I didn't put it down. For all the popularity and discussion this was a read that definitely did not disappoint.
Story-10: The general idea of the story is about Ichigo, a high school boy who has a particular ability, and also, well, a loud personality :). He, of course, encounters a life changing incident that takes him to unimaginable places, and leads him to make complicated decisions. The manga itself is over 500 chapters and supposedly not even halfway over yet. The development is a tad bit slow, but the plot is always interesting and the fighting is pretty intense. Its definitely a great shounen manga storyline, interesting enough to capture readers of all ages and gender.
Art-8: I suppose 8 is a bit harsh considering that the characters are pretty well drawn and there are some pretty epic designs for many of the characteristics in the manga. The characters were all very distinguishable and unique, and their clothing, weapons, and 'masks' were all awesome and drawn nicely. However, the backgrounds in the manga are usually pretty lacking, sometimes nonexistent, and since the manga started over a decade ago, the art is of course something that took time to improve. Overall the art is great, and I hope this doesn't deter you from reading this manga.
Character-9: There are so many interesting personalities in this manga! Very loyal friends, family that does anything for eachother, funny and serious characters, you name it! But that, I suppose, is the small flaw I find in the characters of this manga, there are SO many. The development of each one is absolutely perfect! They spend just enough time to let you get to know each character and a bit of their story. But with there being so many, you might come to like a character and then not see them for another 100 chapters. Once again, this really isn't something to worry about if your wondering if this manga is worth the read; all of the characters become part of the Bleach world that you will immerse yourself into as soon as you pick up the manga...
Enjoyment-9: I expected a bit more comedy, because everyone I asked to recommend me a funny manga told me Bleach. For me it was a little to shounen-ish and not enough comedy to suit my taste, but for anyone who loves action and being on the edge of your seat, you wont be disappointed!
Overall-9: This is exactly what your looking for in an action, shounen manga! The hype isn't for nothing, and even if it is overrated, its still a pretty amazing read! Make sure you have a long weekend and your fridge is stocked because once you pick it up, you wont put it down!
