Highlights
- The Bleach anime is known for its incredible music, including both openings and endings that enhance the emotion of the series.
- Some of the most iconic ending themes in Bleach have become beloved by fans, with memorable music, visuals, and even hidden easter eggs.
- These ending themes, such as "Happy People," "Tane wo Maku Hibi," and "Gallop," evoke nostalgia and showcase the core friendships and character designs of the series.
One element of the Bleach anime which has become beloved by fans, aside from the incredible character designs and nail-biting battles, is the music, and while there are plenty of tracks in the show itself that can help enhance the emotion of a given scene, there are also plenty of amazing themes outside the episodes during the openings and endings.
While Bleach's openings have garnered a lot of attention from the anime community ever since the anime first aired in 2004, there are also plenty of endings that became incredibly memorable for their music, visuals, and the episodes they were attached to, with some even hiding a few easter eggs that would foreshadow later events in the series.
Now that the Bleach anime is finally back, there's no better time to reflect on some of the most iconic ending themes that will undoubtedly raise a feeling of nostalgia for anyone who has been watching or reading this immensely popular shonen series for at least a few years.
8 Happy People by Skoop On Somebody
Happy People is an incredibly upbeat and jovial tune that plays at the end of the latter episodes of the Soul Society Arc where it really helps to break up the tension that reaches its crescendo at that point of the story. In fact, the ending even shows a few Soul Reaper Captains and Lieutenants, such as Kenpachi and Hitsugaya, acting a lot more casual and carefree than fans were accustomed to seeing in the show itself.
The chorus is incredibly addictive and the ending with Ichigo taking a picture with his sisters is actually very heartwarming, that is until Kon falls onto the screen and ruins the shot. Seeing Rukia in casual clothes in the World of the Living was also a welcome sight in this ending considering fans had been used to only seeing her locked up in the Soul Society for so long up until that point.
7 Tane wo Maku Hibi by Kosuke Atari
Ending 13, which plays near the very beginning of the Arrancar Arc, is much more subdued and relaxed compared to most of the other Bleach endings, which tend to be full of colorful illustrations and packed full of characters. This time around, the ending only features Ichigo who casually rests on a patch of grass, pondering about the fearsome Arrancar who are on the horizon, including Ulquiorra and Yammy.
Being able to take the time to reflect on the ongoing events, even if it's just for a few brief moments, is such a perfect way to end some of the episodes featured in this chaotic period in the Bleach story, and the whimsical tune that plays in the background, and Ichigo's family coming to greet him at the very end, both help to make it a real standout.
6 Gallop by Pe'zmoku
While Bleach is a series full of unique characters, many of whom share very deep personal relationships, the core friendship that drives much of the story is the one shared between Ichigo and Rukia, which makes a lot of sense considering it was upon these two meeting for the first time that the store really kicked off.
Gallop is an ending that focuses entirely on both characters and how, despite often being separated physically for large chunks of the story, they know they will always be by each other's side no matter what once the enemies have been taken down for good, something that is perfectly encapsulated with Rukia running up to Ichigo after the two finally see each other in this fun and unique ending sequence.
5 Stay Beautiful by DIGGY-MO'
If there is one particular area that Tite Kubo is praised for the most regarding his work on Bleach, it's undoubtedly his character designs and the way he is able to seamlessly differentiate every single person introduced into the story, even when many of them are wearing the same uniforms such as with the Soul Reaper Captains.
It's therefore clear that Kubo has a real knack for giving his characters a sense of style due to his expansive knowledge of the fashion industry, and nowhere is this more clear than in the Stay Beautiful ending. Aizen in an office collar shirt, Grimmjow rocking a college tee jacket, and Ulquiorra brooding in a gray trench coat are just a few of the unexpected, but very stunning visuals on display here, and the bubbly lyrics only help to make it even more unique and memorable.
4 Mask by Aqua Timez
When it was abruptly announced that the Bleach anime was going to be canceled in March 2012, there was a real somber atmosphere that surrounded the last few episodes of the Fullbring Arc, along with the openings and endings that accompanied them, but Mask rit an emotional nerve as it essentially acted as a thank you and a goodbye to the fans.
As fans see a disillusioned Ichigo lying on the floor with a sketched-out face and dying phone, the screen begins to brighten up as he sees his school friends, who remind him that despite being at his lowest point, he still had plenty of people around him who cared and depended on him. Bonus points are awarded here for the incredible performance by the popular band Aqua Timez who have actually performed a few of Bleach's openings, including the fan favorite Veloncia.
3 Hokiboshi by Younha
Not only do a lot of fans remember Hokiboshi fondly because it was the ending that played during the beginning of the Soul Society arc, which is where a lot of people first got into the series, but also because every time it played, it showed the life of one of the many Soul Reaper Lieutenants and Captains who had been introduced.
The scratchy guitar at the beginning of the song immediately grabs the viewer's attention while Younha's incredible voice is layered over the melody to make for a truly stunning song that never gets old or repetitive. This ending was an extremely clever move by the production team to help introduce this gigantic cast of new characters to the viewer one by one outside of the story itself.
2 Life is Like a Boat by Rie Fu
The very first ending in Bleach, and one that longtime fans will most probably be able to recite word for word, Life is Like a Boat is a song all about a person feeling lost in the world and trying to steer their "boat" back to the shore, which in this case, related to Rukia who knows that she is awaiting a harsh punishment due to sharing her powers with Ichigo.
As she reflects on all the friends she made, she then lets a large long red ribbon slip through her fingers, suggesting that she had already accepted her fate and was ready to take any punishment coming her way. While the ending is fairly simple in style and visual flair, it's also one of the most emotional ending sequences when put into the context of the ongoing events in the story.
1 Song For... by ROOKIEZ is PUNK'D
Song For... is an ending sequence that packs all the style, emotion, and themes of Bleach into a 90-second sequence as it flicks between modern day and flashbacks of all the major story events that had turned Ichigo and his friends into the people they would eventually become.
The gentle violin that reoccurs throughout much of the song, paired with the striking vocals and emotional lyrics by ROOKIEZ is PUNK'D make this a truly unforgettable way to end an episode, and an amazing love letter to all the fans who had stuck with the show up to that point. Being able to see Ichigo crying while encountering Grand Fisher before then cutting back to the present where he watches Rukia leave the World of the Living for good could have been the perfect way to end the series right there.