#bambies

D: Tomohisa Taguchi

I truly think that was a job very well done by Murata-san, who was in charge of directing this storyboard. I reckon the idea that peace ends the moment the pinwheel stops may have resonated deeply with viewers as an abstract motif.

14. The organization known as the "Sternritter" and its members are explored in depth in the anime. In order to strengthen the impression of their unity as a group, one additional element introduced in the anime is the concept and designation of "Wörtlich", which is the collective term for those who have been bestowed a Schrift by Yhwach. (ep. #15)

D: Tomohisa Taguchi

Keeping in mind the idea of placing focus on the group that is the "Sternritter", when I revisited the original work, I noticed that each character's personality was so unique that there weren't many scenes where they assembled as a group and did something together. Therefore, we added a scene where the Grandmaster, Haschwalth, is positioned as the leader and the Wörtlich who possess a Schrift are gathered together in the same room. We structured it with a view to explicitly define what their purpose is and what kind of group they are. By doing so, I believe we were able to more clearly present the policy held unanimously by the Quincy side, that is, "to completely annihilate the Shinigami." During that meeting, we also had Haschwalth demonstrate his leadership by explaining the significance of "killing the Captains with their own stolen Bankai" in a way that is easy to understand even for new viewers.

A: Tite Kubo

It's a scene where they all come together in the same place, typical of BLEACH, isn't it? I suppose It's a homage to the past compositions where the Shinigami and Espada hold meetings, and it turned out to be something more than just fan service.

15. As for Giselle, Liltotto and Meninas, "Vollständig - Sklaverei" is depicted following on from Quilge, incorporating a "transformation scene" unique to the anime. (ep. #21)

D: Tomohisa Taguchi

When explaining "Sklaverei" to Satō-san, who was in charge of directing the episode in question, it all started when I said, "It's about gathering Reishi from the surroundings to power up and take on something like a second form." When I looked at the storyboard that was sent up to me, it had turned into a scene reminiscent of the magical girl genre, so to speak. I was in two minds after I was asked "Isn't this what you meant…?" But I adopted the idea after considering that, in its own way, it could accentuate the individuality and presence of their characters. 

A: Tite Kubo

I also couldn't help but laugh in a positive sense after seeing the staging of that transformation scene. I thought "magical girl, huh!?" (Laughs) I originally created the five members of the Bambies with the image of an idol group and sentai-like shows in mind, so it seemed like a perfect fit. 

16. The volume of combat scenes involving the Bambies itself has also increased. (ep. #21)

D: Tomohisa Taguchi

As for their entrance in episode #21, I wanted to expand on Ichigo's battle scenes upon his return to the Seireitei, this was a moment where I felt it may be possible to make that happen. This is the scene in which Ichigo draws his sword for the first time after having undergone training in Irazu Sandō, and it's precisely because extra scenes were being added that I felt it's the place where I wanted to try doing that. When I asked Kubo-sensei to design the Sklaverei forms for Candice and the others, we received materials on their techniques along with it, further accelerating the process. Although Kubo-sensei had mentioned that we didn't have to use everything, the more we looked at it, the more we wanted to incorporate it all, and the result is what you see.

A: Tite Kubo

I handed over the materials thinking that there was absolutely no way it would all fit given the time constraints, but surprisingly, everything was included. During the dubbing session, I was astonished to see that the number of shots had increased significantly compared to other episodes (laughs).

17. The spotlight was also cast on battles such as Kuchiki Byakuya vs NaNaNa Najahkoop, Robert Accutrone and Candice Catnipp. (ep. #23)

D: Tomohisa Taguchi

In the original work, they simply appear in one panel after being defeated by Byakuya, don't they? We decided to take the liberty of supplementing the parts where we thought such a battle would have taken place. Since the TV anime follows a fixed length format, there are often times where it becomes necessary to extend the duration while deciding which part of the story to depict and where it should start and end. On such occasions, you can find the answer by rereading the original work. Given that there are as many battles as there are characters, we pick out what's likely to be the scenes that fans would like to see from among the parts that were omitted in the original work, and so we took the opportunity to add those part in thinking "let's track the movements of this character until they appear again in this panel."

18. The power of Gremmy's "The Visionary" may have troubled the production team the most. (ep. #20)

D: Tomohisa Taguchi

I think it was challenging for the animators. After all, Gremmy can do just about anything. An all-out battle demonstrated by an individual who possesses an extraordinary power, capable of instantly creating huge debris, a large volume of water, a countless number of firearms, and to top it all off, even a colossal meteorite and the vacuum of space. If we ended up condensing it to be more brief, Gremmy's power itself becomes proportionally smaller, so I think it was a part that required energy and perseverance.  

A: Tite Kubo

This aspect turned out to be a difficult scene to depict even in the original work (laughs). The CG of the firearms and the choreography of Kenpachi when he slashes the meteorite were also great.

19. Kuchiki Rukia's Bankai, "Hakka no Togame". Its checks were carried out carefully. (ep. #19)

D: Tomohisa Taguchi

If you look at the panels in the original work, there is something like an updraft in a place that appears to be above Rukia, along with a circular area reminiscent of the Tsukishiro unleashed by her Sode no Shirayuki. I didn't quite understand how Rukia performs Bankai, what kind of phenomena occurs, or what mechanism it was that brought down Äs Nödt, so I asked Kubo-sensei: “Sequentially, when activating her Bankai, a freezing mist resembling the surface of a lake appears beneath her feet and in the sky, with a column of freezing mist emanating from Rukia herself piercing through the center.” We have faithfully reflected that. Furthermore, the slight translucency of Rukia's hair and skin is an original expression of the anime.

