Though I can not say I am an avid sword collector, I can say this sword not only met, but surpassed my expectations - especially for the price. The shipping was top-notch, and expedient. One question I had was if the hand guard was also metal, and it is. The blade is standard steel, and painted black. It's weight is 4.5 lbs, and the handle is well-wrapped, as playing around with it has not affected the wrapping in the slightest. The chain in the back also does not feel like a "cheap imitation." If you're a fan of bleach as I am, and you're even contemplating this sword, you really should give it a shot. It's a great buy for the money, and it's guaranteed to wow your friends, especially if they are under 5'8" (the length of the sword). Hope this review helps! 5 stars

I agree with other positive reviews such as:
Very well made, worth the price, etc.

Adding to that,
From what I received:

What I didn't like was the word "china" inscribed on the blade (near the hand guard). It would have been better if it was inscribed behind the hand guard or somewhere else besides the blade.

Other note:
There's some difficulty in taking out from the sheath and putting back into the sheath.

68" ver. Is not recommended for cosplay or playing around with.

It says sharpened but it's poorly sharpened. (It barely cuts paper)

Other wise, it's a great replica.

Great to show off and all. 5 stars

Just got my sword today, and it's very nice. No damage or problems with the sword and it feels very well made. This is one huge sword though so don't expect to be swinging it around one handed. But in short if you're a fan of Bleach you'll be happy with this purchase, and it's sure to provoke some questions from anyone you show it to.

P.S. I was really surprised to see how fast it showed up, only 4 business days. 5 stars

As previously stated by everyone else, this is a great replica sword. It does, however, have a few drawbacks. The sword is not balanced at all and isn't very sharp. This sword isn't a practical sword, of course, and wasn't made as such. It makes a great display, but I wouldn't recommend playing around with it much. The blade is 440 stainless steel, which should be fine most everyone's purposes; it isn't carbon spring, but as mentioned before, this blade isn't made for full contact use or to be practical. The blade is nicely made though with real ray skin on the hilt and a full tang. You'll want to coat with something to prevent rust so that it'll last longer. Lastly the sheath is a 'tension' sheath meaning the blade is being held in by tension alone. You'll have to pull moderately hard to get it out initally. 4 stars

whole sword is very nice. if your a bleach fan you will love it. even if you arnt this sword is awesome. the sheeth has this little dot design on it though that you cant see in the picture though. 5 stars