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The upcoming episode of Bleach TYBW is slated to be released on Tuesday, November 29, 2022. However, ahead of its airing, the episode 8 preview shows the arrival of the Royal Guards in the aftermath of the battle between the Quincy, led by Yhwach, and the Soul Society.
In the previous episode, fans have seen the Shinigamis being attacked and faltering in their stance. Yhwach defeated Captain Commander Yamamoto after the latter's Bankai was stolen. While Ichigo escaped from the Quilge jail, his Zanpakuto broke into Bankai form. Following this, the Quincy had to retreat for the time being, but they promised to return soon.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the Bleach TYBW arc of the manga.
Bleach TYBW episode 8 will see the Royal Guards of the Soul King will visit the Soul Society
Who are the Royal Guards?
Bleach TYBW episode 8 will likely cover the manga chapters from 515 to 519, which introduces the Royal Guards. As such, in the upcoming installment of the series, they will be seen traveling to Seireitei using their preferred mode of transportation, a massive pillar known as the Tenchuuren.
The Royal Guards, also known as the Zero Division, are a group dedicated to protecting the Soul King, the Royal Family, and the Soul King Palace. The Soul King's sole purpose is to regulate and stabilize the flow of souls in and out of Seireitei. Given the significance of this task, it is understandable why they would not assist when the Soul Society is under attack.
The group comprises only captains and no soldiers, but their combined strength is said to be greater than that of the entire Gotei 13. The Royal Guard's commanding Shinigami is Ichibei Hyousube, while Tenjiro Kirinji, Kirio Hikifune, Ouetsu Nimaiya, and Senjumaru Shutara are among the other known members.
What will be their role in episode 8?
According to the manga, the Royal Guards descend on Seireitei to complete three tasks assigned to them by the Soul King. They will first take some of the injured characters, including Renji, Rukiya, and Byakuya, to heal them quickly. Since they have some business with Ichigo, the group will also bring him along. Finally, they will assist in the reconstruction of Soul Society's 13 Divisions, as directed by the Soul King himself.
Following Yhwach's temporary retreat in episode 7 of Bleach TYBW, everyone's first and foremost priority was to heal the wounded. Even as people mourned Yamamoto's death, there was a need to devise a strategy for future attacks and for Ichigo to have his Bankai repaired. As such, the arrival of the Royal Guards will make sense in the upcoming episode of Bleach TYBW.
Final thoughts
While seeing the Royal Guards in Bleach TYBW episode 8, especially Ichibei, is sure to be exciting, fans are still skeptical about the whole thing. This is because Tite Kubo had to rush to finish the manga due to his health conditions, which is why he was unable to devote adequate time to each member of the Zero Division.
The anime has been adding more scenes to flesh things out and emphasize on events that the manga could not. As a result, there is hope that the Royal Guards will not disappoint in Bleach TYBW episode 8.
