This message includes spoilers for the latter half of the final episode of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 – The Conflict, which you can watch on Hulu and Disney+.
The overwhelming power of the Wandenreich was strikingly evident in the initial stages of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War, as numerous Shinigami fell victim to the unexpected assault led by Yhwach’s formidable army. Among the casualties was the skilled 1st Squad Lieutenant, Chōjirō Sasakibe, who tragically became the first victim of the conflict just five days prior to the Soul Society’s invasion. When the full force of the Sternritter descended upon the Soul Society, thousands of Shinigami lost their lives in a matter of minutes, including 3rd Squad Lieutenant Izuru Kira, who was swiftly taken out by Bazz-B’s Burning Finger right after the Quincies made their entrance.
In the last episode of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 – The Conflict, Izuru Kira makes a surprising return as a living corpse, with a gaping hole in his chest from his previous injury. What’s the secret behind his unexpected survival?
Kira’s Horrible Death
Sniped Early On By Bazz-B
If we were to compress the entire timeline of the Wandenreich invasion of the Soul Society into just one day, Sasakibe’s death would occur at midnight, while Kira Izuru would meet his end shortly before 3 AM. This highlights just how early Kira was taken out during the Thousand-Year Blood War. Following Sasakibe’s demise, the Wandenreich launched their first invasion five days later, resulting in an overwhelming wave of death and destruction in the Soul Society, with thousands of Shinigami falling in mere minutes. When Sternritter H – The Heat, Bazzard “Bazz-B” Black made his entrance, we felt his power long before we even caught a glimpse of his face, as he emerged from the numerous pillars of Reishi scattered throughout the Seireitei during the “March of the Starcross.”
Kira never got the opportunity to see who attacked him, as a Burning Finger was unleashed from one of the Reishi pillars. Meanwhile, the other members of the 3rd Squad were swiftly taken out by Sternritter O – The Overkill, Driscoll Berci. The damage Kira suffered was truly horrific, with a large part of his chest obliterated and his right arm, still gripping his Zanpakutō, severed. Such injuries would be lethal for most characters in the series, and since Kira doesn’t appear again for the rest of the arc (until his surprising return, of course), it’s evident that he didn’t survive those wounds.
“What a screechy bunch of birds. So annoying, it makes this new hole ache.“
A Dead Man Walks
Mayuri Kurotsuchi’s Awful Genius Saves Another
In the last episode of Part 3, Kira made his return, and it was evident that he was still, in his own words, “a dead man.” His arm had been reattached, but the gaping hole in his torso remained visible, and his lean body was supported by a network of rods. His skin had taken on a ghastly hue, and his attitude was noticeably darker than before. Remarkably, he had gained considerable strength, effortlessly cutting through the remains of Lille Barro’s second Quincy: Vollständig.
The tale of his survival mirrors that of 10th Squad Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto, who narrowly escaped after being zombified by Sternritter Z – The Zombie, Giselle Gewelle. Similarly, Kira found his salvation through the curiosity, brilliance, and utter disregard for life exhibited by 12th Squad Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi, who amassed a wealth of new research material during the so-called “Protection of the Soul King Great War.” Just like Hitsugaya and Matsumoto, Kira received treatment for his severe injuries from Kurotsuchi, and given the extent of his wounds, it’s likely that only Orihime, with her Shun Shun Rikka’s rejection ability, could have provided assistance in such a dire situation.
The details surrounding Kira’s “survival” are quite vague, but the presence of thick metal rods supporting his torso suggests he may be a unique type of living corpse, distinct from the top two members of the 10th Squad. Throughout the arc, various Captains and Lieutenants are revived from near death through different methods, yet Kira appears to be the only one who has genuinely passed away. In BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 – The Separation, the episode titled “Marching Out the Zombies” showcases Giselle Gewelle’s power to transform individuals into zombies, which is contrasted with Kurotsuchi’s “Corpse Unit” made up of Arrancar like Charlotte Chuhlhourne. Additionally, the Can’t Fear Your Own World novels by Ryohgo Narita reveal that this project also involves Cirucci Thunderwitch, Dordoni Alessandro Del Socaccio, Luppi Antenor, and even the Quincies Candice Catnipp and Meninas McAllon, who are known as Sternritter T – The Thunder and P – The Power, respectively.