I agree that the top 3 Espada were hyped up too much, but some of that may have been the fanbases doing. Of the Espada, only Yammy is left, and he will likely go down. In FKT, as Noimporta mentioned, only Aizen, Gin, Tousen, and Wonderweiss are left. I imagine this will probably end with Aizen saying Just As Planned.
Yeah, Noimporta, that part with Stark... ugh.
But I thought Shunsui is using his bankai? That last time with Yamamoto nevermind.
Didn't Ukitake get oneshotted by that kid?
About time one of the good guys died. Too bad it was Hiyori.
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The McNinja
I refuse to believe that Hiyori's dead. Admittedly, unless Kubo pulls an Ass Pull and makes Orihime show up impossibly fast, she'll probably be there soon. Although, they could always throw her in Kira's Glowy Box of Doom.
Though, gotta say... nice Bankai there, Kensei.
Taking in count that the Espada and Soul Society have been fighting for over a year now, and that it is unlikely that everyone in Mexico Hueco Mundo was just standing there for the whole time, and that Urahara hasn't done anything yet, Orihime coming back "fast" (which means, after the fight against Yammy is displayed) would not really be an Ass Pull.
Kensei's Bankai looks like an expy of Ikkaku's.
ps can we please stop talkking in spoiler tags
Dear TV Tropes Forums... I'm sorry for leaving you for Gaia. Now I left Gaia and have an affair with Tumblr. Love, me.like "Everything" in Code Geass
Dear TV Tropes Forums... I'm sorry for leaving you for Gaia. Now I left Gaia and have an affair with Tumblr. Love, me.I want to show everybody this picture.
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I wish Chad got more love. If you're not going to use him then just remove him already Kubo. It's irritating to see him fighting any longer.
FUCK YEAH YAMMY!
about time we came back to this arc. too bad no Kenpachi or Captain Mom
Dear TV Tropes Forums... I'm sorry for leaving you for Gaia. Now I left Gaia and have an affair with Tumblr. Love, me.Chapter sucked. Took me all of 2 minutes to read and I was like "What." I absolutely don't give a shit about Ichigo or Yammy anymore, and it sucks that Chad, Rukia, and Renji were beat down offscreen just so Ichigo could show off his faggy new mask.
Feedback Of Heteronormative Gender Stereotypes in Anime

Now compare their popularity...
We can only hope that Captain Mom does something
Although the main problem with the current turn of events is not that they killed Halibel, she managed to pwn Iceboy and stay in even grounds with him + Hiyori (who we've seen beating the crap out of Ichigo during their training) + Lisa. Stark was killed by Shunsui's shikai, which is... much worse.
The main problem is that TK hyped the top espada, and then killed them off pretty easily, and now I'm supposed to buy that Aizen, Gin, Tousen (who we've seen being beaten up by Kempachi, while using his bankai, when his opponent still had his eyepatch, the same Kempachi who had trouble with the N° 5 espada) and Autistic Vasto Lord kid are going to beat:
Then, if I don't choke first before trying to swallow that, I'll have to buy Ichigo (who was happily trashed around by Ulquiorra's first resurreccion, and obliterated by the second) will be somehow able to beat him.
...
So Yeah, the future is not looking bright for this manga.