5 characters who'll have a major role in Bleach TYBW Part 3 (& 5 who will barely appear)

Bleach TYBW Part 3 has already started this fall and has amazed the fandom with the new scenes, course corrections from the manga, and elevating some characters who needed more time to shine, such as Jushiro Ukitake. Moreover, the trailer of this cour has already hinted at some characters who will be pivotal, such as Kyoraku Shunsui or Mayuri Kurotsuchi.

Unfortunately, Bleach TYBW Part 3 is also not going to focus on some characters, including a few who are very popular, such as Rukia or Byakuya Kuchiki. Therefore, five characters are bound to have a great role to play in this current cour and five more who are, sadly, going to have a very diminished performance in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a publication.

5 characters who are going to have a major role in Bleach TYBW Part 3

1. Mayuri Kurotsuchi

Mayuri is going to get one of the best fights in Bleach TYBW Part 3 (Image via Studio Pierrot).

Mayuri Kurotsuchi is considered a standout character in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, and Bleach TYBW Part 3 will be crucial in showcasing why. Although he's been more focused on technology and support, he's about to join the battle. A key reason he's a central figure in this cour is because he faces Pernida Parnkgjas, one of Yhwach's elite Schutzstaffel guards. Pernida is a powerful Quincy and the Soul King's left hand, symbolizing progress.

This battle displays Mayuri's intellect, and Pernida's ability to evolve and adapt to a lot of different obstacles, and even gives a lot of focus to the former's underling, Nemu Kurotsichi. It is widely regarded as one of the finest battles in the entire franchise and one of the elements that a lot of people are waiting for in Bleach TYBW Part 3.

2. Kyoraku Shunsui

Bleach TYBW Part 3 is likely to show Kyoraku's finest hour (Image via Studio Pierrot).

The new Captain Commander has been given a lot of attention throughout this part from the moment that Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto was killed by Yhwach. He has to deal with the responsibility of taking over from his mentor's legacy and the pressure of dealing with the ongoing war with the Quincy, which is something that is going to be displayed in full force during Bleach TYBW Part 3.

Kyoraku is going to have a major moment in this cour, which is the battle against the leader of the Schutzstaffel, Lille Barro. He is not only one of the most powerful characters among the Quincy but also the first one who was bestowed a Schrift by Yhwach, which highlights his devotion to the latter and the lengths of his abilities as a warrior.

Much like Mayuri, Shunsui's lieutenant, Nanao Ise, is going to have a major role in assisting him in this battle while also having a few flashbacks fleshing out their pasts. While the resolution of the battle against Lille is very controversial in the fandom, most of the fight has been well-received and there is a very good chance that Bleach TYBW Part 3 is going to elevate this from the source material.

3. Uryu Ishida

Bleach TYBW Part 3 could be setting up a big moment for Uryu (Image via Studio Pierrot).

A major complaint that a lot of fans had in the manga was that Uryu Ishida had a big role to play in this arc since it focuses on his race, the Quincy, but he had very little to do until the final bout with Yhwach. However, the trailers, previews, and what has been shown in the first couple of episodes of Bleach TYBW Part 3 have shown that Uryu is going to have a lot more to do in this portion of the story.

In the early episodes of Bleach TYBW, Ishida takes down Zero Division member Senjumaru Shutara, a moment that wasn’t in the manga. Promotional materials hint at an upcoming battle between him and Ichigo, which would be a major event, as the two haven't fought together since the franchise's early days. Fans also expect that Uryu's key role in the arc's final moments will be handled better by Studio Pierrot and Tite Kubo.

4. Askin Nakk Le Vaar

Askin is bound to be one of the highlights of Bleach TYBW Part 3 (Image via Studio Pierrot).

Villains oftentimes have a lot of focus because they are the threats that the heroes have to deal with but Askin is a very exceptional case in Bleach TYBW Part 3. The character is one of the most beloved villains in the series because of his charisma and even for his logical thinking since he is someone capable of running away from battle when he is cornered, which is something not very common in battle shonen.

Moreover, this cour is very likely to show Askin's battles in the arc and is a lot more telling because he is going up against Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, Yoruichi Shihōin, and Kisuke Urahara. He has to deal with one character against the other and Askin continues, oftentimes displaying intelligence and a lot of charisma.

5. Kisuke Urahara

Urahara is going to steal this show in this part (Image via Studio Pierrot).

Kisuke Urahara is one of the most popular characters in the entire franchise and is one of the best examples that someone can contribute to the plot of a series of this ilk without having to fight a lot. He is going to continue as one of the smartest characters in the series, pushing ways for the Shinigami to reach Yhwach but Bleach TYBW Part 3 is going to give him a moment to shine as well.

