A complete breakdown of Cour 3's Opening
This is going to be a really long post, but we're going to break down the new opening- and stuff that you've potentially missed! It's full of symbolism and hidden themes, like most of Bleach is.
It starts off with Yhwach grabbing a star-like object (connecting to his ability, depiction of control over 'futures'- using cosmic elements to show his power), shaped like the cross of a Getsuga Jujisho. As we see in the regular opening, it finishes with him grabbing the Soul King, whose eyes have the shape of Ichigo’s Getsuga Jujisho due to presence of the Almighty.
The crystal which Reio/Adyneus is encased in, is what Yhwach, depicted by a giant blue hand, destroys. It is at both the start and end to depict the key role that the position of Reio plays- he has little screen presence, but he is the be-all and end-all of Bleach. Yhwach is now occupying that position. It is now an indication of the direction we are heading towards... despair.
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手と手を合わせてお祈りをするよ
Literally: “Let us join our hands and pray.”
Viz: “I put my hands together and pray.”
It’s the first of the prayer references throughout the OP, but there’s a great emphasis on hands throughout all the visuals. And eyes too (I’ve made a section at the bottom for all the references to those, if you stick around that far lol).
The first visual is Ichibe, and fittingly, he is a monk- so the religious symbolism is there. The second is Shunsui placing his hand over Nanao’s as they hold the cursed Ise blade. We follow up with a hazy shot of little Nemu reaching for Mayuri.
Ukitake is seen drawing his zanpakuto as he does for the ritual. Ichigo’s hand grasps on to Yhwach’s blade as the Blut courses through him (the hand that slew the Soul King). It finishes off with Mimihagi and Ukitake, as we see a close-up of his eyes before the red symbol of the right arm bursts out of him.
This line is a reference to the despairing nature of the arc, how hope seems absent, all one can do is pray. But it’s a united prayer, not just a sole one. But it also calls into the question the idea of a ‘god’ in Bleach, where faith is directed, what to believe in.
The second lyric is sung during the latter part.
神様あなたはひねくれ者
Which literally translates to: God, you’re so perverse/rebellious.
Viz: Why is fate so cruel?
This one is totally different (the Viz and actual one), but I’m not sure exactly what it means. It could be a reference to the Ichigo and Uryu dynamic, and in the new opening mix, it quite literally is.
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強がる心がもうすぐ折れそう
何をやってもダメになるしな
My strong heart is about to break; no matter what I do, it won’t work.
Viz: My will to put on a brave face is about to break; everything I do seems to go wrong, you know?
The choices of words are quite interesting. “強がる” (tsuyoga-ru) means to have strong feelings, or rather, pretending to be strong.
And we have Shunsui approaching the darkness in Muken here, his hairpins being the pop of colour in the black and white- and the meaning is quite clear. His eyes are weary.
As we see in the events of the story, Shunsui has lost his brother and sister-in-law, shouldering the memory of them by carrying the hairpins, but also the responsibility of hiding the Ise blade. Then he goes on to lose his father-figure, who he deeply loved... and he ends up getting his role and responsibilities.
If that’s not bad enough, he practically sentenced Unohana to her death (it wasn’t futile, since she wanted to go out that way, too- it was only right). Ukitake is forced to give his life to protect the Soul Society, and Shunsui cannot express his grief, because his duty forces him to keep himself upright.
So he pretends to be strong- not that he isn’t strong or does not possess any mental fortitude to begin with, but the strain of it all is taking its toll on him, especially due to his nature of hating burdens being placed on him, but feeling too plagued by his sense of goodness/virtue to drop it or let go.
His lightheartedness hides pain, and he gets away with it too. But that layer is cracking now, and the line tells as much.
The second line depicts the various Shinigami holding the orbs, with Kisuke primarily in focus. Then we get a shot of Renji from his Volume 73 cover (Battle Field Burning) - which the anime would feature a poem for during this Cour, despite the poem being placed much later in the manga.
“No matter what I do, it won’t work” is a theme for much of the Shinigami this arc, feeling so helpless and desperate as the worlds around them crumble due to Yhwach’s power.
Kisuke is the one who is frequently in control, being the intelligent one who always has things under his thumb for the most part. But he’s thrust into a situation where he feels helpless, and he can do nothing, much like the others around him who also feel that way.
