THE BLOOD WARFARE (episode)

For the volume and chapter of the same name, see THE BLOOD WARFARE.

The Blood Warfare is the first episode of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War and the three hundred and sixty-seventh episode of the Bleach anime overall.

The Gotei 13 investigates strange occurrences in the Human World and the Rukongai as Ichigo Kurosaki and Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto are confronted by mysterious enemies.

Summary
In the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, 12th Division Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi inquires about the status of the Shutara Scale, prompting his 3rd Seat, Akon, to relay that it is at category 4 and quite serious as the two of them ride an elevator down through the building. When Mayuri admonishes him for taking so long to report this, Akon apologizes and explains that they have been able to handle minor instances of this in past years with only slight adjustments, which led him to not take this to Mayuri until it became serious.

While Mayuri and Akon reach the central monitoring room below, several technicians express alarm over the readings they are getting from various sectors and rush to correct them before a researcher approaches Akon and informs him that Hollows are continuing to disappear. With Akon asserting that he already knows the boundary between the Human World and Soul Society will be at risk of collapse if this continues to occur for a few more days and dismissing the researcher, Mayuri watches several red dots disappear from a map of Japan on the monitor in front of him and affirms that only they could be capable of completely erasing Hollows like this.

Meanwhile, at nighttime in Karakura Town, a figure crushes and disperses a capsule of Hollow Bait on the roof of a building prior to departing as a Senkaimon opens in the air below and Ryūnosuke Yuki and Shino Madarame emerge, where Zennosuke Kurumadani tells them from behind the closing doors that it is time for them to focus on slaying Hollows and not fight with each other. When Shino slaps the side of his head upon seeing him staring timidly into the air where the vanishing Senkaimon was located, a startled Yuki complains about this hurting, prompting Shino to berate him for not being more confident about their post.

Yuki explains that he is just nervous, and when Shino claims that there is no reason for this when he is with her, Yuki elaborates that the rate of Hollow appearances in Karakura Town is high, which makes him question whether he is the right person to be sent in here in addition to the area already having a strong Substitute Shinigami protecting it that leaves him wondering why he is even here. In response, Shino angrily grabs Yuki by the collar and demands that he stop being so pathetic while clarifying that the Gotei 13 increased the number of Shinigami stationed here to two precisely so that they would not need to rely on the Substitute Shinigami as much.

Though Shino concludes this proves his abilities were acknowledged when he was selected for this, Yuki points out that it does not make sense to station more personnel here to prevent a strong person from fighting for them, but Shino simply dismisses him and declares that she will be patrolling the north side while Yuki takes the south. With Yuki expressing shock at her not wanting to stay together for this, Shino questions why two of them would be sent if this were not the optimal solution and asks Yuki if he is scared, only for Yuki to respond to her demanding that he say so by bluntly confirming he is, causing an annoyed Shino to leap away and tell Yuki to find his resolve.

After moving through the empty streets and across the quiet rooftops for several minutes, Yuki sits on the bridge connecting the two sides of the town and laments being left alone by Shino even after telling her that he is scared. Suddenly, as he expresses a desire to avoid encountering any Hollows, Yuki hears a loud crashing noise and looks up to see a large, mono-eyed Hollow with four legs grinning down at him while the traffic lights on the nearby streets change from green to red, prompting a screaming Yuki to leap down to the ground below and begin running while the Hollow drops down behind him and begins chasing after Yuki.

Calling Shino on his Denreishinki and frantically telling her that a Hollow is here, Yuki rapidly leaps across rooftops, telephone poles, and traffic lights as the Hollow pursues him and destroys them with its weight. Eventually, Yuki runs into a building from the ground floor, with the Hollow crashing through the glass doors behind him, and ascends the stairs while continuing his attempts to reach Shino, only to stop in shock upon reaching the roof of the building, where he sees a bloodied and motionless Shino being held by an ape-like Huge Hollow, who is flanked by two others and stares down at a terrified Yuki.

With Shino's Zanpakutō slipping from her hand and clattering on the ground in front of him, a trembling Yuki reaches for his own Zanpakutō and mentally asserts that he has to do this for her, but is interrupted when the first Hollow attacks him from behind, drawing a large amount of blood and resulting in Yuki slamming into the railing at the edge of the rooftop. Seeing his blood pooling out from under him, a stunned Yuki is left incredulous at this happening from one attack and wonders if he is going to die while the Hollow rears over him and prepares to attack once more. However, the Hollow is cut in half when a Getsuga Tenshō hurtles across the rooftop.

