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Bleach Watch Order [Where To Watch]

Kumari Kriti RajKumari-Posted Dec 11, 2022


Bleach Watch Order [Where To Watch]

 

Bleach, an adventure, action, fantasy, and supernatural anime, is one of the top-ranking and loved anime of all time.

 

With 17 seasons, 3 OVAs, and 4 movies, it has released 366 episodes. The story follows the adventures of the protagonist named Ichigo Kurosaki and the way he gets the powers of a Soul Reaper (death's personification) from another Soul Reaper named Rukia Kuchiki.

 

By getting new powers, he has the responsibility of defending the life of humans from evil and at the same time guiding the departed souls to their afterlife world.

 

With the iconic scene in almost every season, the anime got an appreciation for its design, characters, emotions, actions, animation, and plot.

 

However, it has also met with a downfall in a few seasons, including Bleach: The Lost Agent, because of the weak story and ending.

 

With much content and release, it's easy to be puzzled at times when it comes to what to watch and how to start.

 

So, without further surmise, this is the place where one can get all the answers.

 

So, let's dive into the watch order of Bleach.

 

 

Bleach Chronological Watch Order

 

A chronological watch order of any anime is the order of events and context where the story falls in a linear category; whereas release order has a circular plot that may not follow the events and the story may have hindrances.

 

Coming to Bleach then it is one of the typical anime where the watch order is different from the release that starts with 13 Court Guard Squads Omake.

 

The first one that comes is the first release, Bleach: Agent of the Soul Reaper Saga which started the adventure, followed by Memories In The Rain, an OVA.

 

Serial Number

Title

Format (Series/Movie/OVA)

Release Date

1

Bleach: Agent of the Soul Reaper Saga

Series

5 October 2004

2

Memories In The Rain

OVA

18 December 2004

3

13 Court Guard Squads Omake

OVA

12 June 2005

4

Bleach: The Entry

Series

1 March 2005

5

Bleach: The Rescue

Series

26 July 2005

6

The Sealed Sword Frenzy

OVA

23 March 2006

7

Bleach: The Bount

Series

17 January 2006

8

Bleach: The Assault

Series

8 August 2006

9

Bleach the Movie: Memories of Nobody 

Movie

16 December 2006

10

Arrancar: The Arrival arc

Series

10 January 2007

11

Arrancar: The Hueco Mundo Sneak Entry arc

Series

4 July 2007

12

Bleach the Movie 2: The DiamondDust Rebellion

Movie

22 December 2007

13

Bleach the Movie 3: Fade to Black

Movie

16 December 2008

14

Arrancar: The Fierce Fight arc

Series

12 December 2007

15

Bleach: The New Captain Shūsuke Amagai

Series

23 April 2008

16

The Arrancar Part 4: Arrancar vs Soul Reaper

Series

14 October 2008

17

Bleach: Turn Back The Pendulum

Series

10 February 2009

18

The Arrancar Part 5: Battle in Karakura

Series

31 March 2009

19

Zanpakutō: The Alternate Tale

Series

28 July 2009

20.

The Arrancar Part 6: Fall of the Espada

Series

13 April 2010

21

Bleach the Movie 4: Hell Verse

Movie

4 December 2010

22

Bleach: Gotei 13 Invading Army

Series

12 April 2011

23

Bleach: The Lost Agent

Series

11 October 2011

24

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War

Series

11 October 2022

 

Where to watch: Hulu & VRV

The best place to stream Bleach is Hulu and VRV in the United States.

 

 

Bleach Watch Order Based On Release Date

 

Started on 5 October 2004, the series became a hit and has released back-to-back renewals.

 

The first to be released is season one of the series called Bleach: Agent of the Soul Reaper Saga with 20 episodes.

 

However, it differs for the English audience as the official airing started almost 2 years later, on 9 September 2006.

 

So, without further delay let’s take a look at the release order of Bleach.