A: Tite Kubo

During the storyboarding stage, Taguchi-san had noted down "it's so beautiful that it takes your breath away (that's the kind of visual we need to incorporate)." So I've been looking forward to the finished product ever since. Regarding the framework of this Bankai too, I created the materials for it while looking back at my original work and retracing my memories from that time. That task was also fun. Additionally, the length of this episode had slipped into overtime, but since Äs Nödt is a character who tends to talk ominously for long periods of time, which is a 'characteristic trait' that defines him, we discussed if we could somehow manage without cutting anything. Ultimately, I had it made into a special ending format, I thought to myself how exceedingly well it turned out in the end.

20. Zero Division vs the Schutzstaffel. While adhering to the source material, the development spun in the anime original culminates in Shutara Senjumaru, thus raising expectations for the third cour. (ep. #26)

D: Tomohisa Taguchi

As for the battle scene at the Soul King Palace, which can also be described as a clash between the strongest forces of both factions, I wanted to cast more of a spotlight on Uryū, who has been positioned as the face of the second cour. Although Kubo-sensei couldn't draw him due to page limitations, the Uryū that he wanted to draw must be somewhere. I want to see and portray the Bankai of Zero Division. That's the sort of thing I had in mind. So, I contemplated the matter in my head, hoping to express it in the anime, including the motive behind it. After formulating various plans, I presented my ideas to Kubo-sensei, and thus with a significant amount of cooperation from sensei, an anime episode like no other was completed.

21. The chosen, Shutara Senjumaru, and her Bankai. (ep. #26)

D: Tomohisa Taguchi

Once the idea of "Zero Division Bankai" is settled upon, the next challenge arises: "whose Bankai will it be?" In the case of Senjumaru, who bears the meaning of 'having a thousand arms' in her name, we assumed she probably specializes in doing battle with several opponents at the same time. Believing that It is precisely because she is suited for one-to-many battles, we considered her to be the person that the other members of Squad Zero could entrust their fight to without hesitation, so we proposed this to Kubo-sensei from the anime side around the same time. 

The visual for Senjumaru's Bankai itself was a completely original idea which we received from Kubo-sensei. The visual based on a giant loom and the depiction of its activation, abilities and techniques were also provided by Sensei through illustrated materials which he had drawn up for us. We then proceeded to develop a scenario based on that as a matter of course. We went through quite a number of drafts for the scene, but I believe it was an episode that was truly worth the effort. The scenario was finalized, and when it came time to consider how it could then be incorporated into a storyboard, we were fortunate to receive further guidance from Sensei on how to depict the scene. I'm not sure of the correct way to word this, but I believe we were able to deliver something with an impact which screams "This is BLEACH!" beyond what was imagined in the scenario. The enthusiasm of everyone involved is particularly evident.

A: Tite Kubo

If I were to choose one person with the given course of events, I'd also have thought it would be Senjumaru who would take responsibility for turning the tide of this battle, so when I heard from the anime side that they wanted to make Senjumaru the Zero Division character to perform Bankai, I sensed the depth of understanding the anime production team had for the work the moment they made that proposal without me even saying anything. I am very grateful. It was also interesting how, in the process leading up to her Bankai, they cleverly utilized the idea that being part of the Zero Division means they're ready to die. The way the seals of the four individuals were depicted is also great. 

Section 5

THE BLEACH

22. The author's involvement as "general supervisor" continues into the second cour of this work. What are their thoughts on this production style?

D: Tomohisa Taguchi

Through our interactions and output of materials in the first cour, I suppose the feeling is "this is how we're going to do things" and there's a sense that Kubo-sensei's position as a staff member has solidified as we've progressed. In other words, it's like we've gotten even closer to Kubo-sensei…! What do you think, Kubo-sensei!? 

As far as the anime side is concerned, there's a certain level of "familiarity" in a positive sense, and in addition to that, It seems like a style is emerging that encompasses a sense of pressure and a sense of purpose, and I feel like we've been able to establish a relationship where we can easily express our opinions and also share our concerns with each other. For example, when trying to animate "Getsuga Jūjishō" in a cool looking way, I asked sensei about the way Jūjishō should appear after we struggled with posing the two swords. In an anime-oriented mindset, when a character wields two swords, it tends to result in poses where the body opens up or where one sword is raised. Thinking, "that's different from the stance Ichigo from 'BLEACH' takes", we were able to create the current sequence precisely because we could consult with the author about what should be done. I received the following response: "Regarding Jūjishō, the vertical Getsuga generated from Zangetsu in the right hand is violently hit against the first Getsuga generated horizontally by Zangetsu in the left hand. At that moment, energy is infused from the vertical Getsuga into the horizontal one, forming a gigantic cross. It advances forward through the propulsive force of the vertical Getsuga. Therefore, his posture after its activation ends up in a pose where one foot is left heavily leaning inward." Taking that as a hint, we applied it to the visuals. 

We've reached a point where we are able to comprehend Kubo-sensei's deep insights better, making it even easier to reflect them in the anime, and I'm sure if we dig deeper in this regard, Kubo-sensei will guide our ideas to even greater heights! There are some instances where we gain motivation like "let's thoroughly pour our hearts and souls into creating ideas that form the groundwork for that!" On the other hand, there are also times where we make a judgment call and say "let's try to ask Kubo-sensei about this from the get-go!" I think it was the second cour where that type of communication became a great deal easier. The third cour and beyond will also be very lively, so please look forward to it! 

A: Tite Kubo