Bleach TYBW Part 3 Episode 3 review: Pierrot Films' cinematic production does justice to Jushiro's backstory and Aizen's return

Bleach TYBW Part 3 Episode 3, released on October 19, 2024, saw the heights of Pierrot Films' cinematic production. Under the storyboard debut and direction of Young Hoon Jung, the episode witnessed Jushiro Ukitake's bittersweet backstory and Sosuke Aizen's return to the narrative.

With pristine animation quality and an emotionally charged narrative, Bleach TYBW Part 3 Episode 3 has built a solid foundation for the remaining episodes of the season. The production quality has already set a new benchmark if it weren't already done by the previous episodes.

Although some of the transitions between the scenes felt jarring to the naked eye, the overall quality of the episode was one of the best in the series thus far. In this respect, Pierrot Films deserves all the accolades.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from Bleach TYBW Part 3 Episode 3.

Bleach TYBW Part 3 Episode 3 review: Pierrot Films enhances Jushiro Ukitake's past and Aizen's scene with sound storyboard and animation

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Bleach TYBW Part 3 Episode 3 marked the storyboard debut of Young Hoon Jung, one of the most popular animators in the industry. The esteemed animator has also directed the episode, along with Masaki Hiramatsu in the screenplay and Michio Hasegawa as the chief animation director at Pierrot Films.

Right off the bat, the narrative chiefly focused on Jushiro Ukitake, who was the focal point of the episode. After Jushiro announced that he would replace the Soul King, the narrative transitioned to a flashback scene, showcasing the 13th Division Captain's bittersweet backstory.

It's worth noting that Jushiro's backstory in Bleach TYBW Part 3 Episode 3 was differently handled than the manga. In Tite Kubo's magnum opus, Jushiro Ukitake told everyone his backstory in first person. However, in the anime, the scene was showcased with the flashback device.

Jushiro Ukitake in his younger days (Image via Pierrot Films)

As a result, the episode could feature young Jushiro, something the series has never done before. Moreover, in the manga, it was revealed that Jushiro's grandmother had brought him to Mimihagi's shrine in Rukongai. However, the anime subtly changed it to his parents bringing him to the local deity.

Jushiro Ukitake's backstory was emotionally charged in Bleach TYBW Part 3 Episode 3, as his parents begged the local deity Mimihagi to bless their son with vitality. The episode subtly covered the Mimihagi's lore, where one must offer the God with something other than an eye, in exchange for its blessing.

Eventually, Mimihagi showed mercy and stagnated Jushiro's illness in exchange for his lungs. Since then, the deity's powers resided within Jushiro's lungs. The direction and the production for Jushiro's backstory were top-notch.

Mimihagi, as seen in the episode (Image via Pierrot Films)

The frames where Mimihagi dropped tears for Jushiro, and the Soul Reaper collected it in a dreamland, were an exceptional anime-only touch. Obviously, Tite Kubo was heavily involved with the production, aiding Young Hoon Jung with the necessary storyboards for Jushiro's original scenes.

Besides showing how the Soul Reaper was cured, Bleach TYBW Part 3 Episode 3 explored Jushiro's past moments in the academy and his eventual friendship with Shunsui. These additions in the narrative were necessary to heighten the anticipation for the Soul Reaper's ultimate sacrifice.

The extended flashback in Bleach TYBW Part 3 Episode 3 featured the growth of Jushiro Ukitake, from his childhood to his embarking on the final mission. Amid these flashbacks, the episode returned to the present once or twice to add Shunsui's commentary.

Jushiro and Shunsui in the past (Image via Pierrot Films)

Eventually, the flashback scene transitioned back to Jushiro at the Research lab, performing the final rites of the ritual to spread the powers of Mimihagi from his lungs to the other organs of his body. The 13th Division Captain became the Right Arm of the Soul King to stagnant the Soul King's death.

His sacrifice gave the Soul Reapers a momentary respite to find a backup plan to restore the realms' stability. From a production perspective, Jushiro's scenes were expertly directed and storyboarded. The animation never felt off-beat, and the characters looked stunning. Besides that, the OSTs by Shiro Sagisu were on point, evoking multiple emotions at the same time.

Sosuke Aizen in the episode (Image via Pierrot Films)

Likewise, Young Hoon Jung's direction and storyboards for Sosuke Aizen and Shunsui's scene deserve a mention. Although it lasted only for 3:30 minutes or so, the scene captured Aizen's intimidating aura and class. Show Hayami as Aizen and Akio Otsuka as Shunsui have done an excellent job in carrying out the witty exchanges throughout the scene.

The moment when Sosuke Aizen's dense Spiritual Pressure disintegrated one of the guards' fingers was superbly done by Pierrot Films. From a production perspective, the scene was done justice, with decent animation and storyboards.

Bleach TYBW Part 3 Episode 3: Yhwach vs. Ichigo & his friends was a treat for the sour eyes

Ichigo Kurosaki in the episode (Image via Pierrot Films)

Aside from Jushiro Ukitake's backstory and Aizen Sosuke's scene, Bleach TYBW Part 3 Episode 3 featured a wonderfully produced scene, featuring Yhwach's battle against Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends. While it lasted briefly, the scene showcased phenomenal art and animation quality.

The direction was excellent, with some added sequences, like Chad, Ganju and Yoruichi going after Yhwach to provide Orihime the opportunity to try and heal the Soul King. Eventually, the scene transitioned to Jushiro Ukitake's final moments.

The Dark Arm of Mimihagi came out of Jushiro Ukitake's orifices and extended toward the Royal Palace and grabbed the Soul King to stagnant the three worlds' destruction.

Bleach TYBW Part 3 Episode 3 review: Minor errors persist

Jushiro's sacrifice in Bleach TYBW Part 3 Episode 3 (Image via Pierrot Films)

While Bleach TYBW Part 3 Episode 3 was one of the phenomenally produced episodes from the Pierrot Films, there were some aspects the episode could have done better. For example, some of the transitions between the scenes seemed forced and abrupt.

Those moments lacked fluidity. On the other hand, some transitions were expertly handled, such as dark reiatsu releasing from Jushiro's eyes right after a shot of the Soul King in the royal palace. Nevertheless, the blemishes were too minor to be noticed.

Conclusion

Mimihagi extends toward the Royal Palace (Image via Pierrot Films)

Bleach TYBW Part 3 Episode 3 offered fans a fascinating experience, tinged with bittersweet moments. Jushiro Ukitake's backstory in the episode rewarded fans with something special, along with Aizen's return.

The latest additions in the anime adaptation has truly surpassed the manga's events. The episode not only enriched the narrative with new content, but enhanced the existing events with sublime animation and art. One can only wonder what Pierrot Films will do with the remaining episodes.