Yūki Kaji Boards *Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Calamity* as Tōshirō Hitsugaya’s Complete Bankai
The production team behind Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Calamity—the fourth and final season of the acclaimed anime—has officially confirmed that voice actor Yūki Kaji brings Tōshirō Hitsugaya’s Complete Bankai form to life. To celebrate the reveal, Viz Media has released an English-subtitled clip showcasing the character’s debut in episode 44.
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The grand finale is rolling out across four separate cours, featuring scheduled breaks as it adapts the remainder of Tite Kubo’s original manga. Specifically, this final “Thousand-Year Blood War” arc encompasses volumes 55 through 74 of the source material.
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Calamity officially premiered on July 25 at 11:00 p.m. JST on TV Tokyo, followed by broadcasts on BS TV Tokyo, AT-X, Hiroshima TV, Niigata Broadcasting, and Sendai Broadcasting throughout late July and August, alongside various Japanese digital platforms.
Musical accompaniment for this final stretch features jo0ji performing the opening theme, “I-BULL,” while singer-songwriter 9Lana handles the ending theme, “Rasen” (Spiral).
Prior to its television broadcast, Viz Media and Fathom Entertainment treated U.S. fans to an exclusive theatrical event from June 25 to 29, screening the first three episodes in 943 theaters nationwide. Fans experienced the premiere in both Japanese audio with English subtitles and English dub, complete with a special behind-the-scenes discussion featuring franchise creator Tite Kubo, chief director Tomohisa Taguchi, and series director Hikaru Murata.
For international viewers, the series’ broadcast journey began with its first cour in October 2022 (concluding with a double-episode special in December), streamed via Hulu in the United States, Disney+ globally, and Ani-One Asia across several Asian territories. The second cour followed in July 2023, while Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 – The Conflict debuted in October 2024 and wrapped up with a one-hour special finale that December.
Sources: Bleach anime’s website, Comic Natalie