Bleach
A teenager who sees ghosts picks up a Soul Reaper's sword and never looks back.
Last updated: 1 November 2026
Bleach is Studio Pierrot's 2004 action anime based on Tite Kubo's manga. Ichigo Kurosaki becomes a substitute Soul Reaper and defends the living world and the Soul Society across 366 episodes; the manga's final arc is adapted in the Thousand-Year Blood War series (2022–2026).
About Bleach
Ichigo Kurosaki can see ghosts, and one night he gains the powers of a Soul Reaper and is pulled into a hidden world of spirits, hollows and sword-wielding guardians. Bleach is Studio Pierrot's 2004 adaptation of Tite Kubo's manga, and it begins in the ordinary town of Karakura, where 15-year-old Ichigo meets Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper who lends him her powers to protect his family. From that night he takes her place: guiding lost souls to the Soul Society and fighting the corrupted spirits called Hollows. The story quickly grows far beyond one town, a rescue mission into the Soul Society itself, the betrayal of the captain Sosuke Aizen, an army of evolved Hollows called Arrancar, and wars that threaten every world at once. Bleach is known for its stylish sword fights, where each Soul Reaper's blade has a name, a spirit and a hidden final form, and for Kubo's fashion-influenced character designs. The original series ran for 366 episodes from 2004 to 2012, and the story's final arc was completed a decade later by the Thousand-Year Blood War series, which finished in 2026.
Bleach is a TV anime from 2004, first released in Fall 2004. It belongs to the Action and Supernatural genres and is listed as a completed series. The summary above is written by the AnimeYug team in our own words.
Official Trailer
Story & Plot
Ichigo Kurosaki has always seen ghosts, but his life changes when the Soul Reaper Rukia Kuchiki is wounded protecting his family and transfers her powers to him. Ichigo becomes a substitute Soul Reaper, hunting the monstrous Hollows that feed on souls while his friends Orihime, Chad and the Quincy archer Uryu awaken powers of their own. When Rukia is arrested and sentenced to death by the Soul Society for giving a human her powers, Ichigo and his friends invade that world of swordsmen to save her, and uncover a conspiracy reaching to its most trusted captain.
The traitor Sosuke Aizen escapes with an army of Arrancar, Hollows who have gained Soul Reaper powers, and the long war for Karakura Town begins. Ichigo must master the darkness inside himself, his own Hollow side, to stand against Aizen and the ten Espada. Later, a group called Xcution steals the powers he fought to regain, forcing him to rebuild himself once more. The original anime ends there, but the manga's final war against the Quincy empire is told in the sequel series, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War.
Story Arcs & Episode Guide
The Bleach anime is split into story sagas. Here is every saga in order, with its episodes and years.
| Arc | Episodes | Years | About |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agent of the Shinigami | 1–20 | 2004–2005 | Ichigo becomes a substitute Soul Reaper in Karakura Town |
| Soul Society | 21–63 | 2005 | The rescue of Rukia exposes a conspiracy among the captains |
| The Bount | 64–108 | 2005–2007 | Anime-original arc: the soul-devouring Bount invade the Soul Society (filler) |
| Arrancar: Arrival and Hueco Mundo | 110–167 | 2007–2008 | Aizen's Arrancar army appears, and Orihime is taken to Hueco Mundo |
| New Captain Shusuke Amagai | 168–189 | 2008 | Anime-original arc about a new captain with a hidden grudge (filler) |
| Arrancar: Battle of Karakura and The Past | 190–229 | 2008–2010 | The Espada attack Karakura, and a flashback reveals the Visored's origin |
| Zanpakuto Rebellion | 230–265 | 2010 | Anime-original arc: the Zanpakuto spirits rebel against their masters (filler) |
| Arrancar: Downfall | 266–316 | 2010–2011 | The final battle against Aizen and the Espada |
| Gotei 13 Invading Army | 317–342 | 2011 | Anime-original arc: impostors replace the captains (filler) |
| Lost Substitute Shinigami (Fullbring) | 343–366 | 2011–2012 | Xcution offers to restore Ichigo's powers, at a price |
Why Watch Bleach
- Zanpakuto with names, spirits and Bankai: every sword is a character of its own.
- The Soul Society rescue arc is one of the most loved arcs in all of shonen anime.
- Tite Kubo's stylish designs and Shiro Sagisu's dramatic score set Bleach apart.
- A huge cast of captains, Espada and Quincy, each with their own codes and rivalries.
- The final arc was completed in Thousand-Year Blood War (2022–2026) with modern animation.
Who Is It For?
Bleach is rated TV-14 in the US and suits teens and adults. Expect frequent sword battles with blood, some frightening Hollow designs, deaths of major characters and dark themes about war and revenge. There is comic relief and mild fanservice, but the violence and tone put it beyond younger children.
Main Characters
View all characters →
Voice Actors
The Japanese voices behind the main characters of Bleach.
