A lot of "FINALLY" moments in the past few chapters. We got Ichigo FINALLY growing a pair, Aizen FINALLY close to doing something other than killing a Fugly, Isshin's Zanpakuto FINALLY was revealed as Engetsu (relation to Zangetsu up for debate)...and we just now, FINALLY get Hollow Ichigo (Shirosaki is my personal favorite term, fanmade as it is...) to show up again! Of course, it's at the end of Ichigo's part in this chapter...regardless, it's an epic moment!
So where to start? More fighting between Ichigo and Tensa at the start, a nice little dramatic moment with great lines ( "Look at this world! Your world littered with hope-filled skyscrapers that pierced the sky! It's now been degraded to a copy of that tiny town you grew up in!" for instance...) and finally, the curtain pulls back and look who it is...Shirosaki! He's standing there in the new Form that Ichigo used in his fight with Ulquoirra, however he pulls the mask back to reveal himself with sexy longhair (cue fangirls ~_~). This is great that they introduced him at the end of Ichigo's part, that means next-week is going to feature more of him and the unlocking of the Final Getsuga Tenshou (if not in the next chapter, certainly the one following that).
Then there's a moment between Tatsuki and Keigo again, they get all deep in their speaking and play it off as silly near the end...only to damn-near be crushed by Aizen's reitsu! No more stalking, he's taking action...with Keigo run off somewhere and Gin held back (I actually presumed he'd follow), Aizen is readying himself to murder Tatsuki. Not to mention he hasn't completely let go of his ideals from an earlier speech involving the importance in Ichigo, perhaps the OM NOMMING part was simply a scaretactic afterall =/ thenagain, maybe it's kind of like a Orochimaru-Sasuke deal...though I don't know WHY. Aizen doesn't need Ichigo's body...maybe he wants his power in another way...(and with that, I stop...no more speculating).
Of course the chapter didn't end showing the person! Graghblabble! I get a foot, I've seen WAY TOO MANY FOOT SHOTS over the past 5 chapters. Mainly...Aizen's (by now we could take measurements of his shoesize!) but now someone else...sadly, we don't see any form of clothing aside from the shoe itself (so there is no way to tell if it's a black coat, white coat, or even a coat at all...).
So this ends with two major questions:
What does Hollow Ichigo have in store for Ichigo in the coming chapter?
and
Who could the mystery person be? Male or female? Shinigami or Arrancar (very unlikely), maybe even Human (Don Konoji...;>_>)?
I'm hoping for a new character, like someone from the Royal Guard as always...or maybe a character that has been missing for so long it's insane (Kensei, Grimmjow..). Well, let's look at what Mangastream's translation of the between-panel words was...
"Whose shadow creeps toward Aizen and Ichigo's friends?! A new danger, or perhaps...?!"
^That makes me skeptical about the possibility of someone that is an enemy to Ichigo (or Tatsuki for this matter)...and the Perhaps part makes it seem like somebody fairly important (and an ally we already know) could be there. What if it's Tessai? =O He wasn't present to fight Aizen earlier...
Then again, this could also refer to a character we've only heard about before...like Hikifune or the Spirit King. Who knows but I rate this chapter as an appetizer to the main Om Noms...I feel like Pac-Man only eating about 5 pellets desiring to get me some ghosty deliciousness. So overall, 5/5! It left me wanting more and more and certainly has me VERY anxious for next week's chapter!