The Door of Darkness

Ed is in a bad spot, but he still finds time for some hilarious scenes lol This episode, even though serious, has a mix of really good comedy. Anyway, Ed and Lin are about to give up when they find Envy. He explains how Gluttony is a failed attempt at creating a new gate like the Truth. There’s, supposedly, no escape.

So, they start talking, about the homuculi and father. Envy tells how the Ishbalan was started on purpose by killing that one child. Everything from Scar to Winry’s parents can be traced back to them. Ed can’t hear anymore and gets pretty decided on getting revenge on Envy. So, they fight and Envy, considering his situation, decides to finally use his full potential.

The beginning of the fight is awesome, really well animated. Envy is a delight/disgust to look at lol both in a good way. I think he’s all CG but it’s very well blended with the drawings. Meanwhile, Mustang has been found and his whole plan his shred to pieces, everyone is separated and Riza is kept under the Fuhrer. About Mustang himself, will have to wait to know where they will put him.

Awesome episode, been waiting long to see Envy’s true form animated. One of the best episodes so far, the short fight was perfect, the comedy was one of the best ever and the ending had a nice dark twitch, what will happen now?

Next episode will have Al is going to see "Father" with Gluttony, trying to get some clues on his brother. Gluttony’s scene, feeling guilty, was really funny lol. Scar and May Chang also seem to be going underground in their search for the kung-fu panda, Shao May.

• Next Episode: Reunion

Friendship? Hatred?
Haineko & Tobiume

It seems Byakuya and his zanpakutou are still separated so, I’m not sure of what’s been going on. Anyway, Ichigo loses his target and is found instead by Haineko and Tobiume. Still, Matsumoto and Hinamori appear and have their fight with their zanpakutou. The fight is left unfinished.

Ichigo ends up finding Hyourinmaro next. Hitsugaya appears too. He looked interesting. It’s strange he doesn’t have his memories. By the way, I didn’t understand Isane’s strange look to Unohana.

Byakuya remains the big mystery that everyone’s thinking about. Meanwhile, Muramasa is just walking around half hurt trying to look baddass by defeating lots of hollows lol.

Nice enough episode but, didn’t really have anything exciting going on.

The next episode will deal with Hitsugaya, Matsumoto and Hinamori.

• Next Episode: The Awakening Hyōrinmaru!

Within the Stomach

Some plot details are revealed, like the homunculi plan being somehow related to using Amestris and it’s whole population for some kind of alchemy. Although I think this was let on differently in the manga, in a more shocking way. Pride also "appears" for the first time, although only in voice. Anyway, the pressing matter right now is Gluttony

Gluttony is eating everything around him. The first scenes are really funny. Mustang ends up leaving with some of the others. Only Ed, Al and Lin stay to fight Gluttony. Meanwhile, Envy joins the battle. It wasn’t one of the best fights till now but, it was entertaining and cool enough.

Ed, Lin and Envy end up swallowed by Gluttony, thanks to some confusion. Meanwhile, Mustang is going to take a risk and try to expose his situation to one the uppers. He’s allowed to the higher-up’s meeting and he realizes every single one in there is an enemy, not just the Fuhrer.

I’m not sure if they will just play it as a joke or if Mustang is really in trouble. About Ed, he’s somewhere within Gluttony, or some dimension where what he eats goes. Envy and Ling should be around to.

This episode seemed more poorly done than the others, production wise. Still really cool episode.

• Next Episode: The Door of Darkness

Tales of a Gutsy Ninja
~Jiraiya Ninja Scroll~

This special episode shows Jiraya’s past through his childhood until he became an adult and received his prophecy. He first begins training seriously so he can impress girls, specially Tsunade. Then, by being stupid, he one day transports himself to Mount Myoboku, the land of the toads, where he receives said prophecy, makes a contract with the toads and trains the Sage techniques.

About the prophecy, he’s basically told that he will have a disciple that will completely change the world, either for complete peace or complete destruction. And he himself will be responsible for the result. He will have to make a choice that will affect his disciple.

Now, obviously, Naruto comes to mind as the child in the prophecy, and it’s easy to see how he has been slowly changing the world, specially when he united the Sand and Konoha. Jiraya’s journey was the most filler filled part of the first episode. It wasn’t perfect but, it was well done enough and interesting.

The second half starts with the Sanin’s meet with Hanzo on the battlefield. Hanzo was one of the strongest shinobi around at the time. The art in this scene was really lacking, although the fighting wasn’t half bad. (By the way, IMPORTANT, the English version is missing a lot of scenes, like this fight, I advise you to watch some fansub using the Japanese raws, like Taka’s releases.) Their meeting with the kids afterwards was also badly done, in the art and animation department. Anyway, Jiraya stays with the kids, still looking for his disciple.

