Bleach – Characters & Collectibles
After twenty-two years, the story is closing – and the finale is airing right now.
Techbox, Thessaloniki
The ending is airing now
The final part of Thousand-Year Blood War began on 25 July 2026 and airs weekly.
It completes Ichigo's main story – the final confrontation the series has been building since 2004.
And the road here has been an unusual one:
The original anime ran from 2004 to 2012 – three hundred and sixty-six episodes. Then it stopped, without reaching the end of the manga.
It took a full decade to return. The final story was split into four parts, from 2022 through to this year.
Commercially this matters: when a story closes for good, collectors buy. There is no new version coming to make today's figure look outdated.
And there are two audiences: those who followed it in the mid-2000s, and those who discovered it from 2022 onwards.
Which Ichigo – why the figures differ so much
Ichigo Kurosaki is recognisable instantly by the orange hair and black robes. But that is where the similarity ends.
Through the story, Ichigo changes form several times – and each form has its own figures:
Before buying a figure, ask "which form". The difference is obvious.
Alongside him, consistent characters: Rukia (small, black hair), Renji (red hair, tattoos) and Byakuya – each with a following of their own in collectibles.
The mask – the design that stands alone
The white mask with red markings is one of the few anime designs recognised with no character at all.
It works on a t-shirt, phone case or poster with nobody in the picture – and it is a safe choice if you do not know which form of Ichigo they prefer.
The same applies to the swords: each character has their own, with its own shape – and the replicas sell independently of the figures.
What age it is for
Bleach is harder than it looks. The fights are fought with swords, there is blood, and characters die.
It is heavier than other well-known action series. It suits fifteen and up.
The products are of course innocent – just do not assume that because it is animated, it is for children.
What to choose
- Figures: Ichigo first – check which form. Rukia and Renji follow.
- Funko POP: the main characters, in several versions.
- Sword replicas: they sell independently of the figures.
- Manga: official English editions – the story is complete.
- Apparel: with the mask – a safe choice with no character.
- Posters & gifts: art prints, keyrings, mugs.
See also Naruto, One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen.
Frequently asked questions
- Is anything airing right now?
- Yes. The final part of Thousand-Year Blood War began on 25 July 2026 and airs weekly. It completes the main story.
- Why do the Ichigo figures differ so much?
- Because he changes form several times through the story: the base form, the one with the white mask, and the final forms – the newest of which has only just appeared. Ask which form before buying.
- What should I buy if I do not know which form they prefer?
- Something with the white mask and red markings. It is recognised with no character and works on a t-shirt, case or poster.
- Is it suitable for children?
- Not young ones. The fights use swords, there is blood, and characters die. It suits fifteen and up.
- Does the story end?
- Yes – the arc airing now completes the main story, twenty-two years after it began. For collectors that means the collection will not go stale.
