(L) Bleach - Thousand-Year Blood War Arc - anime episode discussion

[Frontier]

Originally Posted by Mad Pierrot

Man, I noticed that it wasn't only in the Arrancar arc only but the Shinigamis take over the main plot always. Orihime, Sado and Uryu are kinda minor in comparison. But why were they even covering Grimmjow? They forgot to ask the designer?

And I gotta say, all the chaos in this arc kinda disappeared with the revelation that only two known Shinigamis died. Taguchi gave this arc a nice sense of despair but only Yamamoto got quite a good death. I barely remember the other dude's name.

It was more of a mystery in the manga because you couldn't hear his voice .

[Kanon]

I'm sad they cut all the comedy (which included Rukia's bare ass sticking out of the water), but I guess they wanted to keep a somber tone given what had just happened.

They also cut Mayuri's infodump about bankai, possibly leading to anime onlies thinking bankai being unable to be fixed is an inconsistency.

Originally Posted by Frontier

Holy crud, Kon! Basically a cameo, but Kon! And Ichigo had no idea where he'd been this whole time. And Mayuri turned Kon into a projector communication device. And like nobody else reacts to him being there, poor guy .

Urahara is actually the one who made that modification, which he used to troll Mayuri in the manga. But like most of the gags in this episode, it was cut.

Time for Squad Zero to enter the fray! Five individuals more powerful than the entire Gotei 13! And in true Bleach fashion, they're quite the characters! And they have history with our current captains as well, with this big fun Kirio woman having known Shinji and Hiyori (their former captain?), Tenshiro and his weaponized pompadour having apparently taught Unohana everything she knew about healing, and this icy beauty bone lady who was the head of the science division. Wow .

Urahara (him again!) created the science division, so she can't have been the head of that. Rather interested in how she knows Mayuri, a question that was never answered in the manga and hopefully will be in the anime.

Still interesting that two former squad 12 captains are among the five Royal Guards, although I don't know whether it was actually confirmed if Shutara was one. Kirio is indeed Hiyori's former captain who was promoted to the Royal Guard, which is incidentally what kickstarted the whole plot of Bleach since that's when Aizen found out about the Soul King.

Oh hey, Kukaku! It was nice to see her again. Always launching people in rockets. And long-haired Ganju. And the...Fullbringers!? Including Ginjo!? Didn't he die? Like, what .

Ginjo did die. And where do people go when they die?
Remember Ginjo was a human with shinigami powers like Ichigo, and he fought him in his human body.

Originally Posted by Frontier

It was more of a mystery in the manga because you couldn't hear his voice .

More of a mystery, but still not much of one
Literally everyone had guessed it was Grimmjow.

[Gerard07]

Considering the pace with which they animate the manga and the total number of chapters the anime will have (52 chapters divided into 4 parts, right?), it is possible that they add a lot of extra material (maybe they add some flashbacks or lengthen some fights).
By the way, is Tite involved in the anime (helping or supervising) or does all the story work come from the studio?.

[FlareKnight]

For a second there I was like "didn't those guys die" and then I thought "oh right...Soul Society." I'll admit I did think Ginjo wouldn't show up since he was killed while kind of fighting as a Soul Reaper, but I guess it doesn't quite work like that. It will be interesting to see if they end up contributing. Every hand on deck is going to be needed at this point.

This was a great chance to just breathe after basically non-stop attacks since episode 1. They needed this and I'm fine with it. Mostly since the characters do need to take their time to plan out the next move and just process the losses.

I was curious who ended up saving Inoue and company. Of course it was Grimmjow! He's definitely strong enough to manage that and would also draw his sword on Urahara at the same time. I'm curious what crazy deal was cut to get him on their side, but it seems to be holding firm for now. Maybe he just wants another fight with Ichigo when everything settles down.

[Frontier]

Originally Posted by Kanon

I'm sad they cut all the comedy (which included Rukia's bare ass sticking out of the water), but I guess they wanted to keep a somber tone given what had just happened.

The world was denied a majestic peach .

They also cut Mayuri's infodump about bankai, possibly leading to anime onlies thinking bankai being unable to be fixed is an inconsistency.

I was just thinking to myself how many times Renji must repair Zabimaru .

Ginjo did die. And where do people go when they die?
Remember Ginjo was a human with shinigami powers like Ichigo, and he fought him in his human body.

Oh yeah, that logic tracks .

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

Rukia has ass?

