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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsSpoilers for episode 9, overall episode #35. The installment earns its gradual opening by making Mayuri Kurotsuchi’s altered Bankai feel like a fragile advantage, not a clean victory. Just as the fight with Pernida seems to turn, the episode signals that something is wrong—and then widens the tension to a depleted battlefield where Shunsui Kyoraku makes a consequential choice of his own.
Which episode is Part 3, episode 9?
Part 3, episode 9 is overall episode #35, officially titled “DON’T CHASE A SHADOW.” The official episode page gives the installment’s events and title; VIZ’s listing of episodes 39 and 40 as the two-part finale of Part 3’s 14-episode run confirms episode 35 as the ninth installment in that sequence. Official episode #35 synopsis · VIZ’s Part 3 episode and viewing guide.
What happens in episode 35?
Mayuri’s apparent advantage over Pernida
At Vier Ast, Mayuri laughs after his altered Bankai, Konjiki Ashisogijizo Matai Fukuin Shōtai, appears to eat Pernida. The image suggests that Mayuri has seized control of the encounter, but the official synopsis quickly unsettles that impression: something is wrong with Ashisogijizo. The reveal therefore creates suspense rather than resolving the fight. The viewer is left to wonder whether Mayuri’s new weapon is working as intended, and what its apparent success may conceal.
A distant change registers across a weakened force
Mayuri’s changed spiritual pressure is felt elsewhere by Kisuke Urahara and Shunsui Kyoraku. Their concern is not simply that one fighter’s power has shifted; it is that so few Soul Reapers remain that they can sense the change from far away. The conflict’s scale reaches the audience through this response: a remote battle matters because the remaining fighters are spread thin and every shift carries weight.
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#1 Best Overall
Kyoraku stays to face Lille Barro
Kyoraku decides to stay behind and take on Lille Barro, allowing the others to move through enemy lines. That choice gives the episode a second point of tension alongside Mayuri’s uncertain advantage. Mayuri’s strand asks whether a tactical breakthrough is real; Kyoraku’s turns the shortage of Soul Reapers into a personal decision about who will hold the line.
Why the slow start works
The opening does not rush straight to an uncomplicated Bankai triumph. It establishes Mayuri’s unusual clash with Pernida, lets the consequences of his changed power travel across the battlefield, and then pivots to Kyoraku’s decision. That sequence gives the Bankai reveal room to register while keeping the outcome in doubt. The apparent upper hand is immediately qualified, so the payoff is the heightened uncertainty around Mayuri’s tactic—not a promise that the fight is finished.
Rank #2
The episode’s two strands also work at different scales. Mayuri’s scene concentrates on tactical uncertainty: Ashisogijizo appears to gain ground, but the warning that something is wrong prevents the scene from settling. Kyoraku’s scene makes the broader stakes personal: a force stretched thin leaves him choosing to sacrifice his position so others can advance. Together, the turns make the Bankai-centered setup feel consequential rather than merely delayed.
That is a reading of the episode’s plot structure, not an official judgment about its pacing. The official synopsis supports the order of events and the uncertainty around Ashisogijizo; whether the gradual build feels rewarding is a matter of how that sequence lands for each viewer.
Rank #3
How the episode fits Part 3
The Part 3 story overview describes the Wandenreich’s second wave transforming Seireitei into the Schatten Bereich, followed by the Court Guard Squads reclaiming their stolen Bankai. It also tracks Renji, Rukia, and Ichigo returning from Royal Palace training; Ichigo’s confrontation with Uryu; Yhwach reaching the Royal Palace; and Squad Zero apparently defeating Yhwach’s group before the “real battle and despair” begin. Official Part 3 story overview.
Against that backdrop, episode 35’s dwindling Soul Reaper numbers and concurrent fights fit a larger pattern of reversals, escalating threats, and victories that may not hold. Mayuri’s apparent success is not allowed to settle the danger, while Kyoraku’s choice underscores how much the remaining fighters must carry.
Rank #4
- Weight (Approximate): 0.23
- Country of Origin: US
Where to watch Part 3
VIZ’s viewing guide, published December 8, 2024, said Part 3 streamed weekly on Hulu in the United States and Disney+ internationally. It listed English and Spanish subtitles on Hulu; for Disney+ internationally, it listed English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Italian, German, and French subtitles. The guide also described different dub schedules by region. These are details from a dated guide, not a guarantee of current catalog availability: check the listing for your country and service. VIZ’s December 8, 2024 viewing guide.
Quick Recap
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