As the Huge Hollows turn to look at this, a Heilig Pfeil rockets through the air and cuts off the hand holding Shino, who is quickly grabbed out of the air by Yasutora Sado while Ayame and Shun'ō fly down to Yuki and form Sōten Kisshun over him. After dispersing the technique, leaving Yuki to sit up in confusion, and healing Shino as well, Orihime Inoue informs Yuki that she will finish healing them when the battle is over as Ichigo Kurosaki confidently walks forward to join his friends with his Shikai, Zangetsu, over his shoulder and declares that they should finish this quickly, leaving Yuki speechless.

In response to this, the three Huge Hollows roar loudly, which results in dozens of other Huge Hollows emerging from between the nearby buildings and approaching the rooftop that they are located on. Though Yuki cannot comprehend how anyone can fight off so many Huge Hollows, Orihime responds to one of them reaching for her by initiating Shiten Kōshun in front of herself, stopping the Huge Hollow in its tracks and blowing it back into two others with the rejected force. Upon seeing this, Sado leaps up with his Fullbring, Brazo Izquierda del Diablo, and performs La Muerte by punching the Huge Hollow hard in the stomach.

The Huge Hollow and the two others behind it are blown back several hundred meters into the side of a building, where they are destroyed on impact as a massive skull forms in the wall they hit. When two other Huge Hollows attempt to attack Ichigo, Uryū destroys them with a single Heilig Pfeil each and skates around with Hirenkyaku as he obliterates several more before running up the side of a billboard, leaping into the air, and firing Licht Regen downward while upside down, resulting in half of the remaining Huge Hollows being blown apart while Ichigo expresses alarm at nearly being hit by the resulting explosions that surround him.

As Uryū comments on how close this was and Ichigo claims that his Heilig Pfeil were much more dangerous, an awestruck Yuki fails to notice a Huge Hollow reaching for him from behind, only for Ichigo to intercept the Huge Hollow's hand with Zangetsu and promises to take them all on prior to activating his Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu, in a large explosion of Reiatsu and firing a black Getsuga Tenshō that engulfs the remaining Huge Hollows in a massive explosion. In the aftermath, with Yuki questioning who he is, Ichigo introduces himself as a Substitute Shinigami. Some time later, Yuki regains consciousness and opens his eyes.

Upon finding himself resting in Ichigo's bedroom at the Kurosaki Clinic, Yuki looks over to Ichigo, who tells him that he is free to leave if he is awake. Suddenly, Orihime bursts into the room with a tray of bread from the bakery she works at and expresses relief at Yuki being awake, though Ichigo wonders if the bread she brought is really good to eat since it being leftover from the bakery sales means that it did not sell well. In response, Orihime teasingly asserts that people who say this will not get any bread, prompting Uryū to walk in and observe that Orihime is correct since Ichigo always enjoys the bread she brings the most.

When Sado joins them and affirms this, Ichigo tells them to shut up and demands to know why they are coming in without ringing the doorbell, which leads Uryū to explain that they met Yuzu Kurosaki outside prior to suggesting that Ichigo stop talking and get them some plates, though Ichigo is left irate at the idea of taking orders from him. While Uryū states that he is merely giving advice rather than orders and Ichigo tells him to shut up once more, an initially dazed Yuki screams in astonishment once he recognizes Ichigo as the Substitute Shinigami he met last night, with Ichigo deducing that this delayed realization is why he was so unresponsive until now.

However, Ichigo clarifies that their first meeting took place two days ago and that Yuki has been asleep for over a day, leading Yuki to frantically ask him about Shino's condition before Ichigo hands him a plate of breads to sample. Ichigo notes that Yuki will not be able to eat like this and suggests that he get into the Gigai next to him, and when Yuki screams in fright upon seeing a blank-eyed Gigai with his appearance lying in bed next to him, Ichigo wonders if he has to scream at everything, though Yuki explains that he does not have time for this and inquires once again about Shino's condition just before the latter walks into the room.

Carrying two shopping bags with cola that she announces to the group, Shino stops in surprise and drops them upon seeing Yuki, whom she tearfully addresses before calling him pathetic and delivering a flying clothesline to a relieved Yuki. As Shino continues to berate and wrestle with Yuki in the background, Orihime laments Shino dropping the cola and Uryū suggests that they set aside the yakisoba bread since he believes Yuki would like it, but Ichigo immediately discerns that Uryū is really saying this because he does not want it. Suddenly, when Ichigo asks for Yuki's name, Asguiaro Ebern lands on Ichigo's bed and introduces himself.

