#thank u for this bleach halloween ep

[bleachbleachbleach]

5 Great Things About an Episode I Hate (7, actually!)

The Halloween episode is my least favorite episode of Bleach. It PAINS me. Viscerally. But we watched it last night as part of our rewatch—and have, for some reason, watched it as a stand-alone multiple times, on purpose?? So last night I figured I’d think productively about it and keep track of at least 5 things I like about it!

1. Ichigo Cannot Abide his Own Recap

This episode takes place in the context of the final moments of the Winter War. We’re talking like, Aizen is transforming, Ichimaru’s time on this earth is limited, Final Getsuga Tenshou, final moments of this 93-season-spanning arc. Ichigo and Aizen are about to face off and make clear what the difference is between the two of them. And then this.

But astute viewers of The Halloween Episode will find portentous spoilers here: Ichigo is about to launch into a long recap of the Arabian Nights episode… and stops himself!

This is in the immediate aftermath of Aizen having spent two entire episodes recapping the entire series. And this, friends, is the true difference between their mettles.

2. Pumpkin Ghost Orihime

ToT This requires no elaboration. She is so cute. I’m here for Pumpkin Ghost Orihime and Pumpkin Ghost Orihime only.

3. Pirate Renji

Well, that and mummified pirate Renji. LOVE HIM. We went into this episode muttering nutterishly, "just think about Renji and Orihime just think about Renji and Orihime" and look they’re stars, perfection, I survived this episode and am alive today only by their majesty.

4. Chad was spared all of this

Despite the fact that Hitsugaya and Matsumoto are Here For Some Reason (a feat I usually love for them but hate for them so, so, so, so, so, emphatically deeply in this episode), and even She Not Appearing Ever Hinamori is here(!!!), Chad is not.

I like to think it’s because he’s busy preparing an ofrenda for his grandfather and is taking an evening for himself. Self-care. 😌

5. It’s All Komamura’s Fault

The conceit of the episode is that this was all a dream of Komamura’s, similar to the Arabian Nights dream being Isane’s. Not that dream interpretation benefits from too linear an analysis ("X appears in Y way, so Komamura must think Z"), but it makes me wonder what reports Komamura was reading in bed, because there’s not really a strong reason he’d know all that much about Ishida and Orihime, or really even Ichigo. To say nothing of RYUUKEN and ISSHIN, who are also in this episode for some reason.

— Was Chad omitted because Kyouraku did not deign to submit a report after his ryoka fight?

— Did Ishida and Orihime make it in because Ishida’s a Quincy and Orihime has unusual powers/got kidnapped?

— Did Komamura visit Hinamori while she was recovering, and that’s why she skated into dreamland? If so, love that for them. So much.

— Does Ryuuken and Isshin being here mean that the Gotei has files on both of them? Kurosaki Isshin, that is, as Soul Society’s Best/Worst Kept Secret at this point?

Bonus Round: 6. Features my Favorite OP

I do not pay a lot of attention to Bleach music—though I’m more amenable to the OP/EDs than the score by far—but The Marble OP is probably my favorite one. I know it has a real name, and I know its real name, but it’s the Marble OP.

But something I wondered last night that I’d never wondered before… What is the room that the hougyoku is in here? Fake Karakura’s Fake City Hall?

Bonus Round: 7. It's followed by the Best Bleach Episode of All Time

The Hisagi Inn Episode is RIGHT AFTER THIS ONE, the most immaculate Bleach episode of our hearts. B3 loves this episode more every time we see it, and our immediate reflex after it ends—every single time—is to watch it again immediately. ALL HAIL THE INN EPISODE