Whence we last visited the realm of Bleachdom, our friendly neighborhood Soul Reapers were taking heavy hits from Aizen and his Espada jabroneys. Most, if not all, hope seemed lost…until Shinji showed up. Shinji and his quirky band of former Soul Reapers who call themselves the Visoreds. They lend their strength to those opposing Aizen’s army with their oh-so-mysterious Hollow-esque powers.

The episodes contained in DVD Set 20 flesh out the abilities of the Visoreds. Here’s the skinny: They wield fearsome power when wearing their Hollow mask. However, such great power has its limits. They are only able to keep their mask on for a few minutes. Once the clock strikes, their amplified strength and Hollow-ific abilities have to hit the road.

Time limit aside, each Visored has his/her own unique and memorable attacks capable of some serious damage. Did I just see Aizen break a sweat? Nope, must’ve just been dust on my glasses—point being—things won’t be so peachy keen for Aizen with the Visoreds on the battlefield.

These episodes also give us a glimpse into the past lives of the Espada, such as Halibel and her girl-power gang, and the history between Stark and Lilinette. Seeing the lives of the Espada before Aizen came into the picture adds a bit of sympathy to their cause. Aizen’s arrival in Hueco Mundo forever changed the lives of the Espada and Arrancar. Whether they willingly joined Aizen or not, their lives are now utterly entangled in his will.

My personal fave episode from the bunch was 289. Not only is the battle between Kaname and Sajin well executed in terms of art quality and movement, but the dialogue between the two combatants does a fair job at pulling at the viewers’ hear strings, creating the perfect recipe for a tense, exciting and emotional battle. Both seek justice in their own way, and sadly, these former allies are unable to hug it out…

Ichigo’s advantage against Aizen is also revealed. What makes our ginger-haired substitute Soul Reaper stand out from the crowd? Aizen is about to find out, as Ichigo (finally!) makes his way towards Karakura Town.

If you wanna see the Visoreds in action, learn more about the pasts of the Espada and the bad blood between Shinji and Aizen, Bleach DVD Set 20 is a must buy. 

English & Japanese 2.0 Audio / English Subtitles
Episodes: 280–291
Special Features: Omake, Production Art, Clean Openings & Endings
Bleach DVD Set 19 is available here! 

© Tite Kubo/Shueisha, TV TOKYO, dentsu, Pierrot

by Cat Rechsteiner