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Shonen anime features some incredibly complicated and twisted father-daughter dynamics, and none are stranger than Mayuri and Nemu Kurotsuchi from Bleach. She was artificially created by the scientist, and he considers her his greatest achievement.

Nemu is the seventh incarnation of Mayuri’s project and his biggest success. He made her his lieutenant and also regards her as his daughter. Despite his cruel nature, he was visibly shaken by her death. It seems there was a hint of humanity in Mayuri, after all.

Nemu and Mayuri from Bleach. [Credit: Shueisha]

Their complex relationship also leads to some awkward moments. Bleach does involve a ton of fan service, but the suggestive tone of the way Mayuri revived Nemu was unnecessary. It did give the legendary Renji and Uryuu meme.

To this day, however, fans cannot figure out how Mayuri revived her. The manga attempted to explain it, but it was too vague.

Any discussion about great animation these days is incomplete without Solo Leveling. Studio A-1 Pictures has made the anime synonymous with spectacular fight sequences and crisp animation quality. The animation studio has set an incredibly high standard with their work, and any gap or shortcoming animation-wise becomes blatantly obvious as a result.

The final episodes of the second season had some underwhelming aspects, which instantly reminded me of Bleach: Tybw anime. The comeback of Bleach was exciting, partly because of the decade-long wait. I was glad that the wait was finally over, but the high-quality visuals and the premium treatment Tybw was receiving pushed me to re-watch the entire series.

Beru in Solo Leveling | Credits: Studio A-1 Pictures

The Thousand-Year Blood War is a great example of what consistently good animation looks like. It feels almost criminal to point out any flaws in Solo Leveling, considering how good it looked throughout the season.

Shonen genre anime tends to take a lot of liberty with the plot, and because of this, some characters can get extremely lucky. Bleach might be one of the greatest anime, but it isn’t free from this flaw. The characters often rely on brute strength, strategy, and unique spiritual powers.

There is one character that defies all reason and logic. Mayuri Kurotsuchi, the 12th division captain of the Gotei 13 and the president of the Shinigami Research Institute, utilizes his intelligence to create devices to counter many fatal attacks. Battles have almost always worked out in his favor.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi from Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. [Credit: Studio Pierrot]

Mayuri has become more than just a genius and the mad scientist of Bleach. He seems to be Tite Kubo’s favorite with how often he has a trump card up his sleeve. The captain is prepared for nearly every unpredictable move thrown at him.

“My Hero Academia: You’re Next,” “The Apothecary Diaries” and “Mononoke The Movie: The Phantom in the Rain” are among the Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2025 nominees, while Finn Wolfhard and Rina Sawayama are among presenters set for the May ceremony.

Crunchyroll unveiled its nominees across 32 different categories, representing 50 series and films developed by over 35 studios. Nominees for anime of the year include “Dan Da Dan,” “Delicious in Dungeon,” “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End,” “Kaiju No. 8,” “Solo Leveling” and “The Apothecary Diaries” while film of the year includes “Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle,” “Look Back,” “Mononoke The Movie: The Phantom in the Rain,” “My Hero Academia: You’re Next,” “Spy x Family Code: White” and “The Colors Within.”

“The Crunchyroll Anime Awards are one of the most important times of year for fans because we hear directly from them on what anime they love and get to honor the creative community behind that love,” Crunchyroll...

We have the nominees for the ninth annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards. Dan Da Dan, Delicious in Dungeon, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Kaiju No. 8, Solo Leveling and The Apothecary Diaries will vie for the marquee Anime of the Year prize, which will be handed out during a May 25 ceremony in Tokyo.

Fans can vote on the winners through April 14 on the Anime Awards website.

“The Crunchyroll Anime Awards are one of the most important times of year for fans because we hear directly from them on what anime they love and get to honor the creative community behind that love,” Crunchyroll President Rahul Purini said.

A number of presenters also were revealed today, including Stranger Things actors Finn Wolfhard and Gaten Matarazzo, along with Chocolate Planet (Shohei Osada and Shun Matsuo), Dean Fujioka, Kanata Hongo, Mayu Matsuoka, Saya Ichikawa, Ben Whittaker, Damiano David, Ironmouse, d4vd, Rina Sawayama, Chloe Kim,...

The Jeju Island Raid was one of the defining moments of Solo Leveling's second season, and it saw a contingent of S-Rank Hunters attack a nest filled with giant ant monsters. More than half of the Hunters were killed, proving just how dangerous the raid was, but there are a few anime characters from other series who could have soloed the entire raid. Many of them would have left Jeju Island unscathed.

Most of the anime characters who could have soloed the Jeju Island Raid have overpowered abilities. In fact a few of them can be considered Gods in their own universes. These anime characters can clear the horde of Ant soldiers pretty easily, and many of them can kill the Ant Queen and Ant King with a single attack.

