There are countless amazing anime titles for fans to enjoy, but Bleach remains at the top of the favorites list for plenty of anime lovers worldwide. Considering how many dedicated fans this incredible anime series has managed to amass, many people wonder just how much money the Bleach franchise has made in total, as well as what Bleach’s net worth, earnings, and revenue look like.
As of 2022, the Bleach franchise has made at least $7.24 billion in total earnings and revenue since its initial creation. This approximate figure accounts for sales and earnings brought in by the Bleach manga, the Bleach anime series, as well as various licensed Bleach merchandise sales, but it’s possible that the franchise has made significantly more than the reported sales reflect.
While Bleach doesn’t have as much reported revenue compared to many other infamous anime titles out there, the franchise definitely flaunts tons of successful elements and the total revenue figures are still in the billions. Stick around to find out everything you need to know about the Bleach franchise, how much money the Bleach brand has made over the years, as well as the reported revenue and earnings.
Editor’s Note: This report has been updated to reflect the current state of Bleach net worth and earnings. The following numbers are the latest available to us and the article will update as soon as more current numbers are available.
Bleach Franchise
The Bleach franchise, typically stylized as BLEACH, began its journey in the form of a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tite Kubo (Noriaki Kubo), after which it quickly gained popularity in Japan. The storyline that Bleach is based on features tons of strong characters, but it follows the adventures of a young protagonist named Ichigo Kurosaki after he obtains the powers of a Soul Reaper from Rukia Kuchiki (a death personification that can be compared to the Grim Reaper).
His new powers then forced the young hero to take on the intense duties of protecting humanity from various evil spirits and villains throughout the Bleach storyline. In addition, he is set with the task of guiding departed souls to the afterlife as well.
Bleach’s manga series was then serialized in Shueisha’s shōnen manga magazine, Weekly Shōnen Jump, between August 2001 and August 2016, with its chapters organized into 74 tankōbon volumes. It was then transformed into a classic anime television series shortly after its debut, being produced by the infamous Animation Studio, Pierrot, and directed by Noriyuki Abe.
The Bleach anime series was initially aired on TV Tokyo between October 2004 and March 2012, spanning a total of 366 unique and exciting episodes. However, the foreign television and home video distribution rights to the Bleach anime series were obtained by Viz Media back in 2006.
Bleach’s anime series was then broadcast in the United States on Adult Swim between September 2006 and November 2014, gaining massive traction and fans worldwide. However, the extent of the Bleach franchise doesn’t end there, since there are plenty of other projects and creations that have been inspired by the Bleach anime series as well, which can be considered an influence when determining the franchise’s true worth.
Such aspects include two original video animation (OVA) episodes, four animated Bleach feature films, ten Bleach stage musicals, several Bleach video games, trading card games, light novels, and musicals, in addition to countless different types of Bleach-inspired merchandise. There are also more realistic productions inspired by the Bleach franchise as well, such as the Japanese live-action film adaptation that was produced by Warner Bros. and premiered back in 2018.
There are a few other elements to the Bleach franchise as well, although they are technically not part of the same brand. An example of this would be Burn the Witch, which is another manga series that was created by Tite Kubo/ Noriaki Kubo and is also set in the same universe as the Bleach storyline.
Back in March 2020, it was revealed that the classic anime series is set to be followed by Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, another series that is meant to act as a sequel to the original Bleach, promising to cover the Bleach manga’s final story arc. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War started streaming in October 2022 and has been met with great success.
Bleach Net Worth, Earnings & Revenue
While Bleach is not considered a giant in the anime and manga industry, it’s still sitting somewhere at the top of the charts in terms of the anime series’ viewership and Bleach manga or product sales. According to the financial report made by TV Tokyo for 2019, Bleach sat in the 5th spot for the first half of the year in terms of sales, but did not make the cut when considering gross profit – as seen below thanks to Anime News Network:
As of 2022, the Bleach franchise has managed to bring in at least $7.24 billion in revenue. This includes plenty of major elements that make up the entire franchise, accounting for sales and earnings brought in by the Bleach manga, the Bleach anime series, as well as various Bleach merchandise sales.
How Much is the Bleach Franchise Worth?
Considering how many fans Bleach has as well as how many areas this franchise has expanded into, it’s really no surprise that it’s still holding strong. Below are the estimated total earnings for the major aspects of the Bleach franchise since its initial inception, according to Anime India:
| Bleach Franchise Sector | Estimated Earnings |
| Bleach Manga magazine | $6.169 billion |
| Bleach Manga volumes | $740 million |
| Bleach Licensed Merchandise | $260 million |
| Bleach Box office | $40 million |
| Bleach Anime DVD & Blu-ray | $26 million |
As with many other iconic anime titles that actually stem from a founding manga series, the Bleach franchise seems to gain most of its earnings through its released mangas. The Bleach franchise has been incredibly successful over the years, receiving the 50th Shogakukan Manga Award for the shōnen category back in 2005.
The Bleach manga actually had around 90 million tankōbon copies in circulation as of 2017, 120 million circulating as of 2019, and approximately 130 million tankōbon volumes in circulation all over the world. According to Wiki, the title has moved up and down the ranks over the years, but it’s safe to say that the Bleach manga is one of the best-selling mangas in the industry’s history.
While much of the Bleach manga’s sales were seen in Japan, the manga was really popular in other regions worldwide as well – particularly in North America. The Bleach manga had over 2.7 million tankōbon volumes in circulation in the United States alone.
However, the additional sectors of the franchise are still exceedingly popular and successful worldwide. Dedicated Bleach fans can still get their hands on some incredible merchandise ranging from costumes and accessories to figurines and posters – which are likely to increase in popularity with the new Bleach anime series coming out soon!
While the Bleach franchise is not considered a giant within the industry when compared to some of the more profitable anime titles out there, it’s definitely impressed many anime fanatics with some incredible storytelling, plots, visuals, and much more – topped with some interesting main Bleach characters. Thankfully, this is not the end for Bleach admirers just yet, since Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War promises to bring plenty of action and adventure.
