Bleach’s success has been ever-growing. The Thousand-Year Blood War arc stands as one of the best with its manga and anime both living as an exception outside of the rushed ending of Tite Kubo’s tour de force. While it is showered with constant praise, there isn’t much it can do to account for the various fluctuations the series has seen in its full run.
It is still regarded as one of the best arcs. However, that wasn’t the one that convinced the mangaka that his series needed a soft reboot. There have been many arcs in the series, some of which the fans loved, putting them on pedestals; while others were a clear miss, the sheer amount of fillers becoming a glaring problem to them.
Tite Kubo Gave Bleach a Soft Reboot
During an interview with Viz, Tite Kubo talked about how out of all the arcs, it was the events of the Arrancar arc that pushed him into giving Bleach some form of a reboot. Ichigo no longer had his powers and that gave Kubo the perfect opportunity to slowly build the series back up again despite it already being at its best.
I was trying to reboot and recreate what I have done in Bleach up until now. In Bleach chapter one, Ichigo gained the power of a Soul Reaper. But now that he has lost his power, Ichigo must get it back.
His idea was to give the entire series a nice restart, taking his time to establish everything he could once again in a different way. To narrate a story that was told already but this time with the maturity that Ichigo lacked previously.
While the Arrancar arc is regarded as one of the best, the one that came afterward, the Lost Agent arc is also a fan-favorite. The idea wasn’t to give Kubo a fresh start but to lead his characters to grow once again.
Tite Kubo’s Importance of the Lost Agent Arc
Tite Kubo addressed how the Lost Agent arc was one of the most important ones and not a filler arc. The thought he put into the story easily made it one of the most loved and he made it hold value and not just a series of fillers contributing to character growth.
It’s like starting all over. The Lost Agent arc is important because it leads into future chapters.
The story following the Lost Arc stretch was the Thousand-Year Blood War arc. It became imperative for the preceding arc to set up the storyline properly. Not only that, it had a lot of importance in establishing the characters to their fullest.
While it may seem slow at first, the outcome of the arc is one that is loved by many fans. It has its own ups and downs but it still holds enough ground to stand as a good arc for Bleach. The action may not be at its best but the purpose it wishes to serve is fulfilled regardless.
Bleach is available to watch on Hulu.
