Byakuya Kuchiki’s signature trait? Voice actor Rintarou Okiayu wants to see “BLEACH” through to the end. The third cour of the final arc, “The Separation,” begins on October 5. Celebrate 20 years with new key visuals, PVs, cast comments, and details for episode 27.
The third cour of the ‘BLEACH’ anime’s final arc, ‘BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Arc – The Separation’, will begin airing on October 5 at 11 PM on TV Tokyo. Along with this announcement, a 20th anniversary key visual, a promotional video, celebratory comments from the cast, and a synopsis and cuts for episode 27 were released.
The new image commemorating the series’ 20th anniversary shows the battles Ichigo Kurosaki fought against formidable opponents such as Byakuya Kuchiki, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, Ulquiorra Cifer, Sosuke Aizen, Kugo Ginjo, and Yhwach, giving viewers a glimpse of the journey these characters have taken.
“BLEACH”, serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from 2001 to 2016, is a story about Ichigo Kurosaki, a high school student who gains the powers of a Shinigami (Soul Reaper) after meeting Rukia Kuchiki, a Shinigami. The series follows Ichigo and his friends as they go on various adventures.
With over 130 million comic book volumes sold, BLEACH has been adapted into various media, including video games and a live-action film starring Sota Fukushi in 2018. The anime series aired from 2004 to 2012. The “Thousand-Year Blood War” arc, which is planned to adapt the entire final arc of the manga, marked the anime’s return after a nearly 10-year hiatus, with the first cour airing from October to December 2022 and the second cour from July to September 2023.
Rintarou Okiayu (as Byakuya Kuchiki): Sincere congratulations on the 20th anniversary of the BLEACH anime! The studio at the time was filled with a vibrant cast, all driven by the desire to create something truly special. Even I, who must have been fairly inexperienced at the time, was certainly filled with that same passion.
To think that the sequel of BLEACH would return as a TV series 10 years later and that we, the cast, would be able to play the same characters again… there is no greater happiness. I am filled with gratitude for all of you who supported us.
I would like to express my strong desire to complete the series with these words, which have become synonymous with Byakuya: “Scatter.”
Episode 27 Synopsis
A battle erupts between the Zero Division and Yhwach’s Schutzstaffel, centered around the Soul King. In the midst of the fierce conflict, Shutara Senjumaru, having released the Blood Pact seal at the cost of Kirinji, Hikifune, and Nimaiya, unleashes his Bankai, “Shatatsu Karagara Shigarami no Tsuji”, cornering Uryu Ishida and the remaining Schutzstaffel. Meanwhile, Ichibe Hyosube confronts Yhwach, unleashing his Zanpakutō, “Shirafude Ichimonji”, and transforming Yhwach into a fragile, ephemeral black ant. Cornered, Yhwach and Uryu face a desperate situation. The outcome of the battle remains to be seen…
Sources: oricon