As for Renji, it refers to the desperation he always feels, not having things the way he wants. Like the battle with Uryu, where they are way different people now. There’s a strain to it, which is depicted by the tightening fingers on his sword.
Interestingly, this desperation cleanly ties into the next character and his arc, as well as the next line. It’s Renji’s parallel, Bazz.
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なんてうっせー、信じてるよ
君と離れ離れでも
Viz: “Oh calm down, I still have faith in you… even if we’re apart.”
It was hard for me get this down in the literal translation, but the first part of the phrase refers to calming someone down when they are being noisy/loud or irritating, but the last part of the first lyric is derived from the verb ‘shinjiru’ (しんじる), which means to believe.
It sounds like a homonym to Shinji, which is kind of cute considering his character and arc, but that’s a topic for another day.
The second lyric is pretty straightforward: “Even if I’m separated from you.”
Of course, this is a very clear reference to Bazz and Jugram, as the visuals mirror that too. Bazz is seen striking a glass mirror in a cool little filmic sequence (the broken glass is so detailed, I love it), as we get a close up shot of his eyes narrowing.
The next shot is Jugram from behind, slightly distant as he places a hand on his sword. We see quick flashes of their past, with little Jugo looking away sadly, Bazz’s button and himself standing proudly with a smile. And in a very fleeting shot that you could miss, Jugram’s eyes narrow as he draws his blade.
This is mostly Bazz speaking to Jugram, since we don’t always get Jugram’s perspective due to his quiet nature. But the lyric pushes a certain kind of faith in friendship, that even though there’s a distance, their belief is still shared and alive. Bazz wants to believe that. So he is speaking to his friend, who he hopes will reach out to him, despite their seemingly shared mission being lost because of how they handled the events of their separation.
Bazz’s fiery nature pushes for a ‘battle’ to win, but what he really wants is some kind of acknowledgement. That’s why the lyrics are uplifting (I have faith in you), even if the visuals imply a little more harshness (like Bazz shattering the mirror), since it presents conflicting emotional displays.
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いつか僕を忘れたとしても
Viz, also literal translation: Even if you forget about me someday…
The visual shows three key things. The first is a moving shot from below the chair to Aizen’s face as the ‘Black Coffin’ (Hado 90) covers him- and just as it envelopes him, he cracks a small smile. The next is Ichigo and crew running across Wahrwelt, with a close-up from afar to Uryu’s eyes- and then the Schutzstaffel are revealed.
The line for which Aizen appears the word is “いつか” (itsuka), and can be written in different ways, but it means ‘someday’- and it also means fifth of a day/month, neatly linking the number to Aizen’s former squad (5).
But the lyric itself could be self-pointed, addressing the impact Aizen has had on Bleach as a whole and the possibility of forgetfulness of such a thing. Or the fact that it can’t.
Silhouettes of the Elite Guard/Schutzstaffel are shown as we get the Uryu close-up. Lille, Pernida, Askin and Gerard all appear- with the former two changing forms through the season to reflect their reveals and transformations.
Ichigo rushing towards Uryu is him trying to reach out, and there’s quite clearly a distance there in their relationship at that moment. It’s almost like Uryu has forgotten everything they’ve been through, and he’s just acting out of it.
There’s nothing spoken, nothing shared between them as they are divided- which is why the next line of the song is poignant.
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言葉はもう必要ないさ
それ以上に通じ合ってる
“I don’t need words anymore” or literally: “words-anymore-necessary-not”
“We understand each other better than that”.
This is a very overt reference to Uryu’s poem to Ichigo:
If my words were to take form,
It would be as my failure to reach you, standing in the darkness.
It implies a relationship that transcends words, something that can be unspoken and hold all the value in the world. As for all of Bleach, this is a constant theme- and in this arc, even more so. It can be applied to so many characters, but the key idea is related to this poem (as they have even stated when writing this song).
The main focus during this part of the song is Uryu and Ichigo. They are not speaking here- it’s all a showcase of strength, without any words. Battle is an unspoken affair, from the torrent of arrows to the slashes of a blade. None of it is verbal. Yet it holds depth. It holds value. Their friendship is something that transcends words.
Why? That’s the question in Ichigo’s mind. But even if Uryu can even share his motive, if his words made his way into some tangible form, Ichigo, standing in a metaphorical darkness (blissful ignorance), would never comprehend it.
