Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 debuted last month, and now that a couple of episodes have been released we're learning more about the production process that brought the adaptation to life.
In a recent interview with Oricon, via Anime Hunch, Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War arc chief director Tomohisa Taguchi and director Hikaru Murata spoke about the behind-the-scenes techniques used to visualize some of the more complex animation scenes in the current season.
When asked about the memorable production moments, Taguchi revealed that the team took photographs of themselves to use as reference material for the animation. This unique technique helped better depict some of the more challenging angles and perspectives for the animators. Taguchi explained:
“For the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, we actually took our own photos to use as reference material for the animation. It’s hard to imagine and draw certain difficult angles just by visualizing them. For instance, the layout of Rukia hiding in the closet while Yuzu and others are outside in the BLEACH 20th anniversary PV was decided after consulting with the production staff, the director, and the animators, and then we took photos to capture the angle.“
The decision to use photographs was made when chief animation director Michio Hasegawa suggested, "If we can't draw it, then let's just take a photo."
The staff didn't only use photographs for reference, but also video as well. Murata revealed that the blood pact between Yhwach and Uryu was created using a video reference.
“For the scene in the second cour where Yhwach and Uryu share a blood pact, we even took videos, not just photos, for reference.“
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 - The Conflict, the third of four planned cours that adapt the manga's final story arc, premiered in early October. The synopsis for the series reads:
Was it all just a coincidence, or was it inevitable?
Ichigo Kurosaki gained the powers of a Soul Reaper through a chance encounter. As a Substitute Soul Reaper, Ichigo became caught in the turmoil of the Soul Society, a place where deceased souls gather. But with help from his friends, Ichigo overcame every challenge to become even stronger.
When new Soul Reapers and a new enemy appear in his hometown of Karakura, Ichigo jumps back into the battlefield with his Zanpakuto to help those in need. Meanwhile, the Soul Society is observing a sudden surge in the number of Hollows being destroyed in the World of the Living. They also receive separate reports of residents in the Rukon District having gone missing. Finally, the Seireitei, home of the Soul Reapers, comes under attack by a group calling themselves the Wandenreich.
Led by Yhwach, the father of all Quincies, the Wandenreich declare war against the Soul Reapers with the following message: “Five days from now, the Soul Society will be annihilated by the Wandenreich.”
The history and truth kept hidden by the Soul Reapers for a thousand long years is finally brought to light.
All things must come to an end—as Ichigo Kurosaki’s final battle begins!
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 - The Conflict is available to stream exclusively on Hulu and Disney+/