3 December 2009, Singapore – What happens after we live our lives on Earth? Do we simply cease to exist? Or do our ‘souls’ continue to ‘live’ in another dimension? While we may never find answers to these questions, it is this fascination with the afterlife that has given rise to Bleach, a classic hit anime series coming December 2009 to Animax!

Premiering 18 December 2009, airing weekdays 7.30pm (SEA/PH/SA) across Asia on Animax, supernatural-themed Bleach is well and truly one of the world’s biggest and most popular anime series today. Ranking among the best-loved and most well-known anime franchises such as Dragonball, Gundam, Slam Dunk, Naruto, InuYasha, and Fullmetal Alchemist, Bleach has grown to become a brand that even casual viewers and non-anime fans are familiar with.

Currently ongoing in Japan, Bleach is also broadcast in Europe, as well as North and South America. Airing in Asia on Animax, Bleach follows 15-year old student Ichigo whose chance meeting with ‘Soul Reaper’ Rukia sends him on a journey to protect his friends and loved ones as a ‘Soul Reaper’ in his own right.

Able to see souls from young, orange-haired Ichigo regarded spirits around him as minor annoyances and had led a normal life with his two sisters and father who runs a clinic. One fateful day, a mysterious woman in a black kimono with a katana (Japanese sword) appears in his room. Named Rukia, she identifies herself as a ‘Soul Reaper’, one of many spirit guardians responsible for leading souls to the realm of the afterlife known as ‘Soul Society’. As they get acquainted, Ichigo’s family is attacked by monstrous ‘Hollow’ spirits which consume other souls. With Rukia injured, Ichigo steps forward to take up responsibilities and powers of a ‘Soul Reaper’ to protect his loved ones…

As Rukia’s superiors eventually discover she had broken ‘Soul Society’ laws with the transfer of powers to Ichigo, she is hauled back to ‘Soul Society’ to be executed. Swearing to save Rukia, Ichigo embarks on a learning adventure that will awaken far greater latent ‘Soul Reaper’ powers within him. With the help of friends who willingly risk death fighting alongside him, Ichigo takes on the formidable ‘Soul Reaper’ hierarchy on his perilous rescue mission into ‘Soul Society’…

Based on manga artist Kubo Tite’s Shogakukan Manga Award-winning ‘Bleach’ shōnen (teenage boys) manga series that sold over 50 million copies as of May 2008, Bleach is a huge franchise that continues to grow at a breakneck speed. Beyond the manga and anime TV series, Bleach has been brought to the big screen in three theatrical anime movies over the last three years and made some US$15 million in the Japanese box-office alone. The immense popularity of Bleach also saw more than 20 Bleach video game titles released for Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation Portable, Sony PlayStation 2, and Game Boy Advance consoles since 2005. In addition, two collectible card games have been launched, and even a live-action rock musical was staged at Space Zero Tokyo theatre in August 2005.

With top global anime news portal Anime News Network calling it “one incredibly entertaining anime that will grab you and refuse to let go”, Bleach serves up compelling stories, dazzling action sequences as well as in-depth character development. Topping it all off with universal themes that tug at the heartstrings of one and all, Bleach is built on friendship, sacrifice, coming-of-age and the determination to succeed to inspire youth and young adult viewers everywhere.

As one of the few anime titles recognized internationally as a classic hit by audiences worldwide, Bleach is set to arise this December across Asia with action and adventure of epic proportions on Animax!

Bleach premieres 18 December 2009

Airs weekdays 7.30pm (SEA/PH/SA) / 6.30pm (WIB) on Animax