good, atleast Rukia remembers the reason for that they're here.

[Nobodyman]

Wow, this is almost as boring as Moribito.

Almost.

[Vyse]

Gotta love it when they mess with the color filters during the flashbacks.

Didn't notice the graves, huh Rukia.

Also, Rukia's comments make me want Rukihime.

[garfield15]

IT'S A TRAP!

(again)

[zoombie]

Well for all of you that think Nel and those other two plan was stupid, it is not really stupid if you knew more about Nel.

I am not going to spoil it, but there is more to Nel than it seems.

[Kitschensyngk]

We only just meet him and then he dies. What a waste.

[Silver Soul]

Is this the end of Ashido? Find out next week

[Nobodyman]

Also, Rukia's comments make me want Rukihime.
Ha ha, Orihime and Rukia. BFFs :D

*gasp* the filler character's been struck down?! And we have to wait till next to week to find out what happens? Whatever shall we do?![/sarcasm]

[Oops]

Totally unnecessary filler character. You hear me? You risk yourself for nothing!:yawn:

[NelStone]

Does anyone else ever think "evil demonic nuns" when they show Menos Grande(s).

Fun mini-arc so far.

[Don_East]

Hey look, it's the hollow version of Rumble from Transformers G1!

We only just meet him and then he dies. What a waste.
"What a waste of human(or Soul Reaper) life!"

Also, Rukia's comments make me want Rukihime.
You mean like this?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/chun-lifan/03.jpg

[Silver Soul]

Well to clearify

The rescue Orihime plot ended in the manga, but not in the anime which is in the middle of a long filler arc.

Also the statous of the main characters are up in the air in the manga as we haven't seen them for a while.
It officially ends with Chapter 315 of the manga and episode 215 of the anime

[Vyse]

And, the fangirls are all crying.

*BING* /track warp!

Good episode.

Next week I'll be in Atlanta with the possibility of no Internet. If I watch Bleach there, I'll post on my Twitter feed. Until then, here's what I may experience this year:
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g39/tetrisdork/g-gundam-warriors1.jpg

[animePWNS]

And that's how he dons the mask
This is my purpose
This is my curse
Who am I
I'm Hollowman

I was thinking of this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollow_Man) when I read that.

[garfield15]

You mean like this?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/chun-lifan/03.jpg
Yes, exactly like Kubo does...because, you know, RukiHime is canon after all :p

[Silver Soul]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/chun-lifan/03.jpg

Wow, the difference in measurements are.....just wow :p

[Oops]

Does anyone else ever think "evil demonic nuns" when they show Menos Grande(s).
All the time, bro. All the time!

[zoombie]

Looking back now, who here that is up to the date with the series thinks the scam that Nel and her friends tried to pull is just so ironic, that it is so funny? Though as far as Nel is concerned it was a scam.

[Don_East]

Yes, exactly like Kubo does...because, you know, RukiHime is canon after all :p
Well, handholds do equal canon. Though only where and when depends on which pairing you ship.

Good night everyone, I'm gonna go watch Bebop.

[zoombie]

All this talk about a Orihime / Rukia pairing has gotten a certain lion excited.

[Envy II]

We only just meet him and then he dies. What a waste.

And honestly the death was pretty predictable...

But this is filler, right? I haven't read the manga so I don't even know.

[Radical]

Great episode especially introducing the new breed of Hollows in the cool filler,