He trains them and that’s when he first witnesses the Rinnegan and everything from his prophecy starts making sense. By the way, I had no idea Nagato’s hair was red lol. Could Nagato or Yahico be the prophecy child? Maybe Minato? Well anyway. Orochimaru is also shown a great deal and we can see some of his progress towards what he later became. Tsunade also shows to be in love with Jiraya since this times.

Basically, Naruto’s origins are finally revealed and he seems the best candidate for the child of prophecy. Now it’s time to come back to the present where Jiraya’s invading the Hidden Rain, looking for Akatsuki’s leader. I hope the animation gets better when the next fights start.

Overall, nice episode, even though the art, animation and execution were poor most of the times. But, the plot, dialog and everything else was mostly good. By the way, I think they changed Jiraya’s interest in peaking to an interest in Tsunade and getting girls.. Maybe they are trying to dramatize their relationship more than in the manga.

• Next Episode: Amegakure Infiltration!

What We Protect

It seems Stark really is down. Halibel is taken down quickly by the three joint opponents. Meanwhile, it seems Gin has been the one fighting Shinji. Anyway, Aizen interrupts them. It seems, whatever his first objective was, it’s done. He goes and personally gives Halibel the last blow. He then calls Gin and Tousen.

It kind of looks like he’s going away.. But, I don’t think he should/could just escape. This is supposed to be the grand finale. He can’t just "oh, I need stronger allies, I’ll go back and do all this again"..

I really interested in what will happen. Bleach has become much more interesting again. Can’t wait for the next.

• Personal Enjoyment: 5/5

Attack On The Meeting Place

Sasuke uses Susanoo and destroys the whole place. Everyone prepares to go after him while Juugo and Suigetsu recover.

Sasuke has taken Karin and gone after the Hokage. He quickly appears in the meeting place. Danzou gets away and the byakugan user goes after him. Sasuke isn’t so lucky, he’s first attacked by Mifune and then by the Mizukage.

After seeing him, she gets a crush on him lol Anyway, she’ll exact her revenge against Akatsuki. So, Sasuke faces another Kage. Can’t wait to see her abilities and her guard’s.

Cool chapter. Sasuke, right now, looks like a really cold, empty shell, with one only objective of killing Danzou. But, he’s looking cool and unstoppable. Still, even Karin is starting to dislike his attitude. I really liked the Mizukage and her sexy/evil attitude towards Sasuke.

I hope the byakugan user isn’t killed by Danzou and his Root shinobi.

• Personal Enjoyment: 5/5

^Call.87
Family

So, the plot takes the "real" path. Because of their long absence, disappearance reports were made and it become a really big deal. It’s normal, everyone who disappeared had connections with each other..

These means lots of problems, specially with the police. So, Granny invites Ageha and Amamiya to go live with them. Not sure about Kabuto. And, as not to cause problems, she invites Ageha’s older sister to come too. And surprisingly, their father appears to for the first time.. He looks really young and strange. I have no idea of this will mean or how it’s possible. Really wasn’t expecting this.

I’ll wait for the next chapter. This one was nice, wasn’t expecting this for the start of the new arc.

• Personal Enjoyment: 4/5

Soi Fon
Surrounding the Zanpakutō

Ichigo is quite the substitute shinigami, going to meetings and everything.. lol Basically, everyone now knows that they must fight and best their zanpakutou’s. But, really, with some zanpakutou’s abilities.. it kind of seems impossible to some shinigami right now. Meanwhile, all the zanpakutou’s are going after Ichigo.

Byakuya appears, his silhouette at least. Not sure of his plot but, it doesn’t quite look like it’s in favor of the shinigami right now. Also, Oomaeda finds his zanpakutou and fights it. The dialog was funny but, Oomaeda seemed out of character. I would expect him to be more of a coward or feel some fear.. I mean, he has no zanpakutou. I’m guessing his attitude would be less confident that when he fought the elephant arrancar. By the way, Gegetsuburi looks a lot like Buu from Dragon Ball lol.

Houzukimaru, tagging along Gegetsuburi, is found by Ikkaku. Ikkaku obviously enjoys this situation. Still, when Houzukimaru goes bankai, he starts losing. But, the fight is interrupted. Kyoraku and Ukitake were already prepared to intervene. Still, Houzukimaru runs away and Ichigo follows. But, he’s stoped by Byakyua’s zanpakutou, and Byakuya himself is seen. As he already gotten control of his zanpakutou?

Anyway, nice episode, hope the quality continues.

The next seems to be about capturing Ichigo. It also looks like the zanpakutou’s will do some talking.

• Next Episode: Friendship? Hatred?