# Bleach (2004)

> A high school student who can see ghosts gains Soul Reaper powers and fights evil spirits to protect the living and the dead.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/28565

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 416
- Episode runtime: 24 min
- Status: Returning Series
- Genres: animation, action, fantasy
- Network: TV Tokyo, TV Aichi, TVQ, TV Osaka, TVh, TSC, BS TV Tokyo
- Cast: Masakazu Morita, Fumiko Orikasa, Hiroki Yasumoto, Yuki Matsuoka, Noriaki Sugiyama, Tomoko Kaneda, Junko Noda, Fumihiko Tachiki
- TMDB rating: 8.3/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0434665/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: energetic, eerie, comforting, intense

## What critics say

Viewers broadly find Bleach an acclaimed, action-driven shonen anime with strong fights and a lovable teenage lead, though its long run and filler-heavy stretches draw some complaints.

## Synopsis

Bleach (2004-present) is a Japanese animated shonen action series produced by Pierrot and broadcast on TV Tokyo. Ichigo Kurosaki (voiced by Masakazu Morita), a teenager who has always seen ghosts, meets Rukia Kuchiki (voiced by Fumiko Orikasa), a Soul Reaper who battles monstrous spirits called Hollows. Ichigo gains a surge of spiritual energy and takes on the duty of protecting the living and the dead, while keeping up with school and friendships. The engine of each arc is his training, his rivalries, and the escalating fights with Hollows that threaten his town, with sword battles and supernatural showdowns filling most episodes. The series runs across 416 episodes over two seasons, with a continuing storyline that rewards watching in order. Its tone mixes youthful humor and camaraderie with dark, eerie spirit imagery and high-stakes combat. Set in modern Japan with a parallel spirit world, it has the feel of a heroic coming-of-age adventure. Fans of Naruto, Yu Yu Hakusho and Jujutsu Kaisen will find resonance in its blend of spirit battles, friendship, and a reluctant young hero.

## Shows like Bleach

- [Noragami (2014)](https://ember.film/tv/57225)
- [Shakugan no Shana (2005)](https://ember.film/tv/20862)
- [Angel Beats! (2010)](https://ember.film/tv/39189)
- [Ushio and Tora (2015)](https://ember.film/tv/56037)
- [Ghost Stories (2000)](https://ember.film/tv/32623)
- [Soul Eater (2008)](https://ember.film/tv/34313)
- [Hunter × Hunter (1999)](https://ember.film/tv/41667)
- [K (2012)](https://ember.film/tv/41535)
- [SHAMAN KING (2021)](https://ember.film/tv/87540)
- [JUJUTSU KAISEN (2020)](https://ember.film/tv/80604)

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