Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War is currently making waves online despite the long anxious delay of 10 years. TYBW focuses on the conflict between the Soul Society and the Wandenreich, a hidden Quincy faction. After Sōsuke Aizen’s defeat, Yhwach sees an opportunity to reshape the Soul Society and eliminate the Soul King.
TYBW has already turned the Bleach world upside down with major plot twists, and now the recent episodes are giving Captain Jushiro Ukitake his turn. For hundreds of episodes, Captain Ukitake stayed humble and mysterious in the background, but now his secrets are finally coming to light as he takes center stage. Sadly, his voice actor revealed his long-standing wish to say “Bankai,” but with the character’s noble sacrifice, that dream will remain unfulfilled.
Captain Ukitake’s VA Shares Their Unfulfilled Wish of Saying Bankai
For decades, Bleach has stood as the pillar of the Big Three and is recognized as one of the greats, on par with One Piece and Naruto. Bleach‘s return was met with positive feedback, earning widespread applause for its improved animation and refined picture quality.
In recent episodes, Squad 13’s Captain stepped forward to play a unique role in saving the universe, invoking a never-before-seen ritual to save the Soul King at the cost of his own life. Following the death of the Soul King, Ukitake attempted to give up his life in order to allow Mimihagi to replace the Soul King.
While Ukitake’s noble sacrifice took everyone by surprise, Hideo Ishikawa, the voice actor behind Captain Ukitake, recently disclosed their long-standing wish that, sadly, will never come true following the character’s recent passing. He said:
Should I really say this? Ukitake is the only current Gotei 13 captain who hasn’t used his Bankai! I’ve always wanted to say ‘Bankai’ at least once.
Ishikawa also admitted that he had spent years working on Captain Ukitake and hearing other characters unleash their Bankai, particularly Masakazu Morita, who voices Ichigo Kurosaki. He admitted that this has filled him with envy. He added:
I’ve heard others say it countless times in the recordings and in the anime. I especially heard Morita say it so many times—I was so envious.
Captain Ukitake gladly accepted everyone for who and what they were with zero judgment, and he never lost his temper or teased them for any reason.
That, combined with his leadership role and mature attitude, made Jushiro Ukitake a paternal role model for anyone who needed such a stabilizing element in their lives.
Indeed, Rukia and the others were heartbroken to witness the beloved Captain Ukitake’s noble sacrifice, but Ukitake had no regrets; as a true hero, he understood that he could do no less.
Kurosaki Ichigo’s VA Opens Up About the Challenges Faced During Bleach: TYBW
Tite Kubo‘s Bleach earned its spot in the Big Three of shonen anime thanks to the mangaka’s breathtaking narrative. Similar to Luffy and Naruto, Ichigo has also left a lasting impression in the community, captivating several fans with his character.
Because of Morita’s persistence in capturing every emotion of Ichigo, the voice actor constantly explores new creative ways to add more depth to Tite Kubo’s creation. Amid Kurosaki’s immense popularity, Masakazu Morita once revealed his initial struggles with voicing Ichigo in TYBW Arc.
Morita revealed he didn’t struggle with voicing Ichigo back in classic Bleach; however, the voice actor couldn’t cope with Kurosaki’s personality in TYBW.
Interestingly, all such challenges helped the voice actor grow closer to his fictional character and uncover an unexpected similarity between himself and Ichigo. Fortunately, Tite Kubo was always there to lend a helping hand to Ichigo’s voice actor, a support Morita deeply appreciated.
Bleach and Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War are available for streaming on Crunchyroll.
