Abarai Renji, not as good as he used to be.

[Fafara]

That guy was even better when you saw him the first time, seriously.

Now he's just a lame Ichigo sidekick and comical relief instead of the nemesis and mysterious guy. I miss him, even his "HOWL! ZABIMARU" doesn't give me a kick as it used to.

[RukiaYuza]

Hello!
I would not say that Renji is no longer an interesting character. I would not say that he was just comic relief and Ichigo's sidekick either.
Renji is not meant to be the dark fearful person that we met at first now. He really never was supposed to be the true nemesis of Ichigo. Renji clearly told Zabimaru that Ichigo and Zangetsu were not their enemies any more.
I feel that Renji is having some fun now. It took a great deal to take care of everything during the whole Rukia is going to executed ordeal. I am sure that being in the living world for awhile is a very different experience.
Now as to getting to see the tough and fierce Renji again I quite sure that we will see him again. The whole mess with Aizen and the others is not over and I am sure that Hollows are also another problem. So try not to fear Renji and Zabimaru will once again howl again.
Let us face it we have yet to see all of Renji yet so he remains a mystery. Just let him have some fun for now in the living world. I think he has earned it.

[Byakuya7]

That guy was even better when you saw him the first time, seriously.
Now he's just a lame Ichigo sidekick and comical relief instead of the nemesis and mysterious guy. I miss him, even his "HOWL! ZABIMARU" doesn't give me a kick as it used to.

Read the manga, and you will retract your statement. Renji is not worthless nor does he serve as comic relief. That is Kon and Isshins job.

[Random Havoc]

You do know your basing yoru argument on the filler episodes?

[Byakuya7]

You do know your basing yoru argument on the filler episodes?

Me? I'm basing my argument on the manga.

[Karma]

As Random Havoc said, the recent Renji is from the filler episodes, but when you think about it, when he became allied with Ichigo, his enigma kinda faded, as with Ishida :).

[SumDumGai]

If you're basing your opinion on the manga shouldnt it be in manga section? Anyways, I dont think this is true at all. Abarai is the same as he always has been in the manga, he just actually respects Ichigo now. If you compare the Renji Vs. Byakuya fight in episode 52-53 to the Ichigo Vs. Byakuya fight you can clearly see who is stronger.

I don't remember any comic relief between the two in the manga... even though in these filler episodes they keep having them trying to get in little hissy fits with eachother for no reason, but dont base any character development in the fillers on anything, just need to kind of pretend the fillers didnt happen once the anime starts up again. (i couldnt ever see them merging the anime/manga together for a while like a few people rumored they might cut out a few things that happened in the beginning of the manga arc if it was covered already in the anime but thats it)

[Byakuya7]

I never said anything oriented toward the manga, so no it shouldnt be in the manga section. I just told the topic creator that Renji isnt as pitiful as he seems and the manga is proof of this.

[Zanga]

Byakuya7 is right. Read the manga, and get rid of this thread :rolleyes: He got his ass kicked...it's not that he weak anymore, it's just that Renji happens to get into fights in which he can not or should not win.

[M_Ghey]

Yeah, I don't think we should base our opinion on him from the fillers. In the main story, he is still an interesting character.

[AznPoi]

This is under the anime section. So all opinion and arguement should be based on anime. Not everyone read the manga and, therefore, see that Renji pwned a arrancar.
Anyhow, based on the anime, yes he does suck even more than when he was in Soul Society.
I never liked Renji anyways.

This is a prime example of how to apply the spoiler tags to spoilerish text.

[Shaehl]

Damn-it Azn, fix that tag.

[Karma]

I never said anything oriented toward the manga, so no it shouldnt be in the manga section. I just told the topic creator that Renji isnt as pitiful as he seems and the manga is proof of this.

I don't think either of the two were talking about you Byakuya, I think they were adressing the creator of the thread since there was no quotation :).

[ade.hell]

But after watching anime you can really get such impression. And this thread is in anime section, so...

[chakra25]

The filler does have its excuse for making Renji appear weak and lame. Shinigami's have their powers limited in the human world. As for the comic relief, it kind of shows rivalry between Renji and Ichigo. At least he isn't a complete joke like Kon. :D Kon and Isshin does a great job for comic relief. Renji is just pocket change when it comes to the comic relief.

