Bleach Series 15 - Part 1   Starring (voice): Fumiko Orikasa, Masakazu Morita, Hiroki Yasumoto and Kentarou Itou Distributor: Manga Entertainment RRP: £29.99 Certificate: 15 Release Date: 25 May 2015

Bleach, Bleach Bleach. Ok fans we are on the downhill straight as Bleach commences its penultimate season and we have already consumed six years of the program in what feels like less than two, whilst traversing the mouth of perdition.

Bleach: Series 15 - Part 1 (2001. Eps 317 – 329) kicks off the Gotei 13 Invading Army arc. For a quick recap the big bad has been defeated from the previous season and peace returns to both the world of the living and the Soul Society, not that that’s likely to stay that way for long with a season and a half to go.

Small faced Ichigo has returned to earth, probably to a park, with Rukia, to handle any Hollow outbreaks, but as time is ticking away he continues to lose some of his powers. Meanwhile, in the world of the Soul Society reapers are going missing and if they do return they are subtly different.

Suspicion falls on Ichigo, for reasons which would be too difficult to explain if you haven’t watch, at least, the last hundred episodes. Yoruichi Shihōin rescues Ichigo and Rukia, explaining that members of the soul society are being replaced by Reigai and then some nonsense about soul candles. Honestly, sometimes this program could have been written in a foreign language for all the sense it makes.

All of this preceding tosh is just an excuse for the show to do what it does best, fast paced action sequences with well conceived characters.

Now some may sneer as this storyline does not originate from the manga and so could be considered filler. That’s fine, but the show has produced some good filler in the past as well as some boring stinkers. Having trawled through the latest offering I’m getting to feel like this one will be one of the better ones.

Anyone who has previously bought Bleach - and if you haven’t what lunacy made you start here? - will be familiar with the high production values and the stunning extras consisting of the sing-along opening and closing sequences. If that doesn’t get you prancing around your living room with a hairbrush, wearing only your pants, I don’t know what will.

For fans of the show it’s another good release.

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Charles Packer