Fairy Tail's Zeref Would Tear Through The Ants On Jeju Island With His Black Magic Streaming on CrunchyrollImage via...

Bleach anime fans don’t know how good they have it. There are a lot of scenes that were filtered so that they could be seen by the normal audience. This means that a lot of creepy stuff was a no-go if they intended for Bleach to be for the kids.

The brutality and bloodshed in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. Credits: Studio Pierrot

That is why even though Bleach seems like one of the adult shows, it lacks that bit of push from being considered a mature anime. In fact, with no gore and not even traumatic imagery, the Bleach anime did a good job of sugar-coating the horrors that Tite Kubo envisioned.

But sometimes, there are things that are cut from the anime that do not make sense, like the scene where Gin Ichimaru cuts Hiyori in half, literally, while smiling.

Gin’s attack on Hiyori was worse than...

Bankai is no cakewalk but Tite Kubo made some exceptions. This is true for Ichigo and Mayuri who defied the ironclad rules in their mastery of the form. It is crazy to see the abilities in their full glory and intensity. And while there are prodigies and geniuses, some took the road less traveled.

Ichigo Kurosaki from Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War | Credit: Studio Pierrot

Interestingly, Kubo took the difficult way out for this Bleach character. It took almost decades for the character to get Bankai but we know one thing for sure. Even if it was delayed, it slayed. To top it off, the mangaka and Pierrot took it up a notch by giving us some of the stellar moments in the Tybw anime.

Delayed but Slayed: The Arduous Bankai in Bleach

The power system in Bleach is unique and impressive in more ways than one. From Kido spells to Shunpo,...

One thing that all Bleachfans can agree on is that The Bount Invasion Arc (colloquially known as "The Bount Arc") is the long-running anime's weakest filler arc. Given Bleach's filler arcs were a mixed bag which left a lot to be desired, this says quite a lot. The arc is so infamous, even general anime fans who aren't too familiar with Bleach have likely heard that The Bount Arc is one of the worst anime filler arcs ever made.

Now that it's been more than 20 years since Bleach first aired, grateful fans who are currently enjoying and loving Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War can't help but look back at missteps like The Bount Arc and appreciate just how far their favorite anime has come. Although the arc's infamy and negative reception aren't unjustified, it's about time Bleach fans admit that The Bount Arc wasn't all that bad.

The Bount Arc...

Anime series are regularly known for having a lot of episodes compared to traditional television series. That said, several of the longest anime are also the most popular. One Piece began airing in 1999 and won't be ending any time soon. The beloved anime series now has over a thousand episodes.

Much longer anime series aren't completely linear and can easily jump between storylines. Crayon Shin-Chan follows the antics of Shinnosuke Nohara as he manages the day-to-day of child life. Surprisingly, this concept has spanned over 1,267 episodes. Several prominent anime have the most episodes of any televised series, but some aren't worth the dedication it takes to finish them.

Sgt. Frog Is The Perfect Balance of Action & Weird Comedy Anime Streaming on Crunchyroll

Sgt. Frog has a lot of episodes. Yet, this number doesn't seem so great when considering the anime isn't linear. Fans of the series do not watch the series for the plot,...

The Bleach anime and Japanese rock band Aqua Timez are pretty much inseparable. The group has performed multiple theme songs across the series's history, and now the band is back with a new track following the anime's 20th anniversary. The Jump Mv project consists of music videos for major Shonen Jump titles to coincide with announcements, finales, anniversaries and other special occasions. Bleach , naturally, has had several entries in this list. Now you can check out the latest, setting 20 years of anime history to the new song "Oldrose." Related: Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 4 - The Calamity Anime Officially Announced "Oldrose" will be available on a variety of digital platforms starting tomorrow, March 22. "Oldrose" single jacket Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War , which adapts the concluding arc of Tite Kubo's Bleach manga series, streamed on Disney+ and Hulu worldwide from October to December 2022. Part 2, subtitled The Separation , premiered from July to...

If you've been following the Bam Smack Pow team's ongoing anime coverage, you've probably seen us mention the "Big Three" of anime and manga a few times now. The term refers to three of the most successful anime and manga series of all time and easily the three most popular of the early years of the 21st century. Those three series are One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach, which together total nearly a billion (with a b) copies sold.

We've already shared our recommendation of the most popular anime series with our look at One Piece. Today, we're going to be taking a quick look at the second of the Big Three of anime, the stylish supernatural action series Bleach. The original Bleach manga by artist Tite Kubo ran from 2001-2016, with an anime series that debuted in 2004.

Your quick introduction to Bleach

The opening scene of the very first episode...

Anime villains are often defined by an undeniable aura that shouts, "I'm the big bad guy!" immediately upon their debut. There are exceptions, such as sneaky villains who hide their true nature until they reach the perfect moment to strike, but villains who wear their overwhelming evil right on their sleeves appeal to anime fans the most. Such villains are total scene-stealers, commanding the viewer's attention from the moment they first appear.

