Shattered Promise

So, basically, this whole filler arc that was supposedly mixed with manga material. Well, it was actually just filler. The manga material in which this whole was based will appear next week. After that, arc over, Sasuke time!

The rubber guy comes back more powerful, more gross. Meanwhile, Kabuto states that he killed Renji long ago when he first showed interest on working further for Orochimaru. He’s been impersonating him ever since. Naruto fights him, an actually well done fight (my expectations for this episode were almost zero). Kabuto uses a revival jutsu to bring Renji back and stop Guren from escaping. Renji’s jutsu is quite effective against Guren and she ends up sacrificing herself so she can kill him.

After Guren’s death, Yuukimaru starts releasing all his energy and the Sanbi goes berserk once again. The Sanbi escapes the sealing jutsu and kills the mutated rubber-guy. Kabuto disappears. Naruto devises a strategy to defeat the Sanbi along with his Gamatatsu and Gamakichi. They use a combination of oil, fire and wind to defeat it temporarily.

So, the Sanbi goes away and Naruto takes Yuukimaru. Not sure what will happen now. It seems the mission will be finished and the team will return to Konoha along with Yuukimaru but, the preview shows Yuukimaru running away.. I think.. Still, the next episode will finally introduce some cannon material. The Akatsuki will finally come to try and take the Sanbi. Hope the anime doesn’t screw this up in case they want to had some extra scenes.

This episode didn’t turn out as badly as I expected. Although it wasn’t very good too. I’m expecting better from next week’s episode.

• Next Episode: Place To Return To

^Call.72
Mukurojima

Nemesis Q doesn’t even have time to finish the whole message and disintegrates. Still, they know the location. But, it’s too far away. Of course the children offer their help and Elmore, surprisingly, allows it quite quickly lol

So, the children battle each other on RPS and Kyle, Marie and Frederica are the ones chosen to go with Ageha and Amamiya. Not sure why there was a limit and Shao couldn’t just go with them too.

There’s lots of hints in this chapter that Frederica likes Ageha, seriously. Not sure the past chapters already showed this, only noticed it now.

Meanwhile, a strange one-eyed man receives a report. They are close to finding "her".. They are most certainly talking about the woman that created Nemesis Q. But, the strange thing is that the ones searching for her don’t really fit the W.I.S.E.. I mean, the two men don’t have any kind of tavoo core and they are both wearing "normal" clothes from the past. Still, they are the same two men that, desguised as policemen, pursued Ageha when he was trying to enter Psyren for the first time.

This chapter was very nice. I’m very excited to see how this will turn out now.

• Personal Enjoyment: 4/5

The Frozen Obelisk

Well, awesome chapter. If you think about it, I think Kenpachi and Hitsugaya can easily be considered the two characters with the most potential in the series. I mean, they are not the strongest (yet) but, they are prodigies. Take Kenpachi, he is one of the strongest characters around and … he has no skill whatsoever in kidou spells and more, he doesn’t even have a real "zanpakutou". He’s almost like a normal spirit, that can compete with the strongest shinigami and espada. Imagine he would get a zanpakutou or learn it’s own name, attain shikai, and then bankai.. I don’t really think anyone would be able to stop him.

Now, about Hitsugaya, he’s a captain too, one of the strongest characters and.. he’s a kid.. he hasn’t lived for even half the life of most characters and he already has bankai. Think about how he can still grow and develop until he becomes an adult.. he would be many times more powerful, he even says himself that his bankai isn’t completely matured yet.

Now, for this chapter, we learn that Hyourinmaru, as the strongest ice zanpakutou, possesses an incredible power, that Hitsugaya never uses when in bankai, because he’s not sure he can really control it and avoid killing everyone around him. I really liked this new twist, doesn’t feel like Kubo is just forcefully powering him up so he can win, to me at least.

So, he uses this, his power and reiatsu are almost gone so, it shouldn’t be that problematic (killing everyone..). Halibel tries to counter it but, she’s quickly surprised by how powerful it is. She gets trapped and will supposedly die when the attack finishes. I’m not sure if there will be a new twist with her escaping. She could still have some power that would allow her to escape although she really seemed worried.

As for Omeada, he keeps running from Barragan. He’s almost reaching his limit. Meanwhile, Sui Fong finishes her preparations and goes bankai! Yey, finally. Did she use this preparation as some sort of strategy to defeat Barragan? Or is it a needed condition so she can go bankai?

There’s also Kyouraku and Stark fighting, a fight I’ve been eagerly waiting for but, it only served as an introduction to this chapter. Not sure if the power he witnessed was from Kyouraku or from Hitsugaya. I got a little confused. Anyway, I’ll clear that up next week.

