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BLEACH
The fourth and final part of the Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War anime, The Calamity, is running its last episodes after a two-week delay, with the final two episodes set for October 19 and October 26 on TV Tokyo. A two-day Bleach FES. event marking the completion of the TV anime is scheduled for February 27 and 28, 2027 at Makuhari Messe.
Synthesized from 30
Yomimono stories · updated
3d ago
Bleach is closing out its TV anime run. The fourth and final part of Thousand-Year Blood War, subtitled The Calamity, premiered July 25 and is set for 10 episodes. Episodes 49 and 50 were delayed from their original slot to Monday, October 19 and Monday, October 26, airing at 24:00 on TV Tokyo, with BS TV Tokyo following October 20 and October 27 and streaming starting October 20. The production committee said the schedule changed to allow additional quality improvements heading into the climax. A recap run of four earlier episodes filled the gap on TV Tokyo.
The final cour has leaned on anime-original material. Tite Kubo is credited as general supervisor, and the production consults him on scenes not in the manga, including a new Ichigo form and an Orihime Inoue sequence. Episode 45, which aired August 22, drew a strong reaction for Orihime's self-destruct attack; Episode 47 brought Uryu Ishida into a fight alongside Nelliel and Tier Harribel, and Episode 48 used Shuukuro Tsukishima's Book of the End to restore Ichigo's broken Tensa Zangetsu.
Alongside the anime, Bandai Namco Entertainment is preparing the smartphone game Bleach Mirrors High, an original story set after Thousand-Year Blood War with pre-registrations open and a 2026 release window. Merchandise and events continue, including a Shibuya Parco collaboration cafe, an Ichiban Kuji lottery, and a two-day Bleach FES. in February 2027 marking the completion of the TV anime.
Key facts
- Final two episodes
- Episodes 49 and 50 are scheduled for Monday, October 19 and Monday, October 26, airing at 24:00 on TV Tokyo. ↗
- Final cour length
- The Calamity premiered on July 25 and is set to run for 10 episodes. ↗
- Completion event
- Bleach FES. runs February 27 and 28, 2027 at Makuhari Messe Makuhari Event Hall in Chiba, with 15 voice actors scheduled across the two days. ↗
- Key visual designer
- Masashi Kudo is the character designer; a teaser visual for Bleach FES. references the cover of the manga's first volume. ↗
- General supervisor
- Tite Kubo is general supervisor of the Thousand-Year Blood War anime and is consulted on anime-original scenes. ↗
- New voice cast
- Aisa Tachibana plays Kazui Kurosaki and Ayaka Ohashi plays Ichika Abarai. ↗
- Adult Toshiro casting
- Yuki Kaji voices adult Toshiro Hitsugaya's complete bankai form, with Romi Park continuing as the character's usual form. ↗
- Mobile game
- Bleach Mirrors High is a smartphone game with an original story set after Thousand-Year Blood War, scheduled for release in 2026, with pre-registrations open. ↗
- Manga run
- Tite Kubo's Bleach ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from 2001 to 2016 and ended at 74 volumes. ↗
- Collaboration cafe
- A Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War collaboration cafe runs at Shibuya PARCO's THE GUEST CAFE BY PARCO from Friday, September 18, 2026. ↗
Timeline
- Oct 7, 2026 MegaHouse Unveils BLEACH Look Up Figures For Ulquiorra And Grimmjow
- Oct 6, 2026 Bleach Casts Ichika and Kazui as Morita and Okiayu Trade Family Lines Online
- Sep 21, 2026 BLEACH Anime Adds Scenes The Manga Never Showed, Under Tite Kubo
- Sep 19, 2026 Bandai Namco Gives Out Zangetsu Balloons For BLEACH Mirrors High At TGS2026
- Sep 18, 2026 Bleach Anime Concludes With BLEACH FES In February 2027 And New Ichiban Kuji Lineup
