Bleach has proved its worth as one of the best shonen animes of all time. As the highly anticipated continuation of the anime approaches its release date, fans are quite giddy with excitement. Its reputation as the Big Three of Shonen, alongside Naruto and One Piece, is a testament to its widespread popularity and significant influence. The Thousand-Year Blood War arc showcases the best of Tite Kubo's work, and to fully appreciate the upcoming anime, one must keep up with all of the arcs in the original 2004 anime.
While Bleach follows a linear, laid-out plot that doesn't tend to be dreary or dull, fans may lose interest, which is a common problem with long shonen animes. However, times like these reignite the desire to catch up on one's favorite anime.
Follow along as this article provides a comprehensive guide to all of Bleach's complicated arcs.
Listing all Bleach arcs chronologically ahead of The Thousand-Year Blood War arc's release
While Bleach is considerably shorter than other big names in the shonen industry, 366 episodes are quite a challenge for an everyday watcher. Tite Kubo has released 74 volumes of the manga, which are carefully divided into 13 different arcs based on the plot of the story.
Although fans generally divide the anime into five major arcs, which include the Substitute arc, Soul Society arc, Arrancar arc, Lost Agent arc, and finally the newest unreleased addition, the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, arcs like Soul Society and Arrancar can be further divided into several smaller story arcs due to the sheer amount of versatility they showcase.
The following list can help fans navigate the various arcs:
Fans may follow the respective episode numbers to rewatch particular arcs and get a taste of nostalgia before the Thousand-Year Blood War arc hits screens globally. The list has also been curated to highlight mini-arcs that may be of particular interest to some fans.
Thousand-Year Blood War: Separation ran up to episode 392 and part 3 titled Conflict has been confirmed for release in 2024. With the final battle drawing closer, fans can expect more intense fight scenes and unexpected twists in the upcoming parts.
Final thoughts
Ever since the original 2004 anime was released, Tite Kubo has amassed a huge following, and the sheer impact he has left on the world of Animanga is admirably outstanding.
The Thousand-Year Blood War arc has premiered in Japan, and fans left amazing reviews for the content they watched. With Studio Pierrot finally upgrading its animation standards, fans of the series are not expected to be disappointed. Hence, for fans who are on a quest to revisit old memories or start from where they left off, this list will help them immensely.
However, Bleach, like most major Shonen series, includes an excessive amount of filler. These non-canon episodes may disrupt the overall viewing experience and can be skipped by viewers. To avoid fillers, follow this link to our curated list of every episode fans can skip.