Bleach (2006)

About Bleach

Bleach is a compelling and action-packed Anime television series based on a manga of the same name by Tite Kubo. The series debuted in 2006 and quickly rose to popularity with its unique blend of paranormal adventure, supernatural combat sequences, and highly nuanced character development. The show follows the journey of its protagonist, Ichigo Kurosaki, a teenager with the ability to see ghosts. His life changes dramatically when he obtains the powers of a Soul Reaper—a death personification similar to the Grim Reaper—from another Soul Reaper, Rukia Kuchiki. The storyline revolves around Ichigo's quest to protect humanity from evil spirits and to guide deceased souls to the afterlife.

Making / Production

Bleach was produced by Studio Pierrot, a well-known Japanese animation studio. The production closely followed the storyline of the original manga series, with some modification in order to adapt to the television format. Noriyuki Abe was the series' director, with music by Shiro Sagisu. The series consists of 366 episodes in total spanning over 16 seasons.

Actors

• Johnny Yong Bosch breathes life into Ichigo Kurosaki, delivering a remarkable voice-over performance capturing both the intensity and vulnerability of the character.
• Michelle Ruff brilliantly portrays Rukia Kuchiki, perfectly balancing the character’s stern demeanor and gentle heart.
• Stephanie Sheh voices the character of Orihime Inoue, impressively conveying the character’s innocence and charm.
• Derek Stephen Prince exhibits incredible versatility voicing various characters in the series, including Uryū Ishida.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The character names in Bleach often have a deeper meaning or pun, often relating to their powers or personalities.
• Bleach was ranked as the 7th best selling anime in the US in its debut year.
• In Japan, Bleach has consistently ranked in the top 10 of the most popular animes.

Quotes

• "We stand in awe before that which cannot be seen..." - Rukia Kuchiki
• "If fate is a millstone, then we are the grist. There is nothing we can do. So I wish for strength. If I cannot protect them from the wheel, then give me a strong blade, and enough strength... to shatter fate." - Ichigo Kurosaki

Music, Soundtrack

• "Asterisk" by Orange Range - Opening theme for episodes 1-25.
• "Life is Like a Boat" by Rie Fu - Ending theme for episodes 1-13.
• Bleach features an original score composed by Shiro Sagisu, featuring a blend of modern pop, traditional Japanese music, and Western orchestral music.