 

1. Bleach: Agent of the Soul Reaper Saga

As the first-season Agent of the Soul Reaper Saga has delivered the story with balanced structures and designs.

 

Starting with the Adventure of protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki, a 15-year-old high school student, and the way he pursues becoming a Soul Reaper, it also covers the story of Rukia Kuchiki.

 

With 20 episodes ending on 22 February 2005, the story ended with Ichigo completing his third stage of training.

 

The series is the best in all the series for its action and supernatural effect that was seen with almost every character.

 

With the amazing concept, the audience has found it warm to heart and rated it 7.89 out of 10 (MyAnimeList).

 

2. Memories In The Rain

Memories in the Rain is more of a revenge-based, past-related story, OVA than the actual continuation of the story.

 

It started with Ichigo's discovery of his mother's killer who is one of the Hollows he has been looking for.

 

Ichigo started a battle against him, pridefully, with a flashback of episodes shown in previous seasons of Bleach.

 

It ends with a short play with Zanpakutos and Shinigami as Number One. This OVA is one of the most recommendable parts of the Bleach franchise as it is an amalgamation of action, past, revenge, development, and nice background with defined animation.

 

3. Bleach: The Entry

Containing 21 episodes, the story follows the 9th volume of the manga series till the 14th.

 

After a successful predecessor series, the responsibility of the franchise has increased, thus deciding to focus more on other characters along with the protagonist.

 

In a nutshell, the story centers on the journey of Ichigo as well as the journey of his friend to the Soul Society.

 

This journey is to save Rukia, a Soul Reaper, from impending execution. The series started with a mood of action but also blended some comedy.

 

By the time, in the end, the plot shifts more from the main characters, Ichigo and his friends, to the supporting characters, the Captains, which have got appreciation to bring new flavors to the series.

 

4. 13 Court Guard Squads Omake

13 Court Guard Squads Omake, the second OVA, is basically a showcase of Gotei 13 as well as all the lieutenants.

 

It is nothing but a trailer for the coming arc called Soul Society. Carrying the special 3-minute-long animation has an incredible ability to put someone in the bucket of nostalgia.

 

The one-liners placed in the dialogue are nothing but an attractive feature that made the story to the point and relevant.

 

But when it comes to the art then it seems to be a little odd in comparison to the previous OVA.

 

There is not any great development in the characters as the story was more of lieutenants and captains coming on the screen with flashes.

 

5. Bleach: The Rescue

Started on 26 July 2005, the series ended on 10 January 2006 with 22 episodes and marking a total of 63 in the franchise.

 

Like its predecessor, the center is on Ichigo and his friends and the way they save Rukia from her execution by superiors existing in the Soul Society.

 

The continuation of the plot and carrying the same story without any conclusion have become the weakest part of the series.

 

It can be seen through Ichigo and his friend's effort to save Rukia who was already there in The Entry part of Bleach.

 

Whether it is related to the main character existing in the Soul Society or dealing with the same story threads that were introduced in the first part, everything has become an alliteration that worked against the fame of the series.

 

6. Bleach: The Bount

Just like this subtitle, it focuses on the story and the introduction of a race of humans that has consumed the souls of humans to reach immortality, called Bount.

 

This human race continues in the series with their conflict with the protagonist Ichigo and his Comrades.

 

Starting with an episode called New School Term, Renji Has Come To The Material World, it ended with Shinigami and Quincy, The Reviving Power.

 

By introducing a new story and plot in the series, Bleach has not left any fun to watch.

 

The comedy with action has worked almost every time and did a great job of balancing seriousness with humor.

 

7. The Sealed Sword Frenzy

The story is related to a Shinigami called Baishin who once was captivated by Soul Society and has now got released on Earth, leading to destruction in peace.

 

Ichigo somehow encounters Baishin where half of his reiatsu, a spiritual power, got drained. Now everything is on Ichigo and Soul Society to get Baishin and stop him from doing all anarchy.

