Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War Episode 10 is basically split into two parts, the conclusion of the fight between Unohana and Kenpachi and the meeting with Renji, Ichigo, and Oetsu Nimaiya. In the Hooden region, Nimaiya puts Renji and Ichigo through a series of silly trials. I’ll be honest I just don’t care about this section of the episode. Oetsu Nimaiya is a cool character but I just not interested in the difference between Shinigami and Zanpakuto.
Personally, I find it confusing how both Renji and Ichigo had their Bankai’s destroyed to a certain extent, but can still be rebuilt. However, Mayuri said that it was impossible. Obviously, this is probably a mistake on Tite Kubo’s part but it seems like he was trying to fix this inconsistency and has failed to do so. Anyway, Nimaiya goes on to reveal that the Asauchi is the basic level of Zanpakuto. Renji and Ichigo are attacked by the angry Asauchi, but only Renji passes. Ichigo has failed. Nimaiya explains that Ichigo isn’t really a Shinigami.
Unohana vs Kenpachi
The main attraction in this episode is the battle between Kenpachi and Unohana. As they battle Kenpachi realizes that he keeps losing consciousness. Unohana remembers meeting Kenpachi hundreds of years ago. Kenpachi stands on a mountain of dead bodies. Kenpachi leaps off the mountain of bodies to attack Unohana. Both Kenpachi and Unohana lust after battle but only for more challenging opponents. Unohana found someone stronger in Kenpachi and was ecstatic at the discovery.
However, Kenpachi, being stronger, had a dilemma, how can he the stronger one keep fighting Unohana. The only answer was for him to become weaker. Unohana has felt shame for causing Kenpachi to weaken himself. Her last wish is to free him from this limitation by killing him repeatedly and resurrecting him, each time bringing him closer to his true strength. Tite Kubo seems to have used this to explain why Kenpachi had either lost, to Ichigo, or struggling to win, against Nnoitra Gilga. Many fans of Bleach have had debates over whether Kenpachi’s losing to Ichigo was an asspull or main character syndrome or a result of Kenpachi’s weakens.
The fight is exciting, so I can’t do it justice so I won’t bother describing it. Seeing Unohana’s Bankai in action was marvelous but we don’t get a clear understanding of what her Bankai actually does. It seems to be a blood manipulation Bankai that increases her power and extends her reach. Sadly, we don’t get much details on this Bankai and Unohana dies. At the end, Kenpachi is devastated he lost his sparring partner, as he finally hears his Zanpakuto’s voice.