VIZ Media has announced Disney+ and Hulu are the official streaming platforms for the iconic fantasy adventure Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, created by mangaka legend Tite Kubo.
VIZ Media has acquired worldwide VOD, home video, EST and TV rights (excluding Asia and Arabic-Speaking Africa/Middle East) to launch the series with the debut episode premiering October 10 at 8:30 a.m. PDT. Bleach will be available on Disney+ internationally, Hulu in the U.S., and select markets will sunrise the series beginning on Oct. 10. The episode will simulcast in the U.S. VIZ has also acquired merchandising rights to the series.
Synopsis:
Was it all just a coincidence, or was it inevitable?Ichigo Kurosaki gained the powers of a Soul Reaper through a chance encounter. As a Substitute Soul Reaper, Ichigo became caught in the turmoil of the Soul Society, a place where deceased souls gather. But with help from his friends, Ichigo overcame every challenge to become even stronger.When new Soul Reapers and a new enemy appear in his hometown of Karakura, Ichigo jumps back into the battlefield with his Zanpakuto to help those in need. Meanwhile, the Soul Society is observing a sudden surge in the number of Hollows being destroyed in the World of the Living. They also receive separate reports of residents in the Rukon District having gone missing. Finally, the Seireitei, home of the Soul Reapers, comes under attack by a group calling themselves the Wandenreich.Led by Yhwach, the father of all Quincies, the Wandenreich declare war against the Soul Reapers with the following message: “Five days from now, the Soul Society will be annihilated by the Wandenreich.”The history and truth kept hidden by the Soul Reapers for a thousand long years is finally brought to light.All things must come to an end — as Ichigo Kurosaki’s final battle begins!
Kubo created the original story for Thousand-Year Blood War and serves as general supervisor for the series, which is directed by Tomohisa Taguchi. Masashi Kudo handled character design, and the music is composed by Shiro Sagisu. The opening theme “Scar” is performed by Tatsuya Kitane, and the ending theme “Saihate” by SennaRin. The animation is produced by studio Pierrot.
The voice cast is led by Masakazu Morita as Ichigo Kurosaki, with Fumiko Orikasa as Rukia Kuchiki, Noriaki Sugiyama as Uryu Ishida, Yuki Matsuoka as Orihime Inoue, Hiroki Yasumoto as Yasutaro Sado (Chad), Kentaro Ito as Renji Abarai, Shin-ichiro Miki as Yoruichi Shihoin, Binbin Takaoka as Shigekuni Genryusai Yamamoto, Houko Kuwashima as Soi Fon and many more.
An award-winning and best selling manga series, Bleach has over 130 million copies in print since its debut in Weekly Shonen Jump (2.7 million copies in the U.S.), while the anime produced 366 episodes and today is revered as one of the greatest of all time. In addition to the critically acclaimed manga and legendary anime, the Bleach universe includes video games, musicals and a live-action film adaptation all making Bleach far more than merely a franchise, rather a cultural reference point for millions of fans globally.
“Through his visual genius, Tite Kubo has had an indelible impact on the fandom world and the course of manga and anime history. He is also a supremely gifted and accomplished storyteller, and it is a great honor for VIZ Media to acquire this final arc in his legendary catalog Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, for fans everywhere,” commented Brad Woods, Chief Marketing Officer VIZ Media.
See more of the Bleach offerings from VIZ Media at viz.com/bleach.
