Comics / Manga

Bleach Volume 32

By Chris Zimmerman
August 12, 2010 - 12:53

Ichigo and his allies continued assault on Hueco Mundo has seen its fair share of rough spots with as Rukia and Chad have found themselves struck down and Ichigo himself has been on the receiving end of Ulquiorra’s wrath. Now the final battle between Ichigo and Grimmjow is here and while it lacks the hype and fervor that went into the grudge match between Ichigo and Byakuya, the payoff in none the less a one two punch of action that is as satisfying as it is disappointing.

With a full volume dedicated to the fight between the two, the action is fast and explosive. In a departure from past battles, Tite Kubo chooses to switch it up a bit, infusing Grimmjow with a unique fighting style that allows the fight to stand out from previous battles. While we also get the usual tension hinting between a romance between Ichigo and Orihime, story progression is relatively zero.

Therein lies the problem with this volume and the arc in general. So far it’s been a retread of the Soul Society arc minus the emotional drama that made the series suspenseful and interesting to read. Rather than attempt to move the plot forward, Kubo has leapt from one fight after another with no end in sight as Ichigo still looks to be far from Aizen’s level and more than half the Espadas remain.

Also included is a bonus chapter that takes readers back to the early days of fan favorite character Hitsugaya, showing what influenced him to become a soul reaper. Though not really memorable, it should satisfy fans of the character who has been absent recently from the series.

All in all, Bleach volume 32 isn’t the strongest entry in the series but in regards to this current arc, it so far stands head and shoulders above everything else. 

Rating: 7.5 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12