[Strahan]

Originally Posted by FlareKnight

For a second there I was like "didn't those guys die" and then I thought "oh right...Soul Society." I'll admit I did think Ginjo wouldn't show up since he was killed while kind of fighting as a Soul Reaper, but I guess it doesn't quite work like that. It will be interesting to see if they end up contributing. Every hand on deck is going to be needed at this point.

I'm vindictive; I'm not sure I could work with them. Out of all the conflicts Ichigo had, that seemed to be the most emotionally damaging to him. I'd be hard pressed to maintain civility with them. Though of course in typical shounen fashion, by the end of that arc Ichigo is cool with it heh. I'd trust Grimmjow much quicker than I'd ever trust them.

Also seeing them makes me curious how the soul thing works; I was under the impression that when a human dies, it's reborn as a soul. But seeing Ginjo et al it would imply they crossed over and retained their age as they look exactly the same. Amusingly, even wearing the same clothes. Did Tsukishima make a special trip to earth to buy a dress shirt and suspenders, or did they somehow transmigrate with him? lol

Originally Posted by Kanon

I'm sad they cut all the comedy (which included Rukia's bare ass sticking out of the water), but I guess they wanted to keep a somber tone given what had just happened.

Yea, when we got to the hot springs part I was waiting for that and turnip Renji, but no dice. The sliced and diced quite a bit. I also chuckled in the manga when zero squad guy was like "don't drop your towel or you'll die" but that got cut too.

Originally Posted by Obelisk ze Tormentor

Rukia has ass?

When needed for a gag apparently, lol. The only other time one ever sees it shapely is at the hands of fanart; shihakushou isn't particularly great at flattering one's curves heh.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Strahan

Also seeing them makes me curious how the soul thing works; I was under the impression that when a human dies, it's reborn as a soul. But seeing Ginjo et al it would imply they crossed over and retained their age as they look exactly the same. Amusingly, even wearing the same clothes. Did Tsukishima make a special trip to earth to buy a dress shirt and suspenders, or did they somehow transmigrate with him? lol

Humans die -> they turn into souls and cross over to Soul Society as they looked when they were alive. Sometimes with the help of shinigamis, sometimes on their own.

When a soul in SS dies, it's reincarnated into the human world. That's why what the Quincy do to Hollows is a problem, since it removes souls from the cycle of reincarnation.

[rladls2121]

Something I don't understand about what Soifon said to Kensei's group. Soifon saying Shinji and the others actually hated the old man that they did not mourn him.

Hiyori and Risa did not go back to "Gotei 13", but the ones like Shinji and Kensei returns being captains again. Even if the old man is really hated, hate is not the only feeling they are harboring. I don't think they hate the old man as much as the ones who are in charge exiled them and treated them as Hollows years ago. And those in charge are killed by Aizen's group.

[Kanon]

Soi Fon was just lashing out. Everyone pointed out she was acting like a kid.

[MAX_COLA_POWER!]

Yeah, Soi Fon at least for me I never took seriously as a character because she just strikes me as immature for everything that she does because of being Yoruichorny. I honestly felt the saddest for those closest to Shigekuni, Retsu, Shunsui, Jushiro, Sajin. Honestly I’d be down to seeing down the line how the interactions were between the latter since we already have an idea of how the old man got along with the first 3.

[Strahan]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Humans die -> they turn into souls and cross over to Soul Society as they looked when they were alive. Sometimes with the help of shinigamis, sometimes on their own.

When a soul in SS dies, it's reincarnated into the human world. That's why what the Quincy do to Hollows is a problem, since it removes souls from the cycle of reincarnation.

Well, then I guess one should always stay dressed snappy just in case you die lol. Though they must have some form of clothing shops in SS - when Ichigo and crew first arrived, nobody is seen wearing "normal" clothing. That or everyone they met had all died way back in the day, not modern hehe.

[Frontier]

Nanao! She looks even more beautiful than before! And Hitomi Nabatame hasn't missed a beat! Is it any wonder Shunsui can't bear to part with her even when he gets bumped up to Head and Squad 1 Captain ?

Meanwhile Ichigo is getting beat up and drowned, but it seems like it's had it's effect as he can tank a punch from Tenshiro (and leave mark in doing so) and outlast two super muscle-y guys wearing protective shirts. And not to be outdone by Ichigo, Renji's right behind him .

Nothing more classic Bleach than Ichigo and Renji yelling at each other. We even have Kon along for the ride! And he has a muscle form now! Are we going to get a Kon fight or something ?

