When the Bleach anime came to an end in 2012, it did so before artist and author Tite Kubo’s manga of the same name had concluded. There was a whole arc left out of the original Bleach anime—the “Thousand-Year Blood War” arc, to be specific. A decade later, in 2022, Studio Pierrot and Viz Media finally brought a sequel anime series, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, to the small screen to complete Bleach‘s story. Now, the final season of Thousand-Year Blood War (subtitled “The Calamity”) will air in July, and Viz just dropped the action-packed official trailer to celebrate.
Bleach follows Ichigo Kurosaki, a teenager who becomes a Soul Reaper—a person who defends other humans from “Hollows,” a type of evil spirit. The “Thousand-Year Blood War” arc is polarizing among fans of the series; some consider it to be one of the manga’s best arcs, while others consider it to be one of the worst. The anime adaptation, however, has been generally well-received, though some of that can probably be attributed to die-hard fans who are just stoked to see Bleach back on their TV screens. And really, who could blame them?
The new trailer is packed from start to finish with exciting new fight scenes, including a quick glimpse at what looks to be the final battle between Ichigo and Yhwach, the Quincy King and leader of the Wandenreich. Yoruichi, Uryū, and Kisuke also get some standout moments. Tite Kubo has said that the final part of the anime will contain new material that didn’t appear in the manga, so there are still some surprises in store.
Fans can also get a sneak peek at the first three episodes of the final season during special theatrical screenings that will be announced soon. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War season four airs in July on Hulu/Disney+.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