- Sep 15, 2026 Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Puts Aizen Against Yhwach In Half An Episode
- Sep 15, 2026 Stereotype Marks 30 Years With Exhibition At Kaikai Kiki Gallery
- Sep 13, 2026 Bleach Episode 48 Turns Tsukishima's Meme into a Plot Point
- Sep 12, 2026 Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Delays Final Two Episodes To October
- Sep 12, 2026 Bleach Collaboration Cafe Opens at Shibuya Parco on September 18
- Sep 8, 2026 Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Episode 7 Ends Gerard's Fight as Collateral
- Sep 6, 2026 Bleach Episode 47 Draws Uryu Spotlight and an Emotional Ukitake Return
- Sep 5, 2026 Ichiban Kuji BLEACH Stirring Souls Vol.5 Prizes Revealed for September 19 Release
- Sep 1, 2026 Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity Episode 6 Pulls a Breaking Dawn Part 2
- Aug 31, 2026 Ichigo Kurosaki MASTERLISE Figure Leads Ichiban Kuji BLEACH Stirring Souls vol.5
- Aug 31, 2026 Jump Channel MVs Head to Karaoke on DAM From September 1
- Aug 30, 2026 Bleach Anime-Original Twist Draws Confusion and Praise From Manga Fans
- Aug 29, 2026 Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Collab Hits Puzzle & Dragons
- Aug 29, 2026 Comic, Manga Letterer Dave Lanphear Dies at 58
- Aug 29, 2026 Bleach Black Coffin Smartphone Stand Photos Released Ahead of Pop-Up
- Aug 29, 2026 Bleach Mirrors High Opens Pre-Registrations With 2 New Trailers
- Aug 28, 2026 RetroCrush Adds Viz Anime Films and Series Including Naruto Movies
- Aug 28, 2026 Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity Episode 5 Diverges From the Manga
- Aug 28, 2026 Bleach: Mirrors High Game Confirms 2026 Release With New Visual
- Aug 28, 2026 BLEACH Episode 45 Pushes Orihime to a Suicide Attack as Fans Call on Tsukishima
- Aug 22, 2026 BLEACH's Hitsugaya and Hirako Get Look Up Figures Despite No On-Screen Pairing
- Aug 19, 2026 Yuki Kaji Details Stomachache-Inducing Prep for Adult Toshiro in Bleach TYBW
- Aug 18, 2026 Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity Casts Yuki Kaji
- Aug 17, 2026 BLEACH Episode 44 Reveals Hitsugaya's Adult Bankai Form Voiced by Yuki Kaji
- Aug 16, 2026 BLEACH Pop-Up Event The Stories of Ichigo Runs in Tokyo and Osaka
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
Facts
- Release
- game · May 2027 · Japan · 2026-10-07
- Release
- manga · 2001-2016 · 2026-09-12
- Release
- game · 2026-09-19 · 2026-09-05
- Release
- tv · 2026-07-25 · JP · 2026-08-06
- Release
- game · closed beta · 2026-07-27
- Release
- game · late October 2026 · Japan · 2026-07-08
- Release
- manga · June 18, 2026 · Japan · 2026-06-17
- Release
- music_video · 2026-06-13 · JP · 2026-06-12
- Release
- tv · May 16, 2026 · YouTube · 2026-05-19
- Release
- tv · 2026-07 · Japan · 2026-05-21
- Noted
- Prizes include MASTERLISE figures of Ichigo Kurosaki, Toshiro Hitsugaya, Yoruichi Shihoin, and a Kenpachi Zaraki Last One prize, plus metal charms and acrylic goods. · 2026-09-05
- Noted
- Black Coffin smartphone stand for the BLEACH THE STORIES OF ICHIGO pop-up · 2026-08-29
- Noted
- The franchise is mentioned as the source of the characters. · 2026-08-22
- Noted
- included in Manga Million launch lineup · 2026-08-06
- Noted
- The BLEACH set includes two monochrome designs that use only black and white illustrations from the manga. · 2026-07-19
- Noted
- featured in Uniqlo Manga UT Shueisha 100th Anniversary T-shirt collection · 2026-06-06
- Announced
- BLEACH MONOCOLOR POPUP SHOP (popup shop) · 2026-06-09
Connections
Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/bleach.
CC BY 4.0.
Claim activity
When a claim about BLEACH was confirmed, debunked, or disputed against
open-web sources. The record stays even after a claim drops off the facts list.
