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Bleach TYBW part 3 finale witnessed a masterclass from Pierrot Films, with unbelievable animation quality and flow. Released on December 28, 2024, the one-hour finale comprising episodes 39 and 40 (part 3 episodes 13-14) has set a serious benchmark for the studio's next projects.
There were many doubts over the production quality of Bleach TYBW part 3 finale, especially since the installment delivered a near-perfect episode 12 a week ago. However, the finale's stunning visuals, expositions, and original scenes ended every doubt.
The finale covered some of the highly anticipated moments from Tite Kubo's manga, such as Gerald vs. the Soul Reapers, Askin vs. Yoruichi, Uryu vs. Ichigo, Uryu's actual motive, etc. Not only did Pierrot Films faithfully adapt them to the manga, but they also injected life into the narrative with exquisite animation quality. It's safe to say that the studio saved the best for the finale.
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Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from Bleach TYBW part 3 finale.
Bleach TYBW part 3 finale review: Evaluating the adaptation and Pierrot Films' production
Bleach TYBW part 3 finale was a symphony of varied elements. From intense action to new lore, the finale provided fans with an unparalleled cinematic experience, as Pierrot Films promised at the beginning. Although the finale was separated into two episodes (The Visible Answer and My Last Words), the narrative smoothly transitioned from one to another.
According to the narrative shown in the episodes, Bleach TYBW part 3 finale covered chapters 654 to 661 from Tite Kubo's manga, with some interesting anime original additions in the mix. From an adaptation perspective, the studio did justice to Kubo's manga, injecting life into every panel.
Bleach TYBW part 3 finale began with an original scene, focusing on how Jushiro Ukitake's Mimihagi reiatsu was thinning out. The scene was imperative from a narrative context, as it set the stage for the cour 4, where Yhwach will go to the Soul Society. In the manga, it wasn't revealed why exactly Yhwach went down to the Seireitei.
However, Bleach TYBW part 3 finale suggested Yhwach might want to eradicate Jushiro's Mimihagi powers completely to initiate the destruction of the Three Realms. Therefore, the opening sequence was pivotal to the narrative point of view. Following that, the finale moved to the Soul Reapers heading for the castle.
However, Gerald Valkyrie emerged from nowhere to stand against their path. The Schutzstaffel provoked the Captains and the Lieutenants to charge at him all at once. Notably, the battle was off-screened, as it was completely one-sided with Gerald losing.
Yet, from a narrative perspective, showing the first round of Gerald vs. the Soul Reapers would have been redundant. Rather, off-screening his defeat gave the spotlight to the Soul Reapers, such as Byakuya, Shinji, Renji, and others. However, Gerald appeared eerily calm even in his defeat, so Byakuya finished him off with his Senbonzakura.
Unfortunately, the Soul Reapers weren't prepared for Gerald's schrift, M: The Miracle, which converted his wounds into Godly sizes. Thus, the Sternritter transformed into a gigantic being, renewed with sheer power. On the other hand, the episode transitioned to Askin Nakk le Vaar, who in a monologue revealed interesting facts about Pernida and Gerald.
Before the release of Bleach TYBW part 3 finale, it was already established that Pernida Parnkgjas was the Soul King's left arm. Askin's monologue further confirmed it. Additionally, the Sternritter revealed that Gerald was the Soul King's Heart. Therefore, it only made sense for him to revive after his "supposed" death.
Meanwhile, Bleach TYBW part 3 finale saw Ichigo Kurosaki lie flat on the ground following his defeat against Askin Nakk le Vaar. The battle was also off-screened to show the disparity in strength between Askin and Ichigo. It also acted as a shock factor, considering Ichigo is the series' protagonist.
Following that, the finale explored Askin Nakk le Vaar's schrift, D: The Deathdealing, and his Gift Bad, which induced Spiritual Poisoning on Chad and Orihime. Eventually, Yoruichi Shihoin appeared on the stage to confront Askin. Pierrot Films has done a sublime job with Yoruichi's battle against the Sternritter.
