: The reveal of Senjumaru Shutara’s Bankai , Shatatsu Karagara Shigarami no Tsuji , is the episode's crowning jewel. The animation by Studio Pierrot here is breathtaking, utilizing a unique tapestry-based visual style to depict the defeat of the Schutzstaffel.
: The voice acting and musical score (especially during the Bankai reveal) elevate the tension to a cinematic level.
: Unlike the manga, where Squad Zero's defeat felt abrupt, this episode gives the Royal Guard their due. The ritualistic suicide of the other members to allow one to unseal their true power added a layer of tragedy and weight that was previously missing. Bleach Episode 26
: While it feels slower than the explosive entry into the Seireitei, the episode does a great job of world-building, showing the scale of the Soul Society and the looming threat of the Captains.
: A 10/10 masterpiece for the series. It corrected one of the manga's biggest criticisms and provided some of the most creative "domain-style" combat seen in modern shonen. : The reveal of Senjumaru Shutara’s Bankai ,
Since Bleach has two distinct runs, here are reviews for from both the original series and the Thousand-Year Blood War (TYBW) arc.
Original Air Date: April 5, 2005
This episode is widely considered one of the best in the entire franchise, serving as the spectacular finale to the Separation cour. It expands significantly on the source material with anime-original content that left manga fans stunned.
: The reveal of Senjumaru Shutara’s Bankai , Shatatsu Karagara Shigarami no Tsuji , is the episode's crowning jewel. The animation by Studio Pierrot here is breathtaking, utilizing a unique tapestry-based visual style to depict the defeat of the Schutzstaffel.
: The voice acting and musical score (especially during the Bankai reveal) elevate the tension to a cinematic level.
: Unlike the manga, where Squad Zero's defeat felt abrupt, this episode gives the Royal Guard their due. The ritualistic suicide of the other members to allow one to unseal their true power added a layer of tragedy and weight that was previously missing.
: While it feels slower than the explosive entry into the Seireitei, the episode does a great job of world-building, showing the scale of the Soul Society and the looming threat of the Captains.
: A 10/10 masterpiece for the series. It corrected one of the manga's biggest criticisms and provided some of the most creative "domain-style" combat seen in modern shonen.
Since Bleach has two distinct runs, here are reviews for from both the original series and the Thousand-Year Blood War (TYBW) arc.
Original Air Date: April 5, 2005
This episode is widely considered one of the best in the entire franchise, serving as the spectacular finale to the Separation cour. It expands significantly on the source material with anime-original content that left manga fans stunned.
