As part of the legendary Big 3 Shounen alongside Naruto and One Piece, BLEACH packs all the high-energy battles and heart-pounding drama you expect.
What you need to know is that the three of them are famous because they have lots of episodes.
How you choose to watch BLEACH depends purely on how much filler you can stomach. Some of the filler spans entire arcs and in no way affects the main plot of the story.
So, if you’re in a crunch, they can be skipped. In a similar vein, the films are non-canon, but they have pretty decent storylines that complement the anime, even though there might be some continuity errors.
1. BLEACH (2004-2012)
| Title | BLEACH |
| Episodes | 366 |
| Aired | 2004-2012 |
Bleach series kicked off in the mid-2000s, and back then, it was running weekly like a soap opera. It followed the trend of other shounen anime of its time, like One Piece and Naruto, which aired hundreds of episodes without any seasonal breaks.
The following is the list of story arc with manga chapter numbers and anime episodes:
| Arc | Manga Chapter | Anime Episode |
| Agent of the Shinigami | 1-70 | 1-21 |
| Soul Society: The Sneak Entry | 71-117 | 21-41 |
| Soul Society: The Rescue | 118-183 | 42-63 |
| The Bount | Filler | 64-91 |
| Bount Assault on Soul Society | Filler | 92-109 |
| Arrancar: The Arrival | 184-229 | 110-131 |
| Arrancar: The Hueco Mundo Sneak Entry | 230-251 | 132-151 |
| Arrancar: The Fierce Fight | 252-286 | 152-167 |
| The New Captain Shūsuke Amagai | Filler | 168-189 |
| Arrancar vs. Shinigami | 287-302 | 190-205 |
| The Past | 303-315 | 206-212 |
| Arrancar: Decisive Battle of Karakura | 316-340 | 213-229 |
| Zanpakutō Unknown Tales | Filler | 230-265 |
| Arrancar: Downfall Arc | 341-423 | 266-317 |
| Gotei 13 Invading Army | Filler | 317-342 |
| The Lost Substitute Shinigami | 424-479 | 343-366 |
2. BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Arc (2022)
| Title | BLEACH: Sennen Kessen-hen |
| Episodes | 13 |
| Aired | Fall 2022 |
Bleach anime series came to a halt in 2012 because it was waiting for the continuation of the manga, which was entering its final arc. Tite Kubo’s health was also a concern at the time, leading to frequent manga hiatuses.
Finally, this shounen anime returned to adapt the concluding story. It was produced with modern-day anime visuals and broadcasting standards.
3. BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Separation (2023)
| Title | BLEACH: Sennen Kessen-hen – Ketsubetsu-tan |
| Episodes | 13 |
| Aired | Summer 2023 |
Picking up where it left off, the story now focuses on the invasion of the Sternritter into the Soul Society in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc.
4. BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict (2024)
| Title | BLEACH: Sennen Kessen-hen – Soukoku-tan |
| Episodes | 13 |
| Aired | Fall 2024 |
The third part of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War.
Whether you’re here for the epic showdowns, the endless drip of Ichigo’s black cloak, or just trying to survive the filler arc marathon, BLEACH offers something for every Shounen fan.
Since its manga debut in 2001 and the anime adaptation in 2004, this series by mangaka Tite Kubo has been one of the most recognizable titles in the world of manga and anime.
So grab your Zanpakuto, brace yourself for some serious power-ups, and remember—if you’re ever lost in a filler episode, just skip to the next battle. Trust me, your soul will thank you.
