Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 Episode #4 Release Date & Time

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood Warpart 3, episode #4 is set to see the return of Yhwach’s elite soldiers to his side, making Ichigo’s battle against him a far more difficult one, as that will mean facing off against Uryu as well. There remains a tenuous thread of hope, however, from Captain Ukitake’s sacrifice that the situation may not be unsalvageable, however.




Episode #3 saw a major extended flashback focusing on Ukitake, made up almost entirely of new material added for the Thousand-Year Blood War anime series. The scene helped explain Ukitake’s long-standing illness, revealing that he only managed to survive as long as he had because his body had become a vessel for Mimihagi, the Right Hand of the Soul King. This connection to the Soul King has offered him a chance to sacrifice himself for the greater good of Soul Society, as well as the other worlds. Better still, it seems to be the one move Yhwach couldn’t predict.


When Do New Episodes of Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 Release?

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Produced by Studio Pierrot, Based on the Manga Bleach by Tite Kubo


Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War part 3 premieres new episodes each Saturday, on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus elsewhere, at 7:30 AM Pacific Time/10:30 AM Eastern Time. That means fans can expect episode #4 of Thousand-Year Blood War part 3 on Saturday, October 26, 2024, at 7:30 AM PT/10:30 AM ET. Because the episode is released as close to the Japanese debut as possible, the episodes will initially only be available in Japanese with subtitles. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War part 3 is confirmed to be receiving an English dub, however no release date for the English dub has yet been announced.

What Happened in Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3, Episode #3?

Ukitake’s Sacrifice Stabilizes The World… For Now

A young Ukitake and Kyoraku walking through Soul Society.


The episode opened with Ukitake performing the Kamikake ritual, allowing the Right Hand of the Soul King, Mimihagi, to take over his body, in an attempt to become a new Soul King and restabilize the world. Much of the episode focused on Ukitake, and how he ended up in this situation; as a sickly child, his parents prayed to Mimihagi to save their son, and it seemingly took pity upon them and helped Ukitake by possessing his defective lungs. The flashbacks also showed how Shunsui Kyoraku and Jushiro Ukitake first came to be friends, revealing one of the oldest friendships in the Soul Society.

Up at the Soul King’s Palace, Ichigo and friends desperately tried what they could, but even Orihime’s Santen Kisshun was unable to heal the damage inflicted upon the Soul King. Yhwach boasted that he had won, and they no longer had a reason to fight, but Ichigo still seemed to be in shock over the situation. The situation is certainly a dire one, and the Soul Reapers on the surface have no way to communicate with Ichigo and his group about Ukitake’s sacrifice. It’s not yet clear if it will succeed, but it is something that Yhwach was unable to foresee, which is a good sign.


Finally, Captain Kyoraku descended into the Muken to speak with Aizen–and shockingly obtain his help.

Bleach Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3, Episode #3 Sees the Return of the Betrayer

Uryu and Yhwach’s Elite Guard Return

Aizen in the Muken answers Kyoraku.

The title of episode #4 of Thousand-Year Blood War is “The Betrayer,” in reference to Uryu. Having broken out of Senjumaru’s prison dimension, Yhwach’s Elite Guard are now free to come assist him again. Based on the manga, fans can expect that they’ll flock to his aid immediately, but that puts Uryu into a direct face-off with Ichigo for the first time. Yhwach will be dealing with the emergence of Mimihagi and Ukitake’s attempt to replace the Soul King, ensuring that Ichigo and friends have no choice but to face Uryu.


Yhwach’s power is at unimaginable levels, however, and it may well be that even the Right Hand of the Soul King is no longer powerful enough to stop him. If omnipotence truly ends up in Yhwach’s hands, it’s hard to imagine just how anyone will be able to stand against him, as he can predict any future where an element of the Soul King isn’t standing in his way. If Mimihagi falls, then there may not be another element of the Soul King willing or able to stop him, eliminating the one and only weakness he’s still known to possess.

Events are certainly taking a darker turn so far in part 3, but regardless of how dark the situation gets, Ichigo and his friends must keep fighting in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, because all is only lost when they give up.