Bleach: Thousand-year Blood War hypes fans with new Ending Theme featuring the Original Gotei 13

Before the release of Bleach: Thousand-year Blood War episode 7, the anime surprised fans by dropping a new ending theme that showcases the illustration of the former Gotei 13, also known as the 13 Court Guard Squads. Tite Kubo, the creator of the Bleach franchise, revealed a colored illustration of the former captains of the Gotei 13 in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump #51.

Though the former captains have often been mentioned in the first half of Bleach, the only known members of the Gotei 13 remain to be Genryusai Yamamoto and Retsu Unohana.

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The new ending theme of Bleach: Thousand-year Blood War hints at the possibility of a filler episode introducing the original Gotei 13

Initially, the illustration of the original Gotei 13 was presumed to be fan fiction. However, after it was featured in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump #51, fans who have been following the series since its inception became extremely excited, concluding that this couldn't be a fluke by Tite Kubo.

As Bleach: Thousand-year Blood War arc doesn’t include the former Gotei 13 member, it will continue adapting the final arc adhering to the original manga series. Neither Studio Pierrot nor Tite Kubo has confirmed the introduction of First Generation captains in the upcoming episodes, but fans can expect a few filler episodes soon.

The filler episodes will reflect on the glorious days of the former Soul Reapers and showcase why they were a force to be reckoned with. For now, this is just mere speculation as the creator and the production house have yet to make it official.

Here’s a brief synopsis of Bleach: Thousand-year Blood War:

"Was it all just a coincidence, or was it inevitable? Ichigo Kurosaki gained the powers of a Soul Reaper through a chance encounter. As a Substitute Soul Reaper, Ichigo became caught in the turmoil of the Soul Society, a place where deceased souls gather. But with help from his friends, Ichigo overcame every challenge to become even stronger."

The synopsis further reads:

"When new Soul Reapers and a new enemy appear in his hometown of Karakura, Ichigo jumps back into the battlefield with his Zanpakuto to help those in need. Meanwhile, the Soul Society is observing a sudden surge in the number of Hollows being destroyed in the World of the Living. They also receive separate reports of residents in the Rukon District having gone missing."

It continues:

"Finally, the Seireitei, home of the Soul Reapers, comes under attack by a group calling themselves the Wandenreich. Led by Yhwach, the father of all Quincies, the Wandenreich declare war against the Soul Reapers with the following message: “Five days from now, the Soul Society will be annihilated by the Wandenreich.”

And finally:

"The history and truth kept hidden by the Soul Reapers for a thousand long years are finally brought to light. All things must come to an end—as Ichigo Kurosaki’s final battle begins!"

In the new ending theme of Bleach: Thousand-year Blood War, the visuals have been altered, while the song “Saihate” by SennaRin remains unchanged.