„I Think My Involvement, My Input Will Contribute.” Tite Kubo Explains His Involvement in Bleach Thousand-Year Blood War Anime Production Process
In an interview, Tite Kubo discussed his role in the production of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. He also expressed his desire to ensure that viewers will see more battles in the anime than what was originally depicted in the manga.
Bleach is a manga likely familiar to all fans of the "Big Three" (Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece). Many of us grew up watching Ichigo and his friends battle Hollows and other enemies. In 2022, the final arc of the manga was finally adapted into an anime with Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. The series is now in its third season, with one more season still to come.
What Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is about
WARNING: Below you’ll find some minor spoilers form Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War manga and anime.
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is the final arc of the series, focusing on the epic conflict between the Soul Society and the Quincy—a powerful group that nearly annihilates the Soul Society. The Shinigami are in grave danger, leading to intense battles filled with power-ups and new Bankai forms for several characters.
The anime, available on Disney Plus, is based on the manga by Tite Kubo. The original Bleach anime premiered on TV Tokyo in October 2004, and nearly 18 years later, it returned with a fresh, modern animation style that fans have widely praised for its updated look.
Added content
In an interview, creator of Bleach (via VIZ), shared some insights about the adaptation of his work. As we know, during adaptations, certain content is often cut or, in some cases, added. In the interview, Kubo mentioned specific scenes and moments he hopes will be added to the anime to make it even more engaging for fans, enhancing the story beyond the original manga:
I had decided in my head to end the manga in 15 years, and with so many characters appearing in that last arc, there were many battles scenes that never made it to the manga. So I hope to help insert those scenes back in as much as possible.
It’s really good to see that a creator of a given franchise is actively working on upgrading his work. Especially with shonen anime, you can never have too many well-animated battles against powerful foes. You can watch the fragment of the interview below.
Later in the interview, Kubo was asked about his level of involvement in the animation production process. To this, the mangaka responded with the following:
I think it’s safe to say that I’m involved in every step of the process. Let’s see… Usually, I’m not one for sticking my nose too far into other adaptations. It kind of feels like I’m taking jobs away from their side. But this time around, I think my involvement, my input will contribute to the fans’ enjoyment, so I’m helping out wherever possible.
Kubo’s hands-on approach isn’t as common as it could be. Many manga creators don’t have this level of influence over the anime adaptations of their work. So it’s really good to hear that some legends of the industry still have something to say when it comes to such important matter as animation.
As a reminder, the third season of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is currently airing, and fans are excited to see how the battles will unfold on screen. With Tite Kubo’s involvement, we can be confident that the upcoming episodes will deliver some great entertainment in the weeks ahead.