But that’s the beauty of it. The song offers reassurance, that it doesn’t need words to be understood.
It is highlighted even more by the way they have animated Ichigo and Uryu in this brief clash. Ichigo is standing at a lower angle, being struck by his arrows, with Uryu all the way up in the sky. It establishes a distance already- he is up in the clouds, beyond Ichigo’s reach.
Furthermore, it implies a transcendence of sorts… not literally, but like the song says, saying they ‘transcend’ words, and the visuals have a glaring distance as well as them fighting in the sky, like they are beyond everything and everyone.
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神様ごめん、お前嘘くさい
The next line is quite a change in the Viz translation:
“I’m sorry, fate, you’re full of it,” is actually “God, I’m sorry… you’re a liar.”
Or perhaps even: “Sorry... God, you’re a liar."
Why is it important? Well, the implication it has here with the characters on screen is quite interesting. I’m pretty sure Grimmjow and Askin have nothing to do with the ‘God’ part- it is purely meant for a laugh. Or it could refer to Askin being devious (overthinking ultimatum)? They have around two seconds of time for this part.
It switches to Bazz and Jugram, with the former leaping towards the latter, blades clashing. This line is clear reference to their battle and history, and the implication is changed in the Viz version.
The Japanese translation for this line also has some interesting connotations. ‘Kamisama’ means ‘god’, in a very polite manner. But ‘omae’ means ‘you’; and it lacks the honorific quality to it, implying familiarity and even disdain in the context of the sentence. And the word at the end, ‘kusai’ refers to a scent (in a negative way, unpleasant or even suspicious).
The literal translation would be: God-your pardon-you-lie-smelling. If we take that in a proper way, the additional layer is that the person being spoken to reeks of lies, and they are being addressed to in a harsh manner.
Well, the receiver is clearly Jugram and the speaker is Bazz. He wants to confront the ‘liar’ in his eyes, the one who turned his back on him. Jugram is lying to himself, about what he feels and wants to say even- and Bazz is provoking those words to come out. He wants to be acknowledged by his friend in some way, and he does it this way.
Much like the line before with Ichigo and Uryu, they are also beyond words- their friendship broke without a word. Kubo conveyed it all through the eyes. The confusion, frustration, anger, disappointment… all of it, unspoken. It remained that way. And it stayed as lies and excuses. Bazz’s excuse to fight is merely a desire for acknowledgement.
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強がりで ねぇ笑い飛ばして
This line translates roughly to: “If you're being too strong, hey, just laugh it off”.
Viz puts it as: “So let’s laugh it off by putting a brave face”.
The first part of the kanji refers a verb to when someone is pretending to put on strength, while the second part refers to laughing off something (or at it).
And of course, it’s the visual of Shunsui slashing at Lille. And it neatly ties into the earlier lyric of the song: “My strong heart is about to break” or “my will to put on a brave face is about to break”.
It is a reference to Shunsui’s inner turmoil, how he masks it with a smile and keeps moving on, because he knows what his duty demands of him, what his role requires.
Ukitake is gone, Yama is gone... he's clawing through a hole that entraps him the more he struggles.
The nonchalance that he carries in battle is an inherent part of his personality, but it’s also his way of handling the burden that comes with shouldering responsibility, shouldering legacy. Not just as the Head Captain, but the deaths of those he loves and cares about, from his own family to fellow captains.
And even, the burden of protecting what exists with him now.
Perhaps it’s also a reference to Nanao’s line to Shunsui (considering she appears a moment later): “The man I admire will be the kind of man to scoff at the notion of a curse and laugh it off as ridiculous.”
The Viz one has a different implication to it, but you can interpret that as you will. This ties cleanly into the next lyric.
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君と宿命を
捻じ曲げていけそうだ
Fate with you… seems like it can twisted.
Viz puts it as: With you, I think we can alter fate.
The visuals both show Nanao and Nemu respectively, as one twirls her sword and the other leaps to save Mayuri.
I suppose the meaning is straightforward.
With Nanao, she held a cursed blade. And with that, her towering opponent who she stood no chance against due to her weakness in combat. But Shunsui, choosing to protect her, believes in their unity bringing them victory, that the ‘cursed’ fate that lies in defeat can be averted.
