Good morning, sunshine...

The last 2 posts I’ve gotten a real Omega Man feeling since I have no clue where everyone else has gone. Regardless though I must keep the posts up as best I can, and so I come at you today with House of Five Leaves, episode 3 “Gradually Get Him Involved.” This episode is a real eye-opener, especially for Masa (yes, I’ve come to call him that too), who realizes that despite these people doing semi-noble things and targeting the corrupt, are still criminals, kidnappers, and are motivated by their own desires. Really this episode could be used as a message to anyone good who may be blinded by the glitter and glamour people may offer, only to realize later or too late that they’re still criminals and out for themselves.

The episode starts up with Masa working as a bodyguard for a new client, a prosperous rice seller of the Saga-cho district. The job came courtesy of Yaichi who’s viewed as a bodyguard throughout the hostel district, but he denies that he’s a bodyguard and claims just to be a loafer who’s taken to the company of the women later in the episode. Three days have passed since he started his new duties, and for the first time since meeting Yaichi, Masa feels uselful to the people he’s working for. People respect him, he’s pulling in good money he can send home, and even the other workers have taken a liking to him, calling him “sensei” and such.

It isn’t long before this illusion of happiness is broken though as we are quickly cut to the restaurant where the other four leaves sit late, plotting. They know of the job, they know of the recommendation from Yaichi, and they all know (except for Masa) that the bodyguard’s hiring was so they have someone on the inside when they decide to kidnap the rice wholesaler. Matsu, the metalcrafter’s plot is somewhat revealed here, as not only a salesman of trinkets, but as the one recommending Masa to the people of the district they hope to target. Yaichi decides to tell Masa about the plot a little later, and decides to keep him in the dark for now so he can’t back out when it all goes ahead. As the episode title suggests, the plan is to “gradually get him involved.” Matsu’s second duty in the group is revealed here, as a spy to the Five Leaves, and that he is the fifth member, not the Elder whom Masa mistook. Also it’s revealed that Masa was given the job as a bodyguard within the target’s house, not to spy (Matsu’s job), but to be the bodyguard at the exchange when Yaichi goes to pick up the ransom from the Ohmiya. In this way there’s no chance for a fight like in the first episode.

The next day, Matsu makes his journey to the rice wholesaler where Masa is working under his usual guise of selling tobacco pipes for the lady of the house who requests his crafts quite often. Matsu reveals he and Masa have a “mutual acquaintance” and nothing more, then asks the vassel leading him in how Masa has been doing. The vassel says unlike the previous bodyguards the Ohmiya has hired, that Masa ”seems very kind” and is well liked by all, and Matsu adds that Masa as a swordsman is very impressive. This glimmer of kindness warms Masa a bit since he always felt ignored by Matsu as he and the vassel travel on to see the lady of the house.

Yutaro, the Kid

Masa begins to make his usual rounds, and while checking out the river comes across an unfamiliar young boy who hides when he spots Masa. Despite all his recent luck, Masa feels a bit dejected by the encounter and slumps down at the door he came through. The boy, who sees this, comes to Masa’s side and asks if he has a stomachache. The boy, named Yutaro, tells Masa he’s afraid of samurai since they’re all scary, but that Masa seems not scary at all (which knocks Masa right in the feel-bads for a moment). Masa befriends the boy and says he’ll play with him whenever he can. All the while, Matsu stands behind a tree but a few feet away surveying the situation, and reports it that night to Yaichi.

The next day, Masa is scolded for being near the rice storehouse while absentmindedly making his rounds, then makes to his room where he cares for his blade. Yutaro finds him and asks him to play before running off to the river, Yutaro being one of the housemaid’s sons and unable to have anyone else to play with. The pair play down by the river happily, an act which the lady of the house doesn’t seem to approve of.

Later in the evening, Masa and Yaichi meet at the restaurant to talk. Yaichi asks Masa how work has been and Masa tells him of the success he’s been having so far. It’s here Masa asks if Yaichi is a bodyguard for the brothel, which as mentioned before, Yaichi denies. Yaichi offers Masa a recommendation when he’s done with the Ohmiya for another position as Katsura-ya’s bodyguard in the brothel he frequents, but Masa’s sheepish nature and his yearning to continue working for the Ohyama prevents him from accepting such a duty. Yaichi tells Masa the Ohyama *IS* their target which Masa protests saying they’re good people, and there’s no reason to kidnap anyone there. Yaichi shows his true colours here saying he isn’t a “chivalrous robber,” and that they do target families doing bad things so they will not be tracked. But the Ohyama is trecherous too in his own ways, and blackmailing them would be suicide due to their power and influence. Rarely are merchants are targeted, but in this case, an exception has been made. Masa, dejected, asks Yaichi, what is his purpose, so which Yaichi answers with one word: “Money.”

