Bleach Makes Surprise Appearance at Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights

When it comes to Halloween Horror Nights, Universal Studios goes to the extreme. The festival is one of the park's most-hotly anticipated year after year. This year, Halloween Horror Nights is returning with vengeance thanks to a retro theme, but fans saw something they definitely didn't expect at the event.

After all, photos of the scare-fest have gone live, and anime fans had to do a double-take when they saw a certain Bleach protagonist show up.

Over on Reddit, fans were shown the photo taken by a photographer at one of Universal Studios' first Halloween nights. The festival, which kicked off on September 6, plans to scare fans all the way through November. Shortly after the event began, Keysie Raffucci shot the image of what looks to be a cast member dressed up in a neon lit Hollow mask.

So this was spotted on one of the streets at Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights. from r/bleach

And yes, that is the mask which Ichigo Kurosaki wears when he turns into a Hallow. It's kind of hard to miss once you see it, huh?

The look clearly isn't meant to resemble Hollow Ichigo, but fans admit they were surprised to see this mask show up. The usual mask has been updated with neon lights, and they are wearing a clear poncho with matching lights attached. The bright look is paired with black underclothes to make each color pop, so this Horror Nights talent fits the event's 80s theme with no problem. However, fans aren't sure whether Bleach fits the theme. The anime is a clear phenomenon of the early 2000s, but Bleach fans are willing to let the date slide just this once.

Do you think more anime should be brought into Halloween events such as this one? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

Bleach was first created by Tite Kubo for Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump, running from 2001 to 2016. The series follows the young delinquent Ichigo Kurosaki, who has the ability to see spirits. He soon obtains the power of a Soul Reaper - one meant to usher lost souls to the afterlife - and now has the duty to defend the living world from monstrous dark spirits known as Hollows.