So now Ichigo, Renji, and Kon are getting a full course meal courtesy of Kirio. It might seem too relaxing on the surface, but their bodies need to recover and build themselves back up again for the fight ahead and the rest of their training. And Kirio might've thrown in a little special something something to boost their own Spiritual Pressure .

Speaking of dessert, turns out Kirio's the type to work off all her weight cooking, all the more so she can surprise people with the younger and sexier version of her, complete with massive boobs. I think she's in the running for the biggest rack among the Bleach ladies !

I know Squad Zero were elevated for their achievement in creating something for the Soul Society, but the creator of Zanpakuto !?

You know it's serious when even Kenpachi is getting a training arc .

Wait...Unohana is the first Kenpachi? Her first name is Yachiru!? She was one of the greatest criminals of the Soul Society!? So yeah, that was definitely her in the OG Gotei 13 flashbacks .

Fitting that we'd get a Kenpachi vs Kenpachi fight in a prison...and it's as brutal and savage as you would expect, especially with the history these two seemingly have with each other dating back to their first fight ..

Man, what a 180 Unohana pulls when she seeps back into Kenpachi mode. Lets her hair down, exposes the big scar on her chest Kenpachi gave her, her voice drops an octave, and she seems like a completely different person. Aya Hisakawa did an amazing job of transitioning from the Unohana we know to the Unohana she always was .

That scene of Yachiru and Isane noticing what their captains left behind was really powerful. Poor Isane .

[Mad Pierrot]

Unohana already healed Ichigo's bankai once if I remember. The thing with Ichigo's bankai is that Tensa Zangetsu is not a sword but also the new kimono. If the kimono is still okay, why focus so much on this. Also, Orihime's power... She does not heal people, she turns back time things like she did with Grimmjow's arm. Wouldn't that power still work with Ichigo's bankai?

[MAX_COLA_POWER!]

I'm surprised many animé-only fans didn't manage to put 2 and 2 together with Yachiru OG being part of the original Gotei 13 when Kubo released the artwork of all of them together, along with their names in the latest jump.

[Gerard07]

Having seen the chapter, Ichigo and Renji fighting and eating, Kon appeared, Kyoraku was promoted to Captain Commander, and Kenpanchi vs Unohana, things are looking good, waiting for the next chapter.
Questions;
-Why did Squad 0 take Ichigo to the Royal Palace?,was it to repair his Bankai or was it requested by the Spirit King or something like that?.
-They hadn't said that Kenpanchi had serious injuries like Byakuya's, which would affect his life as captain, but now he's fighting as usual, did Unohana heal him or something?.

[sayde]

Originally Posted by Mad Pierrot

Unohana already healed Ichigo's bankai once if I remember. The thing with Ichigo's bankai is that Tensa Zangetsu is not a sword but also the new kimono. If the kimono is still okay, why focus so much on this.

That was different. The damage on Ichigo's bankai clothing was supposed to be indicative of how much energy/stamina he had remaining. So Unohana was merely replenishing that energy. That's a far different situation from the Zanpakuto blade itself getting broken during bankai. But given Komamura's exception to the rule, I could see there being room for confusion.

Originally Posted by Mad Pierrot

Also, Orihime's power...She does not heal people, she turns back time things like she did with Grimmjow's arm. Wouldn't that power still work with Ichigo's bankai?

It's not even a time-based ability IIRC. It's literally the power of rejection. In other words, she can reject whatever she wants (so long as it's within her power). IIRC, Aizen even goes so far as to praise her for being capable of overturning acts of god. And yes, in theory, it probably could work if Kubo wanted it to. Unfortunately, this ability's effectiveness has been both incredibly inconsistent over the years and heavily underutilized. For example, in one instance, she can reject Menoly's death after her upper body gets turned to dust, then later on she fails to reject the hole in Ichigo's chest that lead to his temporary death. So her powers work when Kubo needs them to. Other times, it either can't work or they're conveniently forgotten about it. And I try not to think about it too much otherwise that opens up a very deep rabbit hole of all the things she could've rejected that would've greatly altered the plot (such as the hypothetical example you've brought up).

Originally Posted by Gerard07

Questions;
-Why did Squad 0 take Ichigo to the Royal Palace?,was it to repair his Bankai or was it requested by the Spirit King or something like that?

I believe the previous episode and this episode suggests that both those reasons are true. Because Kirinji said this episode that he sees why the Soul King is so interested in him.

[FlareKnight]

All the stuff going on is fine. But I definitely enjoyed Kenpachi vs Unohana. Definitely has a feeling that Unohana is going to take herself right to the point of dying (if not straight up dying) in order to drag out all the power that is inside of Kenpachi. That he's just that darn OP. If she can find a way to get him to the next level then even if she's gone they are still gaining a huge boost. And that's a fair enough strategy since they really need some crazy powerhouses to replace what they've lost.

