Summary
Bleach’sThousand-Year Blood War continues with the next part of its arc, releasing episodes on Hulu every week. The story of Yhwach raiding the soul society to get to the King ramps up as Squad Zero, The Thirteen Court Gaurd Squads, and Ichigo Kurosaki take on the armada of Quincies called the Wandenreich. Led by the father of Quincies, Yhwach, the Soul Society is in shambles as they face their gravest threat yet.
Bleachhas been an action-packed series from the start, asIchigo went from Substitute Soul Reaper to fully-fledged warrior, Vizard, and Full Bring, all in an attempt to keep those precious to him safe. ThroughoutBleach’slengthy history, Ichigo and his allies have had some incredible fights that have redefined action in manga and anime alike. However, in some efforts, the anime overshadowed the original sequence in the manga.Here are some fights inBleachthat were better in the anime.
The introduction to Squad Zero as the secret keepers of the Soul Society and the last line of defense of the Soul King was a fantastic piece of the puzzle ofBleach. The aura and spiritual pressure that washed over the entire realm of the Soul Society upon their arrival signified just what an occasion it was going to be. However, when Squad Zero finally took to the battlefield against the Royal Guard, it was clear that fans were in for a treat.
While the Royal Guard put up quite the challenge and were definitely a cut above the rest of the Wandenreich, it came down to Squad Zero finally acknowledging them as a genuine threat and unleashing their bankai. This sequence’s setup and additional storytelling was amazing, and the artistic direction of Shutara’s Bankai was perfect.The Royal Guard vs. Squad Zerois one of the top sequences in the first half of the Thousand-Year Blood War animation.
4Ikkaku Vs Edrad
Ikaku Rises To The Ocassion
Ikkaku Madarame was introduced early on in theBleachanime as one of Ichigo’s first encounters in the Soul Society. When Ikkaku and Ichigo clashed, Ikaku was more in it for the fun of the fight rather than going all out. However, in the Arrancar arc, where Aizens' creations began to descend on the world of the living, Ikkaku found himself in a dire situation.
Pushed to his absolute limit, Ikaku was forced to unleash his true power, which went against the mantra of Squad Eleven and the ideals of Zaraki Kenpachi. Squad Eleven members never rely on cheap tricks like Shikai or Bankai to defeat their opponents. With no one around, Ikaku shouts out, unleashes his Bankai, and delivers an incredible performance in battle. Ikkaku Madarame delivered the most outstanding Bankai release inBleachhistory, with pitch-perfect delivery of voice acting in both Sub and Dub, along with fantastic animation that elevated the entire episode.
3Ichigo Vs Grimjoww First Encounter
Ichigo Takes A Devastating Loss
The signal that announced the arrancar’s existence to Ichigo and the Soul Society was when Grimjoww coerced several of his underlings to invade the world of the living and attack the current roster of Soul Reapers that were present. This surprise attack pushed Ikaku Madarame of Squad Eleven, Lieutenant Abari of Squad Six, and Captain Hitsuguya of Squad Ten to their limit as they faced an opponent they didn’t fully understand. Ichigo, who was also present, had his first encounter with Grimjoww, which would spark their legendary rivalry.
This is one fight where Ichigo was utterly outclassed from start to finish. While the manga demonstrated the power gap between the sixth Espada and Ichigo, the anime showed just how muchGrimjoww battered Ichigowith brute force alone. The sound design of the blows Ichigo received and the brilliant voice acting from Junichi Suwabe elevated Grimjoww to a permanent favorite.
2Captain Yamamoto Vs False Ywach
The Strongest Finally Takes To The Battlefield
The invasion and near overtaking of the entire Soul Society by a single group is one of the best and most shocking moments of the new season ofBleach. When the top-performing captains of the thirteen-court guard squads were bested one by one, fans all over the world were on the edge of their seats. Beyakuya Kuchiki, Toshiro Hitsuguya, and even Soifon were defeated by a surprise attack from the hidden Quincy battalion.
As the invaders laid waste to the Soul Society — for the second time since Aizen’s betrayal — Captain Yamamoto took to the battlefield in full force to face his rival of one thousand years, Yhwach. The animation of this battle was above that of almost all other fights that had occurred inBleach, as the release of the Captain’s Commandeer Bankai was a phenomenal sight. While it turned out to be a trap to lure Yamamoto into a false sense of security, the image ofYamamoto going all outfor the sake of his home, allies, and pride wasa masterful thematic moment.
1Zaraki Knepachi Vs Gremmy
Zaraki Proves He’s A Force Of Nature
Early on in the Thousand-Year Blood War Arc, Zaraki and Unohana clashed blades in an attempt to remove the limits that Zaraki himself placed on his abilities to enjoy his fights more. Having reached his former prime,Zaraki discovered not only his true powerbut also the shikai of his Zanbakto. Who else would be the best opponent for Zaraki to fight to his heart’s content but Gremmy, the reality-warping Quincy with the power to make his imagination come to life.
Gremmy threw everything he could at Zaraki, from unblockable blades, a world-ending meteor, and even the cold vacuum of space. Every time,Zaraki returned to prove there was nothing that he was unable to cut through,whether it be flesh, stone, or time and space. The jaw-dropping animation and emotion of the fight sequence left a huge impact that had fans craving more of Zaraki’s true form.
