Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – An Overview
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War has emerged as one of the most significant anime series of 2023. The second part, titled “The Separation,” concluded with an emotionally charged and epic finale. Fans received exciting news when Studio Pierrot announced a continuation of the series.
Adapted from Tite Kubo’s renowned manga Bleach, the original anime aired from October 2004 to March 2012 but concluded without covering the manga’s final arc. This left fans eagerly anticipating its completion, which finally arrived in 2022. The series has been divided into four parts, with the first two already released. As 2024 approaches, the second half of the series is poised to be a highlight in the anime calendar.
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 Release Date
The eagerly awaited Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 is set to premiere on October 5, 2024, as announced at Anime Expo 2024 on July 6. Like its predecessors, this installment will consist of 13 episodes and will be available on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus internationally. Fans can look forward to new episodes every Saturday. An English dub is confirmed, though its release date remains unspecified.
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 Latest News
The official X account of Viz Media released a captivating teaser for Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict. This minute-long preview showcases an intense showdown between the main antagonist Yhwach and Squad Zero’s captain Ichibe, promising a confrontation as eagerly anticipated as Yhwach versus Yamamoto. The teaser also features Ichigo and his team racing into the collapsing castle of the Soul King, capturing the imminent violence and action beautifully.
Prequel Anime to Bleach Creator’s Followup Officially Announced
On May 30, 2024, Anime Expo announced a special Thousand-Year Blood War panel on X (formerly Twitter), where fresh insights and a sneak peek of Part 3 were presented. Attendees experienced appearances from English voice actors, including Xander Mobus and Robbie Daymond, as they reflected on the series’ journey so far.
A new trailer released on July 6, 2024, introduced the opening theme “Without Any Words” by Six Lounge and the ending theme “Monochrome” by Suisoh. The trailer, rich with new footage, highlighted Bankai, with Shunsui Kyoraku, the new Head Captain, seemingly using his Bankai on screen for the first time. Additional scenes included Uryu battling Senjumaru, Mayuri’s sword revealing an eye, and the return of Yhwach’s elite guards.
Another brief trailer from Viz on September 22, 2024, reiterated the October 5 release date, dismissing any concerns about potential delays in the international debut.
What Will Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3’s Story Be?
The conclusion of Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 left viewers with the apparent defeat of Yhwach’s elite soldiers by Senjumaru Shutara. She remains the sole member of Squad Zero after her allies sacrificed themselves, enabling her to unleash Bankai, a scene absent from the original manga. Among Yhwach’s elite was Uryu, who had allied with the Quincy against the Soul Society. Meanwhile, Ichibe engaged in a fierce battle with Yhwach, employing his own “Bankai” equivalent to weaken the formidable villain.
Part 3 is expected to resume from this point, as Yhwach’s fate was left undecided. With Ichigo and his companions shown heading towards the Soul King’s Palace in the trailer, it’s anticipated they’ll arrive, although whether their intervention will be timely enough to aid in Yhwach’s defeat remains uncertain.
The manga suggests that Yhwach’s soldiers are not entirely vanquished, though the anime’s deviation from the manga keeps the outcome unpredictable. Uryu’s role remains crucial, indicating a likely escape from Senjumaru’s pocket dimensions. This raises concerns for Senjumaru’s fate and the timing of Ichigo’s arrival at the Soul King’s Palace.
Will Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Continue After Part 3?
Expectations are high for a fourth installment of Thousand-Year Blood War. Part 2 concluded around chapter 610 of the manga, leaving 76 chapters unadapted. Even at a rapid pace of five chapters per episode, this exceeds the 13 episodes per cour seen in Parts 1 and 2. Furthermore, Tite Kubo is collaborating with Studio Pierrot to expand on cut material from the Bleach manga, suggesting a slower pace due to additional content.
Given the manga’s relatively abrupt ending, significant changes are anticipated, making it challenging to predict Part 4’s direction. Fans hope for meaningful alterations to ensure the finale is worthy of Bleach’s status as part of manga’s Big Three. With Part 3 slated for October, a mid-to-late 2025 release for Part 4 seems likely, considering the current release schedule.
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Confirms How Much Anime has Changed, For the Better, in Two Decades
After the remarkable success of the first two parts, anticipation for Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 is sky-high. Although the absence of a definitive release date raises questions, most fans are content to wait if it ensures a high-quality end product. After all, they’ve already endured nearly a decade’s wait for this final arc’s animation. A few more months are a small price for Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War to achieve its full potential.
Source: bleach-anime.com
Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War
- Animation
- Action
- Adventure
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is a sequel series to the popular anime from creator Tite Kubo. This anime follows Ichigo and his friends as they investigate why people are disappearing while trouble arises in the Soul Society. The first season was released in 2022 and has been critically acclaimed since its beginning.