 

The OVA moved way too fast than the expectation of the previous two. Animators have spent too much time on the final battle of villains which appeared to be watered down.

 

The plot is also not developed like the characters, however, the story was somewhere appreciable because of the balance in action and the leads.

 

8. Bleach: The Assault

Just like in previous seasons of Bleach, it has original stories as well as filler one under 18 episodes, making the franchise complete 109 episodes.

 

The series started with Bounts in power (defeating Soul Reapers) and Ichigo with his friends entering Soul Society.

 

It ends with Ichigo's appreciation towards Rukia for giving her power to him, leading to a change in his life.

 

It also shows Ichigo and his friends entering the real world while a mysterious person appears in Karakura Town.

 

While lacking actions and comedy at times, the series also shows a slow pace in development.

 

However, the story is well-developed with a mysterious ending. It has long-reaching themes that build an entertaining surrounding around Ichigo and the team.

 

9. Bleach the Movie: Memories of Nobody

Being the first movie in the franchise Bleach: Memories of Nobody has almost everything that is expected in a movie.

 

However, the opening sequence was greatly criticized for some of the excessively confusing scenes. With a bit of a predictable story, it starts with Karakura Town where unidentified spirits started appearing in masses.

 

To shun these evils or strange souls, Rukia and Ichigo met a mysterious shinigami named Senna who helped in wiping most of the souls.

 

When Senna decided not to answer Ichigo's questions, Ichigo was forced to go with her; meanwhile, Rukia was busy finding her own way.

 

10. Arrancar: The Arrival arc

Adapted from the manga series' 21st volume to 26th, it has released 22 episodes. Started on 10 January 2007, and season 6 ended on 27 June 2007.

 

The story focuses on the burgeoning war between Soul Reapers and the Arrancar.

 

Coming to Arrancar then it was led by an ex-Soul Reaper captain named Sōsuke Aizen.

 

Giving more importance to the rest of the characters rather than giving it to the protagonist, the series is well known for its incredible characterization.

 

After dealing with repetition in the story, the franchise has finally come up with boldness in the story and characters through action.

 

It can be seen through characters like Rangiku, Shōta, Hirako, and more.

 

11. Arrancar: The Hueco Mundo Sneak Entry arc

With a continuation in the story of season 6, Arrancar: The Hueco Mundo Sneak Entry arc deals with the journey of Ichigo in his way to help Inoue.

 

His journey towards Hueco Mundo started when the Arrancar kidnapped Orihime Inoue under the orders of an ex-Soul Reaper named Sōsuke Aizen.

 

With clear dialogue and good music, the series has also got an appreciation for its design and animation.

 

However, following the story of its predecessor season has definitely made it slow at times.

 

It can be seen through Ichigo going against former captain Aizen again with his friends.

 

12. Arrancar: The Fierce Fight arc

Arrancar: The Fierce Fight arc is an adaptation of the 29th volume Manga series to the 32nd volume.

 

Season 8 of Bleach covers 16 episodes which started with Ichigo continuing his fight against Del Socacchio in which he easily gets overpowered by his opponent.

 

However, the ending goes in his favor where the strongest attack of Grimmjow has not affected him but helped him deal with a final blow.

 

It ends with Ichigo preparing to get Orihime away from Noches. The series started very loosely with the same demerit of showing alliteration in the story.

 

However, the last 4 episodes become masterpieces in terms of development, design, story, structures, and plot.

 

It can be seen through the combat between Grimmjow and Ichigo which led him to take away Orihime and complete his mission.

 

13. Bleach the Movie 2: The DiamondDust Rebellion

Not getting rated as one of the best anime movies, Bleach the Movie 2 does have fair bloody violence and great battle scenes present in the movie.

 

With action and thriller, it goes with the story of Ichigo proving the innocence of Hitsugaya.

 

When the treasure Ouin was stolen, all the blame went to Toshiro Hitsugaya because of his sudden disappearance.

 

To solve things and get the treasure back, Soul Society commanded Hitsugaya's capture as well as execution.