Broken Illusion, Disparing Reality

The reality of his “decent job” sinks in the next morning while at his humble shack, and he contemplates the money he’s made recently under his unknown false pretenses. Later he goes about and runs into Okinu, Uwe’s daughter, carrying boards to the restaurant, which he helps her with. Uwe invites Masa upstairs to talk with him, Yaichi, and Matsu and begins to venture up, only to fall down (the boards he helped carry going to repair apparently). Uwe carries Masa outside and leaves him to a bench for some tea while Yaichi and Matsu talk about how they need to wait and let things roll out for the plan to go forward. Outside, Masa is recognized by the same man who called him a ”leaf-picker” in the last episode, and sits with him. The man tells Masa he doesn’t look like a bodyguard, then offers him a job at the bathhouse he owns, but laughs since he’s unable to get under Masa’s skin, not to mention he can’t afford to hire anyone anyway. He finally introduces himself as Yagi, and the pair enjoy a meal of dumplings.

Lady of the House

Back at the Ohyama’s, Matsu is finally meeting with the lady of the house, an uptight woman who has called on him a few times at this point. Now a bit older and unable to bear children, she’s taken to spending frivolously to spite her husband. Her bitterness trickles down the chain towards Masa, the servents, and the young Yutaro whom she cannot stand. She can’t stand that they had to adopt, and what worse, as Matsu learns, the adopted son, Yutaro, is nothing more than the product of the Ohyama’s affair with a mistress. She calls on Matsu to craft her a hair ornament so elegant and expensive it will enrage her husband, and so with this new knowledge in hand, Matsu leaves, a new plot cast.

Envy & Greed

Masa stops by the restaurant before heading to work the next morning and is given some rice cakes for himself and Yutaro which he happily accepts. Blind to what’s about to happen, he and Yutaro split the meal later in the day down by the river, and both pass out after eating. Matsu comes by to find them asleep, shoves his foot in the sleeping Masa’s face for such a stupid move, and kidnaps the boy after leaving the ransom letter. The Ohyama is pissed, naturally that the bodyguard he hired was totally useless when needed finally, and the Ohyama’s wife shows her callousness saying everything will be fine, the kid will come back. Masa leaves, broken by the whole situation, and is stalked by Matsu who tells him to go to the restaurant.

Matsu's History

Masa figues out Matsu is the fifth leaf and told by Otake that Matsu used to be a lone robber, and was excellent in getting into and out of anywhere alone. Masa naturally feels like an idiot for not figuring out Matsu was one of the five, is told he did a great job and shouldn’t feel down (despite, of course, betraying the people he was hoping to protect, and in particular the young boy he befriended…), and that the boy is safe at the Elder’s stead.

Elsewhere, Yutaro comes to, three unfamilar faces around a fire wondering who is to do what. Their leader reveals this isn’t a kidnapping, but they had to make it look this way, instead it’s an execution. The plan has changed, and it was set-up by someone inside Yutaro’s family which he immediatly knows is his adopted mother. The leader, paid to kill the kid rather to return him though, has a change of heart, and offers to take Yutaro with him, out of the provice where he can be safe. Yutaro refuses and says he’ll go home. The Leader tells Yutaro he’ll be killed in another attempt if he goes back, But Yutaro won’t listen, and says Yaichi will protect him, a friend. The Leader scoffs and laughs telling Yutaro that Yaichi won’t protect him, and describes Yaichi as “looking like a commoner,” and Yaichi was the one who handed the order to kill Yutaro. Yutaro breaks into tears, and the episode fades to black.

Yaichi's Gambit

Really this is a revealing episode when it comes to Yaichi’s personality to just about everyone. Yutaro who had known him somehow before had misjudged him, just as Masa has misjudged him. Yaichi is clearly a mastermind who views people as pawns he can use, and only time can tell when he will use Masa in the same way he used that poor young boy.

