excellent

Oh?... wonderweiss?

You have a way with theatrics, you know that?

Nel is still an espada and aeems to have been a good influence on nnoritra

I know this story is long dead, but I feel that I should say something at the end of this. Downfall may be (forever) unfinished, but even as an unfinished AU it one of the most well done stories I have read on this site. The characters stay true to their canon counterparts, and come off very believably in a completely altered setting. It's a shame that we won't get to see this through to the end, but you left us with more than enough to imagine. I don't know if you are still with us, but if you ever do read this note, thank you for taking the time to write this story.

I first read this story in August 2012, and I fall in love with it all over again every time I reread, which I've done many times throughout the past few years. While I do have fun imagining what could happen next, I really hope you can continue it with your awesome writing skills!

wow that was pretty unexpected

kinda pumped to see who Urahara and the Vizard side with. Or even how TBTP changed.

this is good hope its not dead

that was one of the best descriptions of a fight! really, good job! No dumb shit, no dramatic exaggerations, or ridiculously overpowering one side to let them win, but a demonstration of strategy from a duo of very experienced fighters.

I know this fic (and maybe even the author) is dead and all, but I can't help but leave a review here.

Downfall in my honest opinion is actually SUPERIOR to the actual canon work. While characters still share the same traits as they do in canon, the change in circumstances just make them so much more...three dimensional.

On the shinigami side, Byakuya is actually LIKEABLE to me, which is surprising because I hate his guts in canon for being an unemotive noble douchebag who only talks about "honor", whatever the hell that's supposed to mean. The fact that his wife still lives in this AU and that this change has made him just more alive as a person is really heart-warming especially after seeing the canon one, and it's actually in a believable way. Meanwhile, Kaien being alive and his wife taking his place in the grave also allowed for far more interesting relationship dynamics with Rukia. Yachiru and Kenpachi also get fleshed out a lot, getting more facets to their personality than cute moeblob and psycho blood knight respectively. Gin has also quickly become one of my favorite characters being a self-aware sociopathic hero with a loving morality pet. Aizen is no longer some wannabe magnificent bastard with a retarded god/betrayal complex, and is actually a compassionate captain with hidden depths, also no longer stupidly OP. And Tosen, well, he's actually a CHARACTER now is my best way to put it.

On the Hueco Mundo side, Noitra is still an asshole, but actually LIKEABLE, kind of the same thing with Byakuya going on here for me. I love the more in-depth interactions between Stark and Lilynette too, and Nel not being an idiot brat is also wonderful, as is Wonderweiss not being retarded and takes place as the true magnificent bastard, far better than canon Aizen. I'm a little disappointed Ulquiorra wasn't in this, since his whole deal in canon was pondering what it means to be a human, and Retsu is essentially working to make the Arrancar more human. I guess Nel can take his place in that regard though considering she's Orihime's main caretaker in this. She's funnier and less brooding too. Yenni was also pretty cute, I like snarky tomboys, and her time with Aizen tends to be very enjoyable. As for the new traitors themselves, they also make MUCH, MUCH better villains than Aizen's group ever did, because they're NOT one-dimensional complete monsters. They HAVE morals, they're working towards a GOOD cause (albeit with brutal means, which is precisely the point here), and most importantly, they make the villain side LIKEABLE by making them more relatable. And as a person who much prefer villains over the cookie cutter saint-like protagonists so common in media nowadays, I really appreciate that.

The writing in itself is top notch, and really motivates me to up my own game. It's in a similar style as what I generally use too, the whole first person view written in third person thing. Every character stays in-character as far as I've noticed, and the fight scenes, good lord the fight scenes are so detailed, especially Retsu vs Kenpachi. There's actual use of strategy in the war, no one's truly overpowered or underpowered, and anyone can die. I must admit I did not see Rukia's death coming considering, well, it's BLEACH, but she did die, and it was beautifully tragic. I don't normally do emotion, especially not romance, but I could actually FEEL the heart-break for poor Kaien and Renji, and Byakuya even. Hell, while Retsu vs Kenpachi was epic, I think Aaroniero's fight was the best written. The emotional turmoil caused both by their love triangle and Aaro's shapeshifting mixed with the actual action throughout, and Rukia's badass sacrifice to finish off Aaroniero and save her would-be boyfriends, no bs protagonist immortality, and the aftermath, how Renji and Kaien took her death so differently. Komamura and Iba were also unexpected, and also wonderfully written, and it's disappointing that I'll never find out WHY Komamura's bankai went berserk. I originally imagined Zomari had a hand in it since I remember seeing his description mentioned somewhere, but perhaps this version of Wonderweiss was the culprit? And of course, the repercussions brought forth from Komamura's untimely demise for Tosen and those around him. Every death happens for a good reason, and the lasting effects are more than just "I MUST AVENGE WITH BERSERKER RAGE" for the deceased's friends. Note that I said "lasting" and not "immediate". Holy shit, Tosen.

Also I like how you focused on many different characters' point of view except the actual canon protagonist group that is Ichigo's posse. To be frank I don't think even you can make Ichigo more three-dimensional, and I think you've made a good parody of this fact, writing him as a force of nature with a one-track mind and having those near him like Urahara treat him as such. If the story was to have gone on, I would've hoped he'd get destroyed by the turncoat captains eventually, or have Orihime beg Ichigo to stop when he fights Nel.

That's about it I suppose. Normally I wouldn't spend time on something I know won't be finished, but after giving this fic a try anyway I have zero regrets. You've created an AU that's IMO vastly superior to the typical shonen stereotype that is canon Bleach, and it is very saddening that this story won't be continued. You are an inspiration to me, and I thank you wholeheartedly for writing what you have.

Love this can't wait for the next chapter.

well this is sad making, this story was turning out really good, I really couldn't wait to read more... which is why the fact that its practically dead is all the more depressing. don't know if the account this story is posted to is dead or not but if your still active then there is always hope for this story :)
I wonder who it is that is trying to turn the hollows against the traitor captains. so many plots going on, I really wish there was more so I could see where all this is heading to.

Excellent story, in many ways superior to the main one. Please resume writing!

cool!