Those anime villains feel like the final bosses they are right away, either through brutal actions, sinister dialogue, terrifying appearances, or an intimidating combination of these elements. When an endgame boss villain truly comes together, they get viewers psyched to see what comes next, whether that's declaring war on the world or plunging the universe into darkness as their dark schemes come to fruition.

King Yhwach Smugly Sits on the Throne of Bleach's Quincy Empire Yhwach Aims to...

Bleach villains are menacing, intimidating, and the epitome of all things memorable and cool. However, does their appeal solely lie in their superficiality? In the manga, this could have been true for both the major villains, namely Yhwach and Aizen. As both of them had shallow motives and overpowered abilities, and these qualities pretty much explained their complete existence.

Using the Thousand-Year Blood War anime as a second chance, Tite Kubo has improved Yhwach’s character significantly. His motivations make much more sense and so does his character arc. His growth is best compared to Kaido from Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece.

Yhwach in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War anime | Credits: Studio Pierrot Co. Ltd.

Both these villains had similar motivations and arcs to an extent, but Kubo changed things for the Quincy King with the anime. Even the idea behind his character is much better than everything Kaido represented in One Piece.

The world of Bleach has many fighting styles, and the characters employ their own ways on the battlefield. While Zanpakuto and Bankai are incredibly powerful and much more hyped by the fanbase, some of the strongest characters get by without using them.

Yoruichi Shihouin is a Soul Reaper in Bleach who is beloved not only for her looks but also for her strength and unique abilities. She’s unparalleled on the battlefield and there’s a reason she stands out. She noticeably doesn’t rely on her Zanpakuto for it.

Yoruichi Shihouin from Bleach. [Credit: Studio Pierrot]

Yoruichi’s strength lies in her brute force rather than the blade. This is, however, quite rare, especially for a former Captain of the Second Division and the leader of the Onmitsukidou. Bleach characters are very flashy with their Zanpakuto.

So for years, we didn’t understand how she got by without her blade.

Tite Kubo has become a prominent name in the anime industry through his manga Bleach. Hailed as one of the Big 3s of anime, Bleach continues to draw new fans around the world even now.

Ichigo Kurosaki from Tite Kubo’s Bleach | Credits: Studio Pierrot

Rightfully so, as the gripping storyline, funky animation, terrific action sequences with emotions and humor to top it off, the series stands apart in the shounen category for its originality.

What many fans don’t know, though, is that unlike other mangakas, Tite Kubo stays hands on the anime series from the start to the end. In fact, his dedication to his masterpiece extends to the point that he doesn’t want to work on any other project but Bleach wholeheartedly.

Tite Kubo wants to dedicate himself completely to Bleach

Tite Kubo and Masakazu Morita, who voices the protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki in the anime, appeared...

This article contains spoilers for Bleach's manga and anime. Proceed with caution.

Besides its iconic characters and fights, Bleachmade its mark on the anime community in the early 2000s thanks to its unforgettable plot twists. Twists like Sosuke Aizen revealing himself to be the story's overall villain or Old Man Zangetsu actually being a vestige of Emperor Yhwach didn't just turn Ichigo Kurosaki's world upside down, but recontextualized Bleach as a whole.

That's not to say fans loved all of Bleach's twists, especially back when the manga updated weekly and when the original anime was still on the air. Some of these twists were just questionable, but others outright angered the fanbase. It was only thanks to time and hindsight that fans appreciated these twists and understood how they fit into Bleach's bigger picture.

Yammy Riyalgo Was the 0th Espada Fans Thought the Diez Espada’s Power-up Was a...

Tite Kubo’s Bleach has a lot of dark and gruesome moments and most of them involve Mayuri Kurotsuchi, the captain of the 12th Division of the Gotei 13 and 2nd president of the Shinigami Research Institute. Mayuri is one of the most grim characters of the Bleach storyline and his various battles within the series are the perfect proof of that.

The Cruelest Shinigami Captain – Mayuri | Credit: Studio Pierrot

Among those battles, the cruelest and darkest battle that Mayuri had been a part of was against Szayelaporro Granz, the eighth Espada in Sosuke Aizen’s Arrancar army in Bleach. The fight established Mayuri’s image as one of the darkest captains in the history of Soul Society. However, there was one aspect of the battle that Bleach fans might have overlooked.

This aspect was the similarity in the personalities of Mayuri and Szayelaporro as scientists. This similarity was also reflected...

In a series that is filled with powerhouses like Aizen, Kenpachi, and Yhwach (not to mention the plot armor wrapped Ichigo Kurosaki), there is one character that Tite Kubo created who defies all expectations.

Mayuri and Nemu Kurotsuchi from Bleach. [Credit: Studio Pierrot]

This is not because of some unnatural strength, but with pure, unhinged behaviour and little to no regard for life or consequences.

