Bleach's new anime, the slick Thousand-Year Blood War series, returned in October 2022 to much fanfare, marking the franchise's triumphant return. Long considered the weakest of the classic big three, Bleach is now bigger and better than ever, and now the "TYBW" arc's second act is right around the corner to keep the momentum going.
New and returning Bleach fans alike have plenty to look forward to in the "TYBW" arc's second cour this summer. The great war between the desperate Soul Reapers and the vengeful Quincy army is heating up, and this new season will deliver more explosive action and shocking revelations than ever. Now, shonen fans are eager to know what the latest trailer shows, how the plot got to this point and other Bleach news.
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War's Plot
Bleach's "Thousand-Year Blood War" arc occurs roughly two years after Sosuke Aizen's downfall in the original Bleach anime. The complacent, arrogant Soul Reapers were thrown into chaos when their longtime enemy, the spiritually talented Quincy tribe, launched an all-out assault on both Hueco Mundo and the Soul Society itself, with Quincy king Yhwach determined to avenge his people's defeat against the original 13 Captains centuries ago. The first battle devastated the Soul Society until Yhwach finally departed, with Captain Yamamoto killed in action and several other captains having their bankai stolen.
Now, protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki and his Soul Reaper friends must train hard and get ready for round two against the elite Sternritter, and for Ichigo, that means facing the truth of his Quincy maternal line and saying goodbye to the original Zangetsu, the last vestiges of Masaki Kurosaki's protective power. At last, Ichigo has obtained his true Zangetsu, derived from his inner Hollow, and he will boldly dive back into the action with Rukia, Renji and the others to save the universe from Yhwach's wrath -- but Ichigo's Quincy friend Uryu Ishida might have other plans in mind.
Bleach Season 2's Trailer & Release Date
The newest trailer for Bleach Season 2 aired on May 28th, showing the full scale of what's to come. Dozens of new and returning Bleach characters appear in the new trailer, promising a much bigger clash between Soul Reapers and Quincy, including several noteworthy Soul Reapers, like Captain Shinji Hirako, who didn't do much in the first TYBW season. Despite losing their companions and their bankai, the surviving captains are fighting hard against the Sternritter in this trailer, including the villainous Bambietta Basterbine, who wields explosive powers, and the hard-hitting Mask de Masculine.
The new Bleach trailer also strongly suggests that the conflicted Uryu Ishida has fully defected to the Wandenreich, the Quincy empire, and has King Yhwach's full support. Uryu was even seen standing alongside Jugram Haschwalth in the trailer, proudly supporting his king as the war resumes against the Soul Society. Bleach fans will see the full extent of Uryu's apparent betrayal on July 8th, 2023, when the second season starts airing. As with the first season, it will be released on Hulu in the U.S. and on Disney+ internationally.
Bleach Season 2's Other News to Know
Anime News Network has shared key details about the staff and production of Bleach's new season. Tomohisa Taguchi will direct the new Thousand-Year Blood War season, who also directed the "TYBW" arc's first season, and the famed Shiro Sagisu, who composed all other Bleach anime music and Neon Genesis Evangelion's soundtrack, will provide the score for this new anime season. The opening theme song will be "Stars" by the musical group w.o.d.
Most of the Bleach anime's original voice cast is expected to return, along with a few new voice actors to portray all-new villain characters in the upcoming season. Yuki Aoi, noted for voicing Tanya Degurechaff in Saga of Tanya the Evil and Tsuyu Asui in My Hero Academia, will voice a minor villain named Liltotto Lamperd, while Nao Toyama, known for voicing Ruka Sarashina in Rent-a-Girlfriend and Suma the kunoichi in Demon Slayer, will voice the goofy but sinister villain Giselle Gewelle, a Quincy who will wreak havoc in the upcoming war for the Soul Society's future.