In Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War Episode 09, “The Drop,” Shunsui Kyoraku becomes the new Captain Commander as well as the new captain of the First Division. While a surprise, I think that its a fitting promotion. Shunsui is lazy, but he clearly understands the ins and outs of Soul Society. Along with Jushiro Ukitake, he’s a former student of Genryusai Yamamoto, and is most likely to embody what Genryusai found important. Shunsui can be a loose cannon and doesn’t conform to traditions, certainly to the degree Yamamoto did.

Tenjiro healing technique doesn’t make sense

It’s not really important whether healing techniques (or any technique) in anime actually make sense or not, but some are more convincing than others. Tenjiro Kirinji’s White Bone Hell technique isn’t one of them. The hot spring draws out damaged Reiatsu with their blood. The Blood Pond Hell replenishes the blood lost. Its all kinda silly and it’s made worst by Kirinji punching both Ichigo and Renji to test if they healed. Both times he notes that they would have died if they weren’t fully recovered. What if they weren’t fully healed though? I’m not taking this too serious though, they go to heal some how, but I thought I point it out.

Shunsui silences the 46 Central

I always wanted to know more about Soul Societies governing body, the Central 46. Comprised of 40 men and six judges, they are in charge of trying the crimes of Shinigami. Most importantly they act on behave of the Soul King. They’re a very conservative institution but as I noted earlier, Shunsui is less traditional. He immediately clashes with them when he decides he wants two Lieutenant, Genshiro Okikiba (former third seat) and Nanao Ise. When they Chamber protests, he reminds them that the captains are granted the “sole authority to appoint their lieutenants.”

The judges have nothing to say. Shunsui then challenges them further when he tells them he wants to teach Kenpachi, the art of Kendo. This prompts one of the judges to voice the concern that if Kenpachi revolted they couldn’t stop him. Shunsui points out that if they can’t stop the Quincy, who will protect the Chamber. Silenced once again, Shunsui calls in the person he thinks will train Kenpachi, Captain Unohana, the first Kenpachi. I remember reading this the first time and I was floor. It was such a unexpected twist. Unohana was the typical trope of the wise female healer, for her to be a violent killer was certainly unexpected.

Kenpachi Unohana vs Kenpachi Zaraki

The title of Kenpachi became confusing at this point in the series. We always thought it was the name of Kenpachi but it’s also a title? Why didn’t we call Unohana Kenpachi? According to the series, Kenpachi is the ” title that is only given to the strongest Shinigami.” The title does belong to Zaraki by this standard. What about the tenth Kenpachi, Gosuke Kiganjo and all the others in-between? I would like to know more about him. None of this really matters but I found the use of Kenpachi in this series confusing. Anyway, Unohana and Zaraki arrive at the limitless underground prison.

Unohana lets her façade down and give off a creepy and scary vibe. I loved it. She use to be a like a librarian and now she’s a badass warrior. According to Shunsui, Unohana was “part of the original and strongest generation of Gotei 13 captains,” and became the “most infamous criminal in Soul Society’s history.” Shunsui laments the fact that only one of them are going to survive. The fight between the two begins, with Unohana getting the advantage quickly. The next episode will get into the rest of this fight and I can’t wait.