Fans prepare to say goodbye as anime series Bleach officially ends
Twenty two years after it first aired, one of the biggest animes of all time is coming to an end.
Fans get ready to bid farewell as anime series Bleach officially comes to an end
Bleach tells the story of Ichigo Kurosaki, an orange-haired teenager with the rare ability to see ghosts
It is a finale fans have been waiting more than a decade to watch.
The long-awaited ending of Bleach - one of the most popular anime series ever made - is set to arrive later.
It marks the final episode of the Thousand-Year Blood War storyline, and this is one conclusion for which expectations are especially high.
Original creator Tite Kubo has overseen significant changes to the original comic book arc’s "disappointing" narrative, and those changes have been well received.
As fans grieve the "end of an era", they are also anxiously waiting to see whether he can land the ending successfully this time.
BBC Newsbeat has been speaking to fans as they say an "emotional" farewell to Kubo’s creation.
Bleach is considered one of the "big three" manga in Japan, alongside One Piece and Naruto, and animated versions of all three are credited with helping drive anime’s worldwide popularity.
It follows Ichigo Kurosaki, a teenager with striking orange hair who has the unusual power to see ghosts.
He balances school and family life while also protecting humanity from evil spirits.
The original Bleach anime aired from 2004 to 2012 over 16 seasons, but it never caught up with the manga source material.
Fans were uncertain whether it would ever return.
However, the first part of Bleach’s animated final chapter eventually debuted 10 years later in 2022.
The Thousand-Year Blood War arc has been divided into four separate chapters, and the final run started this July.
Bleach’s original comic book ending was divisive and widely disliked by fans, and it was said to have been rushed because creator Kubo experienced health problems during its production.
One reason fans have been so eager to see the new animated finale is that Kubo and animation house Pierrot Films have made changes to the original storyline.
And many are hoping the "final battle"
, external will "fix" the unpopular ending from 2016.
Nicholas Thong (left) and Ruby Ebbs became friends through their shared passion for Bleach
Bleach fans Ruby Ebbs, 27, and Nicholas Thong, 30, often cosplay as characters from the series and organise meet-ups with other fans.
"A lot of us are feeling quite emotional about it," says Ruby.
"It is honestly my favourite series of all time, it has got me through a lot across my life," she explains.
She began reading Bleach at age nine and became friends with Nicholas through their shared love of it.
"I've made so many friends through Bleach, it's been such a wonderful part of my life both in terms of what it teaches me and the kind of people I meet through it."
For Nicholas, watching Bleach as a teenager helped him get through school - and he even has a tattoo dedicated to the story.
"It helped me make friends in school, talking to a few people who also knew Bleach and about our favourite characters," recalls the 30-year-old.
The pair tell BBC Newsbeat they will be "crying together" as they watch the finale later.