Aizen had already foreshadowed Mimihagi's existence within Ukitake in Bleach

Modified Oct 22, 2024 13:49 GMT

Aizen had already foreshadowed Mimihagi — Sosuke Aizen and Jushiro Ukitake as seen in Bleach (Image via Studio Pierrot, Pierrot Films)

With Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War part 3 episode 3, fans were introduced to the right hand of the Soul King, Mimihagi. While this was the first time fans saw the deity, evidence suggests that manga creator Tite Kubo had hinted at its involvement in the story much earlier.

The anime's latest episode saw Jushiro Ukitake allow Mimihagi to take over his body through the process called Kamikake. This process effectively allowed Ukitake to take the Soul King's place and stabilize the damage that was happening to the Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, and the world of living.

Tite Kubo confirms foreshadowing Ukitake's connection to Mimihagi in Bleach

Sosuke Aizen as seen in Bleach anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

As fans might remember, at the end of the Soul Society: The Rescue arc it was revealed that Sosuke Aizen had never died. He had faked his death using the Kyouka Suigetsu to obtain the Hogyoku. Right after, he fled to Hueco Mundo alongside his partners Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tōsen.

Just as he was ascending to Hueco Mundo, Jushiro Ukitake questioned his actions. In response, Aizen said this:

"No one...ever stood atop the heavens before. Not you...or I...or the Gods. But the unbearable vacancy of heaven's throne ends now. From now on...I will stand in Heaven."

While most fans believed that Aizen was speaking to Ukitake or collectively all the Soul Reapers, as confirmed by original creator Tite Kubo, he was speaking to none of them.

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According to a Tite Kubo Q&A, when Aizen said "Not you," he wasn't addressing Ukitake but his link to the Soul King, i.e., Mimihagi. This meant that Sosuke Aizen knew all along about Jushiro Ukitake's past and his connection with the Soul King's right hand, Mimihagi.

With that, the Bleach manga foreshadowed the existence of Mimihagi within Ukitake quite early in the series. Unfortunately, it was only after a fan asked this question to the creator that he confirmed the same to everyone.

Mimihagi as seen in Bleach TYBW (Image via Pierrot Films)

While it may seem like a questionable foreshadowing, it does make some sense. Just as Sosuke Aizen, Ichimaru Gin, and Kaname Tosen started ascending to Hueco Mundo, the ones who were highlighted the most due to Gin and Tosen's betrayal were Rangiku Matsumoto and Sajin Komamura. This was because they were close to the respective Gotei 13 captains.

However, the one who was highlighted due to Aizen's betrayal was Jushiro Ukitake. This made no sense as Ukitake did not really have a close connection with Aizen. At the time, fans must have thought that Ukitake was the one who stepped forward because he was possibly one of the most loyal Soul Reapers to the Gotei 13. But in reality, he was only brought forward so that Aizen could address Mimihagi, and indirectly, the Soul King.

Therefore, there is a good chance that Tite Kubo planned on Ukitake having a connection with Mimihagi from the very beginning. This makes Aizen's address to Mimihagi one of the best foreshadowing in the series.