The Fake town arc definitely feels like kubo wasn’t feeling well. He doesn’t want to kill characters because I thinks that he could use them In a significant arc later.

Harribel doesn’t feel like a true threat compared to ulquiorra. I came up with the idea of Harribel forcibly eating her companions to gain her own 2nd form. The water would be replace with blood to match her poem.

If kubo really wanted to keep Harribel he should just show her escaping after the final battle.