I love the look on Akitsu's face

The episode starts out a few nights later where we join Yaichi and Akitsu (who the girls have affectionatly taken to calling Masa-sama) finishing off a few drinks. Akitsu begins to follow Yaichi home to learn that he lives in an “unregistered brothel” in a rather sleezy district, and that Yaichi is incredibly popular with a good number of the ladies (my god, they put his fangirls right into the show). Akitsu leavs him to his quarters and begins to walk home while muddling over Yaichi’s personality and what would lead him to live in such a place, yet act so different. Unable to figure it out and utterly distracted, Akitsu proceeds to walk into a pole he doesn’t notice before somehow making it home.

FAIL

The next day, Akitsu decides to try and go clean and gets a job as a labourer during the day, but has his confidence blown asunder as the others chided by another worked for being too slow. Dejected, Akitsu looks for another task to find Yaichi who explains everything has been set up so he can eat at the restaurant any time, which he promptly leaves for. Akitsu is joined by another one of the Five leaves while eating, the beautiful and dangerously seductive Otake, who tries to persuade him to joining them, but this is interrupted. Akitsu is called upon to help Ume, the restaurant owner and one of the Five Leaves, to do some of the shopping in compensation for all he has eaten, and he agrees. Another man, Matsu, arrives at this point, and sits. Clearly a man of few words.

Excellent recruiting methods!

Akitsu and Ume head out of town the next morning and through the farmlands, Akitsu trying to spark a conversation and Ume silent throughout. The pair come to a small farm out of the way and are met by the Elder, the final member of the Five Leaves. Ume lays his basket on the floor of Elder’s home and empties its contents, the kidnapped and drugger retainer of a local Shogun, which freaks Akitsu out. The victum is places in a  secure room and Ume explains the he was silent the whole walk as part of their procedures, not to be intentionally rude. Ume takes a nap while their shopping is collected, and Elder warns Akitsu if he’s not ready for this kind of work or uncomfortable, to get out while he can.

Oh right! I forgot they were criminals for a moment there!

Uwe's Philosophy

The two leave in the afternoon and walk back with the produce. Ume warns Akitsu if he hits on Otake he’ll kill him, and Akitsu asks if Yaichi got the same warning. Ume reveals he did, but he doesn’t really trust Yaichi to stat to his word. He goes on saying he doen’t trust Yaichi in general, but has confidence in him, and that’s all he really needs. Everyone ends up at the restaurant that night, and as the group is all together drinking and eating, Akitsu feels a kind of acceptance as he has been let into this select circle of friends.

Acceptance

Otake, the flirt

The next day, Akitsu accepts an offer from Otake and the pair go for a calm ride down the river in a small boat. Later that eve, the two are back in the restaurant, and Otake wants to drink with him, but he refuses saying he can’t drink much. Otake smiles and blushes asking Akitsu can’t drink much, or does he not want to drink with her. It’s pretty clear at this point Otake has taken a liking to Akitsu who is called into the kitchen to do some more work, pickling vegetables. Yaichi drops off a sack of money from the kidnapping earlier and tells everyone to be there at 11 to divide up their profits.

Akitsu thinks he shouldn’t be there since he didn’t do much of anything, but Otake tells him to stay since she did very little as well, just gather some leaves. The five point leaves for which their organization is known, are sent in threatening letters to the people paying the ransoms for the kidnappings to keep their mouths shut, and this is how they’ve been able to keep out from the authority’s watch. We also learn the plan b scenario should someone talk is simply to move to another district since they’d have plenty of time to move the way they are set up. Akitsu leaves, and Otake teases Ume telling him she may take Akitsu out again the next day.

The Five Leaves

Otake follows through on this, and the two gather leaves together the next day, particularly, those with five points. Otake takes off on her own for a while to get some lunch and leaves Akitsu to keep searching. A wandering samurai spots Akitsu, infers a woman put him up to collecting leaves, and then laughs when Akitsu insists he’s a samurai. Akitsu rejoins Otake later and the two enjoy a meal of rice dumplings. Matsu comes across the pair and gives Otake a hairpin he had promised her a while back. When Ume finds out about this later, naturally he’s angered, but calms down after a few moments.

