Summary
Episode 31 ofBleach Thousand-Year Blood Warsees the official return of a massive fan favorite, Sousuke Aizen. While the Gotei 13 struggle against the Torrent of the Soul King’s power, Aizen appears to save them from the dark creatures reluctantly. Evenafter two years of imprisonmentand being restrained in a powerful chair, Aizen has become even more powerful than ever before. And while he doesn’t use his famous Zanpakutou, Kyouka Suigetsu, he’s perfectly able to use his most iconic Kidou spell: Hado 90: Kurohitsugi.
Creating a gigantic black box, Aizen annihilates all the Torrents of the Soul King’s power along with a large portion of the Seireitei. Without you and the use of an incantation or even a long set up, this extraordinary spell is the peak of Kidou inBleach.
What are Kidou Spells?
A Shinigami’s Secondary Power System
Kidou or Demon Arts is a form of Shinigami combat that consists of advanced spells with many different effects. They are divided into two categories: Hadou, spells used for direct combat which are usually offense-focused. And Bakudo, which are support spells that range in use depending on the situation. Kidou is taught at the Shinigami Academy as one of the primary combat skills in the Zankensoki. Many Shinigami who don’t excel atconventional physical combat using their Zanpakutouare proficient in this area. Such is the case for Nanao Ise or Momo Hinamori.
Most captains of the Gotei 13 are trained to use Kidou, but only a few actively employ them in combat. Experts at Kidou are members of the fabled Kidou Corps. A special group of Shinigami that excel at all forms of this combat art. Tessai Tsukabishi, Kisuke Urahara’s right-hand man in the World of the Living, was the chief commander of the Corpsbefore his exile to the human world. Hachigen Ushouda, a member of the Vizoreds, was the Vice-Kidou Chief.
Hado 90: Kurohitsugi, A Devastating Kidou
Aizen’s Favorite Spell
Hado 90: Kurohitsugi (Black Coffin) is a high-level spell mostly used in the series by Sousuke Aizen. The user generates a massive torrent of purple energy which envelopes the target in a closed field of dense gravity which then takes the form of a massive black box. The box is then covered by several spear-like protrusions that lacerate the target inside from head to toe. This spell is incredibly difficult to use even for experts of Kidou. Without the use of an incantation, Sousuke Aizen could only unleash a third of its full power. Aizen first used this attack in the Soul Society arc against Captain Sajin Komamura. He later used it against Ichigo Kurosaki, who, thanks to his transcendent form, is able to repel it easily.
Aizen proclaims that if he used it with the full incantation, the power of the attack would be so great that it would rupture space and time.With his current power after he merged with the Hogyouku, Aizen can conjure a Kurohitsugi with such strength to completely destroy the Torrent of Soul King’s power and a large portion of the landscape. He can create such an attack while still being restrained and having his spiritual pressure reduced.
Aizen’s Kurohitsugi is by far the most powerful Kidou spell seen so far inBleach. The Torrent of Soul King power was overwhelming the members of the Gotei 13. However, Aizen managed to destroy the entirety of it by simply using his spiritual pressure and this extraordinary spell.While Captain Kyoraku’s decisionto come to Aizen for help has been vocally condemned by his peers. Simply having an ally of such godlike power on their side can make a difference in the battle against the Quincy.
Bleach
Cast
Based on Tite Kubo’s battle shonen manga, Bleach centers around Ichigo, a high school student who is dragged into the world of Soul Reapers. The original anime ended in 2012, but it was revived in 2022.
