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Bleach was arguably the biggest event on day one of Jump Festa 2022 and it delivered on all expectations. Amongst other key details, Bleach has released a teaser for its upcoming seventeenth and final season featuring the Thousand-Year Blood War arc.
It was revealed at Jump Festa 2022 Super Stage Ex that the new season will start airing on October 2022. Here is a thorough breakdown of the teaser and Easter eggs.
Every detail and Easter egg in Bleach Thousand-Year Blood War Arc teaser
Primary details
Since it is a teaser, it does not feature any dialog or theme. The teaser is 1 minute and 44 seconds long, and primarily serves to reveal the character designs and settings of the new season. A remixed version of Number One, Kurosaki Ichigo’s theme song is featured aptly in the background.
One thing to note is that there are blatant spoilers in the teaser, as if the makers expect the viewers to have already read the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, and as such, this breakdown will be full of spoilers as well.
Bleach is animated by Studio Pierrot, and the art style this season is vastly different from the previous ones. Considering that there is a gap of nine years between this season and the last, a different art style is expected.
The color pallet is quite dark, and the finished designs are more polished in contrast.
Description
This teaser of Thousand-Year Blood War arc is more of a character exposition, and as such, we see the main characters being introduced one by one. The teaser begins with the title card, and then the cityscape of Karakura town at night is shown.
Ichigo is shown walking towards a group of Hollows with his Zanpakuto, Zangetsu, on his shoulder. We see Sado Yasutora preparing to throw a punch, Uryu Ishida shooting an arrow upside down, Orihime Inoue yelling something, and then a close up of Ichigo’s eyes.
Mangaka Tite Kubo’s name is displayed, which leads up to a close up of Yhwatch smiling sinisterly, followed by “Bleach, Final Arc.” Then in rapid succession the teaser shows Rukia Kuchiki drawing her Zanpakuto, Yoruichi Shihouin speaking, Byakuya Kuchiki releasing his Senbonzakura and Urahara Kisuke looking at something nervously.
Then in quick succession, we see many characters including Renji Abarai, Shinji Hirako, Soi Fon, Rojuro Otoribashi, Toshiro Hitsugaya, Juushiro Ukitake, Sajin Komamura, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Kenpachi Zaraki, and Unohana Retsu.
Genryuusai Yamamoto’s eye is shown in close up after Shunsui Kyoraku is framed in all his glory. Ichigo is shown drawing his Tensa Zangetsu and slashing forward. The teaser then depicts Yhwatch sitting on a throne, smiling. Near the end, the teaser reads “revert your roots.”
In the final scene, Ichigo draws his Zanpakuto to unleash Getsuga Tenshou. After that, the teaser moves to announce the date of release and cast.
Breakdown and Easter eggs
The teaser for the Thousand-Year Blood War arc is heavy with spoilers, both direct and indirect. Uryu is filmed in a bluish tone as opposed to the reddish palette used for his friends.
With him upside down and in his Quincy uniform, he is set off from the rest, especially when Yhwatch is depicted in the same bluish color palette. Orihime is the only one facing towards the light, indicating her healing and uplifting role in the upcoming war.
She also seems to be reciting one of her Shun Shun Rika spells.
Rukia, Byakuya, and Renji are all portrayed in the clothing of the royal guard, indicating that Rukia drawing her Zanpakuto is a prelude to her fight with As Nodt. Urahara’s expression and color palette suggests that he is fighting Askin Naak Le Vaar.
Genryuusai’s burning eye could be during his fatal fight against Yhwatch. Meanwhile, the way Kyoraku is framed immediately before is a clear hint to him succeeding Genryuusai. Ichigo is portrayed in his ultimate Bankai stage, with Zangetsu having taken the slim, black form.
Yhwatch is shown sitting on his throne in Wandenreich, the pose suggests that this is when Ichigo and Orihime go in to attack him.
The two most blatant spoilers in the Bleach teaser, however, are the way Toshiro Hitsugaya is portrayed in his grown-up form and Unohana Retsu. In fact, the former emerges from his Daiguren Hyōrinmaru.
Unohana is depicted in the teaser with her hair open in her Unohana Yachiru form, and Kenpachi Zaraki is shown just after, without his eyepatch. It is clear that they are both framed during their fight with each other.
Speaking of Bankai, Ichigo’s Reiatsu is shown to be purple. Traditionally in Bleach, Shikai is denoted with blue and Bankai is denoted with red. Showing Ichigo with purple Reiatsu is a clear indication that this is his final Bankai form when he has received his two Zanpakutos. This alludes to him having unified his Shikai and Bankai.
Final thoughts
Bleach Thousand-Year Blood War arc teaser was both visually and narratively beyond fan expectations. While this is a pre-animation teaser. which means that some of the lighting and background will be changed when the anime airs, it was more detailed than previous Bleach animation.
Notably, there has been no effort made in concealing any of the spoilers from the fans, and this has arguably accentuated the teaser's appeal. This Bleach Thousand-Year Blood War arc teaser makes the next ten months seem longer, but fans are giddy with excitement. Meanwhile, Jump Festa 2022 moves on to its second day tomorrow.
