The first episode of Tite Kubo's Bleach was a perfect premire for the series and helped solidify its name among the juggernaut anime at the time. The episode covered Chapters 2, 3, and a part of Chapter 4 of the manga, and aired on October 12, 2004 in Japanese and almost two years later, on September 16, 2006, in English.
Episode 2 'The Shinigami's Work' builds upon the foundation of Episode 1, expanding the cast while also ensuring that its protagonist is still front and center. After having no choice but to accept Rukia's offer to becoming a Shinigami, Ichigo has to face the true meaning behind that role. He realizes it may be significantly more than he can handle and refuses to help her with her work, causing tension between them.
Ichigo's Family Are Core to Bleach's Overall Narrative
The Kurosaki Family Plays A Vital Role In Ichigo's Development & Personal Journey.
The second episode of Bleach picks up immediately after the events of the previous episode. With no time wasted, Ichigo wakes up and finds the devastation caused to his home by the Hollow that attacked him and his family. To his surprise, however, his family members, especially his sisters, have no recollection of the events that occurred — at least not the truth. According to them, the damage was caused by a truck that ran into the house. What is even more shocking, his sisters' wounds have completely vanished.
Within moments, Kubo dives deeper into the mystery behind the Soul Society and Hollows. This moment also allows the viewers to connect even further with the Kurosaki family, who seem to be a core of where Bleach will be eventually heading. They ultimately serve as Ichigo's foundation, a grounding element in the supernatural world of the series. Ichigo is the only member of his family that recalls the truth of what happened, solidifying that his life is no longer as simple as it used to be.
Shifting focus away from the family, Ichigo rushes to school — something that feels a bit jarring as the protagonist is only 15 years old. Once there, the tone of the anime changes and becomes a bit more light-hearted and comical. Now that the family dynamic has been established, the narrative expands and showcases Ichigo's social life. The audience is introduced to Orihime, a young girl who seems to be interested in Ichigo. Although her introduction feels a bit too stereotypical, the scene isn't long enough to pass judgement about Orihime's character just yet.
What Ichigo expects to be a normal school day is turned upside down when he crosses paths with the newest student: Rukia. This addition is a smart narrative decision so that Ichigo's double life and his need to keep them separate create some tension & urgency in the overall story. Ichigo tries to keep his cool but miserably fails, taking Rukia away from his friends and to a more private location. Once free of listening ears, Rukia breaks the news that she is now stuck in a Gigai, an emergency temporary body for weakened Shinigami.
The True Work of a Shinigami Begins in Bleach Episode 2
Ichigo's Refusal To Accept 'The Call' Aligns Him With The Archetype Of A Typical Hero.
It was quite interesting to see elements of Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey showing up in anime. Though Ichigo initially accepted "the call," his refusal of what it means and how it will inevitably bring change into his life echoes aspects of the archetypes established by Campbell. This is not at all surprising, as Campbell's work was built from stories across a myriad of cultures. Kubo's shifting of when the refusal occurs only makes Bleach's overall story more interesting and unpredictable.
When Ichigo refuses Rukia's request to have him help her with her Shinigami duties, she uses a Gekkon Tekkõ, and knocks Ichigo's soul out of his body. This is a visually engaging moment and a great way to move the plot forward. Ichigo follows Rukia and they end up in the park where they witness a Plus, the soul of a young boy, being attacked by a Hollow. At first Ichigo does not move, and continues to deny the call, but it doesn't take long before that changes and Ichigo's heroism kick in.
Once he defeats the Hollow and saves the young boy, Ichigo's Shinigami instincts kick in and he performs a Konsõ, a process that aids souls to cross over. Rukia compliments him over this, solidifying that Ichigo has finally accepted his new role. Within this short sequence, the anime pushes the story forward and, in a sense, pushes Ichigo to cross the threshold. The animation is still a strong reminder of the limitations that existed when Bleach was being produced, but it's not so bad that it ruins the experience.
Episode 1 stays true to the pacing of the first, moving smoothly between scenes and sequences. A lot happens in this episode not just in terms of world-building but character development as well. Unlike Episode 1, "The Shinigami's Work" deals with more characters and moving pieces. Exposition doesn't slow down the rhythm of the episode because it's delivered only when necessary and in a way that pushes the narrative forward rather than bog it down.
Where Does Bleach's Second Episode Take The Story?
'The Shinigami's Work' Builds on Episode 1 & Pushes The Narrative Forward
While the focus in the second episode's main storyline was Ichigo's struggle with answering the call, the subplot focused on Orihime, the young girl that Ichigo bumped into while at school. After the events at the park with Rukia and Ichigo, Orihime is seen at home while being watched by a ghostly figure that the audience later finds out is her dead brother. His sadness places a target on his back and he's attacked by other Hollows.
The next day, Rukia and Ichigo cross paths with Orihime moments after she miraculously survives almost getting hit by a car. Rukia notices a mark on Orihime's leg that brings her pause. Although she brushes it off, it ultimately comes back to haunt her and Ichigo when they are both attacked in Ichigo's room by a very angry Hollow. After a small brawl, Ichigo is able to crack the Hollow's shell revealing its identity as Orihime's brother Sora.
Rukia confirms this by expanding on Hollow lore and tells Ichigo that Hollows were once human souls who held on to grudges and regrets for far too long. Shocked by this, Ichigo stands in silence as Rukia tells him that Konsõ cannot be performed on Hollows and that Acidwire (Sora) is just a monster that needs to be destroyed. This is just another example of how Bleach is intentional with how exposition is handled. Rather than this sequence be heavy-handed and clunky, the audience receives the information during a moment of urgency.
This shocking revelation brings the episode to a close as Acidwire screeches in agony, causing Orihime's bedroom to shake. The strength of this episode lies in the way the story is being told. The audience gets to experience not just the world of the Shinigami, but also the necessary knowledge needed to navigate it in real-time with Ichigo, bringing the audience ever closer to Bleach's reluctant hero. The second episode is another solid entry and continues to prove why Bleach is still considered by many as one of the greatest anime of all time.
