Bleach: The secret behind the name of the series

Tite Kubo's magnum opus Bleach took the manga industry by storm when it first appeared in Shonen Jump magazine in 2001. Ever since then, its equally hit anime adaptation — as well as the series — along with Naruto and One Piece, have been incredibly popular. Bleach, as well as these two anime, have also been dubbed the Big Three of the Shonen genre by the anime community.

However, unlike the other two, which have pretty straightforward names, Bleach has kept fans wondering about the origin of its name since its first appearance. With its upcoming new animation Thousand Year Blood War, what does the name actually mean, and does it signify anything?

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Deciphering the unique name of the series Bleach

Ichigo and Rukia (Image via Tite Kubo/Shueisha)

Considering how old the manga is, fan theories about the name of the series have been countless over the years. And the creator of the manga, Tite Kubo, has addressed the strangeness of its name before.

Apparently, Ichigo Kurosaki, the protagonist of the series, wasn't the first character that Kubo had designed for the manga. Since he was inspired by the classical Japanese legends of the Shinigami, or death gods who collected souls, to base the manga on, Kubo first drew the most beloved Shinigami of the series, Kuchiki Rukia.

The color palette used to design Rukia paid homage to the classic look of the Shinigamis, featuring traditional kimonos in black and white. Owing to that, Kubo initially thought of naming the series "Black" or "White" but decided against it when he realized neither sounded catchy.

The name, Bleach, is reportedly a representation of how the black robes were bleached and turned white, giving rise to an unexpected dynamic in the series. It makes sense once one realizes that the Shinigamis in the series are made to wear both colors.

Rukia being a stark example, is seen in black when she's wearing the usual attire of the Soul Reapers and in white during her time in prison before her supposed execution, which was later thwarted by Ichigo.

Interestingly enough, the evil Hollows were designed by Kubo with a predominantly white aesthetic which contrasts the usual archetype of white, which is associated with the pure and good. The Quincey, on the other hand, wore all white, aligning with the traditional connotation of the color. This play on traditional stereotypes is fascinating to note and elevates the relationship between the visuals and their underlying significance to a new level.

Apart from color-related symbolism, the name might also refer to the fact that the job of the Shinigamis was to cleanse the souls or "bleach" them. Fans have speculated that Nirvana's album Bleach, being Kubo's favorite, might also have been an inspiration.

The references are subtle enough to keep the mystique of the name, but once understood, fans can realize its genius. Whatever the reasoning, the name is now synonymous with one of the greatest manga ever written.