Yaichi meets up with Akitsu and delivers his payment, 1 ryo, for his minor services this week (which Ume suggests he pays his tab with). Yaichi asks if Akitsu wants to leave, and if so, he can take the payment as hush money and walk. Akitsu says he feels accepted with the Five Leaves, that since he’s arrived he’s developed something of a personality, and that here he has friends for the first time. Ume’s daughter feels his plight and hopes that he will stay with them, to which Akitsu agrees. The group is thrilled and celebrates with a round of sake.

Late in the night, Yaichi splits off and meets with Matsu who doesn’t understand why he’s brought in Akitsu. Yaichi tells him he likes to watch Akitsu, not just because he’s a warrior, but because he’s different, and good to have around for Yaichi’s own mental health. It appears Yaichi, like Otake, has taken a shining to the young warrior too.

Yaichi and Matsu

Great episode with superb character development I would recommend anyone to watch. Personally, I gotta wonder whether or not Yaichi’s fangirls fawn over him in vain from the way he treats Akitsu…

The Five Leaves

I’ve always been a huge fan of alternative art in anime, in particular when so many series become popular and their style begins to dominate the field. Instantly I found myself therefore drawn to a new series called “House of Five Leaves” after seeing their gritty style mixed with drama and action which reminded me of the group “Gorillaz” when they first came on the scene. Written and drawn as a manga by Natsume Ono, the story revolves around Akitsu Masanosuke, a ronin during the Japanese feudal era who suffers from severe depression and lack of confidence. Fired repeatedly he ends up in a small town looking for any bodyguard work he can do, but fails due to his lack of spirit.

Akitsu, the Uncharmed

After losing his job as a bodyguard for a cotton retailer he runs into trouble with no money, no food, no friends, and no job. After wandering the city and scampering off when a gangster looks at him, Akitsu sits dejected and alone only to be tracked down by the same gangster who takes him to lunch. Yaichi, the gang leader, offers to hire Akitsu to help guard him from some recent trouble. Akitsu reluctantly accepts and the pair wander the city talking for hours.

Akitsu Strikes First!

Later that night, the pair move out into the woods where Yaichi is looking to confront who’s been causing all his recent problems, and Akitsu is told to just stand and look menacing. The enemy appears and approches the two, but has brought a pair of ronin he has hired as well. Fearing the confrontation is about to become violent, Akitsu steps forward and draws his blade against the pair, revealing he’s an excellent swordsman and fierce fighter, dispatching the two with only minor wounds. The only reason Akitsu was fired before it is then revealed is his weak personality, not his skills. The boss drops to his knees and begs for forgiveness while Yaichi takes a package from him, money for a ransom.

No Heroes Here

The Cunning Yaichi

Taking his pay, Akitsu goes home and is distraught at the though of having assisted in a kidnapping. Initially he refuses to use the money and is thought a fool by Yaichi the next day who calls on him to chat. Yaichi explains they were looking for a weak spirited warrior just like Akitsu and would like to bring him in to the House of Five Leaves. Akitsu refuses the idea and Yaichi respects his decision, but not before pulling a knife and messing with Akitsu a bit. The pair drink a while, and Akitsu ends up drinking himself to sleep in an upstairs room while Yaichi leaves.

Uwe's Daughter

Akitsu wakes the next morning in the bar he passed out in owned by Uwe, another member of the House of Five Leaves, and is brought breakfast by his daughter who claims she’s the reason the gang was forged. Akitsu later travels back to the work house, and once again there are no jobs, but fortunatly he comes across Yaichi overlooking the river from the bridge. Akitsu tells Yaichi that Uwe’s daughter explained how she was abused by the shop owner she worked for, and so in retribution, they kidnapped his son and took his bar. Akitsu seems a bit warmer to this gang idea refering to the plot as a “justified kidnapping,” but plans on going back to Edo for re-training and government assignment. Yaichi shrugs this off saying Akitsu’s plan is boring and he should hang around them to send money back to support his family.

Akitsu looks over Yaichi as the episode ends and says he has amazing composure, and that he’d love to smile just like he does so easily. Yaichi replies “if you try, you’ll see nothing is stopping you.”

Definatly a good drama and psychological series as so far it looks like it deals not only with Akitsu’s infatuation with this gang’s operations and work, but also with Akitsu’s development and growth from a transparent, weak-willed individual, into a (hopefully) spirited warrior. The animation is different, the art is supurb, and I recommend you all check this out.

