Bleach: The 3rd Phantom

is a Tactical Role-Playing Game for Nintendo DS based on the popular manga written by Tite Kubo. It was recently released September 15 of 2009 in the United States.

This game features a spin-off storyline in the Bleach continuity written for this game by Tite Kubo himself.Two shinigami, Matsuri Kudo and her twin brother Fujimaru Kudo, shortly after obtaining positions in the 5th Division under their adoptive father Seigen Suzunami, fend off an Arrancar, bent on the destruction of Soul Society by the name of Arturo Plateado. After their 'final battle' with the strange Arrancar, the twins are suspended in time, until their reawakening in the present day. In the living world, Fujimaru meets Ichigo Kurosaki and a strange girl named Shiyo as well as many of the other characters of Bleach. It is here that they learn about the true intentions of their former 5th Division Lieutenant Sōsuke Aizen, as well as the passing of many of their dear friends and family. Acquaintances of Kaien Shiba, Rukia Kuchiki, Renji Abarai, Rangiku Matsumoto, Gin Ichimaru, Momo Hinamori, Tōshirō Hitsugaya and even Soifon, the twins are genuinely surprised to discover that all of these children now outrank them, and confronted with sadness upon discovery of the true extent of this lost time. Fujimaru soon discovers that Seigen and Matsuri are indeed still alive, but have joined forces with Aizen, believing that Soul Society organized the death of Konoka Suzunami and the destruction of the Suzunami House. After many battles, Fujimaru finally reunites with his sister, and together they resolve to bring Seigen back to Soul Society. However, they are unable to do so, as Seigen has been transformed into a gigantic, bestial Hollow-like monster. Not truly a Vizard, and closer in appearance to an Arrancar, Seigen is used as a weapon against Soul Society. Fujimaru and Matsuri decide to lead an expedition team to Hueco Mundo in order to defeat Aizen once and for all. They never do get that far, as after attacking the monster Seigen, they are transported into a strange 'in-between' place, where they defeat Seigen, momentarily returning him to his own form, before he, Konoka and Shiyo fade away from life. The game ends with Fujimaru and Matsuri in the living world, trying to learn the alphabet, which Fujimaru messes up each and every time as Ichigo and his friends call them out.

Gameplay
Unlike the two first Bleach DS games, The 3rd Phantom is not a fighting game, but a turn-based tactic game. Two teams fight each others on an isometrically viewed battlefield in a style similar to the Final Fantasy Tactics and Fire Emblem games. When a character attacks an opponent, the screen switches to a side view, similar to the Bleach DS fighting games. If two teammates are near the same opponent, they can perform a tag team move more powerful than the basic ones which may make it easier to kill an enemy. Once the player has won the battle, his/her characters will earn experience points which will increase their stats and unlock new abilities.

Characters
Most of the cast returns from Bleach DS 2nd: Kokui Hirameku Requiem.

Returning Characters

 * Ichigo Kurosaki
 * Rukia Kuchiki
 * Orihime Inoue
 * Uryū Ishida
 * Yasutora Sado
 * Renji Abarai
 * Byakuya Kuchiki
 * Gin Ichimaru (Hueco Mundo Outfit)
 * Kenpachi Zaraki
 * Tōshirō Hitsugaya
 * Momo Hinamori
 * Kaname Tōsen (Hueco Mundo Outfit)
 * Sajin Komamura
 * Mayuri Kurotsuchi
 * Shunsui Kyōraku
 * Jūshirō Ukitake
 * Soifon
 * Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai
 * Yoruichi Shihouin (present, Captain)
 * Sōsuke Aizen (Lieutenat, Hueco Mundo Outfit)
 * Nemu Kurotsuchi
 * Yachiru Kusajishi
 * Kon
 * Kisuke Urahara (present, Captain)
 * Kūkaku Shiba
 * Don Kanonji
 * Shūhei Hisagi
 * Izuru Kira
 * Ikkaku Madarame
 * Rangiku Matsumoto
 * Hanatarō Yamada
 * Menos Grande (non-playable)
 * Grand Fisher (non-playable)
 * Shrieker (non-playable)

New Characters

 * Retsu Unohana
 * Yumichika Ayasegawa
 * Kaien Shiba
 * Jidanbō Ikkanzaka
 * Shinji Hirako
 * Hiyori Sarugaki
 * Ulquiorra Cifer
 * Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez
 * Yammy Rialgo
 * Shawlong Kūfang
 * Edrad Liones
 * Nakeem Greendina
 * Di Roy Linker
 * Yylfordt Granz
 * Sōjirō Kusaka
 * Arturo Plateado

Game Original Characters

 * Matsuri Kudo
 * Fujimaru Kudo
 * Seigen Suzunami
 * Konoka Suzunami
 * Shiyo

Trivia

 * In manga timeline created by Kubo, Shinji Hirako serves as the Squad 5 Captain 100 years before the main Bleach storyline, which may indicate that the game has its own continuity. This is further supported by the fact that in the manga, Kisuke Urahara was only captain of the 12th Division while Shinji was captain of the Fifth Division (Urahara and Seigen are both captains during the game's events), both leaving Soul Society at the same time, due to a plot set up by Aizen.
 * The game also features Grand Fisher, Shrieker and his Artillery, Jibakurai, and Numb Chandelier as lesser Hollows. However, likely for continuity reasons, every one of these Hollows had their name changed (for example, Grand Fisher to Grand Savage, and Shrieker to Screamer).

Music
The theme song of the game is by Ikimono gakari. The band also performed the Bleach anime seventh ending song.