Omaeda beats his opponent with a blow.  Amazing.  Even Omaeda is surprised.  Unfortunately, it is not the same with Soi Fong.  She is overwhelmed by her opponent.  Apparently, Vega is as fast as she is.  He is also as agile.  So, she has to keep up with his speed.

Vega manages to immobilize Soi Fong to the wall like what she did to him before.  As Vega is about to attack Soi Fong, Omaeda jumps in and protects her with his shikai.  Vega is not amused and prepares a Cero for him.  Soi Fong reacts quickly and kicks him away to save Omaeda. Soi Fong, then, tells him that she needs no saving.  She is just testing his opponent to prepare her for her Espada fight in the future.

Soi Fong immobilizes his nemesis on the wall.  She explains to him that he will die in two blows.  As she is about to stab him, the arrancar uses Cero and blasts away the wall behind him to escape from his untimely death.  Now, it is his turn to strike Soi Fong.  He mentions that Soi Fong is a bit too soft and it is unfortunate for the leader of the Soul Society assassin squad.  He, then, reveals him name which is Ggio Vega.  Without wasting time, he releases his form called “Shred, Tigred Toku.”

Now, the scene moves to Omaeda’s fight.  As usual, he is overwhelmed by his opponent.  His opponent releases into a giant like form which looks like a mammoth.  His release is called “Mamut.”  Despite his big size, he can easily catch up on Omaeda.  Cunningly, Omaeda shunpoes behind the mammoth and releases his shikai called “Gegetsuburi” which looks like a huge ball with thorns.  Finally, that attack floors the arrancar.

Wow, this week is all about girls on girls action.  A nice change, I fathom.  The chapter starts off with the heat between Hitsugaya vs. Halibel.  Of course, it barely shows any progress because the attention is more towards the battle between Matsumoto and Halibel’s three fraccions (Apache, Mila and Sun Sun).   It is saddening though that the battle is pretty one sided.  But, Matsumoto’s shikai, “Haneiko”,  is doing its job well in terms of offense.

The next scene is about the beginning or the ending of Soi Fong’s fight.  Apparently, the arrancar Soi Fong is fighting with is just a push over.  She immediately immobilizes her on a wall and prepares a Suzumibachi sting.  Practically, that is almost the end of the arrancar whose name we do not know yet.

This chapter is about the assignment of heroes vs. villains or shinigamis vs. arrancars.  Overall, the arrancar side is still more than the shinigami side in terms of manpower.  Almost each shinigami is fighting against an arrancar.  Matsumoto is the only one fighting against three arrancars at the same time.  Ukitake is on stand by mode.  The same goes to Linnette.  Yamamoto is giving out orders to battle like Baragan.  Stark will fight Shunsui.  What a surprise that is!  Both of them have almost similar personalities of being lazy.   Soi Fong and the nervous Omaeda are facing Baragan’s subordinates who look physically alike to captain and her vice captain.   Hitsugaya faces the silent Halibel while Matsumoto will show us how strong she is when fighting against three arrancar at the same time.

I believe the pair ups are good match.  Each complements one another’s characteristics.  We can expect a lot of chapters on the Winter War.  Ichigo and friends can sit back and enjoy the ride for a couple more months.

Hitsugaya and Soi Fong are amazed by Komamura’s bankai.  They feel that Komamura overkills Po with his power.  Ikakku is impressed by the captain’s bankai too.  Then, Iba scolds him for not using his bankai to save the pillar.  He screams that orders from Gotei 13 take precedence over self.  Due to Iba’s loud voice, Komamura overhears the conversation and tells them that he will not reveal to anyone about Ikakku’s bankai.

With the defeat of Po, Baragan is pissed.  Now, he needs to take care of the shinigamis with his own hands.  His fraccion, however, ask him to sit down and let them take care of the mess.  Suddenly, Soi Fong and Omaeda appear behind the group.  Soi Fong and the female subordinate draw their blades.  Immediately, everyone takes his and her position.

So here are the battle partners: Hitsugaya and Matsumoto vs. Halibel’s fraccions, Shunsui and Ukitake vs. Stark and Lilinett, and Soi Fong and Omaeda vs. Baragan’s two fraccions.  In the end, Yamamoto announces that the real fight has just begun!

The “defend the pillars” team rushes to Ikkaku’s location.  They are utterly surprised to see Po’s massive size.  Without wasting time, Iba quickly carries Ikkaku to a safe place.  Iba thinks he is not a match for Po since Po manages to blow his captain away.

Komamura returns to the scene unhurt.  That shocks Po.  The captain commands Iba not to retreat and he begins to release his Bankai.  At the same time, Po is launching his cero attack.  However, Po is amazed by the bankai form.  He wonders who or what exactly is Komamura.  Komamura explains that he is a man and also an insect. His bankai, Kokujountengenmyouou crashes Po with its sword.

In this chapter, we are able to see the captain’s monstrous bankai again.  It is awesome.  This could mean the bankai fest will begin in the following chapters.  The war is going to heat up.  I really want to see Iba’s shikai release and his power.  In the next chapter, we may see the other vice captains in action such as Matsumoto, Sasakibe and Omaeda.