In response, Ichigo demands that Ebern get off his bed and repeats this at Ebern's request, only for Ebern to refuse. Upon hearing this, Ichigo kicks Ebern hard in the face, sending him flying out of the window that Orihime quickly opens behind him as Sado questions who he was and Uryū infers that he is probably an Arrancar due to the mask fragment on his face. Grabbing his Substitute Shinigami Badge, Ichigo promises to drive Ebern away and enters his Shinigami form, leaving Yuki to wonder who Ebern was while he and Shino clutch each other and Uryū to stare intently after Ichigo as Orihime chews on more bread and admits that she does not know.

In an intersection below, Ebern clutches his face and questions why Ichigo kicked him before the latter calls out to him from the air above and promises to hear Ebern out if the latter follows him since he assumes Ebern is here for him. Though Ebern calls him arrogant for this assumption and claims that Ichigo must be curious about who he is, Ichigo denies this and asks Ebern if Uryū was right about him being an Arrancar, to Ebern's annoyance. With Ichigo inquiring about whether he came with anyone and why he is here, Ebern expresses irritation at being called an Arrancar and moves into the air in front of Ichigo, who wonders what is wrong.

In response, Ebern flicks out his hand, revealing a Quincy Cross, and creates a set of Reishi Cannons from the air, leaving a startled Ichigo to identify the Quincy Cross as identical to Uryū's while Ebern asks him if he sees something familiar. Simultaneously, in the west 64th district of the Rukongai, Sabitsura, 11th Division 5th Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa comes to a halt in a village and muses that there really is no one here while 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame asserts that no one from the Rukongai could simply disappear under the Gotei 13's surveillance, leading Yumichika to note that there were still a few left when they received the report.

With Ikkaku observing that this means the situation is getting worse, two of their subordinates approach and reveal that they could not find even a single child after searching the entire area. When Yumichika comments on the entire village disappearing like this being almost supernatural, Ikkaku refuses to accept such an explanation prior to one of the subordinates bringing them to a set of footprints in the dirt that converge and suddenly cease. After confirming Ikkaku's observation that there are only marks of bare feet and sandals, Yumichika deduces that the residents of this village abducted each other.

Ikkaku proclaims that they will determine what this means by continuing to investigate, which his subordinates affirm, and Mayuri views a large screen displaying several zones of the Rukongai marked as clear while Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto stands in his office, where he notices a flash of energy from the Seireitei outside and recognizes it in astonishment as the power of his lieutenant, Chōjirō Sasakibe. Suddenly, a Shinigami attempting to report to Yamamoto is decapitated, leading Yamamoto to turn around and find seven masked individuals standing across from him at the other end of the room.

While Luders Friegen greets Yamamoto and states that they have come to declare war, Ebern fires several blasts of Reishi at Ichigo, who evades and cuts through them with Zangetsu as he mentally struggles to reconcile Ebern using a Quincy artifact despite looking like an Arrancar. Back in Yamamoto's office, Luders points out how easy it was to infiltrate the office of the Captain-Commander and questions if Yamamoto's security is lax, but Yamamoto simply proclaims that there is no greater security than his own presence, which Luders acknowledges. However, they are interrupted when Chōjirō is impaled and pinned to the wall by a massive Heilig Pfeil.

With Yamamoto expressing shock at this, Luders assures him that he does not need to mourn for Chōjirō, who has demonstrated the fate of a hopeless death following a desperate struggle that is destined for all of the Shinigami, before proclaiming that the Wandenreich will annihilate Soul Society in five days. Yamamoto moves to Chōjirō with Shunpo, shatters the Heilig Pfeil impaling him, and holds Chōjirō with his left arm while glaring at Luders, who infers that Yamamoto wants to know who they are and refuses to tell him since he should already know prior to Shadows enveloping him and the other six individuals.

In response to this, Yamamoto furiously tells them to wait and unleashes a torrent of flame with his Shikai, Ryūjin Jakka, that envelops the room. Back in Karakura Town, Ichigo continues evading blasts from Ebern, who pursues him around and underneath the central bridge as he questions if this is really the extent of Ichigo's power. Noticing that Ebern has been taunting him like this and encouraging him to use his Bankai, Ichigo stops to cut one of the blasts in half, leaving them to explode in the air behind him, and decides that he has no choice but to play along since he does not know who Ebern is or what he wants here before readying Zangetsu.

