Bandai Namco has officially revealedBleach: Rebirth of Souls, a new fighting game based on the iconicBleachanime and manga franchise. This surprise announcement will likely excite manyfans of the series, as this upcoming 3D fighter will be the firstBleachgame in a long time to be designed specifically with home consoles in mind.
Asone of the best anime series of the 2000s, it should come as no surprise that theBleachfranchise has an extensive history of being adapted to the medium of video games. The first title based on Tito Kube’s beloved franchise wasBleach: Heat the Soul, a 3D cel-shaded fighting game that was released for the PSP exclusively in Japan. TheBleachseries then went on to make an appearance on many other consoles, like the PS2, PS3, PS Vita, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, GameCube, and Wii. In recent years, though, titles based on the franchise have largely been relegated to mobile platforms, meaning thatBleachgames haven’t exactly had a big presence on modern consoles. Fortunately, that’s about to change soon.
During Anime Expo 2024, Bandai Namco announced thatBleach: Rebirth of Souls, an arena fighter set in the world of the classic shonen series, is currently in development for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. This new addition to the long-running lineup ofgames based on theBleachfranchisepits iconic characters like Ichigo Kurosaki, Rukia Kuchiki, and Byakuya Kuchiki against each other in intense, one-on-one battles. According toofficial details provided by Bandai Namco, players will be able to “choose [their] favorite character” and take advantage of their unique sword skills by commanding “the flow of battle to find an opening that spells defeat for [their] enemies.”
Bleach: Rebirth of Souls is a New 3D Fighting Game From Bandai Namco
Bleach: Rebirth of Soulsalso puts a twist on the classicanime fighting gameformula, as it occasionally gives players the opportunity to defeat their opponents in one hit, just like in theBleachmanga and TV show. Bandai Namco briefly elaborates on this point, saying that “the more desperate the situation, the more powerful [players] become.” The Japanese publisher then touches on how progression will work in the game, stating that players will be able to unlock “new forms and new blades” inBleach: Rebirth of Soulsthat allow them to “bring victory from the edge of defeat.”
Outside of teasing that the game will support 1-2 player multiplayer both locally and online, Bandai Namco didn’t reveal much else aboutBleach: Rebirth of Souls. The company didn’t even give a release window for the arena fighter upon its announcement, instead simply opting to state that the game is “coming soon” to PS4/PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Steam. Although some may be disappointed at the lack of a firm launch period, many fans will likely be happy to seetheBleachseries get another shot at a proper console gameregardless.
Bleach
Based on Tite Kubo’s battle shonen manga, Bleach centers around Ichigo, a high school student who is dragged into the world of Soul Reapers. The original anime ended in 2012, but it was revived in 2022.