- Confirmed Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War produces BLEACH Sep 13 · source
- Confirmed game closed beta Sep 5 · source
- Confirmed BLEACH produces Mirror High Sep 5 · source
- Confirmed tv 2026-07 Japan May 28 · source
- Confirmed tv May 16, 2026 YouTube May 28 · source
All coverage
1d ago
Tanita is taking pre-orders on its online shop for a BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War voice timer and three designs of digital thermo-hygrometer, with the window running from 14:00 on October 23, 2026 to 15:00 on November 9, 2026 and shipping set to begin in late January 2027. The TD-436 timer carries newly recorded lines from Ichigo Kurosaki (Masakazu Morita), Rukia Kuchiki (Fumiko Orikasa), Renji Abarai (Kentaro Ito) and Toshiro Hitsugaya (Romi Park), with five selectable end-of-timer messages and a separate Bankai voice clip. It costs 4,950 yen including tax. The TT-CU thermo-hygrometers cost 3,520 yen each and pair deformed character art on a black base: one with Ichigo, Rukia and Renji, one with Ichigo and Uryu Ishida, and one with Shinji Hirako, Byakuya Kuchiki, Toshiro Hitsugaya and Kenpachi Zaraki. Both product lines are made to order.
3d ago
Episode 9 of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity picks up after a gap of about a month, with Yhwach pressing the destruction of the three worlds and the remaining fighters mounting attempts that have yet to land. Grimmjow, Harribel, and Nel get screen time, while Uryu and Ichigo hold the arrowhead as their last hope and Shinsui enters the fight. The episode ends with the finale set for next week.
4d ago
A SPECIAL BROADCAST for the smartphone game BLEACH Mirrors High premieres October 27, 2026 at 19:00 on the Bandai Namco Entertainment YouTube channel. Masakazu Morita (Ichigo Kurosaki) and Fumiko Orikasa (Rukia Kuchiki) appear alongside Chiharu Kobayashi as Shiren Migishima and Mariya Ise as Shirone Sanari. A secret cast member is also listed. The program promises the latest game information and a major announcement.
4d ago
Episode 49 of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War, titled THE BLADE, aired on October 19, 2026, and carried anime-original material beyond the manga. The episode brought back a combined technique Ichigo Kurosaki and Uryu Ishida used in the Substitute Soul Reaper arc, and social media reactions called it a superior version of that early move. The broadcast resumed after about a month off.
4d ago
Graniph will release apparel and bags tied to BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War on October 20, 2026. The lineup of 17 items centers on each Zanpakuto's Shikai, and it includes T-shirts, loose-fit shirts, big silhouette sweatshirts and hoodies, a jacquard knit cardigan, a stadium jacket, track pants, shoulder bags, a wallet, a cap, and a charm. The top item is a Shatter, "Kyoka Suigetsu" stadium jacket at 17,000 yen.
Oct 17
The TV anime BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War and graphic item brand graniph have produced their first collaboration, a 17-piece lineup of long-sleeve T-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, and cardigans. Designs center on Zanpakuto Shikai releases: Renji Abarai's Zabimaru, Kenpachi Zaraki's Nozarashi, Byakuya Kuchiki's Senbonzakura, and Mayuri Kurotsuchi's Ashisogi Jizo, plus a loose-fit shirt focused on Ichigo Kurosaki.
Oct 17
The Bleach franchise's official YouTube channel posted "the last" promotional video for Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity on Friday, ahead of the fourth and final part's closing episodes. Episode 49 airs October 19 and episode 50, the series finale, airs October 26. Both were delayed while staff said they were improving the anime's quality as it heads toward its climax, and a "climax selection" of episodes ran in the weeks before episode 49. The Calamity debuted on TV Tokyo on July 25 at 11:00 p.m. JST and began streaming in Japan the next day at noon, running for 10 episodes. The first half of the new promo looks back over the arc and the path toward the final confrontation between Ichigo Kurosaki and Yhwach. A marathon screening and talk event is set for October 25 at United Cinemas Aqua City Odaiba, one day before the finale.
Oct 16
Filmarks released its 2026 Summer Anime Satisfaction Ranking, covering new shows that began airing or streaming between June 1 and August 31, 2026, with data compiled as of October 8. You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 2 leads with 4.32 stars from 3,608 reviews. BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War -The Calamity- is second at 4.30 stars, and Mushoku Tensei III third at 4.25.
