What Happened to Bleach (manga/anime)?

The journey of 'Bleach' began with Tite Kubo's manga serialization in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine on August 7, 2001. The series quickly gained a massive following for its unique blend of adventure, martial arts, and supernatural elements, centered around Ichigo Kurosaki, a teenager who gains the powers of a Soul Reaper. The manga ran for 15 years, concluding on August 22, 2016, with 74 tankōbon volumes published.

The first anime adaptation, produced by Studio Pierrot, premiered in October 2004 and ran for 366 episodes until March 2012. The original anime's conclusion was largely due to it catching up with the ongoing manga, leading to a period of hiatus for the animated series. Despite the anime's pause, the manga continued to be a commercial success, having sold over 130 million copies worldwide by 2022, making it one of the best-selling manga series of all time.

A significant turning point for the franchise occurred in March 2020, when it was announced that the 'Thousand-Year Blood War' (TYBW) arc, the manga's final storyline, would receive a full anime adaptation. This announcement was met with immense excitement from fans who had long awaited the animated conclusion to Ichigo's story. The 'Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War' anime, with Tite Kubo serving as general supervisor, premiered in October 2022 and was planned to run for four cours (parts) with breaks in between.

The TYBW anime unfolded in several stages: Part 1, 'The Blood Warfare,' aired from October to December 2022 with 13 episodes. Part 2, 'The Separation,' followed from July to September 2023, also consisting of 13 episodes. Part 3, 'The Conflict,' aired from October to December 2024, comprising 14 episodes. The fourth and final part, 'The Calamity,' premiered on July 25, 2026, and is slated for 10 episodes. The finale of 'The Calamity' and thus the entire 'Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War' anime is scheduled to air on October 26, 2026, bringing the main anime narrative to a close.

Beyond the main series, the 'Bleach' universe has seen continued expansion. Tite Kubo's spin-off manga 'Burn the Witch' received an anime adaptation in October 2020, followed by a prequel anime 'Burn the Witch #0.8' in December 2023. In August 2021, a new 73-page one-shot chapter of 'Bleach' titled 'No Breaths From Hell' was published, sparking speculation about a potential new manga arc. Further solidifying the franchise's ongoing presence, 'Bleach: Mirrors High,' a new mobile game featuring a story set immediately after the 'Thousand-Year Blood War' arc and new characters designed by Tite Kubo, was announced at Anime Expo 2026 for a 2026 release. Creator Tite Kubo himself declared that “2026 is the year of Bleach,” signaling a confident push for the franchise. As of October 18, 2026, the 'Bleach' franchise continues to thrive, with the anime's grand finale approaching and new story content being explored through other media, maintaining its status as a cultural phenomenon in the entertainment industry, with total earnings and revenue estimated at over $7.24 billion as of 2022.