Ichigo kurosaki, a high school student who has been able to see dead people since childhood, leads an ordinary life despite this ability. one day, while at home, he encounters rukia kuchiki, a soul reaper tasked with helping souls pass over. suddenly, they are interrupted by the appearance of a hollow, an evil spirit that feeds on souls. ichigo tries to stop it but is injured and unable to continue fighting. rukia suggests a dangerous plan: she will transfer half her soul reaper powers to him. he accepts and ends up absorbing all of them, easily defeating the hollow. now a soul reaper himself, ichigo must fulfill rukias duties of exterminating hollows and protecting spirits, both living and dead. along with his friends orihime inoue and yasutora sado, who later discover their own spiritual abilities, ichigo learns that the responsibilities of being a soul reaper are far greater than he ever imagined.
Bleach has sold over 130 million copies worldwide as of 2022, making it one of the top 20 best selling manga series of all-time; North American sales have also been significant with 1.7 million copies sold in the region. In 2005, the series won the 50th Shogakukan Manga Award in the shounen demographic category. Many adaptations have also been made of the series, with a 2004 television anime series along with four feature length films, numerous video games, spin-off light novels, databooks, and even a musical.The series has been published in English by VIZ Media under the Shonen Jump imprint since July 6, 2004 and in 3-in-1 omnibus edition since June 7, 2011; a hardcover collectors edition for volume one was released by VIZ Media on August 5, 2008, a box set of volumes 1-21 was released on September 16, 2008 as well as volumes 22-48 on July 7, 2015. It has also been published in Portuguese (Brazil) by Panini Comics and Planet Manga since July 2007, and in Spanish by Glénat/EDT since June 2006, publishing 51 volumes before the publisher went defunct, and later was republished by Panini Comics from February 2013 to November 2017.