Bleach the Movie: Fade to Black (2008)

This Bleach movie was reasonable enough. It did not feel like something ad-hoc, made to fill some interseason space, the story was interesting and the action intense. They used this memory loss/change later in the series, as well, with less effective success.The plot is that two weird kids come to Soul Society and steal Rukia. In the process Mayuri loses his memories and everybody seems to forget Rukia. All except Kurosaki Ichigo who, this time, cannot just storm in, reveal some new power and blast through. This as well as the drama of having to fight your own friends added some volume to the story.Bottom line: one of the better Bleach films, although the technical details were a bit extreme and hard to believe. There is a science of soul reaping, you know... you can't just technobabble away :)

I happen to like this film, seeing Rukia Kuichki lose her memory because of two strangers entering Should Society. They let loose a weird creature which somehow erases memories leaving only a few factual tidbits behind in order for them not to become suspicious. When Ichigo feels uneasy about this situation, he embarks to Soul Society with the help of another named Urhara. An ex Captain who is exiled to the real world because of mitigating circumstances surrounding a secret experiment. When one of Soul Societies Captains loses his memory he feels somebody is out to get him, and goes completely insane in his lab. When he is finally locked up all eyes and ears turn to Ichigo and try to hunt him down because they cannot remember who he is. Ichigo and his little friend Kon begin to find out what has been happening to Soul Society, and finds a way to let the others know as well even though they still want to capture him. Urahara then embarks to Soul Society and lets the others know that Ichigo is telling the truth. Which causes a large manhunt for the true invaders. Rukia on the other hand still doesn't believe she is Ichigo's best friend and tries to kill him. With the help of Rukia's adopted brother Byukia, she finally comes to grips and remembers her past and her link to the strangers. A wonderful movie about family, and the tragedies that sometimes follows those who are unlucky in life.

This was a fairly touching story and finally, one that felt like it deserved its own movie as opposed to being covered over a few episodes of Bleach (or Naruto, for that matter). Typically, with either anime's movies, my criteria are a good story and solid action. You would think the writers would have it easy since they don't need to do much character development but no, typically one or the other or both are quite lacking. With Fade to Black, it's the action. Apart from the start and end of the movie, most of the fighting involves Ichigo vs. the captains. Again. They really need a new battery of villains, or even heroes, since the latter seem to be always fighting each other anyway.