Bleach: Uryuu Ishida’s Schrift Explained

Key Takeaways

• Uryuu Ishida is the new Sternritter A – The Antithesis, with a powerful ability gifted by Yhwach.
• The Antithesis ability allows Uryuu to reverse circumstances with his enemies, showing his immense power.
• Uryuu’s dangerous ability contrasts Ichigo’s straightforward powers, elevating him to a new level of Quincy strength.

The Quincy Army, the Wandenreich, is led by powerful warriors called the Sternritters. Their king, Yhwach, granted each of them power. He etched a letter into their souls, bestowing them with an ability with that letter, a Schrift. The Bleach Thousand-Year Blood War anime has shown powerful Schrifft, Äs Nodt’s The Fear, Gremmy’s The Visionary, and Giselle’s The Zombie. Powerful, intricate abilities each of the Sternritters use in their war against the Shinigami.

Uryuu Ishida was named Yhwach’s successor and was granted the same letter as his majesty: A. Uryuu has already quietly utilized his brand-new power, but what can he do now? What is this special ability Uryuu received from his king in the new season of Bleach?

A Power Befitting the Successor, The Antithesis

The Same Letter As His Majesty

Uryuu underwent the usual Sternritter ritual, drinking Yhwach’s literal blood. After which, his soul received power directly from his majesty, a new powerful Schrift. With this newfound strength, Uryuu stood at Yhwach’s side along with Jugram Haschwalth as his majesty’s right-hand man. Uryuu may in fact possess power that rivals Haschwalth.

“This is Uryuu Ishida, I hereby name him…my successor”

Uryuu Ishida is now Sternritter A – The Antithesis. Uryuu’s Schrift is extremely powerful and dangerous, but it has to be utilized well, not just thrown around. Of course, this fits Uryuu, as he’s known for being incredibly smart and resourceful, not to mention courageous. Uryuu’s new Schrifft elevates him to a new level of Quincy power.

The Antithesis reverses the circumstances between Uryuu or his target and his enemy. Uryuu previously used this power to switch Yhwach’s position with his medallion, getting him out of Kirio Hikifune’s cage. Now, he’s used this power to swap positions with Senjumaru Shuutara, entraping her in her own Bankai. Uryuu Ishida is essentially a comeback tactic, an uno reverse card if you will, he completely switches his predicament with his enemy’s safety.

“On my honor as a Quincy…I will kill you”

The Antithesis is a sort of another form of Jugram Haschwalth’s The Balance. Jugram can balance out someone’s fortune with equal misfortune, casting great pain on an advantageous target. Uryuu’s The Antithesis is a more free-form version of this. His Schrifft doesn’t make use of ethereal concepts, but rather the physical, tangible circumstances of his targets. Uryuu can use this ability on him and his enemy, or an ally and even an inanimate object, as seen when he uses it on his king.

Uryuu’s new ability is in direct contrast to Ichigo. While Ichigo’s Zangetsu’s powers are straightforward, Uryuu’s Antithesis is a hax, treacherous power. Zangetsu is known for being a Zanpakutou made for direct combat, pairing great speed with his energy-based Getsuga Tensho and Getsuga Juujisho. While Zangetsu’s Hollow Powers are standard, Espada-level abilities. Uryuu’s The Antithesis is in line with the rest of his brethren. Äs Nodt’s The Fear inflicts paralyzing terror on his victims, Gremmy’s The Visionary manifests his imagination into reality, and Giselle’s The Zombie turns people into her obedient, mindless zombies. The Sternritter often has intricate and otherworldly powers.

Uryuu’s The Antithesis allowed him to defeat Senjumaru Shuutara, a member of Squad 0, and one of the most powerful characters in all of Bleach. This depicts Uryuu as much more powerful than he seems and on a completely different dimension to what he’s always been in the series: a standard, yet strong Quincy. What will Uryuu do with this power, and what lies ahead for him on this path, next to his majesty? Only time will tell what Uryuu’s future is.