This is going to be his battle with Askin, which is a very interesting matchup because it features two characters known for their ability to strategize and win through cunning rather than raw strength. Moreover, this is going to be a big moment for a lot of fans since they are going to witness Urahara's Bankai in anime format, which is something that is going to generate a lot of hype.

5 characters who are barely going to appear in Bleach TYBW Part 3

1. Soi Fon

Fans of Soi Fon can't expect much of her moving forward (Image via Studio Pierrot).

There is no denying that Soi Fon is one of the most popular characters in the franchise and people had a lot of expectations for her during this portion of the story. When considering her role as a Gotei 13 Captain and this being the final battle against Yhwach, there was a general perception that she was going to participate in the fight but that didn't prove to be the case in the manga.

It is during this point of the arc in the source material that Soi Fon basically disappears from the story and doesn't play a role in any of the final battles. It appears that Bleach TYBW Part 3, so far, isn't giving her any new moments or additions to elevate her role in this part of the arc.

That is a shame because her battle with BG9 had a lot of ups and downs in the previous cour and some fans have theorized that she could be included in Askin's fight by helping Yoruichi instead of the latter's younger brother. That could be a welcomed addition, especially considering that it could end the journey of these characters when considering their history together.

2. Rukia Kuchiki

Sadly, Rukia is not likely to have a big role in Bleach TYBW Part 3 (Image via Studio Pierrot).

Bleach TYBW Part 3 has a lot of characters who need to be given a better treatment when compared to their manga versions and Rukia Kuchiki might be one of the most prominent examples. Despite being a part of the main cast, Rukia spends most of what remains of the arc sidelined and doesn't get involved with Ichigo and his friends' fight with Yhwach, which is a travesty.

The most disappointing part is that Rukia doesn't seem to have any major scenes added in Bleach TYBW Part 3 and is something that does her character a disservice. While her battle against As Nodt, displaying her Bankai for the first time, is a major moment for her and gives fans something they always wanted to see, it is a shame that she is not going to have any other major contribution.

There could be a chance of her having a stronger role to play against Gerald Valkyrie but it begs the question as to why Tite Kubo didn't include her in the final battle. It is a waste of a character who has been pivotal for the story at several points of the story.

3. Renji Abarai

Renji is not doing much in this cour (Image via Studio Pierrot).

The case of Renji is quite similar to what was already stated with Rukia since they spend most of the arc together jumping from one point to another. However, Renji doesn't do anything significant for the remainder of the arc beyond carrying Ichigo to the final battle and that is something that is not going to happen in Bleach TYBW Part 3.

While Renji's victory against Mask de Masculine was a much-needed triumph for his character, especially with his improved Bankai, he spends the remainder of the arc sidelined. This is certainly disappointing, although is fair to say that his Captain got an even worse deal.

4. Byakuya Kuchiki

Byakuya's role in Bleach TYBW Part 3 is not likely to be important (Image via Studio Pierrot).

The story of Byakuya's supposed death against As Nodt earlier in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc has been a point of contention in the fandom. There are a lot of people who think that this moment would have been the perfect way to end Byakuya's arc in a tragic yet satisfying way, especially considering he doesn't do much for the remainder of the arc.

The Captain of the Sixth Division was kept alive and didn't do much beyond passively attacking Gerald Valkyrie but it would be exaggerating to claim he contributes much to the story. Furthermore, nothing seems to suggest that he is going to have a role to play in Bleach TYBW Part 3, all things considered.

5. Shinji Hirako

Bleach TYBW Part 3 is not going to do much for Shinji (Image via Studio Pierrot).

There is a common perception in the fandom that Shinji Hirako was mistreated by Kubo, introducing him as a major character and was mostly used as a punching bag throughout the story. While the introduction of his Bankai in the second cour of the anime was a much-needed boost for his character in this arc, it doesn't seem likely that Bleach TYBW Part 3 is going to give him more moments to shine.

Much like Soi Fon, there are more important characters who need time to shine and some of them are going to be ignored, unfortunately. Perhaps Shinji's case is even more outrageous since he is a Vizard and his Hollow mask is a weakness to the Quincy but the story never addresses why he never chooses to use it.

Final thoughts

Bleach TYBW Part 3 continues to be one of the biggest hits of the anime industry in recent years and many of the changes from the manga and new content have been a pivotal element for said success. In that regard, there are some characters who are bound to triumph in this part and others who, unfortunately, are going to be neglected to some degree, as evidenced here.

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Edited by Divya Singh