And no, it is not the battle-hungry Captain Kenpachi, who is a brute crazy enough to fight anyone. This character has extremely high levels of intellect and a sense of uncanny charm that makes him irresistible as he sets the world on fire. This man, is the enigmatic Mayuri Kurotsuchi.

Mayuri: The Perfectly Imperfect Genius

Mayuri Kurotsuchi, the infamous captain of the 12th Division, is Bleach‘s wildcard character. When we look at Mayuri, unlike others in Bleach he does not seem to belong, it feels...

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War spotlighted Studio Pierrot’s finesse and brilliance in every way. After its hiatus, the franchise made a promising comeback which is a great feat for both the author and the studio. While the studio kickstarted on a good note, it is paving its way for a major setback.

Ichigo Kurosaki in a still from Thousand-Year Blood War anime | Credit: Studio Pierrot

A recent incident has raised concerns and issues among fans regarding the ethics and credibility of animation studios. It also involves Pierrot’s promise to live up to certain expectations. Which brings us to the question: Were improvement claims all a sham from Pierrot’s end? Let’s find out.

Bleach animator fired from Tybw project

Bleach is one of the celebrated shonen series from the golden era of Jump. It holds a special place in both readers’ and viewers’ hearts. As one of the...

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War was the saving grace for the manga’s ending. With Kubo himself on board, they fixed its terrible ending with a few tweaks that made the storyline more enticing and consistent. The gorgeous and fluid animation, too, carried the series on its back.

Ichigo Kurosaki from Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. [Credit: Studio Pierrot]

So far, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War has released 3 seasons with 13 episodes each, and the fourth and final one is titled The Calamity. While we don’t know when it will be released, it’s expected to debut in 2025. However, with the latest news, it might face further delays.

Leo Kawamoto, an animation director who contributed to all seasons of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, was unexpectedly fired. He announced it on his X account, previously known as Twitter, attributing it to the company’s work methods or his lack of ability.

Kawamoto directed some of...

Shonen Jump has been a staple in the manga industry for decades, and over the years many of the weekly manga's ongoing series have become some of the industry's most renowned anime series. This bastion of shonen stories introduced fans to iconic characters like Goku, Luffy D Monkey, Naruto Uzumaki, and countless others. Both the characters and their stories have made names for themselves as anime, but they first gained prominence in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump.

The best series that came from Shonen Jump have been beloved since their debut. Though they had fans when they were in the magazine, they gained even more followers once they made the transition to anime. These juggernaut IPs have everything great shonen tales need to become top-tier stories for generations to come.

Related10 Brand-New Shonen Jump Manga You'll Be Glad You Read When They Get Anime Adaptations

Shonen Jump is thriving more...

Every anime fan who's watched anime long enough will run into the same problem. They'll start watching a show, fall in love with it, and watch as it climbs to the level of a true masterpiece. Then at some point, the series will lose its way, edging it out of being considered one of the best.

For some anime, the show is still good — it's just no longer perfect. Other anime series never find their way and completely fall off. Either way, the anime world is full of series that would've been perfect if they'd ended just a little bit earlier. Or, better yet, if the viewer had given up on the show just a bit sooner.

Related10 Anime Series & Movies Streaming on Crunchyroll That'll Change Your Life

Like all forms of earnest artistic expression, anime can change one's understanding of the world.

Bleach Got Lost Not Long After the...

In 2023, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations — the sequel to Naruto starring the original characters' children — went into indefinite hiatus. As of this writing, next to nothing has been heard about the anime series' current status or potential return. But instead of feeling distress or disappointment, anime viewers met the announcement of Boruto's momentary end with euphoria and celebration.

The simple truth is viewers wanted Boruto to go on hiatus. Even some older viewers who grew up watching and loving Naruto now hope the sequel series will never return. There are many reasons behind audiences' disdain and vitriol, but one of the biggest ones is the fact that Boruto was overloaded with filler episodes and arcs. In fact, and if reports are true, these filler episodes are one of the main reasons why Boruto has been canceled for the time being.

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations May Have Went Into Hiatus Because...

Leo Kawamoto, an animation director who has participated in all cours of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, has publicly shared that he has been cut from the anime series.

Bleach animation director Leo Kawamoto shared that he was fired from the series in an X (formerly Twitter) post dated Feb. 20: "I was fired from Bleach, so it will be difficult to participate in cour 4. I will provide more details later." His later responses to inquiries revealed that his firing had nothing to do with illness, and despite chalking it up to his "lack of ability," he suggested it was concerned with his incompatibility with the studio.

RelatedDragon Ball Daima Breaks a Major Anime Record With a Nearly Flawless Episode

Dragon Ball's debut of adult Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta and Super Saiyan 4 Goku is now the highest-ranking Daima episode and 2025's highest-rated anime.

