throughout the 80s, more and more tapes of the same content came to America. In an time when Mario was king, anything from Japan was cool. America was addicted to anime. Manga came here around the same time. We just wanted more and more. Demand soon caught up with supply, and we were discussing the events over the water coolers and lunchrooms of the nation. Fast forward to the 90s. Manga, like the gaming industry, is about to be called a fad. That was until ’96, when DBZ comes out on Toonami. Pretty soon manga was cool again. It also lead to the formation of the manga genres, including harem (Tenchi, Love Hina); mecha (Evangelion, the Gundam series); and the very popular sports manga (Slam Dunk, The Prince of Tennis). A new generation of otaku enjoyed these jewels. A year later, Kishimoto-sensei first drew a young ninja with a pale body and a big heart. It would be another seven years until that ninja gains a chance in the spotlight. Bleach and One Piece were products of the last decade. All three showed up on Weekly Shonen Jump, and the rest was history. This is the golden age of the manga and anime industries. If you were with me so far, than I thank you by getting to the point. With all of the attention the Big Three are getting,  there is no room for anyone else (like Kimi no Iru Machi). Unless VIZ Media can learn to share the spotlight, then the recent action by the very people who owe the success of the Big Three to online popularity would find themselves in a empty sea.

Yuzuki, who is not a goddess, played Haruto like a fiddle and made him come to Tokyo just for the sole purpose of chasing after her. Haruto went to Tokyo just to be backstabbed and play chef to a dying man for a while. I could go on, but I truly think that Haruto is the most evil. Why? For getting in on Yuzuki’s games and actually making lowball comments to Kazama (the dying man), wishing ill upon him. The way things are going, Haruto is doing down a low, cold, and dark path to Death Valley, never to return. A worser fate is already secured for a human succubus named Yuzuki Eba – she will soon have no one that will side with her anymore.

As you all know, the Tokyo saga of Kimi no Iru Machi is taking a dramatic turn. Kazama is back from the hospital after a long month and a half of putting Haruto through hell. And now, after all of this, there’s no groundway in the Eba wars, but Haruto has elected to go the low route again. Remember a few chapters back when Haruto simply said that he could give a rat’s behind about Kazama’s condition, that he will still take Eba away from him. Kazama has elected to go with the life-saving surgery (finally) as Kiyomi wanted. But what she didn’t get is his affection. That still belongs to Yuzuki. If Haruto wants to get Yuzuki back, then he would have to get his mind right and stop making his chances worse by making lowball comments to Kazama like the one he just did on Chapter 98 and a few chapters back. But he is definitely the worst manga character in the world right now simply because of this fact.

She is a EARTHLY BEING who had planned to dump Haruto when his attention went to other girls like Namami, Kikukawa, and Shino; Yuzuki Eba is one who conspired to buy Haruto a shirt that had a secret message that made little sense and would play with Haruto’s mind so bad that he had to go to Tokyo and chase after her; Yuzuki Eba is one who said ‘I do not know you’ ON PURPOSE, when Haruto found out that she was playing nurse to a dying man who needed some female companionship before he dies; Yuzuki Eba is one who convinces this ill man, Kyosuke Kazama, to refrain from taking a potentially life-saving surgery, which drew the ire of his lifelong friend, Kiyomi Asakura. In so doing, In my eyes, Kiyomi responded by giving her the slap that she deserves. For all other members of said forum who think that the slap was needed, but not necessary, I say that’s bull. Yuzuki messed around with Haruto at Hiroshima. Little did Haruto know that this Yuzuki Eba’s feelings for him was JUST ONE BIG STANKING LIE! And she made another lie to cover another lie. Now, she is seeing the reward of her lies: Haruto would leave her life FOREVER. Pending his conversation with Kiyomi. Yes, Yuzuki Eba is NO goddess. In my mind, she is nothing more than a Mitsuko. I have lost all sympathy for a woman who can do this to someone she purports to love. Her day would soon come. Guys like this OM Forums member are almost never challenged. An ego needs to be crushed like this.

Alrighty… about two years ago, Kubo-sensei told Weekly Shonen Jump readers that there shall never be a live action version of Bleach. The reason of not finding suitable-enough actors is one thing, the other reason I don’t know. One thing that he had kept under wraps is the existence of an Ichigo-Rukia romantic bond. He has teased us with ending credits which shows Ichigo and Rukia running around holding hands (with Orihime and Tatsuki watching in the sidelines!) Now, some of the stuff in Fade to Black allows us to confirm what Kubo-sensei hasn’t (yet). I strongly believe that Ichigo cares for Rukia too much. Rukia cares too, but by kicking his butt and starting arguments with him. There’s no question that she is strong-willed, and that is the perfect fit for a boy like Ichigo, beats up his dad and cares about his young sisters. More on Isshin in a moment. During the countless episodes that she was without powers, she has made friends and learn things about the world of the living more that what was taught by her sister and the half-brother in which last name she shares. Ichigo has learned something about himself in the process, and in so doing, the lives of both are forever bound by destiny (oh, and by the likes of Aizen).

NOW…. my thoughts on Isshin Kurosaki and his secret past. Ichigo is Aizen’s goal, and I am not alone on this way of thinking. Here’s on what I believe the last 2 years of Ichigo’s life went down:

• Using a few connections he still has with the GXIII, Aizen had Rukia stationed in Kakakura that night, where Ichigo just happened to live. Having Ichigo get Rukia’s powers was what Aizen wanted.
• Having Rukia on the sidelines to coach Ichigo on the shinigami ways was also what Aizen wanted. Ichigo learns fast.
• When he decides that Rukia was no longer of use to him, he spoon-fed Renji and his boss Byakuya BS stories that Rukia has committed a crime. They then retrieve Rukia and leave Ichigo battered and bloody. Rukia was then tried, convicted, and sentenced to death by the phoenix. Aizen knows Byakuya’s pride and respect for the law would ensure that Rukia will be executed, But Ichigo saves her and defeats Byakuya in a swordfight on Guilliotine Hill. Yes, amigos, IchiKuya Round 3 was fixed by Aizen.

They are many others, but I will wear you out. The OneManga forums can enlighten you more. Isshin was a shinigami all along, but never tells his son. In fact, in a list of the most popular Bleach characters, Ichigo is #10, while his father is #1. Isshin has some serious explaining to do when Ichigo whips his despair (if he can) and eventually Aizen, the man who ordered the hit on his mother.