REVIEW: ‘Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War’ Episode 23 — “Marching Out The Zombies 2”

As fans eagerly awaited plot progression after the revelation of King Yhwach and Uryū Ishida’s true intentions in the Soul Society, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Episode 23, “Marching Out of the Zombies 2,” unfortunately continues to prolong that anticipation. While visually captivating, this episode does little to maintain the high levels of excitement that have been building throughout the anime‘s season.

Thousand-Year Blood War Episode 23 picks up where its predecessor left off, with Stern Ritter Z, Giselle Gewelle, and Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi engaged in battle, each commanding their own versions of zombies. This battle aligns with the episode’s title, “Marching Out of the Zombies 2.” However, it comes on the heels of fans craving more substantial plot advancement rather than additional fights involving lesser-known characters. The promise of more exciting battles between prominent characters feels unfulfilled.

The conflict revolves around the zombified Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya, controlled by Stern Ritter Z. Hitsugaya, despite being a zombie, retains his formidable abilities, effortlessly defeating two premier Soul Reaper lieutenants. However, he proves to be no match for Captain Kurotsuchi, whose technological expertise allows him to create his own version of zombification, which he believes to be superior. Kurotsuchi’s methods raise ethical questions as he essentially zombifies his fellow Soul Reapers to combat the remaining Stern Ritters, each vying for the glory of being the one to defeat Ichigo Kurosaki before he reaches the Soul King’s palace.

While the episode maintains the series’ trend of delivering visually stunning and brutal animation, it fails to generate the level of excitement expected from the plot at this stage. The contest to see who can control who better is compelling in concept but doesn’t quite meet the level of hype future battles hold. The focus on less popular Soul Reaper captains engaging in battle, even with the attempt to showcase fan-favorite Captain Byakuya Kuchiki’s improved skills since his previous defeat, feels somewhat out of place. Thousand-Year Blood War Episode 23 disrupts the momentum that had been building in the plot following Ichigo’s return to the Soul Society.

Notably absent from the episode are Ichigo and his friends, suggesting that the next episode will likely focus on their journey to the Soul King’s palace. Unfortunately, this prospect does not elicit much excitement, as it is expected to be an exposition-heavy episode filled with Bleach‘s trademark pseudo-science to explain their journey. At this point in the series and this deep into the season, viewers are eager to see the plot regain its earlier pace, which provided new revelations and character moments in nearly every episode. Regrettably, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Episode 23 feels like another installment struggling to distinguish itself from the previous few episodes, contributing to a season lull.

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Episode 23, “Marching Out of the Zombies 2,” falls short of fulfilling the heightened anticipation that had been building throughout the season. While the episode delivers visually captivating animation and introduces an intriguing concept with the contest of zombification methods, it primarily focuses on battles involving less popular Soul Reaper captains. This continued diversion disrupts the momentum established after Ichigo’s return to the Soul Society, leaving viewers eager for a more substantial plot progression. With the main characters absent in this installment, the anticipation for their journey to the Soul King’s palace in the next episode is tinged with uncertainty.

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood-War Episode 23 is streaming now exclusively on Hulu.