“I think I would”: Tite Kubo is Open to Bleach Remake Under 1 Condition After Original Run Fell Off from a Cliff
Who wouldn’t like a Bleach remake? It would have been impossible to even hope for a Bleach remake, had it not been for the creator, Tite Kubo, kindling hope in the minds of the fans. Kubo himself said that he favors a remake of the franchise’s popular anime adaptation by Studio Pierrot.
Bleach is widely popular and categorized as the “Big Three” of the anime industry. The Shonen Big Three – Bleach, Naruto, and One Piece – lived up to their titles during their prime days. Readers and anime fans firmly rooted all three of them in their hearts thanks to their widespread appeal, ongoing narratives, and regular appearances on the cover of Shonen Jump.
Tite Kubo Wants a Faithful Anime Remake of Bleach
Reikorun translated hundreds of responses from Kubo’s Klub Outside Q&A forum via Tumblr, where the author repeatedly expressed his interest in a Bleach remake. When asked if there is a possibility that the Bleach anime will be released to the world in the form of a full remake, given that with current technology, it would be possible to depict the world-building more beautifully, Tite Kubo said:
There are no such plans, but I’d like to make that happen.
Additionally, when asked, “If it were to come true, would you ever wish for a Bleach anime adaptation, which faithfully follows the original work, to be broadcast by way of a remake?” Kubo replied: “I think I would.”
Kubo did not get involved in the early parts of Bleach, as highlighted in another question from 2021:
Regarding the animation production, you mentioned that it would make your stomach hurt while watching it at home due to discrepancies that arose from your lack of involvement in its early days. But, from approximately what episode did Tite-sensei get his hands involved in the production?
Kubo responded:
Starting from the ‘Bount’ arc, I began to do only dialogue checks in the script for the characters belonging to the original work, just before recording.
Kubo has expressed interest in taking part in the anime adaptations of Bleach. In the latest adaptation of the Thousand-Year Blood War storyline, Kubo insisted on keeping some of the lines for the comic character As Nodt. Additionally, he disclosed on his blog that he is more involved in storyboarding for the anime’s third cour of episodes.
Shonen Jump Anime Adaptations Often Deviate From The Original Source
Long-running anime franchises, like the well-known Shonen Jump series Bleach, Naruto, and One Piece, were frequently marked by inaccurate adaptations. These resulted from either creative disagreements or the need for filler episodes that allowed the manga to progress. Kubo has been considerably more active in the anime since the manga’s conclusion and the switch to seasonal releases.
Kubo recently revealed that he’s even working on the storyboards for the next Bleach release, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict. Given the difficulties of weekly episodes, Kubo’s desire for another try is understandable. In a similar vein, WIT Studio has already revealed plans to recreate One Piece into an anime.
The Bleach anime is available to stream on Disney+ and is set to return later this year, with the TYBW trailer released in December 2023.
