Bleach TYBW episode 37: Nanao relieves Shunsui of his burden as she wields Ise Clan's sacred sword against Lille Barro
Bleach TYBW episode 37, titled Shadows Gone, was released on December 14, 2024, on TV Tokyo and its affiliated networks in Japan. The episode witnessed Shunsui Kyoraku returning to Nanao her ancestral Zanpakuto. The 1st Division Lieutenant wielded the blade, Shinken Hakkyoken, to combat against Lille Barro's Godly form.
Bleach TYBW episode 37 was marked by Pierrot Films' outstanding production. The episode featured new OSTs by Shiro Sagisu and witnessed unbelievable art direction. Aside from Nanao's Shinken Hakkyoken, the episode captured iconic moments from the manga, like Shunsui's backstory with Nanao's mother and his own brother. Overall, the studio has offered a fabulous experience to fans.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from Bleach TYBW episode 37.
Bleach TYBW episode 37: Nanao asks for her Zanpakuto as Lille Barro survives Shunsui's Bankai
Bleach TYBW episode 37 begins with a scene from the past, featuring Shunsui, his brother, and Nanao's mother. Shunsui's brother gives Nanao's mother, i.e., his wife, a set of hairpins. However, the woman keeps only one and wants Shunsui's brother to keep the other.
She says that it will give her comfort to think that he's wearing the same hairpin when he's not at home and fighting the hollows on the battlefield. Shunsui Kyoraku smirks as his elder brother blushes. Later, he acknowledges how much his brother has changed.
According to Bleach TYBW episode 37, Shunsui's elder brother used to be rough. However, Nanao's mother's kindness mellowed him down. Following the brief opening flashback, the episode returns to the present. Lille Barro survives Shunsui's Bankai and pierces him with a light beam.
He returns from the abyss and curses Shunsui for thinking he could defeat the messenger of God. Bleach TYBW episode 37 then shows Lille Barro transforming into a sinister form, resembling a fusion of a human, a centaur and an owl. Lille's wings and halo turn golden, while his mouth is replaced by a beak.
In his new form, Lille Barro gains total intangibility from all kinds of attacks. He boasts of his strength and regenerates his lost arm. Following that, Lille Barro extends his arm and generates a flash of light, which he calls the Divine Judgement.
Shunsui Kyoraku escapes just in time to survive the attack. Ohana feels Shunsui can't defeat Lille, considering their Bankai didn't work. She implores Shunsui to let her carry him and escape the scene. The Captain Commander seems to feel the same and closes his eyes.
Just then in Bleach TYBW episode 37, Shunsui hears a voice calling him. As he opens his eyes, Shunsui notices Nanao. The 1st Division Lieutenant asks Shunsui for his blade. When Shunsui appears shocked, Nanao frantically tells him there's not enough time to think.
At that moment, Lille Barro appears behind them. He feels it's sinful to return to the battlefield when the Soul Reaper Captain let her escape. Lille Barro fires another Divine Judgement at Shunsui and Nanao. However, the Captain Commander escapes into a shadow realm.
He discovers Nanao knew about her mother and the truth about the "Sword" all along. Shunsui sighs, as he decides to return Nanao her Zanpakuto. Bleach TYBW episode 37 then shows Shunsui summoning Kyokotsu. Meanwhile, Lille Barro transfigures his head to search for Shunsui and Nanao.
He locates a spot of shadow on the ground and realizes the Soul Reapers must have escaped there. Thus, he creates a ball of light to erase shadows from the surroundings. However, Lille couldn't wipe the shadow left by his beak, as Nanao Ise emerged from there, wielding a Zanpakuto sheathed in a cloth.
Bleach TYBW episode 37: Shunsui explains to Nanao the truth about the Ise Curse
Following that, Bleach TYBW episode 37 delves into a mini-flashback, exploring the scene from before. As Shunsui summons Kyokotsu, Nanao becomes perplexed. She wonders whether Kyokotsu is her Zanpakuto. Shunsui says it is, but not exactly so.
According to the Captain Commander, Ohana gave birth to Kyokotsu to hide the Ise clan's Zanpakuto at Nanao's mother's behest. When Nanao asks why, Shunsui begins to explain the Ise clan's history. According to Bleach TYBW episode 37, the Ise Clan is a matrilineal family, where only women have been born according to the records.
That's why, the family adopted son-in-laws from the other families. However, it is said that all men who marry into the Ise family die a premature death due to the Ise Curse. Some laughed off the curse as a mere joke, but Nanao's mother wasn't like them.