Nemu evolves beyond what Mayuri expects, and out of her free will to protect him, displays the growth she has undergone. She carves out her own future, whether for better or worse, her own fate was determined.
Interestingly, the last three lyrics of the chorus have interesting connections to the trailer poem that is narrated by Yhwach and Jugram.
The poem starts off with ‘laugh’. And what does the above line say to do? Laugh it off. Why do we need to do that? Because the POV reinforces that fate can be changed, that what you do is not pre-determined, that you create your own destiny.
But as we know of Yhwach and his speech towards Ichigo at the end, he challenges this idea. “The future can be changed”; he is the one who the ability to alter the future, thus, it makes him the soft embodiment of what is deemed fate.
So the poem and song pose a challenge, spoken to each side. ‘Laugh, be filled with hope…” it’s mocking, not meant to uplift or instill confidence. Then it details the scale tipping from hope to despair. The song pushes a positive message of laughing off things, how unity can create hope and change fate. However, the poem mocks this.
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泣きたいくらい
寂しい夜に
Quite literally: “So much that I want cry… on a lonely night.”
Viz: “On lonely nights, when I feel like crying…”
The visual shows Renji’s outstretched hand as he uses his bankai, and then Uryu with Blut running across his eyes and glasses. It refers to their future fight, but also Uryu’s battle against Ichigo- how the pain of doing something they don’t want to do affects them deeply.
It’s directed at their friendship, how apart they are from each other- more clearly, in their understanding of each other. Ichigo and Renji fight Uryu, but they both don’t understand the ‘why’ of what he does, since the latter has made no indication (until he’s forced to).
•• ─────── ♛ ─────── ••
お祈りをするよ
孤独にしないと
This one is pretty interesting and difficult for me to get a hold on: “I will pray, I need to be alone.” It could also be: “I’m going to pray, I have to be lonely.”
Viz: “I will pray for you, so that I won’t leave you all alone.”
The above translation and the original give a different implication entirely. The visual here is Ichigo cleanly launching a Getsuga Jujisho.
One take is that it’s Ichigo saying this line, saying he will have to do this himself. Or it could be Uryu saying this, since he wanted to chalk off and do his own thing to stop Yhwach without telling anything to Ichigo. The second one’s more likely with this lyric, where he forcefully imposes a form of loneliness on himself to achieve his goal.
I’ll leave this up to interpretation.
•• ───── ♛ ───── •••• ───── ♛ ───── ••
EXTENDED VERSION
We’ll be going over the new extended opening and how the anime has cleverly woven in the visuals to fit the flow and symbolism of the lyrics. Some of these only serve to introduce character cards and nothing else, but some are quite intentional.
Ichigo visual in the first line: “Let us join our hands and pray….” The visuals show him in varying fights.
Uryu gets the “God, you’re so perverse (rebellious).” This is probably Ichigo speaking to Uryu… since Uryu is seemingly acting like an idiot, thinking he's the only one who can defeat Yhwach. The inverse could be true too; Uryu feels Ichigo is extremely reckless and does whatever he wants- so that’s a form of rebelliousness in itself that acts as an anchor for him- but also saddens him a great deal because he doesn't seem to understand him a lot of the time (Monochrome, the ED, references this).
Orihime and Chad: My strong heart is about to break; no matter what I do, it won’t work. It’s to introduce their characters, but at the same time, it could also be about their relationship with Uryu, and how hurt they are when they see him fight Ichigo. Especially Orihime, who has a really deep connection with Uryu- and how she’s saddened by his betrayal.
Ganju: Everything I do seems to go wrong, you know? Sounds about right for him. Just kidding, but you know I mean. Rukia also gets this line, but it’s the same as for Renji, the desperation and despair she faces, even as she wins something, she loses another (Ukitake).
Renji: “Oh my God, I believe in you, even if I’m separated from you…” It shows his fight with Uryu, which means it does the parallel the original meaning with Bazz, where the other part of the duo believes in the strength of their friendship despite the distance between them.
Kisuke and Yoruichi: “Even if you forget about me someday…” Originally the line which Aizen appeared, and it fittingly starts with Kisuke this time. Yoruichi also gets her moment. This could be a reference to their odd friendship, which stands strong somehow, despite Kisuke being morally detached and aloof. Rapport (Special ED for Cour 1) also references this.
