Bleach 2 [ペーパーバック]

Alright, now I see what everyone is talking about. For those of you who may have read my review for the first volume, you know that I was skeptical of the start that Bleach had. I had felt that it wasn't enough to truly be rated as of yet, and thought that the story wasn't exactly the most original ever created. I also wanted a better glimpse of the main character, Ichigo, which the first volume failed to provide. But after reading this second volume, I definitely understand.

This is, simply, an exciting manga to read. The characters, the story, almost everything about this series isn't original, but it's a damn lot of fun. In fact, it's so fun that I think Bleach is doing a kind of reinvention of sorts by enlivening the manga ghost/action story (YuYu Hakusho, Shaman King). And, while this volume doesn't take many more steps than the first did, it definitely made it clear that those steps would eventually pop up somewhere. For now, you just have to enjoy the action and the comedy while meeting some possibly interesting people along the way.

After finishing this volume, which basically explored Ichigo's continued training as a substitute Soul Reaper, I'm actually sorry I gave the first volume a four. It deserved a five and I can't go back now and change that. This is an excellent manga series that promises to only get better. It can appeal to all ages, having more than enough to keep adult manga readers entertained while also not being graphic enough to make it too mature for kids. I highly recommend this manga to fans of Shonen Jump, as the similarities are too many to count.

Poor Ichigo -- if it isn't one tiny life-form causing trouble for him, it's another.

And the second volume of Tite Kubo's "Bleach" is full of such troubles for our scrappy hero and his fiery Soul Reaper ally -- first a gruesome, heartrending story about a particularly nasty Hollow, and then a comedic story about Rukia getting the wrong pill. It also introduces a hilariously oddballish new bunch of supporting characters in a run-down little shop.

As Ichigo and Rukia search for Chad and his parakeet, Ichigo's sister Karin interrupts them with a terrible revelation about the bird. Rukia ends up fighting the grotesque Hollow that's trying to kill the bird, but is crippled by her lack of power -- until the physically powerful Chad comes to help her, despite the fact that he can't see the Hollow.

But the Hollow's true nastiness comes out with a barrage of "leech bombs" aimed at a powerless Rukia -- and threatening the parakeet. Worst of all, it reveals the reason it has been pursuing the parakeet all along -- and the ghastly crimes it committed even before becoming a Hollow.

After all that, Rukia makes a trip to a store with some very special supplies -- including a Pez dispenser with "temporary souls" inside, so Ichigo's body won't lie around when he leaves it. Unfortunately it turns out that the little pil insider is a specially modified soul that doesn't intend to give Ichigo's body up -- and causes quite a bit of mayhem on its own.

The second volume of "Bleach" still has Tite Kubo recognizably getting his bearings -- the art is a bit sketchy at times, and the pacing is a bit uneven. But he also started fleshing out this world of the Soul Reapers here, with some eccentric new characters and a glimpse of what happens to Hollows who were evil in life. Trust me, it ain't pretty -- skeletons and impalement are involved.

The first half is a flurry of exploding leechfrogs, savage fight scenes with Chad bludgeoning the Hollow with a telephone pole, and Ichigo showing how nasty he can be ("... then your tongue... IS MINE!"). And Kubo plucks the heartstrings with the poor little parakeet/boy's backstory, and the gruesome loss that is currently torturing Ichigo's younger sister.

After all that grim stuff, Kubo lightens up for the following story -- the mysterious storekeeper Urahara makes his appearance (BIG FAT MONEY COMIN' YEAH!), Rukia goes nuts after Ichigo comments on her bunny obsession, Orihime is stalked by a deranged lesbian, and the modsoul uses Ichigo's hijacked body to smooch the girls ("I think he kissed Orihime." "AAGGGGHH! Don't say it! It hurts!").

Additionally, Kubo fleshes out the cast (heretofore only Ichigo's family and Orihime) by exploring the quiet, kindly giant Chad. And we get a bunch of weirdos at the mysterious Urahara shop -- a big cornrowed giant, a timid little girl and a bullying little boy. And of course, there's Urahara himself -- a stoner-esque bucket-hatted guy who is clearly more than he appears.

The second volume of "Bleach" still has Kubo getting his footing, but the mingling of action/horror and eccentric supporting cast make this a winner.

I really loved volume 2, in volume 2 they reveal more about chad and add two new characters, one named Kon which is a pretty funny guy and the other named Hat and Clogs, which I guess you could say he's a soul reaper seller. (and volume 2 as a lot of action which I loved)