‘Bleach’ Live-Action Movie Reveals Cast For Byakuya And More

The Bleach live-action film has definitely made fans of Tite Kubo’s original manga anxious since the film is the first new thing for the series since it had officially ended its run a few years back.

But thankfully each new reveal for the film has eased this anxiety, especially now that the series has officially added cast major series characters Byakuya, Renji and Uryuu.

Joining Sota Fukushi as Ichigo Kurosaki and Hana Sugisaki as Rukia Kuchiki is MIYAVI, who will play Byakuya Kuchiki (who also received a more revealing image), Ryou Yoshizawa, as Uryuu Ishida, and Taichi Saotome as Renji Abarai.

The live-action Bleach adaptation releases July 20 in Japan, and has just released its first trailer. The film will adapt the first arc of the series, the “Substitute Shinigami” arc. There’s little else known about the upcoming film, but series creator Tite Kubo shared his thoughts in an interview with TBS Japan.

He spoke about his excitement and confidence in the adaptation stating that, “”For the Japanese live-action version, I feel that we have come close to the original work…I am really looking forward to it.”

Fans have a lot of faith in the film given the subject material and how well anime adaptations have fared in recent years, but this film will surely be looked at with very critical eyes. But at least early fan reaction to the film is positive.

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.

The manga was serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump from 2001 to 2016, and was collected into 74 volumes. It has been adapted into English thanks to VIZ Media, and has sold over 90 million copies in Japan. The series was adapted into an anime by Studio Pierrot from 2004 to 2012, and has four feature-length animations, rock musicals, video games, and a ton of other merchandise.

The English language broadcast premiered on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim block in 2006, and you currently find the Japanese and English language versions now streaming on Hulu.

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