Ichigo vs Yhwach: “I don’t need words anymore; we understand each other better than that”. While the visual for this could just be for the momentum/hype factor of the chorus coming in, it could also bring their complex bond into play, especially what Ichigo shares with Old Man Zangetsu (his own powers).
There are several visuals all throughout that don’t fully go with the lyrics, but it all involves some form of fierce attack/defence with Ichibe, Yoruichi, Ganju, Chad and Orihime.
Uryu vs Ichigo: “If you're being too strong, hey, just laugh it off… fate with you… seems like it can twisted.” While originally given to Nanao and Shunsui, it applies as much to Ichigo and Uryu. They are fighting an enemy that embodies the idea of fate itself, and together, even though the odds are impossible, it looks like they can actually stand a chance.
The lines “So much that I want cry, on a lonely night. I will pray, I need to be alone…” The visual shows Uryu and Ichigo for the first part, implying the struggle of being apart- but the ‘pray’ line shows Ichigo slashing the Soul King, perhaps just implying the presence of a deity along with the word, or something more.
This is where the real extension happens so to speak, since the entire song plays out.
During the musical section, we are treated to the lieutenants hacking away at the eyeball monsters, Riruka, Yukio, Grimmjow and Nelliel… all the major side characters, essentially. And then we land on Aizen, before the cut to Shunsui.
•• ─────── ♛ ─────── ••
下書きばかりが
吐けずに溜まっていく
I can't get rid of all the drafts and they keep piling up (quite literally: only drafts-venting-accumulation).
Viz: My rough draft keeps piling up with nowhere to vent.
The visual is Shunsui, and again the image is just as clear. It’s reinforced by the line afterward too. He is shown releasing Aizen (as Ukitake is dying), fighting regular Lille and then in the yellow of his bankai, and then lying on Ohana’s lap.
It shows the turmoil that’s building in him, how deeply it’s impacting him, but how much he can’t take it anymore, how great it is. It’s piling up, and there is no escape or release from it. Which brings us to the next lyric as Nanao appears…
弱い自分を隠したいから？
Is it because you want to hide your weakness (literally: weakness-myself/yourself-conceal?)?
Viz: Am I trying to hide my weakness?
The line is directed at Shunsui and Nanao, both. Shunsui has a weakness when it comes to Nanao, because of how close he was with her parents, and how close he ended up being with her- and how much is absolutely hurt him to carry the blade that brought so much sorrow to him.
So his pretense fails when it comes to Nanao, who stands ready to share his burden. Nanao struggles in battle, since she’s not battle-ready or combative, but for the sake of her captain, she tries to fight despite the terror getting to her.
But Shunsui steps and takes the Shinken Hakkyoken with her, cementing their combined role and duty in the battle as captain and lieutenant, but also as people who believe they can circumvent the pain that fate potentially can bring to them.
Their weakness is each other. But they are stronger for it, since it’s their reliance and understanding of each other that secure them their victory.
•• ─────── ♛ ─────── ••
気だるい風吹く
猫も夢うつつ
A languid wind blows, the cat is even dreaming…
Viz: Even the cat is daydreaming in this sluggish breeze…
The dream part is a reference to Mayuri. Why a cat specifically? I’m not sure. But it’s a relaxed metaphor, kind of like how Mayuri has been always. Mayuri is living a dream while awake, so he cannot stand losing that dream.
As for his creation…
僕らは傷付くために生まれてはない
We are not born to be hurt.
Viz: We were not born to just get hurt.
Nemu is born out of a dream Mayuri possessed. She has undergone so many evolutionary benchmarks, suffering at the hands of Mayuri herself due to his cruel nature.
‘Why do I exist? ...’ is a question we all ask ourselves. To Mayuri, Nemu’s entire purpose is to evolve. But to her, it’s about him. She feels proud when she can do what she can, and protect him at any cost.
Her very existence does hinge on pain- she’s not born to be hurt, but she has to undergo it in order to evolve. Mayuri also forcefully undergoes the pain of losing her (due to his belief in her progress) in order to create her again.
•• ─────── ♛ ─────── ••
もしも誰かが、最低だと君を噂にしても
“Even if someone gossips about you saying you’re the worst…”
I am not sure what this has to do with Ukitake and Shunsui, but I’m going to assume it speaks of how their friendship remains untainted despite everything they’ve been through, so it establishes their bond as being honest and true.
