Anime/manga producer VIZ Media announced release plans for two eagerly awaited titles this weekend:
BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2, based on Tite Kubo’s manga, will continue the story on Hulu in the U.S., Star+ in Latin America and Disney+ in select countries internationally on Saturday, July 8. Part 2 will premiere with episode one at 7:30 a.m. PDT on Hulu, Star+ and Disney+ and the simulcast will have English, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, French, German and Italian subtitles. VIZ Media holds worldwide rights (excluding Asia).
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!
Produced by Pierrot studio in Japan and directed by Tomohisa Taguchi, Part 2 features the voices of Masakazu Morita as Ichigo, Fumiko Orikasa as Rukia Kuchiki, Noriaki Sugiyama as Uryu Inoue, Hiroki Yasumoto as Yasutora Sado (Chad) and Kentaro Ito as Renji Abarai, with Takayuki Sugo as Yhwach. The Part 1 English dub cast is led by Johnny Yong Bosch (Ichigo), Michelle Ruff (Rukia), Derek Stephen Prince (Uryu), Stephanie Sheh (Orihime), Wally Wingert (Renji) and Alain Mesa (Chad). Pt. 2 features opening theme “STARS” by w.o.d.
Part 1 of Thousand-Year Blood War is currently streaming in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Balkans, Baltics, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Uruguay and Venezuela.
VIZ Media’s exclusive acquisition of the series includes video on demand, home video, electronic sell-through, television and merchandise rights.
“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 catalogue BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War, for fans everywhere,” said Brad Woods, Chief Marketing Officer VIZ Media.
The new series Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, based on the manga by creators Haro Aso and Kotaro Takata (published in Shogakukan’s Monthly Sunday Gene-X), will stream on Hulu and Netflix in the U.S. The show will kick off with a simulcast Hulu premiere at 2 a.m. PDT on Sunday, July 9, with details for Netflix and other platforms to be announced.
Synopsis: With three years under his belt at the company from hell, Akira Tendo is mentally and physically spent. All at the ripe old age of twenty-four. Even his crush from Accounting, Saori, wants nothing to do with him. Then, just when life is beginning to look like one big disappointment, it happens. The zombie apocalypse descends on Japan! Surrounded by hordes of hungry zombies, Akira comes to a realization that will forever change his life…
“Wait, does this mean I never have to go to work again?”
Confess to… Party like it’s… Travel Japan coast to…
Now, with his nightmare job no longer, Akira’s got his mojo back. Let the bucket listing begin!!
Zom 100 is a VIZ Media co-production alongside Shogakukan and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions Japan, with VIZ Media representing the anime in the North America, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand territories.
The series is directed by Kazuki Kawagoe and stars Shuichiro Umeda as Akira and Tomori Kusunoki as Shizuka. Animation production by BUG FILMS. Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead also features an opening theme by KANA-BOON and ending theme by Shiyui.
