HEART of WOLF (episode)

For the volume of the same name, see HEART OF WOLF.

HEART of WOLF is the sixteenth episode of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War and the three hundred and eighty-third episode of the Bleach anime overall.

7th Division Captain Sajin Komamura reveals a new technique that allows him to effectively take on Bambietta Basterbine as Mask De Masculine returns to battle for a second round.

Summary
Several Shinigami are obliterated by the Quincy: Vollständig activating across the replaced Seireitei, and as Yhwach declares that it is time for the Gotei 13 to despair, Candice Catnipp notices that her wings have come out due to resonance, prompting Giselle Gewelle to tell her to use it if she wants and deactivate her own Quincy: Vollständig since it makes her tired, prompting Candice to deactivate hers as well and insist that she does not need it. With the group of female Sternritter standing on a rooftop, Meninas McAllon peers over the edge and points out how Bambietta Basterbine's Quincy: Vollständig has activated as well, prompting Liltotto Lamperd to muse that this is not surprising since Bambietta was already mad at them for disappearing. Calling this scary, Giselle asserts that Bambietta is the last person who should be allowed to use the technique because of her stupidity and concludes that this battle will be over soon because of this development. Simultaneously, 5th Division Captain Shinji Hirako stands before Bambietta.

Though Shinji claims that her transformation does not matter since her perception is still reversed, he is interrupted by a ring of explosions around Bambietta that send him flying through the air before a Reishi projectile slams into him on the ground, engulfing him in another explosion and leaving his chest smoking with a large wound, as Bambietta calls his technique lame and declares that she will simply destroy everything around herself with The Explode in this case. After flying into the air and blanketing the ground below with explosions, Bambietta is startled when the smoke clears to reveal 7th Division Captain Sajin Komamura standing over Shinji.

With Bambietta mockingly welcoming Komamura back, 5th Division Lieutenant Momo Hinamori leaps into the air behind her while calling out to Shinji, and when Bambietta asks her whose lieutenant she is, Hinamori attempts to attack her with her Shikai, Tobiume, only for a manically grinning Bambietta to fire dozens of Reishi projectiles at her, forcing Komamura to grab Hinamori and pull her out of the air before she gets hit by the ensuing explosion. Landing on a rooftop below, Komamura chastises Hinamori for being so reckless and warns her that the projectiles cannot be stopped by Tobiume or without armor.

Suddenly, Bambietta flies right behind Komamura and comments on this assumption, prompting Komamura to draw his Zanpakutō and slash at her. Upon evading this and flying higher into the air, Bambietta mocks Komamura for thinking his helmet can protect him and fires a projectile at him, with Komamura noticing something about it and moving his head to the side at the last second as his left forearm blocks the blast. Behind him, Hinamori braces herself against the shockwave and sees that Komamura's left gauntlet has been destroyed by this while Bambietta attributes Komamura's action to animal instinct and confirms that her projectiles cannot be blocked.

Revealing that the Reishi projectiles are not bombs themselves, but instead turn anything they touch into a bomb, Bambietta concludes that trying to deflect them at the last minute will not do anything and fires dozens more projectiles at Komamura, who has Hinamori get behind him just before the projectiles engulf the two of them in a massive explosion. However, with Bambietta inferring that only his armor is destroyed and hoping to see what lies beneath, she is confused when the smoke clears to reveal Komamura with a Human face and body. In the past, Komamura stands before the defeated Wolfman Clan Elder while still in his wolfen form.

When a stunned Komamura repeats that their clan's secret technique is called the Humanization Technique, the Elder confirms this and explains that the clan was sent to the Animal Realm for the sins they committed during their past lives, but were not resolved by this and so returned to Soul Society, before revealing that temporarily breaking the chain of sins that binds them allows them to return to the forms they had before they were condemned to being beasts, which lets them gain immense power in the form of the Humanization Technique. With Komamura wondering how it can be done, the Elder tells him to give up his heart.

Told to tear out his heart and offer it to the Elder in return for the technique being bestowed upon him, Komamura simply looks at his hand, but when the Elder assumes he cannot do this and asserts that this is fine since Komamura has no obligation to throw his life away for the Shinigami, Komamura counters that he does because Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto took him in after he abandoned his clan to avoid having to hide any longer, leaving him with a vast debt to repay, and the Quincy killed Yamamoto, meaning that he must now do whatever it takes to avenge the latter, before ripping his heart out of his chest while the Elder watches.