Oct 14
Graniph will release 17 collaboration items with the anime BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War on October 20, 2026. The lineup is themed around Zanpakuto Shikai releases and includes T-shirts, hoodies, long-sleeve shirts, a cardigan, track pants, bags, a wallet, a cap, and a charm. Prices run from 3,500 yen to 17,000 yen with tax. WEB advance reservations start on October 14.
Oct 13
Bandai Namco Entertainment announced on October 13, 2026 that a SPECIAL BROADCAST for the smartphone game BLEACH Mirrors High will stream on YouTube on October 27 at 19:00. The game is based on the TV anime BLEACH and is set after the Thousand-Year Blood War Arc. Chika Kobayashi, Maria Sashide, Masakazu Morita, Fumiko Orikasa, and MC Neki Matsuzawa appear.
Oct 7
MegaHouse is releasing Look Up figures of BLEACH characters Ulquiorra Schiffer and Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez in May 2027. Each figure stands about 110mm, and single figures cost 4,730 yen including tax. A two-figure set at 9,570 yen including tax comes with an original mini cushion through Premium Bandai. A separate Chara Catcha~ acrylic stand series, drawn in MegaHouse's plush-toy style, arrives in April 2027 at 880 yen including tax.
Oct 6
The TV anime BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity - has cast Aisa Tachibana as Kazui Kurosaki and Ayaka Ohashi as Ichika Abarai. Masakazu Morita, who plays Ichigo, wrote on social media that Kazui is "my son" and Ichika is "my friend's daughter." Ryotaro Okiayu, who plays Byakuya, answered that Ichika is his niece. The two new voice actors also posted comments, with two episodes left until the conclusion.
Sep 21
The BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War anime has brought battles and settings not depicted in the original manga to the screen, with original creator Tite Kubo serving as general supervisor. The production team consults Kubo while producing anime-original scenes, and voice actor Masakazu Morita has explained that these additions are not settings the anime side invented but story that existed within Kubo. The source describes Kubo's involvement as rare in depth for a manga-based anime.
Sep 19
Bandai Namco Entertainment is exhibiting the smartphone game BLEACH Mirrors High at its booth at Tokyo Game Show 2026, held from Thursday, September 17 to Monday, September 21. Visitors to the booth receive a Zangetsu-shaped balloon, and the booth also offers novelties obtained through trial play experiences and other activities. BLEACH Mirrors High carries an original story set after BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War.
Sep 18
Sony Music Solutions will hold "BLEACH FES.," a two-day event marking the completion of the Bleach TV anime, on February 27 and 28, 2027 at Makuhari Messe Makuhari Event Hall in Chiba. Fifteen voice actors are scheduled across the two days, including Masakazu Morita as Ichigo Kurosaki and Fumiko Orikasa as Rukia Kuchiki, with live voice recording among the programs. A teaser visual by character designer Masashi Kudo was released, referencing the cover of the manga's first volume. Tickets are 11,000 yen for general reserved seats and 15,000 yen for reserved seats with goods, a T-shirt set with embroidered patch and storage box. A lottery pre-sale runs from September 19 to October 31, with results from November 6. Separately, BANDAI SPIRITS revealed the full lineup for "Ichiban Kuji BLEACH Stirring Souls vol.5," released September 19, 2026 at 850 yen per draw, with figures of Ichigo Kurosaki, Toshiro Hitsugaya, Yoruichi Shihouin as prizes and Kenpachi Zaraki as the Last One Prize.
Sep 15
The eighth episode of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity brings Aizen out of his prison chair to fight Yhwach, and the confrontation ends within roughly half an episode. Aizen lands a brief beating on Yhwach, gets his moment of misdirection, and is then absorbed by the black ooze form Yhwach has taken. With no one left to stop him, Yhwach's destruction of the three worlds is presented as imminent, and the final two episodes are set to arrive in October.
Sep 15
Design studio Stereotype will hold a 30th anniversary exhibition at Kaikai Kiki Gallery in Tokyo from October 2 to October 24, 2026. Admission is free. The show covers Stereotype's visual work for anime and games including "BLEACH," "Black Clover," and "Pokemon," and displays graphic and video works by founder Daisuke Yamada, who died in 2003, shown for the first time in 23 years.