[Wabisuke]

renji isn't the only character that got weakened by filler :(

[yunnie]

ok. i can see how you can get the idea from, but have you noticed that ichigo and the others also have been slacking as well.its kinda like dbz with like goku and vegeta,they were rivials and maybe renji will get back on track and perhaps fight with ichigo as his equal or something.

[ade.hell]

Ichigo=Goku
Renji=Vejita
Nice fight.
There is something, that disturbs me: when Urahara asked Ichigo to train, why he didn't also ask about that Renji? I mean Renji's bankai is even saifer, and who knows, how strong it may become.

[Undying]

Because according to the Anime's explanation, Renji can use Bankai because he was a Shinigami originally. This, btw, is wrong. Ichigo was a full Shinigami from the start, as he possessed fully developed Shinigami powers from the very beginning (Zangetsu satates as much).

Now, just to adress this thread... honestly, don't base opinions on fillers. I am talking to everyone who watches the Anime. Since those are fillers, they might as well never have happened. This has been stated by both Byakuya7 and Sumdumguy. And thus, all that "Renji is weaker" crap we've been seeing lately in the Anime... just ignore it. Tell yourself: "this isn't real, this isn't really happening" and it will be ok. :)

And if you interested, just read the Manga and you will see how much unlame Renji really is. :D

@AznPoi - fix that damned spoiler tag, it shows what sould not be seen by those not wanting spoilers for themselves. :rolleyes:

[Qc0Jh1axT]

If anyone should have realised by now, the earlier anime episodes (based on the manga) showed that Ichigo is more prone to squabbling with Ishida/Ganju and NOT Renji. These fillers just totally wrecked Bleach's characters' personalities. Ignore them.

[Byakuya7]

If anyone should have realised by now, the earlier anime episodes (based on the manga) showed that Ichigo is more prone to squabbling with Ishida/Ganju and NOT Renji. These fillers just totally wrecked Bleach's characters' personalities. Ignore them.

Ichigo argues with everyone, thats part of his personality..

[Chrono Detector]

Yeah, I kinda find Renji kinda stupid in the recent episodes. Or maybe its just the filler.

And I find it annoying how Ichigo and Renji are at each others throats all the time. And its not even funny anymore.

[vision33r]

The powers of the fillers at work here, twisting everything and confusing the crap out of noobs.

Gotta love this long running arc.

[Hollow_Man_ct]

The fillers are merely a prequel to the current manga arc, so it will probably explain a few contradictions between the anime and manga ( like how can Ichigo use Bankai in the manga easily and it is hard for him in the anime fillers ).

[Cassie]

I've always felt that many characters in Bleach are made to be very inconsistent in terms of their abilities. There's times when they seem to be unstoppable, and times then they're helpless against the most worthless opponent. The filler episodes show this aspect quite well. Clearly, the bound are weak compared to the captains and even vice captains of soul society. Yet, Ichigo and crew has so much trouble dealing with them. Also, what is Urahara and Yorouichi doing at that time?

Back on topic: Renji is very much like Ichigo in that he's stubborn, not very smart, but has a high fighting ability. One can easily argue that in the filler episodes, Ichigo has become completely worthless. Even in shikai form, he was able to defeat Kenpachi, which means that he should easily defeat the bound, but that wasn't the case. Renji's abilities are almost as strong as Ichigo, so he should be able to fight quite adequatly, unlike what we've seen.

Bottom line: Dont take the main characters too seriously, they're not exactly the "solid" type.

[konberry]

Because according to the Anime's explanation, Renji can use Bankai because he was a Shinigami originally. This, btw, is wrong. Ichigo was a full Shinigami from the start, as he possessed fully developed Shinigami powers from the very beginning (Zangetsu satates as much).
Now, just to adress this thread... honestly, don't base opinions on fillers. I am talking to everyone who watches the Anime. Since those are fillers, they might as well never have happened. This has been stated by both Byakuya7 and Sumdumguy. And thus, all that "Renji is weaker" crap we've been seeing lately in the Anime... just ignore it. Tell yourself: "this isn't real, this isn't really happening" and it will be ok. :)
And if you interested, just read the Manga and you will see how much unlame Renji really is. :D



I totally agree!! I hate fillers..seriously.:sad:

[Cheryl]

Poor Renji. I feel for him.

