Bleach: Thousand Year War Comes To Hulu and Disney Plus
Bleach is one of the biggest names in anime. Tite Kubo's original manga has sold over 130 million copies, making it currently the 12th biggest selling of all time. The animated series was a big hit too, and it was a surprise to fans when it came to an abrupt halt back in 2012. A continuation seemed inevitable and it was eventually announced in the form of Bleach: Thousand Year War, set to air this autumn.
Viz Media have announced that they have acquired the rights to the new series. They have picked up global rights (excluding Asia and Arabic-speaking Africa/Middle East) for streaming, home video, VOD, TV and digital.
Viz doesn't have their own platform so for streaming they have some pretty big partners. In the US the show will be simulcast on Hulu, while internationally it will stream on Disney Plus. The first episode will air at 8.30 AM PDT on October 10. (11.30 AM Eastern, 4.30 PM BST).
"Through his visual genius, Tite Kubo has had an indelible impact on the fandom world and the course of manga and anime history" said Brad Woods, Viz's Chief Marketing Officer. "He is also a supremely gifted and accomplished storyteller, and it is a great honour for VIZ Media to acquire this final arc in his legendary catalogue Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, for fans everywhere."
Thousand Year War is based on the final arc of the Bleach Manga. It picks up where the original series left off and follows the exploits of Ichigo Kurosaki, Substitute Soul Reaper.
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.
