REVIEW: ‘Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War,’ Episode 10 — “The Battle”

As a non-manga reader of Bleach, I have slightly frustrated with the slowing down of the pace of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War and the absence of the Quincies, given how intense the first seven episodes were. Following the bombshell that Ichigo has Quincy blood running through his veins, all we have gotten is more characters to meet and the beginning of training arcs for different characters with no mention of the revelation, Yhwach, or the Wandenreich. However, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Episode 10 reminded me that one of the best things about manga and anime is their ability to teach life lessons in a medium that is both fantastical and grounded. While I was hoping for a sprint for this first cour, it might be the marathon that elevates Bleach back to its old heights.

When Ichigo, Renji, and Rukia were taken to the Soul King Palace, I was expecting to have a training arc featuring some of the characters were know the best. Our time at the Soul King Palace has yielded great worldbuilding moments but I largely expected a typical Ichigo x Renji rivalry with Rukia trying to wrangle in the explosive duo. However, it has been Kenpachi Zaraki’s training over the last two episodes that has stolen the show. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Episode 10 picks up in the midst of the battle between Kenpachi Zaraki and Retsu Unohana.

Throughout their battle together, more is gleaned from their relationship.  Fans of the series know that Zaraki is an absolute madman. One of the few anime characters who love to be a ruthless killer while still being considered to be one of the good guys. If you were to tell childhood me that Unohana would be scarier than him, I wouldn’t have believed you. Unohana was once one of the biggest criminals in the Soul Society and originally only learned to heal to prolong her fights to nurture her love of fighting. Now, Unohana turns that ability to nurture Zaraki’s growth to unlock his true potential. In a brutally beautiful sequence, viewers are taken back to their first meeting as Unohana reflects on her own life in the heat of their battle. As Zaraki becomes stronger and stronger through their training, Unohana’s revelations are made known. She understands that we all have a choice when we meet someone who has the potential to do great things. You can strike it down and snuff out their potential to be greater than yourself. Or you can nurture the seed until it blows into a tree that stands taller than the rest; even if it as your own expense.

The slowing of pace really adds to these moments, and I am kicking myself for criticizing it in the first place. While their battle is not as grandiose as what we saw with Yamamoto, the music and animation, coupled with the whole focus slowing to these two makes for one of the best moments in the entire series. Not only do viewers able to gain a new appreciation of two lesser-known characters, but also have an understanding of why the Soul Society was so hesitant at Shunsui Kyoraku’s request to make Zaraki stronger.

As for Ichigo’s and Renji’s training, they have an opportunity to restore their Zanpakuto from the creator of himself, Oetsu Nimaiya. The Squad 0 Captain is certainly more eccentric than the previous captains we have seen, but his training is probably the most important one so far. The Zanpakuto is essential for Soul Reapers and after having theirs destroyed in the Quincy attack, this may be their only chance to have them rebuilt. In true manga/anime fashion, the duo must prove themselves worthy. Make sure you stick around at the end of the credits to see how they faired in a longer-than-normal end scene. The steps are being taken to bring the story back to Ichigo’s past which has me very excited for next week’s episode.

The pace of the episode encourages a moment to stop and reflect. I was worried for another week without seeing the Wandenreich. Despite there not being a Quincy in sight, when the credits roll on Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Episode 10 had me reinvested in why I watch anime at all. The ability of the series to make you care about characters other than Ichigo has always been a staple. The Unohana – Zaraki sequences bring that back to the forefront while providing a compelling take on the mentor-mentee dynamic. Then viewers are expertly brought back to Ichigo’s struggle, who is largely without his own mentor to take him to new heights. It is a credit to Pierrot’s storytelling and a reason I will be tuned in until the final cour.

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Episode 10 is available now on Hulu with new episodes airing every Monday.