Highlights
- Bleach's Thousand-Year Blood War anime features expanded scenes and original content, adding flair and depth to the beloved arc.
- The animation, soundtrack, and faithful adaptation of the original manga have contributed to the anime's rise in popularity.
- Unique poems and quotes now serve as teasers for the next episode, replacing the humorous after-show skits.
The anime adaptation of Bleach's Thousand-Year Blood War arc has skyrocketed in popularity and viewership, especially considering the high expectations that came with its initial announcement. No doubt, this is mainly due to the anime's stellar animation, newly-dramatized soundtrack, and near-faithful take on the events of the original manga.
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But even with the anime's great take on the events of the Quincy Blood War, there are still scenes in the anime that are either wholly original or expanded versions of scenes from the manga. Whatever the case may be, these differences add much more flair to the Quincy Blood War anime, something that certainly does not go unnoticed by fans.
Updated on April 5, 2024, by Izabella Molina: With two parts of the Thousand-Year Blood War anime already released and a third part premiering in the summer, Bleach fans are sure to have witnessed the anime's take on the events of the manga and are certainly looking forward to more soon. Some events, such as the scene in which Uryu learns the truth about Yhwach, are merely a variation of what the manga already portrayed or established. However, other scenes, such as Shinji revealing his Bankai, are original scenes new for an anime-only audience. Therefore, this article has been updated to feature more expanded and original scenes from the Quincy Blood War anime.
12 Outro Poems And Quotes
Manga-Only Feature Made Into Aftershow Content
- Appears in Episodes 367-391
The original Bleach anime had a lot of content when it came to after the end of an actual episode. The most notable aftershow content came in the form of numerous skits and side stories, such as the Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book and the Quincy and Arrancar Encyclopedias, all of which humorously recapped the abilities shown in the main story.
For the Thousand-Year Blood War anime, however, there are no such side stories present. Instead, after the ending song, viewers are presented with a unique poem or quote that serves as a teaser for the next episode. Specific characters narrate these poems, and they are identical to the ones found in each volume of the manga.
11 Uryu's Investigation
Elaborates On Uryu's Actions After Ichigo Leaves For Hueco Mundo
- Appears in "March Of The StarCross," "The Fire" (Episodes 369 & 372)
As one of the most important characters in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, Uryu's role as both Ichigo's rival and Yhwach's successor is one of the main driving forces of the arc. However, in the manga, Uryu faded into the background after Ichigo's departure to Hueco and suddenly reappeared as a member of the Wandenreich.
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The anime further expands upon Uryu's actions after Ichigo's departure by having him investigate Hueco Mundo's mysterious invaders in his family archives and grandfather's journal. It is only upon reading the latter, however, that a conflicted Uryu realizes that the Quincies and Soul Society will always remain in conflict with one another, which contradicts his positive interactions with Ichigo and his friends.
10 Rukia's Hidden Attacker
Reveals Rukia's Opponent During The Wandenreich's First Invasion
- Appears in "Wrath As A Lightning," "BORN IN THE DARK" (Episodes 371 & 373)
During the Wandenreich's initial attack on Soul Society, a Sternritter whose identity had never been revealed faced off against Rukia. The majority of the battle was never shown in the manga, but it wasn't until Rukia was distracted by her brother Byakuya's near death at the hands of As Nodt that the unknown Sternritter was able to defeat Rukia.
Though unrevealed in the manga, the anime reveals Rukia's opponent to be Meninas McAllon, a member of the Bambies and wielder of the fierce The Power Schrift. Naturally, Meninas' bout with Rukia is further expanded upon, with Meninas dealing a critical blow to Rukia, while the latter rushes to help her brother.
9 The Original Gotei 13
Gives Viewers The First Real Look At The Original Gotei 13 And Their Savage Mannerisms
- Appears in "BORN IN THE DARK" (Episode 373)
Near the end of the Wandenreich's first invasion of the Seireitei, Yhwach reveals very pertinent information about the original Gotei 13, namely about how bloodthirsty they were in Yamamoto's prime. The manga does not further elaborate on this, nor does it show their appearances beyond their vague yet menacing silhouettes.
This is in stark contrast to the anime's depiction of the original Gotei 13, in which they take great glee in slaughtering the opposing Quincy army at the time with their unique styles of fighting. The anime also still has each member cloaked in the shadows, but their true appearances are far more defined and menacing.
8 Shinji Hirako's Bankai
Reveals A Previously Unknown Ability Of Shinji's Zanpakuto
- Appears in "The Fundamental Virulence" (Episode 382)
Even as one of the captains for the Gotei 13, Shinji did not have as many scenes during both invasions of the Seireitei. The manga sees Shinji aiding the others in the fight against Gerard Valkyrie long after Bambietta defeats him, but Shinji otherwise fades into the background after the battle; he only reappears once in the manga to be attacked by Bazz-B.
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In the anime, however, there is a specific scene in which Shinji finds himself surrounded by Soldat, prompting him to release his Bankai Sakashima YokoShima Happofusagari for the first time in the main series. Prior to this scene, this Bankai was previously shown in the light novel Can't Fear Your Own World, where its canonicity was initially debatable.
7 Ichigo And The Soul King
Portrayed As One Of Ichigo's Last Tests Before Leaving The Royal Palace
- Appears in "THE LAST 9DAYS," "Peace From Shadows," "The Fundamental Virulence," "HEART Of WOLF" (Episodes 380-383)
The Soul King Palace served as a place for Ichigo and his friends to earn some much-needed respite after the Wandenreich's first invasion of Soul Society. With the help of the Royal Guard, it also served as a place for Ichigo and his friends to prepare themselves for the imminent second invasion of Soul Society, which occurred long before Ichigo left the palace.
