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Bleach · Story arc

Thousand-Year Blood War: The Separation

At the Reiōkyū Ichigo learns the truth about his origins and his sword, while in the Soul Society Unohana dies to unleash Kenpachi's strength. The Wandenreich returns, replaces the Seireitei with Silbern and invades the Reiōkyū.

Ichigo passes through the Royal Guard's palaces and, at the Hōōden, hears Masaki's story from Isshin: 'old Zangetsu' is his Quincy power. Kyōraku becomes Captain-Commander. In the second invasion Rukia reveals her Bankai, Renji the true Bankai taught to him by Ichibē, Kenpachi annihilates Gremmy. Uryū sides with Yhwach, who uses the Royal Guard's pillar to climb to the Reiōkyū; Ichibē faces him, the Schutzstaffel cuts down the others.

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TY
Position
Arc 14 of 17
Saga
Thousand-Year Blood War Saga
Canon status
Canon
Manga
~526-~612
Anime
TYBW ep. 14-26

Arc events(13)

  1. The young Kenpachi meets the first KenpachiBefore the storyIn Zaraki, the eightieth district, a nameless boy fights Yachiru Unohana and survives. So as never to lose again the only opponent who ever entertained him, he unconsciously seals his own strength.
  2. Isshin, Masaki and the Hollow WhiteAbout twenty years earlierTwenty years before the story, captain Isshin Shiba faces White in Karakura, an experimental Hollow created by Aizen. The young Quincy Masaki saves him, but the Hollow merges with her soul.
  3. The springs of KirindenThousand-Year Blood WarAt the Royal Guard's first palace, Tenjirō dunks Ichigo and the others into his healing springs in anything but a gentle manner. Within hours the worst wounds close up.
  4. The Gatonden feastThousand-Year Blood WarKirio Hikifune stuffs Ichigo and Renji with food that regenerates spiritual energy: for her, eating is part of the training, because one must reach the next palace at full strength.
  5. Unohana vs KenpachiThousand-Year Blood WarAt Kyōraku's request, Unohana takes Kenpachi into Muken and kills and heals him again and again, until he abandons the limits he had imposed on himself and cuts her down. She dies happy to have been surpassed.
  6. Kyōraku becomes Captain-CommanderThousand-Year Blood WarAfter Yamamoto's death, Shunsui Kyōraku becomes the Gotei 13's new Captain-Commander and brings Nanao along as First Division lieutenant. His first decisions spare no one.
  7. Zangetsu rebornThousand-Year Blood WarAt the Hōōden Nimaiya turns Ichigo away; Isshin tells him about Masaki and his own nature. Ichigo realises that 'old Zangetsu' is his Quincy power and the true Zangetsu is the Hollow, and receives his two new blades.
  8. The second invasion: Silbern risesThousand-Year Blood WarThe Wandenreich returns and, through the Schatten Bereich, replaces the Seireitei with its own city, Silbern. The Soul Society finds itself fighting in the enemy's home.
  9. Rukia's BankaiThousand-Year Blood WarAgainst Äs Nödt, who floods her with fear, Rukia reveals her Bankai, Hakka no Togame: absolute zero. Even fear freezes; Byakuya, back from the Reiōkyū, stands by her.
  10. Renji vs Mask De MasculineThousand-Year Blood WarMask has beaten Rose and Kensei. Renji arrives, just down from the Reiōkyū: with the true Bankai taught to him by Ichibē, Sōō Zabimaru, he burns the Wandenreich's 'Superstar' to ash.
  11. Kenpachi vs GremmyThousand-Year Blood WarGremmy imagines meteors, weapons and an invincible body; Kenpachi cuts through them all. When he tries to imagine Kenpachi's strength, his own body cannot bear it.
  12. Ichibē vs YhwachThousand-Year Blood WarYhwach climbs to the Reiōkyū. Ichibē faces him alone and, with his Bankai Shirafude Ichimonji, erases and rewrites his name. Yhwach breaks free and cuts him down.
  13. The fall of the Royal GuardThousand-Year Blood WarThe Schutzstaffel brings down the Royal Guard members one after another. Senjumaru unleashes her Bankai Shatatsu Karagara Shigarami no Tsuji, but she too falls.

Related locations(14)

Related characters(38)

Divisions & Factions(10)