Fans of anime and manga have no doubt heard of the return of the Bleach anime for the final arc of the franchise. Bleach has been among the most popular series since its debut in the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in 2001. The manga ran from August 2001 to August 2016, totaling 74 volumes. The anime adaptation aired from 2004 to 2012, only following the story up to the point that Ichigo loses his powers.

The franchise also spun off into several other media adaptations, stepping into film, musical plays, light novels, video games, and more. In light of Bleach's anime resurgence, these other adaptations are gaining new attention. The franchise's video games are probably among the lesser-known of the different media adaptations, as few of them were released outside of Japan. In total, Bleach has 23 games, excluding the four crossovers that include Shonen Jump's other franchises. Here are the best of the best when it comes to Bleach's video game ventures.

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Heat the Soul Covers Bleach's First Arc With Style

Bleach Heat the Soul Gameplay

The first in a series of seven, Heat the Soul was first released in 2005 for the PlayStation Portable. The game spans the first arc of the franchise, from Ichigo Kurosaki meeting Rukia Kuchiki to the infiltration of Soul Society. The original anime voice actors for Ichigo, Rukia, Orihime Inoue, Uryuu Ishida, and Yasutora "Chad" Sado also reprise their roles for the game. Players can enjoy a horizontal RPG style as they build their strength and equipment to challenge more difficult enemies.

The Blade of Fate Offers a Multiplayer Retelling of Bleach's Soul Society Arc

Bleach The Blade of Fate Gameplay

The Blade of Fate was initially released in 2006 for the Nintendo DS. This game focuses on the entirety of the Soul Society Arc in 22 unlockable episodes, including a bonus 23rd episode that features Aizen's betrayal. Players from all over the world have the option of multiplayer via the DS Wireless Communications or the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Players can create teams of two or four characters with or without other players.

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Bleach: Dark Souls Treats Fans to a Fresh Story

Bleach Dark Souls screenshot

First released in 2007 for the DS, Dark Souls picks up right after Aizen's betrayal. Ichigo and friends decide to attend a festival in Soul Society before going home, only for some Mod-Souls to escape from the Research and Development Department. Led by a Mod-Soul named Kai, they run rampant all over the Seireitei. However, these are no ordinary Mod-Souls -- they all harbor a lot of negative feelings and begin turning into copies of Hollows shown throughout the series up to this point. The game also has optional multiplayer via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

Bleach: Soul Carnival 2 Immerses Players in a Chibi World

Bleach Soul Carnival 2

As the sequel to Bleach: Soul Carnival, Soul Carnival 2 was first released in 2009 for the PSP. An action RPG, the game features 120 characters in chibi form, each with their own story route for players to discover. Soul Carnival 2 boasts an anime style, giving players the feeling of actually being in the anime. Collecting soul pieces is required to level up and advance, and as players build up their strength and take on missions, they gain the ability to win rare items.

Brave Souls Brings Beat 'Em Up Action to the Bleach Story

Bleach - Brave Souls Combat

Brave Souls was initially released in 2015 for Android and iOS, and it later launched on Microsoft Windows in 2020 and the PS4 in 2022. This game contains a 3D real-time beat 'em up style and some RPG elements. While Brave Souls is free to play, in-game purchases can help players level up faster than the free route. There are collectible characters found throughout the game that can not only be leveled up, but they can also be used in combat. Players can recreate the whole Bleach story, building the exact team and characters they desire. There is also the option of multiplayer. Brave Souls has another bonus -- the original voice actors from the anime voice their characters in the game.