A flashback of Mustang and Hawkeye during the Ishbal War, with the latter burying a child war victim. Mentioned then was a bit of Hawkeye’s past with her father, his study of Flame Alchemy, and Mustang eventually agreeing to burn part of the tattoo on her back so that its secrets regarding Flame Alchemy are no longer comprehensible.

Continuing off from the last time, we learn that one of the two cahracters is indeed Envy masquerading in disguise. In any case, Hawkeye was lying about how Mustang calls her “Riza” when they’re alone together was a much more clever way of baiting Envy out. Then the real Mustang made his timely arrival and started scorching Envy to death, and getting his chance to take revenge.

Hawkeye steps in to stop Mustang before he could finish off Envy, and then Ed and Scar lecture him a bit about how his lust for revenge has consumed him. After hearing what they had to say, Mustang agreed to take the high road and act like a protagonist should, they got through to Envy by pointing out how he’s jealous of humans and their will to never quit, causing him to commit suicide instead.

As for the ongoing battle with Sloth and the endless horde of homunculus soldiers, Alex somehow will-powered his dislocated shoulder to not only move again but also single-handedly send the gigantic homunculus reeling. The fact that Alex can eat Sloth’s blows shows just how much he’s built like a tank, much like Olivier can attest to. With the way the battle is raging on within Central headquarters, Buccaneer and the other Briggs soldiers are breaking their way in. Izumi makes an entrance and this time she chose not to introduce herself as a mere housewife either, but a full-fledged alchemist. Finally, Hohenheim confronting Father with the latter stating how he’ll make the former slave a part of himself.

Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ 

Will thinks that he should be the hero, and drags Nick along with him to infiltrate the enemy’s base and steal some of their weapons. At the same time Joey, having successfully dropped off his grandmother at the shelter, heads toward Prof. Denton’s place to get more information. Prof. Denton has been studying the Skrugg’s weapons and believes Heroman is the only force powerful enough to defeat them.

Will and Nick find a weapon but are soon captured by the Skruggs. On the other hand, Gogorr starts attacking with a giant sphere. And what’s more, it’s started rolling straight toward the shelter where Grandma and Lina are. Joey heads out to face it and try to stop its advance somehow.

Joey summons out Heroman, but his attacks seem to be ineffective against the sphere. They manage to trap the sphere in a large hole, but it manages to climb out of it. Heroman doesn’t give up, continuing his attempts to stop the sphere until his fists are destroyed. Relaying these feelings to Joey, he activates a new mode, Heroman Augment, which grows Heroman into a giant, giving him the strength to hold back the sphere until everyone is evacuated. When Gogorr spots Heroman and identifies him as a possible threat, he launches several more spheres.

Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 

Shikamaru and the others wait for the information Jiraiya brought back to be analyzed. The Hidden Leaf ninja continue their data analysis, when disaster strikes the village. The guards outside don’t have a chance and no one inside the village is warned.

Meanwhile, Naruto realizes that having to be still to enter Sage mode makes it pretty much useless, unless he has help. Anyway, Pain devises two teams, one to make a mess, made of Shurado, Chikushodo and Gakido, and another one to search for Naruto in the shadows, made of Tendo, Ningendo, Jigokudo and Konan.

Chikushodo, the summoner, enters alone from the air. This way they don’t know where she’s landing exactly and she can summon the others afterwards, surprising Konoha with their numbers. They quickly begin their attack. It seems Ningendo’s abilities aren’t just taijutsu, he can read minds and kill people by removing their “soul”. Everyone begins understanding the situation and preparing for it. They confirm it’s Akatsuki and Tsunade is already expecting it to be Pain, she orders for Naruto to be called.

Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 

Ichigo has sustained a minor cut from Ulquiorra’s sword. Ulquiorra stands put, waiting for Ichigo’s charge. When the charge comes, the fight begins.

Back outside, near the ruined outer wall of Las Noches, Renji and Chad are busy fending off a horde of low level Hollows. Renji, who finds it difficult to fight alongside the incommunicative Sado, asks him to warn him before launching his attacks. On the top of the wall, Rukia has finished off all of the Exequias. She now faces Rudoboun who informs her that defeating his subordinates doesn’t mean a thing, as he releases his Resurreccion, Arbol. Rukia is distracted by an explosion tearing through the wall of the tower where Ichigo and Ulquiorra are fighting.

