As anticipation builds for Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Final Part - The Calamity, the franchise continues to celebrate its legacy through special initiatives. The latest development comes with the progression of the retrospective project TV ANIMATION 『BLEACH』 THE STORIES, which has now shifted focus to the iconic Soul Society Arc.
This special project, designed to revisit the history of the original Bleach TV anime, has unveiled a striking new special visual for the Soul Society Arc phase. The artwork captures the dramatic essence of the storyline, featuring key characters poised against the backdrop of the Soul Society's intricate architecture and spiritual atmosphere, highlighting the high-stakes invasion and battles that define this pivotal chapter in Ichigo Kurosaki's journey.
The Soul Society Arc, which originally aired as episodes 21 through 63 of the classic series, marks a turning point in Bleach. It follows Ichigo and his allies as they infiltrate the Soul Society to rescue Rukia Kuchiki from execution, uncovering deeper conspiracies, engaging in intense sword fights, and revealing the complexities of the Shinigami world. This arc is widely regarded for elevating the series from its early substitute Shinigami setup into a grander epic of shonen action, world-building, and character development.
To allow fans to relive this foundational storyline, the project has announced a detailed streaming schedule on the official Bleach anime YouTube channel. Episodes will be made available through limited-time free premieres, with each batch accessible for two weeks after release.
The rollout begins with Episode 21, "The Entry! The World of the Shinigami," already available for a limited period starting February 15, 2026. The full arc episodes follow in weekly batches:
Episodes 21–32: Premiering February 21, 2026, at 8:00 PM JST
Episodes 33–44: Premiering February 28, 2026, at 8:00 PM JST
Episodes 45–53: Premiering March 7, 2026, at 8:00 PM JST
Episodes 54–63: Premiering March 14, 2026, at 8:00 PM JST
In addition to the episodes, the project will release opening and ending theme music videos featuring the artists who scored these sequences. Starting February 23, 2026, fans can look forward to:
D-tecnoLife by UVERworld on February 23
Houki Boshi by YUI on February 25
Further themes by artists such as YUI, ikimono-gakari, and others will follow in sequence. The initiative also plans to drop cast interview videos in March 2026, offering reflections from voice actors on their experiences during this arc.
TV ANIMATION 『BLEACH』 THE STORIES serves as a bridge to the franchise's climactic conclusion, building excitement for the final chapter while giving newer viewers a chance to experience the full narrative journey. Earlier phases covered the Substitute Shinigami arc, and subsequent sections will tackle the Arrancar arc, Lost Agent arc, and Thousand-Year Blood War arc leading up to the new episodes.
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, which adapts the concluding arc of Tite Kubo's Bleach manga series, streamed on Disney+ and Hulu worldwide from October to December 2022. Part 2, subtitled The Separation, premiered from July to September 2023. Part 3, subtitled The Conflict, premiered in October 2024. Part 4, subtitled The Calamity, will premiere in July 2026. A new smartphone game titled BLEACH Mirrors High will be released in summer 2026 as well.
Source: Comic Natalie
