There was a time when anime followers would look ahead to their weekends to see one other swing of a zanpakutō. Bleach, created by Tite Kubo, premiered in 2004 through the golden age of anime’s international breakout and have become a cultural gateway for a lot of. It helped outline what supernatural motion might appear like with its trendy character designs, sprawling mythos, and a soundtrack that would even make a soul repear pause and recognize it.
Bleach didn’t take lengthy to safe its spot among the many “Large Three” alongside Naruto and One Piece. At its peak, Bleach boasted over 120 million manga copies offered worldwide and an anime run that spanned 366 episodes, to not point out motion pictures, video games, and a fanbase that also indulges in debates prefer it’s a nationwide sport. It was so influential that its blueprint resonated over time as numerous anime collection drew from Bleach’s DNA and created tales that had been simply as charming.
This record spotlights 10 anime collection which are clearly influenced by Bleach.
‘Kyoukai no Rinne’ (2015)
Rinne Rokudo is a broke excessive schooler, however not an peculiar one. He’s truly half shinigami, tasked with guiding stressed spirits in the direction of reincarnation. His classmate, Sakura Mamiya, encountered the supernatural as a baby and developed the power to see ghosts. He will get pulled into Rinne’s each day grind of exorcisms, cursed objects, and bureaucratic afterlife nonsense.
Playful Work-Life Comedy
A slice-of-life comedy mixed with mild supernatural motion, Kyoukai no Rinne, or Rin-ne, has a whimsical tone, but it surely quietly builds a layered mythology across the Wheel of Reincarnation and the ethics of ghostly intervention, wrapping all of it up in Rumiko Takahashi’s signature deadpan humor and clear storytelling. The premise, as you’ll be able to inform already, echoes the early setting of Bleach, however as an alternative of being simply as intense, Rin-ne is absurd and humorous.
‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’ (2019)
In Demon Slayer, Tanjiro Kamado’s life is shattered when his household is brutally slaughtered by demons and solely his sister, Nezuko, survives, however even she transforms right into a demon herself. Pushed by grief, Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps, a secret group of sword-wielding warriors skilled in elemental Respiratory Kinds, to battle grotesque demons all throughout Taisho-era Japan and get his sister again.
Swordplay Meets Non secular Warfare
Demon Slayer is extensively acclaimed as one of the vital charming anime collection of current years, and its simple connection to the legacy of Bleach is obvious in its world-building, beautiful visuals, and the depth of its character-driven narrative. Each collection middle on younger protagonists utilizing evolving blade methods towards supernatural foes, and each construct elaborate methods round their preventing kinds. There’s Bankai in Bleach, and Respiratory Kinds in Demon Slayer.
‘Karakuri Circus’ (2018)
The protagonist of Karakuri Circus is Masaru Saiga, who inherits a large fortune after his father’s dying. However his newfound wealth makes him a goal for mysterious assassins. He’s rescued by Narumi Katō, a martial artist affected by Zonapha Syndrome, which is a situation that forces him to make folks snigger to outlive. Collectively, Masaru and Narumi uncover a centuries-old conspiracy involving immortal beings, alchemy, and puppets.
Soul Battles and Puppet Strings
Karakuri Circus blends horror, motion, and surrealism right into a narrative that spans generations. Although it predates Bleach’s anime debut, its 2018 adaptation arrived in a post-Bleach panorama, and the parallels between the 2 are hanging. Narumi’s inside battle and evolving fight abilities mirror Ichigo’s arc, whereas the mechanical puppet battles remind you of Bleach’s zanpakuto clashes. It’s not a direct descendant, however extra like a non secular cousin.
‘Kekkaishi’ (2006)
Yoshimori Sumimura is a teenage boy from a protracted line of “Kekkaishi,” who’re non secular warriors utilizing their barrier magic to lure and destroy demons generally known as Ayakashi. His household guards the sacred land of Karasumori, which principally attracts these creatures with its energy. At night time, Yoshimori battles these intruders along with his kekkai methods. His childhood pal and fellow Kekkaishi from a rival clan, Tokine Yukimura, fights alongside him.
When Character Dynamics Take Over
Kekkaishi options non secular battles, hidden realms, and ghostly intrusions. And all of those components had been current within the early arcs of Bleach. Each the primary characters are reluctant heroes with latent energy, and so they’re drawn into defending the residing from unseen threats. The clear animation and subdued palette, in addition to an inclination towards conventional Japanese folklore, is what units Kekkaishi aside.
‘Shaman King’ (2021)
A 2021 reboot of the unique 2001 anime collection, Shaman King follows Yoh Asakura, a laid-back teen with a heavy future as a shaman, who will not be solely in a position to talk with spirits but additionally channel their powers in battle. His aim is to win the Shaman Battle, a once-every-500-years event that determines who will develop into the Shaman King and reshape the world.
Conflict of Spirits and Souls
The affect of Bleach is simple in 2021’s Shaman King, which is praised as a extra trustworthy adaptation of Hiroyuki Takei’s manga. Its plot about spirit-channeling warriors is very like Bleach’s soul reapers and their zanpakuto. The 2021 model boasts sleeker animation and extra emphasis on energy methods and rivalries. Even followers have drawn comparisons between Yoh and Ichigo and between Hao and Bleach’s antagonists.