Sep 13
Episode 48 of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, "THE END TWO WORLD," aired on September 12, 2026. Ichigo's Bankai Tensa Zangetsu was broken by Yhwach, and Orihime Inoue's Event Rejection could not undo damage dealt in the future. Kugo Ginjo and Shuukuro Tsukishima intervened, with Tsukishima's Book of the End inserting a past in which Tensa Zangetsu was never broken. Sosuke Aizen then appeared before Yhwach.
Sep 12
The production committee for Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity, the fourth and final part of the Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War anime, announced on Saturday that episodes 49 and 50 are delayed to Monday, October 19 and Monday, October 26, airing at 24:00 on TV Tokyo, with BS TV Tokyo following on October 20 and October 27 and streaming starting October 20. The committee said the schedule changed to allow additional quality improvements heading into the climax and apologized to viewers for the wait. Until the main story resumes, TV Tokyo airs a Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War climax selection: episode 7 on September 19, episode 28 on September 26, episode 46 on October 5, and episode 48 on October 12. The Calamity premiered on July 25 and is set to run for 10 episodes. Tite Kubo created Bleach, which ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from 2001 to 2016 and ended at 74 volumes.
Sep 12
A Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War collaboration cafe will run at Shibuya PARCO's THE GUEST CAFE BY PARCO from Friday, September 18, 2026. The menu includes beef stroganoff for Ichigo Kurosaki, chilled pasta for Toshiro Hitsugaya, lava pasta for Kenpachi Zaraki, pancakes for Yhwach, and a rare cheesecake for Uryu Ishida and Jugram Haschwalth, along with the Gato-den Plate tied to Kirio Hikifune's cooking.
Sep 8
Episode 7 of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity has Uryu take on Yhwach with one hand, a fight that lacks the punch of Ichigo's battles. The episode ends Gerard Valkyrie's fight abruptly, with Yhwach killing him as collateral damage. The animation remains the season's best, but the episode feels half-baked.
Sep 6
Episode 47 of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, titled THE END 2, aired September 5. Uryu Ishida takes a central role, joining Nelliel and Tier Harribel to fight Yhwach. The episode also features the deceased Jushiro Ukitake appearing before Shunsui Kyoraku, drawing an emotional response from viewers.
Sep 5
Ichiban Kuji BLEACH Stirring Souls vol.5 launches September 19, 2026 at Seven-Eleven, Ito-Yokado, Yume Town, and other stores at 850 yen per draw. Prizes include MASTERLISE figures of Ichigo Kurosaki, Toshiro Hitsugaya, Yoruichi Shihoin, and a Kenpachi Zaraki Last One prize, plus metal charms and acrylic goods.
Sep 1
Episode 6 of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity earns a 5-star review. The episode pulls a Breaking Dawn Part 2 style fake-out, showing a vision of a potential but unrealized future that subverts expectations while staying true to the story. The Uryu vs Jugram fight finally gets substantial screen time after weeks of being background material, and Orihime gets time in the spotlight. The community score sits at 4.3.
Aug 31
BANDAI SPIRITS has revealed the A prize for Ichiban Kuji BLEACH Stirring Souls vol.5, a MASTERLISE figure of Ichigo Kurosaki in the new Bankai form that appears in the final cour of the TV anime Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Conflict. The image was released early on the official Ichiban Kuji X account. The lottery also includes a B prize Toshiro Hitsugaya figure in his adult form, a C prize Yoruichi Shihouin figure in her Shunko Black Cat Warrior form, and a Last One prize Kenpachi Zaraki figure in his red ogre-like appearance during Bankai. The remaining D through H prizes and the Double Chance Campaign reward are still unannounced. Ichiban Kuji BLEACH Stirring Souls vol.5 will be released sequentially from September 19, 2026, at Seven-Eleven, Ito-Yokado, and Youme Town stores. Each draw costs 850 yen including tax. The series is credited to Tite Kubo, Shueisha, TV Tokyo, dentsu, and Pierrot.