She wanted to end the curse, so she left her clan and married into another family, knowing it would end the Ise bloodline. However, she couldn't escape her cruel fate, as her husband died shortly after. Shunsui explains to Nanao that her mother's husband was his elder brother.
According to Bleach TYBW episode 37, Shunsui didn't use to get along with his brother. However, it was changed when Nanao's mother came to the family. Shunsui often went to their house to relax. Yet, once his older brother died, Nanao's mother was sent to the Ise clan.
Later, she speculated the Ise clan's heirloom, a Zanpakuto passed down from generation to generation, must be behind the Ise curse. She desperately wanted to keep her yet-to-be-born daughter safe from the curse. Hence, Shunsui took the sword and had Okyou, who loved playing hide-and-seek, hide it.
After listening to the story, Nanao realizes Shunsui doesn't want her to wield the blade. However, she wants to embrace the curse to protect the person she admires the most. She knows the man (Shunsui) would laugh off the curse as a joke. Shunsui smiles and hands over the blade to Nanao.
Bleach TYBW episode 37: Nanao wields Shinken Hakkyoken to end the battle
After emerging from the shadows, Nanao Ise confronts Lille Barro. According to Bleach TYBW episode 37, the Ise Clan is a family of priests, who administer rituals and don't possess their own Zanpakuto. Rather, the family's head passes a single Zanpakuto through generations. It's a sword without a sharp end, used primarily for rituals.
Although it can't cut down people, it is said to boast the power to withstand a God's power and disperse it in all directions. The name of the blade is Shinken Hakkyoken. Lille Barro is intrigued to see the sword emitting bright light. Nanao is glad because it means the sword is reflecting Lille Barro's Divine Light.
Lille doesn't understand Nanao's words but is glad to be called a God. Following that, Bleach TYBW episode 37 delves into another flashback, but from Nanao's perspective. It is revealed that Nanao eavesdropped on her mother's conversation with Shunsui when she entrusted the sword to him.
Later, when she joined the Soul Reaper Academy, she saw a man wearing the same flower-patterned Kimono her mother used to wear. Back then, she had thought it wasn't strange because it was fairly a common kimono. However, Nanao was intrigued to see the man wearing her mother's hairpin.
During her academy days, Nanao wasn't an expert swordsman. She couldn't give shape to her Asauchi. However, her excellent results in Kido meant she could join the barracks as a Soul Reaper. Eventually, Nanao was scouted by the 8th Division, where Shunsui Kyoraku was the captain.
However, Nanao noticed Shunsui was no longer wearing the kimono and the hairpin. That's when she realized Shunsui was truly the man her mother entrusted the sword with. Following that, Bleach TYBW episode 37 returns to the battlefield and shows Nanao charging at Lille Barro with Shinken Hakkyoken.
As Lille blocks the attack at the final moment, the sword cuts off his hand. He feels it's unpardonable to injure a Godly being. So, the Schutzstaffel leader generates a gigantic ball of light while absorbing the Reishi from the surroundings. The episode cuts for a brief moment and shows another event from the past.
Jushiro Ukitake informs Shunsui that Nanao's mother was executed for misplacing a sacred heirloom. Shunsui is undeniably broken by the news but doesn't display it. Later, his older brother entrusts him with his hairpin, which he wears even to this day.
In a monologue, Shunsui Kyoraku wonders why everyone gives him their prized possessions and then perishes. He doesn't want to be shackled with responsibilities anymore. Most importantly, he can't bear to be alone with the Ise clan's sword ever again.
Hence, he decides to help Nanao, who is frightened to stand against a Godly being. Bleach TYBW episode 37 shows Shunsui Kyoraku standing behind Nanao and extending his arm to help his niece firmly carry the blade. Meanwhile, Lille Barro keeps generating a mass of light ball.
Eventually, the Sternritter turns it into a trumpet, which he calls the Trompete. As Lille Barro demonstrates his Trompete, Nanao Ise reflects the move using her Shinken Hakkyoken.
The repelled attack cuts through Lille Barro, who is eventually disintegrated. After the battle's end, Shunsui feels they should catch up with others. However, he falls to the ground, realizing that he's at his limits.
Conclusion
Bleach TYBW episode 37 was a perfect example of how excellent art direction and OST can uplift an episode. Although it wasn't an action-heavy episode, the vibrant art, music, narrative, and exposition provided fans with a delightful experience.
The episode captured Shunsui Kyoraku's plight as a man, who had to carry the responsibilities entrusted by his loved ones. On the other hand, the episode focused on the narrative of a girl, who chose to embrace a curse to protect the life of a person she admires the most. Overall, the episode was poetry in motion.
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