Does Renji die in Bleach TYBW? Explained

The latest episode of Bleach TYBW, titled Gate of the Sun, saw Renji Abarai engage in a fierce fight against Uryu Ishida at the Wahrwelt. The 6th Division lieutenant demonstrated the powers of his True Bankai, So-Oh Zabimaru, to pose a serious challenge to the Quincy. Yet, despite trying his best, Renji lost the battle and was pierced by Uryu's arrow.

Undoubtedly, the battle's climax may have left many fans wondering about Renji Abarai's fate. Add to that, Tite Kubo's official X (formerly Twitter) account has shared a special illustration of Renji. Notably, the author has been sharing such images since the series' cour 1 for characters who either die or lose in a battle. So, does Renji die in Bleach TYBW?

The answer is no, Renji doesn't die in Bleach TYBW. According to the manga, the 6th Division lieutenant returns to the battlefield to face Gerald Valkyrie and later accompanies Ichigo to face Yhwach in the final fight. Although the latest Renji vs. Uryu battle is an anime original scene, the narrative is unlikely to change. Otherwise, Renji would have had a big send-off, considering he's one of the most popular characters in the series.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from Bleach TYBW arc.

---

Exploring Renji's fate in Bleach TYBW

Uryu defeats Renji in the anime (Image via Pierrot Films)

It is a known fact that mangaka Tite Kubo had many battles in mind he couldn't add to his manga's Thousand-year Blood War arc. Aside from the fast schedule of the Weekly Shonen Jump, Kubo was suffering from health issues, which made him rush through the narrative. Therefore, those ideas were left unexplored.

However, the anime adaptation of Bleach TYBW arc provided Kubo with the platform to add all those elements he previously missed adding in the manga. One such moment was perhaps the battle between Renji Abarai and Uryu Ishida in Wahrwelt.

The Soul Reaper fiercely fought against Uryu, who was his ally in previous encounters. However, once he learned that Uryu Ishida had sided with Yhwach, he unleashed his full potential and showcased the true extent of his new Bankai, So-Oh Zabimaru.

Renji, as seen in the anime (Image via Pierrot Films)

During the battle, Renij showcased many new moves to corner Uryu. However, the Quincy's Vollstandig and Sklave Rai turned the tide of the battle in his favor. He comprehensively robbed Renji of his Spiritual Pressure, rendering his Shikai and Bankai useless.

Uryu then ended the battle with a single arrow through Renji's chest, piercing his Soul Chain. The latest episode ended with Renji Abari lying on the ground, defeated and incapacitated. So, does Renji die in Bleach TYBW? As mentioned already, the Soul Reaper appears in the later stages of the manga to confront Gerald Valkyrie with Byakuya Kuchiki and other Soul Reapers.

Renji uses So-Oh Zabimaru's Zaga Teppo (Image via Pierrot Films)

However, he fails to deliver against Gerald's Schrift, M: The Miracle. Soon after, he recovers from his wounds and joins Ichigo Kurosaki to confront Yhwach in the final battle of the Thousand-year Blood War arc. Yet, Renji's Bankai poses no challenge to the Quincy King's Almighty powers.

In other words, Renji Abari doesn't die in the manga. Although the latest episode showed Renji in a dire state, he will likely be healed by a Soul Reaper. Moreover, Uryu Ishida didn't land a finishing blow on Renji, even though he pierced the Soul Reaper's Soul Chain, the source of his Spiritual Pressure.

Uryu demonstrated the same method previously, when he shot Jirobu and Cirucci's Soul Chain in the Soul Society arc and Hueco Mundo arc, respectively. In both scenarios, he spared his opponents. Moreover, it's highly unlikely for the studio to completely change Renji's fate, who has a massive role in the narrative as Rukia's husband.

The illustration, which Kubo has shared on his official X account, is most likely to commemorate Renji's efforts. It's something Kubo has done for other characters in the past, who went on to appear later in the series (like NaNaNa, Ichibe Hyosube, and others).

---

Conclusion

Renji Abari is too important a character to kill off without any build-up. The latest Bleach TYBW episode offers no conclusion to his character arc to suggest his death. Moreover, the original narrative in the manga refutes such claims about Renji's death.

That said, the latest episode has shown why Renji is one of the strongest Soul Reapers in the series. Even though he was defeated, he dominated the whole fight against Uryu. Since he was unconsciously trying not to kill Uryu, he lost the battle.

---