The next chapter promises to be good. Can’t wait.

• Personal Enjoyment: 5/5

Hope Blossoms

Well, seems like I totally missed the fact that yesterday was Friday lol anyway, I’ve read Naruto just now. Not sure how much people will feel about this with all the revivals but, I loved this chapter.

I remember someone saying that Nagato would revive everyone and really thought it wouldn’t happen. I knew he going to use that last jutsu to help Naruto somehow but, I never thought he would revive everyone. Nagato really as the power of a God. Using the last of his chakra and life, he brings everyone back to try and make for his acts, just like when Jiraya took him under his wing.

Jiraya and Nagato’s dreams lye with Naruto now. Naruto managed to change Nagato, he reverted back to his long lost dreams.

Even Kakashi, finally talking with his old man, is brought back. Somewhere along the rode to the otherworld, he manages to completely clear his and his father’s issues. His father is now able to move on.

Nagato dies after hitting his limit. Konan gently takes the bodies with her. She offers Naruto her complete trust and offers Amegakure’s help. The two villages will definitely be allies after this, and not just "allies". Much like the Sand and Konoha, Konoha and Amegakure will now work together to try bring forth the future they envision.

Meanwhile, Sasuke has finished his preparations, he’s ready to move to Konoha. A new arc begins.

Now, things won’t probably go as fast as he plans, the Cloud village will probably engage him first. Meanwhile, in Konoha, as things settle, they will probably receive notice of this and it’s probable that Naruto will end up coming to Sasuke instead of the contrary.

I must say "Naruto’s" arc was much greater and meaningful than Sasuke’s. Naruto truly matured while Sasuke has just been redirecting his revenge to it’s origin. This also marks a turning point on Konoha’s history. Naruto has clearly attained enough strength to be Hokage. He will definitely succeed Tsunade some day. And with this, the Konoha that Sasuke seeks revenge against doesn’t really exist anymore. Still, Sasuke will have to let his rage and revenge take some form. Sasuke really chose the wrong path, not sure we can’t blame him though.

As for Akatsuki, not sure if they can still collect the bijuu’s and all that now that Nagato isn’t around. I’m very interested to see how Madara will react to all this. Can’t wait for this new arc.

Overall, love the chapter. Many people will probably be against the whole "revival" thing but, I think this chapter really needed that, or all the pain cycle wouldn’t stop. Also, there’s still some arcs to come, and they will probably surpass this one in "epicness". Important characters will definitely die. But, for now, I’m happy Kakashi and the others are alive and I can’t wait to see them encounter Sasuke.

• Personal Enjoyment: 5/5

¹²
To The Lighted Stage

Finally, the final episode. I’m sorry for all the delays in this anime’s posts, there isn’t probably many people still interested but, that doesn’t matter.

The Grimoires are very effective, they instantly aim to Tamayo’s RideBack weakness. Ogata reverses her course so that Tamayo can still get away. She is eventually stopped and falls unconscious. She dreams about being handicapped in a ballet theater. There she finally understands her feelings better. I think her guilt disappears almost completely at this moment.

Meanwhile, the terrorist’s attack isn’t successful and Kiefer oders retreat. Still, Romanov is doing all he can so that Kiefer dies here and now. Okakura, hearing a report on Rin’s chase, goes to help her. He arrives just as she wakes up. We finally get to see him on action, although not aboard his RideBack.

Kiefer fights one of Romanov’s henchman and manages to win. Meanwhile, Okakura manages to turn off one of the stations controlling the Grimoires and Romanov orders for them to rebooted even if they have no one controlling them. This makes those Grimoires run wild and attack everything. Kiefer then goes to see Romanov. Romanov, much like Kiefer and the others some years ago, has been abandoned by his superiors. All he has left now it to settle is score with Kiefer. It looks like he’s about to win when Misawo Yokoyama comes and kills him.

Rin takes them to the park where Suzuri died. She starts taking out the Grimoires one by one in a fight that seems more like a dance. Eventually, one of Fuego’s legs gives off and Fuego loses functionality, the irony.. Still, she manages to push him to the limits, she stops all the Grimoires just as Fuego gives out. Everyone watched her performance in awe. It’s like this fight was the perfect dance that she could never do in ballet because of her leg. She’s kind of making it up to Suzuri.

Everything finishes well. A new government is appointed thanks to Megumi Yoda, Ryuunosuke Kataoka, Misawo Yokoyama and some others. And Rin returns to her friends free of all the regrets. The episode doesn’t shed much light to many character’s future but, it’s fairly predicable they will finally be able to rest now.