Shunsui being promoted to the Head Captain makes total sense. It sucks for him on so many levels, but he is the only good choice here. Maybe a long ways down the road he can push that job onto Hitsugaya or something, but in this moment he's the only Captain that can really do this. They need someone that can keep their cool, has respect of their peers, is extremely powerful, etc. Shinji wouldn't be bad but he's just getting back after spending a long time awol. Soi Fong...obviously not. Hitsugaya has potential, but he's ironically too much of a hot-head and it's too early for him. Ukitake isn't bad in terms of personality, but his health is too unreliable for a job like that. Shunsui is just the right call.

Originally Posted by Gerard07

Having seen the chapter, Ichigo and Renji fighting and eating, Kon appeared, Kyoraku was promoted to Captain Commander, and Kenpanchi vs Unohana, things are looking good, waiting for the next chapter.
Questions;
-Why did Squad 0 take Ichigo to the Royal Palace?,was it to repair his Bankai or was it requested by the Spirit King or something like that?.
-They hadn't said that Kenpanchi had serious injuries like Byakuya's, which would affect his life as captain, but now he's fighting as usual, did Unohana heal him or something?.

For Kenpachi maybe it's got something to do with what Unohana said near the end of the episode. That he's basically a Saiyan and grows stronger every time he's close to death. So maybe she actually stabbed him a few times so he'd reach the point of recovery all by himself .

[sayde]

Originally Posted by FlareKnight

Shunsui being promoted to the Head Captain makes total sense. It sucks for him on so many levels, but he is the only good choice here.

...

They need someone that can keep their cool, has respect of their peers, is extremely powerful, etc.

I think the same could be said for Unohana to an even greater degree compared to Shunsui. She's also older, probably wiser, and more experienced too.

But I assume the main reason Shunsui got the position over her is because her past would tarnish the image that Central 46 would like the Gotei 13 to have. (Though I'd find it interesting if we found out that she was offered the position first, but turned it down.)

[Kanon]

"I'll be back with desserts"

Yup, she sure came back with two massive desserts. Somehow overusing her reiatsu burns up most of her fat but the boobs are so powerful they are unaffected. I think she definitely ranks first, even before Matsumoto and Nelliel who are heavyweights. "Everyone is on a royal scale", indeed.

There were hints that Unohana had a darker side throughout the series, it was even a recurring gag that people would shit their pants when she would intensely look at them. Who would have thought she was the first Kenpachi AND the person Yachiru was named after though? And also a battle crazy psychopath. Yhwach really had a good point when he said peace made the Gotei 13 weak.

Originally Posted by sayde

It's not even a time-based ability IIRC. It's literally the power of rejection. In other words, she can reject whatever she wants (so long as it's within her power). IIRC, Aizen even goes so far as to praise her for being capable of overturning acts of god. And yes, in theory, it probably could work if Kubo wanted it to. Unfortunately, this ability's effectiveness has been both incredibly inconsistent over the years and heavily underutilized. For example, in one instance, she can reject Menoly's death after her upper body gets turned to dust, then later on she fails to reject the hole in Ichigo's chest that lead to his temporary death. So her powers work when Kubo needs them to. Other times, it either can't work or they're conveniently forgotten about it. And I try not to think about it too much otherwise that opens up a very deep rabbit hole of all the things she could've rejected that would've greatly altered the plot (such as the hypothetical example you've brought up).

The reason she couldn't heal Ichigo back then is that Ulquiorra's massive reiatsu left inside his wound counteracted her power. Restoring Ichigo's bankai should be no problem, but she's conveniently stuck in Hueco Mundo at the moment. Healing Byakuya, Renji, and Rukia should have been no problem either.

Originally Posted by sayde

I think the same could be said for Unohana to an even greater degree compared to Shunsui. She's also older, probably wiser, and more experienced too.

But I assume the main reason Shunsui got the position over her is because her past would tarnish the image that Central 46 would like the Gotei 13 to have. (Though I'd find it interesting if we found out that she was offered the position first, but turned it down.)

I'm pretty sure it's the latter and it has to do with her being a former criminal. And not just any criminal, the most infamous apparently, at least back then.

Shunsui is really the only viable choice if you remove Unohana because of this and Ukitake because of his illness. He has seniority, is level headed, and is by far the most powerful captain (he beat the number 1 espada with his shikai alone).