Bleach as a manga and anime has been driven by criticism that is both constructive and obstructive, some of which Tite Kubo took well while others that he reacted to with a strong footing. Despite its success, it has not been spared from being scrutinized by fans because of the flaws that become more and more evident the more it is rewatched.
At the same time, it is such a masterpiece that it can be reread and rewatched as a comfort work. This juxtaposition of the series makes it a paradox of its own. There were many factors that came into play with how contradictory the existence of the series became, making it both good and flawed at the same time. However, there was a possibility that it could have been better.
Tite Kubo’s Unreached Ideas
During an interview with Matsui Yūsei, the author of Assassination Classroom, Tite Kubo talked with Giga Jump (via Tumblr). When asked about all the ideas he incorporated in Bleach, the mangaka admitted that not everything could make it into the final drafts. While that isn’t uncommon, it is the fact that most of these ideas couldn’t even see the light of day.
I was drawing Bleach all the time, there were many ideas I couldn’t use. Right away, I would compose a storyboard or something…it repeatedly gets lost somewhere.
Not every idea is set to work and when so many of them get formed, it becomes more chaotic. For Kubo, it wasn’t just managing the many ideas but also keeping them all together in a safe environment. Despite the amount of genius that must have been put into those storyboards, their whereabouts remain unknown.
Whenever an idea came into his mind, he would dutifully draft it out. However, what looks better in the mind doesn’t always pan out on paper. At the same time, while many ideas may seem good, one or the other reason would prevent them from being finalized.
Gone with the Wind
It is common for writers to come up with ideas and keep them on the side for later use. Some may not work at the present moment but the situation can change in the future and what once seemed like a thought gone in vain could turn into something with a constructive and strong body. For Tite Kubo, that chance could never arise.
Out of the many ideas he came up with, the more he penned them down, the more they became lost. The possibility of there being a better idea in those scattered pages than what fans got was more than likely. Bleach’s downfall has been one that many fans find themselves sympathizing over. For a series that had so much potential, it lost its charm in an unfortunate heartbeat.
All those lost ideas that Kubo could have worked on may have included something that could have saved the series from its inevitable downfall. While fans still cherish it wholeheartedly, there is no denying that so much of it could have been better. Not just with the fillers arcs but with the digressing stories as well.
Bleach is available to watch on Hulu.