In the anime, before Ichigo leaves the palace, however, Ichibei Hyosube puts him in the Irazu Sando, an isolated path in which individuals are tested for their potential to harbor the Soul King's power. This test spans a few episodes, with each glimpse of Ichigo showing his strain as he continues while experiencing visions of important events from the past.
6 Uryu Learns The Truth About Yhwach
Solidifies The Notion That Yhwach Must Absorb Souls To Stay Strong
- Appears in "The White Haze" (Episode 385)
During his time in the Wandenreich, Uryu learns from the Sternritter Grandmaster Jugram Haschwalth about how the latter and Yhwach are related as well as what happens to the Sternritter's abilities when they die. The manga's version of this scene shows Haschwalth intimidating Uryu with this information as a means to remind him that everyone in the Wandenreich lives and dies for Yhwach.
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The anime handles this scene quite differently by interspersing it with the executions of Sternritters Cang Du and BG9. When a bewildered Uryu asks if Haschwalth really needs to kill them, Haschwalth reveals that, with every Sternritter death, the abilities they had in life will ultimately be absorbed by Yhwach to prevent him from reverting to his previous helpless state.
5 The Bambies' Vollstandigs
All Four Female Sternritters Use Their Vollstandig To Fight Ichigo
- Appears in "The Headless Star" (Episode 387)
The four female Sternritters, collectively known as the Bambies, were Ichigo's first opponents after his return from the Soul King Palace. However, in the manga, the only one of the Bambies to truly battle Ichigo was Candice Catnipp, who was soundly defeated by Ichigo despite using her Quincy: Vollstandig against him.
In the anime, instead of just Candice fighting Ichigo, the other three Bambies join together to deal with him, each of them activating their personal Vollstandig in the process. As a result, viewers can learn the names of each of the Bambies' Vollstandigs as well as many of their techniques, such as Liltotto's Golden Crunch, Meninas' Dumbbell Duster, and Giselle's Dancing Dead Boys Club.
4 The Wandenreich Meeting
Demonstrates The Unity And Ruthlessness Of The Sternritters Despite Their Personalities
- Appears in "Peace From Shadows" (Episode 381)
Despite the individual motivations of the Sternritters, the Wandenreich have shown a rough sense of unity and organization among its ranks, though this mainly revolves around their goal to erase Soul Society. However, in the manga, the group is rarely seen all together, save for the scene in which Yhwach names Uryu as his successor.
In the anime, the Wandenreich are given another group scene in which all the Sternritters plot to kill the Captains who have lost their Bankai after their first invasion of the Seireitei. Not only does this scene display just how ruthless and determined the Sternritters truly are, but the scene may also pay homage to the Hueco Mundo arc, in which Aizen and the Espada hold a similar meeting about Ichigo and his friends.
3 Ichigo's Friends Fighting The Sternritters
Expands Upon How Ichigo's Friends Hold Off The Sternritters He Was Fighting
- Appears in "The Headless Star," "Marching Out The ZOMBIES," "Marching Out The ZOMBIES 2" (Episodes 387-389)
After learning of Yhwach's imminent plan to invade the Royal Palace, Ichigo immediately departs to stop him while many of his friends, including Rukia, Renji, and Byakuya, arrive to hold off the eight Sternritters he was fighting for a short while. Unfortunately, aside from Rukia and Renji's fight against Bazz-B, none of the other fights are shown at all.
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The anime provides far more in-depth coverage of Ichigo's friends fighting the Sternritters, expanding Rukia and Renji's fight against Bazz-B by showing an instance of Renji defending Rukia with his newly acquired Bankai. But the newest addition to this scene is Byakuya's fight against Candice Catnipp, Robert Accutrone, and Nanana Najahkoop. Unlike the manga, Byakuya is shown using both his Shikai and Bankai to counter their respective abilities and defeat them.
2 Ichibei Negotiating With Yhwach
An Example Of A Failed Peace Talk With The Quincies & The First Glimpse Of The Almighty
- Appears in "Too Early To Win, Too Late To Know" (Episode 390)
Throughout the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, a lot of the lore surrounding the Quincies and their history has been revealed. It was due to the Quincies' ability to completely destroy Hollows that led them to come into conflict with the Shinigami, as the former's actions disrupted the balance between the Human World, Soul Society, and Hueco Mundo.
The anime further expands upon the lore already presented in the manga by adding a negotiation scene between Ichibei and Yhwach. In this scene, Ichibei attempts to convince Yhwach to leave the Shinigami to deal with business involving Hollows, but Yhwach accuses him of lying and ultimately attacks him. It is in this scene that viewers get the first glimpse of Yhwach's Schrift: The Almighty.
1 Senjumaru Shutara's Bankai
Fully Showcases Senjumaru's Zanpakuto And Its Abilities For The First Time
- Appears in "BLACK" (Episode 392)
Much like the fight between Ichigo's friends and the Sternritters, the fight between Squad Zero and Yhwach's Elite Guard is very different from its portrayal in the manga. The easy defeat that Squad Zero faced in the manga is considered to be one of the biggest missteps in the arc due to their previous build-up as one of the strongest beings in Soul Society.
The anime, however, gives Squad Zero more of a fighting chance, namely by having Senjumaru Shutara, also known as the Great Weave Guard, release her Bankai to fight Yhwach and his men. After her fellow Squad Zero members (sans Ichibei) end their own lives, Senjumaru uses her Bankai to trap Haschwalth, Uryu, and the Schutzstaffel in elaborate tapestries, each with varying effects that counter the invader's respective Schrifts.
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