I didn't want to believe it but the truth has been staring me in the face - Bleach's quality has deteriorated...QUITE a bit. I've been watching the first few episodes (11-40) over the past few days, and today the latest one came out (161) and the difference was painfully obvious. The animation quality has declined quite a bit (this episode wasn't too bad). In the first 3 arcs the animation was more or less of a consistent high quality, however during the Bount arcs the quality would vary - this continued during the Arrancar arc (there were a few episodes with outstanding quality) and up to now. What's happened?
The music has changed completely - not a bad thing, but its not like before...
The extra effects (transformations, special attacks, blood) have become pitiful. Ichigo calling forth his mask looks terrible (as does the mask), for some reason the mask is nothing like how it was during the Soul Society arcs. Fight scenes look dull with no real...oompf. I dunno what's going on now but what is with the BLOOD?!?!? Or should i say 'pitiful lack there of'? Since when does a few black lines down a person's face represent blood?! DRY blood maybe, after a battle...but not during it!!! Once of the (many) reasons why Bleach was so good during the first 3 arcs was because of all the blood...it would pour out, run down and drip... now? If someone is cut a small amount of black (or very dark red) blood will jump out then turn to lines that makes them look as if they're covered in dirt - not blood. WHY has this been toned down so much?!
The amount of episode time has decreased dramatically too. I'll compare Episode 36 to the latest one;
Episode 36 runs for 23 minutes and 9 seconds. The opening sequence lasts for 1:35, the ending for 1:05 and the preview/Kon's comments for 30 seconds. Plus 38 seconds as a small recap from last episode. That brings the total down to 19:35 of new stuff.
Episode 161 runs for 22:04. Opening, 1:30; recap from previous episodes, 3:30; replayed footage (outside of recap), 0:33; ending, 1:30; preview+Shinigami's Cup, Golden, 0:44. Altogether, the new stuff being shown lasts for 16:17 - a massive loss compared to older episodes. For some reason we now need massive recaps of previous episodes and need to be shown the same thing every episode (eg. RUKIA'S FIGHT!!). I want my 3+ minutes of anime back!!!!
The anime has also been changing the events that happen in the manga. Obviously it can't stick to it perfectly, although it was doing a very good job of it prior to the Bount Arc, but changing the order of fights (Rukia's), adding in pointless filler episodes and altering events is just ... ... why would you do that? In the latest episode Yammi is shown as having received the news that Aaroniero died - he is never seen in the Manga - in fact the last time we saw Yammi (up to current chapter) was back at the Espada meeting with Aizen! Also when Stark is shown, Lilinette wakes him up my shoving her fist in his mouth...then she jumps on him and tickles him...in the manga she does something to his balls (Wikipedia says by "squeezing his testicles") [as a side note nothing is shown, just a panel with speech bubbles]. The adult-ish and sexual themes have been removed and replaced with kiddie jokes...sigh, its all too much...
I want my Bleach back...not this watered down version that's being aired now. If this is how its gonna be from now on...I may just stop watching it and rely on the manga. I just can't stand seeing a good Manga being butchered, especially one as good a Bleach...