Bleach TYBW allegedly contradicts the Can't Fear Your Own World novel in latest episode
Bleach TYBW episode 36 focused on the conclusion of the battle between Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Pernida Parnkgjas. The diabolical captain of the Twelfth Division and the creepiest member of Yhwach’s elite guard engaged in a bizarre struggle. Meanwhile, the outcome of this outlandish confrontation was as unforeseeable as the abilities on display during its course.
Mayuri’s assistant Nemu intervened to protect Mayuri from Pernida’s ever-evolving powers, but Pernida survived Nemu’s onslaught and used its nerves to tear her apart. While Pernida ate the remains of Nemu's mangled body, doing so, marked her unexpected defeat. Mayuri had devised Nemu so that the cells of her body would grow at an accelerated rate when separated from the brain, causing Pernida to self-destruct.
While the episode was largely a faithful adaptation of the battle as seen in Tite Kubo's original manga, it also featured a few anime-original scenes. One of them, however, seemed to contradict the content of Bleach: Can’t Fear Your Own World, a novel set sometime after the Thousand-Year Blood War. Kubo is heavily involved in the new anime adaptation, so this has understandably raised doubts about the canonicity of the entire novel.
Bleach TYBW episode 36 sparks controversy about the Can't Fear Your Own World novel
The unexpected appearance of Candice and Meninas
A post-credits scene featured at the end of Bleach TYBW episode 36 showed Liltotto Lamperd and Giselle Gewelle entering Yhwach’s castle. They entered the majestic Wahrwelt to try and take revenge on the Quincy Emperor for targeting them with the Auswahlen. Liltotto and Giselle were soon joined by Candice Catnipp, Meninas McAllon, and Bambietta Basterbine, soon joined Liltotto and Giselle, who summoned them as zombies under her control.
This is an anime-only scene, as in the manga Candice and Meninas were never seen after being struck by Yhwach’s Auswahlen. As for Liltotto and Giselle, their attempt to challenge Yhwach resulted in a crushing defeat as the latter slaughtered them. They were left lying on the ground in a puddle of blood.
The novel Bleach: Can’t Fear Your Own World revealed that Giselle and Liltotto didn’t die and were saved and healed by Jugram Haschwalth’s aide. In the novel – set six months after the conflict between Quincy and Shinigami – Candice and Meninas have fallen into the hands of Mayuri Kurotsuchi. They were captured by the Twelfth Division right after they were struck by Yhwach’s Auswahlen.
According to Can’t Fear Your Own World, Mayuri turned Meninas, Candice, and NaNaNa Najahkoop into his research subjects. Liltotto, Giselle, and a zombified Bambietta try to free them from Mayuri, and the Twelfth Division’s captain cuts a deal with them. The captain agrees to release the Sternritter as long as they help him capture the Fullbringers living in the Rukongai.
Can’t Fear Your Own World states that the Twelfth Division members captured Candice and Meninas after Yhwach used Auswahlen on them, and later has the fact that they are in Mayuri’s possession as a major plot point. However, the latest episode of Bleach TYBW shows Candice and Meninas alongside Giselle, Liltotto, and Bambietta, marking a clear difference from the novel.
Bleach TYBW openly contradicts the novel, as in the anime adaptation Giselle is in possession of Meninas and Candice’s bodies. Meanwhile, in Can’t Fear Your Own World Giselle never manages to get them, as she and Liltotto plot to steal them from Mayuri.
Perhaps, the anime will have Yhwach defeat all the so-called “Bambies”, leaving them separated. Mayuri might then find the zombified Candice and Meninas, and seize their bodies. This would reduce the contradiction, although it would only lessen it as a retcon, since in Can’t Fear Your Own World the bodies of Meninas and Candice have always been in the possession of Mayuri's Twelfth Division.
After the fight with Pernida, Mayuri does nothing until the end of the entire conflict, as he is placed in a rehabilitating capsule to recover from his injuries. It’s objectively hard to imagine him running around the Wahrwelt to collect bodies while in such a state.
Is Bleach: Can’t Fear Your Own World canon?
Bleach: Can’t Fear Your Own World is a three-volume novel based on Tite Kubo’s shonen franchise, but written by Ryogo Narita. It focuses on Tokinada Tsunayashiro’s attempt to replace the Soul King with his protégé, an artificial hybrid soul named Hikone Ubuginu. The attempt ultimately fails after Shuhei Hisagi unleashes his Bankai to stop Tokinada.
Taking place six months after the Thousand-Year Blood War, the story told in Can’t Fear Your Own World might be considered a direct sequel to the events of Bleach TYBW. That said, fans have always been cautious about acknowledging this novel compared to the franchise’s established canon.
When asked about the canon value of Bleach: Can’t Fear Your Own World and the other novels of the series, Kubo stated that he set the general outline of those stories. He added that he left the specifics to the writers, who consulted him when they needed a deeper insight. Essentially, Kubo gave Ryogo Narita the overall plot, and Narita wrote the story based on that input.
Kubo didn’t feel like giving a straight answer about the canonicity of the novels, despite receiving an explicit, straightforward question on the matter. Many fans interpreted Kubo’s vague answer as the author’s implicit attempt to still respect the writers of the novels while subtly implying that he would have handled them differently.
Bleach: Can’t Fear Your Own World provides several important lore details, such as Ginjo Kugo’s backstory, the past of the Soul King, and the Royal Guard’s plans for Ichigo Kurosaki. Those should be considered canon until proven contrary. Shinji’s Bankai and Hisagi’s Bankai, which were first shown in the novel, are also canon, considering that the former was later featured in Bleach TYBW, while the latter was referenced in the original manga.
Apart from that, the rest is rather unimportant for the main story. Its canonicity is also so controversial that debating over it would only lead to endless arguments, especially as there’s no way of knowing for sure which parts came from Kubo and which were left to Narita’s creative freedom.
The safest bet is to consider Bleach: Can’t Fear Your Own World as half-canon. The main plot points and the lore revelations should be canon, as Narita talked directly with Kubo about them, but everything else, including the exact events happening in the novel and the portrayal of characters, are probably not meant to be canon.
As far as the issue with Candice and Meninas is concerned, the change is evident, but not so massive to invalidate the entire plot of Narita’s novel. Also, things may just be slightly different from the novel, with Haschwalth’s aide saving Liltotto and Giselle while Candice and Meninas are taken by Mayuri and later fixed by him and his division. However, it remains unclear how that would happen.
Depending on how things play out, perhaps Mayuri takes Liltotto and Giselle in addition to the others. It’s impossible to give a definitive answer now, as changes are being made on the fly, so fans will have to wait and see how the story unfolds. Whether Can't Fear Your Own World is being retconned partially or even entirely, the latest part of Bleach TYBW may adapt it into an anime, which would mark the ultimate canon for its events.
Tite Kubo is probably not paying too much attention to maintaining continuity with the Can’t Fear Your Own World novel, but he doesn’t throw it away completely either, at least not in its most important points. After all, even Kubo’s original manga has its own inconsistencies, especially when it comes to the much-debated canon value of the franchise’s first movie.
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