As Yamamoto sees that the individuals got away and a badly wounded Chōjirō reveals that there is something he must tell Yamamoto, Ichigo prepares to activate his Bankai, to Ebern's delight, and Chōjirō tells Yamamoto that the enemy can do something to their Bankai just as Ebern pulls out a Medallion and activates it, releasing a surge of energy around him that forms a massive X in the air, which he declares will be the end of Ichigo's Bankai. After activating Tensa Zangetsu, Ichigo is startled by the activated Medallion, which releases several beams of light to envelop him while Ebern begins reciting a chant in German.

However, despite the left arm of his longcoat beginning to crack and break off into the air from the effects of the Medallion, a yelling Ichigo manages to destroy the beams of light with a slash from his sword, to Ebern's disbelief, and fires a Getsuga Tenshō directly at Ebern, engulfing him in a gigantic explosion. In the aftermath, a badly burned Ebern emerges from the smoke and demands to know why Tensa Zangetsu did not disappear, only for Ichigo to hold his sword to Ebern's throat from behind the latter and pick up on this while musing that he now has many questions to ask Ebern due to the events of the last five minutes.

Suddenly, when Ichigo asserts that Ebern is coming with him, a cursing Ebern creates a Shadow in front of himself, causing Ichigo to move back in alarm, and assures Ichigo it only covers the chosen before vanishing once the Shadow moves back to envelop him and disintegrates into the wind, leaving Ichigo to wonder what this was since it was not a Garganta. Shortly afterward, at Silbern, Luders walks into the main hall alongside his six companions and notices Ebern kneeling nearby, which he mockingly commends as he considers forgiving Ebern's overzealousness, though Ebern quickly clarifies he would never bow before Luders.

However, an aggravated Luders is interrupted when Yhwach cuts off his right arm, causing him to collapse and scream in agony while Yhwach reminds him that they are not to argue in his presence since he dislikes conflict before requesting that they relay their report for peace.

Fights & Events

 * The New Shinigami Guardians & the Broken Balance (concluded)
 * Ichigo Kurosaki vs. Asguiaro Ebern (concluded)
 * Rise of the Wandenreich

Powers and Techniques Used
Zanpakutō Techniques:

Hohō Techniques:

Fullbring Techniques:

Quincy Techniques:

Other Techniques:

Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:

Bankai:
 * (offscreen)
 * (offscreen)

Fullbring:

Spirit Weapons:
 * Unnamed Heilig Bogen
 * Reishi Cannons

Other Powers:

Items:

