Bleach: Unveiling Urahara's Brilliant Plan to Reclaim Stolen Bankai in Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2

Highlights

Together, Urahara and Kurotsuchi unravel the truth that the Quincies' animosity towards Hollows stems from a deep-seated fear, which is precisely why they refrain from plundering Resurreción.

The Shin'eiyaku pills, infused with Hollow reiatsu, grant Hitsugaya and Soi-Fon the ability to cheat death and deal devastating attacks to their adversaries. Hitsugaya's Bankai undergoes a powerful Hollowfied enhancement.

Warning: The subsequent content contains spoilers for BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 – The Separation, Episode 3, "The Fundamental Virulence," which can be streamed on Hulu and Disney+.

In the third episode of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 – The Separation, titled "The Fundamental Virulence," the Quincies launch a surprise attack on the Shinigami, causing the Seireitei and the Wandenreich to collapse in a war. After the Quincies steal the Bankai from several Captains, the disempowered Captains come up with different strategies to compensate for their lost combat abilities, with varying degrees of success.

Fortunately, Kisuke Urahara has come up with a new creation called the Shin'eiyaku, which not only restores the stolen Bankai to their rightful owners but also provides the Shinigami with immunity against future Bankai theft. Here's an explanation of Urahara's invention, the Shin'eiyaku.

Breakthrough

Urahara Explains to Kurotsuchi – BLEACH Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 Episode 3

Urahara Kisuke contacts Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi of the 12th Squad regarding his discovery of the stolen Bankai. He proposes a solution to prevent future incidents by using Hollowfication, a method previously seen in BLEACH. Urahara believes that instilling Shinigami with Hollow reiatsu, based on the Quincies' interest in Hollows and their utilization of Arrancar, can achieve the desired outcome. Arrancar, having evolved beyond normal Hollows and acquiring Shinigami-like powers, possess a technique called Resurreción, similar to the Bankai. Despite this similarity, no Resurreción has been stolen, leading Urahara to believe that the Quincies have a specific reason for targeting Bankai. Urahara seeks Kurotsuchi's cooperation, sharing his observations from Hueco Mundo during Ichigo's battle with Quilge Opie of the Sternritter J – The Jail. He can only think of two possible explanations for the Quincies' actions.

Resurreción cannot be plundered, or;

It would be disadvantageous to do so.

Kurotsuchi promptly comprehends the nature of their predicament: a inherent incongruity with Hollow reiatsu, which strikes a chord with a longstanding concern he has harbored regarding the Quincies.

The Fundamental Virulence

Kurotsuchi – BLEACH Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 Episode 3

The term "virulence" denotes the harm caused by a pathogen to its host, whereas "pathogenicity" refers to an organism's ability to induce disease in its host. Kurotsuchi informs Urahara that he has always found the Quincy's animosity towards Hollows to be peculiar. He believes that this hostility and resentment stem from differences in ideology, which would accurately describe the Quincy's dynamic with the Shinigami. However, Kurotsuchi asserts that it is impossible to maintain such animosity towards individuals lacking willpower or ideology.

Shin'eiyaku

For Kurotsuchi, the only explanation for this enduring hatred towards the Hollows, despite their overall lack of will, is the underlying fear that arises from the imminent threat to one's life. Urahara further reveals that unlike other souls, the Quincies have no means of Hollowfication, making it vital for them to exterminate Hollows swiftly, as their souls are obliterated if they are killed by them. This starkly contrasts the Quincies with the Hollows, making them the perfect antithesis. Hence, the episode titled "The Fundamental Virulence" highlights Urahara's discovery of the reason behind the Quincies' speedy conquest of the Hollows before invading Soul Society, as well as their seemingly inexplicable decision to forego plundering Resurreción.

Urahara's analysis of Ichigo's battle against Quilge Opie provided vital insight into the detrimental effects of Hollow reiatsu on Quincies. During the confrontation, Quilge assimilated the Hollow creature Ayon into his body, which led to a drastic transformation in his Quincy Vollständig. However, it became apparent that he struggled to fully control the immense power, as his form began to disintegrate while overwhelmed by Ichigo's relentless assault. This particular clash played a pivotal role in Urahara's development of the Shin'eiyaku ("Shadow Infiltration Pills"), which are black pills designed to infuse the soul upon contact. These pills contain a trace amount of Hollow reiatsu that seeps into the depths of the soul, affecting both the Zanpakutо̄ and the Bankai, regardless of whether it has been stolen or not.

The pills provide Hitsugaya and Soi-Fon with a temporary escape from potentially fatal situations, allowing them to deal significant damage to their opponents. Once taken, the pills affect the Quincy medallions, causing those who used Bankai to be affected by them. This enables even the heavily injured Hitsugaya and Soi-Fon to unleash powerful attacks with precision. When faced with Cang Du, Daiguren Hyо̄rinmaru's appearance seems to have been influenced by Hollowfication, allowing Hitsugaya to overpower his opponent with an enhanced version of his Bankai. Hitsugaya's Hollowfication appears quite significant, as indicated by the appearance of a "cowling" aspect and a change in his voice to that of a Visored wearing their masks.

You can watch BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 – The Separation, Episode 3, "The Fundamental Virulence" on Hulu and Disney+.