Warning: Spoilers for Bleach: The Thousand-Year Blood War episode 15
During the Quincy's second assault on the Soul Society in Bleach: The Thousand-Year Blood War, Quincy Sternritter and Soul Reaper Captains faced off against each other. One of these encounters involved Bazz-B, a Sternritter, challenging Toshiro Hitsugaya. Bazz-B wasted no time boasting about his formidable fire ability. However, in the manga, Bazz-B's claims were beyond ridiculous, as he boldly asserted that his flames were stronger than even Head Captain Yamamoto's Bankai.
To Bleach fans who have been following the series for a long time, this may seem like a normal boast. However, they are aware of the fact that Yamamoto's Bankai, Zanka no Tachi, is seldom used due to its overpowering heat. When Yamamoto activated his Bankai during the Quincy's initial invasion attempt, the entire Seireitei could feel the intense heat emanating from Yamamoto's location, instantly revealing his actions. It is even mentioned that Yamamoto's flames are so scorching hot that anything or anyone struck by his superheated blade simply disintegrates. So, how could Bazz-B, a mere Quincy, possibly compare?
Hitsugaya's Zanpakuto Proves Bazz-B Was Lying About His Power
When Yamamoto released his Bankai, Captain Hitsugaya found himself unable to unleash his own Bankai due to the overwhelming heat that immediately melted his ice. However, during his battle with Bazz-B, Hitsugaya had no trouble manipulating ice with his Shikai, the weaker form of a Zanpakuto. Hitsugaya's clever thinking enabled his ice to withstand formidable attacks to a certain extent, although it eventually faltered. Hitsugaya's ability to confront Bazz-B proves that the latter's boastful claim about his flames being superior is undoubtedly false, even if Hitsugaya held back some of his powers during the confrontation.
By eliminating Bazz-B's statement about surpassing Yamamoto's flames, the scene becomes more coherent. If Bazz-B truly possessed the ability to generate insurmountable heat that rendered Hitsugaya defenseless, then why wouldn't he just do that? Their objective was to demoralize the Captains, and this tactic would undeniably achieve their goal. Even if fans speculate that Bazz-B was lying when he made the original statement, it should still have been an obvious falsehood. To maintain the verbal exchange between the two characters during the fight, some of Bazz-B's less outrageous bragging was retained, allowing both individuals to engage in banter. This accomplishes the same purpose without presenting an absurd and easily refuted assertion.
The removal of the line was likely a deliberate choice, and it greatly improved the scene. Bazz-B's performance in the manga clearly indicated that the offending line was not true, making it unnecessary. These types of changes have contributed to the success of the Bleach: The Thousand-Year Blood War anime thus far, giving hope for more positive developments in the future.