‘D.Grey-man’ (2006)
Set in an alternate Nineteenth-century Europe, D.Grey-man facilities on Allen Walker, a younger exorcist who possesses the power to wield a mysterious anti-Akuma weapon embedded in his arm. He joins the Black Order, a corporation preventing towards the Millennium Earl, who creates mechanical demons powered by human souls generally known as Akuma. As Allen and different exorcists battle the Akuma, they uncover the reality about sure relics and Allen’s connection to Earl.
Like a Gothic Prism of Bleach
D.Grey-man’s exorcist-versus-demon framework is precisely like Bleach’s soul reaper-versus-hollow dynamic, however this one has a darker, extra melancholic tone. Each the anime function organizations accountable for sustaining non secular steadiness, and each protagonists carry burdens tied to their powers and posts. Whereas Katsura Hoshino cited The Exorcist as a key affect, followers have seen similarities in characters and themes.
‘Seraph of the Finish’ (2015)
After a virus wipes out most of humanity, excluding youngsters underneath age 13, vampires emerge from the shadows to enslave the remaining survivors. Yuichiro Hyakuya, one of many few who escapes their clutches, joins the Moon Demon Firm, a army unit created to exterminate vampires by utilizing gear powered by demons. Haunted by the lack of his household, Yuichiro’s arc unfolds in a world of supernatural warfare and twisted alliances.
City and Apocalyptic
Seraph of the Finish doesn’t put on Bleach’s elemental affect on its sleeve, however the similarities are exhausting to overlook. Each middle on decided warriors utilizing customized weapons infused with non secular vitality, and each discover the stress between responsibility and emotion in a world the place souls are traded. The anime’s gothic aesthetic, dramatic character arcs, and Hiroyuki Sawano’s thunderous OST give it a cinematic really feel, and it’s a enjoyable watch.
‘Blue Exorcist’ (2011)
In Blue Exorcist, an peculiar, considerably troublesome teenager finds out that he’s the son of Devil, born with demonic powers that threaten to eat him, and his life adjustments eternally. After witnessing the dying of his adoptive father by the hands of demons, Rin vows to develop into an exorcist and defeat his true father. He enrolls at True Cross Academy, hides his lineage, trains alongside others, and struggles to reconcile his human coronary heart and demon tendencies.
Blends Occult Themes with Emotional Ones
Blue Exorcist’s deep ties to Bleach might be seen in the best way it seamlessly blends supernatural components, action-packed fight, high-school hijinks, and exploration of familial relationships. Rin’s katana, Kurikara, acts as a seal and weapon, very like Ichigo’s zanpakuto, and his fierce powers are the identical because the visible depth of Bleach’s Bankai transformations. The primary season is especially sharp and dramatic, which makes it creator Kazue Kato’s seminal work.
‘Noragami’ (2014)
Noragami’s Yato is a minor god with large ambitions. He needs to construct a shrine and achieve followers, however for now, he’s caught with doing odd jobs for 5 yen. After saving a woman named Hiyori from a site visitors accident, he finds himself inserted in her life as she begins slipping between the human world and the spirit realm. Yato then begins battling corrupted spirits generally known as Phantoms and confronts his violent previous.
Lighter and Extra Whimsical Than Bleach
The way in which this anime takes supernatural intrigue and genuinely likeable characters and sends them on a quest to raise their standing among the many pantheon of gods, people, and the lifeless, mirrors the central themes of energy, responsibility, and self-discovery that make Bleach so iconic. The anime’s city aesthetic, fluid battle choreography, and emotionally grounded storytelling give it a contemporary edge that followers of Bleach’s early seasons will recognize.
‘Jujutsu Kaisen’ (2020)
Lastly, an anime we’re all acquainted and obsessive about. Jujutsu Kaisen follows Yuji Itadori, a excessive schooler with extraordinary bodily talents and a coronary heart too large for his personal good. After ingesting one of many fingers of the legendary Sukuna, he turns into a number to the King of Curses. To forestall himself from dying, he joins Tokyo Jujutsu Excessive, the place sorcerers battle cursed spirits, and trains underneath the enigmatic and goofy Satoru Gojo.
The Legacy of Bleach Redefined
Jujutsu Kaisen is without doubt one of the few anime the place Bleach’s affect is overtly acknowledged. Creator Gege Akutami has cited Tite Kobo’s work as a serious inspiration a number of instances. From the cursed methods to the layered world-building of the jujutsu society, the similarities are deliberate however developed. The anime’s explosive recognition, fueled by MAPPA’s dynamic animation, has made it a world hit, and now followers are counting days till the brand new season drops in January 2026.
Bleach
- Launch Date
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2004 – 2023-00-00
- Community
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TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC, BS TV Tokyo
- Showrunner
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Tite Kubo
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Masakazu Morita
Ichigo Kurosaki (voice)
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Fumiko Orikasa
Rukia Kuchiki