Ichigo and Ulquiorra seem more or less evenly matched, but Ulquiorra shows better resolve and is able to maneuver Ichigo into a defensive position. Ulquiorra blocks Ichigo’s Getsuga Tenshou, he then uses Sonido to get behind Ichigo and after several missed jabs manages to pierce Ichigo through the shoulder and immediately shoots him with a Cero.

Ulquiorra’s Cero blasts through the tower wall, distracting Chad from the task before him. When another Hollow attacks him, Renji is forced to dispose of it but Zabimaru bounces off the Hollow and hits Chad in the chest. Chad is apparently unscathed, as he gets up again and charges at the Hollows. Reminiscing about his training period with Sado, Renji considers the fact that they never actually fought together. But, he as he says, it shouldn’t pose that much of a problem if they only have to fight low level Hollows like they have been. As if in response to Renji’s words, the sand begins to tremble under their feet and soon a huge Sand Guardian Hollow emerges from beneath them. Renji and Chad immediately recognize the creature’s resemblance to Runuganga and recall the latter’s vulnerability to water, but since Rukia is not around Renji simply charges head on towards the huge Hollow and attacks him with his shikai. Zabimaru’s extendable blade lodges into the Hollow’s body and begins to be sucked in by it, as if sinking into quicksand. The Hollow opens his enormous mouth and shoots a Cero at Renji, but fails to hit him since Chad protects him with his Brazo Derecha de Gigante’s third form. The two manage to pull Zabimaru out of the monster’s clutch, but are at a loss about finding a way to defeat him.

Ichigo is injured and visibly dizzy from the Cero hit, but Ulquiorra acknowledges that he was able to withstand it without using his Hollow mask. He notes that Ichigo is stronger and asks if it is because of his fight with Grimmjow, because of his friends or because of Orihime. Glancing at her, Ulquiorra says Orihime is one with the Arrancar now and that saving her would be pointless. Ichigo dismisses his words, saying he is not the one to determine that. Ulquiorra agrees, saying this decision is for Aizen to make.

In the desert, Chad tries El Directo to blast off the Hollow’s hand, but he simply recreates it out of sand and punches Chad into Renji, he then tries to crush them both with his huge hand, but they get away in the nick of time. Realizing he has no choice, Renji releases his bankai, Hihiou Zabimaru. In his Las Noches quarters, Yammy wakes up and mobilizes for action.

Ichigo finds himself on the receiving end again, dodging more blows than he is sending, but as he does he begins to realize that he can read Ulquiorra’s attacks and moves much better than before. He focuses on Ulquiorra’s hand movements and eventually manages to grasp his wrist, which he follows by a slashing attack to Ulquiorra’s chest.

The sand Hollow seems to be blinded by the light of Renji’s bankai release. Renji drives the huge snake head of his Bankai through the Hollow’s chest. The Hollow crumbles to the ground, but after mere seconds rises up again, unharmed. Sado and Renji notice that while the sand Hollow’s Cero is closer in power to that of an Arrancar, his face is covered with a normal Hollow mask, which means he is susceptible to the basic weakness of Hollows: the breaking of the mask. Renji attacks again using Bamboo Bone Cannon, which the Hollow blocks with a Cero.

Ichigo’s attack left a long but shallow cut across Ulquiorra’s chest. Ichigo asks if that is thanks to his Hierro, but remarks that he can now read Ulquiorra’s motions much better, whereas during their first fight he couldn’t read them at all. Ichigo wonders aloud if this is due to himself becoming more like a Hollow, or because Ulquiorra has grown more like him. This statement serves to aggravate Ulquiorra a great deal, manifested in him stabbing the ground with such force that it breaks and rises in two heaps to Ulquiorra’s left and right.

Chad summons his Brazo Izquierda del Diablo and attacks the Hollow with La Muerte. The attack creates a huge crack for the base of the Hollow’s body and rising nearly up to his mask. He whacks Chad away, forcing Renji to jump into the air to catch him. The Hollow heals himself, but while he does Renji thinks up a plan. He tells Chad to use his La Muerte while he will protect him from the Ceros. Chad agrees and attacks again, but the attack packs less punch than before, as the Hollow gloats in his victory and prepares to launch his Cero at Chad, Renji’s true plan comes to light: he used Chad’s attack as the distraction to position himself where he can easily attack the Hollow’s head. Renji drives his bankai through the Hollow’s head, defeating him. He later apologizes for using Chad as a decoy without informing him first, but Chad says he knew Renji would pull something like that, since his fighting style is a lot like Ichigo’s. Renji finds this hard to accept, but the minor Hollows renew their attack on the two, not allowing them much time to discuss the matter further.

