Unveiling the Epic Saga of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War — BLACK: A Tale Like No Other

Highlights

The battle between Yhwach's forces and the Soul King's Royal Guard intensifies as the Quincies regain their power and the Royal Guard unleash their final trump card.

Ukitake is anticipated to have a crucial role in the upcoming installment of the Thousand-Year Blood War, known as Part 3 - The Conflict, laying the foundation for the arc's continuation next year.

Shutara's Bankai, which has never been witnessed before, captivates the audience with its breathtaking visuals, while Hyōsube's Shinuchi ability diminishes Yhwach to insignificance and brings about a dramatic shift in the battle.

The Sternritter unveil their Quincy: Vollständig powers after the Auswählen event, heightening the escalating battle between Yhwach's forces and the Soul King's Royal Guard. With the Quincies gaining an upper hand once again, the Royal Guard unleash their ultimate card, revealing a never-before-seen Bankai in the climactic ending of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2, titled "BLACK".

Following the conclusion of "BLACK", the series sets the stage for the continuation of the Thousand-Year Blood War arc in the upcoming BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 - The Conflict, where Ukitake is anticipated to assume a significantly more significant role.

The Bell Tolls

Yhwach's Royal Guard – BLEACH Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 Episode 13

The battle rages on as the once-downed Quincies prepare to fight and Ichigo and his gang make their way towards the Soul King's Palace. Lille Barro explains that the power they received through the Auswählen is not an addition, but rather the untapped power they had before. Despite being shot multiple times by Lille, Oh-Etsu is revived by Shutara and rejoins the battle against Lille. Meanwhile, Shutara fights against Gerard Valkyrie, Kirio faces Pernida Parnkgjas, and Kirinji takes on Askin Nakk Le Vaar who keeps trying to escape.

Simultaneously, Ichibē Hyōsube and Yhwach's battle wages on. The Royal Guard members display overwhelming confidence, bordering on arrogance, in their abilities. Hyōsube reveals that his attempt to weaken Yhwach's power with Ichimonji was to spare him from a complete defeat, as losing while at full power would be worse for Yhwach. Despite the Royal Guard's claim that their combined strength surpasses that of the Gotei 13, the outcome of the battle remains uncertain. If it were truly that simple, Hyōsube could have killed Yhwach already, but for some unknown reason, he continues to hold back from delivering the final blow.

Paint it Black

Ichibe Hyosube Ichimonji – BLEACH Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 Episode 13

Despite evading their opponent for most of the fight, Nakk Le Vaar eventually finds a gap to exploit and successfully shoots an arrow through Kirinji, declaring himself the winner. Oh-Etsu, on the other hand, makes a miscalculation which results in a hole in his stomach caused by Lille Barro. Kirio is faced with Pernida's relentless attacks, while Gerard Valkyrie quickly deals with Shutara. With four out of the five members of the Royal Guard incapacitated, it seems that the Quincies have all but destroyed their enemies. However, Oh-Etsu regains consciousness and manages to rally his colleagues, who rise again, not to fight but to sacrifice themselves. Kirio, Kirinji, and Oh-Etsu each slit their own throats, transferring their powers to Shutara, granting her their combined strength, except for Hyōsube. This decision is similar to the Limiters placed on Shinigami Captains who enter the World of the Living. The Royal Guard acts as a single organism, splitting its powers among its members to prevent negative effects on all three worlds simultaneously.

With the combined strength of three of the five Zero Squad members, Shutara activates her never-before-seen Bankai, named Shatatsu Karagara Shigaraminotsuji. This unleashes powerful tremors in each realm, causing chaos and destruction. Each enemy faces a unique kind of devastation brought upon by Shutara's Bankai. The visuals of the Bankai's release and execution are truly captivating and the highlight of this episode. BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War has consistently delivered impressive visuals throughout its run, but "BLACK" takes it to another level with exquisite animation and well-composed shots. The impact of Shutara's Bankai is so immense that it outshines the activation of Hyōsube's final release, referred to as a "Shinuchi" due to its existence before the creation of a traditional Bankai.

Crushed Underfoot

Yhwach Marked by Ichimonji Shirafude – BLEACH Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 Episode 13

Interestingly, unlike Shutara's dramatic Bankai, the activation of Ichimonji Shirafude had no detrimental effects on the three realms, and its impact was mostly contained to Yhwach. By coating Yhwach with the dark ink from his Zanpakutō, effectively obliterating his name and abilities, Hyōsube employs his Shinuchi and utilizes Ichimonji's ink to rewrite the very essence of something. With decisive intent, he designates Yhwach as "Black Ant," emphasizing the vast disparity in their powers, relegating the once mighty king to a fate of being squashed beneath the feet of those stronger than himself. Once again, the tides of battle have shifted, and it appears that the Shinigami will emerge victorious in this encounter, although the outcome of this pivotal clash has oscillated between potential conquerors. Following Yhwach's defeat, he is propelled downward towards the Seireitei, and as the scene fades to black, we anticipate the forthcoming third chapter in the Thousand-Year Blood War saga.

Conflict

The latest episode of BLEACH Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 Episode 13 showcased Senjumaru Shutara in full power, delivering an exhilarating display of her Bankai activation. However, despite its thrilling moments, the episode left something to be desired. It felt too short, lacked involvement from Ichigo and his group, and even devoted its post-credits time to a comedic omake show, The Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book, featuring Kon's nostalgic revival. Although the final arc of BLEACH is noticeably serious, concluding such a crucial episode with a diluted version of the original anime's once-great addition felt more like a cop-out than a well-placed moment of levity.

The last part could have been improved by adopting the format of the Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book from the original run of BLEACH, if comedic relief is deemed necessary at this moment. Alternatively, a more effective option would be to include a foreboding post-credit scene that establishes a stronger connection between the finale and the preview trailer for the upcoming BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 – The Conflict. In general, the final episodes of this second cours were immensely enjoyable and conclude by indicating that the Soul King's Palace will serve as the backdrop for the latter half of the series.