 

To put things in the right place, Soul Reaper Ichigo takes the responsibility of proving his innocence and getting his treasure back.

 

Even after getting appreciation for the characters and theme, it does not match the level of the first movie.

 

14. Bleach: The New Captain Shūsuke Amagai

Focusing more on the story of the Kasumiōji Clan, a family constituting the Soul Society's nobility, season 9 is also about Shūsuke Amagai, the captain of Soul Reaper.

 

Starting with the celebration of Amagai's captaincy, it ended well with his self immolate and Lurichiyo taking the position as the head of the Kasumiōji clan.

 

Coming to protagonist Ichigo then he got the lead by defeating Amagai. The story was captivating throughout the full episodes with the correct amount of development in characters as well as the story.

 

The thrill was also maintained till the end which ended with the defeat of Amagai.

 

15. The Arrancar Part 4: Arrancar vs Soul Reaper

With a great action sequence, the series started with the protagonist and his team, that is Ichigo and his friends, battling against Espada.

 

Espada is considered to be the Army of an ex-Soul Reaper named Sōsuke Aizen.

 

With the motive of getting back Orihime Inoue, Ichigo with his team deal with many complications.

 

Some episodes of the series are also focusing on the soccer match developed by the reapers of the Kasumiōji Clan (season 9) Season 10 has got an appreciation for getting away from the main story.

 

Quickly getting on the point and telling a well-developed story has also led to great designs; however, some episodes appear as if it was dragged down intentionally.

 

16. Bleach the Movie 3: Fade to Black

Directed by Noriyuki Abe, the story was written by Natsuko and Masahiro Ōkubo. The story is about Ichigo once again entering the Soul Society but instead of saving Orihime, he was on a mission to save Rukia.

 

Rukia was kidnapped by two spirits, who have a history with her, who erased the memories of hers, including Gotei 13.

 

Due to the erasing of Rukia's memory, the task of getting her back has almost become impossible for Ichigo.

 

It can be seen through Rukia's vision of considering Ichigo as a threat. With a great storyline, the movie reminded of some past moments.

 

It can be seen that Ichigo enters Soul Society. However, the same thing worked the opposite as it carries similar elements of previous movies, making it an alliterative one.

 

17. Bleach: Turn Back The Pendulum

Also known as The Post Arc, Turn Back the Pendulum is exactly like its title as it gives the flashback of many arc series done in the franchise.

 

It tells the story of Vizard, once again. The story opens a hundred and ten years back from the time when the series started.

 

Despite having a long-standing effect, the series had brief events with just 7 episodes. All the events of the future came to a halt to explain or reveal the secrets of the past.

 

The series has not just become serious at the time but it also became a comic release in some sections.

 

However, it becomes tedious at times because of its too much time investing in actions or engaging characters to fight.

 

18. The Arrancar Part 5: Battle in Karakura

Started on 31st March 2009, and the series ended on 21 July 2009 with 17 episodes.

 

The story of season 10 continues with the fight between Soul Reapers and the Army of Arrancars, led by Sōsuke Aizen.

 

Soul Reapers, including Ichigo, are defending Karakura Town while arrancars are planning to get the town and use them to bring anarchy to Soul Society.

 

With a very defined story, every episode becomes enjoyable without extending any flashbacks or recaps like the previous season.

 

It has maintained its action in balance, including fillers that maintained the taste of the story.

 

19. Zanpakutō: The Alternate Tale

Zanpakutō: The Alternate Tale arc focuses on alternative sets of events. It deals with the swords of the Soul Reaper named Zanpakutō that gain human forms.

 

It leads to a war going against wielders which was led by Muramasa, a mysterious man as well as a former Zanpakutō.

 

It has 36 episodes, marking 265 episodes in the franchise. The series has almost a year run, starting on 28 July 2009 and ending on 6 April 2010.

 

Consider the best of all seasons, it has maintained thrill and action till the end.

