The concept of Bleach stems from the question, ‘What happens after death?’. It takes place in the Soul Society or the afterlife and is about maintaining a balance. It is evident that despite the flashy battles and comic scenes, Tite Kubo has explored some serious themes in Bleach.
The author also shared everything that inspired Bleach at the grassroots level and how he always manages to keep the series fresh. Bleach is one of the few series that could never make you feel stagnant, and it turns out Kubo has a secret behind it.
Why is the Theme of Death Prevalent in Tite Kubo’s Works Like Bleach?
In an interview, Tite Kubo opened up about his thought process behind Bleach and how its various themes were explored. The author admitted that his fascination for the afterlife began growing when he was a mere kid. As his curiosity grew, he yearned to understand the concept of life and death.
When I was very small, three or four years old, I remember wondering what was going to happen to me or other people when they die. When I saw babies’ images in mothers’ wombs, I wondered where we all came from.
It is evident that the author was never able to get out of his fantasies regarding life and death. It is possible that Tite Kubo created Bleach due to the lack of proper information on his topics. In the fantasy world of Bleach, Soul Society exists where souls reach after death and it is protected by Shinigami.
For me, life and death are very important themes. There is no life without death. That’s why it’s very important to me.
Even though 3-4 years is too tender of an age to think about life and death, maybe it was Tite Kubo’s mature sentiments, even as a child, that made him different. This could be why he was able to create Bleach out of his simple childhood intrigue.
How Tite Kubo Keeps the Adventures Fresh in Bleach
Tite Kubo explained in the interview that despite Bleach having been serialized for a long time, he could keep the story fresh because of how he plans the chapters. He never thinks about what will happen next and always relies on any upcoming ideas, or he just lets the story flow.
The author also stated that since Bleach was a weekly manga, he had a very short time to create a chapter. In this type of situation, the authors typically have to create a storyboard, get it finalized, and then work on the illustrations all within a single week while battling tough deadlines. In this kind of stressful situation, it is easy to lose track of the plot and deliver some stagnant chapters, but this has rarely been the problem for Tite Kubo.
Kubo claims that since he has a short time to create the manga, he can come up with an idea and immediately start implementing it. He never had enough time to ponder on a topic which eventually helped the story flow smoother.
You can read Bleach on Viz Media and watch the anime on Crunchyroll.