Aug 31
Daiichi Kosho announced that, in a joint project with Jump Channel, it will distribute 10 selected JUMP MV videos as karaoke background footage on DAM starting September 1. The MVs combine original manga artwork with anime theme songs. Compatible models are LIVE DAM WAO! and the LIVE DAM Ai series.
Aug 30
Episode 46 of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, titled "THE END," aired on August 29, 2026, and featured anime-original developments that confused manga readers. After Orihime Inoue's self-destruct attack in Episode 45, Yhwach revives, revealing his power alters the future. Rukia Kuchiki and Renji Abarai are tormented in a scene not in the original manga, prompting surprised reactions online.
Aug 29
A Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War collaboration is now live in Puzzle & Dragons from August 28, 2026. The BLEACH Gacha features new units including Ichigo Kurosaki & Orihime Inoue, Yhwach, and Sternritter "A" Uryu Ishida. Previously released characters like Ichigo and Rukia appear via a bonus gacha. The event runs until September 14 at 9:59 AM.
Aug 29
Comic book and manga letterer Dave Lanphear died on August 18 from complications related to diabetes, according to a Bleeding Cool report that his sister Tera Lanphear first shared on Facebook on August 22. He was 58. Lanphear was an award-winning cartoonist, letterer, art director, and story producer. He was born on June 5, 1968, and worked as a newspaper illustrator from 1985 to 1989. He joined Comicraft in 1994, where he helped advance digital lettering techniques, then left in 1999 to lead the lettering department at CrossGen Entertainment. He later co-founded Artmonkeys Studios and worked as a freelance letterer. His comic credits span Marvel, DC, Image, Valiant, Malibu, and Dynamite, with work on titles like Batman: The Long Halloween, Superman '78, Mighty Avengers, and Wonder Woman. In manga, he lettered Beyblade, Bleach, Densha Otoko, and Oyayubihime Infinity. He won two Eisner Awards in 2011 for Return of the Dapper Men and Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard, and was nominated for Harvey Awards as Best Letterer in 2012 and 2014. Comic-Con International posted condolences on Thursday, noting his prolific work across major publishers.
Aug 29
Cyber Goods Store shared photos of the Black Coffin smartphone stand for the BLEACH THE STORIES OF ICHIGO pop-up. The stand is based on the 90th Hadō used by Sōsuke Aizen and includes a background card with scene visuals and the incantation. It costs 2,750 yen and will be sold at both Tokyo and Osaka venues.
Aug 29
Bandai Namco Entertainment revealed two new short videos for Bleach Mirrors High on Saturday, announcing that pre-registrations for the mobile game are now open. The game is scheduled for release in 2026. It follows a lone soul awakened in Karakura Town after the Thousand-Year Blood War, with customizable Soul Reaper avatars and card-based three-character battles.
Aug 28
RetroCrush will add several Viz Media anime films and series to its service, including Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow, Sailor Moon R: The Movie, Bleach the Movie: Hell Verse, Hunter x Hunter: Phantom Rouge, Hikaru no Go, Accel World, both Captain Tsubasa series, and Vampire Knight.
Aug 28
Anime News Network's review of episode 5 of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity reports the episode substantially diverges from the manga, with new material centered on Orihime and Ichigo's newest form. The reviewer, an anime-only viewer, praises the spectacle and notes the possibility that Orihime may be dead, raising questions about the series' canon.
Aug 28
The official X account for the new smartphone action game BLEACH: Mirrors High announced a 2026 release window and shared a new visual. The project was first revealed last December, and a closed beta test ran in July. A playable demo is planned for Tokyo Game Show 2026 in September. The game features an original story set after the events of the BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War anime. The new visual highlights the game's two protagonists, Shirin Migishima and Shirane Sanari, whose original character designs were created by Tite Kubo, the series creator. Kubo is also credited with production cooperation, character concept, and character design. BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War is currently in the middle of its fourth and final cour. The announcement comes as the anime expands the manga's final battles with original material, including a brand-new Ichigo form and an Orihime Inoue scene in the latest episode. BLEACH: Mirrors High is slated to launch on smartphones, with no specific platform exclusivity stated in the sources.