 

However, the storyline resumes once again with war. The stand-alone episodes, including fillers, were self-contained and sweet but there is no narrative or character development.

 

20. The Arrancar Part 6: Fall of the Espada

Through season 14, the director Noriyuke Abe has once again shown dynamic sword sides as well as emotional scenes with a bit of comedy.

 

A development in characters was definitely there but the complexity also arose at times. It recaps the story of the war that goes on between captains of Soul Reaper.

 

Started with the final battle of Ulquiorra and Ichigo as both of them appeared to be evenly matched.

 

Coming to the ending, episode 51, carried a happy ending where the fight ends and Yosuke lives happily.

 

21. Bleach the Movie 4: Hell Verse

Movie 4 brings the concept of hell, a place of violent criminals where shinigami are forbidden to go.

 

The prisoners started their revolt and made their way to Karakura where Ichigo and his friends were living a peaceful life.

 

After getting defeated by the prisoners, Ichigo and his friends with a mysterious man try to save the world and fight the evils.

 

With cool fights and an interesting plot, fans and critics found one of the most amazing movies present in the franchise.

 

But at the same time, a typical repetition was seen once again with previous themes and settings.

 

Repetitions like kidnapping, then rescuing, and saving the world from evil has become an attractive as well as a weak point for the anime.

 

22. Bleach: Gotei 13 Invading Army

Carrying a unique plot in season 15 the series got appreciated for its storyline as well as designs.

 

It follows the journey of Ichigo and his friends who has started investigating a strange event that happened in the town.

 

A lot of Soul Reapers started disappearing from Soul Society without a piece of single evidence.

 

Instead of appearing as a normal act, the disappearance of so many was nothing less than a conspiracy.

 

As the series progresses, Ichigo deals with things but at the same time loses his power after defeating his enemy, Sōsuke Aizen.

 

Not just the unique plotline but also the unique structure followed in the series and was well appreciated.

 

The continuation of balanced actions was also seen with some enriching events.

 

23. Bleach: The Lost Agent

The series started on 11 October 2011, it ended on 27 March 2012. It has 24 episodes, marking 366 episodes in total for the series.

 

The story started 17 months after the defeat of Aizen at the hands of protagonist Ichigo.

 

Coming to the main plot then it was shown in season 15 that Ichigo has lost his Soul-reaper powers which continues in this season too.

 

He meets a man named Kūgo Ginjō who claims to recover his powers. By getting the power back, he returns to the Soul Society as well as to Karakura town.

 

The progress in the story of the series became approaching, however, the last few episodes were a bit rushed where final battles were happening in the background.

 

24. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War

Tomohisa Taguchi's directorial Thousand-Year Blood War is full of action and adventure. With the gap of almost 10 years, the comeback of Bleach has become worth it with a huge development in almost every aspect of the series.

 

It covers the story of a time when peace was turned into anarchy and destruction as warning sirens started going through the Soul Society.

 

All the people started disappearing with no evidence meanwhile, Ichigo is surrounded by darkness. After a 10-year gap in the continuation, the starting 3 episodes have built the vibes and story of the series, however, the latter one carried the action pretty well.

 

The bonding between the characters was also seen through events. Apart from these, it is also appreciated for its dialogue and sword fight.

 

 

Top Rated Episodes of Bleach

 

With more than 350 episodes and 17 seasons, many episodes were appreciated and got recognition as top-rated and loved ones.

 

Whether it is related to plot, design, structure, action, fights, story, pictures, or characters, some episodes reached the peak with all amalgamation.

 

From funny to battle driven, these episodes were nothing less than a treat to viewers.

 

So here are the top 5 rated episodes of Bleach that will make your jaw drop!

 

1. An Accomplished Oath! Get Back Rukia! (Bleach: The Rescue; Ep 13)

This episode is full of entertainment as the things related to the life of Rukia, one of the main characters is in danger.

