Top 10 Greatest Anime like Bleach You Should Consider Watching!

best anime like bleach

Bleach is a Japanese anime TV series based on Tite Kubo’s manga of the same name. Bleach’s status in the anime community is incredibly high, and undoubtedly, one of the most iconic shōnen anime of all time.

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is set to be released in October 2022, and fans are keen to see Tite Kubo’s epic return. For the time being, we are putting up a list of 10 best Anime like Bleach that every fan must watch.

Best Anime like Bleach!

10. Blue Exorcist (2011)

Blue Exorcist- Best Anime like Bleach!
  • Episodes: 25 

The story revolves around a teenager Rin Okumura and his younger twin brother, Yukio Okumura, who were raised by Shiro Fujimoto (an Exorcist). One day, Rin discovers he and his twin brother Yukio are the sons of Satan, and he is the successor of Satan’s powers.

When Satan kills Shiro Fujimoto to protect them, Rin enrolls at the mysterious True Cross Academy and becomes an exorcist himself to defeat Satan (The God of demons). 

Blue Exorcist is a fantastic anime similar to Bleach that perfectly blends magic and action to provide a high-intense drama. The details are drastically different, but the overall sense and flow of each series are very much alike.

9. Black Clover (2017)

Black Clover
  • Episodes: 170+

Asta and Yuno, both abandoned to be raised in a church on the same day. In a world where magic is everything, everyone is born with the ability to use magical power, Yuno is gifted with extraordinary magic power and Asta possessed no magic at all, so he trained physically.

At the age of fifteen, both receive grimoires (a magic book that raises their holder’s magic). Yuno received a legendary four-leaf grimoire, as a talented mage, and Asta got a rare and mysterious five-leaf grimoire of Anti-Magic that neglects and repels his opponent’s spells.

Being opposite but good adversaries, now the two friends are heading out in the world, both following the same goal, to become the wizard king.

Between Bleach & Black Clover there are certain similarities, as in both anime there are different rivaling magic teams (Gotei 13 & Magic Knights) with the commanders being powerful.

In both anime, the protagonists are outcasts in the world they live in, Ichigo being a substitute soul reaper and Asta being a Magic Knight without any magic. Both anime series certainly prioritize action over story. We guess you could say Black Clover is the next Bleach in a way.

8. Samurai Champloo (2004)

Samurai Champloo (2004)
  • Episodes: 26

The story is about a tea waitress named Fuu who saves two swordsmen, Mugen & a Ronin named Jin, from their execution, and they promise her to help her find the samurai who smells sunflowers.

Together, they travel through Edo period Japan, finding battle and comedy wherever they stop. Mugen, Jin, and Fuu are homeless and each has their own reasons in their life. This anime is all about the journey, a road story, and not the end goal.

Samurai Champloo is a remarkable show, and it is a mix of hip hop with traditional Japanese music with colorful and fun characters, plots, twists, and has the better soundtrack overall. If you liked Bleach, you will also enjoy Samurai Champloo because both are anime with many cool sword fights.

The characters are very much alike, with Jin/Ishida & Ichigo/Mugen (Both act stupid and goofy, but when they get down to it, they are totally serious and expert fighters) being very similar. Each anime has the same hip-hop/rap genre of music. If you’re looking for an anime like Bleach, we highly recommend it.

7. Inuyasha (2000)

Inuyasha (2000)
  • Episodes: 167

The anime begins with a 15-year-old middle school girl from modern-day Tokyo, Kagome Higurashi, who is transported five hundred years in the past during Japan’s Sengoku period after falling into a well in her family’s holy place.

There she meets the half-dog demon, half-human Inuyasha. After the sacred Shikon Jewel (wish-granting jewel) re-emerges from deep inside Kagome’s body, she unintentionally shatters it into several fragments that spread out across Japan.

Now, Inuyasha and Kagome set out to recover the wish-granting Shikon Jewel’s fragments before they fall into the hands of the vicious half-demon Naraku. Even though considered a shonen, Inuyasha is a time-traveling, isekai-like, history, mix of fantasy & romance-based anime. 

Inuyasha is stunningly similar to Bleach, Bleach contains plenty of swordplay as well as Inuyasha. Inuyasha anime combines comedy, love, romance, and of course swordplay into one anime. Ichigo and Inuyasha both have the same aspects: easily getting mad and a sense of “true justice.”

6. Afro Samurai (2007)

Afro Samurai (2007)
  • Episodes: 5

The story follows a mysterious warrior only referred to as the Afro Samurai, who seeks revenge on the evil villain known as Justice, the man who killed his father.

Justice wears the number 1 headband, said to give the wearer the power of a God, while Afro is wearing the number 2 headband, meaning he’s the only one capable of killing him, but it is not easy.

Afro’s Samurai story is easy to follow and not too confusing. It is pretty simple and fun. Watching Bleach, did you ever think; “Man! I love sword fights! But what’s with this filler junk? Why does it take so long? I want to see more sword fights!” or simply how everything takes so long?

