Bleach, considered one of the Big 3 along with Naruto and One Piece, recently returned with its final arc. The series has amassed a huge following over the years. When the series ended, fans demanded to bring the series back for almost a decade.
Tite Kubo, the author of Bleach, had given up on the anime adaptation of the final arc. However to everyone’s surprise, during the 20th anniversary of Bleach, Shonen Jump announced the adaptation of the final “Thousand Year Blood War” arc into an anime, a Burn the Witch movie, and an art exhibit.
“Almost Everyone Forgot About It,” Said Tite Kubo On Giving Up On The Final Season of Bleach
Kubo discussed the 20th anniversary of the series and said he didn’t think the final arc would get an anime. He also said that it had been so long that people had forgotten about the series and so did he. He said,
It has been so much time probably almost everyone forgot about it, and actually I also forgot. I thought the TYBW Arc wouldn’t be animated, so I didn’t expect the animation project in this 20th Anniversary.
Read all his comments in the tweet below as translated by @WSJ_manga:
The original Bleach anime has 366 episodes and was adapted until the Fullbring arc of the manga. The final “Thousand Year Blood War” arc of the series received an anime adaptation in October 2022.
The first cour, titled The Blood Warfare, comprised 13 episodes and ended in December 2022. The second cour, titled The Separation, aired from July to September 2023 and also comprised 13 episodes.
Bleach TYBW Will Return In October 2024
The third cour of Bleach TYBW, titled The Conflict, is scheduled to air in October 2024. The opening song, Without Any Words, will be performed by Six Lounge. Whereas Monochrome by Suisoh will be the ending song.
Along with Naruto (including Naruto Shippuden) and One Piece, Bleach ruled the anime fandom back in the 2000s. The series focuses on the adventure of Ichigo Kurosaki who can see ghosts and encounters a Shinigami named, Rukia Kuchiki.
The journey uncovers various truths about Ichigo and his parents’ past and his connection to the Shinigami world. He befriends almost everyone throughout his journey through his sheer will and power of awesomeness.
By the end of the series, he meets up with Yhwach, the final villain, who calls him his son, further deepening the mystery. The manga ends by posing the question, who was right? Yhwach or the Shinigami?
