Bleach’s biggest mystery remains how aging works in Soul Society, with fans hoping TYBW finally offers an answer to this long-unsolved question.

SUMMARY

The biggest mystery in Bleach revolves around how aging works in Soul Society, leaving fans puzzled for years.
Many fans have questioned why some Soul Reapers appear younger than others, despite their long lifespans and high spiritual power.
While fans have speculated about the reasons for this, no clear answers have been given, fueling ongoing confusion.

After almost a year of waiting, the highly anticipated Part 3 of Bleach: TYBW is finally out and has become the talk of the anime community online. From mind-boggling animations to terrific action scenes, TYBW captivated several veteran fans to the show.

Following Sōsuke Aizen’s defeat, Yhwach rose as a vengeful new threat to the Soul Society. Though Ichigo’s comeback was met with positive feedback, the story has been anything but happy for the Soul Society. TYBW focuses on the conflict between the Soul Society and the Wandenreich, a hidden Quincy faction.

Sosuke Aizen in TYBW Part 3. [Credit: Studio Pierrot]

With the return of the Thousand-Year Blood War, Tite Kubo has unveiled numerous secrets about the Soul Society and shed light on many sidelined characters from classic Bleach. Yet, one enduring mystery continues to drive fans crazy after all these years.

The Unsolved Mystery Keeping Bleach Fans Hooked for Years

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 last episode aired back in 2014. Naturally, many fans felt the anime wouldn’t return, especially when the epilogue felt pleasing.

A still from the main cast from TYBW | Credits: Studio Pierrot

Bleach recently marked its 20th anniversary, leaving many fans nostalgic with the franchise’s recent official tribute video. Amid the buzz around Bleach‘s remake, fans remain eager for Tite Kubo to finally unveil one lingering mystery.

Tite Kubo introduces three worlds in the Bleach universe: Hueco Mundo, Soul Society, and the Material World. Because Ichigo originates from the Material World, many fans confuse the characteristics of the Human World and Soul Society, leading to ongoing curiosity about how the Shinigami age.

Over the years, the anime has introduced many compelling characters, with most of the Soul Society’s Shinigami appearing far younger than their actual age. Shunsui Kyoraku and Jushiro Ukitake are at least 1,000 years old but appear in their 40s or early 50s.

Captain Yamamoto unleashing his Bankai in TYBW | Credits: Studio Pierrot

Gotei 13 leader, Genryūsai Yamamoto, was the eldest character introduced in the series. Though the anime doesn’t specify his exact age, he founded the Thirteen Court Guard Squads over 2,000 years ago, placing his age well beyond two millennia.

It’s believed that time flows much slower in the Soul Society, allowing individuals with high spiritual power to live significantly longer than ordinary souls. However, why some Soul Reapers appear younger than others is a question that has left fans in the dark.

Gotei 13 from Soul Society in TYBW | Credit: Studio Pierrot

Sadly, Tite Kubo continues to keep this mystery under wraps, and while TYBW may be the only opportunity to address it, fans shouldn’t get their hopes too high.

Ichigo’s VA Opens Up About the Struggles Behind Bleach: TYBW Production

Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War–Part 3 is arguably the most anticipated series for the 2024 fall season. Surprisingly, Masakazu Morita once revealed his initial struggles with voicing Ichigo in TYBW Arc.

Morita disclosed his past experience with voicing Ichigo and how never felt any pressure or struggle back in classic Bleach. However, the voice actor couldn’t cope with Kurosaki’s personality in The Thousand-Year Blood War Arc.

 

Ichigo Kurosaki | [Credit: Studio Pierrot]

Fortunately, Tite Kubo was always there to lend a helping hand to Ichigo’s voice actor, a support Morita deeply appreciated. All such challenges helped the voice actor grow closer to his fictional character and uncover an unexpected similarity between himself and Ichigo.