‘Bleach’ Live-Action Movie Heading To Netflix

It looks like the Soul Society is about to make its debut in the U.S. After premiering earlier this year in Japan, it seems Bleach is coming to the west for a run, but fans won’t have to hop into theaters to see the feature. Thanks to Netflix, audiences will be able to watch Bleach from their homes soon.

Recently, the streaming service confirmed its list of titles coming in September, and the newsletter had big news for fans. According to its calendar, Netflix will be bringing Bleach to its catalog on September 14. You can check out the site’s synopsis for the live-action film below:

“When high schooler Ichigo is suddenly given reaper abilities, he really wants to give the powers back. But he’ll have to reap some souls first.”

For fans, this acquisition is a big one as it will help bringing one of anime’s best-known titles in front of a large U.S. audience. Earlier this summer, Bleach had its live-action premiere in New York City at Japan Cuts 2018, and its double-screening quickly sold out. Director Shinsuke Sato appeared to hype the film, and ComicBook’s Megan Peters had this to say about the film in her review:

“Bleach may not the one-to-one adaptation some might have hoped for, but its original take on Kubo’s series still feels authentic. The series’ spirit easily shines through, but Bleach’s big story is a bit much for its runtime. In order to flesh out its leads, the movie is forced to skimp on a few fights, and Bleach‘s modest budget also required such conservatism.”

So, will you be checking out this movie when it hits Netflix? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

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 900 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.