‘Nostalgia is cool, but the old anime has a lot of big mistakes’: Tite Kubo’s Original Bleach Deserves a Remake for 1 Big Reason That Only Real Fans Know

SUMMARY

• Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War arc reignited the hype surrounding Bleach, and as great as the new anime is, the original one had its charm.
• The original Bleach anime was way ahead of its time, yet there are some aspects that need some fixing and a remake adaptation is the perfect way to do that.
• With the original anime, Studio Pierrot took some creative liberty and significantly changed the story from the manga.

The Big Three anime started on a sensational note and carried on with that energy throughout their run, and One Piece is still ongoing with the same zeal. Compared to Naruto and One Piece, Bleach had a different trajectory. The anime concluded momentarily before it could adapt the manga ending. 

A still from the Soul Society arc in the original Bleach anime | Credits: Studio Pierrot Co. Ltd.

However, the comeback of the anime with the Thousand-Year Blood War arc was glorious in every way possible. From spectacular animation to enhancing the storyline, the new anime has reignited the hype around the series. Tite Kubo’s active involvement has worked wonders for the new anime, and it was probably the same thing that weighed down the original anime. 

The original anime adaptation of Bleach is fondly remembered by fans for a multitude of reasons. However, there were some aspects of the original series that were handled atrociously by Studio Pierrot. The aspects that drag down the original Bleach make fans hope for a remake of the initial arcs of the manga.

The appeal of the original Bleach anime 

Aizen reveals his Zanpaku-to ability to Unohana | Credits: Studio Pierrot Co. Ltd.

Bleach anime started its run in 2004, almost 3 years after Tite Kubo‘s manga began its run in Weekly Shonen Jump. The original Bleach was a quintessential early 2000s anime with tall characters and a distinct and memorable art style. The animation was way ahead of its time, and some of the fight scenes were exceptional. However, the most striking aspect of the original anime was the soundtrack. 

The music was extremely good and brought out the best of Kubo’s storytelling which is the coolness factor. Shiro Sagisu created one of the best anime albums of all time with some amazing tracks including Clavar la Espada, Nothing Can Be Explained, Number One, and On the Precipice of Defeat. And, the opening theme by Orange Range, Asterisk as well. 

A still from Ikakku’s fight as he unleashes his Bankai | Credits: Studio Pierrot Co .Ltd.

While the soundtrack was easily the highlight of the original anime, the nostalgia factor also has a huge role to play in why fans still love Kubo’s celebrated series. To the point where they are almost blindsided about the serious flaws. One Reddit user pointed out some ways in which the original anime made some huge changes to the canon narrative of the manga. 

The changes mentioned in this Reddit comment led to the anime turning out to be a substantially different experience from the manga. And, this is the jarring flaw that makes the idea of a remake appealing to fans, setting aside the glasses tinted with nostalgia. 

One big flaw that makes Bleach remake a need for fans 

A still from the anime featuring Ichigo and Orihime at school | Credits: Studio Pierrot Co. Ltd.

From changing key plotlines about important characters like Masaki and Orihime to portraying Ichigo and Rukia in a romantic light, the original anime didn’t align with Kubo’s narrative at many points. In this way a lot of the filler content was blended in with canon storylines, making it difficult to differentiate between the two. 

As great as the original anime is, a remake adaptation can follow the manga more closely. With the One Piece remake in production, it would be a dream come true for many fans if Bleach goes down a similar path. 

Bleach anime is available to stream on Netflix, and the manga can be read on the MangaPlus app and website. 

Written by Laveena Joshi

Articles Published: 433

Laveena holds a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism with a keen interest in entertainment journalism. Known to defend Naruto with her life, her love for anime has turned into great appreciation for the Japanese Culture. Besides considering herself a veteran weeb, she's also a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur. Better if the perfect brew is paired with a random video essay from YouTube. Blending her love for anime with the know-hows of content writing, she is now an anime content writer at FandomWire.