Bleach premiered in 2004, and after over two decades and more than 400 episodes, Tite Kubo’s story has finally come to an end.
Bleach follows Ichigo Kurosaki, who starts the series as a teenager who has always had the ability to see ghosts. When a Soul Reaper named Rukia Kuchiki gets injured while hunting an evil spirit called a Hollow, she transfers some of her power, giving Ichigo the powers of a Soul Reaper. This starts Ichigo on a journey to fight the Hollows and protect humanity. As the story continues, it becomes more convoluted and nuanced. The show gets mixed reactions and isn’t for everyone, but for fans, twenty years isn’t enough.
Often considered one of the Big Three in Shonen along with Naruto and One Piece, Bleach is up there with the very best of the best. With Bleach ending, One Piece is the last of the Big Three still on the air. Naruto’s spin-off series, Boruto, about Naruto’s son, is still ongoing.
A main point of each of the Big Three is the subtle and intentional ways that they touch on heavier topics. Bleach stands out for its darker tone and direct focus on death, which matches the artwork.
The initial series ended in 2012, and the finale was widely disliked. Then, when the manga ended, many believed that it had been rushed due to Kubo’s health issues. This is why the animated finale is so important. The 2022 continuation series gave fans hope that the story could end on a different note. Kubo and the animation studio made changes to the ending that differ from the manga.
Titled “Death & Strawberry,” the episode brought the story full circle. The final jump, ten years into the future, shows how Soul Society is recovering while also hinting that new conflict is still lurking in the shadows.
Fans of Bleach will be able to find a sequel to the events of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War in the new mobile game BLEACH Mirrors High, launching later this year. Pre-registration for the game is open now.
