“Kubo gives everyone the same face”: Tite Kubo’s Bleach is the Only Anime That Could Top the Best Villain Reveal in Shonen and its Not Aizen

Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War is currently making waves online despite the long anxious delay of 10 years. Ichigo’s comeback was met with positive feedback, earning widespread applause for its improved animation and refined picture quality. Bleach TYBW focuses on the conflict between the Soul Society and the Wandenreich, a hidden Quincy faction.

After Sōsuke Aizen’s defeat, Yhwach sees an opportunity to reshape the Soul Society and eliminate the Soul King. Yhwach is the primary antagonist of the TYBW arc and one of the most terrifying villains in the Bleach storyline. Yhwach goes by many names—Your Majesty, Father of the Quincy, Emperor of the Wandenreich.

Bleach recently marked its 20th anniversary, leaving many fans nostalgic about the recent official tribute video. The special commemorative video has reignited discussions about the beloved anime’s potential for a remake. With the hype around Aizen’s return in the Bleach remake, fans are debating who the better antagonist is: Aizen or Yhwach.

How Tite Kubo Crafted Yhwach as One of the Top Shonen Villains, Surpassing Aizen’s Impact

For decades, Bleach has stood as the pillar of the Big Three and is recognized as one of the greats, on par with One Piece and Naruto. Bleach‘s last episode aired back in 2014. Naturally, many fans felt the anime wouldn’t return, especially when the epilogue felt pleasing.

With the teaser of Grimmjow in TYBW Part 3’s trailer, fans are eager to see Ichigo’s return and his showdown with Yhwach. Season 2 focused on highlighting each Zero Squad’s members, with Ichibē Hyōsube emerging victorious against Yhwach.

However, Tite Kubo has some unique plans to unfold in Part 3 with Yhwach again overcoming his doomed fate. In TYBW, fans learn that Yhwach’s actions are guided by desperation and grief after living according to the rules of the world.

Whose Villain reveal do you prefer and why?
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Although Yhwach is presented as a formidable foe, many fans may not realize his connections to the classic Bleach series. Fans who aren’t up to date with the manga found a sheer resemblance between Yhwach and Old Man Zangetsu.

Back in the classic series, fans remember Ichigo encountering the old spirit that resided inside Ichigo’s inner world and was later revealed to be Ichigo’s Zanpakuto.

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Old Man Zangetsu is actually the manifestation of his Quincy powers, which Ichigo inherited from his mother. This also explains why Yhwach bore such a strong resemblance to Zangetsu, as the spirit is based on the Quincy King’s appearance during the war a thousand years prior.

It’s now revealed that Tite Kubo had been hinting at the show’s main antagonist from the very beginning, catching everyone by surprise. Kubo deserves recognition for crafting the best villain connections in the shonen genre, surpassing even those in One Piece and Naruto.

Masakazu Morita Opens Up About the Challenges Faced During Bleach: TYBW

Tite Kubo’s Bleach earned its spot in the Big Three of shonen anime thanks to the mangaka’s breathtaking narrative. Similar to Luffy and Naruto, Ichigo has also left a lasting impression in the community, captivating several fans with his character. 

Because of Morita’s persistence in capturing every emotion of Ichigo, the voice actor constantly explores new creative ways to add more depth to Tite Kubo’s creation. Amid Kurosaki’s immense popularity, Masakazu Morita once revealed his initial struggles with voicing Ichigo in TYBW Arc. Morita revealed he didn’t struggle with voicing Ichigo back in classic Bleach; however, the voice actor couldn’t cope with Kurosaki’s personality in TYBW.

Interestingly, all such challenges helped the voice actor grow closer to his fictional character and uncover an unexpected similarity between himself and Ichigo. Fortunately, Tite Kubo was always there to lend a helping hand to Ichigo’s voice actor, a support Morita deeply appreciated.

Bleach and Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War are available for streaming on Crunchyroll