Author: Tite Kubo
Writer: Ryohgo Narita
Interior Design: Jimmy Presler
Publisher: Viz Media LLC
Pages: 248
ISBN: 978-1-9747-1326-4
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes
I had been noticing standalone novels from the Naruto universe with Sasuke's Story being a popular one. Now Bleach has its chance with Can't Fear Your Own World.
This novel picks up where the Quincie's Thousand Year Blood War left off. Now finally over, there is another antagonist to take over from where Ywach left off in Tokinada Tsunayashiro. He is secretly plotting to create a new Soul King.
As volume 1 in a series, the story can flit from one time period to another, yet mainly concentrates on Squad Nine's Lieutenant Shuhei Hisagi and it's Captain Kaname Tosen. Back several centuries ago, before Tosen was a Soul Reaper, he discovers his friend, Kakyo has been murdered and no one seems interested in capturing and sentencing the killer.
This for us who have read the manga and watched the anime is all we are aware of, now we have the chance to find out the full story. Tosen finds out her killer was from one of the five great noble clans and as such, untouchable by someone like him who isn't a Soul Reaper and can't get an audience with Central 46. Tosen can only think of revenge, but even that could prove almost impossible for a man who has no combat ability or standing.
This killer is already aware of his standing, having an over inflated sense of his own self importance, thinking nothing of killing his wife, leaves Tosen's blood boiling which didn't surprise me.
Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World 1 is a thick paperback with a well drawn cover of a handsome Shuhei Hisagi, an interior Fold-out Poster of him in full, while on the reverse, there is a more mangaesque version of him at leisure, which fans will love! The interior illustrations of various characters are sketchy and interesting pencil versions of characters we recognise and serve to add to the quality of the writing.
