Bleach's final episode faces a major challenge as Tite Kubo gets a second chance to fix the controversial Manga ending

Finally, after a long wait, Bleach fans have prepared themselves to bid farewell to a show which has played an integral role in their lives from childhood days, friendships and love for anime. However, while anticipation builds up for the last episode of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, the age-old question pops back up in their minds—whether the anime will be able to give fans an ending that satisfies them in places where the manga failed. Some felt the story had been rushed, while questions surrounding the final battles and character relationships fuelled years of debate among fans. Now, creator Tite Kubo has another opportunity to bring his story to a more satisfying conclusion.

The animated adaptation has introduced changes to the original material, raising hopes that the final instalment will offer developments readers did not get the first time around.

In reporting by BBC Newsbeat, fans describe the finale as both an emotional farewell and a moment of uncertainty.


For viewers who have followed the series for years, the question is no longer simply how the story ends. It is whether the ending can live up to the memories attached to it.

Why Bleach's original ending still divides fans

Released for the first time in 2001, Bleach became one of the most popular manga series of that generation.

Written by Kubo, this series tells the story of Ichigo Kurosaki – a teen capable of seeing ghosts and participating in fights against dangerous supernatural creatures despite the desire to lead an ordinary life.

Eventually, Bleach became one of the three most popular manga series in the " Big Three, " along with One Piece and Naruto. Through their anime versions, these series have become familiar to fans across the globe even after the plot lines ended.

Nevertheless, the popularity of the manga could not shield it from criticism towards its ending.

Despite the publication of the last episodes in 2016, the pace of events' development seemed too fast for some fans. Moreover, it was stated that during the work on Bleach, Kubo experienced some health problems.

According to BBC Newsbeat, the new adaptation has given fans reason to reconsider what the conclusion might look like. Kubo has been involved in changes to the animated storyline alongside Pierrot Films, the animation studio behind the series.

This has increased expectations.

The fans do not necessarily ask for a whole new story; they just want the fights and character development to get the recognition that they believe was lacking in the manga.

The task is to satisfy their expectations without compromising the storyline that has made Bleach so popular.

Tite Kubo's anime adaptation gets another chance to deliver

However, the original anime of Bleach aired between 2004 and 2012, consisting of 16 seasons without touching on the last part of the manga. Fans had been speculating for ten years about the possibility of seeing this content in the anime.

However, in 2022, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War was released, reviving the franchise and presenting the last conflict of the story divided into four arcs.

The final instalment has therefore become more than the conclusion of a long-running anime. It is also an opportunity to revisit a story whose ending has been debated for years.

As BBC Newsbeat explains, the creators of Kubo and Pierrot Films have modified the source material in such a way that fans can discover the differences between the original manga and its animated version.

This will help build up expectations regarding the outcome of the finale.

On the other hand, having certain expectations can be a disadvantage for the finale. People who have been imagining the story's ending for years will not be easy to satisfy, especially since the original ending is still controversial.

It is necessary to balance the existing elements with the new ones while providing the series with a fitting end.

Some changes in the plot and more character interaction might resolve the issue, yet the main problem will be to decide whether these changes will fit into the whole picture.

In the case of Kubo, the chance is unique since he gets a chance to revise the ending, which is known by the fans already.

Fans are saying goodbye to more than a television series

The reaction to the finale is indicative of how deeply entrenched Bleach is in the lives of its viewers.

According to BBC Newsbeat, the show’s fans include those who started watching Bleach when they were young and continue to be fans into their adulthood.

For instance, Ruby, aged 27, admitted to the BBC that Bleach was her favourite anime series and played an important role during the hard times in her life. She also mentioned the friendships she forged within the fandom community, including the one she has with another fan, Nicholas Thong, aged 30.

Thong said that he used to watch the show when he was a teenager and found common interests among his peers with whom he could communicate. This relationship has continued into his adulthood, giving birth to a tattoo dedicated to the storyline.

Both viewers explained to BBC Newsbeat that they expected an emotional goodbye while watching the finale of the series. These comments prove why the ending goes beyond the results of the fictional battle - the series is already a part of their own history.

Another fan, 28-year-old Itanna Alakija, found another feature of Bleach that makes it unique.

After getting obsessed with Naruto, Alakija found out how Kubo describes the Black characters in Bleach and how various cultures affect Japanese fiction.

Alakija explained to BBC Newsbeat that the description was unique since the Black characters were ordinary people and not stereotypes.

This is one reason why the ending will be important for people from all walks of life.

For some, the most important aspect would be to see the beloved characters receive an appropriate ending. For others, this anime is the epitome of their relationships and memories, as well as their connection to the anime genre.

The final episode cannot end all debates related to the manga, but it will set the legacy of this particular animated version of the work.

With the wait for more than ten years to see the story on the screen once again, Bleach fans will finally have to answer this final question: will the new approach by Kubo provide the desired conclusion or the debate on the subject will persist?