To start with, Bleach is a fantastic manga to read. Maybe a little cliche with the whole 'save the girl' aspect, but it's still enjoyable. The characters are fun, interact with each other, and you can see their development. It's quite promising. And in the Soul Society arc, it delivers. There's the mission, the new characters, the fights and the plot. I'd recommend reading up til the end of the Soul Society arc to anyone looking for something new to read.

But after that? I say give up. Drop it. There's not much in store other than way too many generic fangirl/boy fodder characters with weak personalities and no history. Even the characters you met before this point become pathetic and dull. And the plot? Gone. Oh wait, sorry. There is one - save the girl. There's an original for you.

The best part after the Soul Society arc was the Turn Back the Pendulum arc. And that was probably only because it concerned two of my favourite characters. Actually, there's another point - the characters are hideously neglected, especially if they don't rank highly in the popularity polls. The panel-time is skewed and uneven between those that are supposed to be main characters.

The artwork is also another point worth making. The amount of wasted panel is astounding. You frequently find a whole page dedicated to an incomprehensible spattering of ink that you're sure is supposed to mean something, yet it really doesn't. It adds to the over-all sloppy, lazy, I-really-don't-care-anymore feel that has become Bleach. Also, for me, the chapter titles became an issue. I felt like breaking things when it got up to "Deicide 23". 23???? That spans three volumes. For nearly six months Kubo was using the same title. Words fail me at this point.

I have continued reading up til this point (430), but I honestly don't think I can last any longer. I'm only really continuing in the dying hope that I will get to see my favourite characters again (who haven't been featured for over a year now). I don't find it enjoyable or interesting to read at all, and I get annoyed at myself for going back to it, as it leaves me in a bad mood. It used to be good, but now Bleach is a pathetic excuse for a manga, and should be dropped.