when did bleach come out

Bleach Debuted in 2001.
The popular manga series Bleach , created by Tite Kubo, first hit the scene with its serialization launch. Its anime adaptation followed a few years later, captivating fans worldwide.

Manga Release

• Bleach manga began serialization in Weekly Shōnen Jump on August 7, 2001.

• The first tankōbon volume dropped on January 5, 2002 , kicking off 74 volumes total through November 4, 2016.

• A one-shot prototype appeared earlier in Akamaru Jump Winter 2001 , but the full series started in 2001.

Anime Premiere

The anime adaptation aired its first episode on October 5, 2004 , produced by Studio Pierrot, running until 2012 with 366 episodes.

It faithfully adapted the manga's early arcs while expanding on fights and character moments.

Quick Timeline

Format| Debut Date| Key Notes 35
---|---|---
Manga| Aug 7, 2001| Serialized 15 years; 698 chapters
Anime| Oct 5, 2004| 366 episodes + OVAs/movies
Volumes| Jan 5, 2002| 74 tankōbon collected

"Bleach was serialized... from August 7, 2001, to August 22, 2016."

Legacy & Recent Buzz

Bleach exploded in popularity during the 2000s "Big 3" era alongside Naruto and One Piece. A 2022 anime comeback, The Thousand-Year Blood War , revived the final arc—still ongoing as of 2026 with fresh episodes dropping.

Fans on forums like Reddit often reminisce: threads asking "when did Bleach start?" pop up, sparking debates on its peak Soul Society arc. No major new manga since the 2016 end, but novels like Can't Fear Your Own World (2020) and hints of more keep it trending.

TL;DR: Manga out Aug 2001, anime Oct 2004—timeless shonen action!

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.