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Animation Director Fired Ahead...

The most notable trend in the modern anime industry is revivals and remakes. Many anime studios have reached into the past to put a fresh twist on old classics (like Ranma 1/2 or Urusei Yatsura) or to bring back a series that didn't finish telling its story during its original anime adaptation (like Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War). Naturally, this trend has got fans excitedly speculating which anime series will get a revival next.

Anime history is packed with series that, despite being praised by fans and critics, didn't get to finish their story before being canceled. There are also series that finished after completely adapting the manga they were based on, only for the mangaka to continue the story later, leaving anime viewers with an incomplete experience.

Dragon Ball Super Has 2 Amazing Arcs Begging to Be Animated Stream Dragon Ball Super on Crunchyroll

Dragon Ball Super is the sequel to...

Bleach’s Thousand-Year Blood War has a lot of significant moments that define the entire story of the franchise, but for me, the most crucial moment was the death of Kuchiki Byakuya, the 28th head of the Kuchiki Clan and the captain of the 6th Division in the Gotei 13. The moment is crucial because while it looks like Byakuya is dead, Tite Kubo brings him back.

Kuchiki Byakuya in Bleach | Credit: Studio Pierrot

Ideally, Byakuya should have stayed dead considering the fact that he not only lost his Bankai but also had no further character development in Bleach. Thus, a part of me believes Kuchiki Byakuya should have stayed dead, as it would have been a perfect conclusion to his individual storyline in Bleach. However, despite the contentious return, Kubo managed to somehow make Byakuya significant once again.

This was first seen during the excruciating Bleach fight between Kuchiki Rukia and Äs Nödt,...

Bleach might focus on the supernatural and thrilling battles, of the physical kind and the mind. However, it doesn’t mean Tite Kubo forgot about the relationships entirely. Some of the best couples in the anime industry came from Bleach, particularly Orihime and Ichigo.

Orihime and Ichigo in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. [Credit: Studio Pierrot]

The two go on to get married and have a son, Kazui, together. It’s a heartwarming relationship, but not every couple had their happily ever after. Dynamics in Bleach often get twisted and complicated. Some characters get so swept up in revenge that love isn’t a choice for them.

Gin Ichimaru was the childhood friend of Rangiku Matsumoto. It’s heavily implied the pair were deeply in love. However, the former had crafted an intricate plan to take down Aizen after what he did to her and distanced himself to protect her. Bleach fans,...

Evangelion fans are in for an aromatic treat with a new perfume collection inspired by the characters of the Rebuild of Evangelion anime tetralogy.

The Evangelion franchise received the new perfume release from Primaniacs, inspired by the five mecha pilots Shinji Ikari, Rei Ayanami, Asuka Shikinami Langley, Kaworu Nagisa, and Mari Illustrious Makinami. Reservations are currently open on its online shop ahead of its release at Primaniac's main store in Ginza on April 18 and general sale on April 24. The perfume bottles feature nods to each character's hobbies and personalities, such as Shinji's cassette player, a piano for Kaworu and a doll for Asuka. Readers can check out the official images, fragrance information and more below.

Related'What the Hell Are You Doing?': Evangelion Director Reveals Major Fears Taking On New Gundam Anime

Rebuild of Evangelion director Kazuya Tsurumaki reveals his fears around helming the latest mainline entry of the Gundam franchise: GquuuuuuX.

Time and again in shonen action anime like Bleach, the heroes and villains alike will up their game before the next fight. Sometimes, the characters will train hard to unlock a new technique or weapon, or they will simply steal a new ability or ask someone to grant them their new abilities. In each case, the result is an amazing power-up that will change everything.

Such power-ups often serve as the best plot twists in Bleach, and those moments may inspire fans when the heroes power-up or raise the stakes and scare everyone when villains power-up instead. And while a stunning variety of Bleach characters found ways to power-up, fans can narrow things down to the best, most inspiring, or most impactful power-ups at the hands of the strongest Bleach characters of all.

Renji Gained Bankai to Fight Byakuya Power-Up Occurs in Bleach Episode 59

Renji Abarai's power-up with his new...

Tite Kubo’s Bleach might have one of the most vast varieties of villains and antagonists who have appeared from every aspect of the story. From the dangerous Fullbringer Ginjo to the most menacing Soul Reaper, Sosuke Aizen, the Bleach storyline has featured villains that are infamous in the entire anime and manga industry.

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War | Credit: Studio Pierrot

However, it looks like Kubo might be getting ready for the introduction of another iconic antagonist to take center stage in Bleach. This character has been on the good side till now, but the past developments have forced fans to assume that he might just take on the antagonist’s role and challenge the protagonist of the series, Kurosaki Ichigo.

The character in discussion is Ichibe Hyosube, the commanding officer of the Royal Guard in Bleach. Ichibe has been a secretive character since the beginning, and there have...

