‘Bleach’ Reveals New Live-Action Look At Byakuya

Bleach may have ended a few years back, but the series has not wrapped for good. Not only does Weekly Shonen Jump have a spinoff of the manga in production, but its live-action adaptation will go live this summer. And, thanks to a new film still, fans can see what Byakuya Kuchiki will look like in real life.

Spoiler: He looks pretty darn regal.

Over on Reddit, a new still of Bleach is making the rounds. The image, which can be found below, shows Byakuya in a close-up shot. The Soul Reaper can be seen with his eyes narrowed and mouth set in a grim line. With three braids hanging over his face, Byakuya looks none too happy in his white scarf.

While isn’t the first image fans have gotten of Byakuya in Bleach, but it is the most details. The character is known for his noble personality and adherence to the Soul Society’s strict laws. Bleach‘s take on the Soul Reaper looks pretty spot-on, but fans will have to see if the movie can do the character justice in realtime.

If you are not familiar with Byakuya’s actor, you should know his name is Miyavi. The actor, whose real name is Takamasa Ishihara, is a famous musician in Japan. The singer-songwriter is known best for his tenure with Dué le Quartz before the guitarist struck out as a soloist. With more than 25 singles under his belt, Miyavi is a well-known artist, and he has slowly delved into film over the years.

The actor got his acting start with Hollywood in 2014. Miyavi appeared in Unbroken, a film directed by Angelina Jolie. The actor has gone on to play minor roles in projects like Kong: Skull Island and Stray. Bleach will be the biggest franchise Miyavi has tackled yet, so fans are interested to see how the actor approaches the role of Byakuya.

For those unfamiliar with Tite Kubo‘s Bleach, the series follows the young delinquent Ichigo Kurosaki, who had 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.

What do you think of Byakuya’s live-action look? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics, k-pop, and anime!