In the present, Komamura tells Hinamori to take Shinji and leave, which she complies with, prior to asserting that he has no choice and activating Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō: Dangai Jōe, which summons his Bankai and shatters the armor encasing it, causing the pieces to crash into the ground and buildings around it before flames begin burning in its eye sockets. Bewildered by this, Bambietta narrowly dodges a powerful strike from Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō and flies back as she comments on the lack of wolfen traits even in Komamura's Bankai, questions if there is a wolf beneath its monstrous visage, and fires dozens more projectiles at it.

However, after Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō blocks the projectiles with its left hand, Bambietta is shocked to see the resulting hole in its palm rapidly closing up as its tissue is restored, leading Komamura to explain that Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō is an armored Bankai imbued with life and that Dangai Jōe strips it of its armor, leaving only its Reiatsu and power behind and preventing The Explode from properly harming it. With Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō running toward and attempting to grab her, Bambietta flies around its hand, blasts it with another projectile when it reaches for her again, and evades a slash of its sword.

Bombing Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō with another round of projectiles and flying out of the resulting cloud of smoke, Bambietta asserts that its Reiatsu being exposed means Komamura's weaknesses are as well and detonates several projectiles along the length of the left arm of Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō, only for Komamura to state that becoming a bomb and exploding is only frightening to something that is alive, such that there is no fear to be had when something is not alive. With Bambietta confused by this, Komamura clarifies that the life of Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō lies within its armor, meaning that Dangai Jōe strips it of its life as well.

While ripping off her damaged cloak, Bambietta demands to know what Komamura is talking about since she knows how Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō works from possessing it up until a few moments ago and is aware that its status is linked to that of its possessor before firing a dozen more projectiles directly into the chest of Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō, resulting in a corresponding explosion on Komamura's own chest. Despite this, an initially confident Bambietta falters in her claim that Komamura is vulnerable even if Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō is not when she sees that his heart is missing from his chest, leaving a gaping hole on the left side.

Komamura details how his body is now an empty shell meant for nothing more than the defeat of Bambietta's people and reveals that the Humanization Technique offers his clan temporarily immortal bodies in return for their hearts, which means that he cannot die so long as he is in this form. Alarmed by this, a frightened Bambietta begins fleeing, with Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō leaping into the air after her and preparing to attack, and fires hundreds of projectiles behind herself as she expresses disbelief at Komamura throwing his life away since the point of battle is to avoid dying, which makes his choice apparently pointless.

However, Komamura counters that he has staked his life instead of throwing it away since Yamamoto did the same for this war and proclaims that he had left his life behind before he even entered this battle while slashing his Zanpakutō forward, causing Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō to mirror his action and slash its sword into Bambietta, creating a massive explosion. Meanwhile, within his cave, the Elder praises Komamura for proving that he is one of them and expresses pride in him as the cup containing the latter's heart begins to overflow with blood. Back at the fight, a stunned Bambietta realizes that her projectiles are not detonating in time.

With Bambietta deducing that the force of the attack from Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō is pushing the projectiles back into her body before they can explode and expressing disbelief at this, the resulting explosion immolates her and sends her crashing into the ground below as Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō lands nearby and looks at Silbern in the distance, where Yhwach and Uryū Ishida behold it from the outdoor throne room. Suddenly, as he and Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō begin approaching Silbern, Komamura falls to his knees, causing Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō to mirror him a few seconds later and begin cracking while its head shatters.

Komamura begs the Humanization Technique and his heart to last a little longer so he can reach Silbern and kill Yhwach, who smiles, and forces himself to stand up as his canine teeth begin to lengthen into fangs. Simultaneously, the Elder wonders if Komamura has noticed that his feelings are a desire for revenge and that he is throwing his life away for vengeance just as he once saw Kaname Tōsen do, but assures him that this is fine since revenge is their clan's true form and that he has finally come back to their clan. With his ears transforming into large wolfen ones, Komamura sees his left arm transform into a large, four-fingered paw.

Initially unsure of what this is, Komamura has fur envelop his body and feels his face protruding outward while his feet transform into furred paws as well, leading him to realize that this is the price he must pay. Confirming this, the Elder notes that Komamura will soon lose his Human body forever and transform into a beast of revenge prior to encouraging him to let his anger reach its limit, curse his place in life, and wallow in his vengeance so that the Elder can sustain himself on it and live on. After thanking Komamura for becoming a beast that cannot speak for him, the pleased Elder leans down and consumes Komamura's still-beating heart.

Back in the city, Komamura lies on the ground, now a fully-transformed and ordinary-sized wolf, and muses that this is the price of selling his soul for revenge and sullying the name of the Gotei 13 rather than taking his words to Tōsen as a warning to himself. Suddenly, his lieutenant, Tetsuzaemon Iba, appears nearby with Shunpo, hoists Komamura over his shoulders, begins walking toward Silbern, and asserts that he did nothing wrong before declaring that they will confront Yhwach and avenge Yamamoto. Elsewhere, Cang Du kneels among shattered ice and pants heavily prior to a Shadow opening next to him and Uryū emerging from it.