This episode was very good. Didn’t deliver as much as I expected action wise but, did very well on the drama and plot resolution. And it’s not like the action was bad, it was very cool. The character development was always fresh and unexpected, if I had to guess, I though Rin would turn out quite differently but, she surprised me a lot.

This is a great series, not perfect and will surely be no classic but, definitely entertaining for it’s 12 episodes. It’s also original in the way it did many things. I recommend it if you’re looking for an action/drama series that focus a lot on it’s plot, politics and real life issues. It was well worth it.

The Full Showdown!
Shinigami vs. Espada

Kyōraku and Stark dialog was very cool, like in the manga. It’s interesting how this two characters are so much alike. They also almost never show off and remain in the shadow, while at the same time giving the sensation that they are some of the strongest characters around.

The battles getting developed for now are Matsumoto, Sui Fong and Omaeda’s. Nothing much happens, although things don’t look very positive for Matsumoto. Sui Fong quickly takes care of Vega, or so she thinks for now, with a lot of style. Her releasing her sword, along with the sound and the "to be continued" art, was pretty cool. Would fit nicely as a wallpaper lol

Anyway, this episode was more about building up. The next one should take it more seriously and Omaeda and Sui Fong’s  should end in the two next episodes. Matsumoto will be next after that.

Overall, nice episode, basically just setting everything up and took some time to do this. But it was needed, the next episodes should be more action packed and fast paced like the previous ones were. By the way, the new Zanpakutou guide can prove more interesting than the last "guides". Even if this one was about Kuchiki, which is one of the best known zanpakutou’s, it was hell funny lol

• Next Episode: The Most Evil Tag!?

¹¹
Sometimes, It’s Cloudy After The Rain..

Rin thinks over her life, why she took ballet, why she took RideBacks. She struggles with guilt for all that has happened, specially Suzuri’s death. Kiefer tries once again to recruit her to join him in the attack. He asks her what she wants, to run or to take revenge. Rin feels disgusted just thinking about it, I think she doesn’t feel like she’s repenting if she goes on riding again.

The terrorists prepare for the attack with Okakura, while Rin and Tamayo are supposed to leave the country. It was interesting hearing Kiefer’s theory of how his and Romanov’s fight will go down. Anyway, the attack starts. Romanov spots Kiefer’s units and sends his new "RideBacks". Okay, they don’t really look like RideBacks unless when they are standing, I’ll just call them anti-RideBacks. Anyway, they are really small, powerful, and maneuverable.

Meanwhile, almost before arriving at the helicopter, Rin’s emotions and memories rush through her. How everyone supported her and was happy about her passion for RideBacks, also probably the fact that she’s abandoning them. She stops and runs back. Tamayo goes after her. Coincidence, the new anti-RideBacks appear and destroy the helicopter.

So, not only Rin but, Tamayo too ends up escaping the building on her RideBack. They are being followed by the anti-RideBacks. They’ll will probably try to destroy this ones and join the fight.

Very cool episode, everything was set nicely. I’m really excited to watch the ending now.

• Next Episode: To The Lighted Stage

Cherry Blossoms..?

Well, it seems the Yuri goodness has come to an end.. wait, fear not, it seems there’s still one final episode coming in DVD on June 24th. Also, this "last" episode comprises a total of 20 minutes!

Kana faces some issues, because she thinks Yuki is always making sacrifices for her, and she also expects it at some level. Now that she’s truly realized it, she feels bad. All of this is then related to the fact that they need money and time to work/study which won’t allow them to be together as much as before. All in all, minor problems, like in the past episodes, that this two characters make to be worse than they really are, all in a very cute manner, because all they want is just to be together forever lol

Saku-chan, cute as always, asks Kana to fail a year so she can stay with her.. lol Shi comes to visit the two other sisters like I was expecting. The scene when they discuss about the beds and who sleeps where was just perfect, really the peak of what this show offers. I really have no experience watching this kind of anime but, I can’t imagine nothing cuter and funnier than this at the same time.

Anyway, about the whole issue, Saku and Shi ends up being the ones cheering up Kana. Kana then decides to change her plans for the future so their relationship can work better and apologize to Yuki. In this last scene, the two sister end up kind of kissing. Well, something like this could be expected to happen, it’s kind of been building up to it.

About the production, this episode seemed to have far more still shots than normal, probably because of being such a big episode compared to the others. Still, the art was just awesomely beautiful and the stills instead of minor animation don’t really make a difference.

So, this "final" episode ended all the current issues, everyone was happy, Yuki and Kana finally kissed and their future seems well planned to their liking. Not sure what the special episode being released on DVD will be about, it will probably take place in some time in the future, not sure though. I’ll be waiting for that episode before I give this series as finished.