One of the biggest anime premieres of the Summer 2023 season is upon us. Coming from Shonen royalty, Bleach weighs in as the supernatural powerhouse, now devoid of the filler that once weighed it down. This continues the adaptation of Bleach’s final arc in epic fashion, and despite at times feeling mired in exposition, this episode is meaty and engaging, getting the fans excited to see what comes next. This is our Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 Episode 14 review.
These Are the Last 9 Days of the World
It hasn’t even been a full year since the last installment of TYBW knocked our socks off but the show is setting up a major conflict. The Wandenreich, the main Quincy enemies of the Soul Reapers in this arc, are gathering to collect on their thousand-year grudge.
The Soul Reapers have seemingly grown weak in the 1000 years of peace they’ve had. The Stern Ritters, guided by their revered Quincy leader Yhwach, gather to exterminate the Soul Reapers. Hopes for coexistence, even though earnestly held by characters like Orihime, seem dashed, abandoned by Uryu. The Seireitei, and therefore the Soul Society, is engulfed in a Quincy invasion. The final battle draws near, and with the Quincies regaining their might, the battle draws perilously close.
During this, Yhwach introduces his successor, Uryu Ishida, drawing resentment from others, but Yhwach’s motives are made clear later on. Uryu is the sole surviving Quincy, who withstood the Auswahlen without losing his powers. It’s in conveying this reason for his choice, along with communicating his vision for the Quincy King’s annihilation of the Soul Reapers, that he’s able to unite others including the skeptical underling Haschwalth to his cause.
Ichigo is training and learns he must do more than practice his might with the Zanpakuto to be a match for Yhwach. Other Soul Reapers begin training intensely for the battle as well, but it’s still in question as to whether it’s enough. But it’s during Ichigo’s training that concerns are raised about what he’ll bring back to the world after he’s ready, and in fact, whether he’d be suited to return to the World of the Living at all.
Bloody Good Visuals With the Same Bleach Spirit
I was introduced to Bleach as the third of the Shonen Big Three, having previously latched more strongly onto Naruto than this or One Piece. Visually none of the three were all that spectacular, although fellow Pierrot anime Naruto Shippuden certainly had its moments. But with Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 Episode 14 (Episode 1 of this season), I see a continuous dedication to some bloody good visuals with the same Bleach spirit.
The animation is never as enthralling as other shows that came out this year (Oshi no Ko, for instance) but it makes up for this with moody lighting, amazing set pieces, and loving attention to Tite Kubo’s character designs. The scenes of Yhwach with the ethereal blues were contrasted with the violent moments when characters were bathed in red light, while scenes with green hues seemed to hint at hope or determination.
That said, there were truly chilling moments, such as a character’s gruesome death thinking he’s about to get “lucky” (come on, it’s Shonen anime) and the Seireitei being engulfed as the Wandenreich begins their invasion. Moments like these, especially the latter, felt evocative of other dire moments in fantasy anime, particularly the horrific renditions of the Eclipse in the 2013 and 1997 Berserk anime.
You Better Yhwach Out
Episode 14 of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 upon review is largely pre-amble, but engaging at the same time. It’s a bit loaded with exposition, but it’s entertaining and interesting, with Yhwach chewing up the scenery as any good villain should.
However, if you’re a fan of Shonen anime, episodes like this can be a mixed bag. It builds hype for epic fights, but some fans are eager to skip episodes like these. While I’m perfectly content with listening to Yhwach wax poetic and fetishize the number 9 with regards to the end times, your mileage may vary depending on how you enjoy this. And for the action-seekers in the audience, you better Yhwach out: there’s no significant amount of action, aside from a violent bisection of a Wandenreich soldier. But the episode promises a ton to come.
The Verdict
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 largely delivers on getting Bleach fans hyped for the conclusive arc’s adaptation from the iconic manga. TYBW Part 2 Episode 14 is loyal to the aesthetic of the series, while bringing so much more visual brilliance to create something truly stunning. However, the animation to bring this to life is not always as consistently strong as the visuals and writing.
There are plenty of cool points to love about this episode and what’s to come though. The music is epic, conveying just how dire the situation is for the Soul Society, and the voice acting is solid. The characters leap off the page while enticing you to watch more, promising plenty of action in the future. If you like strongly dialog-driven episodes, provided you’ve watched Part 1 of this arc, you’ll love what this provides. But the good news is, we will only need 7 days, not 9, for the Quincies and the rest of Bleach’s cast to regain the world, as we’ll see what happens in Episode 2 next week!
This review of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 Episode 14 was made using a screener provided by VIZ Media. Bleach: TYBW Part 2 Episode 14 premieres on Saturday, July 8, 2023, at 7:30 AM PT, and is available to stream weekly on Hulu in the United States, and Disney Plus internationally.
