Diamond Dust Rebellion

Released By: Manga Entertainment
Rating: 12
Running Time: 131 Mins

Audio: English and Japanese DD 5.1
Release Date: 28/05/2012

Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes

The royal family of the soul society have not featured in the series before, so it is only fitting that they are a topic of conversation in this movie. Orders from the royal family have been sent to the soul reapers who are supposed to guard and help the safe transportation of the Ogen to another location. The Ogen is considered a sacred artifact, and no one outside of the royal family is allowed to see it. Squad Ten have been assigned to watch over the proceedings, so that it goes smoothly, but Lieutenant Matsumoto and Captain Hitsugaya aren't prepared for the enemy assault on one of the carriages containing the Ogen. The three assailants are unknown to them, but not to Captain Hitsugaya. Once he meets their leader, a masked man wearing a black robe, he hears his voice and instantly the memories come flooding back.

Elsewhere Ichigo and Uryu stumble upon a spiritual barrier put up by Squad Two's Captain Soifon where the earlier incident took place. Neither of them were supposed to know about it, but he is partially told when the rest of Squad Ten get back to the soul society. Only there is one problem, they have come back, but Captain Hitsugaya remains elusive, and as a result Squad Ten is disbanded and a search team has been sent out to bring him back.

Ichigo's place is where the captain goes but he doesn't stay for long when he is pursued by the ones who stole the Ogen. in this, the second Bleach movie, Captain Hitsugaya is overawed by grief and depression over a matter that occurred back when he was at the academy with a man named Kusaka. It is interesting to discover that there are no records of Kusaka in the soul society until the captains go digging around in the archives. This makes for a mysterious movie, and one not normally associated with captain Hitsugaya. Throughout the movie the captain has dreams about Kusaka of when he and him were young and attained the same power to wield Hyronimarou, causing the Central 46 to make them duel to the death as it is against their law to have two people sharing a zanpakuto. This was before the Central 46 were eliminated by former Captain Aizen, of course, but they have been the ones making all the hard decisions, and generally getting up certain squad member's noses.  Captain Hitsugaya is only one of many who feel the pain of their decisions, and their rules, but that doesn't make what he has to do any better.

Bonus Material: Making of Bleach the Movie 2, Product Art Gallery, Original Japanese Promos and Trailers.

Verdict: So far this is one of the best movies to come from Bleach, as it has one unlikely character causing all the trouble - watch and enjoy!