A decade after the last episode aired, Bleach remains an excellent anime series to watch. Over its 366-episode run from 2004 to 2012, this shinigami series featured serious shonen action, and quirky comic moments. It also contained loads and loads of characters and an epic plot with multiple story arcs. With that in mind, below we’ll list the best places to watch Bleach online legally.
Bleach Returns
Before we get into the list, Bleach fans will rejoice to hear that the series will return in October 2022 with the Thousand-Year Blood War arc.
If you’ve never watched Bleach, now would be a good time to start. If you watched it the first time around, you may want to review it before watching the new episodes. Or, if you dropped out (during the Bount filler arc, for example), why not jump back in?
Best Places to Watch Bleach Online
We did our research and found legal places to watch the anime online, and luckily you can watch Bleach for free on Crunchyroll (which is why it’s at the top of our list).
- Crunchyroll
- Netflix
- Hulu
- Tubi
- iTunes/ Apple TV
Where to Watch Bleach Online
1. Crunchyroll
I admit that I’m slightly biased toward U.S.-based anime distributor Crunchyroll. It’s the first streaming service that I ever subscribed to.
It has a giant library of recent and classic anime hits, including its own Crunchyroll Originals label. (It also gives out swag at Anime Expo.) Following its recent sale to Sony, and merger with Funimation, its library will only get bigger.
That said, Crunchyroll isn’t perfect. Although the service is supposed to be international in scope, you may run into limitations in your area, as Limarc Ambalina discovered. Below, we’ll detail how you can unlock Crunchyroll from any country using a VPN, should you run into this issue.
How to Watch Bleach on Crunchyroll Anywhere in the World
This method works on both desktop PCs and mobile phones or tablets.
- Purchase (or start a free trial) of a VPN. I can confirm that NordVPN works for this purpose.
- In the settings, choose United States or Canada as your location.
- Fire up the VPN and wait for it to do its magic
- Once you’re connected, navigate to Netflix (browser or app)
- Search “One Piece” in the Netflix search bar and you should see the anime pop up.
Enjoy! Please note that if your Netflix library doesn’t update to reflect the country you selected in your VPN, you may have to clear the Netflix cache first and try again.
To to do this on mobile, go to settings -> apps -> Netflix -> clear cache. To do this on PC, you have to clear the cache in your web browser.
I’ve had no trouble using this method and I still use NordVPN to watch anime from various Netflix country libraries daily.
Pros:
- Huge, constantly-updated anime library
- International streaming and language options
- High-quality streaming — the first episode of Bleach plays at 480p, which was good at the time; episode 366 goes up to 1080p HD
- Free viewing option available
Cons:
- International app users may encounter geo-locking
Price:
- A free account with ads, no simulcast
- “Fan” level with no ads, and new episodes one hour after Japan broadcast: $7.99/ month
- “Mega Fan” allows four devices, first access to events: $9.99/ month
- “Ultimate Fan” subscription includes offline viewing, swag bag, merch discounts, etc.: $14.99/ month
Language options: Japanese with English, Spanish, Portuguese or no subtitles.
Watch Bleach on Crunchyroll (free). // Watch Bleach on Crunchyroll (subscription).
2. Netflix
In 2018, international streaming giant Netflix announced that it would remove Bleach from its service. Fortunately, the folks in charge changed their minds.
In recent years, Netflix has taken a major interest in Japanese pop culture. Netflix bought exclusive rights to some series, and even produced its own anime.
The bad news is, Netflix doesn’t have the entire Bleach series — at least, not yet. (Netflix tends to throw episodes into “Netflix jail” before releasing them.) The U.S. version currently ends with episode 109. Netflix Japan has 316 episodes — in untranslated Japanese.
Unless your region has Bleach, you may need to convince Netflix that you are either an English speaker in the US. For this, you will need a VPN as well and can follow the steps outline in the above Crunchyroll section.
Pros:
- A growing library of anime with good language options
- A huge library of TV and movies in general
Cons:
- No free streaming option; a “Standard” subscription is slightly more expensive than Crunchyroll’s “Mega Fan”
- The complete series isn’t available
Price:
- Basic, 480p video quality: $9.99/ month
- Standard, 1080p: $15.49/ month
- Premium, 4K+HDR: $19.99/ month
Language options: In the U.S., English (English captions available); or Japanese (with or without English subtitles). In Japan, Japanese (Japanese captions available).
Watch Bleach on Netflix (U.S.)
3. Hulu
U.S.-based Hulu isn’t the 500-pound streaming gorilla that Netflix is, but it’s not bad. It’s generally cheaper. And Hulu is quick to get new and exclusive content out. However, it’s mostly limited to the U.S. (Hulu Japan exists, but it is separate from U.S. Hulu.)
Also, the Hulu library is smaller (but they claim to have 400 anime titles). Still, they do have all 366 episodes of Bleach in separate English subtitled and dubbed versions.
Pros:
- Relatively cheap, with a free trial
- Subtitled and dubbed versions
Cons:
- U.S. only (but VPN can help)
- Cheapest option includes ads
- Smaller library
Price:
- Hulu with ads, first month free, then $6.99/ month
- Hulu, no ads: $12.99/ month
- Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ bundle: $13.99/ month
- Hulu bundle, no ads: $19.99/ month
- Hulu bundle and Live TV: $69.99/ month
- Hulu Live TV bundle, no ads: $75.99/ month
Language options: English dubbed or English subtitles
4. Tubi
Tubi is Fox’s free, legal streaming service. It’s not great. The streaming resolution is relatively low. The service is supported through ads, so you have to turn off your ad blocker.
At the moment, Tubi is only available in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand. The company’s website states that the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) keeps it out of Europe.
Pros:
- Free, no subscription
Cons:
- You get what you pay for
- Unavoidable ads
- Not available outside North America, Australia, or New Zealand
Price:
It’s free. You can register using your email, or sign-up through Google or Facebook.
Language: Japanese with English subtitles
5. iTunes/ Apple TV (download)
If you’re at home, you probably don’t want to use iTunes or Apple TV for watching anime shows. At $2.99 an episode, it will add up.
However, if you’re planning a trip, you might want to consider this option. Download a few episodes onto your device before you go. It won’t matter if your hotel internet is unreliable, or if you must remain in airplane mode during the flight. You’ll be able to watch Bleach as long as you still have power.
Note: Apple is international, but you may still encounter regional issues.
Pros:
- Good for on-the-go
- No streaming issues
Cons:
- Comparatively expensive
- In the U.S., Bleach is English dubbed only (but Snoopy speaks 25 languages)
Price:
$2.99 an episode. (You don’t need an Apple TV+ subscription.)
Language: English dubbed
