Retsgip’s Anime Blog

Clash! Zaraki Kenpachi vs. Ichinose Maki

Rating: 9/10

Not only am I a HUGE fan of Zaraki Kenpachi, but I’m also a fan of semi-touching stories. Episode 98 delivered both in a relatively painless and rather enjoyable fashion. Finally, we get a good episode.

Well, I wouldn’t say it was worth the wait because we had to wait for what felt like ages. But I will say that the fight lived up to my expectations, and I’m happy they got to show Zaraki Kenpachi and his awesomeness. I’m a Kenpachi fanboy so my view of this episode could be skewed! But that’s your problem!

First of all, there is a new OP and ED. I didn’t really like the songs of either of them, though I did like the artwork. All the characters were dressed differently in the OP, like in black and white, and it was a lot darker than usual. I half expected them to be playing instruments for some reason, like some scene out of Beck or Nana. Oh well, I won’t be watching the OP/ED after this episode so I guess it doesn’t really matter.

Big-booby, it’s been awhile! How’ve you been?!

Yachiru is awesome. At first you might think it’s strange for her and Kenapchi to be a pair, but once you see how they act together, you realize how wrong you were. Even in this pic, when Yachiru is being her usual silly self, calling out to “big boobs” aka Orihime. I love her nicknames too. In fact, I just love her in general. Yup.

I’ve always loved Kenpachi’s style of fighting. He’s like this big bear holding a rusty piece of metal, but somehow he just seeps badassness (yes this is now a word) with everything he does. Ichinose pretty much exhausts his bag of tricks(maybe a purse of tricks…since well, he’s a froot with his rainbow sword action) to no avail.

One thing I was proud they touched on, was the same thing I’ve been wondering for quite some time. That is: If Ichinose is so dutifully following Kariya and his views, then why does he still want to kill Kenpachi so bad in order to save the Soul Society? It felt like a plot hole to me until this episode, when we find out that Ichinose really wasn’t that committed to Kariya, and yes, he really did just want to kill Kenpachi.

Know what the greatest thing about this whole situation was? Kenpachi makes him look like a fool the whole time. Ichinose starts babbling about how Kenpachi isn’t fit to be a Captain because he has no goals, and then Kenpachi slaps the same thing right back at him. Kenpachi’s goal is to have fun and enjoy the thrill of the battle, Ichinose doesn’t even have a goal of his own. OMG? Ichinose goes through a rite of passage. It’s good stuff.

They end up in the same situation that Ichigo and Kenpachi were way back in the day. Both of them are powering up and then both leap at each other (not very original, I know). Naturally, Kenpachi completely pwns him, which turns into a bitter sweet ending. You can tell Kenpachi was proud of Ichinose for finally committing himself fully to something in his life, but it’s always sad to kill an old acquaintance. We get a touching shot of Yachiru bowing to Ichinose’s lifeless corpse before they saunter back into the depths of the forest.

Isn’t she cute? I think so.

We really get to see Kenpachi’s true self in this episode. I’m always thrown off when Kenpachi says things in unbelievably simple terms, and is 100% correct. He seems to have a keen ability to read people, which usually turns his battles into these sort of rite of passage type deals. It happened to Ichigo too when he fought him, and it happened to Ichinose as well. It also usually happens when they’re getting their ass kicked by him so bad that he just stands there smiling.

Good episode, I enjoyed it. The quality of Yachiru was high too, which made me pretty damn happy! *raises glass* Here’s to more Kenpachi, and Yachiru! Boo to all you haters!
-Retsgip