Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War premiered in October 2022 as a sequel to the original anime, based on the manga written by Tite Kubo. The series premiere was a promising comeback for the author after a 10-year hiatus. The original series is one of the Big 3 anime, apart from One Piece and Naruto. It focused on Ichigo Kurosaki’s journey from a mortal to a soul reaper.
However, the sequel focuses primarily on the Quincy Blood War between Gotei 13 and Wandenreich. While Ichigo plays a part in the war, he isn’t the MC in this one. This move by Kubo underscored his excellence as a mangaka while displaying Ichigo’s character development.
Decentering Ichigo in Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War
Bleach, written by Tite Kubo, follows the story of Ichigo Kurosaki and his journey as a soul reaper. Apart from blood and gore, the series focuses on the themes of death and loss. The series is one of the Big 3 of Shonen, and it certainly lives up to its name because of Ichigo’s character.
Ichigo Kurosaki isn’t a run-of-the-mill Shonen manga protagonist, but quite the opposite. His journey towards development and growth isn’t individualistic, as opposed to the stereotypical Shonen hero. His strengths and goals are ever-changing throughout the series.
However, the author truly believed that the protagonist was the soul of his manga. In an interview with Shonen Jump Alpha, Kubo revealed his thoughts on the protagonist’s influence on him and his work. He quoted:
I feel like Bleach is all about Ichigo. He leads the story and takes us into the story. I feel strongly that when Ichigo is having a hard time, I want to cheer him on. When I am having a hard time in real life, Ichigo is the one who cheers me up.
As opposed to the original series, the sequel shifts the focus toward Quincies and Soul Reapers. The Quincy Blood War in the sequel allows characters like Byakuya, Renji, and Uryu to shine through.
Tite Kubo’s prowess as a mangaka is highlighted in the sequel
The sequel focuses on the Quincy Blood War between the Shinigami and Wandenreich. From iconic fight scenes to power-packed visuals, the series does justice to Kubo’s manga through its impactful animation. Apart from viewers and readers, the series has impacted Ichigo’s voice actor Masakazu Morita.
Morita, who voiced Bleach in the original series, revealed in an interview how he changed his voicing style for the character. He resonated with Ichigo’s loneliness and felt more connected to the character. With the series’ sequel, the voice actor shed light on how the series is a promising epilogue to the original. He quoted:
Watching all the wonderful battles between the Gotei and the Sternritters, I hope you haven’t forgotten the main character, right? But I’d like to say this. BLEACH isn’t always about Ichigo. It follows the stories of many characters, so please watch the stories of all the other characters and enjoy.
As opposed to the original series, the sequel allowed creative liberty for both Kubo and Morita. For Kubo, it meant that the animators would stick to authenticity and the core of the manga. On the other hand, Morita was able to delve deep into the complexities of Ichigo’s character through the author’s insights.
The iconic Shonen anime’s comeback after a ten-year hiatus has re-established Tite Kubo’s prowess as a manga-ka. From delightful visuals to an elevated storyline, this sequel highlights the author’s growth as a mangaka.
Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War is available for streaming on Crunchyroll.
