Bleach was one of the most popular anime and manga series out during its time. Known as one of the “Big Three” (along with Naruto and One Piece), the series ran from August 7, 2001 to August 22, 2016 as a manga and from 2004 to 2012 as an anime. Now, the anime is set to return with the “Thousand-Year Blood War” in October of this year (speculated to arrive on the release date of 10.10.22). It’s exciting, but it’s also been a decade since the last installment, so you might need a bit of refresher. Here’s where Bleach left off, and what we can expect from “Thousand-Year Blood War.”
Anime Expo 2022 trailer
After Anime Expo 2022, Crunchyroll shared a new trailer and some more details about the behind-the-scenes production of the Bleach sequel.
New staff members confirmed include chief animation directors Michio Hasegawa (PERSONA5 the Animation), Sey Komatsubara (Fate/Grand Order: Final Singularity – The Grand Temple of Time: Solomon) and Kumiko Takayanagi (NEW GAME!),
Directing Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War will be Tomohisa Taguchi at Studio Pierrot, with Taguchi also writing the series composition, Masashi Kudo returning to design the characters, and Shiro Sagisu returning to do the music.
The Source Material
Bleach, written and illustrated by Tite Kubo, was the story of high school student Ichigo (who had the power to see ghosts). One day, he received the powers of a shinigami (a Death God/Soul Reaper) named Rukia. After gaining these powers, Ichigo becomes entangled in the world of the shinigami, and the spirit world at large, including the many organizations that try to maintain balance.
The manga consisted of ten major story arcs: the Substitute Shinigami Arc, the Soul Society Arc, the Arrancar Invasion Arc, the Hueco Mundo Arc, the Turn Back The Pendulum Arc, the Fake Karakura Town Arc, the Deicide Arc, The Lost Agent Arc, and The Thousand-Year Blood War Arc. (There is also a one-shot story called the Howl From the Jaws of Hell Arc.)
While the anime lasted 16 seasons, it stopped after “The Lost Agent” story leaving the final arc untold, until now.
Thousand-Year Blood War
Officially, “Thousand Year Blood War” is the final part of the main story and focuses on Ichigo and his found family fighting against the great evil of the series, Emperor Yhwach. The title addresses the long-standing conflict (a thousand-year war) between the Quincys and the Shinigami—both soul protecting forces, but the Quincy are alive and the Shinigami are dead.
This arc was not adapted originally because the anime got canceled due to low ratings and the slow decline in interest due to filler storylines and a very long crawl toward the end of the manga.
Now, with years past, and nostalgia being a huge part of every industry, including anime, it is the perfect time to bring Bleach back. Not only will they be adapting this arc, but they will be adding in things that were not able to be included before due to the author’s illness.
It is a great time to be a new or returning fan of Bleach. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War will begin on TV Tokyo in Japan in October, and VIZ Media will be releasing the series in English. For fans who will be attending NY Comic Con, the first episode will be airing on Oct 8, Empire Stage. Let the blood flow.
(featured image: TV Tokyo/Viz Media)
