The lore in Tite Kubo’s Bleach has captivated audiences from the very beginning. Following Ichigo Kurosaki, a human-turned-Soul-Reaper, fans are introduced to a new version of the world they know, full of spirits, Hollows, and Soul Reapers. Of course, this also means we get to explore other realms, such as the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo, but one, in particular, has remained the subject of curiosity among all fans.
Ever since the doors to Hell made their appearance in Bleach, fans have been clamoring for an arc solely dedicated to exploring the underworld, to where only the vilest of souls are sent. But does the series ever satisfy this curiosity? Well, the answer is complicated.
Does Bleach have a Hell Arc?
In its 15-year-long run, the Bleach manga never got the much-desired Hell Arc. This is unfortunate for readers who constantly hoped to see it happen, but the anime adaptation at least tried to remedy the situation.
In 2010, an animated movie titled Bleach: Hell Verse was released, taking Ichigo and his allies on a journey to rescue his kidnapped sister. While this mission took him to the underworld and introduced the Beasts of Hell, though, it wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy fans of the series, who wanted to see this realm better explored. It also doesn’t help matters that the film isn’t considered canon, since it’s not an adaptation of the source material. So no, we can’t really consider this movie the Hell Arc.
All that said, there is still hope for a proper story arc in the manga. In 2021, Tite Kubo released a 73-page Bleach special, to celebrate the manga’s 20th anniversary. The chapter is set 12 years after the events of the Thousand-Year Blood War Arc, and at the very end, its title is revealed — No Breaths From Hell. The way the title was written in the Japanese version left fans in a euphoric state, as it implied this is the beginning of a new story arc.
Since then, though, we’ve had no more updates about the possibility of Kubo fleshing out the wonderword, so there’s no telling when (or if) a new chapter will be released. Fans have requested for the mangaka to finish what he started time and again, but as we know, Kubo doesn’t like to work out of mere obligation.
For now, the only thing we can do is keep our fingers crossed and trust that the Hell Arc will be continued someday.