Bleach (manga)
Bleach (ブリーチ) is a manga and anime series by Tite Kubo (久保 帯人 Kubo Taito), mangaka of Zombie Powder. It is currently at 16 volumes in length (as of March 2005), and new chapters are featured weekly in the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine.
It follows the life of Ichigo Kurosaki (黒崎 一護 Kurosaki Ichigo), a 15 year old high school student with the ability to see ghosts. A female Shinigami (God of Death) runs into him one day while searching for an evil spirit. During an ensuing confrontation with the spirit, she is forced to transfer her powers into Ichigo. Thusly the adventures of Ichigo and Rukia Kuchiki (朽木 ルキア Kuchiki Rukia) begin, and together they search out Hollows (fallen spirits) and perform soul burials.
The early parts of the story focus mainly on the relationships between the characters, rather than the actual occupation of the Shinigami. However, as events unfold, the story begins to delve more deeply into the world of these Gods of Death on the "other side," Soul Society.
This manga is being translated into English by Viz Communications. As with many other popular manga series, an animated version is currently in production. The "Bleach" animated TV series is broadcast at 6:30pm on Tuesdays on TV Tokyo and affiliated stations in Japan, with the first episode broadcasted on October 5, 2004. Studio Pierrot is doing the animation work. Several fansub groups are subbing this series as well and distributing over the Internet. The series is currently in its second season with a total of 32 episodes so far.
Table of contents |
Released volumes
- The Death and the Strawberry
- Goodbye Parakeet, Goodnite My Sister
- Memories in the Rain
- Quincy Archer Hates You
- Rightarm of the Giant
- The Death Trilogy Overture
- The Broken Coda
- The Blade and Me
- Fourteen Days of Conspiracy
- Tattoo on the Sky
- A star and a stray dog
- Flowers on the precipice
- The Undead
- White Tower Rocks
- Beginning of the Death of Tomorrow
- Night of Wijnruit
Openings and Closings
Openings
- "* ~Asterisk~" by Orange Range (Episodes #1–25)
- "D-tecnoLife" by UVERworld (Episodes #26-?)
Closings
- "Life is Like a Boat" by Rie Fu (Episodes #1–12)
- "Thank You!!" by HOME MADE Kazoku (Episodes #13–25)
- "Houki-boshi" (translation: "comet") by Younha (Episodes #26-?)