Ichigo’s Bankai deserves a better fate in the anime than what we got in the manga.
Manga finale spoiler alert!
Throughout Bleach, we see Ichigo running around collecting new powers like Pokémon. With every new ability unlocked, his Bankai also got an upgrade. In the battle against the overarching villain of the series, Yhwach, we finally got to witness the final form of his Zanpakuto. Many fans found that the reveal lacked impact. Will the final fight of the series be better executed in the anime?
After spending most of the series with a pseudo-Bankai, Ichigo discovers his true potential in the final arc. However, almost as soon as he shows up and attacks Yhwach, his new, real Bankai gets broken. Then, Ishida temporarily strips Yhwach of his power, and Ichigo one-shots him before he recovers. At this point, Yhwach is so weak that even Ichigo's shattered sword is enough to defeat him.
In the end, the only glimpse of Ichigo’s true Bankai we get is a single panel.
Many fans feel that Ichigo’s real Bankai simply doesn't have any impressive special abilities, otherwise, they would have actually been revealed to us in the manga. Ichigo’s Zanpakuto is just so strong that it can kill gods. Basically, the finale’s anti-climax is supposed to further emphasize the ridiculousness of Ichigo’s last power-up. Others argue that the real reason we never got an epic battle between two of the most overpowered characters in the series is more pragmatic.
Last year, Bleach mangaka Tite Kubo revealed that he was forced to omit some scenes from the manga due to time constraints. He also shared that he sent some of his ideas to Studio Pierrot so that more could be included in the anime. Could it be that we’ll get to see more of Ichigo’s Bankai form in future episodes that adapt the final arc?
Of course, Kubo has been long known to “troll” fans by subverting their expectations, so it’s not out of possibility that Ichigo’s final power wasn’t revealed on purpose, and not because the manga release was rushed due to tight deadlines and the author’s health issues.
The lack of actual fighting between Ichigo and Yhwach can actually be interpreted as a perfect finale: after Ichigo has finally realized his potential and developed the power he needs to end the war with the Quincy, it immediately slips through his fingers. This further establishes Yhwach as an overwhelmingly powerful, terrifying villain. Or is this giving Kubo too much credit?
Either way, we cannot wait to see what Studio Pierrot does with the ending. The animators have done a great job with the Thousand-Year Blood War arc so far, so we know that Kubo’s vision will come to life in a spectacular way.
Ichigo’s Bankai deserves a better fate in the anime than what we got in the manga.
Manga finale spoiler alert!
Throughout Bleach, we see Ichigo running around collecting new powers like Pokémon. With every new ability unlocked, his Bankai also got an upgrade. In the battle against the overarching villain of the series, Yhwach, we finally got to witness the final form of his Zanpakuto. Many fans found that the reveal lacked impact. Will the final fight of the series be better executed in the anime?
After spending most of the series with a pseudo-Bankai, Ichigo discovers his true potential in the final arc. However, almost as soon as he shows up and attacks Yhwach, his new, real Bankai gets broken. Then, Ishida temporarily strips Yhwach of his power, and Ichigo one-shots him before he recovers. At this point, Yhwach is so weak that even Ichigo's shattered sword is enough to defeat him.
In the end, the only glimpse of Ichigo’s true Bankai we get is a single panel.
Many fans feel that Ichigo’s real Bankai simply doesn't have any impressive special abilities, otherwise, they would have actually been revealed to us in the manga. Ichigo’s Zanpakuto is just so strong that it can kill gods. Basically, the finale’s anti-climax is supposed to further emphasize the ridiculousness of Ichigo’s last power-up. Others argue that the real reason we never got an epic battle between two of the most overpowered characters in the series is more pragmatic.
Last year, Bleach mangaka Tite Kubo revealed that he was forced to omit some scenes from the manga due to time constraints. He also shared that he sent some of his ideas to Studio Pierrot so that more could be included in the anime. Could it be that we’ll get to see more of Ichigo’s Bankai form in future episodes that adapt the final arc?
Of course, Kubo has been long known to “troll” fans by subverting their expectations, so it’s not out of possibility that Ichigo’s final power wasn’t revealed on purpose, and not because the manga release was rushed due to tight deadlines and the author’s health issues.
The lack of actual fighting between Ichigo and Yhwach can actually be interpreted as a perfect finale: after Ichigo has finally realized his potential and developed the power he needs to end the war with the Quincy, it immediately slips through his fingers. This further establishes Yhwach as an overwhelmingly powerful, terrifying villain. Or is this giving Kubo too much credit?
Either way, we cannot wait to see what Studio Pierrot does with the ending. The animators have done a great job with the Thousand-Year Blood War arc so far, so we know that Kubo’s vision will come to life in a spectacular way.
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