It's just a filler but i do like the vast intervention of different kinds of Zanpakutou.. anyhow, i wonder why Muramasa haven't gone to Hueco Mundo and release Gin,Tousen and Aizen's Zanpakutou as well. i bet he'd won't last long if Aizen sees him.. lol..

seriously, Kenpachi is ignorant battle freak but on a different scale so killing a zanpakutou that fast is a simple emphasize of his power or poor script writing.

@!Frentzen: I completely agree with the Soi Fon deal.

Ep 242 or 243 had an awesome opening (new op). I was very impressed with the style and atmosphere of that episode, new opening, new ending, all. I think the opening and endings hit spot on. The opening in particular I had to listen to a few times as I watched the characters before I started to feel the emotion. The rhythm of the vocals and tempo of the beats sort of reminded me of Michael Jackson in a sense, especially towards the beginning then everything pulled together with them showing off Ichigo/Zangetsu and Shirosaki separate and fighting together playing up against Byakuya. Then it climaxes with Ichigo sword to sword with Muramasa, finally trailing off with Rukia and her niisan. The end pretty much touched me as well. In particular I liked how they emphasized the sadness with Rukia over Byakuya.

As for the episode itself, the animation and the general story board, fight sequences et cetera seemed in my eyes "move like", I'm sure the dramatic music during Soifon's battle and Kira's brutality were both freaky and chilling at the same time. Ashisogi Jizou was on the creepy side with the shunpo and all those blades, not to mention Yamichika's battle and the night/rain atmosphere. There are so many characters on and off screen, with all of these colorful personalities clashing the episode as far content I think is wonderful and its definitely a breath of fresh air.

As for what I think may happen. Obviously enough reinforcements will come. In what form we don't really know. I'm going to wager that Ichigo will not be able to reach Kira. So lets have Hisagi jump in and take on Wabisuke, mirroring Kira taking on Kazeshini. I'll wager that Ikkaku has defeated Hozukimaru and will be the one to save Yamichika. I think Ikkaku and Yamichika will find out each other's secrets and will agree not to tell Zaraki Kenpachi (Look at the opening for hint of reference?). Lets see uhm, Toshio is still out although they reminded us he still exists and he'll probably appear in full once the shock of Zaraki's return is felt. As for the rest I can't really say I think anything might happen. Retsu and/or Mayuri may help out Matsumoto, Hinamori, Iba, and Isane. I predict Tobiume and Haineko will fall. I think Oemada will appear with his Zanpakuto to assist Soifon, with Yoruichi as a variable(no indication, we might be surprised). Lets place Zaraki with Komamura's zanpakuto and Sasakibe Chojiro's will face Gonryomaru(who I despite Soifon's impersonation) I think is quite impressive and abilities are fresh- to be honest I don't feel Chojiro is plain at all, rather underused).

Hm. Ukitake and Shunsui will "run to help" the others but instead run into their own zanpakuto.. or maybe Retsu's. Who does that leave? Yachiru? We know she'll likely stick with Kenpachi, As for her zanpakuto, you can't really say, but I'm sure she'll face off eventually- perhaps. Muramasa will probably show up sometime at Ichigo and Byakuya's location. Maybe lets place Ukitake's and Shunsui's zanpakuto's to reinforce Muramasa. ...Then throw in Toshiro to help Ichigo. You know what, wait. Maybe this might be a good opportunity to introduce Ishida, Orihime, and Chad, since they were in the opening. One thing I want to know is what Muramasa sent Byakuya back to 6th Division for. It couldn't have been just to give Rukia her broken zanpakuto, could it?

I wonder if buyakuya just tagged along with muramasa just to discover the location of capt. commander. They should have given a better name to muramasa...sounds like some demonic sword from demon eyes kyo.

Zaraki's sudden appearance was exactly like in all the Bleach movies. Loud boisterous laughing coupled with immense reiatsu flowing in all directions. Though I'm sure he's laughing that all those noob Shinigami were being pwn'd by their Zanpakuto. OP & ED - Different. Not necessarily bad, just got to get used to it I suppose. Kira was fantastic, strategic fighting for a change. If only Yumichika actually used his Zanpakuto to it's fullest, it's such an absurdly powerful ability. 11th squad might be about physical zanpakutos and one on one fights, but its also about limiting one's powers - Zaraki, Ikkaku, and Yumichika all purposefully limit their own powers in some fashion.

I'd like to see Yachiru fight, it's already been hinted at that she's absurdly strong.

Although I'm late on this forum, all I wanna say is that Hisagi's Zanpaktou is awesome. My favorite so far, maybe because it reminds me of God Of War ^_^

Enjoying this arc like everyone else, but you have to wonder how long can it go on for? I mean the manga hasn't exactly got enough material yet, and I'd be extremely pissed if when they did get back to canon, they just covered the end of the current arc and then went straight into another filler. That's one thing that really ruins the Bleach anime for me, especially when they just cut off twice in the middle of an on-going arc to start some random filler arc that has no place in the time-line.

What ? The Arc will last the rest of the year ?

Okay, I admit that the story seemed quite interesting at the beginning of the Arc, but the last episodes were really boring... Not because of the subject though, but it's beginning to get long and the Arrancar arc is interrupted for months now...

Anyway, I think that the filler introduces us to the real personalities of the characters and the relationship between them, like the friendship between Rangiku and Momo.
I hope that the arc will have a fantastic ending, bleach fans deserve it after those few months of fillers...