 

Started with the execution process of Rukia, and it ended well with her safe. Soukyoku is the one through which Rukia's execution would be done but it got destroyed by Ichigo.

 

Renji also arrives on the scene and takes Rukia while Ichigo defeats three lieutenants. The reason behind its 4.9 rating is the twist in the plot and the way the animation got delivered.

 

Characters like Ichigo and Renji were also seen in the development.

 

2. Goodbye...Rangiku (The Arrancar Part 6: Fall of the Espada; Ep 43)

One of the top-rated episodes with 4.9 ratings is Goodbye... Rangiku. The episode is again known for the fight that happened between Ichigo and Aizen.

 

It starts with Ichigo with his unconscious father over his shoulder and ends with him being effortlessly strong in front of Aizen.

 

Nothing new about the battle between Ichigo and Aizen but the episode is known for the way Ichigo handled the clash by stopping the blade with his bare hand.

 

3. Hitsugaya, Enraged! Blade of Hatred! (The Arrancar Part 6: Fall of the Espada; Ep 28)

Hitsugaya, Enraged! Blade of Hatred! started with the defeat of Love, Rose, Lisa, and Komamura at the hands of Aizen.

 

However, Soi, Hirako, and Kyourako managed to confuse Aizen and gave a final blow. Ichigo comes into the scene and reveals how everybody except him is under the illusion as Aizen who is disguised as Momo, while Momo got the blow.

 

As a result of this, Hitsugaya charges Aizen but his limbs get cut, followed by Soi, Hirako, and Kyouraku.

 

4. Rescue Hirako! Aizen vs. Urahara (Season 11: Turn Back The Pendulum; Ep 07)

With an amazing rating of 4.8/5, the episode is remarkable for the way the characters and animation were presented.

 

It can be seen through Urahara, Tessai, and Aizen. Urahara and Tessai get arrested and brought to Central Room Forty-Six where the false accusation of Aizen's act came on them.

 

However, Yoruichi saves them with 8 Soul Reapers. It ends with the present day where Hirako appreciated Urahara and Aizen.

 

5. Fierce Fighting Conclusion! Release, the Final Getsuga Tensho! (The Arrancar Part 6: Fall of the Espada; Ep 44)

The episode started with Ichigo wounding Aizen but Aizen renders the left arm of Ichigo.

 

It also covers a flashback where Ichigo realizes the only way of defeating Tensa Zangetsu is to get pierced by him.

 

Meanwhile, Aizen also plans to finish Ichigo, but Hougyoku steps into the scene. The episode is one of the peaks of season 14 where action with cliffhangers was seen through Ichigo and Aizen, resulting in 4.8 ratings out of 5!

 

 

FAQs:

 

1. Is Bleach anime completed?

At first, it appeared to be completed with 366 episodes on 27 March 2012, however, the franchise decided to go with another run after 10 years.

 

The series started again on 11 October 2022, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, with the first episode as The Blood Warfare.

 

2. Does Netflix have Bleach 2022?

Yes, Netflix does have Bleach, however, it is limited to just 3 seasons or 60 episodes.

 

And if one wants to watch Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War then Netflix is the most recommendable one.

 

3. Is Bleach a popular anime?

Bleach indeed is one of the popular anime available for viewers. With 1.8 million DVDs sold and ranking top position on almost every anime platform, Bleach has also ruled the hearts of the audience and that’s why it made its return in 2022, after 10 years.

 

4. Why is Bleach not on Crunchyroll?

The core reason why Bleach is not available on Crunchyroll is that this streaming platform has lost the rights to air it.

 

That's the reason why fans have shown their dismay through social media platforms. However, if one wants to watch then Hulu has got all the rights.

 

5. Why did it get canceled?

Due to low ratings and continuous downfall in viewers, makers had no choice left but to end the anime.

 

And that's the reason why it got a premature ending in Bleach: The Lost Agent which ended in 2012.

 

However, with a great storyline and structure, makers have come again with a new season called Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War on 11 October 2022.

 

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