You can skip 4 of the 6 titles in the Bleach franchise and still follow the main story: Bleach: Memories of Nobody, Bleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion, Bleach: Fade to Black, and Bleach: Hell Verse. The essentials (2 titles) take about 165 hours instead of 171 hours.
- Skippable
- 4
- Essentials
- 2
- Time saved
- 6 hours
Safe to skip
- Bleach: Memories of Nobody2006 · Film · 1h 27m · optionalA side-story film; optional.
- Bleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion2007 · Film · 1h 35m · optionalA side-story film; optional.
- Bleach: Fade to Black2008 · Film · 1h 34m · optionalA side-story film; optional.
- Bleach: Hell Verse2010 · Film · 1h 34m · optionalA side-story film; optional.
Why each one is optional
What each skippable title is, what it adds if you do watch it, and who is in it.
No. 01 · 2006 · Film · 1h 27m · optional
Bleach: Memories of Nobody
In Karakura Town, unidentifiable spirits begin appearing en mases. While attempting to deal with these strange souls, Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki meet Senna, a mysterious shinigami who wipes out most of them. Senna refuses to answer any questions, so Ichigo is forced to follow her while Rukia tries to find out what's going on.
Why it matters: A side-story film; optional.
- Starring
- Masakazu Morita, Fumiko Orikasa, and Chiwa Saito
- Director
- Noriyuki Abe
- Box office
- $1 million
- Scores
- IMDb 7.1
No. 02 · 2007 · Film · 1h 35m · optional
Bleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion
When an artifact known as the "King's Seal" is stolen during transport from Soul Society, Hitsugaya Toushirou is assigned to retrieve it. Toushirou goes missing after a battle with the thieves, leading Seireitei to suspect him of treachery. They order his immediate capture and execution. Unwilling to believe him capable of such a crime, Ichigo, Rangiku, Rukia, and Renji set out to find Toushirou.
Why it matters: A side-story film; optional.
- Starring
- Masakazu Morita, Romi Park, and Akira Ishida
- Director
- Noriyuki Abe
- Box office
- $7 million
- Scores
- IMDb 7
No. 03 · 2008 · Film · 1h 34m · optional
Bleach: Fade to Black
A strange disturbance in the World of the Living sends Ichigo and Kon to the Soul Society, where the Seireitei has been devastated by an explosion of reishi and Rukia is missing. Stranger still, none of the Soul Reapers remember Ichigo, and they think he’s the one responsible for the destruction. Now on the run, Ichigo is forced into a lonely battle in order to find Rukia and stop the real culprits!
Why it matters: A side-story film; optional.
- Starring
- Masakazu Morita, Fumiko Orikasa, and Kentaro Ito
- Director
- Noriyuki Abe
- Box office
- $6 million
- Scores
- IMDb 7.1
No. 04 · 2010 · Film · 1h 34m · optional
Bleach: Hell Verse
Hell – A place where beings that have committed mortal sins during their lifetime are sent. It is a realm where even Soul Reapers are forbidden to interfere. When a group of vicious Sinners plot to escape from this eternal prison, they discover that Substitute Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki is the key to their freedom.
Why it matters: A side-story film; optional.
- Starring
- Masakazu Morita, Fumiko Orikasa, and Noriaki Sugiyama
- Director
- Noriyuki Abe
- Box office
- $9 million
- Scores
- IMDb 7.3
The essentials, in release order
- Bleach2004 · Series · 144h 37mIchigo becomes a Soul Reaper; skip the filler arcs.
- Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War2022 · Series · 20h 11mThe final arc of the manga.
Common questions
Do I need to watch every Bleach title?
No. You can skip 4 of the 6 titles in the Bleach franchise and still follow the main story: Bleach: Memories of Nobody, Bleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion, Bleach: Fade to Black, and Bleach: Hell Verse. The essentials (2 titles) take about 165 hours instead of 171 hours.
How long are the Bleach essentials?
About 165 hours for 2 titles, in release order starting with Bleach.
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