These filler storylines had no influence on the main plot. They made oblique references to the source material, resulting in a twisted version of Soul Society that frequently clashed with established plot aspects. However, filler arcs provided something for Bleach fans to enjoy while Tite Kubo worked on a fresh set of manga volumes to relaunch the anime canon.
Although the Thousand-Year Blood War arc ended in 2016, the anime adaptation took more than six years to be produced. When the first episode aired on October 11th, 2022, the Bleach fandom was certainly happy, explaining the show's stratospheric ascent in the MyAnimeList rankings. Despite the fact that the Thousand-Year Blood War storyline will have 52 episodes and no filler, there are multiple filler arcs and individual filler episodes strewn throughout Bleach.
| FILLER ARC | EPISODE RANGE |
|---|---|
| The Bount Arc | 64-91 |
| Bount Assault On Soul Society Arc | 92-109 |
| The New Captain Shusuke Amagai Arc | 168-189 |
| Zanpakuto Unknown Tales Arc | 230-265 |
| Gotei 13 Invading Army Arc | 317-342 |
| Uncollected Filler Episodes | 33, 50, 128-137, 147-149, 204-205, 213-214, 228-229, 266, 287, 298-299, 303-305, 311-316, 355 |
5 The Bount Arc
Episodes 64-91
Urahara's hidden mod spirits come into contact with Ichigo, Chad, Renji, and Orihime. They are destined to be adversaries and are treated as such at this point. However, it is later revealed that Kisuke created Noba, Kurodo, and Ririn in order to identify particular beings known as Bounts. These are regular humans who can consume harmless spirits and become immortal. In Episode 69, "Bount! The Ones Who Hunt Souls," the hero meets up against Yoshino, the first villain.4 The Bount Assault On Soul Society Arc
Episodes 92-109
Uryu's plan to defeat the Bounts in Soul Society almost seems like a failure since the villains are able to extract Reishi from various aspects of the environment, making them vastly more dangerous. The Bounts cannot bypass the security separating the Rukongai and the Seireitei districts. The Bounts finally break in after conscripting a group of powerful combatants and receiving help from a Squad Eleven spy named Ichinose Maki. In Episode 98, "Clash! Kenpachi Zaraki vs. Ichinose Maki," the Squad Eleven Captain battles and defeats his turncoat subordinate. Of course, Kariya informs his new "allies" that their services are useless now that their job is done, adding injury to insult by taking them down. Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryusai finally takes action, ordering his subordinates to spread across the Seireitei and inactivate the Jokaisho "bombs" concealed deep below the surface. The concluding fight between Ichigo Kurosaki and Jin Kariya takes place in "The Wailing Bount! The Last Clash" and ends with the villain slowly disappearing into the air.3 The New Captain Shusuke Amagai Arc
Episodes 168-189
After Aizen's betrayal in the Soul Society arc, he takes Kaname Tosen and Ichimaru Gin along when he flees to Hueco Mundo with the help of the Negación. This leaves a vacancy in Divisions 3, 5, and 9, the first of which is filled by Shusuke Amagai, a previously unknown Shinigami. At the same time, Princess Kasumiouji Rurichiyo travels from Soul Society to Karakura Town, where she and her "bodyguards" disguise themselves as students at Ichigo's school. Random villains unexpectedly appear and attempt to kill Rurichiyo in Episode 171, "The Profusion of Blooming Crimson Flowers," forcing Rukia and Ichigo to take them on.The heroes then ally with Shusuke Amagai while Vice-Captain Izuru overpowers Makoto Kibune, but the Gotei 13 realizes that something suspicious is going on with the Kasumiouji family. The Shinigami leadership isn't left clueless for too long, though, as Amagai simply kills Gyokaku and sneaks the Princess away to the Division 1 headquarters. Here, he reveals that his plan had always been to kill the Captain-Commander as revenge for something that happened to his dad. In Episode 187, "Ichigo Rages! The Assassin's Secret," Amagai effectively neutralizes the incandescent fire of Ryujin Jakka with his bakkoto device. Logically speaking, this should have made no difference since the old man is strong enough to vaporize nearly every Bankai-wielding warrior in Bleach. Then again, the climactic fight must be between the protagonist and the antagonist, so it is Ichigo Kurosaki who battles Shusuke at the end.2 The Zanpakuto Unknown Tales Arc
Episodes 230-265
Another string of filler episodes that partly focus on Yamamoto's Ryujin Jakka, the Zanpakuto Unknown Tales arc revolves around a rogue Zanpakuto spirit named Muramasa. This villain seeks independence from the Shinigami, claiming that they do nothing but oppress their sentient weapons. As such, Muramasa breaks the bonds between nearly all the Shinigami and their Zanpakuto, making them turn on their original "masters." At first, it seems like Muramasa has captured the Captain-Commander within an unbreakable force field. In Episode 247, "Deceived Shinigami! The World Collapse Crisis," the villain blends Ichigo's Getsuga with some of his own Reiatsu and deflects it at the old man, destroying the green pyramidal barrier. Yamamoto has actually been maintaining the shield to prevent Ryujin Jakka from being stolen, which obviously happens. Muramasa traps all the Captains and their Zanpakutos within the blazing inferno before initiating the final stage of his plan. He frees his original real owner, Kuchiki Kouga, after decades of imprisonment. Kouga retaliates against Muramasa, spouting some random nonsense about being betrayed by his Zanpakuto, which drives Muramasa to the point of no return. Ichigo Kurosaki arrives in time, but the Zanpakuto spirit somehow transports both of them into his former Shinigami's "inner world." After an explosive match in "Final Chapter·Zanpakuto Unknown Tales," Muramasa dissipates into nothingness.1 The Gotei 13 Invading Army Arc
Episodes 317-342
Ichigo arrives in Soul Society in Episode 318, "Renji vs. Rukia?! Battle With Comrades," where Ikkaku Madarame and Renji Abarai inexplicably decide to attack him and Rukia. Yoruichi rescues him before the situation gets worse, disclosing that the two Shinigami are, in fact, inventions of a researcher named Inaba Kageroza. This villain has somehow developed replicants of several central characters in the Seireitei, each with the same memories, knowledge, and powers. Known as the Reigai, their motivations are unclear at this point, except that they want to destroy the Gotei 13 for some reason. In Karakura Town, Team Ichigo meets the mild-mannered Kujo Nozomi, who is being chased by Kageroza and his minions.In Soul Society, the fake versions of Shunsui and Jushiro decide to attack their mentor, Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryusai, as they foolishly believe that they are capable of defeating the old man.
