The third episode of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3, which debuted on October 19, 2024, showcased the pinnacle of animation excellence from Pierrot Films. With Young Hoon Jung making his mark as storyboard artist and director, the episode delved into the poignant backstory of Jushiro Ukitake while reintroducing Sosuke Aizen into the plot.
Featuring outstanding animation and a deeply emotional narrative, this episode set a strong precedent for the upcoming installments of the season. The quality of production has established new standards, building upon the high bar set by earlier episodes.
Despite some abrupt scene transitions that may appear jarring, the overall quality of this episode ranks among the best in the series to date. Pierrot Films has certainly earned recognition for their efforts.
Disclaimer: This article may contain spoilers for Bleach: TYBW Part 3 Episode 3.
Review of Bleach TYBW Part 3 Episode 3: Pierrot Films Celebrates Jushiro Ukitake’s Past with Engaging Storytelling and Animation
The third episode of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 featured Young Hoon Jung’s debut as storyboard artist, making waves in the animation community. Alongside Jung, the episode’s screenplay was crafted by Masaki Hiramatsu and chief animation direction was by Michio Hasegawa at Pierrot Films.
The narrative opened by concentrating on Jushiro Ukitake, the episode’s central character. Following Jushiro’s proclamation that he would take on the Soul King’s role, the story transitioned into a flashback, revealing the Captain of the 13th Division’s touching backstory.
Interestingly, Jushiro’s backstory in this episode was presented differently from its manga counterpart. In Tite Kubo’s original work, the backstory was narrated in the first person by Jushiro himself, whereas the anime adapted it through flashbacks.
This adaptation enabled the introduction of a youthful Jushiro, a first for the series. Additionally, while the manga explains that his grandmother led him to Mimihagi’s shrine in Rukongai, the anime creatively alters this to have his parents introduce him to the local deity.
The emotional weight of Jushiro’s backstory was effectively portrayed in this episode, highlighting the desperate plea of his parents to the local deity, Mimihagi, for their son’s health. The storyline deftly incorporated the lore surrounding Mimihagi, who requires offerings besides an eye in exchange for blessings.
Eventually, Mimihagi granted mercy, pausing Jushiro’s illness at the cost of his lungs, thus imbuing the deity’s powers within him. The execution of this backstory was exemplary, with outstanding direction and production values.
Notably, the sequence where Mimihagi shed tears for Jushiro, which the Soul Reaper collected in a dream realm, was a remarkable addition unique to the anime. Tite Kubo was deeply involved in guiding Young Hoon Jung in crafting these original scenes.
In addition to detailing the Soul Reaper’s healing, this episode expanded on Jushiro’s formative years at the academy and his friendship with Shunsui. These narrative layers amplified the stakes surrounding Jushiro’s inevitable sacrifice.
The prolonged flashback navigated Jushiro Ukitake’s journey from his childhood through to his culminating mission. Frequently, the episode returned to present-day moments with Shunsui’s reflections interspersed.
Ultimately, the flashback culminated in Jushiro at the research lab performing the final rites to distribute Mimihagi’s powers throughout his body, becoming the Soul King’s Right Arm to delay the King’s demise.
This decision provided the Soul Reapers a crucial moment to strategize and potentially restore balance to the worlds. From a production perspective, every moment of Jushiro’s scenes was meticulously directed and storyboarded, with the animation consistently engaging and the character designs visually stunning. Shiro Sagisu’s OST perfectly captured the multifaceted emotions as well.
Similarly, Young Hoon Jung’s direction and storyboarding of Sosuke Aizen’s and Shunsui’s scene deserve special mention. Although brief, lasting only about 3 minutes and 30 seconds, the scene effectively communicated Aizen’s formidable presence. Show Hayami as Aizen and Akio Otsuka as Shunsui delivered engaging dialogue that enhanced the moment.
A particularly impressive moment was when Aizen’s concentrated spiritual pressure effortlessly disintegrated a guard’s finger, a sequence executed skillfully by Pierrot Films.
The Encounter: Yhwach vs. Ichigo & Allies Captures Attention
In addition to the focus on Jushiro Ukitake’s past and the sequence with Aizen Sosuke, this episode also featured a stunningly crafted scene depicting Yhwach in combat with Ichigo Kurosaki and his allies. Although brief, this confrontation was marked by superb artistry and animated quality.
The direction was impressive, including some newly added sequences, such as Chad, Ganju, and Yoruichi pursuing Yhwach to give Orihime a chance to heal the Soul King, before transitioning back to Jushiro Ukitake’s final moments.
The Dark Arm of Mimihagi emerged from Jushiro’s body, extending toward the Royal Palace to hold the Soul King in place, diminishing the risk of catastrophic destruction across the three worlds.
Observations on Minor Flaws
While Bleach: TYBW Part 3 Episode 3 stands out as one of the most impressively produced episodes from Pierrot Films, it was not devoid of areas for improvement. For instance, certain scene transitions felt somewhat abrupt and occasionally lacked seamlessness.
These particular segments felt disjointed. Conversely, some transitions were excellently executed, as seen in the moment when Jushiro’s dark reiatsu emerged from his eyes just after a shot of the Soul King in the royal palace. Ultimately, the imperfections were minimal and hardly noticeable.
In Conclusion
Bleach TYBW Part 3 Episode 3 provided viewers with a captivating experience woven with bittersweet moments, beautifully highlighting Jushiro Ukitake’s background alongside Aizen’s return.
The recent enhancements in the anime adaptation eclipsed the original manga, enriching the narrative with new content while elevating existing events through exquisite animation and artistry. Fans are eagerly anticipating what Pierrot Films has in store for the remaining episodes.
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