Bleach has several mysteries, but none are more confusing than the unexplained disappearance of Yachiru Kusajishi in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. The ever-playful and childish but formidable character was Kenpachi Zaraki’s lieutenant, so her absence is puzzling.

Yachiru Kusajishi and Kenpachi Zaraki from Bleach. [Credit: Studio Pierrot]

The rank of a Soul Reaper Lieutenant carries a lot of meaning and weight in the world of Bleach. In Yachiru’s case, she might have a childlike appearance, but she’s incredibly powerful, proving her worthy of the rank.

She was also Kenpachi Zaraki’s constant companion. So despite him fighting in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, her absence makes no sense. Yachiru didn’t die in battle, it’s almost like she faded. Bleach fans have offered a reliable explanation for the lieutenant’s disappearance.

Yachiru Kusajishi was never a real person, she was a manifestation

According to Bleach fans, the simplest...

One of The Big Three, Tite Kubo’s Bleach, has once again attained the same fame and recognition that was seen when the series was initially released in the year 2001. And the majority of the credit for all this goes to the Thousand-Year Blood War arc anime series, which, according to many Bleach fans, is the best storyline Kubo has ever created.

Bleach by Tite Kubo | Credit: Studio Pierrot

The Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War arc is also assumed to be the conclusion of one of the greatest stories ever. But what many fans don’t know is that after the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, Kubo also hinted at another storyline that might be able to overtake the current Bleach arc. This storyline is way into the future and adds a new twist to the series.

It was called the Hell arc, and although only a one-shot of the story has been revealed,...

Despite having been released over 20 years ago, Bleach is one of the animes that managed to retain its popularity. This is evidenced by the franchise's latest entry, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, the sequel series to the original that still lures fans in to check out how the story of Ichigo Kurosaki (voiced by Masakazu Morita in the original Japanese and Power Rangers alum Johnny Yong Bosch in the English dub) will end. However, those fans have had to be patient with animation studio Pierrot, which took a decade to start adapting the final arc of the manga series into an anime. In a new documentary about the studio's legacy, Bleach producer Yoshihiro Tominaga talked about their rhythm and how they aim to make sure fans keep getting an excellent-quality product.

The world of Bleach is filled with complex power systems, and one of the most debated aspects among fans is the difference between reiatsu (spiritual pressure) and reiryoku (spiritual energy). This also raises one of the biggest supposed “plotholes” in the series that revolves around how Aizen was able to incinerate a human simply by strolling past him, yet Ichigo who should be at least as powerful as Aizen does not accidentally vaporize humans as he casually travels through the Human World.

Ichigo vs Aizen in Bleach | Credit: Studio Pierrot

Before the climactic battle with Ichigo, Aizen showed his spiritual superiority by casually walking through a town, causing an individual to dissolve under the sheer pressure of his reiatsu. Later, when a Royal Guard approached Aizen, his spiritual pressure was enough to dissolve the man’s fingers. Given that Ichigo’s power should be at least equal to Aizen’s...

Contrary to popular belief, Tite Kubo’s road to success was rather perilous. The mangaka went the extra mile for his magnum opus. The serialization is anything but easy considering the overworking and backbreaking schedule.

To top it off, it is one of the landmark series among Jump’s Big 3. Though it is often considered weak, its return after the hiatus had most critics chew their words. It was made possible because of yet another Shonen series.

Ichigo Kurosaki in a still from the anime | Credit: Studio Pierrot

Most specifically, Koyoharu Gotouge’s manga Demon Slayer played a pivotal role in its kickstart. The series set a benchmark in the genre through its accolades, acclaim, popularity, and most of all, quality.

Studio Pierrot followed in its footsteps to ensure Bleach gets its due and deserved recognition. This also marked Kubo’s comeback in the shonen, which is a banger.

Demon Slayer...

Ouran High School Host Club is one of the greatest classic rom-com series that arguably featured the wackiest storyline when compared among the titles released during the same period. By featuring flamboyant characters and the perfect balance of romance and humor, the series has aged surprisingly well, all the while taking a gag at the Shoujo genre.

A still from Ouran High School Host Club. Credits: Studio Bones

The show is unapologetically itself, where it features Haruhi Fujioka in a reverse harem in a wealthy school, after breaking an expensive vase and going undercover as an errand boy and repaying for her actions. The show, with its lighthearted comedy and simple plot, has aged like fine wine.

However, with anime now becoming more and more popular, a series similar to Ouran High School Host Club would be nearly impossible. With anime becoming a more mainstream form of popularity, it tends...

A decade back, Yona of the Dawn took the shoujo anime scene by storm. From its visuals to its premise, the series stands as one of the underappreciated gems produced by Studio Pierrot. But that is not the end of it all.

It is praised for its strong characters and compelling storyline but most of all it changed the course of the shojo genre. The studio went above and beyond in carving it a masterpiece. While it is impeccable, there are downsides to it as well.

