Geek It! Anime Jukebox Spotlight: Bleach

In this Anime Jukebox Spotlight, we will be featuring the music openings and endings of… BLEACH.

Bleach might have ended years ago but Bleach played a huge part of our childhood. Besides the action, comedy and storytelling; we want to celebrate our love for Bleach‘s openings and endings that has lived in our geeky hearts since 2004.

Ranging from rap to heavy metal to ballads to hip hop, Bleach songs were unique. But as we all know, good songs are not complete without the music videos, and Bleach is the ultimate example of what we regard as the anime with perfect openings and endings.

With the combination of monochromatic and vibrant colours to a variation of design elements such as font and linear graphics, Bleach videos were visual splendours.

On top of these artsy backdrops are Tite Kubo’s characters — and not in the way you know these characters. Interestingly, for a shonen artist, Tite Kubo has a keen sense in fashion and this is evident in the design of his characters dressed in cool outfits. And when you throw in the catchy songs and on-point editing, these music videos will get you pumped for the episode to come.

And to honour Bleach, here are some of our favourite OPS/EDs that catapulted Bleach music into the spotlight. We hope you enjoy this #Throwback!:

Bleach Opening 1 / ORANGE RANGE / Asterisk:

This opening takes us back to the day when we first watched Bleach. As we ventured through the opening, we were confused as to how Bleach was a ‘shonen’ anime.

Even towards the end of the series, Bleach aesthetically stood out from other anime with its style over substance videos. You might’ve asked yourself — what’s with these fancy students? But the audience doesn’t care. We’re totally down for badass shonen characters.

Bleach Opening 2 / UVERWORLD / D-tecnoLife:

Just listening and watching this music video brings a huge pang of nostalgic feels. This was the season that Bleach captivated our utmost attention — when Ichigo and his friends go all out to save Rukia. Honestly, it is one of our favourite anime openings to date. With that ballad beginning and the change in tempo, it reflects the chaotic story arc that we still love till this day.

Bleach Opening 3 / HIGH AND MIGHTY COLOUR / Ichirin no Hana

Once again, this song (along with the visuals) totally nailed the tone of the story arc. The instrumental introduction, the verses in the lead up to the chorus, the heavy metal chorus, and the hardcore shouting — what a perfect song for Bleach.

Bleach Ending 3 / YOUNHA / Houkiboshi

After watching an action-packed episode, it is nice to chill out with a catchy, easy-listening song. With many characters to learn and remember during the Soul Society arc, this ending gave us a better understanding of each squad and its soul reapers.

Bleach Opening 4 / BEAT CRUSADERS / Tonight, Tonight, Tonight:

It is not hard to gush over the aesthetics of this music video. It is retro, hip, and consists of our favourite characters in badass outfits — which is the standard expectation of any Bleach opening.

Bleach Opening 5 / YUI / Rolling Star:

One of the things we like about Bleach’s songs is the visual tone of the openings/endings. They often coincide with the current story arc, and this particular song with its grungy video is no different.

Bleach Ending 5 / YUI / Life:

It is not often that we get see an artist being chosen for both opening and ending songs. Yui’s Life is iconic, and the song is without a doubt, the best ending song in the Bleach collection. There isn’t much going on in the video, but the mood is bittersweet as we see the characters looking out into the open and reflecting on ‘life’.

Bleach Opening 6 / AQUA TIMEZ / Alones:

Great song and on-point editing — definitely another iconic Bleach song.

Bleach Opening 9 / AQUA TIMEZ / Velonica

Although this looks like another video with characters being thrown together, this is one of the best Bleach ending songs in our book. 

— ENDS —