As idealistic as it may sound, the process of creating manga is no joke. From illustrations to serialization, the journey behind crafting it to perfection often makes authors extend their limits. Such was the case with Tite Kubo when he was working on Bleach.
Bleach is considered the Big Three of Shonen along with One Piece and Naruto during its golden era in JUMP. From its storyline to its illustrations, the anime garnered popularity on a large scale before its 10-year hiatus in 2012.
While there were several speculations regarding the anime’s hiatus, many cited the author’s poor health. In addition to that, many fans have raised concerns about the manga artists and their deteriorating health on several occasions. However, Kubo sensei and his unawareness of his health is more than bizarre.
Tite Kubo’s devotion to Bleach ran parallel to his ignorance
A manga artist’s health has been a subject of controversy repeatedly, especially when it reflects their obsession with perfection. From Eiichiro Oda to Masashi Kishimoto, several mangaka have reflected signs of declining health. And Tite Kubo was no exception to this.
However, his ignorance of the chronic pain seemed more shocking and bizarre than his health condition. In an interview with JUMP GIGA, he revealed that during the last three years of the manga’s serialization, he experienced pain in his shoulder but refused to pay attention to it. He quoted:
I have a habit of leaning my body weight on my left shoulder whilst drawing. It seems that happened because my shoulder took that load. I was told there was a partial fracture.
What makes this even more interesting is that the level of competition coupled with stress and pressure made him oblivious to his own physical health. This was reflected later on when the series had a rushed ending.
While the series took a ten-year hiatus, it also allowed the author to change the course of his work and focus more on his health while working on new developments for the series.
Tite Kubo ended the ten-year hiatus with a Bleach comeback
After the abrupt and rushed ending of the series in 2012, several fans argued and held Shueisha responsible for the disappointing conclusion. To say the least, the anime inspired several fans and in turn, encouraged the author to develop it further.
Needless to say, the encouragement from fans, readers, and viewers finally paid off as the author made his comeback after ten years in 2022 with Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War. The story featured the iconic and celebrated protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki with the addition of new villains and characters.
With its first season, the series gained popularity and was among the top 10 top-rated anime on MyAnimeList. In addition to that, it was also ranked 5th among the highest-rated anime of all time on IMDb. Furthermore, it had a score of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes which only adds to its increasing popularity.
As of 2024, the author revealed that he experienced more freedom working with Pierrot as they stuck to the core storyline. Besides, his insights and feedback have led to the improvement in animation quality along with the addition of depth to the storyline.
The ten-year hiatus brought with it new developments and character arcs along with it. To add to that, the author enjoyed creative liberty and freedom.
Bleach and Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War are available for streaming on Crunchyroll and Hulu.
