Characters Who Have More Screentime In The Anime

Summary

• Unique, underdeveloped characters in Bleach manga get more screentime in TYBW anime to showcase abilities and personalities.
• New scenes for characters like Kyoraku, Shinji, Renji, Yhwach, Senjumaru, Ukitake, and Uryu add depth and increase relevance.
• Characters like Shinji and Uryu shine in anime, with extended fights, Bankai reveals, and key plot developments, expanding their roles.

Bleach is a series packed full of unique and intriguing characters, but not everyone was able to show what they were truly made of in the original manga. This does make sense considering how fast the story moves in Bleach, and that Ichigo and his close allies are often the ones to receive the most attention, but in the recent TYBW anime, there have been several characters who have made a much bigger impression.

Author Tite Kubo made clear before the TYBW anime even aired that he was excited to insert a few extra scenes and bits of content into this iteration of the story to build upon what he had already set out in the manga. This has resulted in several individuals receiving much more screentime, allowing fans to get a better idea of who they are, their motivations, and the unique abilities that they bring to the table.

8

The Bambis

• First Appearance: TYBW Episode 4

The Bambis play a pretty prominent role in the final arc of the manga, but they have become such a popular faction that they’ve been gifted some extra scenes in the anime. One of the biggest examples of this is their extended one-sided fight with Ichigo after he returns from his training with the Zero Division.

During this squash match, the four Sternritter unveil brand-new vibrant Holy forms and abilities that are never seen in the manga, showcasing why they are considered such formidable members of the Quincy army. Bambietta, unfortunately, doesn’t get much more to do considering she is a zombie for much of the arc, but the other four have shown up a lot more frequently than they did originally.

7

Shunsui Kyoraku

The Captain Of Squad 1 Feels Much More Relevant In The Anime Thanks To His New Scenes

• First Appearance: Episode 24

While Kyoraku was still one of the Soul Reapers’ key assets during the final war in the manga, fans have been happy to see him get a bit more appreciation for the anime. One of his best new scenes comes moments before the Soul Reapers begin their invasion of Wahrwelt, where he can be seen giving a rousing speech to hype everyone up for the mission ahead, showcasing that he’s more than able to become the new leader of the Soul Society.

Though his Bankai has remained the same as the manga, this sequence was also given a few extra scenes to help it stand out as much as possible. Overall, Kyoraku has felt more relevant in the anime, while also receiving a bit more development in the process.

6

Shinji Hirako

Shinji Is Being Given The Chance To Demonstrate Why He Deserves The Position Of Captain

• First Appearance: Episode 110

Despite Shinji being both a Captain and a Vizard, making him an incredibly intriguing character within the lore of the series, he felt like somewhat of an afterthought in the final arc of the manga. The anime, however, has made a big effort to showcase just how absurdly strong this guy truly is, especially by revealing his Bankai, which was never seen in the source material. There have also been several new scenes showcasing Shinji’s leadership skills, which is very much appreciated considering this is a necessity for a captain of the Gotei 13.

As seen in the final episode of Cour 3, Shinji is also going to play a much bigger role in the fight against Gerard and has even unleashed his Hollow Mask, which in the manga, hadn’t been seen since the Fake Karakura Town arc. Much to the delight of many fans, Shinji, and his Vizard comrades, have been a much more common sight in the anime than they were originally.

5

Renji Abarai

Renji Gets The Opportunity To Showcase The True Power Of His Lethal Bankai

• First Appearance: Episode 16

It was always a little odd in the manga that, despite training alongside Ichigo with Squad 0, Renji only really shows off his Bankai a single time against Mask de Masculine. Ever since then, fans have been desperate to see what sorts of techniques and abilities Renji can throw out when wielding this superior version of Zabimaru, and thankfully, the anime gave his Bankai a much better showing.

During his fight against Uryu, which is a brand-new battle added to the anime, Renji shows off the full power of his Bankai, which grants him a tremendous level of durability while also enhancing the range and damage of his Zanpakuto. Even though Renji loses this fight, it’s still a real treat to see how devastating his upgraded Bankai truly is in action.

4

Yhwach

The Anime Has Helped To Expand Upon Yhwach’s Character And Motives

• First Appearance: TYBW Episode 1

The beginning of Episode 24 of the TYBW anime shows Yhwach, the self-proclaimed Quincy King, sitting down with Ichibei before the invasion of the Soul Society kicks off. This is a scene that never appears in the manga, but it’s one that also clears up so many questions, including how Yhwach managed to get his hands on Pernida; the left arm of the Soul King.

This is just one of several new scenes that have been inserted to help add a little more depth to Yhwach’s character, showcasing his true motivations and vision for the world, alongside his relationship with the Soul King. Many of Yhwach’s battles have also been extended, including his epic bout with Yamamoto and pretty much all his confrontations with Ichigo.

3

Senjumaru Shutara

The Star Of Squad 0 Puts Up Much More Of A Fight Than She Did Originally

• First Appearance: TYBW Episode 8

Unfortunately, despite being hyped up a lot before their introduction, Squad 0 didn’t end up impressing many readers when they finally went head-to-head with Yhwach and his Schutsztaffel originally. Because they were taken down so easily, it left many wondering why this group was regarded as such powerful warriors, but the anime has presented them in a much better light, especially Senjumaru, who is given a ton of new scenes.

Not only does Senjumaru engage in small skirmishes with Uryu and the other Schutzstaffel members, but she also unleashes her Bankai, which was so strong that it caused all three worlds to begin shaking just upon being activated. Senjumaru, in particular, was able to feel much more proactive and dangerous in the anime, and in turn, she has boosted the reputation of Squad 0 tremendously.

2

Ukitake Jushiro

Ukitake Receives A Greatly Expanded Flashback Before Making The Ultimate Sacrifice

• First Appearance: Episode 24

When Yhwach ends up killing and absorbing the Soul King in the manga, Ukitake is forced to take action by channeling the power of Mimihagi. This plays out the same in the anime, only this time, the captain of Squad 13 also receives a greatly extended flashback that highlights his life as a child, his devotion to Mimihagi, and even the first time he met longtime friend Kyoraku.

Including this lengthy backstory allows Ukitake’s eventual sacrifice to feel much more impactful, while also making it a lot clearer how he is connected to Mimihagi, and what this mysterious god-like being even is in the first place. There’s even been several additional scenes of Ukitake channeling Mimihagi’s power towards the Soul Palace, which has made fans wonder whether something else could be planned for the captain in the near future; potentially a reference to the Hell arc, which Ukitake is confirmed to be a part of.

1

Uryu Ishida

Without A Doubt The Character With The Biggest Glow Up From The Manga

• First Appearance: Episode 7

Uryu gained a pretty infamous reception among the fanbase as being little more than one of Yhwach’s lackeys during the final arc. However, his appearances in the anime have completely changed his reputation, considering he’s been taking down and even killing characters left, right, and center. Not only would he have a brand-new fight against Ichigo, which ended in the Quincy shooting a hole into his friend’s chest, but he even manages to finish off Senjumaru; a fearsome member of Squad 0.

It doesn’t stop there though, as Uryu even activates his Volstandig, which is an immensely powerful form that only Yhwach’s most loyal followers are able to achieve. All of this extra screentime has made Uryu a much bigger key player in the final war, to the point where some fans began wondering whether Kubo actually decided to make him a straight-up traitor this time around to shock viewers who were familiar with the manga.