BLEACH Episode 44 Brings Hitsugaya's Adult Form With Yuki Kaji as Voice
The deliberate voice change for Hitsugaya's adult form, with Kaji passing an audition supervised by Kubo and recording alongside Park, shows the production's intent to mark the character's transformation as a major event rather than a simple visual update.
Key Facts
- Episode 44 of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War, titled "THE PERFECT CRIMSON," aired on August 15, 2026.
- Kenpachi Zaraki activates his Bankai in episode 44 after Yachiru Kusajishi appears in his mind.
- Toshiro Hitsugaya reaches his Complete Bankai, transforming into an adult appearance.
- Yuki Kaji voices adult Hitsugaya, replacing Romi Park, who voiced the character previously.
- Episode 45 is scheduled to air on August 22, 2026.
Reporting from 4 sources: Dengeki Hobby Web, Inside, Nijimen, Anime Anime.
Episode 44 of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War, titled "THE PERFECT CRIMSON," aired on August 15, 2026, and featured the long-awaited Bankai of Kenpachi Zaraki and the Complete Bankai of Toshiro Hitsugaya. In the episode, Kenpachi, Toshiro, and Byakuya Kuchiki continue their battle against Gerard Valkyrie. Yachiru Kusajishi appears in Kenpachi's mind and tells him he can win if he uses her, prompting Kenpachi to release his Bankai and cut Gerard in two. Hitsugaya draws out more power from Daiguren Hyorinmaru, and his body grows into an adult appearance. The voice for adult Hitsugaya is not Romi Park, who voiced him previously, but Yuki Kaji. Kaji said he was cast after multiple auditions supervised by Tite Kubo, and he recorded two patterns: a low-pitched version and one reproducing Park's tone. He passed with the direction leaning toward Park's tone, and he recorded together with Park on the day. The next episode, 45, airs on August 22.
The episode's direction drew attention to the relationship between Kenpachi and Yachiru, with fans commenting that the overlap of Yachiru's voice and Nozarashi's voice gave them goosebumps. The Bankai sequence was described as "too emotional direction" in reactions. For Hitsugaya, the change in voice was a surprise to fans, with reactions like "Huh, it's Kaji-kun!?" and praise that Kaji's voice fits adult Hitsugaya well.
Kaji's full comment explains that he was nervous before recording, as the role was previously played by Park, a senior he respects. He reread the entire original manga and listened to Park's performance repeatedly to prepare. During the audition, he recorded a low-pitched version and a version reproducing Park's tone, and the latter direction was chosen to avoid distancing from the previous Hitsugaya and to avoid overlapping with Byakuya's voice range. Kubo was present in the studio during recording, and the staff checked tone and nuances carefully.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 4 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- Dengeki Hobby Web 『BLEACH 千年血戦篇-禍進譚-』がテーマの一番くじ「BLEACH Stirring Souls vol.5」から“少し老けた”日番谷や瞬霳黒猫戦姫状態の夜一、卍解を解き放った更木剣八のフィギュアが公開！
- Inside なんという肌面積…！「BLEACH」新作一番くじで、黒猫戦姫の「四楓院夜一」や「大人日番谷」フィギュアをラインナップ
- Nijimen 『BLEACH』日番谷冬獅郎の最終クール姿が尊すぎ…！一番くじ第5弾が9月19日発売、四楓院夜一＆更木剣八も立体化
- Anime Anime 「ついにキター！」日番谷冬獅郎、完全卍解で“大人の姿”に！CVは梶裕貴に「豪華だ!!」更木剣八の卍解“エモすぎ演出”にも注目☆「BLEACH」第44話【ネタバレあり反応まとめ】