The Spectacular Cross-Over: Unveiling the Epic Evangelion Allusions in BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War
The opening scenes of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 captivate with a sense of impending doom, drawing viewers into a familiar yet hauntingly unique narrative The visually stunning visuals further enhance the intensity of this apocalyptic tale
Highlights
Comparison between Auswählen in BLEACH and the Third Impact in Neon Genesis EvangelionHighlights
Both the Auswählen in BLEACH and the Third Impact in Neon Genesis Evangelion share similarities in terms of powerful beings eradicating targets on a large scale, leading to a profound and impactful event.
Both Yhwach and Lilith are ethereal beings in their respective series. Yhwach reclaims power from Quincies, while Lilith gathers human souls amidst catastrophic occurrences.
The visuals portrayed in BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2, including the imagery of hands venerating Yhwach and the crimson tone of the surroundings, exhibit similarities to those found in Neon Genesis Evangelion during the Third Impact.
The direction of the currently-airing second cours of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War has played a crucial role in elevating the series to new heights. One standout element is the way the first 90 seconds of the initial episode of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 effectively conveys a complete story. Interestingly, these opening moments bear a striking resemblance to a certain cataclysmic event: The Third Impact in Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Known as the Auswählen, this is Yhwach's systematic reappropriation of the borrowed power from other Quincies, resulting in the deaths of countless individuals deemed "impure". Similarly, the Third Impact in Neon Genesis Evangelion marked the third catastrophic event in the series. There is an undeniable similarity between these two events, but what exactly is it?
Apocalypse, Now
The Auswählen is an extension of Yhwach's power, allowing him to distribute fragments of his abilities to others and also forcefully strip Quincy powers from others. Nine years ago, Yhwach used this ability to regain his own power, targeting Quincies with mixed origin. It was believed to be a fatal process, but Uryū Ishida's survival caught Yhwach's attention and led to him being chosen as Yhwach's successor. Uryū, thought to be the last surviving Quincy, lived most of his life in the BLEACH narrative until his father was revealed. The Auswählen is a widespread and imminent event, resembling an apocalypse, and played a significant role in key events such as the death of Masaki Kurosaki.
The Third Impact is a significant event in The End of Evangelion, the second movie in the franchise, and represents the third major occurrence involving extraterrestrial beings in the Neon Genesis universe. There are multiple versions of the Third Impact, each with distinct outcomes, but the overall concept is the breakdown of division among all human life, merging every individual into a single entity. In one iteration, the alien progenitor of humanity, known as "Lilith," encounters another alien, triggering the Third Impact. Seele, a secretive organization, aims to initiate the Third Impact as they believe it will catalyze the evolution of humanity through a project called "The Human Instrumentality Project."
Return to Source
Yhwach's Return – BLEACH Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 Episode 1
Both Auswählen and the Third Impact share similarities despite their differing scales. They are both the outcome of powerful cosmic beings consuming the essence of human life on a large scale. This extermination of targets seems to be a predetermined event in some sense. The return of the Quincy King was believed to be inevitable, taking almost a millennium for Yhwach to amass the strength to conquer the world. In contrast, Lilith's intentions were less ambitious, and the desires of the Angels in Neon Genesis Evangelion remained shrouded in mystery. Lilith's gathering of human souls during the Third Impact corresponds to Yhwach's absorption of power from Quincies he deemed unworthy, reclaiming the power he once bestowed upon them.
In the Evangelion universe, Lilith is the ancestor of all life on Earth, while Yhwach is considered the father of the Quincies, although Quincies existed before him. However, Lilith is part of a group of ancient beings that travel to planets and populate them with life, much like planetary seeds. Humanity descends from Lilith. Yhwach's view on draining the lives of his offspring is that they have fulfilled their purpose as vessels of his power. For him, the cataclysmic event signifies a return to the source of the life he distributed. Similarly, the Third Impact represents a centralized human consciousness, a less explicit yet comparable return to the source.
Visuals
Auswahlen – BLEACH Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 Episode 1
The events in BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 – The Separation and the final arc's adaptation seem to share similarities, not just in concept but also in visuals and direction. The imagery of exalting hands in BLEACH mirrors Lilith's soul-harvesting in Neon Genesis Evangelion, while Christian iconography is present in both series. The red hue in BLEACH adds a layer of similarity to the red-tinged landscape of the Third Impact. The writhing hands and screams during the Third Impact and the pillars of light in BLEACH further highlight these similarities. While it's not definitive, the parallels between these two seasons of BLEACH and Evangelion are intriguing.
BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 – The Separation is available for streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
