It has been eight years since ‘Bleach’ finished airing. The ending left viewers feeling let down and upset. Bleach is one of the ‘Big Three’ animes’, so why was the series cut short when the manga continued? There was no official reason given as to why this famous anime was cancelled. Fans speculated that it was because of a drop in popularity. But for those that loved the series. The eight-year wait is over. Because a new and final season is airing this year. The hopeless and inconclusive ending will no longer taint the otherwise amazing show. But what can you expect from the final arc?
Season seventeen’s release date has not been announced yet, however it is apparently airing some time this year. The uncertainty covid-19 has brought has delayed production. As such, the wait might be longer than intended. The final season will start with chapter 367 in the manga. As such, the season itself looks to be an exceptionally large one. Not that fans of bleach would complain about that after eight years of radio silence.
A trailer was released on the 20th anniversary of this anime’s release. The new arc looks to be called: ‘Thousand Year Blood War’ which, for those who have not read the manga, sounds ominous on its own.
Credit: Krash Official
There is a great deal to look forward to and the anime fans will finally have their answers as well as an ending they can be proud of. After being left in the dark for so long. It is about time that this famous and amazing anime sees the light of day again. Will expectations be met or will the fans finish the show feeling unhappy again? The statements and facts lean toward this being a fulfilling and climactic ending to the show. But only time will tell.
What is Bleach & what will the new season be about?
The basic plot of Bleach follows the story of a headstrong teenager named Ichico Kurosaki. After meeting a strangely dressed woman, he obtains ‘soul reaper’ abilities. The anime goes through several arcs of developing his ability and the ability of his friends as they try to save the world from various forms of evil.
The new season will have hundreds of Manga chapters to cover and, as such, there will be a lot of ground to cover. It is estimated that there will be about sixty to eighty episodes. Which should cover the multitude of chapters that anime fans have yet to discover. Thankfully, the new arc is set to pick up from where it ended eight years ago.
So what will ‘The Thousand Year Blood War’ cover? For those that do not want spoilers or to be surprised by the theme and story. Avert your eyes.
The plot will focus on the anarchy surrounding the disappearance of Ichigo Hollow. The soul society has been invaded by a secret group known as the Wandenreich. A war is declared between the Quincys and Shinigami . The disappearance of Ichigo is explained by the training that was undergone to fight this secret group and in turn save the soul society. All of the plot points are said to answer all the questions that were abruptly left unanswered by the final season in 2021.
Character Bios
Learning about the characters before watching an anime is always a good thing. I personally enjoy seeing what the main characters are like before I watch an anime. It gives me a feel for whether or not the art style is appealing to my eye. But, of course, the art style is not everything when it comes to enjoying an anime. Sometimes
Ichigo Kurosaki
Ichigo is a 15-year-old boy just trying to get through school. When a new power is thrust upon him, he must now navigate his everyday life while having the responsibilities that come with his new-found soul reaper power. As far as his personality goes, Ichigo is a short-tempered, determined, strong-willed and impulsive person. He fights for what he believes in with all he has and will do anything to save his friends.
Uryuu Ishida
Uryuu is a ‘frenemy’ of Ichigo, as the last surviving Quincy, his heritage demands that he fight the soul reapers. But he becomes friends with the headstrong Ichigo and eventually calls him friend. Uryuu is a quiet and contemplative person, he tends to favour strategy over action. He tries a little too hard to be cool to the point that it hinders his movement. For example, the clothing he chooses tends to be impractical, but he likes the way it makes him feel.
Orihime Inoue
Orihime is the ditsy, cute love interest of Ichigo and almost every other male in her friendship group. She is a friendly, funny and kind person, always wanting to do right by her friends and family. Despite her ditsy nature, Orihime has proved that she is quite perceptive. Especially when it comes to Ichigo.
Sado Yasutora
Sado is mainly known as Chad within the friends group. He is of Mexican descent and appears to be something of a delinquent despite his calm and quiet nature. He is the best friend of Ichigo Kurosaki and has been inseparable ever since an incident involving a beat down from some bullies. Although Chad is tall and strong, he never fights back unless necessary. He prefers not to fight unless there is no other choice.
Rukia Kuchiki
Rukia is a member of the 13th Division in the Soul Society’s Shinigami. Her job as a soul reaper is to eliminate ‘Hollows’ or lost souls and to help the dead move on to the Soul Society when they are ready. Rukia is a bit of a tomboy and a tough nut to crack. But she is loyal to her friends and to her duty, making her quite an unmovable force.
Renji Abarai
Renji is the lieutenant of the 6th division in the Soul Society. He is one of Rukia’s childhood friends and feels the need to protect her even as a friend. Renji can swing between a cocky and eccentric character to being a clueless and goofy character. Despite his nature, Renji can be serious and effective, especially where life and death hang in the balance.
FAQ
Is Bleach Anime Coming Back?
As I pointed out already, yes, this anime is coming back and should be released sometime in 2021. There should be around 50 episodes for the final season as there is a lot of ground to cover from the manga.
Why Was Bleach Anime Cancelled?
There was no real reason this anime was cancelled in 2012. After the ‘Fullbringer’ arc, fans were devastated to find that there would not be another season and that there was no concrete reason why the anime was stopped. It is safe to assume that this anime was cancelled for low ratings, but it is not set in stone.
Is Bleach Anime Complete?
