Bleach Thousand Year Blood War Episode 3 review: Invasion on Soul Society

In Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War episode 3 the Quincy and Shinigami continue waging war in Soul Society while Ichigo defends the surviving Arrancar in Hueco Mundo.

The third episode of Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War picks right up where episode 2 left off, showcasing Ichigo’s fight against Quilge Opie, who is the Quincy in charge of capturing the Arrancar. While the two fight, the Shinigami in Soul Society prepare to wage war against the Quincy, who are destined to be the Shinigami’s mortal enemies.

Throughout episode 3, Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War keeps its quality consistent, just like the previous two episodes. In other words, it’s a phenomenal production.

Without further ado, let’s jump into the Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War Episode 3 review – spoiler warning!

Ichigo faces off against Quilge Opie

Quilge Opie is the main Quincy in charge in Hueco Mundo, and is the opponent who was set up to be Ichigo’s first real opponent in Bleach Thousand Year Blood War.

The previous episodes displayed the Quincy’s overwhelming power, setting precedent for the ensuing fight. And in Bleach Thousand Year Blood War episode 3, Quilge’s power is directly compared to Ichigo’s.

During this confrontation, viewers are able to gauge how strong Ichigo has really become after Bleach’s years long hiatus.

The fight progresses at alarming speeds, providing quality animation and fight cinematography. Though the face off doesn’t conclude within this episode; Quilge Opie goes through two whole transformations in the short twenty minute episode.

These monstrous transformations highlight one of Tite Kubo’s biggest strengths, character design. In addition, the accelerated pacing improves upon the original manga’s sluggish story telling, keeping only the best moments while increasing the quality of these moments by utilizing top tier animation.

Quincy invade Soul Society

In Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War Episode 3, the Quincy and Shinigami are revealed to be mortal enemies fated to clash.

The Quincy exterminate hollows completely, and therefore threaten the natural balance, while Shinigami cleanse the hollow so their soul returns to the natural cycle of spirituality. Therefore, though they both hunt hollow, their two goals directly contradict one another.

This explanation allows the conflict to feel more prewritten, with hints of the ensuing war having been planted as early as Ishida Uryu’s initial introduction to the series.

As for the invasion itself, it occurs very suddenly. The Quincy appear, and pillars of blue flames erupt across Soul Society. A close look into the flames reveal bodies being thrown by the flame’s force, likely dying upon landing.

Captain Yamamoto previously ordered the Shinigami to be ready for war prior to the invasion, but despite the order, they are grossly underprepared. Side characters’ limbs are instantly blown off, and countless Shinigami are massacred by the Quincy in a matter of seconds.

The pacing, once again, is a bit disorienting but very much welcome. Bleach’s accelerated story telling help distinguish it from other slower paced Shounen anime, such as One Piece and Naruto, while also helping highlight showcase the brutality and power difference between characters.

Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War Episode 4 will premiere on November 1.

Want more Bleach Thousand Year Blood War reviews? Check out our other episodic reviews below:

Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5 | Episode 6 | Episode 7 | Episode 8 | Episode 9 | Episode 10