Bleach

Overview

BLEACH (2004)

The Bleach anime, produced by TV Tokyo, Dentsu, and Studio Pierrot, started airing in Japan in October 2004. The English dub is far behind with Season 7 being the latest DVD release and episode 188 being the latest to air on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. Bleach also has 4 feature length movies that have original storylines done by Tite Kubo and the same director as the TV series. Only two have been dubbed so far: Memories of Nobody (2006) and Diamond Dust Rebellion (2007). The other two, Fade to Black, I Call Your Name (2008) and The Hell Chapter (2010) have yet to be done but have been out in Japan. On top of the massive anime and manga phenomenon Bleach has become, there have also been a number of musicals, trading card games, light novels, and video games to please the franchise’s ever-growing fan base.

Plot

Ichigo Kurosaki is a 15 year old with the ability to see and talk to spirits. One day a Soul Reaper (also coined Death God, Death Dealer, and Shinigami), Rukia Kuchiki, shows up. Her search for a Hollow brought her to Karakura Town. Rukia’s fight with the Hollow in question turns ugly and Ichigo jumps in to help her. Rukia gives Ichigo the power of a Substitute Soul Reaper to defeat the creature. From then on Rukia trains Ichigo in her stead. However, some if Ichigo’s friends have latent powers as well. Together they will protect wayward spirits and those they care for.

The Characters

Main Cast

Ichigo Kurosaki Ichigo Kurosaki has a disposition to not care too much. He goes day to day acting like seeing annoying spirits is normal. His chance encounter with Rukia turns his world upside down and inside out when he gains the mysterious powers of a Soul Reaper and finds out there are other worlds besides his own. Now he must handle both school and protecting spirits. His weapon is a giant sword ( Zanpakutou) similar to Cloud’s from Final Fantasy VII.

Rukia Kuchiki Rukia Kuchiki is a Soul Reaper from the Soul Society. Despite her appearance she is actually well over 100 years old. She lost her Soul Reaper powers when Ichigo helped her so now she must wait in the Human world to regain them. In the meantime, she trains Ichigo to fight Hollows. She also starts attending his school and sleeps in his closet. Her weapon is a sword zanpakuto as well.

Orihime Inoue Orihime Inoue is a long-time friend of Ichigo’s. She is an orphan. After her brother’s death she became more spiritually aware and soon undergoes training of her own to develop her powers. She’s quite the ditz but she is always prepared to help a friend in need and hates seeing people get hurt. Her weapon is a pair of hair clips.

Yasutora Sado Yasutora “ Chad” Sado is another of Ichigo’s friends from school. He is originally from Mexico and very tall and muscular. He was unaware of his powers until he unknowingly protected Ichigo’s sister, Karin, from a Hollow. He is also very respectful and dutiful. His weapon is a transformed armored right arm.

Uryu Ishida Uryū Ishida is a Quincy. He is one of the last of the race and Quincy’s are hated enemies of Soul Reapers. While starting off as a rival to Ichigo he gradually becomes a valuable ally. He is very prideful. His weapon is a bow and arrow.

Ally Characters

Kisuke Urahara Kisuke Urahara is the former Captain of Squad 12 and founder/head of Research and Development. He currently runs a shop in the World of the Living that secretly deals in Soul Reaper gear. He is very powerful and bright but has an odd sense of humor and tends to hide details from time to time. His help has been vital to Ichigo and his friends.

Yoruichi Shihouin Yoruichi Shihouin is the former Captain of Squad 2 and Commander of the Executive Militia (Stealth Force) of the Onmitsukidō. She is a member of the Shihouin Family and holds a number of nicknames and titles. She has the ability to turn into a cat and she spends a lot of time in that form. Hence, she is often called a “he” from her voice. Like Kisuke she helps train Ichigo, Chad, Uryū, and Orihime.

Ganju Shiba Ganju Shiba is Kuukaku’s brother and member of the Shiba Clan. He’s a lot like Ichigo in hotheadedness and has a few talents but he’s not a Soul Reaper so he is outmatched while aiding Ichigo in saving Rukia. However, he holds a grudge against Rukia.

Kuukaku Shiba Kuukaku Shiba is Ganju’s sister and head of the Shiba Clan. Don’t let her laid back attitude and huge boobs fool you as she has some special talents for making stuff go “boom” and giving orders. She also holds a grudge against Rukia.

Neliel Tu Oderschvank Neliel Tu Oderschvank, "Nel", is a former member of the Espada at Number 3 in power. After being attacked for her title, her Hollow mask was damaged. This caused her to not only change into a small child, but she lost all her memories. Two of her allies, Dondochakka and Pesche, were able to take her into hiding among the vast deserts of Hueco Mundo. It was in her child form that she first met Ichigo, but transformed back to the adult body to assist him in battle.

