Quick Links
It’s been a year sinceBleach: Thousand-Year Blood Warpart 2 ended, and part 3 will soon begin. As part 3 begins to dig into the climax of the story arc, it’s certain to be an exciting and action-packed return for the beloved series.
Thousand-Year Blood Warpart 3is highly anticipated, both for some incredible moments in the manga that are coming up, as well as the hopes that the new adaptation will expand upon the original, offering insight into issues which the manga only lightly acknowledged. Fans are also hoping that some of the story’s more convoluted elements will be streamlined, ultimately creating a better overall experience than that offered by the manga. Here’s everything a fan needs to know to tune in and watchThousand-Year Blood Warpart 3 as soon as it airs.

When Do New Episodes of Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 Release?
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Produced by Studio Pierrot, Based on the Manga by Tite Kubo
New episodes ofBleach: Thousand-Year Blood Warwill be released exclusively on Hulu in the US and on Disney Plus outside the US, both requiring a subscription.Episode #1 ofThousand-Year Blood Warpart 3 is scheduled for release on June 12, 2025, with subsequent episodes set to release each Saturday following that. An exact time of release has not yet been made available, but if it’s anything like parts 1 and 2, the new episode should be released around 7:30 AM Pacific Time/10:30 AM Eastern Time. Episodes will initially only be available in Japanese with subtitles. An English dub has been confirmed, but no information is available on when it will debut.
What Happened in Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2’s Finale?
In the final episode ofThousand-Year Blood Warpart 2, Squad Zero faced off against Yhwach and his elite guard, the Schutzstaffel. Yhwach empowered his elite guards further by performing the Auswhalen, stealing power from and killing many of the Quincy Sternritter fighting in the Soul Society to redistribute it. Squad Zero set up one-on-one matches with each of Yhwach’s elite guard, isolating them from one another so that they couldn’t help each other. However, Squad Zero faced surprising resistance, and the cages separating them were destroyed.
Ichibe, the leader of Squad Zero, battled Yhwach himself, pulling out his Zanpakuto’s ultimate power (something that predates “Bankai”) to aid in defeating the villain. Ichibe removed Yhwach’s name and renamed him to Black Ant, reducing his power to that of an ant and allowing him to easily squash Yhwach. The other members of Squad Zero performed ritual suicide to unlocka blood seal on Senjumaru Shutara’s Bankai, allowing her to use her incredible power to create pocket dimensions in which Yhwach’s Schutzstaffel would be trapped, presumably forever.

The fight seemed to have ended with victory for Squad Zero, but appearances can be deceiving.
Bleach Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3, Episode #1 Unlocks Yhwach’s Ultimate Power
Yhwach Uses His Schrift for the First Time
It’s difficult to say what exactly will happen in part 3’s first episode, as Senjumaru did not use her Bankai in the manga, and the fight proceeded differently. What is known is that the title of episode #1 is “A”, referencing Yhwach’s Schrift power, the Almighty. This suggests that the story will quickly rejoin where the manga is at this point, revealing what Yhwach is truly capable of for the first time. Suffice it to say, the tables are soon to be turned on Squad Zero, and that bodes quite poorly for the heroes.
When last they were seen, Ichigo and his friends were aboard a craft launched by Urahara and headed towards the Soul King’s Palace, aiming to help out with the battle against Yhwach. Given the current circumstances, however, they may be arriving too late to be of any assistance. With only Ichibe and Senjumaru remaining, the situation is certainly a perilous one, and if Yhwach’s elite guard manage to escape from Senjumaru’s prison, they may well no longer be able to stop them.The trailer seemed to feature a new fight scene of Uryu versus Senjumaru, so they’re far from finished.

Given the way that part 2 ended, the first episode of part 3 ofThousand-Year Blood Waris bound to be an exciting one, with even fans of the manga unsure of what exactly to expect. It will certainly be setting the tone for the rest of part 3, so what’s about to unfold inBleach: Thousand-Year Blood Waris incredibly important moving forward.
Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War
Cast
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is a sequel series to the popular anime from creator Tite Kubo. This anime follows Ichigo and his friends as they investigate why people are disappearing while trouble arises in the Soul Society. The first season was released in 2022 and has been critically acclaimed since its beginning.
