#chapter 681

— ichigo kurosaki, bleach. { ch.681 pg.17 }

Madara's Tomb from chapter 681

So, let's see here.

When a series pulls a time-skip, the reason is usually for the sake of powering up the characters and refills the element of surprise in their arsenal. When Gintama jumped time, I was under impression that it entered the epilogue and end like many series tends to do, and that’s fine. It was this very chapter that has changed my mind. Sorachi is doing an excellent work on delivering something meaningful and reasonable than simple powered-up characters or ending with a new family. It’s a rare outlook of the war aftermath that it has more harm than good and it will only grow worse.

Sorachi has been on his A-game in writing for the past chapters and there’s no sign of slowing down. Not only his comedy delivery has been top notch, vintage level if I may add, but so as his dark portion with Shouyou’s disciples with powerful scenes that are grander than a standard Shounen level. Praise the sun for the editors giving him the opportunity to end wonderfully. By this point, I don’t care when it will end; I simply enjoying every piece.

Takasugi has been a hell of a character since Shogun Assassination Arc. Sorachi has proven that even late in the game, he made sure his character’s development will be as significant as any other. I was surprised yet glad that we received the flashback of his. I truly like how sincere he has become with others. It’s rather a touching scene with him holding on Oboro’s remains and apologizing for unable to be the one to bury him with Shouyou. It moved me the fact he kept his promises and actually care deeply. It did sadden me that he was really going to die. This series has no friend.

It’s confirmed that he went to the room with Tendoushuu to kill them all before he goes out. It’s a hell of a scene with him glaring with eyes of death at the guy, the same one who ordered to kill Shouyou, and destroy the tube. It felt so good for the long awaited revenge to be done. If it wasn’t for the last chapter, I would have thought this is the end for him, but it did make me question on his survival. Another question popped up was if Takasugi only went there to kill them, not solving the falling ship issue, how they did stop it. The answer is most likely for another time.

Sorachi is one step ahead with the use of writing technique since he doesn’t let any opportunity pass by. In this case, it transitions to a crazy and eerie mind game against Takasugi. Tendoushuu warned him that the chain of enemy will not end when they are disposed, but Takasugi didn’t care. He’s one of the Shouyou’s disciples that live to see the day to avenge him. It was supposed to be a moment of glory, moment we have wanted to see. Then, it becomes dark, eerie, and mind numbing.

I was lost at first to believe that guy legit turned into Utsuro, but it was clear by the next page that it’s all in Takasugi’s mind. I got serious chill with the scene, surrounded by Utsuro, with Takasugi trying to grip on reality. The trigger was saying Shouyou made him this way, insinuating that he is the cause of his transformation. Was Takasugi taking on someone else for his anger? Imagine, a villain telling to a more or less hero about revenge won’t bring justice. That’s new. It also pushes further with the theme of humanity to be the problem of everything in which has been developing strikingly well.

I gasped loudly at the end of the flashback. I like how Takasugi got a grip on reality, though felt a bit terrified, only to resume on his path to kill them all. If his slow countdown to death wasn’t convincing enough to believe he was going to die, the end scene will. I don’t know if Sorachi really wants every one of the disciples to suffer miserably, but he getting stabbed by soldiers was simply brutal. I cannot believe there are people from Liberation Army that still worshipped Tendoushuu, but it would make crazy sense later on. Bottom line, Takasugi was in fact going to die here, one way or another.

There’s a nice touching reunion with Shijaku and Katsura at the graveyard. I thought he was paying a visit to Enshou, but it was for Nobu Nobu. I am still not ready for the anime to cover that moment; such a sad scene. I love the fact his final action was influential for everyone to make the unification happen. If it wasn’t for him, the war would have gone on and their hate would not have them working together to repair the damage. Basically, Shijaku and Katsura pay their respect and gracious for his sendoff. It’s telling with Katsura showing up, buried their hatchet a long time ago.

It’s pleasing for Shijaku and Katsura to be in a leadership role, carrying off Nobu Nobu’s wish. I like how those two have to work together to repair Edo as well as working on their side of the issue. It’s the reason why Edo is getting repaired at a faster rate. Imagine if Edo was alone on this; it would have look like post-apocalyptic. I’m glad that Sorachi didn’t brush Shijaku away like just a one-time thing for the arc and it makes sense for him to take over Enshou’s place. I also like how wise he is, unwilling to accept any praise because it was his people that brought war upon them. It’s not cooperation; it’s atonement. He is a nice noble character that fits well with the series.

The conversation becomes dark and like many times before, it intrigues me greatly with how Sorachi manages to expand the lore at this time. I do love how ending the war doesn’t result to happiness, but instead, good and bad will occur like hand-to-hand. Earth has it bad enough with shady Government and Katsura is likely running the city to push them away from creating any damage. Shijaku sadly has it worse because there are planets that have people forming an organization that essentially become terrorists. It’s rather dark for Sorachi to write terrorism in the series, including their action that revolves with suicide.

The plot becomes grimmer yet more appealing with the introduction of a religion called Tengenism. It feels odd to read a Shounen Jump series that talk about religion that could have gone controversial. It is true that religion can be a belief in which people depend on through the midst of chaos, but it can be misled as well. I won’t go too deep since it can get personal. Tengenism consist worshippers of Altana and with multiple planets that has its own, the collision can change the ideal. This is getting close to home.

The ideal made the writing clearer on why we have a time-skip as well as Tendoushuu’s revival. The main point of bringing Tengenism into the discussion is the symbol of a phoenix, which means undying. With this religion that is interchangeable, it now translates to worshippers of Utsuro. That is horrifying how corrupted it can become. For the record, when Katsura gets serious, it’s actually haunting at times, so with him elaborating the detail of their major problem, you know this is very serious.

It is insane for people to worship a murderer, but it’s his immortality that grasped their attention, wanting one for themselves. Their mind is at a desperate state for a desire to take back their loved ones; that’s the misleading part. It’s eerie but it’s not far from reality. It’s why we have a time-skip; to build up the religion to have a large capacity. The effect won’t happen overnight, so it’s convincing how it has grown so large in the matter of 2 years. Not to mention, Tendoushuu’s revival would have taken time as well. It also appears that they have regain power with religion worshippers. This whole time-skip has been meaningful and justified with many new plot threads that could have happen realistically. It’s as if Sorachi has decided to work on part 2 without announcing it to be as such. He’s making sure all plot threads are complete.

The last scene was gut wrenching and heartfelt. Takasugi has steadily growing to be in my top 5 favorites with his development and sincere personality. I was awestruck on how he felt like everything was going to end for him on a sour note with history repeating itself. His action would have gone in vain and pained him how he couldn’t keep any wish, especially for his beloved master.

The final two pages are powerful because he was left no choice but to abandon his humanity not for his sake, but for others. I love that he is carrying on Oboro’s wish behind him and motivated him to keep standing and take whatever means necessary. It becomes literal when he used the remains and stabbed across it and himself. That’s how he obtained immortality. That was jarring. The last panel is pure tensed. Now I really don’t know if Sorachi will kill him off in the end. He never ceases to amaze me.