However, there comes the line with Bazz, which gives this more context as a parallel between friends.
•• ─────── ♛ ─────── ••
なんてうっせー、信じてるよ
あえて言葉にせずとも
君の優しさ気付いているよ
“Oh my God, I believe you… even if I don’t say it in words…I notice your kindness…”
More literally, the second part: no-words-needed-your-kindness-noticed.
Viz: “Oh calm down, I still have faith in you, even without any words, I know that you have a kind heart…”
This is also pretty clear. The visuals show Bazz/Jugram. The first part is clearly spoken by Bazz, saying that he has faith in his old friend, no words needed between them- since they understand each other far deeper than anything they say, mirroring the dynamic of Ichigo and Uryu.
We could go two ways with the second line and its implications (I notice your kindness). Both are valid perspectives. The first is that it’s Jugram speaking to Bazz, because of the compassion he showed to him as a child, and how much he deeply valued that, how it shaped his heart, so to speak. So he speaks of Bazz’s kindness, how it’s not unnoticed by him.
The other is that it’s Bazz speaking to Jugo, how despite everything he does, his front of coldness, he isn’t unkind. He sees the kindness that is still there, the softness that is so key to everything about him- but Jugram buries his expression due to the role he is demanded to carry out.
Or it could be from the perspective of the viewer too, where we notice Jugram’s real nature as differing from the ‘mask’ he puts on to appear cold.
•• ─────── ♛ ─────── ••
The next part shows a mashup of scenes, from snippets of various characters, to well-animated actions sequences and transformations.
As for the chorus, the initial part is the same: “I don’t need words anymore; we understand each other better than that”. The rest is all different though.
•• ─────── ♛ ─────── ••
神様より理解者でいたい.
Roughly translated: God-more-than-understanding-I-want-to-be. Or ‘I want to be more understanding than God’.
Viz: “I want to know you better than fate does.”
Fate/God seems to be quite a common change in the Viz version. But anyway, the lyrics show the battles occurring, from Renji to Shunsui, to Mayuri.
•• ─────── ♛ ─────── ••
悲劇なら、ねぇ喜劇にしようね
君と人生をまるでコメディーのように
If it's a tragedy, let's make it a comedy; let's make life with you like a comedy...
Viz: So let’s turn this tragedy into a comedy; with you, I think we can laugh our lives away…
The visuals show Nemu/Mayuri versus Pernida, with Nemu blasting Pernida with Gikon Jurinju. Mayuri cracks a smile after Nemu dies, essentially turning the tragedy into a comedic moment- but of course, it’s because he realizes the window of opportunity to save a fragment of her while finishing his opponent.
Uryu standing victorious over Renji is shown, as well as Nanao leaping at Lille with her ancestral zanpakuto. This is a reference to their idea of fate/life, how they turn their sadness into something that’s actually useful- Nanao as strength to her captain (and he in turn, her strength), Uryu as a resolve to protect his friends and take down Yhwach.
The part about laughing off problems echoes off the first chorus, how the characters possess hope for the future, against the impossible- and thus, can take things a little lighter, knowing they have a light that takes them through. And that is a sentiment that echoes for all of Bleach, from characters like Isshin and Masaki, to even Ukitake and Orihime.
•• ─────── ♛ ─────── ••
わかっているから
言わなくていい
I understand, so you don't have to say it.
Viz: Say no more, I already know…
The visual is Shunsui and Nanao again, another reflection of their relationship. It is also something beyond words. Just like how the latter put together the pieces of who her mother was, she also realized the truth about Shunsui as soon as she met him. But she never confronted him about it until it really came to it.
It’s actually quite mature that way, where they just cared about each other deeply and understood inherently what the other meant- even if the words were not all there. It goes beyond any of that, it transcends it. Just like with Ichigo and Uryu.
•• ─────── ♛ ─────── ••
瞳にはいつでも
秘密なんてないだろう
There will always be no secrets in your eyes.
Viz: I can see it in your eyes, so there are no secrets to hide.
The final two lyrics are an ode to Kubo’s favourite fight, of course. It also parallels Ichigo and Uryu.
Interestingly, right after this lyric about the eyes, we get a lot of eye shots from the original/extended opening compiled together- and the only one who doesn’t get his eyes shown is Jugram (his hair covers it).
