Fans of the long-running manga series Bleach, by Tite Kubo, know that the anime stopped short of the final and longest arc. Now, it's coming after all.
Of all Bleach's story arcs, the Thousand-Year Blood War arc is the most consequential of all, being the final arc that settles the score once and for all between the Soul Society and their fierce rivals, the Quincies. Long thought extinct, the Quincies emerged from a hidden empire to wage war, and their leader, Yhwach, has diabolical plans in mind. Only Ichigo and his friends stand a chance to take him down. Now, what can fans look forward to in this resumed anime series once it airs in 2021?
Uryu's Rise To Prominence
Uryu Ishida is Ichigo's classmate, and he ranks at the top of his class. But he's not Ichigo's rival for grades; he is a Quincy, one of the last (to his knowledge), and he learned the ways of the Quincy from his beloved grandfather. He swore to uphold the traditional rivalry of Quincy and Soul Reapers, only to end up as Ichigo's friend in the Soul Society arc and in Hueco Mundo during the Orihime rescue mission. Now, his loyalty is about to be tested.
Being a Quincy, Uryu faces a lot of pressure to return to the fold, and the only thing keeping him on the Soul Society's side was his friendship with Ichigo and Orihime. But unlike his jaded father Ryuken, Uryu is a romantic who believes in higher causes and tradition, and the Wandenreich certainly has a place for Uryu. Should he be offered a spot, he may find it difficult to refuse. Moments like this, difficult decisions with serious consequences, either way, can go a long way in revealing what a character is made of. Viewers are bound to see a side of Uryu they never expected.
New Zangetsu
Ichigo is the star of the show and for that reason, his combat powers are far and beyond what you'd expect an untrained substitute Soul Reaper to have. After all, he learned his zanpakuto's true name and met it face-to-face in his inner world. Tensa Zangetsu is ready for action, and it and Ichigo are trusted partners.
Zangetsu now has a bankai form as well, a condensed black blade, and in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, this incredible zanpakuto still has room to grow. Against the full might of the Quincy, especially Yhwach, even Ichigo's trusty bankai may not be enough, and he will explore new depths of the world of zanpakuto in order to seize the power needed for victory.
Ichigo is an ever-changing character, and he's always open to new possibilities, from learning bankai to training to control his hollow mask. For the anime's return, he may even split Zangetsu into two different blades at once -- the way Captains Ukitake and Kyoraku do with their zanpakuto -- or perhaps Zangetsu will take on an entirely new form.
Updated Visuals
The Bleach anime started airing in 2004 and while viewers of the time were no doubt wowed by its animation, newcomers to the franchise may be left disappointed by the original adaptation. It is a product of its time, having a low definition and being full-screen rather than wide-screen; a 4:3 size aspect ratio won't go over well for modern viewers.
However, the 2001 Fruits Basket anime got a reboot in 2019, complete with modern standards of clarity, animation, color, backgrounds, and much more. When the Bleach anime resumes in 2021, fans can expect a similar cosmetic makeover, especially given how popular and well-established this franchise is. There is no way that a member of the Big Three won't get the funding for a sleek makeover, from sharp, high-def character models to carefully painted backgrounds and enhanced special effects. Forget the blurry and grainy visuals of the easier seasons; this time, Bleach should look its best.
A New Soundtrack
Many anime series have a great soundtrack to go with them, from the symphonies of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood to the hybrid rock/ninja music of Naruto. Meanwhile, Bleach's Soul Society arc featured ethereal, abstract music that fit the series' theme of the supernatural and ghostly spirits.
When the Arrancars arrived, their Spanish theme bled over to the soundtrack, which was suddenly loaded with stylish guitars and battle tracks. When the Thousand-Year Blood War arc begins, it is likely that the composers will have all-new songs for these episodes, possibly with a German or Prussian sound to match the German-inspired Wandenreich. Forget polka -- we're ready for some military-style marching band music, imposing male choruses, trumpets and crashing timpanis. Yhwach deserves his own personal song like this, too, being the leader of the fearsome Wandenreich.
Major Character Deaths
Fans of Bleach may have noticed that in the Soul Society arc, no major characters lost their lives. Even the bloodiest battles ended with one character surrendering or the victor deciding to have mercy on their fallen opponent. Even Kenpachi refused to finish off his opponents, and Captain Aizen's death was nothing more than a trick (to Momo's relief).
By the time the Hueco Mundo arc began, characters began to perish on-screen, most often the villainous Arrancars (and some died off-screen, too). It is strongly implied that Dordoni and Cirucci were killed by the Exequias, and Rukia pulled off a stunning and lethal victory against Aaroniero. But here again, none of the major characters died, except for the traitorous Captains, Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tosen. Even Sosuke Aizen was spared. But in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, the stakes have never been higher, and there isn't a later arc for the main characters to move on to. This throws open the doors to major character deaths. We may even see some of the Captains give their lives against the Wandrenreich to save the day.
Mangaka Tite Kubo seemed reluctant to kill anyone off in the earlier arcs, but in this upcoming animated arc, viewers will suddenly have to contend with their favorite characters meeting a grisly end. The story of Bleach will never be the same again.