[Bionic808]

renji... <3 ... :(

[Byakuya7]

In Episode 72 he was fighting just as good as Ichigo was against the Bounto. He wasnt weakened that much, and once the filler ends we'll finally get to see him at his best.

[choking]

its fillers for crying out loud... they all look weak. (well maybe not for inoue, having shown us new skills)

[adorkable]

The upcoming episode names sound great, so hopefully there will be some change of the characters and their "fillerness"...

As for Renji, it's the bloody fillers. And he's not the only one to be effected by the "filler disease".

[Hollow_Man_ct]

Renji must have a breakthrough as well as any character who wishes to become stronger ( Ichigo to save Rukia first, Ichigo then to be able to protect Inoue and tends to complete his Vaizard training ).

[Nichigo]

I think Renji's fall back into the shadows is due to the rapid rising and developing of the characters around him. He was a big character back in the day because he was one of the strongest that we had seen up to that point. AFter the soul society arc, we saw many more that were much stronger than him, as well as Ichigo surpassing him at a certain point. He's still good, and still improving...just not as fast as everyone else. LIke Hollow man said though, he'll probably have somekind of breakthrough that will shift the spotlight back to him.

Anyway...I thought his fight with the Arrancar was pretty good. Seems like his performance equaled Hitsugaya's who's a captain.

EDIT: changed Vaizard to Arrancar

[Hollow_Man_ct]

Arrancar, not Vaizard, The one who Renji defeated, that is.

Renji will regain his former spotlight after the arc, cause the arc is now mainly concentrating on Ichigo and Ishida developments, so there is no space for renji except as a sidekick at the moment.

[Zanga]

Even in te current filler arc, Renji is not very reliable due the limit being on him, so his bankai will be messed....

[SmallKid57]

idk... renji did seem to fall back a lil. but im sure he'll get stronger and stuff when he learns to control his bankai and stuff.

[BigSteve03]

The problem with Renji is, he was originally the perfect foil to Ichi. A rival with comprable power, but once Ichi passed him, and Renji joined the ever growing good guy cast, he really doesnt have a specific role anymore. He's sorta just another aly now, with nothing special about him anymore.

I think they only way he'll be interesting again, if he somehow gets alot stronger alot faster and manages to fill one of the three vacant captain spots, or if they ramp up the "love" triangle between him, Ichi, and Ruuika.

[RukiaYuza]

Hello! :)
I think that it would be great if they made Renji a captain. I say let him take over the Tousen's divisions. He would have a very good Vice-Captain in Hisagi. So I think that would be a good idea. Or maybe if Yamamoto got killed and his Vice-Captain Byakuya got promoted to First Division and Renji got to be captain of Sixth Division.
I am glad that Renji is now one of the good guys. I rather like getting to see a lighter and happier Renji. He never was meant to be evil.

[SumDumGai]

Hello! :)
I think that it would be great if they made Renji a captain. I say let him take over the Tousen's divisions. He would have a very good Vice-Captain in Hisagi. So I think that would be a good idea. Or maybe if Yamamoto got killed and his Vice-Captain Byakuya got promoted to First Division and Renji got to be captain of Sixth Division.
I am glad that Renji is now one of the good guys. I rather like getting to see a lighter and happier Renji. He never was meant to be evil.

Hmm... Well Byakuya isnt yamamoto's Vice-Captain, the old guy with the piercing zanpaktou is. I agree that Renji was never meant to be evil, just like Byakuya he was just doing his job when he was capturing Rukia and fighting Ichigo- actually that might have been more out of frustration that he couldn't do anything about it.

[RukiaYuza]

Hello! :)
I think that I meant to say that if Yamamoto and his Vice-Captain got killed Byakuya would be a good replacement for them. I completely agree that Renji was not happy when he was fighting Ichigo.

[Zanga]

Renji's role is finished. Ichigo has supassed him in strength and spiritual power. Only way Renji can be 'special' once more, is if Aizen manipulates him into having another dual to the death with Ichigo by kidnapping Rukia or something...just my thought...