Where does Bleach: Thousand-year Blood War part 3 leave off in the manga? Explained

Produced by Pierrot Films, Bleach: Thousand-year Blood War part 3 ended its 14-episode run on December 28, 2024, after enthralling fans for three months with top-notch animation and scintillating narrative. The third installment revolved around the theme of conflict, with an emphasis on Ichigo Kurosaki and Uryu Ishida's dynamic.

Undoubtedly, the narrative did justice to Tite Kubo's manga and concluded the installment in a satisfying manner. Now, even though the official staff has confirmed the production of cour 4, titled The Calamity, they haven't mentioned a release date.

Therefore, many fans might want to read the manga and relish the narrative if they haven't read it already. So, the question is, where does Bleach: Thousand-year Blood War part 3 leave off in the manga?

According to the events shown in the series, Bleach: Thousand-year Blood War part 3 has covered the manga from chapter 609 to chapter 661. Interested fans can begin the manga from chapter 661 itself.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from Bleach manga.

Where to start reading the manga after Bleach: Thousand-year Blood War part 3?

Uryu vs. Ichigo in the anime (Image via Pierrot Films)

Bleach: Thousand-year Blood War part 3 picked up the adaptation from the seventh page of chapter 609 (A) and covered the manga up to the tenth page of chapter 661 (My Last Words). Therefore, veteran fans wanting to refresh their memories or new fans wishing to pick up the manga can do so from chapter 661.

Notably, chapter 661 still has eight pages left to be covered. Considering how much the latest cour has adapted, the final installment is left with only 25 chapters for adaptation. Therefore, fans expect a bulk of anime original content, should the installment follow the same number of episodes (13-14).

Although Bleach: Thousand-year Blood War part 3 covered chapters 609-661, the official staff at the Pierrot Films rearranged the events to suit the narrative. For example, the battles at the Wahrwelt took place simultaneously at different points. However, Kubo focused on completing one battle before moving to another in the manga.

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

The anime adaptation alternately paced the battles. It was a production decision, green-lit by Tite Kubo himself. Moreover, Bleach: Thousand-year Blood War part 3 featured plenty of anime original scenes. From Uryu vs. Senjumaru to Ichigo vs. Uryu to Renji vs. Uryu, the third installment exhibited numerous never-seen-before battles.

Additionally, under the supervision of Tite Kubo, Pierrot Films added new lore to the series, such as Soken's diary in the season finale. The inclusion shockingly revealed that Uryu Ishida was affected by the Auswahlen, but he didn't die. The subtle additions, corrections and rearrangements, only made the third installment stand apart.

Ichigo Kurosaki, as seen in part 3 (Image via Pierrot Films)

Moreover, the production studio fleshed out the narrative in a way the manga didn't. Now, with the anime adaptation heading to its final installment (The Calamity), it remains to be seen how Pierrot Films handles the narrative.

Fans only have 25 chapters to read before the final season releases (the date is yet to be announced). Therefore, the next installment will likely have over 50% of anime original content. Either way, it's an exciting prospect for the veteran and new fans.

Conclusion

Bleach: Thousand-year Blood War part 3 has ended on a solid note under Studio Pierrot's subsidiary studio, Pierrot Films. Even though the installment covered 52 chapters in 14 episodes, the pacing never felt off, thanks to the abundance of anime original content. Now, fans can read the manga while waiting for the final cour.