You Need to Thank This Boy For Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Without Whom Tite Kubo Would’ve Retired

One of the iconic manga to this date, Bleach‘s legacy is marked by its fascinating theme, interesting characters, and intense action moments. However, this journey has also been a hell of a ride due to several challenges that came along its way; not only for the fans but also for the creator, Tite Kubo. In 2016, when Kubo was struggling with health issues, a letter from a young fan arrived — one that changed everything for him.

The letter, written by a boy confined to a hospital bed with limited time left, expressed a powerful wish. The touching message in this letter once again fueled Kubo’s dedication, reigniting his passion for the series and eventually contributing to the production of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, a climactic return that has captivated both older and newer fans.

The Young Boy’s Letter: A Final Wish that Rekindled Tite Kubo’s Passion for Bleach

In 2016, Tite Kubo shared a post on his official X (formerly, Twitter) account about a letter he had received; one that he described as life-changing. The letter was written by a young boy who had been hospitalized and given just a short time to live. Unable to participate in activities with friends or enjoy his favorite pastimes, the boy was left feeling isolated and depressed. In his letter, he explained that although he had tried various distractions such as watching TV or playing video games, they only reminded him of his friends.

It was then he started reading manga to overcome his boredom and distract himself, and among them, Bleach felt like a glimmer of hope for him. The boy described how the story of Bleach inspired him to look forward to the future again, giving him the strength to face each day. His final wish was as simple as profound,

Please draw Bleach the way you want to right up until the end. That’s what I want to read.

While the letter moved Kubo deeply, he had no way to contact him as it had no return address or any information about the boy’s identity. However, the boy stated that the letter would only be sent to Kubo after his death, implying that he had already passed away at that point. Still, desiring to express his gratitude, Kubo turned to his fans for help, asking on X account if anyone could help him identify the sender of the letter.

Fortunately, with the help of his X followers, Kubo was able to get in touch with the person responsible for delivering the letter a year later. As it turned out, the boy’s friend from the same hospital had sent the message on his behalf, fulfilling his last desire to let Kubo know how he felt. Kubo’s gratitude was so immense that he answered in the only way he could: by creating a heartfelt artwork that was dedicated to the fan and his friend, thanking them both for giving him the motivation to complete his work.

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War: A Revival Born from Tite Kubo’s Gratitude

After fifteen years of journey, Tite Kubo had transformed Bleach into a cultural phenomenon by 2016. But as the series’ final arcs drew near, Kubo openly disclosed to fans that he was dealing with serious health problems. In addition to the physical hardship, Kubo also struggled with doubts about his creativity. The last arcs of Bleach sparked conflicting responses, which made him doubt his ability to complete the story in a way that would satisfy his fans and himself.

It was during this dark period that he received the emotional letter, that changed his perspective on the journey he started years ago. For Tite Kubo, the young fan’s words offered a reason to push forward and complete Bleach with the same passion he had when he first began, which eventually led to the creation of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War.

Kubo’s decision to share this experience with his fans has only strengthened the legacy of Bleach. This heartfelt story serves as a lasting testament to the bond between Kubo and his fans, reminding everyone that sometimes the strength to carry on comes from the most unexpected sources.

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is currently available to watch on Hulu.

This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire