Bleach is a popular anime series based on the manga of the same name. With a total of 366 episodes, it can be overwhelming for new viewers to know where to start and what to skip. This article will provide a guide on the correct watch order for the Bleach anime, including the main story arcs and filler episodes. By following this watch order, viewers can experience the complete story without getting sidetracked by additional storylines not present in the original manga. Additionally, this article will highlight the filler episodes that can be skipped if viewers wish to stick strictly to the manga storyline. Whether you’re a newcomer to Bleach or a long-time fan, this guide will help you navigate the series and ensure a seamless viewing experience.
Synopsis:
The series follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki, a high school student with the ability to see ghosts. When his family is attacked by a Hollow, a malevolent lost soul, Ichigo is granted the powers of a Soul Reaper by another Soul Reaper named Rukia Kuchiki. With his newfound abilities, Ichigo must protect the innocent and send lost souls to the afterlife, all while balancing his duties as a Soul Reaper with his responsibilities as a high school student.
As Ichigo continues his journey, he encounters a variety of powerful spirits and engages in intense battles with Hollows and other Soul Reapers. Along the way, he meets new allies, including Renji Abarai and Uryu Ishida, and forms close bonds.
The series explores themes of death, the afterlife, and the relationships between living and dead, as Ichigo navigates the world of the spirits and tries to protect those he loves. With fast-paced action and captivating characters, Bleach is a thrilling and emotionally charged journey through the supernatural world.
Bleach Watch Guide
Main Series:
Bleach (2004-2012)
- Season 1 – Episodes 1-20
- Season 2 – Episodes 21- 41
- Season 3 – Episodes 42-63
- Season 4 – Episodes 64-91
- Season 5 – Episodes 92-109
- Season 6 – Episodes 110-131
- Season 7 – Episodes 132-151
- Season 8 – Episodes 152-167
- Season 9 – Episodes 168-189
- Season 10 – Episodes 190-205
- Season 11 – Episodes 206-212
- Season 12 – Episodes 213-229
- Season 13 – Episodes 230-265
- Season 14 – Episodes 266-316
- Season 15 – Episodes 317-342
- Season 16 – Episodes 343-366
Bleach Thousand-Year Blood War (2022)
This is the new sequel of Bleach and covers the Thousand-Year Blood War arc of the manga.
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Separation (2023)
This is the second part of Bleach Thousand-Year Blood War.
Movies and OVAs
Bleach: The Sealed Sword Frenzy
This OVA episode follows our heroes as they fight against Baishin. You can watch this OVA after the first 2 seasons of Bleach.
Bleach Movie 1: Memories of Nobody
This movie can be watched after the 3rd season of Bleach, or you can also watch it along with the OVA.
Bleach Movie 2: The Diamond Dust Rebillion
This movie can also be watched after the 3rd season of Bleach.
Bleach Movie 3: Fade to Black
This movie can be watched after the 4th season of Bleach.
Bleach Movie 4: Hell Verse
This movie can be watched after the 9th season of Bleach.
Filler Episodes
Filler episodes are added to anime series for various reasons, including allowing the manga source material to get ahead of the anime adaptation, giving the anime studio more time to produce new episodes, and providing additional content for fans. In the case of Bleach, the anime adaptation was produced while the manga was still being serialized. To avoid catching up to the manga, the anime studio added filler episodes to the series. These filler episodes allowed the manga to continue its story without the pressure of needing to keep up with the anime adaptation.
The following are the filler episodes of Bleach and can be skipped. None of the events in these episodes took place in the manga.
33, 50, 64-109, 128-137, 147-149, 168-189, 204-205, 213-214, 228-229, 230-266, 287, 298-299, 303-305, 311-341, and 355.
Must-Have Bleach Merch
If you consider yourself a hardcore Bleach fan, check out the awesome anime merch available for the series on ZenPlus.
This site offers exclusive merch you often can’t buy anywhere else, as their site is mostly populated with Japan-exclusive sellers. If you do end up picking something up, let us know what you got in the comments below.
Where to Watch Bleach
Hulu
Hulu is an amazing streaming platform that will let you watch both seasons of Bleach in English and Japanese. Sadly, the movies are not available on this platform.
Price:
You can enjoy Hulu with ads for 7.99 USD per month. Alternatively, you can pay 14.99 per month to get rid of ads.
Disney Plus
Disney Plus recently acquired the rights to stream the older Bleach episodes and the new sequel. Just like Hulu, you can’t watch the movies for the show on Disney Plus.
Price:
You can get the basic version of Disney Plus for 6.99 USD per month. However, this subscription has ads. You can get rid of the ads by purchasing the 10.99 USD per month subscription.
Alternatively, you can also buy a Disney Plus subscription bundled together with a Hulu subscription for 9.99 USD per month.
Netflix
Netflix is one the most popular worldwide video streaming platform, and you can watch Bleach on here. However, the availability of Bleach is not too good on Netflix as the show is only accessible in a few regions. You can bypass this issue with the help of a VPN.
How to Watch Bleach on Netflix via VPN
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 the appropriate location location.
- Fire up the VPN and wait for it to do its magic
- Once you’re connected, navigate to Netflix (browser or app)
- Search “Bleach” 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 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.
Price:
You can enjoy Netflix with ads for 6.99 USD per month. The basic, standard and premium plans cost 9.99 USD, 15.49 USD and 19.99 USD respectively.
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime lets you watch all the episodes of Bleach in English and Japanese. And you can also watch the movies and OVAs. However, the only problem with this platform is that you will have to purchase each episode individually.
Price:
Each episode costs around 2.99 USD. You can also purchase a movie for around 6 USD. Amazon also lets you purchase entire seasons altogether.
Also interested in figuring out the correct watch order for One Piece? Click here to read our other article that details which episodes of One Piece can be skipped.
