Bleach Celebrates 22nd Anniversary With New Key Art

It might not seem like it, but Bleach has been around the block a few times. The hit shonen series is ranked as one of the best to ever hit anime, and fans across the world still look up to Ichigo Kurosaki. With a new anime on the air, it is easy to think Bleach is just a decade old or so, but that isn't the case. Creator Tite Kubo birthed Bleach more than 20 years ago, and now its latest birthday has come around with some special art.

If you did not know, the Bleach manga met its 22nd anniversary this month. On August 7, 2001, Shonen Jump brought Kubo's manga to life. It was there fans met Ichigo for the first time and learned what a Soul Reaper could do. It was around this time 22 years ago that Bleach began to reshape the shonen game, and it has been working hard ever since.

As you can see above, Kubo honored the big anniversary with a special piece of art of Ichigo. Pictured before a yellow background, Ichigo is look as fresh as ever in this shot in a screen tee. The Substitute Soul Reaper is rocking his ginger hair as usual, and Ichigo looks rather relaxed for once. This is a rare sight given all the drama Ichigo has dealt with since he first became a Soul Reaper, but hey – everybody deserves a chance to relax on their birthday.

With 22 years under its belt, the Bleach manga has done plenty, and there is more to go. The series was revived by Kubo a couple of years back with a special one-shot. The open-ended special has given way to a new arc that readers are desperate to see. Of course, Bleach is also in the midst of its new anime. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War just launched its second cour this summer, after all. So even after all these years, Bleach is living large.

If you are not caught up with the series, you can read the Bleach manga courtesy of Viz Media in English. As for the anime, it is streaming on Hulu and Disney+ these days. So for more details on Ichigo's story, you can read the official synopsis of Bleach below:

"Ichigo Kurosaki has always been able to see ghosts, but this ability doesn't change his life nearly as much as his close encounter with Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper and member of the mysterious Soul Society. While fighting a Hollow, an evil spirit that preys on humans who display psychic energy, Rukia attempts to lend Ichigo some of her powers so that he can save his family; but much to her surprise, Ichigo absorbs every last drop of her energy. Now a full-fledged Soul Reaper himself, Ichigo quickly learns that the world he inhabits is one full of dangerous spirits and, along with Rukia--who is slowly regaining her powers--it's Ichigo's job to protect the innocent from Hollows and help the spirits themselves find peace."

What do you think of this latest Bleach milestone? Are you excited to see where Thousand-Year Blood War goes next? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!