Twenty-two years after the original anime debuted in October 2004, Bleach has finally reached the end of its television run. Titled “DEATH & STRAWBERRY” in a full-circle nod to the very first episode, the Thousand-Year Blood War finale gives Ichigo Kurosaki’s story an emotional send-off. Between the special ending sequence, the return of the classic “Going Home” soundtrack, and a reanimated callback to Ichigo and Rukia Kuchiki’s first meeting, it’s a fitting farewell to one of anime’s longest-running adventures.
After 366 episodes of the original series and another 50 across the four parts of Thousand-Year Blood War, Ichigo’s 416-episode journey as a Soul Reaper has reached its finish line. But the finale leaves one big question hanging: is this really the end of Bleach?
The ten-year time skip also gives the story a chance to introduce its next generation, much like Naruto eventually did with Boruto. Ichigo and Orihime’s son, Kazui Kurosaki, and Renji and Rukia’s daughter, Ichika Abarai, take center stage in the closing moments. There’s also a reason to pay attention to what happens after the credits: the episode avoids a definitive “The End” card.
The 10-Year Time Skip Gives Bleach A Flawless Next-Generation Setup
Ten years after Yhwach’s defeat, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Calamity episode #10 (Episode 50 overall) jumps ahead to a rebuilt Seireitei, where Rukia Kuchiki officially becomes the new Captain of Squad 13. The return of the classic “Going Home” soundtrack makes the moment even more special. Aizen, despite helping defeat Yhwach with Kyoka Suigetsu, is back in Muken, where he delivers a final speech about how fear gives people the courage to keep moving forward. Meanwhile, Ichigo is enjoying a quieter life with Orihime and their friends in Karakura Town.
That peace doesn’t last without one final surprise. As the Department of Research and Development detects a lingering surge of Yhwach’s spiritual pressure, Kazui casually reaches out and erases it with his bare hand. The episode then introduces Ichika Abarai, Renji and Rukia’s daughter, as an apprentice Soul Reaper, bringing the story full circle with a meeting that mirrors Ichigo and Rukia’s first encounter.
The ending also leaves room for more. After the credits, the anime adapts the manga’s final page, ending with Ichigo and Rukia’s poem and the words “The Stories of Brave.” There’s a bigger reason for that tease, too. In August 2021, Tite Kubo released the 73-page one-shot No Breaths From Hell, set two years after this time skip. It reveals that the Konsō Reisai ritual sends fallen captains like Yamamoto, Unohana, and Ukitake to Hell, where Kazui’s mysterious portals hint at something much worse.
Tite Kubo Already Gave The Bleach Anime Plenty Of Material For A Massive Sequel
Bleach still has plenty of story left to tell. Tite Kubo’s No Breaths From Hell one-shot has already laid the groundwork for the Hell Arc, while the post-war light novels, including Can’t Fear Your Own World, give the franchise even more material to draw from. There hasn’t been an official sequel announcement yet, but fans won’t have to wait too long for the next major update.
Bleach has a scheduled Jump Studio appearance at Jump Festa 2027 on December 20, followed by the two-day BLEACH FES. finale celebration at Makuhari Messe on February 27 and 28, 2027. Neither event guarantees a sequel reveal, but both are worth watching for any news about the franchise’s future.
There’s also an interesting opportunity for Bleach to return to theaters. The original anime already had four movies between 2006 and 2010, including Memories of Nobody and Hell Verse, but they were largely standalone stories rather than direct adaptations of the main manga.
Recent hits like Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle and Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc have shown just how well canon stories can work on the big screen. An anime adaptation of No Breaths From Hell could give the Hell Arc a proper theatrical launch. For now, the ending gives Bleach a fitting farewell while leaving the door open for Ichigo and Kazui’s next adventure.
- Release Date
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October 10, 2022
- Network
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TV Tokyo
- Showrunner
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Tite Kubo
- Directors
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Tomohisa Taguchi, Mitsutoshi Satô, Hikaru Murata, Hodaka Kuramoto
- Writers
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Tite Kubo
