The latest manga chapter to be released for Naruto this week was a major disapointment. It was barely amusing in some instances; I just like it when Sasuke’s opponents make him look like the spoiled, tantrum-throwing child that he is. Really though, it just basically sucked, which is something the manga has been doing for a very long time now, sadly.

Thankfully that isn’t the case with Bleach! As always, I quickly read the latest chapter and I am already eagerly awaiting the arrival of next week’s chapter. There is a ton of anticipation packed into the chapter. It’s what we all want to see and have been dying to get to for so long, but there is also some comedy and feel-good mushy stuff to make you smile as well.

I am really, really, really enjoying the battle between Ayasegawa Yumichika and the arrancar Charlotte Coolhorn. From the very beginning, when Yumi was first introduced in the series and did his little spiel on beauty and the unfairness of fighting ugly opponents, I have been dying to see him pitted against another “pretty boy” like him. I’ve also just been dying for the chance to really see him have a good fight too. Because Yumichika is Ikkaku’s friend, and Ikkaku always wants to fight, we rarely ever get to see him fight. Even in his battle against Shuuhei we really didn’t get to see him fight. We saw the beginning of the fight, where Yumi explains why he holds the 5th seat instead of 3rd, and then the tale end of the fight. All we learn is that he got his ass kicked initially by the vice-captain of the 9th and then released his zanpakutou, which appears to absorb his opponent’s reiatsu, and that was through Shuuhei’s flashback.

Yeah, sure, there is the filler episode of the anime, and I think he might have had some minor fights in the Bount arc, but that really doesn’t count much at all. Then of course there was the battle with Luppi, the deceased sexta espada. Again, didn’t get to see much there either. Although I was slightly appeased to see Yumi make his digs on Luppi’s ugliness, given Luppi’s very feminine appearance, but it didn’t play out like I had hoped.

But the fight with Coolhorn is turning out exactly as I had always hoped it would! Even better really because the Arrancar looks like a muscle-bound drag-queen who thinks he’s the prettiest thing from all three realms! I can’t wait to see that fight continue as it promises to get even better, what with Coolhorn releasing his zanpakutou and all. Reina de Rosas indeed. His released state is even more of a riot. I can’t wait to see what Yumi’s reaction will be to it. Yumi, poster boy for beauty and acne products, because his skin is flawless and beautiful, and Coolhorn a poster child for all things gone terribly wrong. Yes, I am aware that these fights are kinda just there to keep the grand battle from ending too soon, but they’re definately interesting none the less.

I thought the little bit with Gin being pleased to know that Kira is doing well to be cute. I’m kind of curious how the Gotei 13 could even trust Kira though, he doesn’t seem to have done anything to redeem himself. Remember everything he’s done since the betrayal that is redeemable that we’ve seen is anime-filler stuff and not cannon per say. I’m still eagerly awaiting the reunion between Shuuhei and Kensei though, I figure that one has to be damn good. Kubo owes that meeting to us!