Despite its overall popularity, Bleach has always been severely underrepresented in video games — especially compared to the likes of Naruto and One Piece. That's about to change, however, with Bleach: Rebirth of Souls. Freshly announced at Anime Expo 2024, this adaptation covers a good chunk of the source material, through to the Arrancar arc.
It's being categorised as an 'action fighting' game, but from what we've seen, it's essentially an arena fighter with a story mode. Gameplay has a focus on turning the tides of battle with devastating strikes — just like in the manga and anime.
Rebirth of Souls is being developed by longstanding Japanese studio Tamsoft, which has worked on a huge number of projects over the years. Most recently, it's been known for the Senran Kagura games, but it also had a hand in 2021's Melty Blood: Type Lumina.
The reveal trailer's a little barebones, and there's no release window yet, so we're going to assume that it's targeting a 2025 launch. We'll no doubt be seeing more of it in the relatively near future.
Are you hyped for an actual Bleach game? Unleash the soul of your sword in the comments section below.
Comments 37
Savior of the Generation. It’s about time indeed.
Similar to the Demon Slayer game? I thought this looked great. Excited for the story element, and the arena fighter should be fun, too.
I'm glad that the likes of Sparking Zero and Hinokami Chronicles have been raising the bar for arena fighters lately, cuz if it follows those examples, this'll turn out amazing!
... I just hope they learn from the successful elements of those two games, as well as the unsuccessful elements of things like JJK Cursed Clash and One Punch Man: A Game Nobody Remembers; there's a lot of history in the genre now, both of what has and hasn't worked, so with any luck, this'll be the video game revival Bleach deserves.
On one hand, disappointing. On the other hand, at the very least it looks nowhere near as janky as that Jujutsu Kaisen game so atleast there's that lol I wouldn't mind arena fighter if they atleast offer some sort of side content that isn't just a barebones story mode using screencaps from the anime.
Surprised that Bamco let an ecchi dev take care of Bleach
2 negatives I have to say about it. One is that it is another arena fighter and two is the immensely disappointing lack of blood. An anime and manga that is known to be brutal(And especially in TYBW) the blood is just non existent here. Not very excited for this and especially when it looks like the developer behind the Naruto games and Kakarot isn't working on it.
I was really hoping to get a Bleach Musou game, instead we're getting the bare minimum. What a waste. Between thus and Disney completely dropping the ball on the new season, Bleach fans just continue their losing streak.
(Yes, I'm a Bleach fan)
@Savage_Joe: Letting an ecchi company make an adaptation of a famous IP (in this case, a video game based on Bleach) in Japan is more common then most people think.
That said, in fairness Tamsoft is known for other notable works beside just Senran Kagura & Oneechanbara. They developed the Battle Arena Toshinden series (the first entry being one of the earliest 3D fighters, and the first known 3D weapon-based fighter, predating Soulcalibur), and they worked with Bamco before by developing that 2020 Captain Tsubasa (a well-known soccer manga) game.
As a Bleach fan, I love it, but would like to see more of the gameplay. That felt like a fairly early preview. I hope it will cover the entire story though, including the 1000 Year Blood War. Would honestly be pretty disappointing if it didn't at this point.
Also, not a single Getsuga Tenshou in that trailer? C'mon, what are we doing here?
Those Treasure developed Bleach fighters on DS sure were dope. Like their Yuyu MD fighter, but embiggened
At this point, I'll take any Bleach content. The ps3 game was pretty great. Was hoping for something similar to that, but alas. Still I'm excited
Graphic wise it looks great. But i'm not an arena fighter fans despite some of them looks great like JJBA: All Star Battle (very bad netcode though sadly). But, if this game has solid rollback netcode + cross play then i could put it on my buying list.
Well it's not CyberConnect 2 which is a little disappointing but still FINALLY A BLEACH FIGHTING GAME FOR CONSOLE!!!!!
I'm sad. I don't dislike beach, but this means tamsoft isn't working on a Captain Tsubasa rise of new champions sequel. I would really like a sequel.
@Yousef- LOOOL We were literally talking about why no BLEACH game? On that DBZ Kakarot article the other day talk about good timing 😅. Again no CC2 but I'll take what I can get my only concern is that this trailer has already implied my favourite character isn't on the roster😭😭😭😭 (Orihime) I don't know why they'd do a splash page highlight of all the main crew even Sado and not her DON'T DO THIS TO ME DEVS DON'T RUIN THIS FOR ME!!!!!😅😭😭😭
Anyone remember the fighting games for the Nintendo DS? Truly peak.