Anime Notes
Removed Content= Added/Expanded Content= Changes= Trivia=
 * Zennosuke Kurumadani waking up Ryūnosuke Yuki in his barracks in the Seireitei for his first day in Karakura Town.
 * Yuki making fun of Shino Madarame for saying he should puff his chest out when she has small breasts, causing her to punch him, as well as Zennosuke noticing his bruised face later.
 * Yuki dodging two of the Hollow's attacks and expecting Shino to tell him to not make the Hollow's arrival sound like he is advertising a new product.
 * Yuki observing that he is losing a lot of blood and lamenting that he has not even saved Shino yet.
 * Ichigo Kurosaki telling Yuki that he and Shino need to be much better than Zennosuke if they want to be of any use to him.
 * Ichigo questioning if Uryū Ishida came here just to get in his way.
 * Yuki claiming that he was not listening upon waking up, only for Ichigo to deny anyone having said anything.
 * Yuzu Kurosaki and Karin Kurosaki noticing the loud noise from Ichigo's room and assuming that he is messing around with his friends again.
 * Yasutora Sado promising that he and Uryū will catch up to Ichigo once they finish eating, only for Ichigo to claim it will be done by then.
 * Asguiaro Ebern frantically following Ichigo through the air when the latter leaves to move him away from the Kurosaki Clinic.
 * Ichigo asking Ebern if he is here for revenge for Sōsuke Aizen.
 * Ebern declaring that he is not an Arrancar.
 * Yumichika Ayasegawa suggesting that the villagers got scared and left, prompting Ikkaku Madarame to assert that the Shinigami Research and Development Institute would have told them if this happened.
 * Luders Friegen telling Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto that this is his last moment of arrogance.
 * Yamamoto deducing that the Wandenreich can move through the Shakonmaku undetected due to leaving no traces of Reiatsu after the messengers leave his office.
 * Yuki observing that it does not make sense to station more Shinigami in Karakura Town just to prevent the resident Substitute Shinigami from having to fight when he is strong enough to handle himself.
 * Yuki exploring and patrolling Karakura Town's streets and rooftops before resting on a bridge, where he laments Shino not listening to him admitting that he is scared.
 * The Hollow chasing Yuki across several rooftops and through the street until he runs into a building and up a flight of stairs.
 * Shino's Zanpakutō dropping from her limp hand in front of Yuki.
 * Uryū severing the hand of the Hollow holding Shino with a Heilig Pfeil, allowing Sado to grab her out of the air.
 * Orihime Inoue healing Yuki with Sōten Kisshun.
 * The three Huge Hollows summoning dozens more by roaring, Orihime repelling a Huge Hollow with Shiten Kōshun, Sado blowing away three Huge Hollows with La Muerte, Uryū obliterating half of the remaining Huge Hollows with Licht Regen, and Ichigo destroying the rest with Tensa Zangetsu and a Getsuga Tenshō.
 * Uryū staring intently after Ebern confronts Ichigo.
 * The Shinigami in Yamamoto's office lying decapitated before the Wandenreich messengers.
 * In the manga, Yuki and Shino's conversation about being stationed in Karakura Town and Ichigo Kurosaki's presence therein takes place in the Seireitei; here, it instead takes place in Karakura Town.
 * In the manga, Yuki is confronted by a Hollow on a rooftop; here, he is instead confronted by it on a bridge.
 * In the manga, there are four Hollows around Shino after she is defeated; here, there are instead only three, with the moth-like Hollow behind the others remaining absent.
 * In the manga, Ichigo kills both the Hollow attacking Yuki and the Hollow holding Shino with his Getsuga Tenshō; here, he instead only kills the Hollow attacking Yuki.
 * In the manga, Ichigo introduces himself to Yuki before the remaining Hollows are dealt with; here, he instead does so afterward.
 * In the manga, Ichigo and his friends defeating the rest of the Hollows is presented as a flashback after Yuki wakes up; here, it is instead depicted immediately after Ichigo saves Yuki from the Hollow.
 * In the manga, Orihime heals Shino after Ichigo chastises Uryū for firing indiscriminately around him, with Shino lying close to Yuki; here, she instead does so only after healing Yuki and following Sado rescuing Shino, who is lying on the opposite end of the rooftop.
 * In the manga, after learning that the battle against the Huge Hollows was two days ago, Yuki ruminates on how surprisingly strong Ichigo and his friends were against them; here, he instead frantically inquires about Shino's condition.
 * In the manga, Ichigo hands bread to Yuki while standing; here, he instead does so while sitting down with his friends.
 * In the manga, Ikkaku and Yumichika are running while discussing the disappearance of the villagers; here, they are instead standing in the village and examining it.
 * In the manga, Ichigo's friends stand up once Ebern confronts them; here, they instead remain sitting.
 * In the manga, Ichigo talks to Ebern while moving through the air with him; here, Ebern instead remains on the ground where he landed after being kicked for the duration of the conversation.
 * In the manga, when Ebern uses a Quincy Cross to create his Reishi Cannons, Ichigo begins to recognize what it is before Ebern interrupts him; here, Ichigo instead fully identifies it as identical to Uryū's.
 * In the manga, Ikkaku observes that no one could simply disappear from the Rukongai without the Gotei 13 knowing while running toward the village; here, he instead does so after searching the village.
 * In the manga, Ikkaku notes that there were a few villagers left when they received the report; here, Yumichika does so instead.
 * In the manga, Yamamoto receives relayed reports from the Ninth Division and Eleventh Division before being confronted by the Wandenreich messengers, who kill the Shinigami reporting to him; here, he instead notices a flash of Chōjirō Sasakibe's power from outside before a Shinigami attempting to reach him is killed by the messengers.
 * In the manga, Chōjirō being pinned to the wall, the Wandenreich messengers leaving, and Chōjirō informing Yamamoto of the Wandenreich being able to affect their Bankai all take place after Ichigo withstands Ebern using his Medallion and attacks the latter; here, the two sets of scenes are instead intercut.
 * In the manga, Ichigo and Ebern remain in roughly the same place above Karakura Town while battling; here, they instead move across the town and underneath the central bridge during their battle.
 * Despite the events of this episode occurring sometime in 2003, Ichigo's room contains a Playstation 5 (first released in 2020) and an IPad (first released in 2010).

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The Blood Warfare (episodio)