As one of shonen's "Big 3," Bleach played a huge role in reinventing the anime landscape in the 2000s, paving the way for the art form to achieve unparalleled levels of success in international markets. However, despite all its popularity and acclaim, Tite Kubo's flagship title was canceled in 2012 prior to the start of its final arc.
Thankfully, the demand for a revival of the series remained notably high during the years following its cancellation, and after a decade of waiting, Bleach is finally set to return to syndication with The Thousand-Year Blood War arc. Trailers for the revival have hype for the show at an all-time high, so given the outlook for Ichigo's return to mainstream media, there are plenty of reasons for fans to be excited.
10 The Presence Of Modern Animation
The beautiful animation being provided by Studio Pierrot has arguably been the most attention-grabbing aspect of the trailers for The Thousand-Year Blood War arc thus far. The company behind Naruto, Tokyo Ghoul:re, and Black Clover has animated plenty of gorgeous scenes in the past, but based on the brief snippets they have provided for the Bleach revival, they have really raised the bar.
Bleach's animation has always been on par with its contemporaries at the very least, but its production quality is often conflated with the beautiful character designs created by series author Tite Kubo, resulting in undue praise for its animation. This time around, it seems as though Ichigo Kurasaki and his companions will receive a visual overhaul worthy of their status as anime legends.
9 More Bankai Reveals
Above all else, Bleach is a shonen anime centered around swordsmen duking it out with their respective skills — as a result, each character's blade become an important part of their character. These blades, known as Zanpakuto, have a special form that only occurs when wielded by the highest level of Soul Reapers: Bankai.
While many characters already revealed their Bankai forms, there are several others who have yet to display the full breadth of their abilities. Zaraki Kenpachi, Kisuke Urahara, and Genryusai Yamamoto already rank among Bleach's strongest characters, so should they demonstrate the ability to use their Bankai in the upcoming arc, fans will be in for a treat.
8 The Introduction Of Ywach, King Of The Quincy's
Keen-eyed fans may have caught a brief glimpse of the character that will serve as the primary antagonist for The Thousand-Year Blood War arc: Ywach, the Quincy King. However, those that did see this individual likely associated his visage with the physical manifestation of Ichigo's blade, Zangetsu, rather than a new character.
Why Ywach would resemble Zangetsu (or vice-versa) remains a mystery, but it undoubtedly creates an instant connection between the antagonist and Ichigo Kurasaki. Bleach contains countless great villains, and hopefully Ywach will provide an appropriate bookend to their ranks.
7 The Return Of Masakuza Morita To A Major Starring Role
Those who have only watched the Bleach dub are likely not familiar with voice actor Masakazu Morita, the Japanese voice actor for Ichigo Kurasaki, but given his incredible talents, his return to the series should warrant more conversation.
Shortly after Bleach's cancelation, Morita entered into the hospital to receive emergency treatment for a heart attack that sent him into anaphylactic shock. Since then, he has predominately acted in supporting roles for series like Dragon Ball Super and Black Clover, making The Thousand-Year Blood War arc the perfect situation for his long-awaited return to protagonism.
6 Less Filler Episodes (Probably)
One of the most commonly cited reason for the original cancelation of Bleach was the disproportionate amount of filler that the show was including — out of the show's 366 episodes, a whopping 163 are filler. While this hasn't been confirmed by the production studio itself, it's unlikely that The Thousand-Year Blood War arc will include this type of episode (although a discussion about the potential inclusion of anime canon episodes is perhaps more warranted), marking a distinct deviation from the series' norm.
Other shonen such as Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, and Attack on Titan have proven the viability of putting out succinct, filler-devoid material. This, coupled with a decade-long production break, will likely clear a path for Studio Pierrot to get straight to telling the canonical story.
5 The Thousand-Year Blood War Arc
An abrupt cancelation is almost never a prime set-up for narrative conclusivity, and Bleach was no exception. The series left off in a bit of an odd spot. Aizen was defeated, the world had largely found peace, and just as the series ended, Ichigo made up his mind to return to the life of being a Substitute Soul Reaper.
This turn-of-events gave fans an incredibly disappointing ending for an otherwise great show, as Bleach effectively ended on a teaser (the final lines of the series were literally "See you soon") for its next season with no antagonist or clear narrative path in sight. Due to this, Bleach's final arc, which revolves around the riotous upheaval of the Soul Society at the hands of "the Quincy King," Ywach, could not be more anticipated.
4 A Mature Toshihiro Hitsugaya
Toshihiro Hitsugaya has been one of Bleach's more beloved characters since the moment that he was introduced — in 2008 he was voted the most popular character in the show, replacing Ichigo who had held the lead since the show's inception. The Gotei 13 captain possesses as good a character design as any in anime, and as the youngest captain in the history of the Soul Society, he has the skills to back it up.
In the preview for The Thousand-Year Blood War arc, a brief scene is shown in which the character, who normally bears the appearance of a teenager, seems to look like a young adult. The catalyst for this change is still a mystery, but regardless of the mechanism, it will undoubtedly be a high-point of the arc.
3 The Return Of The Bleach Soundtrack
Every successful shonen anime has their calling card, and while Bleach certainly deserves mention for its top-tier character designs, fight choreography, and art style, its soundtrack is quite possibly the most recognizable aspect of the entire show.
Part of the appeal that made Bleach an irreplaceable piece of the "Big 3" was the various cultures it brought together. Hueco Mundo and Chad bring an inherently Latin influence to the series, Ichigo and his human friends consistently exhibit modern fashion, and the Soul Society relies on a more traditional, Japanese-inspired theme. These different identities were perfectly paralleled by the show's varied soundtrack, so hopefully its revival won't stray from this trend.
2 The Reveal Of The Soul King
With Bleach approaching the end of its lifespan, it only follows suit that the series' final arc will be tackling some of the biggest mysteries in the entire series. One of those mysteries revolves around the enigma that sits atop the highest level of the Soul Society: the Soul King.
Little has been mentioned about the Soul King in Bleach's anime; however, given the hierarchical structure of the spirit world, he is undoubtedly among the most powerful and significant figures in the entire series. While it isn't a certainty that he will play an antagonistic role, fans should be on the edge of their seat to see what his abilities entail.
1 The Proper Conclusion To One Of Shonen's Big 3
The diverging narratives of shonen's "Big 3" capture the range of possibilities for titles in the genre. Bleach met an unceremonious end upon its cancelation, only to rise like the phoenix and take the anime world by storm once again; Naruto reached its natural conclusion, then struggled to stoke its flames with the released of a sequel; and One Piece, despite being the oldest of the bunch, persevered and maintained its success into the modern era.
For Bleach to have been cut short just before the start of its final arc was a tragedy, so it's a fantastic reward for the show's stalwart fans to see it receive the conclusion that it deserves. Regardless of anyone's opinion of the series, Bleach did more than enough for anime to warrant its revival.