Ulquiorra tells Ichigo he seems quite content to be able to face him at such a low level. He increases his reiatsu and attacks. Using three consecutive Sonídos, Ulquiorra manages to maneuver himself to a position behind Ichigo’s exposed back, he strikes, but his attack is blocked by Orihime’s Santen Kesshun, which subsequently cracks and falls apart.

Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 

Mustang’s crew manipulates and pins the coup d’état on the goons at Central, and it sure made for some good laughs along with Briggs bringing in the heavy artillery. Deceiving the public was a good move to expose their corruption, and also Ross‘ line about “justice” and everyone portraying Mustang’s group as the saviors in this civil war. Mrs. Bradley realized she was being used as a tool to that end, and still in the dark about her husband being a homunculus and thinking he’s dead, but at least her emotional burden is for a good cause. Her testimony about Central soldiers trying to kill her and Mustang stepping in to stop them was key.

Mustang enters in the nick of time to relieve Ed and the others of the homunculus soldiers with ease. Then May Chang and Envy come crashing in from the ceiling. Mustang questions Envy regarding Hughes’ death and reveals that he was the one that did it. It then becomes a completely dominating one-sided onslaught unleashed by the Flame Alchemist with him snapping his fingers repeatedly against Envy.

This is actually the first time Mustang’s meets Envy, and it’s been a long time coming for him to get the opportunity to avenge Hughes, which made for quite the scene when they were finally face to face. Mustang’s overpowered ability systematically take the shape-shifting homunculus down over and over again. Envy’s definitely getting no pity, but the bigger concern is Mustang and how his hatred is absolutely consuming him. Mustang’s obsession with revenge shows just how much he’s fallen from his normally calm and collected self. The drama unfolding here is intense to say the least, and it looks like things will continue on next time as we’re left with a cliffhanger involving Mustang and Lt. Hawkeye.

Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ 

The Skruggs step up on their game while ignoring the fact that their scouts had ceased communication. The giant saucer that appeared in the skies of Center City begins sending tons of Skrugg down to the ground. Their ship lands at an abandoned power plant and they send out even more scouts than before, who start blowing up cars and buildings left and right. Even with the military in wait, they were no match for the onslaught, and the people could do nothing but escape and gather in City Hall.

Joey sees some explosions from the direction of his neighborhood and gets concerned and decides to head back to his grandmother’s house. He and Psy are about to go and investigate when Will steps in and refuses to acknowledge Joey as a hero. Joey and Psy run into some Skruggs in the middle of the street who are threateningly close to Joey’s house, so he interferes to stop them.

Joey steels his determination, activates Heroman, and stands up, ready to face the enemy himself. During the battle, Joey notices a new icon on his controller and activates it. The Heroman Blast. Heroman accumulates energy, which radiates from his shoulders and head, and gathers it into his palms, packing a lot more punch into his punch.

Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 

Naruto continues his Sage training at Mt. Myoboku, but with very slow progress. Fukasaku runs out of patience and suggests they move on to the next training. Eventually, Naruto manages to turn into Sage Mode without using the frog oil.

He’s trained to master the “Frog Kumite”, a Sage type of sparring technique. Naruto succeeds in mastering his Sage Mode, taking it farther than even Jiraiya could. Things aren’t looking so great for Konoha, however, as Pain prepares to make his move.

Sasuke and his team find out that Jay has been following him and so they kill him. Jay’s partner reports this to the Fourth Raikage which he decides to send in a platoon to rescue Killer Bee, and also calls up on Samui’s group composed of Samui (blonde girl), Karui (red-haired girl) and Omoi (white-haired guy) to go to Konoha to send a message. Raikage wants to hold a meeting among the 5 Kages. As the cloud ninja infiltrate the hideout, Sasuke and the others are already gone, and all that is left is Jay’s body. Naruto then starts to practice more Sage techniques.

Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