Details Emerge About New Bleach Spin-Off Novels

It’s been a few months since Tite Kubo brought the Bleach manga to an end. The critically [...]

It's been a few months since Tite Kubo brought the Bleach manga to an end. The critically acclaimed series left fans uncertain about the franchise's future, but it seems like Bleach isn't quite over yet. Recently, Shonen Jump confirmed two spin-off novels based on Bleach would be released in 2017, and the first details about the project are now being shared with fans.

UP NEXT: Bleach Creator Reveals Emotional Story About The Manga's End

Fans learned the novelizations were coming to shelves when the wraparound jacket of the 74th volume of Bleach was finally published. The packaging confirmed Makoto Matsubara and Ryohgo Narita would be in charge of the stories. The former has written previous novelizations for Bleach while the latter has worked on series such as Baccano!, Durarara!!

So far, it looks like the two novels will take place after the Bleach manga ended and follow a few fan-favorite characters. The first novel will focus on Renji and Rukia's wedding in the Soul Society. The novel, which is titled WE DO knot ALWAYS LOVE YOU, is set to ship on December 27th.

As for the second novel, it is said to center around Shūhei Hisagi. The Soul Reaper is sent on a journey to solve the mystery that Kaname Tōsen left behind. The novel is said to focus more so on the political landscape of Bleach by exploring the four noble families, the Soul King, Arrancars, and Fullbringers. There's no official ship date associated with the second novel at this time.

If you are not familiar with the Bleach manga, then you have some time to catch up with the long-running series. Shonen Jump first published the series back in 2001 before it ended earlier in August. A total of 74 volumes make up the supernatural series, and Bleach was also adapted into an internationally praised anime thanks to Studio Pierrot. There are more than 350 Bleach episodes as the series ran from 2004-2012. The franchise's popularity has also led to a slew of anime features, novels, video games, and even a musical adaptation.

bleach manga
(Photo: Tite Kubo/Shonen Jump)

MORE: Bleach Manga Coming To An End This Fall / Bleach Is Reportedly Getting A Live Action Movie / First Bleach Set Photos Revealed For Live-Action Film

Most recently, Bleach has made a comeback in entertainment because of an upcoming live-action adaptation. While rumors have long whispered about a Bleach film, little progress was ever made on the project until recently. The announcement aligned perfectly with the end of its manga run. The series stands as one of the most popular manga and anime franchises around. Bleach has sold over 80 million copies in Japan alone, and it has experienced wild success around the world due to official and fan-made subbing efforts. Filming on the live-action Bleach film is still underway, and there's no word yet on when the film will hit theaters.

[H/T] Anime News Network

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