BLEACH 3-IN-1 Vol. 7

BLEACH 3-in-1 Volume 7

Writer:  Tite Kubo

Artist:  Tito Kubo

$14.99, Shonen Jump, 608 pgs.

ISBN 978-1421559117

New to IPL's graphic novel collection this week is the seventh 3-in-1 edition of Tite Kubo's Bleach. Equal parts modern-day samurai epic, youth-driven drama, and supernatural thriller, Bleach is the ongoing story of Ichigo Kurosaki, a Soul Reaper: a young warrior dedicated to defending the world from Hollows (wayward souls that consume other souls) and to sending lost spirits on to the next world. As the series progresses, Ichigo's mission is complicated by the introduction of rival factions warring within the shadowy recesses of writer/artist Tite Kubo's fictional universe, tensions which come to a head in this volume.

Trying to summarize the plot of a series this deep into its narrative—this book collects the original 19th, 20th, and 21st tankōbon volumes—would be an exercise in futility. This is by no means a point of entry for new readers. Bleach is a consistent favorite among manga fans, though, a genre mash-up that plays to multiple audiences. Also, thanks to its anime adaptation, it's an excellent way to entice new readers familiar only with the TV version into reading manga.   

As they do in many manga, the fight scenes in Bleach last entire chapters and often spill over into subsequent chapters. This "fight manga" style is infuriating to some readers (those who expect their plots to progress faster) and exhilarating to others (those who groove on the metered-but-violent pacing of chambara cinema, for example). Your mileage may vary. 

TIPS FOR LIBRARIANS: As will surprise no-one who's read my graphic novel collection development guide (downloadable for free from HERE), I can't praise these 3-in-1 editions enough: they're a great way to carry manga series while getting the most from your collection development dollar. Individual tankōbon run between $8.00 to $13.00, depending on the series and the publisher, while these triple volumes tend to run between $15.00 and $20.00. It's a great way to save money and reduce time spent cataloging new materials. And this is a series that's popular enough that it is almost definitely worth adding to your collection.

READERS' ADVISORY NOTES: See the second paragraph in the review section.

CONTENT ADVISORY: Supernatural violence and bloodshed

Review©2014, C. Michael Hall.