Really hope this one turns out to be great!
@LikelySatan Dude those DS games were incredible. You also had the "heat the soul" games for the PSP that were great fun as well.
@homelesscretin I was interested for the developer and not the license. Almost everything Treasure did was legendary. If you never checked out their MD Yuyu Hakusho game, a translated rom is easy to track down. It was way, way ahead of it's time. 4 players, combo counters, cancels, supers, super cancels, different planes to fight on like Fatal Fury. Find it if you can!
Sure it's a arena fighter but at least it's not by the One Punch Man, Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia game devs.
Which was lackluster adaptions which Namco Bandai has been on a streak in that regard.
Can someone please take this anime ip's away from Bandai?
A little info the actual Anime studio who does BLEACH Studio Pierrot and Kubo himself are involved with the creation of this game so it appears as though this isn't a souless cash grab and is actually a labour of love that has effort out in it looks like us BLEACH fans are finally getting the game we've waited for 🤞
@LikelySatan Oooooh that Yu Yu Hakusho game sounds pretty rad! Will defo check it out.
Man, I really miss Treasure. They just...fizzled out in the 2010s. I would kill for another Sin and punishment 😞
@AsterZero Honestly speaking My hero one's justice 2 was a fantastic game😂. Some issues sure, but I think with a third game they could've definitely ironed some things out. Alas, I don't know if we'll ever get a third one.
A lot of people hate arena fighters...
But I love them😂. Yes, there's a lot of them that suck, but there are a lot of great ones as well. Ultimate ninja storm, budokai tenkaichi, pokken, Arms, power stone, gundam versus, kill la kill if.
Arena fighters have a lot of potential but unfortunately most of the time that potential isn't realised. But when it is realised like in the games that I listed above, you're in for a great time.
@homelesscretin Completely agree and this is just my personal opinion but I believe that 3D Arena fighters like this are just the best genre of game to do Shonen Anime adaptations. There's a reason why the two most beloved anime game series that nailed the feeling of their respective IPs (The DB Tenkaichi/Sparking series and the Naruto UN Storm series) are both games in this genre (I would also for me include Demon Slayer HC in this because that game was awesome and an amazing adaptation of the anime). Yeah a lot of bad cash grabs have been produced but you can say that for any genre don't hate on the genre hate on those who half a🐍🐍 it y'know
Peaked my interest as re watching bleach as well speak
@homelesscretin Yeah there really hasn't been much like them. Every now and then something will remind me of them (Gravity Circuit, Vernal Edge, Penny's Big Breakaway), but I would be over the moon to see something new from Treasure.
Actually looked pretty sick. Definitely better than JJK cursed trash anyway!
I’m not really into bleach anymore but I love it’s supporting cast so anything that lets me play the characters I like is a win for me.
@Keyblade-Dan I know right?!? I was totally shook when I saw it live on stream. Me and the guys couldn’t believe it loool. It’s absolutely bliss we’re getting bleach content. I was beyond ready to pass out after the stream cuz it was 4:28 am in Kuwait lmao.
@Yousef- Yeah I was borderline in tears 😅 really hope they nail this one so far everything I've seen on paper is looking good just hope Orihime is playable she's my favourite 😅
@Keyblade-Dan couldn’t agree more. She’s one of my favs too xD. She totally belongs in this game. Can’t wait to play Chad too. This story mode will be awesome.
@Yousef- She was playable in previous BLEACH fighters Blade Battlers, Heat Of The Soul, Shattered Blade and Versus Crusade so I don't see why she won't be in this it's just that in the trailer all the main crew Ichigo, Rukia, Uryuu and Chad got a big splash page shot with their name pop up on the screen except her so it sent me into paranoia mode LOL 😅
Haven't played any of the more recent arena fighters that have a story mode...I just wanted to throw it out there that Bandai Namco published One Piece Burning Blood with the developer Spike Chunsoft. I'd be more than happy to have a Bleach game in a similar fashion. Last fun Bleach fighting game I was really into was on the PSP (Bleach Heat the Soul series).
Lastly, I enjoyed One Piece PW4...maybe a proper Bleach Musou from Omega Force/BamCo would be a welcome change to the arena fighter genre.
@straw-hat-crew dude heat the soul were so goated to play as a kid on my psp. An omega force bleach game would also be hype. I’m a massive musou nut.
Definitely gonna buy this game, this one and Dragon Ball Sparking Zero.
@Nem This doesn't really mean anything. A studio came work on more than one game at a time.
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