Yona in a still from the anime | Credit: Studio Pierrot

With Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War’s soaring popularity, Pierrot is all set to go the extra mile. In terms of its production quality and finesse, the studio is amping up its game for good. It is a win-win situation for the franchise.

In retrospect, the studio is making a grave mistake by sidelining the shojo series.

Family is an important element for many Bleach characters. Even when family relations don't directly matter to the plot, plenty of characters have siblings around, especially the Soul Reapers. Yoruichi Shihoin has a little brother, and it isn't a total surprise. For one thing, she's a part of a major clan in Soul Society, and those families can take care of multiple children. Plus, she was never supposed to be clan head, so her brother was implied to exist because of that fact alone. Yushiro Shihoin has been a background character for a fair part of the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, and he's finally reunited with his sister.

Unfortunately, his reunion and attempt to help Yoruichi hasn't gone well for him. While Yushiro is clearly a talented fighter and able to hold his own against many enemies, he's nowhere near powerful enough to fight a Sternritter, let alone one of Yhwach's Elite Guard.

Studio Pierrot, the animation studio behind Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War (Tybw), has overhauled its production strategy to prioritize global competitiveness, vowing to abandon past compromises on quality amid evolving industry demands.

The shift follows a rebranding of its secondary division to Pierrot Films and candid admissions from producer Yoshihiro Tominaga about the studio’s historical shortcomings in adapting to modern anime trends.

In a recent Nhk World Japan documentary spotlighting the studio, Tominaga acknowledged Pierrot’s struggles to keep pace with competitors producing shorter, high-impact series.

“To survive in animation nowadays, you must make high-quality series and be able to sell them globally,” Tominaga said. “Pierrot was seen as not very skilled at that.”

To address this, Pierrot Films was established to streamline workflows and elevate production standards.

Tominaga emphasized that the rebranding to Pierrot Films showed their commitment, and they would not be compromising in the quality of anime produced no matter what.

The manga industry is one of the largest and fastest-growing entertainment industries in the world. For ages, it has featured iconic titles like Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto, Yu Yu Hakusho, and so many titles that have elevated the art form from a niche to mainstream popularity.

Oscar François de Jarjayes. Credits: Studio Mappa

Despite being one of the oldest industries in Japan, it suffers from one major prejudice that has been present long enough in the industry. The gender pay gap has often been present in the industry, especially around its female counterparts.

Time and again, several manga artists have raised their voices against this glaring issue. This time the author of the renowned Shoujo series, The Rose of Versailles, Riyoko Ikeda, broke the ground by discussing the subject of the gender landscape in the industry.

The Rose of Versailles’ author hits hard on the subject of gender inequality

In every generation,...

Pierrot, the anime studio behind hit series Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, will continue to produce higher-quality anime faster for fans worldwide. A producer for the studio, which has been in operation for over four decades, confirmed the company’s new direction in a recently aired documentary.

Nhk World Japan aired a documentary about the legendary animation studio, making it available to anime fans online. The English-translated documentary briefly discussed the 45-year-old history of Pierrot and its two biggest hits, Naruto and Bleach. In particular, Pierrot’s current production of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War was discussed along with the company’s rebranding of its second studio, Pierrot Films.

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Bleach Anime Producer Aims to 'Move Forward Without Looking Back' With...

In the last few years, Tite Kubo’s Bleach has made an epic comeback with the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, which has enhanced the Bleach franchise in a major way. While the story and the manga creator were responsible for the epic success of the series, a majority of the credit also goes to Studio Pierrot, the animation studio that produced the Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War arc.

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War | Credit: Studio Pierrot

Studio Pierrot is known for producing some of the greatest anime series in history. From Naruto to Black Clover, Studio Pierrot has done it all. But for the past few years, the studio has been lacking in multiple aspects. This is why they came up with a sub-division called Pierrot Films that changed the shape of the company and put more focus on its projects.

Recently, Studio Pierrot’s producer, Yoshihiro Tominaga, made a statement about...

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is one of the most beloved anime TV shows in the world.

Also known as Bleach: The Blood Warfare, the show is based on the Bleach manga series by Tite Kubo and is a direct sequel to the Bleach anime series that ran from 2004 until 2012.

Here’s a plot summary: “The peace is suddenly broken when warning sirens blare through the Soul Society. Residents are disappearing without a trace and nobody knows who’s behind it. Meanwhile, a darkness is approaching Ichigo and his friends in Karakura Town.”

The show represents the manga’s final story arc, the “Thousand-Year Blood War,” and first season premiered on TV Tokyo in October 2022. Part 2 was broadcast from July to September 2023, and the third aired from October to December 2024. The show can currently be streamed on Hulu.

Of course, fans want to know if there will be a fourth part to the Bleach sequel saga.

