Bleachness

So I dreamed one morning an hour before spoilers that Chad was playing soccer and was groggily disappointed when Ohana didn't make my dreams come true. That was a couple weeks ago when I was mightily frustrated with Bleach and fandom and then the car broke down and I had sewer pipe troubles and the plumber was late and every now and then I'd open email from a Russian spambot or some crazed shipper telling me to eat worms and die in so many misspellings. But then many of my enormously talented friends rallied me into fighting for my own sanity and one of those was skilly_n_duff :

( I'll Fight Too )

So how about that last Bleach chapter eh? It was awesome. I nearly cried to look at the Bleach rankings in WSJ and see that Bleach was in the bottom five. I know that there are issues with the Lost Agent arc but in my view, the arc doesn't deserve this snubbing. Like a couple of friends of mine I went back and read the whole thing this week and it moves, it plays, the art is great (Sensei's so wonderful w/expressions), it puns and yes it lingers on doorknobs and donuts but in retrospect some of those Kubo teases work. The whole niggling and annoying "what oh what has Tsukishima done to Orihime?" that seemed like a plot point that would eventually focus on her alone became the sudden "OMG LOOK WHAT TSUKISHIMA HAS DONE TO THE WHOLE TOWN OF KARAKURA AND ALL ICHIGO'S BELOVED FRIENDS AND FAMILY!" in one fell swoop. This past chapter would not have worked so well without the excrutiating build-up of those tiny hints of Bookman's "friend power."

We've had other hints now too that may soon come to fruition--everyone's suspected Ginjou playing Ichigo like a fiddle since forever. I haven't forgotten the violin symbol on Ichigo's cardigan and now Ginjou shows up just when Ichigo most needs someone sane to trust. Tsukishima could've easily killed Ichigo or brainwashed him with one blow back at the Kurosaki house but instead drove him right into Ginjou's arms. Yeah, Ramen Guy and Bookman are lovers partners all right. And no, I haven't forgotten all the brocken spotlight/distortion of Ichigo's perception of Isshin and Urahara. Whatever Ichigo's daddy and mentor are up to should come into play soon, but given Ichigo's current state of mind and increasing paranoia, I expect more crazy and confusion.

Psycho Killer
Qu'est-ce que c'est
fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa far better
Run run run run run run run away

I hope I haven't jinxed it but I expect Bleach to be so awesome now that the we've reached the apex of crazy. Ishida should appear soon and Rukia soon after? There's probably going to be a colorspread for Obon/Ichigo's birthday (not this coming week but the week after) and Bleach's 10 anniversary comes in August so yeah, things should be all fireworks for that. Please Sensei, I want to believe in you. Enough teasing. It's time to deliver--bring out the cake with big sparklers for candles.

Yes folks, as I type this it is already Chad's birthday in Japan and we here at bleachness  will be celebrating until it is no longer his birthday in any part of the world. You are invited to post your offerings to our big wonderful muchacho in comments here. Please be patient with LJ as it site struggles with its DDoS issues and if your comment doesn't post, wait a while and it will post ... eventually. XD

FANWORKS NEW OR OLD, CONGRATS IN GLITTER TEXT, DOODLES, GRAPHICS, PIE, LOVE IN ALL FORMS WELCOME IN THE COMMENTS. Please use discretion and warn for all not-safe-for-work offerings and put them behind links.

CONTEST! Post a manga panel (manga only, not anime) in which Chad appears and write a comment about why Chad rocks your world in this panel. How to post an image in a Live Journal Comment. If all else fails in posting your panel, describe the moment in the manga vividly along with your comment. bleachness mods will choose 3 winners later on and you guys will get some groovy regalos (I have a cutie plush, an Amore e Morte tat, and a widdle Sado-kun sticker). I'll start with the first offering.

This Chad!Fest is dedicated to a dear friend who has been campaigning for a Chad arc for years now. She may never get to see her guy in a white dress but at least she can get the following--a special art from imlikat ! mezzo_marinaio  was absent from fandom for a few months but she's back now and here ya go, honey--

( with love )

I'll say more about the birthday boy later. Gah, I love you Sado Yasutora.

I can't help it. I'm so excited about this filler episode based on Kubo-sensei's Arabian spread. It looks like a hoot. It airs next week. Screencaps thanks to Annie and gif thanks to Amy Core. YES IT LOOKS LIKE WE WILL INDEED HAVE SHIRTLESS CHAD! <3

( Images )

Took me long enough. This is a short piece and sorry it's late, aizome . I love you and Chad both. <3 Un-beta-ed. Feedback welcome.

( Born Again PG )

It's not just me. I haven't seen this much excitement about Bleach chapters since the Turn Back the Pendulum arc started. I guess the moments we were all waiting for were in the IchiUlqui confrontation which has finally started to move. The characters we cared about most were there--Orihime, Ulquiorra, Ichigo and Hichigo. *Waves flag for Ishida's showing up*  Do I smell the hougyoku around anywhere?

Ton of comments just about the summary spoilers here

And here is the scanlation of 344 The Pride by SleepyFans at OneManga

( Pride Cometh Before the Pratfall! )

LookingBack7, also known as r0ck3tsci3ntist here on Live Journal, has the most distinctive Bleach fanart style. It's sexy, textured, full of feeling. It's so ART fanart. She draws the creepiest Ulquiorras and is known for her somber UlquiHimes in a fandom where there's a lot of roses, romance and kawai. She drew an Shinji/Hiyori/record player piece for me once that I swear has been the inspiration behind each and every one of my fanfics since. This latest portrait she's done of Chad, Ichigo, and Orihime is just--wow. Orihime is so tiny, her hands clasped with Ichigo's, and Chad is this pillar of a good guy. The whole picture feels like love and friendship.

( LB7'S awesome Bleach Arts )

Her Deviant Art gallery is here. You can find more of her work at y!gallery but you have to have an account there to see the work, which is largely yaoi-themed and largely for mature audiences.

That's all. I just wanted to make an entry to thank you, LB7, for your really different and wonderful Bleach fanart.  Next week, I hope to have my Ishida and Orihime plushies by Pheleon to show off !  I can't believe she's tacking Ishida's new spirit bow--wow. But a plushie maker who can do a released Szayel can do anything!