That is quite intentional, since eyes are everything in Bleach. Not showing the eyes means something is hidden, as the above lyric implies as much in the alternative. Jugram is a subtle character, but his eyes betray him a great deal, since it gives away his real emotional state frequently, and he hates being vulnerable.
So Bazz is talking to Jugram on how he’s not as stoic as he tries to be, how his eyes give away his intent. So the battle is kind of reinforced by the eyes and how the look in his eye changes- so Bazz is, in a way, trying to see his eyes (sounds strange when I say it like that, but you get the point). He wants to know.
He’s menacing when in possession of the Almighty, since Yhwach’s powers affect him a great deal (‘the other half’), but his true self is beyond the indifference and distance he forcefully puts between people and himself. Bazz knows who he really is, and compels him to engage- and we know how the story ends up, a tragedy that dies with both of them.
•• ─────── ♛ ─────── ••
There are quite a lot of ties to fate/God/prayer in this opening. Bleach has a lot of religious symbolism, and the other facets of this arc deal with those kinds of themes. Ukitake and Mimihagi, Shunsui and the Ise blade, the creation of the worlds, Reio, Ichibe and his nebulous actions, Yhwach himself, and so on.
Colours during this opening is used quite beautifully, but there's a lot of attention on the eyes- most of the eyes in the opening have pops of colour. They aren't the true colours of the characters, but the colours they are primarily associated with or perhaps the colours of their reiatsu. But the prominence is there all the same.
Bleach is about communication- and eyes are one of the biggest communicators. Kubo also draws eyes to express emotional states, giving them a lot of detail and emphasis. You'll notice it for everyone from Jugram to Ukitake, Orihime to Nelliel, and so on. Unohana has a lot of emphasis on her eyes as well. It makes sense for that aspect to feature in the opening.
Hands are a big part of this trailer too, frequently depicted gripping at some object (blades, slashes) or reaching for something (Nemu reaching for Mayuri). Again, the prayer motif is strong throughout the song, and that reflects in the visuals depicting the use of hands.
Here's some references to all the visuals for eyes and hands.
EYES VISUAL
Lots of eye prominence is given in this opening, which is such a core concept in Bleach, especially in how characters communicate.
- Zoom in of Yhwach’s eyes at the start.
- Fades into Ichigo’s eyes.
- Ichibe glares intently at the screen, like the monk he is.
- Mimihagi stares at us, acting as both an eye and a hand.
- Ukitake also looks up at us.
- Shunsui tiredly glances up from inside Muken.
- Kisuke’s eyes are the only colour in the scene- vivid green.
- We get a close-up of Bazz and his pink eyes.
- Jugram softly narrows his gaze.
- Aizen’s eyes are the last we see of him, as well as a little smile.
- Close-up of Uryu looking back at Ichigo and the others, as well as in his ‘fight’.
- Another moving shot into Shunsui’s eyes.
- Mayuri’s eyes on Nemu, telling her to back off.
- Nemu looks up at Mayuri before leaping off.
- Uryu gently opening his eyes, Blut coursing through them.
- Another close-up of Ichigo’s gaze as he cuts downwards.
- This Getsugo Jujisho leads us back the Soul King’s eyes.
- Finishes off with Yhwach’s Almighty eyes.
HAND VISUALS
Hands are also a big part of this opening. Again, another big Bleach thing ('in the palm of my hand... is a heart.'):
- Yhwach reaching for the speck, and Reio in it.
- Jugram and Bazz’s emblem on his palm.
- Ichigo wielding his dual-blade for Getsuga Jujisho.
- Renji’s hand on his blade in one shot, tightening.
- The second Renji shot involves him stretching out his hands.
- Bazz shattering the glass mirror with his fists.
- Jugram drawing his sword a moment later.
- Ichibe putting his hands together.
- Nanao and Shunsui holding the Ise blade.
- Little Nemu grasping Mayuri's hand.
- Ukitake grasping his sword.
- Mimihagi, quite literally a hand.
- Ichigo with Yhwach's sword, coated in Blut.
- Pernida ‘standing’ over Mayuri…
- …. and Nemu’s own hand reaching out to grab him.
- Everyone holding the Reishi orbs.
•• ────────────── ••• ────────────── ••
If you actually made it this far, thanks so much for stopping by! Feel free to share anything I've missed out on below.