Sosuke Aizen returns in Bleach TYBW, here’s a quick recap of the villain

Sosuke Aizen is back in Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War (TYBW), but why was the villain in the prison, and what powers does he have?

The Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War anime has introduced us to several terrifying villains so far, with the majority of them falling under the command of the brutal Yhwach.

However, Bleach TYBW episode 6 ‘The Fire’ saw the long-awaited return of Sosuke Aizen, a villain that many fans may have completely forgotten was imprisoned underneath the Soul Society headquarters.

After a rather mysterious meeting with Yhwach, viewers are curious once again about how Sosuke Aizen ended up in the prison and what powers the villain possesses.

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Bleach TYBW sees the return of Sosuke Aizen

As Stern Ritter Y-Yourself, Royd Lloyd, was impersonating Yhwach in the fight with Head Captain Yamamoto, the real Yhwach had infiltrated the Central Great Underground Prison. Yhwach had managed to access the prison, located underneath the First Division barracks so that he could talk with Sosuke Aizen.

Aizen, who is not only attached to a giant stone but also impaled to it, says that he has “many ways of finding out your name”, but acknowledges that “I didn’t think I would get to see you with my own eyes.”

Yhwach offers Aizen a chance to join his army and destroy the Soul Society, but the prisoner refuses the contract even with the chance of escaping the jail. “I cannot stand to see the Quincy King following in the footsteps of a Soul Reaper,” he says.

However, Aizen acknowledges that the two may share the same path as Yhwach admits that he sees Aizen’s powers as a threat to his ultimate goal.

“A wise decision. It is best to minimize the time we spend sharing the same path. Especially when dealing with someone who should eventually be eliminated.” – Sosuke Aizen, Bleach TYBW episode 6.

What happened to Sosuke Aizen prior to TYBW?

We last saw Sosuke Aizen during the Fake Karakura Town arc, which ultimately ended with a fierce battle between the villain and Ichigo.

After a brutal back-and-forth fight, Aizen is just about to defeat Ichigo when an energy spike emerges from his chest: Urahara had arrived just in time to activate a Kido spike before he was able to complete the transformation.

10 days after the battle, Aizen stands (or rather sits whilst bound to a chair) trial at the Soul Society under the authority of the Central 46 judges.

The judges sentence him to 18,800 consecutive years at the lowest levels of the Soul Society’s maximum-security prison under the First Division barracks.

Aizen mocks both the judges and the trial, making jokes that they have no authority to sentence him to such an imprisonment.

In response to the outburst, Aizen’s eye and mouth are bound and the judges extend his sentence to 20,000 years.

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Powers and voice actors explained

Per the Bleach Fandom page, Sosuke Aizen has the following powers and abilities:

Outstanding intellect – known as one of the best strategists in the series
Master manipulator
Kido Master
Shunpo Master
Enhanced swordsmanship
Hakuda Master
Enhanced spiritual power
Reiatsu Control
Enhanced strength and endurance
Immortality
Kyoka Suigetsu

Interestingly, his Bankai still remains a mystery.

Sosuke Aizen is voiced by Sho Hayami in the original Japanese anime, Kyle Hebert in the English dub, Ricardo Mendoza in the Spanish, Frederic Souterelle in the French, and Goo Ja Hyeong in the South Korean versions.

By Tom Llewellyn – [email protected]