Soul Sacrifice

As with most anime, Tite Kubo's Bleach seems impenetrable to the neophyte. Ichigo is a high schooler who has absorbed the powers of a Soul Reaper from Rukia; these powers come with the responsibility of aiding spirits in crossing over to the Soul Society (it's a sort of an afterlife). Soul Reapers also wield tricked-out spiritual swords that have names and personalities, which they use when battling the Hollows, who are evil spirits. Kubo's created a dense and orderly cosmology for his story, and the weirdness and detail of his vision draw you in; well, that, and the fact that a high school kid is battling evil spirits and saving souls as part of a pan-dimensional hierarchy of good guys. Bleach the Movie: Memories of Nobody, a stand-alone film that's a great introduction to this engrossing anime series, hits theaters nationwide at 7:30 p.m. tonight as part of a very limited release. You can catch it locally at the St. Louis Mills Mall Regal 18 (5555 St. Louis Mills Boulevard, Hazelwood; 314-227-5500), or visit www.fathomevents.com for other area screenings. Tickets are $10.
Thu., June 12, 2008