For many years, Shonen Jump has been a leading manga publisher, bringing us some of the most beloved anime series. While these stories often focus on heroic characters, that doesn’t mean they’re immune to death. It’s been two years since a particularly important character from the Soul Society died, and now feels like a fitting time to remember them and the impact they had on Ichigo Kurosaki and the other Soul Reapers.
Retsu Unohana was incredibly strong within the Soul Society, but even that wasn’t enough to protect her when she battled Kenpachi. In the anime version of the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, Unohana understands that Kenpachi needs to become even more powerful to defeat Yhwach and his army. Their fight reveals Kenpachi’s past and the surprising history of his name – Unohana actually held the title before him, eventually passing it on. She sacrifices her life to help Kenpachi grow stronger, seemingly unlocking his Bankai – a powerful ability Bleach fans haven’t seen him use in the anime yet. To honor her memory, Viz Media released a special tribute video for Retsu Unohana.
Today marks the two-year anniversary of the epic battle between Unohana and Zaraki, as depicted in BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War.
— VIZ Media (@VIZMedia) December 13, 2025
The Thousand-Year Blood War Finale
The last part of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is scheduled to arrive next year, though we don’t have exact dates yet. However, we might find out when it will be released much sooner than expected! Jump Festa, a big event in Japan, is happening in about a week, and it will reveal what’s coming for many popular series that began in Weekly Shonen Jump. Bleach is confirmed to be featured, and it’s likely Studio Pierrot will share new information about the upcoming episodes.
It’s currently unclear if we’ll see future stories set in the Soul Society. The last manga installment, Bleach: No Breaths From Hell, was a one-shot chapter released in 2021 and took place after the Thousand-Year Blood War arc. While it introduced a dangerous new threat to the Soul Reapers, creator Tite Kubo hasn’t indicated that the story will continue. There’s also been no news about Studio Pierrot animating this future storyline, though its events would likely be very exciting for anime fans.
What are your thoughts on the two-year anniversary since the former Kenpachi’s passing? Share your opinions and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!
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2025-12-13 19:40