With Uryū doing the same to BG9 as the latter states that his damage has been repaired by 45%, Bambietta lies among the rubble in a different location with smoke coiling off her body and refuses to let herself be the first of her group to be defeated. However, she is interrupted when Candice, Liltotto, Meninas, and Giselle appear and stand over her, with Giselle promising to help her since they would be lonely without her despite Bambietta's pleas for her to stop. Simultaneously, Jugram Haschwalth stands across from Captain-Commander Shunsui Kyōraku and his lieutenant, Nanao Ise, on the other side of the latter's Hakudan Keppeki.

When Haschwalth observes that the battle seems to be evening out, Shunsui calls this analysis modest and affirms that he sees it the same way, only for Haschwalth to clarify that it would have been meaningless for him to come here if it were any other outcome because it is his job to tip the scales in their favor. Upon seeing Haschwalth draw his sword, an alarmed Shunsui moves in front of Nanao with his arm outstretched just before Hakudan Keppeki is destroyed, prompting him to note that he had forgotten how the Quincy can absorb Reishi. In turn, Haschwalth confirms that he has been gradually absorbing Reishi from his side of the barrier.

Haschwalth admits that this took him longer than expected and praises the technique, which Nanao decides to take as a compliment for now prior to drawing a hexagon on the ground, causing Hakudan Keppeki to reform as a series of hexagonal plates in front of Haschwalth, and pointing out that she also had time to form a new barrier during this. With Haschwalth musing that this looks different than the original iteration of the barrier, Nanao inquires if he thinks it looks weak because it is not a single layer, and after deducing that its obvious fragility must be a trap, Haschwalth grasps his sword with both hands and decides to resort to rougher measures.

Suddenly, Haschwalth stops exerting his power, reveals that Yhwach is calling him because it is time, and begins to depart, prompting Shunsui to question if he is really leaving after coming this far. Once Haschwalth tells him to thank Nanao, Shunsui asks him when he will return, and with Haschwalth asserting that he will do so when the order is given, Shunsui promises to be waiting for him with some fine tea when this comes. Meanwhile, 9th Division Lieutenant Shūhei Hisagi, 11th Division 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame, and 5th Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa stand over an incapacitated Mask De Masculine with their Shikai.

As Ikkaku expresses amazement at the size of the explosion they just witnessed, Yumichika informs him that two Reiatsu signatures disappeared afterward, with one belonging to an enemy, before a cursing Hisagi deduces that the other belonged to Komamura and attempts to run off. However, they are interrupted by James crying over Mask and begging him to get up. Though Ikkaku is confused by the presence of a tiny old man and Yumichika tells him to not bother attacking since Mask cannot fight anymore, James' cries cause Mask's body to surge with energy and emit a bright flash of light, causing him to stand up and acknowledge James.

With Ikkaku, Yumichika, and Hisagi bewildered by this, Mask declares that a superstar always gets a second round, though Ikkaku reminds him that he said this would be a one-round match, and has James ring the bell again. Hisagi tells Mask to stop joking and assumes a battle stance alongside Ikkaku and Yumichika, but Mask claims that he is always serious and rushes forward to deliver a strong punch that knocks the three of them into the air, where Mask kicks them down into the ground with enough force to incapacitate all of them. In the clearing dust, Mask pins down Hisagi with his elbow and counts to three in order to declare victory.

Turning to James, a triumphant Mask muses that although he has finished off every captain they could find, it is lackluster for them to not have a crowd witnessing his feats, which James agrees with. Suddenly, two burning lights burst through the clouds and descend into the city several miles away, and when Mask notices this and wonders if he should investigate these new foes, James points out that the spectacle these two made would ensure Mask getting the spotlight if he defeats them, prompting Mask to decide to go after them and encourage James to keep up before Hisagi's Shikai, Kazeshini, wraps around his ankle.

Despite Hisagi refusing to be defeated just because Mask reached a three-count, Mask yanks on the chain of Kazeshini to pull Hisagi toward him, delivers a brutal clothesline to Hisagi in midair, and affirms that he does believe he won from that prior to attempting to stomp on a prone Hisagi. However, he is interrupted when 9th Division Captain Kensei Muguruma stops Mask's foot with his own and admonishes Hisagi for getting knocked out without displaying the results of his training before introducing himself to Mask when the latter asks him if he is associated with these Shinigami, leaving Mask elated to be facing a captain.

