"The Ichi cloud certainly points out the trend direction doesn't it."
Yes, that is why I like Ichimoku, I don't have to spend much time in deciding if a stock is bullish or bearish or neutral: where Price sits in relation to the Cloud will tell you almost straightaway.
Based on Ichimoku approach, a stock becomes bearish when its Price crosses below the Crowd, confirmed by the 3 lines of averages, especially the Chikou Span.
