I'm going to give this chapter a four, it didn't blow me away but I was blown none the less.. I'm glad Kubo explained why Unohana was hanging back in the 4th Division though the answer was obvious; I didn't think CC ordered her to stay back.
I really like Byakuya but seriously Kubo, you're going to put him in a coma after giving him a decent sendoff. I didn't want him to die in the first place but I was okay with it since it added tension and a high sense of danger. If you ask me Kenpachi should have been the only one in a coma seeing as his wounds weren't as serious as Byakuya. Speaking of his wounds, what did Juha do to him? That must have been one hell of an ass whooping. Shesh.
Soi Fon must have really cared for the CC, losing control of her emotions like that, she looked sadder than she did we she fought Yoruichi minus the crying though. Anyone else laugh when Komamura made that face when he was yelling at Soi Fong? I commend Kyoraku for being able to defuse the tension he has my vote for Captain Commander. I think within the next few chapters Ichigo will talk to Mayuri and he'll say something shocking or at the very least interesting, then he'll go home and hopefully...finally demand answers from his father, maybe he'll check on Urahara and the gang first, find out what happened after he left, meet the swordsmen and then exclaim: "Grimmjow! or Hiyori! or Kon! OR! Kisuke and the gang really aren’t ok and the swordsmen turned out to be an enemy who has them held captive. He also needs to have a conversation with Uryu and his father.