The highlights:
Ashido was such an awesome filler Soul Reaper character in this filler when I first saw him in the original Japanese version:anime:.
He reveals that his attack was a test of her strength & decides to take her back to her friends, ain't he great.
Ashido unmasked so looked like Gaara without the eye makeup, yikes!!!!!
His reasons for staying on crushing the Hollows was cool.
I love the Adjuchas who're great scary filler villains who're a new class of Menos Hollows which they remind me of the Shinigami from Death Note, hehehe.
The Adjucha leader has such a cool skull face design resembling a clown mask since Dondochakka's bizarre face design, which his face reminds me of the Joker's:evil:, hehehe.
Yikes, that's a Hollow version of Rumble from Transformers:G1, awesome.
That ugly skull face designed green Adjucha is so a Hollow version of Hulk from The Incredible Hulk, hehehe.
The poor Nel Squad bees the next hostages to be saved since Orihime, funny for Ichigo to save two of his adorable girlfriends, hahahahaha:p!!!!!!
Awesome of Ashido & Rukia to destroy the big green Adjucha, they make an awesome Soul Reaper team.
Nel, Pesche, & Dondochakka were so hilarious towards the Adjuchas with their silly escape plan along with Dondochakka's excellent show host voice, hehehehe, I love those guys.
His past was sad/great when he was part of a Hollow-hunting unit that inadvertenly came to Hueco Mundo, but was a loner when his friends were killed, the poor guy.
Uh-oh, the Adjuchas & Menos Grande Hollows prepare for an ambush in which poor Ashido is hit while trying to protect Rukia like his friend, what an evil cliffhanger, but I hope he's still alive next episode though.

[Kitschensyngk]

Wow, this is almost as boring as Moribito.

Almost.

Hey, at least tonight's Moribito had a fight scene in it.

[PickHut]

I normally don't mind filler, unless it's pretty bad, but when they throw us a mini-filler arc when a new canon arc is just about to get going, it's really irritating. The only highlight from this episode was when Nel and the others came up with a silly story to escape, because it was actually amusing. Everything else about the episode was pretty decent, and the recap of the flashback within the flashback was really absurd... At least things didn't drag out pointlessly like the brother/sister filler story.

[bossmaxi]

Jesus. Even Peshe is an arrancar now, use your super cracked masked powers! I wonder if some arrancars just don't need swords, like Ice Ringer was already released, he just got rid of his sword. And Nell, and Peshe, where's theirs? How come Dondon doesn't get in on the arrancar gig? That's the trouble with making this bonus filler stuff to cover more plot holes. This series tends to create even more than it plugged up.

A good backstory on this filler reaper, and he doesn't need to hog up an entire episode like Kariya. Honestly if he can dice an Adjuchas just like that, I want him on the team. He'd be the only guy who would end up losing his life against Aizen. Ugh. Everyone else and probably even Nell have plot armor now.

So it's Hollow-->Menos(who are both Gillian)-->Adjuchas, then --->top class who I can't remember and are all Espada anyway. Why does an Adjuchas just look like a really big hollow though, isn't there evolution going on? Heh, maybe it was really an Adjuchas that knocked Rukia's sword out of her hand in the first episode and she isn't a completely useless soul reaper?

One more to go, and I wish Ashido releases his sword and doesn't have to die at the end.


Ashido unmasked so looked like Gaara without the eye makeup, yikes!!!!!
From the hair, he looks more like a ginger Tousen's lieutenant to me. That 69 guy. Yeah.
http://i28.tinypic.com/vxmbk0.jpg
BTW guys here's that nice ED song that they're playing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g27K_XteOc
Wow...@0:40, creepy poses in there. Also, HELL YES Afro arrancar. Bleach endings by and large are huge hits or misses for me.

[bleachj0j]

the top class is the vasto lordes

[Luna]

Looking back now, who here that is up to the date with the series thinks the scam that Nel and her friends tried to pull is just so ironic, that it is so funny? Though as far as Nel is concerned it was a scam....Yeah,I noticed that,too (I've kept up with the manga,but not the anime,since I'd rather wait for the dubbed version)....
Anyways,my favorite scene was the scam Nel's "brothers" pulled to try to get themselves and Nel away from the Hollows...Those three are funny....
Ashido proves to be a good guy,who was only testing Rukia,and he's pretty good-looking under the mask ( :anime:...likes redhaired guys,at least in animation)....and he's stuck out in HM all alone defeating Hollows,since the rest of his team got killed...poor guy (makes you wonder why Soul Society never sent a rescue party...Maybe they just assumed everyone was killed).......
Ashido gets attacked at episode's end...guess we'll have to wait until next week to learn his fate...

[g-whiz]

does anyone else think of shoop-da-whoop when those menos grandes were firin their ceros.

