Bleach: TYBW episode 3 causes concern about declining animation quality amid plot-heavy scenes

Ichigo versus Opie approaches its final stages in the latest Bleach: TYBW episode (Image via Studio Pierrot)
Ichigo versus Opie approaches its final stages in the latest Bleach: TYBW episode (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Bleach: TYBW episode 3 was internationally released in the morning hours of Monday, October 24, 2022, bringing with it the exciting continuation of the series’ set-up subarc. While fans were expecting the high-octane action of the previous two episodes to continue in this third installment, they were met with a somewhat different type of episode.

It’s worth noting that many fans praised Bleach: TYBW episode 3 regardless, expressing their happiness with the added scenes, as well as the action that was shown in the episode. However, some believe that this most recent episode fell short of the first two, and even fewer go so far as to express worry about the quality of the remaining episodes in the season.

Follow along as this article fully breaks down the predominant fan reactions to Bleach: TYBW episode 3.


Bleach: TYBW episode 3 has different groups of fans praising and critiquing anime for exact same choices

Fans’ reactions

Bleach: TYBW episode 3 serves as the latest episode in the highly-anticipated Fall 2022 anime series, bringing with it some exciting developments and debuts. Following its release, fans took to social media to share their honest opinions. The Sternritter beginning their invasion of Soul Society at the episode's conclusion and Rukia Kuchiki's series debut during its duration piqued their interest.

Fans are also praising the final stages of Ichigo Kurosaki versus Quilge Opie, which sees Opie activating a monstrous-looking final form to combat the Substitute Soul Reaper. They appear content with the episode's action but appear to criticize the intricacies of animation or the relatively low presence of action compared to the last 2 episodes.

The anime series' pace of adaptation and the decisions made in this episode appear to be a major source of contention among fans at the moment. According to some fans, Bleach: TYBW episode 3 features additional scenes not present in the manga, which appear to be more focused on Uryu Ishida than anything else.

Many are praising these additional scenes and their inclusion, expressing a belief that they heighten the overall episode and the experience of watching the series. Others are instead critiquing these scenes being added at the apparent cost of proper pacing and the total inclusion of manga-canon material present in the episode.

Some fans are even going as far as to project this issue onto the rest of the series’ first cour, asserting that episodes like this will become the norm in the future of the series. These same fans are critiquing Bleach: TYBW episode 3 for having a lack of "ambition," expressing the sentiment that the "desire to do it well is there," but is missing the key addition of ambition.

It's certainly an intriguing perspective, especially in light of the fact that this most recent episode is the first to cause such controversy among viewers. While all media is subject to interpretation and no two interpretations or opinions will be exactly the same, banking a preemptive assessment of an entire series based on this one, divisive episode seems excessive.

Nevertheless, some fans are expressing confidence in similar assessments of the state of the series as a whole, despite Bleach: TYBW episode 3 being the first to find itself in this situation. While differences of opinion are to be expected, this most recent installment appears to be outright divisive on the crucial points mentioned above.


Be sure to keep up with all Bleach: TYBW anime news, as well as general anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2022 progresses.

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