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TL;DR:

  • Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War will be streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
  • Disney+ is an unexpected and hilarious streaming home for the anime’s bloody finale.
  • Bleach isn’t the only mature content heading to Disney+ in the future.
Key art for 'Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War' for our article about where it is streaming. It features Ichigo Kurosaki wielding his sword and the logo for the anime's final arc against an orange background.
Key art for ‘Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War’ | Tite Kubo/Shueisha, TV TOKYO, dentsu, Pierrot

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War debuts on Oct. 10, but the anime’s return won’t be streaming on Crunchyroll; instead, it will be simulcast on Hulu and Disney+. And while many anime come to Hulu after their Japanese broadcasts, Disney+ is an unexpected place for Bleach‘s bloody finale. As such, it feels like a humorous development. Additionally, it may suggest that Disney plans to put more mature content on its streaming service in the future.

‘Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War’ to stream on Hulu and Disney+

Bleach fans have eagerly awaited the anime’s 2022 return, but up until this week, they didn’t know where the Thousand-Year Blood War would be simulcast. On Oct. 3, VIZ Media announced on Twitter that Disney+ and Hulu would serve as the streaming homes for Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. After weeks of rumors about Bleach coming to Disney+, it would seem Disney acquired the streaming rights after all.

But even if fans saw it coming, Disney+ feels like a strange hub for Bleach‘s finale — and it’s not just because the streamer doesn’t have much of an anime library.

Why ‘Bleach’ streaming on Disney+ is a hilarious development

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What Is the ‘Bleach: The Thousand-Year Blood War’ Arc About?

With the demand for anime remaining high, it’s no surprise that Disney would want to snag the streaming rights for popular series — but Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War feels like a strange place for the company to start. Disney+ is often considered a family-friendly streaming service, and Bleach boasts more mature themes — and bloodier action — than a lot of other shows.

As such, the thought of Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends fighting the supernatural on Disney+ is outlandish enough to be hilarious. And fans are sharing memes and jokes online to drive that point home. On Reddit, viewers imagined old Disney Channel promos with Ichigo in the spotlight. Similar memes have made the rounds on Twitter, along with fanart depicting the Bleach characters in Disney gear.

Of course, with Bleach accumulating so much hype after its cancellation and return, Disney probably saw potential in its existing fanbase. And it’s not the only mature content heading to the platform in the future. In fact, adult audiences may have a lot more options soon.

‘Bleach’ isn’t the only mature content heading to the platform

While Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War streaming on Disney+ may be hilarious to longtime fans of the show, it’s probably not the platform’s last foray into more mature content. With shows like Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and The Punisher making their way onto the platform, it’s clear they’re targeting an adult audience as well. And Disney’s Daredevil reboot and Deadpool sequel could get pretty dark, too.

This development could also signal that Disney is interested in picking up more anime in the future — and that may be less hilarious to longtime fans who prefer services like Crunchyroll and HIDIVE. We’ll have to see how Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War fares on the platform.

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War premieres on Oct. 10, 2022.

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