A Long-Awaited Reveal
Bleach fans have been waiting for years to see Shinji Hirako’s bankai, the ultimate form of his soul reaper power. The captain of the 5th Division has a unique ability that reverses the senses of his enemies, making them confused and vulnerable. However, he only used his bankai once in the anime, when he faced Sosuke Aizen, the former captain of the 5th Division who betrayed the Soul Society.
That is, until now. The latest trailer for Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 has dropped, and it features a huge surprise for fans of the anime series: the first-ever look at Shinji’s bankai in action. The trailer shows Shinji facing off against a group of Quincy soldiers, the main antagonists of the final arc of the manga. He smiles confidently and says “Bankai”, before the screen zooms in on his eye and cuts to black.
A Forbidden Power
What is Shinji’s bankai? Fans who have read the spin-off novel series Bleach: Can’t Fear Your Own World know the answer. Shinji’s bankai, called the “Reversed Evil Eight Treasure Blockade”, is a power that makes everyone in its range attack each other indiscriminately, regardless of their allegiance. It is a bankai that “does not distinguish between friend and foe”, as Shunsui Kyōraku, the head captain of the Soul Reapers, once described it.
The trailer has sparked a lot of excitement and curiosity among Bleach fans, who took to social media to share their reactions and theories. One fan on Twitter shared the PV and wrote “BRO WERE GETTING SHINJI’S BANKAI IN THE ANIME OMFG ”. Another fan commented “Shinji stans finally found a reason to keep on living”. Some fans also speculated on what Shinji’s bankai would look like and how it would affect the plot of the anime.
A Highly Anticipated Return
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 is the second half of the anime adaptation of the final arc of Tite Kubo’s manga series, which ended in 2016. The anime series resumed in 2022 after a decade-long hiatus, and has been praised for its faithful and high-quality animation. The second part will premiere on July 8, 2023, on Hulu in the United States and Disney+ in other international territories1. Fans can expect to see more epic battles, shocking revelations, and new bankais from their favorite characters.
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