BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Against the Judgment

As a longtime fan of Bleach, I must say that episode 5 of Part 3 left me with a sense of anticipation tinged with a touch of disappointment. On one hand, it was thrilling to witness the alliance between the Sternritter and the Shinigami, particularly the return of Grimmjow Jaegerjacquez. The camaraderie between these once-frenemies against a common enemy is reminiscent of the original series’ spirit of unity in the face of adversity.

This section includes plot details from episode 5 of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3, titled “Against the Judgment. You can watch it on Hulu or Disney+.

Key Takeaways

Aizen returns with immense power, showcasing his strength with familiar techniques like Kurohitsugi.
A shift in alliances as surviving Quincies join forces with the Shinigami against a common enemy.
Despite missed opportunities, the episode sets the stage for upcoming events in a cinematic quality.

The fifth installment in the third season of “BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War” primarily laid the groundwork for the season’s major occurrence, but it also featured appearances by characters we haven’t seen in a while. Additionally, it showcased Aizen’s formidable fighting ability for the first time since his epic duel with Ichigo years ago. Although not as thrilling as previous episodes, episode 5 retained the series’ signature cinematic appeal and gave the comeback of beloved character Grimmjow Jaegerjacquez an appropriate level of grandeur.

Given the dire situation at hand, the Shinigami are forced to unite not only with their fellow ex-Gotei 13 officers but also Hollows and Quincies in an effort to vanquish a mutual threat.

An Eerie Flood

Torrents of Creepy Eyeball Monsters Ravage the Seireitei

BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Against the Judgment

As Yhwach, now merged with the Soul King, unleashes his power, a deluge pours from the Soul King’s Palace through the Shakonmaku’s gap. The horrifying creatures that emerge resemble grotesque eyeball monsters, their lamprey-like teeth attached to anything moving. These monstrosities infest every corner of Seireitei, causing many Shinigami to battle them fiercely. Officers like Ikkaku Madarame, Yumichika Ayasegawa, and Shūhei Hisagi attempt to fend off the creatures, but their numbers are overwhelming. However, Byakuya Kuchiki, Captain of the 6th Squad, uses Senbonzakura to manage the swarms of eyeball monsters, allowing Rukia, Renji, Soi-Fon, and himself a moment to regroup. Yet more of the gooey substance floods in, but the arrival of a potent spiritual presence offers hope: Sōsuke Aizen, still restrained by the chair in which he served his 20,000-year sentence within the Muken.

Still Got It

He May Have Gotten Stronger in Jail

Aizen jokingly remarks that beings like these aren’t worthy of brandishing swords against, but require the crushing force of one’s spiritual energy. Rukia and the group are taken aback as they see Aizen freed from his confinement, readying themselves for combat. However, it’s Kyōraku who reveals that he was the one who released him. Understandably, everyone has a lot to express about having to collaborate with the person who has wreaked havoc on Soul Society and significantly impacted the lives of numerous Shinigami who encountered him unwittingly. But Kyōraku argues that it’s not inherently wrong to confront evil with its own kind. As more creatures flood Seireitei, Aizen unleashes his preferred spell, #90, Kurohitsugi (“Black Coffin”), which has been dramatically redesigned for the Thousand-Year Blood War storyline.

As a gamer, I found myself huddling behind cover as arcs of electric purplish-black energy crackled, signaling Kyōraku to warn us all. A colossal black box then materialized, sealing the Shakonmaku, only to unleash an immense destructive force that swept the area clean, leaving just the remnants of what seemed like eyeballs behind. This pivotal moment was beautifully captured in the animation’s impact frame, showcasing Aizen’s unfathomable power even while he had been imprisoned for nearly two years.

Frenemies?

Surviving Quincies Lend the Shinigami a Hand

Aizen and Kurotsuchi’s conversation is halted when Aizen gets struck by an energy wave from Sternritter U – The Underbelly, Najahkoop. He thinks he has Aizen’s spiritual pressure fully grasped and unleashes a lethal blast that seems to have killed Aizen (only Najahkoop believed this was true). Najahkoop is accompanied by Bazz-B, G – The Glutton Liltotto Lamperd, and Z – The Zombie Giselle Gewelle. At first, it appears they’re assisting Najahkoop, but then Bazz-B shoots a hole in his chest. Unlike Najahkoop who stayed loyal to Yhwach despite being discarded, Bazz-B and the others resented being thrown away. As a result, they decided to aid the Shinigami because now they share a common objective.

Kyoraku issues a command throughout Seireitei, asking any officers capable of movement to make their way to the 12th Squad barracks. There, their spiritual power is required to activate a gate directly to the Soul King’s Palace. This moment brings back several familiar faces such as Visoreds Hiyori Sarugaki, Love Aikawa, Lisa Yadomaru, Hachigen and others who have been absent for some time. Additionally, there’s a fleeting image of someone approaching a Garganta, hinting at the possible return of Grimmjow Jaegerjacquez, which serves as the episode’s conclusion.

The Missed Opportunity

Last Episode’s Dramatic Finish Ultimately Meant Nothing

In BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 episode 5, there was a missed chance to delve deeper into Ichigo’s struggle following his fierce battle against Uryū, an event that left him severely injured. Regrettably, the episode skips over this entire ordeal until the very end, and after the intense emotional ride of the previous episode, immediately showing Ichigo in good health again feels like a swift resolution without fully addressing the impact of the battle. However, considering Orihime’s extraordinary abilities to nullify phenomena, some might argue that displaying the aftermath of the battle would be redundant if its consequences are already negated by her power. Nonetheless, this episode served as a transition for the upcoming events and successfully moved the series forward, even though it may not have been as gripping as previous episodes.

BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 is available on Hulu and Disney+.

2024-11-07 04:35