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If you like Bleach, these are the top 8 anime you should watch that capture the same hype, action, and heart of Tite Kubo’s masterpiece.
Tite Kubo’s Bleach is an anime that defined an entire generation. From exhilarating sword fights, stylish character designs, iconic and memorable villains, and impactful transformations, it had all the elements to make it a global phenomenon. However, once you are done watching the series, you are faced with the inevitable question every anime fan faces once their favorite show comes to an end -what next?
If you like Bleach and want to further explore similar shows, look no further. The below listed 8 anime series might have different premises and a fundamentally different method of storytelling, but they all share a striking resemblance to Bleach – one that may resonate with diehard fans of Tite Kubo’s masterpiece. As such, let us explore the 8 anime series you should watch if you like Bleach.
8 Anime You Should Watch if You Like Bleach
1) Gintama
At first glance, Gintama might seem like a weird pick for this list. The series is about 90% comedy, and the thought of comparing it to an anime as gritty as Bleach might feel like an absurd comparison. But here’s the thing – Gintama doesn’t just do comedy. When things get serious, Gintama is almost unrecognizable from its usual setting.
Like Bleach, Gintama nails its epic swordfights, intense rivalries, and the emotional storytelling that comes along with it, making it a must-watch. Moreover, the protagonist, Gintoki Sakata, is up there with Bleach‘s Ichigo as one of the best shonen anime main characters.
2) Death Note
Death Note is nothing compared to Bleach in terms of action. What it does have in common with Tite Kubo’s magnum opus, are the Aizen-level mind games and the concept of Shinigami. If you loved Aizen’s genius manipulations and intellectual battles, Death Note would be the perfect fit for you.
In fact, the intense battle of wits is the highlight of the entire show. Light Yagami vs L Lawliet is widely considered as one of the best cat-and-mouse games in anime history. The psychological warfare and the dynamic between the two characters makes Death Note a must-watch for Bleach fans.
3) Black Clover
In terms of fantasy, Black Clover is probably the closest to Bleach. The series follows Asta, a young boy with no aptitude for magic, in a world where magic is everything. As you may have already noticed by now, this premise sounds extremely similar to Bleach, seeing how Ichigo started off as an ordinary high schooler before gaining his Shinigami powers.
As for Black Clover, it’s filled with intense rivalries, epic showdowns, and transformations that would feel right at home for Bleach fans. Additionally, the series also does an exceptional job of developing rivalries that often push the characters to their limits.
4) Jujutsu Kaisen
If there’s any anime on this list that feels like an actual successor to Bleach, it’s Gege Akutami’s Jujutsu Kaisen. In fact, the mangaka himself listed Bleach as one of the many inspirations for his work. Both series start off in the same way as well – with both Ichigo and Yuji being thrust into their respective worlds of Soul Society and Jujutsu sorcery respectively.
Apart from the characters, several aspects of Jujutsu Kaisen feel like they were directly inspired by Bleach. From stunning action sequences to an intricate power system, Jujutsu Kaisen perfectly takes after some of Bleach‘s best qualities. Additionally, if you are a huge fan of mentor-student dynamics, you will surely love Satoru Gojo, who’s basically an overpowered version of the already powerful Kisuke Urahara.
5) Akame ga Kill!
If you were a fan of Bleach‘s brutal battles with immensely high stakes, you’d definitely like Akame Ga Kill! It is certainly a unique addition to this list. While it may not have much in common with Bleach, it does share one thing with the latter – visceral and brutal action sequences, except with a lot more blood and gore.
Much like the Zanpakuto, each character in Akame Ga Kill! wields a unique weapon. However, here’s the catch – this anime has zero plot armor. No character is safe from the clutches of death – absolutely no one. Even the main character, Tatsumi, wasn’t able to live till the end of the series.
Therefore, if you got emotionally attached to Bleach characters, you might not want to do the same while watching Akame Ga Kill! After all, this anime is an emotional rollercoaster, which is bound to leave you in tears by the end.
6) Blue Exorcist
Blue Exorcist is an extremely popular shonen anime that ventures into the dark territory of the supernatural. If you liked Bleach‘s mix of the human world and the Soul Society, then Blue Exorcist will certainly live up to your expectations.
This anime follows Rin Okumura, the son of the literal Satan, who chooses to fight against his demonic heritage instead of embracing it and becoming his father’s successor. While this series may not have much in common with Bleach in a broader sense, it does have some great action scenes and an intriguing narrative that keeps the viewers hooked.
7) Naruto
If you skipped Naruto before watching Bleach, now might be the right time to rectify that. Both of these shows dominated the early 2000s alongside One Piece. In fact, they were all collectively known as the Big 3 of Anime. Therefore, if Naruto wasn’t on your watchlist before, it certainly should be now.
Throughout the years, fans have held several debates and comparisons between the two legendary shows. If you liked the character development in Bleach, Naruto takes that and cranks it up to an 11. If you liked the villains in Bleach, Naruto has a whole roster of iconic antagonists who you will certainly come to cherish. As for the action sequences, the storytelling, and character conclusions – everything is just as stellar in Naruto as it is in Bleach.
The only downside about the Naruto anime is its unusually and painfully high amount of filler episodes. Whether you want to power through it or skip it is entirely your choice. Regardless, Naruto is a must-watch for any Bleach and Shonen anime fan in general.
8) InuYasha
InuYasha is a certified classic for fans of supernatural shonen anime featuring mythological elements. It follows Kagome Higurashi, a high school girl, whose 15th birthday took a drastic turn for the worse when she is forcefully pulled into an old well by a demon. She is then transported back in time to the Sengoku Era, where she meets a half-demon boy named Inuyasha.
Together, the duo battle demons and search for the remaining pieces of the Shikon Jewel, a small artifact which holds extraordinary power, to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. Although this anime might not have a striking resemblance to Bleach apart from its weapon-based combat, viewers who liked the “will-they-won’t-they” dynamic between Ichigo and Rukia might find something similar here with Kagome and Inuyasha.
Conclusion
Therefore, if you have finished watching Bleach and want to explore new stories like it, these 8 anime series will surely fill that void. While they may not have the exact same premise or similar power system, each one of these anime series captures the essence of what made Bleach so beloved in the anime community.
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