The 13 Court Guard Squads

Gotei 13 Captains The 13 Court Guard Squads, also known as the Gotei 13 . Are the law and military leaders of the Shinigami in the Soul Society. They are made up of thirteen different divisions that are responsible areas of the Soul Society, much in the same way of a military. They range from leadership, law enforcement, research, medicine, and military force. They are each led by a Captain and a Lieutenant. To become a captain one much have extraordinary skill to be selected, or defeat a squad's original captain. The lieutenant is selected by the captain. The squads are filled with Shinigami who excel in the fields that are best suited. This is decided by the outcome of the training at the Shinigami Academy.

Vizard

The Vizard The Vizard are a group of rogue Shinigami who obtained the powers similar to the Hollow. Each member were at one time of captain or lieutenant rank in the Gotei 13. That was until a mysterious infliction spread among those present that changed them all into Hollows. They are led by Hiyori Sarugaki, and they approached Ichigo to join them so he could learn to control the Hollow within him. With these masks, they can awaken an even greater power that the Shinigami through a transformation called Hollowfication. Through which they can take on their Hollow forms and still have control.

Villains

Sousuke Aizen Sousuke Aizen was at one time the captain of Firth Squad of the Gotei 13 that all admired. He faked his own death and manipulated the Soul Society as part of his master plan to obtain the Hogyoku (Orb of Distortion) from inside the false body of Rukia Kuichiki. Once he had it, he left the Soul Society with Captains Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tousen. Once in the realm of the Hollows, he used the Hogyoku in his experiments on Hollows to create his own personal army to rival the Shinigami's power, the Arrancar.

The Espada The Espada are the highest ranking Arrancar Hollows under the command of Aizen. Each were powerful Hollows that roamed the realm of Hueco Mundo. As part of his experiment into the Hygoku, Aizen created a process in which the Hollow could remove their mask and take on a human form with a zanpakutou. Though they have all the normal Hollow powers and increased strength, when they unleash their zanpakuto, it causes them to transform back into a form similar to their original Hollow shape, but vastly more powerful.

Xcution The Xcution are a group of humans with unique powers that are similar to Chad's. Each member has a unique Fullbring power. They appeared before Ichigo after he lost his powers to his final fight with Aizen with the promise to help him regain his powers, but this was just a plow to cultivate his strength for their own. They are led by Ginjo Kugo who helped train Ichigo in the use of Fullbring and Shukuro Tsukishima used his powers of manipulating memories to turn all of Ichigo's friends and family against him.

Story Arcs

Agent of the Shinigami Arc (1-20)

Soul Society Arc (21-63)

When Ichigo and the others enter the Soul Society they try walking right up to the front gate. Instead of entering Ichigo ends up fighting the giant guardian Jidando . Upon winning passage through the gate Captain Gin Ichimaru forcefully removes Ichigo. The team finds other (flashier) means to enter the Seiretei thanks to Ganju and Kuukaku Shiba and their Flower Crane Cannon. They crash through the barrier of the Seireitei and get separated. With the 13 Court Guard Squads ( Gotei 13) now on alert, Ichigo and the others must sneak around to find Rukia. Many battles are fought, new powers are found, friends are made, and a more sinister plot lurks. Can Ichigo, Orihime, Chad, Uryū, Ganju, and Yoruichi save Rukia in time?

Bount Arc (Filler 64-109)

The Arrancar Arc (110-143)

The Hueco Mundo Arc (144-167, 190-203)

The New Captain Shusuke Amagai Arc (Filler 168-189)

Turn Back The Pendulum Arc (206-212)

Fake Karakura Town Part 1 (215-226)

Zanpakutou Unknown Tales Arc (Filler 230-255)

Beast Sword Arc (Filler 256-265)

Fake Karakura Town Part 2 (266-286, 288-297, 300-303, 306-310)

Gotei 13 Invading Army Arc (317-342)

The Lost Shinigami Substitute Arc (343-366)

Theme Songs

Over the course of the years that Bleach has been running on TV. There have been many varieties in songs for both the opening and closing of the episodes.

Opening Themes

Ending Themes

Terminology

Kidō are spells or incantations Soul Reapers to either bind ( Bakudō), destroy (Hadō), or heal. The spells are numbered from 1-99 and the higher the number the more powerful the spell. The strength of a kidō can also vary based on the strength of the Soul Reaper casting them. Some Soul Reapers are skilled at their use while others have no knack.

Shunpo, or flash step, is the Soul Reaper’s ability to move at super speed. It is good for offense and defense. However, this is a high level technique that requires a lot of spirit energy so generally only a Lieutenant or Captain can fully make use of the flash step. Even then, sometimes the number of times it can be used is limited.

Shikai is the first stage of zanpakutou release. Usually a Soul Reaper returns his/her zanpakutou to its original state so it can be sheathed but Ichigo’s Zangetsu stays released. A short chant goes along with the release that includes the zanpakutou’s name. Every shikai form, chant, zanpakutou name, and new ability is different for each Soul Reaper.

Bankai is the second and final release stage of zanpakutou. Just like shikai, everything varies for each Soul Reaper but only the word itself can be said to release it. Also, only Lieutenants and Captains have the ability to use bankai but there are a few exceptions among the 13 Court Guard Squad ranks, and of course Ichigo. Years of training and hard work are required to unlock bankai as it releases and requires a great amount of power.