After the final season is released in 2021, the anime should be completed and caught up with the manga.
Is Bleach Anime Worth Watching?
I really enjoyed most of the Bleach arcs, some were lacking and a little dull. But as a whole, I definitely think that this is one of the best mainstream anime out there. It was one of the big three in its day. Up there with Naruto and One Piece. If you have not seen Bleach, you absolutely have to because it is without a doubt worth watching. Especially since there will be a conclusive season released in 2021.
Similar Animes
Finally, exploring animes that are similar to Bleach is a must. Below are a series of animes that have similar feels, themes or are generally as good as Bleach in some way. There are, of course, many more animes that are similar to Bleach that you can enjoy, but these are the few I think deserve a top spot.
Fairy Tail
This anime is probably one of my personal favourites. I love the story, characters, musical scores and almost everything else about it. The main story follows a wizard’s guild known as ‘Fairy Tail’ and the adventures of the members of this guild. In particular, we follow Natsu the Dragon Slayer, Lucy the Celestial Wizard, Gray the Ice Mage and plenty of other characters which only add to this fun anime.
FAQ
Is Fairy Tail a Good Anime?
Personally, I loved this anime and would gladly give it a 10/10 for the whole package. There is a lot about this anime that makes it fun and interesting. Firstly the premise is interesting and the characters are funny and relatable. The artstyle is fun and the music score is fantastic. Overall this anime is a brilliant little package which I would definitely call good.
Is Fairy Tail Over?
With over 300 episodes under its belt this anime drew to a close in 2019. It concluded quite well and left room for a follow up should the series get another season. There have been whispers that there will be a final season in 2021 about the children of the main characters. This adaptation will be dropping sometime this year or early next year.
Is Fairy Tail Kid Friendly?
While the animation of this anime is cute and looks child friendly there is imagery that may not be appropriate for younger audiences. There is light sexual content, showing cleavage or behaviour that is of a sexual nature. As well as violence which some parents may find inappropriate. But, the level of these issues is quite low in my opinion. It would be prudent for parents to assess the show themselves before making a decision.
One Piece
The main premise of this anime focuses on a character known as Monkey D. Luffy. A young and powerful pirate who sets off on a journey to find treasure and proclaim himself the King of the Pirates. Much like Fairy Tail, this is a fun and exciting anime to watch. I cannot attest to too much as I have not seen it personally. There are over 1000 episodes out at the moment, which has always seemed like a mammoth task to take on. But from every source I have heard. This anime is tons of fun and a great anime to enjoy for adventure lovers.
FAQ
Is One Piece Still Going?
Yes, this anime is still being released, but there is information circulating that indicates a final chapter in the near future.
Is One a Good Anime?
This anime is fun and diverse, it is definitely worth watching if you enjoy silly and fun animes. The characters, music and art style all lend themselves in making this anime truly fun and interesting. It is certainly worth watching if you have the time to sit through over 1000 episodes.
Does Netflix Have All of One Piece?
Only the first four seasons are available on Netflix at this moment. However, you could find the whole anime on Crunchyroll if you want to watch it all.
Jujutsu Kaisen
This anime is a relatively new release and has been very popular and for very good reason. After watching it I was in love with the characters, art style and the story. It was a true masterpiece as far as anime is concerned. The story follows a high school student who joins a secret organisation of sorcerers who kill and hunt monsters known as curses in the human world.
FAQ
Is Jujutsu Kaisen Getting an Anime?
Yes, the first season of this anime was released on October 2nd 2020.
Is Jujutsu Kaisen Anime on Netflix?
Sadly at the moment, this anime is not on Netflix, but if you would like to watch it at some point, you could use Crunchyroll.
Is Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1 Anime Finished?
Yes, it season 1 has fully aired and is viewable on Crunchyroll.
The Blue Exorcists
I loved The Blue Exorcist. It was a funny and interesting anime with a gorgeous art style I could not get enough of. The story centers around a pair of twins. One finds out he is the son of Satan himself and that he has powers which are illegal to an Exorcist Guild. He must now prove himself to this group in order to save his own life and what better way than to become an exorcist himself.
FAQ
Is The Blue Exorcist Anime Over?
This anime has been put on hold for another season due to Covid-19. The project has either been cancelled on put on hold till a much later date.But apparently there may be a season 3 for this anime in the future.
Does Blue Exorcist have a Season 2?
Yes, this anime has a season 2 which was released in 2017.
Is Blue Exorcist a Netflix Anime?
This anime is not available to watch on Netflix in Sub and Dub.
InuYasha
This was one of my old favourites. The art style is a little dated, but I think that it is still charming and fun to watch. The story centers around a girl named Kagome who falls down a well and finds herself in Feudal Japan. In a time when demons roamed the earth. She and InuYasha must find the shards of an ancient and powerful object known as the Shikon Jewel. Before, the demons of Japan find it and become too powerful and dangerous to the people.
FAQ
How Many Seasons does InuYasha Have?
There are 7 seasons of this anime as well as several movies you can enjoy.
Is InuYasha Complete on Netflix?
No, there are only 25 episodes of bleach at this current time.
Is InuYasha a Good Anime?
I loved InuYasha, it was a fun anime with an interesting story and amusing characters. Because of all these elements, I think that the dated acting and style can be overlooked. The series as a whole is truly a great experience.
