Mini reviews of Television seasons old and new. No fuss. No spoilers. Occasional bunnies.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Bleach : Season 2 : The Sneak Entry Arc (2005)

Ichigo Kurosaki and his team of merry misfits (Ishida, Inoue, Chad and a talking cat) enter the Soul Society in an attempt to clean up the stuff that hit the fan at the end of the previous season. Unfortunately, for the viewer it's anti-climactic after the promise of the Season One ending. It quickly falls into the DBZ trap of having one fight or chase last for three or four episodes. I hate that shit. It feels like filler stretched far beyond an acceptable limit.

Some new characters are introduced and some more new characters are introduced and I gave up trying to remember their names because I had no idea if they were going to be regulars or just in through the outdoor plot necessities.

I'd prepared myself for Bleach to get sucky and overcrowded after my fellow Nut writers warned me it would (thanks guys), but I didn't expect it to drop in quality so quickly after the surprise greatness of Season One.

As I slipped the final disc into my player I was pretty sure of what score I was going to give Season Two, but disc 5 brought back the drama that had been missing all along. It made the memory of the stupid giant gate keeper and the subsequent boring battles seem a million miles away.  It wasn't enough to make me give the same recommendation as I gave before, but if you've decided to give the show a chance, it'll likely be the same spot that you'll thank yourself again. The comedy is still fun throughout, even when the story momentum drops. Similarity, the music is as fantastic as always, and, happily, many of the great cues from before return.

21 episodes (21-41), approx 22 mins each.

3 mysterious masks out of 5

2 comments:

BLACKTR0N said...

There will be even more characters pop up later. Tons more. Ones even more uninspired than Wicker Vader, The Homo, Tits McGee, Boney Asian Girl 1, Boney Asian Girl 2, Skinny Asian Girl, Ice Cream Cone Darth Maul Clown, Cone Head, Jail Bait, Feudal Shinji, Barbados Slim, Pink Shoulder Thing, Cue Ball, Creepy Homo, Cousin Itt, Lush Pants, Mega Milf, Mustache Cash Stash, White Power, & about 60 guys & dolls with white hair.

Did the talking cat do that one thing yet? If so I'll have to show you some fan art.

Dr Faustus said...

I think I'll get S3 eventually but only because of the last few episodes of S2 and to finish that arc. I was set to give it a 2 out of 5 before those last eps.
The thought of more people to keep track of pisses me off (despite the cool names you gave some of them).
Yup, talking cat did the thing in the last few episodes.