'Bleach' release date news: Live-action adaptation set for 2018 premiere; Sota Fukushi confirmed to portray Ichigo Kurosaki
Hit supernatural-action manga "Bleach" recently wrapped up with chapter 686 after delighting fans for more than a decade and a half, but fans still can't get enough of their favorite series. However, instead of finally tying all the loose ends, the intriguing conclusion of the story only led to more speculations from the fan community.
"Bleach" manga creator Tite Kubo already confirmed a new development but he also hinted that fans should wait for another important announcement. The manga's avid followers expected that it will be about a possible revival of the anime version that was abruptly canceled a few years back. Instead, the manga publishers announced that a live-action adaptation is now underway and it will be out by 2018.
Geek recently confirmed that Japanese star Sota Fukushi will be portraying Ichigo Kurosaki in the upcoming film. The 23-year-old actor is known for portraying physically demanding roles, which is probably why the became the top pick to headline the yet-to-be-titled big screen adaptation. His other acting credits include "Kamen Rider Fourze" and "Suki ni Itte" (Say I Love You). Set to direct the movie is Shinsuke Sato, who previously worked on titles such as "Gantz," "I am a Hero," and "Library Wars." He is currently working on another much-anticipated adaptation, "Death Note: Light Up the New World."
To date, there is still no official word on the anime series' rumored comeback. As for the final chapter, some fans were disappointed because they felt that the ending was rushed. As Inquistr points out, the final chapter was not able to resolve all the loose ends and opened up new twists and complications instead—keeping the fans hanging. Other rumors claim that Kubo actually had enough source material to keep the manga running for at least another year, but the publishers were the ones who wanted to wrap up the series.
