What happened to ‘Sajin Komamura’ in BLEACH: THOUSAND YEAR BLOOD WAR
Sajin Komamura was a highly respected captain in the Soul Society, known for his unwavering loyalty to the Captain-Commander, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto. Despite his intimidating appearance, Sajin was a kind and honorable individual. However, the Thousand-Year Blood War proved to be a devastating defeat for Sajin and many other captains during the initial invasion of the Wandenreich. This crushing loss resulted in Sajin making a pivotal decision to acquire power, ultimately leading to his tragic fate. He transformed into the very thing he once fought against in the Arrancar Saga, a vessel of revenge.
During the epic confrontation with Sōsuke Aizen’s Espada and the Gotei 13 in Fake Karakura Town, Sajin faced his treacherous best friend, Kaname Tōsen. This marked their first encounter since Kaname’s departure from the Soul Society and provided an opportunity for them to debate their contrasting ideologies. Kaname’s obsession with gaining power by any means necessary to avenge his friend’s death and expose the corrupt Soul Society collided with Sajin’s honorable stance on righteousness and what the Soul Reaper system stood for.
It was evident that both characters had suffered at the hands of the Soul Society. Kaname was unsuccessful in obtaining justice for his friend’s death, while Sajin had been persecuted for his appearance. However, upon joining the Soul Reapers, Sajin realized that his appearance was insignificant to the Soul Reapers. He earned respect as a captain and as a human being. Kaname, on the other hand, never relinquished his thirst for revenge, which led him to break the barrier between Soul Reaper and Hollow to attain power. Their views were irreconcilable, leading to a fight to the death. Kaname’s reckless pursuit of power resulted in his demise, while Sajin’s philosophy was altered towards his best friend’s ideology.
During the first invasion, Sajin and most of the Soul Reapers were at a disadvantage against the Sternritter. Bambietta Basterbine robbed Sajin of his Bankai, leaving him defenseless. Captain-Commander Yamamoto’s death motivated Sajin to seek out his great-grandfather for power. Unlike the other captains, Sajin did not train to enhance his abilities. Instead, he sought instantaneous power acquisition like Kaname. With Yamamoto’s death, there was no time to waste on training, and revenge was too risky. Sajin required the strength to defeat Yhwach urgently.
Sajin gained immortality and unparalleled destructive abilities, but he did not charge toward Yhwach during the second invasion. His decision to re-engage with Bambietta when she was on a rampage demonstrated that his desire to safeguard others still surpassed his thirst for revenge. Kaname would not have made the same decision and instead disregarded everyone and everything to achieve his objective of vengeance. Sajin retained some of his righteousness even after sacrificing everything for power.
After rescuing Shinji Hirako and Momo Hinamori and defeating Bambietta, Sajin’s time had expired. His immortal state deteriorated since he chose to protect instead of avenge, transforming him into a weakened, exhausted four-legged wolf. The brief surge in power left Sajin with nothing, unable to continue in the war. The tragic end to such a prominent captain was unceremonious, and he ultimately followed the same path as his confrontation with Kaname, leading to a similarly tragic conclusion to his character arc. However, Sajin had the opportunity to confront Yhwach but could not do so due to his benevolent nature. Saving those in need was still his overriding motivation, and the desire for vengeance could not stifle it.
In conclusion, Sajin Komamura’s character arc was one of the most tragic in Bleach. His transition towards a character arc centered on revenge, coupled with the fact that he mirrored his former friend, Kaname Tōsen, whom he once admonished, resulted in his downfall. Despite this, Sajin’s desire to safeguard others and his benevolent nature remained steadfast until the end, leading to a bittersweet conclusion to his character arc.
