How Tite Kubo Chose the Final Cour's Music
Tite Kubo has personally listened to and approved every Thousand-Year Blood War theme song from the demo stage. For the final cour, he received more proposals than any previous round and wanted something with maximum impact, according to Japanese entertainment news outlet Dengeki Online.
jo0ji, the 26-year-old singer-songwriter who wrote the Jujutsu Kaisen "Culling Game" arc's ending theme "Yoake no Uta," delivers the opening "I-BULL." Kubo was already a fan of jo0ji's music before the project. The initial demo had elements he wanted refined, and when jo0ji sent back revisions, what arrived was practically a different song. Kubo found the track's intensity compelling, and each subsequent pass only reinforced his choice.
9Lana, a vocalist known for commanding nine distinct vocal tones and a growing international following centered on the Americas, performs the ending "Rasen" (Spiral). Her demo stood head and shoulders above every other submission. Kubo decided on the spot that her song would be used for either the opening or ending, and preferred it as the ending because of its intro. He envisioned it flowing naturally from each episode's closing moments.
Both artists expressed deep personal connections to Bleach. jo0ji, who grew up watching the series, described "I-BULL" as his attempt to answer what courage means to him, drawn from the show's themes of standing up, believing, and protecting. 9Lana called the opportunity dreamlike, saying she channeled the emotions she learned from watching Ichigo struggle and grow into her performance. jo0ji has a 10-show national tour, "Ikari," planned for November, including six Zepp venues.
Kubo also shared a broader philosophy: he's intentionally championed newer artists throughout the Thousand-Year Blood War run, wanting viewers to discover each performer through the show and become fans from there.
Episode 41: "GOD OF THUNDER"
The newly revealed key visual centers on a battered Ichigo seen from behind, kneeling on barren ground with one hand on Zangetsu. Multiple blades jut from the earth around him, while Yhwach looms in the sky above, radiating omniscient power.
Episode 41's synopsis picks up with Ichigo and Uryū standing side by side once more as friends and comrades. Ichigo, Orihime, and Chad press toward the throne room to confront Yhwach, while Haschwalth blocks Uryū's path, the King's light glowing ominously in his eyes. Below the castle, Yoruichi clashes with Askin Nakk Le Vaar. When she's pushed to the brink, Urahara arrives with a counterattack. Across all three worlds, anomalies begin to spread.
The returning voice cast includes Masakazu Morita as Ichigo, Noriaki Sugiyama as Uryū, Yuki Matsuoka as Orihime, Takayuki Sugō as Yhwach, and Akio Ōtsuka as Shunsui Kyōraku.
Best Episode Vote and Free Marathon
TV Tokyo is running a fan vote ahead of the premiere: pick your favorite episode from each of the first three cours. Voting opened June 21 and runs through June 28, with results on July 1. The three winning episodes air on consecutive Saturdays starting July 4.
The third cour, The Conflict, also gets a free streaming marathon on TVer, ABEMA, Lemino, and Niconico. Episodes 27 through 33 stream July 12 to 18; episodes 34 through 40 stream July 19 to 25, rolling right into the premiere.
Looking Ahead
BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity premieres Saturday, July 25 at 11:00 PM on TV Tokyo affiliates, with streaming beginning the following day. The series streams on Hulu in the US and Disney+ internationally. US fans can also catch the first three episodes in theaters via a Fathom Events screening running June 25 through 29.
The final cour is produced at PIERROT FILMS, Studio Pierrot's sub-label created for the Thousand-Year Blood War project. Tomohisa Taguchi returns as general director alongside director Hikaru Murata, with Shirō Sagisu on music.