Tite Kubo, the creator of the acclaimed Bleach manga, did not believe the final arc would be animated. Although the main Bleach story has long finished, the franchise is seeing something of a revival. During Bleach's 20th anniversary livestream, Shonen Jump announced an anime adaptation of the "Thousand-Year Blood War," an anime film for the Burn the Witch spinoff, and even an art exhibit.
Alongside Naruto, Bleach was one of the biggest Jump titles in the 2000s. The story of Ichigo Kurosaki's journey as a Soul Reaper entertained many readers. As with most Jump titles, Bleach features a colorful cast of characters. There's Rukia, the strong-willed Soul Reaper who gives Ichigo his abilities. There's also the battle-crazy Kenpachi Zaraki, the fan-favorite Tōshirō Hitsugaya, and quite a few more. Bleach is filled with memorable moments and scenes. Fans will never forget Ichigo's encounter with the Grand Fisher, or Ichigo's team up with Uryū against the massive Menos Grande. Of course, the most infamous (in a good way) moment is probably when Aizen blocks Ichigo's blade with a single finger. Simply put, Bleach was successful for a number of reasons. The anime adaption premiered in 2004, but never reached the "Thousand-Year Blood War." Many fans probably didn't believe it would ever come, and even Kubo echoes that sentiment.
As translated by the unofficial Weekly Shonen Jump Twitter, Bleach creator Kubo discussed the franchise's 20th anniversary. Along with talking about the Burn the Witch project, Kubo said he didn't think "Thousand-Year Blood War" would receive an anime. Check out the translated comments below.
It appears Kubo himself was surprised about the plan to animate "Thousand-Year Blood War." The original Bleach anime ran for 366 episodes, covering everything right before the manga's final arc. The last thing the anime adapted was the "Lost Agent" arc. "Thousand-Year Blood War" is a big "hurrah!" moment for fans, making the Bleach anime finally a complete experience. Sadly, there is still no premiere date, nor news on a dub.
It's an exciting time for Bleach fans. Soon a new anime season will arrive, and even a film of the spinoff. Could this lead to even more content? There have been a few Bleach video games, with two in particular receiving solid reception. Many fans would welcome a high-budget title adapting the series. Either way, the fact that Bleach is getting new things coming up is enough of a big deal.
Source: Weekly Shonen Jump (unofficial)