Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is the anime’s newest and final story arc. It’s a major time of change for nearly every character and faction in the shonen series, with many seemingly stable characters undergoing shocking personal changes, and now Captain Kenpachi Zaraki is finally getting his turn.
Until very recently, however, Kenpachi had Central 46 holding him back. Ever since the original Gotei 13’s victory over Yhwach’s army, the Soul Society’s leaders have used rigid traditionalism to keep the peace, but the cost is now too high. Central 46’s conservative ways are being called into question, and if Shunsui Kyoraku gets his way, a new age may dawn where anything’s possible for the stubbornly tradition-bound Soul Society.
The Soul Society’s Price for Peace & Stability in Bleach
Bleach’s Soul Society suffered greatly when Yhwach’s Quincy army attacked and Yamamoto’s equally violent Gotei 13 fought back, but the latter claimed victory. When the flames of war died down, however, Yamamoto began viewing himself as a fire-swathed monster and vowed to not fight like that again. He quickly pushed for peace and stability to savor his victory, but at a cost.
The Soul Society eventually became stagnant and complacent, and the thuggish Captains were replaced with more moderate leaders. This made the Soul Reapers vulnerable to the next attack, and that led to the Soul Reapers’ huge losses during Yhwach’s present-day Soul Society invasion during Ichigo’s lifetime. By upholding their much-desired peace, the Soul Reapers became unable to defend that peace, a paradoxical situation they couldn’t get themselves out of.
Worse yet, this emphasis on peace and stability held back the potential of characters like Kenpachi Zaraki and Byakuya Kuchiki. As a nobleman, Byakuya was pressured to uphold tradition and law above all else, which cost him his happiness even when Rukia was adopted into the family. It also nearly cost Rukia her own life, something Byakuya later regretted. Meanwhile, Kenpachi underwent just one day of zanjutsu, or sword training, because Central 46 feared his limitless potential. They restrained Kenpachi by forbidding any more training in case he ever revolted and proved impossible to defeat.
Now, the weakened Soul Society needs a stronger Kenpachi to fight the Sternritter again, yet Central 46 still refused. Shunsui Kyoraku argued in Kenpachi’s defense, and he even had to go around Central 46’s backs to begin the warrior’s deadly training with Captain Retsu/Yachiru Unohana. Even in the Soul Society’s most desperate hour, Central 46’s traditionalist, cautious ways are impeding much-needed progress, all because they are still afraid of yesterday’s war. That distracted them from the realities of today, but at least Shunsui knows better.
How Thousand-Year Blood War May Change the Soul Society’s Politics for Good
The Soul Society’s leaders evidently failed to strike a proper balance between stability and flexibility, opting for a conservative, tradition-bound policy that kept the peace at a heavy cost. Bleach’s best characters have already defied these ancient norms and benefited greatly from it. Byakuya, after fighting to a draw against Ichigo in the “Soul Society” arc, agreed to break with tradition and defend Rukia after all. He suffered no consequences for that aside from Gin stabbing him once, and Byakuya’s and Rukia’s relationship vastly improved after that. It’s not too late for these centuries-old, tradition-bound Soul Reapers to change, and the realities of this new war may accelerate those changes.
Shunsui Kyoraku is Yamamoto’s official replacement, being a smart blend of experience and historical knowledge vs a flexible, forward-thinking mindset. Shunsui isn’t a reckless radical trying to tear everything down, but he also knows when certain traditions and policies must end for the benefit of all souls. He thus defied Central 46 to give Kenpachi some much-needed training, evidently trusting him to never abuse his new power or launch a violent revolt. It’s paying off so far, with Kenpachi sparring with Unohana not to burn the whole world but to realize his true potential.
Kenpachi can still get stronger, and he now has a growth mindset that not even Central 46 can suppress. At this rate, he will reinvent himself as a warrior and delight Bleach fans with some newfound strength, possibly with a long-overdue shikai to match. Central 46 would rather see the Soul Society succumb to Yhwach’s wrath than let this happen, but Shunsui knows better — partly because he’s flexible, and partly because he has faith in his fellow Captain. Traditions have held the Soul Reapers back long enough; with their backs to the wall against the Wandenreich, Shunsui and his comrades must prove that preserving the present means looking to the future and embracing its many exciting possibilities.