[garfield15]

does anyone else think of shoop-da-whoop when those menos grandes were firin their ceros.
We made that joke a looooooonng time ago. Like when Season 1 was airing.

[g-whiz]

We made that joke a looooooonng time ago. Like when Season 1 was airing.

oh ok i wasnt here then :D

[SigmasonicX]

I normally don't mind filler, unless it's pretty bad, but when they throw us a mini-filler arc when a new canon arc is just about to get going, it's really irritating. The only highlight from this episode was when Nel and the others came up with a silly story to escape, because it was actually amusing. Everything else about the episode was pretty decent, and the recap of the flashback within the flashback was really absurd... At least things didn't drag out pointlessly like the brother/sister filler story.
For the record, Kubo had planned to include all this stuff with Ashido and the Menos Forest in the manga, but his editor wanted him to hurry up and get to Las Noches, so he left it to the anime.

[PickHut]

This editor sounds like a very intelligent man.

[R-Taco]

Tell me if I get this right...

Regular Hollows -> Menos (Gillians -> Adhuchas) -> Arrancars (Regular Arrancars -> Espada)?

[garfield15]

Tell me if I get this right...

Regular Hollows -> Menos (Gillians -> Adhuches) -> Arrancars (Regular Arrancars -> Espada)?
Yes, but remember that Arrancars are Menos' transformed so include Vasto Lorde in the Menos section.

[Beefy]

Yes, but remember that Arrancars are Menos' transformed so include Vasto Lorde in the Menos section.
Also remember that not every Vasto Lordes is an Espada. The Espada are only the ten strongest of the Vasto Lordes.

[D.Shaffer]

Why does an Adjuchas just look like a really big hollow though, isn't there evolution going on? Heh, maybe it was really an Adjuchas that knocked Rukia's sword out of her hand in the first episode and she isn't a completely useless soul reaper?.As a general rule of thumb, the more human a bad guy looks, the more powerful it is. I'd point to the TV tropes page, but I forget what silly title they gave that. :D

In any case, that's more or less the case with Hollows. The more human they look like, the more powerful they are. Culminating in the Arrancar.

[R-Taco]

So are we actually supposed to find the Adhuchas threatening, even though all the main characters can already go toe-to-toe with the weaker Arrancars?

[garfield15]

So are we actually supposed to find the Adhuchas threatening, even though all the main characters can already go toe-to-toe with the weaker Arrancars?
Manga's fault.

[Dark Moridin]

Ok, first off, this just felt like a filler, more than last episode. I mean, a Soul Reaper morning lost Soul Reapers, with no clue who they are? And then there was all the Menos, being reduced to nothing. Anyway, Hoepfully we get more answers, next week.

Wow, the difference in measurements are.....just wow :p

[Neo Ultra Mike]

Really the fact that they had to show Ashido's backstory twice in order to fill for time is kind of a testament to how low budgeted this entire arc is. I mean really, it's ridicously to watch something we saw literally two minutes ago again in fast motion. Especially with dramatic music. Really is that suppose to be someone's idea of trying to be serious, cause it comes across as a joke. I also can't take any of what these hollows are taking seriously since none of them have any personality whatsover and are just the generic "Grr we're going to kill the soul reapers" kind of foes. On the plus side Ashido (the only new character in this arc WITH a personality) is actually not too bad. I do like his story (the FIRST time I saw it) and the idea that he actually told it to his dead compainions graves with Ruika around so they'd have someone new to listen to. His story dosen't really make all that much sense if you really think hard about it but I guess since this is filler you don't have to. And I admit the idea of the arrancar trio (What I use to call Nel, Pesche and Dondochakka even if their not all arrancar) using Nel's cracked mask as a way of getting away from the other hollows was funny. For a variety of reasons some of which... well point is this episode wasn't too bad but it wasn't really the height of Bleach greatness. Don't worry though: This filler arc is ending soon and we'll be back on the canon track so no need to be too upset about the filler.

[Megaman X]

I don't see why people are complaining, I really like how we get to see more of Hueco Mundo besides the whole desert and the Las Noches castle. And big deal about the flashbacks, it's not like the repeating of flashbacks are new or anything. =p

Filler never bothers me much though, so eh.