Ever since the curtains fell on the first part of Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, fans have been waiting in anticipation of Part 2’s release. About six months later, it is now confirmed that the Thousand Year Blood War arc will continue with its Part 2 as a part of this 2023’s summer lineup. We know that Part 2 is set to release on July 2023, but how much will it cover is a burning question that pervades the mind of many Bleach fanatics. Especially the Anime-only ones given their seclusion from the Manga source, yet they long with curiosities about what happens in it and how it is different from Anime.
The End of Part One
The Thousand Year Blood War arc is the anime adaptation of the final arc of the Bleach manga, featuring the events of the Quincy Blood War. The first cour started with the adaptation of chapter 480 from volume 55 of Bleach, picking up right where the anime left off almost a decade ago. The conflict ignites a string of strange events in the Human World.
Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends discover Wandenreich’s takeover of Hueco Mundo and embark on a mission to help their allies. Capitalizing on this moment, Yhwach initiates an all-out assault on the Seireitei, resulting in the tragic demise of Captain Commander GenryÅ«sai Shigekuni Yamamoto. Part 1 concluded with the adaptation of Chapter 542.
What to Expect from TYBW Part 2
Part 2 of the Thousand Year Blood War arc is set to continue with episode 14 of the anime. The focus would be on Ichigo as he tries to get proficient with his newly reforged Zanpakuto and Bankai. He’d learn about Zangetsu and the inner hollow and how he’s been saved many times in the past via Quincy’s powers.
Following that fans can expect the appointment of Yhwach’s successor, shifting the focus towards Ishida for a bit. This would prove to be an interesting dynamic as Ichigo and Ishida are on two different sides now, with Ichigo trying to protect the Soul Society whereas Ishida stays loyal to his Quincy heritage and sides with Yhwach.
Will it conclude the manga?
The Bleach manga consists of 686 chapters spanning 74 volumes in total. The first part of the Thousand Year Blood War arc covered about 62 chapters, from chapters 480 to 542. If we follow the same pacing, Part 2 of the Thousand Year Blood War arc should cover up to Chapter 605, concluding with Volume 67.
This still leaves about 7 volumes worth of content, which comes to about 81 chapters approximately. Trying to pack all the remaining content into one 13-episode cour might prove to be counterintuitive, and hence could potentially worsen the pace. Given that Studio Pierrot has been doing a wonderful job in the adaptation so far, the wait would definitely be worth it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is unlikely that Bleach could end with the second part of the Thousand Year Blood War arc. After the second part’s run, the remaining chapters could be adapted into one final third part, which could potentially be the final conclusion for Bleach.
It is possible that we could be getting extended episodes are hour-long specials for the pilot episodes and the epilogue. After waiting for almost a decade, it seems likes fans would have to be a little more patient to witness the conclusion of Bleah, thereby finally allowing one of the Big Three to rest peacefully.