- Ichigo KurosakiSubstitute Soul ReaperJapanese voiceMasakazu Morita
- Rukia KuchikiSoul Reaper of Squad 13Japanese voiceFumiko Orikasa
- Renji AbaraiLieutenant of Squad 6Japanese voiceKentarō Itō
- Byakuya KuchikiCaptain of Squad 6Japanese voiceRyōtarō Okiayu
- Toshiro HitsugayaCaptain of Squad 10Japanese voiceRomi Park
- Kenpachi ZarakiCaptain of Squad 11Japanese voiceFumihiko Tachiki
- Uryu IshidaQuincy archerJapanese voiceNoriaki Sugiyama
- Orihime InoueIchigo's classmate with healing powersJapanese voiceYuki Matsuoka
- Urahara KisukeFormer captain, now a shopkeeperJapanese voiceShin-ichiro Miki
- YhwachKing of the QuincyJapanese voiceTakayuki Sugō
- Jugram HaschwalthGrandmaster of the SternritterJapanese voiceYūichirō Umehara
- Yasutora SadoIchigo's loyal friend, 'Chad'Japanese voiceHiroki Yasumoto
- Yoruichi ShihoinFormer captain, the 'Flash Goddess'Japanese voiceSatsuki Yukino
- Sosuke AizenTraitor captainJapanese voiceShō Hayami
- Rangiku MatsumotoLieutenant of Squad 10Japanese voiceKaya Matsutani
- Grimmjow JaegerjaquezSexta EspadaJapanese voiceJunichi Suwabe
Staff & Production
- Original Creator
- Tite Kubo
- Animation Studio
- Studio Pierrot
- Series Director
- Noriyuki Abe
- Series Composition
- Masashi Sogo (episodes 1–229, 266–316); Tsuyoshi Kida (230–265); Kento Shimoyama (317–366)
- Music
- Shirō Sagisu
Manga & Source Material
Bleach adapts Tite Kubo's manga of the same name, one of the defining shonen series of the 2000s.
- Written and drawn by Tite Kubo
- Serialised in Weekly Shonen Jump from August 2001 to August 2016
- 74 collected volumes and 686 chapters; the manga is complete
- The Thousand-Year Blood War arc fills the final 20 volumes (55–74)
- More than 130 million copies in circulation worldwide
- Kubo published a new one-shot chapter in 2021 opening a possible 'Hell' storyline
Music
Bleach uses 15 opening and 30 ending themes across its 366 episodes, more than almost any series of its era, and Shiro Sagisu's score, with tracks like 'Number One', is iconic.
Opening Themes
- “*~Asterisk”by Orange RangeThe first opening (episodes 1–25)
- “Velonica”by Aqua TimezOpening 9 (episodes 190–214), from the battle for Karakura Town
- “Ranbu no Melody”by SIDOpening 13 (episodes 292–316), for the final fight with Aizen
- “HARUKAZE”by SCANDALThe final opening (episodes 343–366), for the Fullbring arc
Ending Themes
- “Life is Like a Boat”by Rie fuThe first ending (episodes 1–13)
- “MASK”by Aqua TimezThe final ending (episodes 355–366)
Series Timeline
- 2001
Tite Kubo's Bleach manga begins in Weekly Shonen Jump.
- 2004
The Bleach anime premieres on TV Tokyo on 5 October 2004.
- 2006
The first film, Memories of Nobody, opens in Japanese cinemas.
- 2012
The original anime ends with episode 366, before the manga's final arc is written.
- 2016
The manga ends after 686 chapters and 74 volumes.
- 2022
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War begins, adapting the final arc in four parts.
- 2026
The Calamity, the fourth and final part, concludes the story in October 2026.
Quick Answers
Is Bleach finished?
Yes. Bleach has finished airing, so you can watch the complete story from start to end without waiting for new episodes.
What genre is Bleach?
Bleach is a Action and Supernatural anime. You can browse more titles like it on our Action anime page.
When did Bleach release?
Bleach first released in Fall 2004. It is a TV series.
How many episodes does Bleach have?
The original Bleach series has 366 episodes (2004–2012). The sequel, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, adds 50 more episodes across four parts (2022–2026), completing the manga's story on screen.
Can I skip the Bleach filler arcs?
Yes. The Bount, New Captain Amagai, Zanpakuto Rebellion and Gotei 13 Invading Army arcs are anime-original stories that do not affect the main plot. Many fans skip them on a first watch and return later; the manga-based arcs carry the real story.
Will there be more Bleach after Thousand-Year Blood War?
Thousand-Year Blood War: The Calamity finished the manga's final arc in October 2026, so the main story is complete on screen. No further Bleach anime season has been announced; Tite Kubo has only teased new manga material, in the 2021 one-shot chapter that opens a possible 'Hell' storyline.
Is the Bleach manga better than the anime?
They tell the same story with different strengths. The manga has Kubo's original art and pacing and no filler; the anime adds a beloved score by Shiro Sagisu, extended fights and full voice acting. Many fans read the manga for its extra detail and watch the anime for the big battles.
Watch Order
Here is the release order for Bleach and the series connected to it. Start at step 1 and work your way down.
- 1BleachTV series (2004–2012): this series; 366 episodes. The four films below are standalone stories that can be watched any time after the Soul Society arc.
- 2Bleach: Memories of NobodyFilm (2006): a mysterious girl and a world between worlds.
- 3Bleach: The DiamondDust RebellionFilm (2007): a stolen artefact puts Captain Hitsugaya under suspicion.
- 4Bleach: Fade to BlackFilm (2008): the Soul Society forgets Rukia ever existed.
- 5Bleach: Hell VerseFilm (2010): Ichigo descends into Hell to rescue his sisters.
- 6Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood WarTV series (2022): the final manga arc begins: the Quincy empire declares war.
- 7Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The SeparationTV series (2023): part 2; Uryu makes his choice.
- 8Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The ConflictTV series (2024): part 3; the battle reaches the Royal Palace.
- 9Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The CalamityTV series (2026): part 4; the final battles and the story's conclusion.
Where to Watch
Bleach is officially available to stream on these platforms:
Streaming availability changes often and differs by country. Please check the platform in your region.