劇場版BLEACH Fade to Black 君の名を呼ぶ

Ever since I saw the CM at the end of the second film, I have been wanting to see this. It brought joy and frustration to me at the same time. On the one hand, I was happy to know that the film would focus on the bond between Rukia and Ichigo. On the other hand, since it was when the DVD of the second film just came out in Japan, I was saddened by the fact that I would have to wait another year before the DVD of the third film will be out in Japan. The year's wait has finally ended! :D

As expected, Fade to Black is full of emotions and actions. Despite the new characters (I hesitated a bit when I noticed Hirano Aya, but it turned out all right), this fits the canon perfectly like the 2nd film, The DiamondDust Rebellion. I hope they continue to involve Kubo Tite every time when original contents are created, not just character design.

Rukia is my favourite character in Bleach out of the whole charming cast. She is nowhere near as strong in terms of fighting calibre as the majority of people around her, but there is few who can surpass her on inner strength. She's got her share of unfortunate past and raw deal in life, but rather than being crushed by the weight of them, she's overcome them time and again. Because of what she's gone through and experienced, she understands the pain of those in similar situations and willingly reaches out to help and support.

To Ichigo, Rukia changed his world. She saved him and his family at the price of her own life, knowing that she would be condemned according to Soul Society's law. She gave him the ability to save those he cared about, something he's always wanted to but often lacked the means to. She always put his and everyone's benefits before her own, giving out selflessly. She is so much smaller in size compared to him, but he never ceased to admire her spirit and has been encouraged by her many times. The phrase on the covers of the official books SOULs and VIBEs really sums it up well (just ignore the grammar): the rain drags black sun (Ichigo) down, but the rain dried by white moon (Rukia).

To Rukia, Ichigo changed her horizon. He taught her what it's like being a human, to feel and to care. He offers his helping hand to those in need, even when she rejected and refused him. For her, he went through hell and back so she could be free. Free from the threats to life, free from the cage in the noble family name of Kuchiki which prevented those around her to express their feelings for her, free from the chains that she had placed around herself after the Kaien incident.

Actually, the movie didn't really go into too much detail on the relationship between Rukia and Ichigo beside the few brief flashbacks, but I think it is definitely an underlying theme. That's why Ichigo was able to remember Rukia, even though he had known her for the shortest period of time than all the people from Soul Society. The fact that the shinigami forgot about Ichigo due to the erase of Rukia's existence in their mind is a nice touch. Ichigo has played a vital and groundbreaking role in shaping the current Soul Society, yet Rukia is the only connection between him and the people of Soul Society.

The siblings are the enemies in this movie, but they are not the bad guys. To them, Rukia is also their world. They shared a time with Rukia when she was still living in rukongai, but that short time of happiness was snatched away from them by the hallow-possessed shinigami. For them, their time stopped then, with Rukia being their only world. That's why they would go to any length to be with her alone. At the end, Rukia gave them a new world and names, mending their parting souls that had been broken for the past hundred years.

One thing I really liked about Fade to Black is the focus on characters. Rather than trying to fit all the characters in there, only a handful have considerable screen time and a few have just a short but important scene. There's no squeezing in Ichigo's friends in the Real World for appearance's sake, and many of the named (read: people of some importance) shinigami didn't make it on screen. This creates certain focal points and provides insights on the various characters involved. It also subtly separates those with brains (Urahara, Byakuya, Hitsugaya) and those that think more with their body (Renji, Ikkaku). XD

The credit roll features a very well done moving slide show of some of the zanpokutou and Porno Graffitti's song. The slide show is a clever play of plain yet bold colours and silhouettes, starting with Zangetsu and Sodenoshirayuki and ending with a fully hued Zangetsu in bankai form. I'm about to start the zanpokutou arc in the anime so this is the perfect PV for it. I don't usually get excited about fillers, but this seems like an interesting one.

On a side note, I got the R1 DVD for the 2nd film the other day, thanks to my new best friend Amazon.ca. I wanted to re-watch it again on DVD but decided to wait until after I finish my Gundam quest. After a series of ordering frenzy, I am holding off the purchases for now until after the winter. Taking a stroll to the post office in -40°C and trying not to slip on ice while walking against the chilling wind is not my idea of fun. Let us meet again under more favourable weather, my new best friend.

Speaking of fillers, I was quite pleased that I was able to get the Bleach DVD boxsets for the whole Soul Society arc without getting stuck with any Bound arc episodes. Why couldn't they do the same for Death Note? I just want the parts up to L's death. The two items shall continue to sit in my wish list until I make up my mind...