Bleach Cosplay is a Great Reminder Why Nel is the Best

It’s been quite a while since Tite Kubo’s Bleach was running in the pages of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump, but thanks to Tite Kubo’s strong roster of characters and designs the series is still fondly remembered to this day. One of the characters that made a huge statement late in the game was Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck, otherwise known as Nel. This adorable part of Hueco Mundo was an instant hit with fans right away, but exploded with fans even more so when it was revealed that she had a grander form hidden away.

With the series’ 20th Anniversary quickly approaching, and a potential new project for the series on the horizon, now is the best time to look back and remember just why some of the characters had such a huge impact with fans. Nel’s in particular is because it was such a surprise reveal after a long wait of getting to know the little Nel well, and it’s a surprise that comes through especially well through cosplay.

Artist @claubailarinita (who you can find on Instagram here) manages to capture the surprise of that initial reveal, and it’s a powerful Zanpakuto pose that’s ready for battle for sure. With Nel making a huge statement upfront, this cosplay is keeping her alive! Check it out below:

Bleach is teasing something special for the series’ 20th Anniversary, but it’s not quite clear what it is just yet. There’s a hope that Nel would turn up in the series someday, but she’s unfortunately not high on the list of most wanted returning characters. But hopefully with great cosplay like this she won’t be too far down the list of big returning characters. Hoping to see Nel in the anime again someday? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or talk to me directly about all things anime and other cool things @Valdezology on Twitter!

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. You can currently find the series now streaming on Hulu. There’s also a live-action adaptation on Netflix, and you can find ComicBook.com’s review of the film here.