Look no further than Afro Samurai! It throws away that cliche plot, lengthy dialogue/conversation, and filler and replaces it with incredible action, violence, blood, and more style than Bleach at its peak. The only reason to go from Bleach to Afro Samurai is that you want more action and sword fight scenes immediately.

5. Gintama (2005)

Gintama (2005)
  • Episodes: 201

The anime sets in the Edo period of Japan, where humanity gets conquered by Aliens named Amanto. Edo Japan’s samurai fought to defend Earth, but Amanto ended the era of the samurai by being powerful and having highly advanced technology.

The plot follows life from the point of view of ex-samurai rebel Gintoki Sakata who started working as a freelancer alongside his friends Shinpachi and Kagura.

Gintama is relatively the inverted version of Bleach in a way, while still being weirdly alike. While Tite Kubo’s magnum opus is an action series with moments of humor and sentiment, Gintama is an emotional comedy series with moments of incredibly fantastic action. There are many references in Gintama to Bleach, and it’s awesome to acknowledge that fact.

4. Rurouni Kenshin (1994)

Rurouni Kenshin (1994)

Episodes: 95

The story revolves around a retired samurai named Himura Kenshin. He is ready to move on from his old life and is now dedicated his life to helping the innocent & weak people and protecting them from the cruel authorities.

When he’s pushed into combat, he uses a non-deadly sword with a reversed blade. However, soon his destiny takes him to new events & another path, when he meets his new friends and tries to build a peaceful life with them. But is life that fortunate?

If you like flashy sword combats and long, stunning battles, both Bleach and Rurouni Kenshin are for you. Each anime has a main protagonist who fights to protect with a sword, and that is probably the most important thing they both share.

Both are unique anime that are unique in their awesome swordplay. Overall, this is an outstanding anime like Bleach that will grab your attention quickly!

3. D.Gray-man (2006)

D.Gray-man (2006)
  • Episodes: 103

Set in an alternate 19th century, it shows the story of a young Allen Walker, who joins an organization of exorcists named the Black Order. Allen Walker is a young Exorcist who has the ability to tell who is human and who is a devil with his cursed eye.

Together with the Black Order, Allen must find all 109 pieces of innocence to protect the world and defeat Earl. 

There are obvious similarities between Bleach and D.Gray-man. Allen Walker is also trying to restore peace in the world, just like Ichigo in Bleach. Nevertheless, in Bleach, they kill Hollows, and in D.Gray-Man they kill devils, but Bleach uses Swords, and D.Gray-Man uses weird Weapons.

Furthermore, there are members of a supernatural organization whose mission is to defeat demons/spirits that prey upon humans. This is a great action anime you can watch if you’re looking for something similar to Bleach.

2. Yu Yu Hakusho (1992)

Yu Yu Hakusho (1992)
  • Episodes: 112

The anime tells the story of Yusuke Urameshi, a troublesome fourteen year old teenager who gets a second chance, after being struck and killed by a car while trying to save a kid’s life.

Yusuke proves himself to Koenma (the son of the ruler of the afterlife Underworld), gets resurrected and appointed as an “Underworld Detective.” Now, he must look into and investigate various cases involving demons and ghosts in the Human World along with his comrades.

Yu Yu Hakusho anime is similar to Bleach, both anime are spiritual combats, featuring shonen lead characters (Ichigo & Yusuke), and both have supernatural skills & powers.

An excellent supporting cast also surrounds each lead character in both anime, providing encouragement, friendship, and a bunch of alluring powers. If you are a fan of Bleach you should go and watch this anime.

1. Shaman King (2001)

Shaman King (2001)
  • Episodes: 64

It follows the adventures of Yoh Asakura, a young boy who can talk to spirits and wanted to be the Shaman King by winning the tournament called the Shaman Fight.

If he can defeat all of his opponents, then he can connect with the Great Spirit and desire anything in the world! This show has just as many battles and humor as Bleach or any other Shonen Jump anime.

Shaman King, one of the most similar anime to Bleach, is highly advisable to every fan of Bleach. Organized as action and journey, Shaman King likewise has the theme of ghosts and spirits.

In both anime, protagonists Yoh and Ichigo have a strong passion to protect their friends, and an incredibly interesting storyline. Kick-ass spirit fighting is central to both Bleach & Shaman King.

Final Thoughts!

So, what are your thoughts about our 10 anime like Bleach? Did each of the forenamed delights grasp the nature of the series in question, or have we skipped out on a few?

We would like to listen to what all you anime fans have to say. Do leave your comment section below and watch out for more such alternatives coming your way shortly.

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Posted by
Simranjeet Singh

Hey, This is Simranjeet! I am a content writer and an anime lover who loves to watch different types of anime. They also give me motivation in life, that's why I write about it and want to share it with everyone.