Despite Mask explaining that he regrettably cannot fight Kensei because he is on his way to investigate the fallen objects, 3rd Division Captain Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi approaches him from behind and decries this since Mask has two captains to face, making them an excellent choice if he wants to garner a reputation. Intrigued by this, Mask leaps backward off Kensei's foot and flips through the air to land atop a nearby pile of rubble and challenges the two captains to come at him, leading Kensei to promise that they will not take too much of his time and Rose to smile with his Zanpakutō drawn as Mask chuckles and grins down at them.

During this, a sweating Ichigo Kurosaki stands in the Irazu Sandō and wonders what is happening while Ichibē Hyōsube muses that the weight he feels is what he is trying to protect and reveals that what Ichigo is experiencing are the everlasting memories and revelations from the power of the Soul King. Experiencing the same visions as before alongside glimpses of the original captains of the Gotei 13, Ichigo stops walking and is surrounded by surging golden, green, blue, and red Reiatsu that begins suffusing his body, causing Ichibē to question if he is a vessel capable of holding the power he is filled with or a bowl that shatters.

Suddenly, Ichigo envisions his body swelling up from the power entering him and screams in pain as four additional pupils appear in his eyes again, only for it to subside once he raises his wooden sword above his head, which Ichibē smiles at. In the aftermath, an exhausted Ichigo slowly walks forward and passes through the gate at the end of the path, taking him to the interior of Senjumaru Shutara's palace, where she sits before him on a throne surrounded by fabrics and smiles while Ichigo demands to know what comes next.

Fights & Events

 * Sajin Komamura vs. Bambietta Basterbine (concluded)
 * Kensei Muguruma & Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi vs. Mask De Masculine

Powers and Techniques Used
Hohō Techniques:

Kidō Techniques:

Quincy Techniques:

Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:

Bankai:

Schrifts:

Other Powers:

Anime Notes
Removed Content= Added/Expanded Content= Changes=
 * Giselle Gewelle noting that Candice Catnipp only recently learned how to use Quincy: Vollständig.
 * Sajin Komamura internally detailing how bombs having a momentary pause between impact and detonation would allow him to deflect one by using armor that can absorb the impact and physical strength to instantly turn it aside.
 * An aura of Komamura's wolfen form appearing around him during his declaration of leaving his life behind.
 * Rukia Kuchiki and Renji Abarai falling from the Soul King Palace and noticing the replaced Seireitei beneath them.
 * Nanao Ise explaining that the new Hakudan Keppeki is made up of small hexagonal plates.
 * Rukia and Renji landing in the Seireitei.
 * Robert and NaNaNa activating their Quincy: Vollständig and obliterating nearby Shinigami.
 * Giselle's Quincy: Vollständig wings appearing on her back and disappearing as she complains about it tiring her.
 * Shinji Hirako warning Bambietta Basterbine that her transformation does not matter since her perception is still reversed.
 * Bambietta welcoming Komamura back when he reappears.
 * A flashback to Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto being cut down by Yhwach.
 * Komamura ordering Momo Hinamori to carry Shinji to safety, which she complies with.
 * Komamura asserting that he has no other choice prior to activating his Bankai.
 * Bambietta firing several more projectiles at Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō and evading a slash from it in turn while flying across the rooftops.
 * Yhwach and Uryū Ishida witnessing Bambietta's defeat from the balcony of the Silbern.
 * Komamura collapsing before Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō does.
 * A flashback to Kaname Tōsen's last moments as Komamura ruminates on his choice.
 * Uryū using Shadow to collect Cang Du and BG9 after their defeats.
 * Ikkaku Madarame, Yumichika Ayasegawa, and Shūhei Hisagi noticing Bambietta's defeat just before James revives Mask De Masculine, who incapacitates them with a punch and downward kick.
 * Ichigo Kurosaki experiencing more visions from the Soul King and envisioning his body nearby exploding from being infused with the latter's power before successfully reaching the end of the Irazu Sandō and visiting Senjumaru Shutara in her palace.
 * In the manga, Komamura is present when Bambietta first attacks Shinji; here, because he left to attack Yhwach at Shinji's behest earlier, he is instead not present for this and only returns when Bambietta attacks Shinji while he is incapacitated.
 * In the manga, Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō: Dangai Jōe causes Komamura's Bankai to appear with its armor already falling off; here, Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō instead first appears intact, then loses its armor a few seconds later.
 * In the manga, Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō blocks Bambietta's Reishi projectile with its right hand; here, it instead does so with its left, keeping its right hand gripping its sword at all times.
 * In the manga, the Wandenreich emblem appears in the air behind Jugram Haschwalth when he is summoned back to Silbern; here, it instead does not.