Aug 28
The 45th episode of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War, subtitled DEFEND YOU, aired on August 22, 2026, and drew an intense reaction for an anime-original turn involving heroine Orihime Inoue. In the episode, Orihime takes what viewers describe as a suicide attack to protect Ichigo Kurosaki, collapsing covered in blood. The scene prompted an outpouring on social media, with fans posting lamentations such as Orihimeeeeeeee!!! and Bye-bye, Kurosaki-kun... is not what this is!!! The ending title changed from the usual DEFEND YOU to LIFE TO DEFEND YOU, with the official release pairing the title with Orihime's line, Bye-bye, Kurosaki-kun. I'll take it all in! The scene also caused Shukuro Tsukishima, a Fullbring Arc enemy who does not appear in this episode, to trend on social media. Tsukishima has become an internet meme for his ability to insert himself into a person's past, so fans posted pleas like Do something, Tsukishima-san! and Save us, Tsukishima-san! The episode also introduced a new anime-original form for Ichigo called Ketsuzan no Ichigo, designed and named by original author and general supervisor Tite Kubo.
Aug 22
MegaHouse announced Look Up figures of Toshiro Hitsugaya and Shinji Hirako from BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War on August 18. The two captains, who have almost no direct scenes together in the series, appear in the look-up and sitting pose at about 110mm. Release is late February 2027 at 4,730 yen each, with preorders open at AmiAmi. Fans responded warmly, praising the expressions, and international fans joined in.
Aug 19
Yuki Kaji, who voices adult Toshiro Hitsugaya in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity, said he spent days with a stomachache from nerves before recording. He prepared two vocal interpretations, reread the manga, and recorded alongside Romi Park, who continues voicing Toshiro's usual form.
Aug 18
The staff for Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity, the fourth and final part of the anime, confirmed on Saturday that Yuki Kaji plays Toshihiro Hitsugaya's Complete Bankai version. Viz Media streamed an English-subtitled clip of the character's first appearance in episode 44.
Aug 17
The August 15 broadcast of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War episode 44, titled "THE PERFECT CRIMSON," brought two long-awaited bankai reveals. Kenpachi Zaraki unleashed his bankai for the first time, cutting down Gerald Valkyrie in a single strike after a vision of Yachiru Kusajishi urged him to use her power. Toshiro Hitsugaya reached his complete bankai, Daiguren Hyorinmaru, and his body aged into an adult form. The adult Hitsugaya is voiced by Yuki Kaji, replacing Romi Park, who has voiced the character since the original series. Kaji said in a comment that he auditioned multiple times under Tite Kubo's supervision, prepared by rereading the manga and listening to Park's performance, and recorded alongside Park, who told him his performance felt right. Fans on social media praised the visual and vocal shift, with reactions calling the casting luxurious and the transition from Park to Kaji a highlight. Episode 45 airs August 22.
Aug 16
A pop-up event titled BLEACH THE STORIES OF ICHIGO will run at Seibu Shibuya Store from September 4 and at Shinsaibashi PARCO from November 28. It celebrates the final TV anime cour, BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War. The event features displays of Ichigo across the series, 19 merchandise items, and a free novelty bookmark set.
Aug 11
Anime Anime writer Kaori Yoneda selected three 2026 summer anime series that show deep respect for their source material. Kore wa Shine conveys passion for manga, Tenmaku no Jadugaru approaches history with thorough research, and Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War expands on the original story's untold moments. Each series demonstrates a different form of source material appreciation.
Aug 11
Episode 42 of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War -Kashin Tan- aired August 1, revealing Kisuke Urahara's Bankai, Kannonbiraki Benihime Aratame, which remakes what it touches. Fans praised the animation and direction. Askin Nakk Le Vaar survived, but Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez appeared from behind and pierced Askin's chest, a setup Urahara had planned.
Aug 10
Anime News Network reviews episode 3 of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity, giving it a community score of 4.0. The review highlights Ichigo's single-minded focus on defeating Yhwach and the series finally addressing his mixed heritage. However, the reviewer considers Orihime the episode's standout, praising her power and role.
Aug 9
Bandai Namco Entertainment ran a closed beta test for the smartphone game BLEACH Mirrors High, set after the Thousand-Year Blood War arc. The CBT let players experience the early story, battles, and customization of avatars and Zanpakuto. Players create an original Soul Reaper protagonist who loses memories and re-enrolls at the Soul Reaper academy.