The world of Bleach has a diverse set of abilities but there’s one that overwhelms all others: Reiatsu, or spiritual pressure. A character’s Reiatsu can bend a battle in their favor but it can do so much more than just give the character an edge.

Sosuke Aizen, one of the most formidable antagonists in Bleach, implied that if one character’s spiritual pressure is higher, they can negate their opponent’s abilities completely. His own Reiatsu was powerful enough to reduce a person into ash and even when subdued, disintegrate their body parts.

Aizen’s Reiatsu disintegrates a person’s fingers in Bleach. [Credit: Shueisha]

So if he’s so confident in his claim, Ichigo should’ve easily won his battle against the Quincy, Askin Nakk Le Vaar. There’s no possibility that Askin’s Reiatsu is higher than Ichigo’s, who even Aizen subtly admitted has better spiritual pressure.

In the anime industry, there is a growing demand for top-notch animation with unmatched consistency. Studio Pierrot has ensured that dominated the industry by featuring a flawless adaptation of Tite Kubo’s Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. The adaptation has been so pleasing that it made the fans forget about the decade-long wait and became an instant hit among the viewers.

Yhwach vs. Yamamoto. Credits: Studio Pierrot

From well-choreographed action scenes to mind-boggling Bankais, Studio Pierrot went absolutely overboard to showcase what they are capable of once they are locked in. They have kept the momentum rolling as they ensured that the series gets the praise it deserves.

Otakus will be taken aback as they learn that Kubo-Sensei’s magnum opus was the stepping stone to success. In a strategic move, Pierrot announces a partnership that saves its declining reputation.

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War’s success predicts greatness lies ahead for...

In the sprawling universe of Bleach, Tite Kubo seemed to take advantage of his creative liberties. After all, there are no real-life Shinigami, Hollows, and Quincies to reference in his work, so why not bend history a little in the process?

Most of the freedom the mangaka took when writing about the Middle Ages era in Bleach was when Yhwach rose in power and ruled over the Quincy race in a kingdom he named the Lichtreich. There was a curious detail that didn’t exactly make historical sense.

The Wandenreich, Yhwach’s hidden Quincy empire, in Bleach. [Credit: Studio Pierrot]

After the Lichtreich, the Wandenreich succeeded them and expanded his rule. However, even all those centuries ago, Yhwach’s empire was quite strong and well-armed. His army had guns and firearms at their disposal, which made little sense for the era Tite Kubo was writing about.

Yhwach might be an overpowered individual,...

The anime industry has seen a significant shift in recent years, with titles like Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayer offering graphic violence and dark themes to audiences. All these new shows brought an unprecedented level of blood, gore, and mature themes into the mainstream of Shonen anime. However, when Tite Kubo’s Bleach originally came out in the early 2000s, these aspects were regarded as unusual.

Tite Kubo’s Bleach was ahead of its contemporary Shonens | Credit: Studio Pierrot

Thus while comparing some of the anime scenes with its manga, viewers might feel that with its dark themes, intense battles, and moments of unsettling brutality, Bleach was ahead of its time, blurring the line between shonen and seinen. Unfortunately, Studio Pierrot, the studio behind its anime adaptation, heavily censored its content, preventing it from achieving its full potential.

The unmatched brilliance of Tite Kubo’s Bleach

Bleach introduced something new...

Studio Pierrot has long been criticized for its inconsistent animation quality and many questionable production choices. But Pierrot has recently shocked the fans by pulling off an unprecedented move to ensure that Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War would shine the best it can.

Aizen from Bleach. [Credit: Studio Pierrot]

And to prove that as a studio that has been responsible for two of the ‘Big Three,’ it is not cutting any corners when it comes to Bleach. The studio formed a separate team dedicated exclusively to the production of Bleach: Tybw.

Pierrot Films is extremely dedicated to Bleach

For years, Studio Pierrot’s reputation kept fluctuating. While the studio is reputed for the delivery of iconic titles like Naruto and Yu Yu Hakusho, it had some issues that were constant throughout its works, drawing the ire of the anime fans.

Ichigo and Rukia from Bleach. [Credit: Studio Pierrot]

Its creative output often drew criticism since there was...

Part 3 of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, the Conflict Arc, has long since finished airing. Fans are eagerly anticipating the fourth and final part of the Tybw anime, known as the Calamity arc. In the meantime, Bleach fans should look back on events from the Conflict Arc that will help shape the series' final episodes. The finale of the Bleach anime may be in sight, but there are still plenty of revelations and battles from the Conflict arc that make it clear this is the beginning of the end for the series.

The third act of the Thousand-Year Blood War between the Soul Reapers and the Quincies left both sides with heavy losses. From Sternritters to Soul Reaper Captains, neither side was spared from suffering from heavy casualties. Several encounters kept viewers on the edge of their seats during this arc. Many old and new characters also returned to the spotlight,...