She demonstrated her lightning-based Shunko and a new move called Shunko: Raijin Senkei. However, Askin survived Yoruichi's onslaught thanks to his endurance. Pierrot Films did a fascinating job of portraying Yoruichi's battle against Askin, with remarkable animation sequences.
For example, the impact frames for the Shunko: Raijin Senkei deserve a special mention. Rina Suzuki, Ayako Sato, Young-Hoon-Jeong, Cindy H. Yamauchi, and other animators involved in the episode ensured Yoruichi's special moment would surpass the manga.
Additionally, the episode showed Yushiro's powers, as he finally got his moment to shine. Even though he shared a brief screen presence in the finale, his fire-based Shunko was done absolutely right in the anime. On the other hand, Pierrot Films did Gerald Valkyrie justice by not using CGI on him.
Many fans were concerned before Bleach TYBW part 3 finale's release that Gerald's gigantic size would be shown in CGI. The feelings were justified because the studio adopted CGI for Pernida. However, Gerald's figure moved in 2D, without any sort of CGI. Rather, the studio aptly blended CGI camera movements for the buildings with 2D animation for Gerald.
The overall outcome was a sheer delight for fans. Additionally, Bleach TYBW part 3 finale saw Jugram Haschwalth swap powers with Yhwach. As a result, he gained access to His Majesty's Almighty eyes. Even though he couldn't utilize the Almighty's powers, his appearance was one of the highlights of the finale.
He predicted Uryu Ishida to be a traitor and it turned out true. According to Bleach TYBW part 3 finale, Uryu's actual motive was to kill Yhwach and bring down Wahrwelt with him. That's why he joined the Quincy King's force and earned their trust.
The finale briefly showcased a scene, where Uryu read his grandfather, Soken's diary. Soken believed Yhwach was a tyrant who robbed his comrade's powers and lives to heal the injuries he incurred from the Soul Reapers. That's why, he felt the Quincies living in the world must eradicate Yhwach.
Moreover, Bleach TYBW part 3 finale shockingly revealed that Uryu was indeed affected by Auswahlen. On the other hand, his mother, Katagiri was unaffected. Yet, Uryu lived in the end and Katagiri died. The finale didn't reveal how Uryu's fate lived. Pierrot Films under the supervision of Tite Kubo will likely reveal the truth in the next cour.
At any rate, the final moments of the episode saw Uryu's battle against Ichigo. However, their conflict was resolved once Uryu revealed the truth about his intentions. Besides that, the episode depicted Jugram Haschwalth learning about Uryu's motive. He wasn't surprised because he predicted it from the start.
Uryu realized that since Jugram possessed Yhwach's Almighty eyes, the Quincy King must be asleep at the castle. He urged Ichigo to head up to the castle and leave the battle against Jugram to him. Elsewhere, Bleach TYBW part 3 finale saw Ryuken and Isshin arrive at the Wahrwelt using a key from Soken.
From a narrative perspective, Bleach TYBW part 3 finale expertly knitted the threads together to form a coherent picture for the upcoming installment. It was also shown how Lilotto and the other Bambi sisters lost against Yhwach. Overall, the narrative for the finale was on point, setting up the stage for the final cour.
Pierrot Films' production deserves a special mention. Aside from Gerald's fury and Askin vs. Yoruichi, the studio did a commendable job with Jugram's art, Uryu's past scene, and the episode's final moments. From perfect OSTs to animation, the finale had everything an ardent fan would have wanted.
Conclusion
Bleach TYBW part 3 finale ended the third installment aptly. The special episode offered fans a cinematic glimpse of Tite Kubo's magnum opus in anime format. Pierrot Films learned from the main studio's mistakes in the previous cour and delivered a surreal experience Bleach fans would never forget.
Also read:
- Bleach: Thousand-year Blood War part 3 complete release schedule
- How did Yhwach defeat the Bambi sisters while being asleep? Bleach TYBW part 3 ending, explored
- Bleach TYBW episode 40: Uryu's true motive is revealed as the "conflict" finally ends