Aug 9
The collaboration menu and goods lineup for the BLEACH GRAFFITI cafe, held at Share CAFE locations in Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka to commemorate the broadcast of the TV anime BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Conflict-, have been revealed. The event runs from August 26 to September 13, 2026, with the Fukuoka location closing earlier on August 30. Newly drawn chibi character illustrations incorporate graffiti art elements with a street feel, depicting six characters: Ichigo Kurosaki, Rukia Kuchiki, Shinji Hirako, Byakuya Kuchiki, Renji Abarai, and Toshiro Hitsugaya. The menu includes drinks inspired by each character, priced at 1,320 yen each, and food items themed around each character's Zanpakuto, priced at 1,430 yen each. Each drink comes with an acrylic charm, and each food item comes with a pick featuring the character's image. Ordering any collaboration menu item grants one random original coaster from 12 types total, with each character having both an illustration and mini character version. Original goods include trading can badges, stickers, acrylic stands, acrylic keychains, acrylic multi clips, T-shirts, and drawstring pouches, sold both at the store and on the Anique Shop EC site.
Aug 8
MegaHouse adds Toshiro Hitsugaya and Shinji Hirako to its Lucaffe figure series, based on the TV anime BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War. Both figures release in February 2027, individually or as a Premium Bandai set with an exclusive mini zabuton bonus.
Aug 6
ABEMA will open a special channel broadcasting the entire BLEACH TV anime series free from July 25 at 18:00 through August 15. The channel covers all episodes from the original series through the third cour of Thousand-Year Blood War Arc, marking the first dedicated BLEACH channel on the platform. The final cour, The Conflict, premieres on TV Tokyo July 25 at 23:00. New episodes stream free on ABEMA starting July 30.
Aug 6
Shueisha announced on Thursday the launch of Manga Million, a global digital manga platform offering over one million pages of translated manga from approximately 400 titles in more than 100 languages. The service is available worldwide for a limited time, free of charge and without registration. The launch lineup includes One Piece, Naruto, Bleach, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Jujutsu Kaisen, Kingdom, Oshi no Ko, Spy x Family, Chainsaw Man, Nana, and Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, among others. More than 150 of the titles are shojo manga. According to Shueisha, nearly 300 titles are receiving their first-ever translations, and 50 works have been translated into multiple languages. The platform also includes special chapters and one-shots, such as Tatsuki Fujimoto's Look Back. Shueisha confirmed to Anime News Network that AI translation was not used for the project. The initiative is part of Shueisha's 100th anniversary celebration. Shuhei Hosono, Editor-in-Chief of Manga Plus by Shueisha, initiated the project, which was developed across Shueisha's editorial divisions with support from international licensing partners.
Aug 6
Anime News Network's review of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity episode 2 focuses on Kisuke Urahara's long-awaited Bankai reveal. The reviewer calls the healing ability underwhelming and muted, contrasting it with the series' usual spectacle. The episode also includes Orihime introspection as Ichigo approaches Yhwach, which the review notes slows the pacing.
Aug 5
Bandai Namco Entertainment announced on August 5 that it will exhibit five titles at Tokyo Game Show 2026, held at Makuhari Messe from September 17 to 21. The main booth in Hall 5 will feature playable demos for 'ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE', 'Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3', 'One Piece: Sea of Delights Restaurant', and 'Bleach Mirrors High'. 'Tales of Eternia Remaster' will be present but only with a reservation campaign, no demo. 'ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE' is scheduled for release on October 2, 2026, for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam. It is the first in the series to feature a first-person perspective in its drama parts, and this will be its first exhibition at a domestic game event. Public days from September 19 to 21 will require a numbered ticket for the demo, distributed at the booth. Demo participants receive an original sticker. The Family Game Park at TKP Tokyo Bay Makuhari Hall will offer demos of 'Once Upon a Katamari' and 'Tamagotchi Petit Petit Store: Welcome! Nintendo Switch 2 Edition'. The ASOBI STORE satellite booth in Hall 11 will sell advance merchandise for 'Ace Combat 8', the 'Tales of' series, Katamari, Pac-Man, and Taiko no Tatsujin.