Tite Kubo is not just a mangaka but also a visionary. Bleach isn’t just a Shonen manga but also a recollection of the eras through which it was created. Going through the manga again would evoke the feeling of nostalgia, and fans are helpless about it.
The author’s art style has evolved throughout the eras, and so has his selection of aesthetics. From the jagged early Ichigo to TYBW‘s modern Ichigo, the author has brilliantly captured the essence of all the eras.
Tite Kubo achieved the impossible through Bleach
Bleach manga debuted in 2001 and ran till 2016 in the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. In its 15 years of run, Bleach slowly went through as much development as the outside world did. Tite Kubo made sure to keep Bleach updated with the real world, which means that from the artstyle to the fashion choices and even the gadgets used in the series are a reflection of their time.
Firstly, let’s talk about the beautiful art style of Tite Kubo. Back when Bleach began serialization, its art style was angular and raggedy, giving it a memorable vintage feel. It did not look like most other series of today’s time. The characters also had hairstyles that were reminiscent of the 90s and early 2000s. Undercuts and layered hairstyles were sported by the characters pretty often.
The clothing also mirrored the styles of the time. Oversized shirts, jeans, and hoodies were featured quite often. Tite Kubo is well known for dressing up his characters with stunning clothes. He even gave them accessories like bandanas and chains, which were popular during the era. Of course, as the series progressed, the styles began to change while keeping up with the real world.
It is impossible to recreate Tite Kubo’s feat
Re-reading Bleach can overcome anyone with nostalgia. And that isn’t just because of the evergreen plot of Bleach but also because of how the art style itself is nostalgic with references to the 2000s scattered everywhere from the clothes to the hairstyles, gadgets like flip phones, and others. It has a retro feel to it, which is quite difficult to emulate.
What Tite Kubo achieved through Bleach is now an impossible feat. Firstly, series rarely ever run for as long as Bleach did anymore. Recent series have become shorter and shorter, with only the old manga that are still ongoing, like One Piece. Thus, it is difficult to capture a cascade of retro elements according to the changes in real life.
Secondly, authors often stick to a particular era with their series. Thus series begins and ends in the same era and often within a small timeframe, making it impossible to capture the change in trends. At the end of the day, Bleach, with its beautiful color palette, retro feel, and vintage aesthetic, remains undefeated in the nostalgia sector.
Bleach manga can be read on Viz Media, and the anime is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
