[Langus]

I read this chapter twice before coming here to put my thoughts down.

Apart from Aizen being lame, since that's nothing new, the sliver of character development we got on Gin was a nice touch. I'd always liked him as a character and now I like him even more. Doing all of that for a woman? He's my kind of guy!

I have strong doubts that he's actually dead though (and not only just because this is Kubo we're talking about). He and Rangiku have a much needed reconciliation coming their way. Plus, Gin has made numerous references to himself a being a snake. Up in the ozarks (Canada) we know that the only way to really kill a snake is to decapitate it or bash its head in. So assuming Kubo is going to take that and run with it, and given that he left Gin's head/face completely untouched, I think chances are very good that this isn't the last we'll see of him.

As for Aizen's hougyoku business, it sounds like he stole Urahara's hougyoku and melded it with his own, creating one single hougyoku. I think Rangiku comes into play in a sort of round about way. It seems to me, and I could be wrong, that while Aizen's cronies were out collecting the hundreds of souls sacrificed by SS's people they came across Rangiku. I'm undecided on whether they simply stole her spirit energy or her virginity but both seem plausible to me. Though for the sake of drama, I think they found her alone and raped her just for kicks.

As for the whole Ichigo arrived and no one cares bit, I couldn't agree more. Let's just get this boring hax fight over with and move on already.